Simulated Cask Conditioning

[BB2]

The Brewbirds are getting back in the saddle again. We have a new toy also: a 2.5 gallon torpedo slim line (BBs do a case at a time). We have just brewed an english ESB and would like to explore oak conditioning.

It seems the most popular method is placing the chips in a secondary fermenter for week or so prior to bottling. This is appealing since using London ESB yeast has resulted in a very fast fermentation - 3 days.

Since we plan to keg the beer it seems feasible to just skip the secondary and put the chips bag into the unpressurized torpedo, wait the week, then remove it and put in the carbing sugar. This would reduce the # transfers.

Anyone have experience or advice on this plan? Never tried any of this - the chips, the torpedo or keg conditioning...

[Beer-lord]

Great to see you guys back!
I've not used chips though I've been wanting to but everything I've read and heard on podcasts say to start off light because you can always add more chips or longer soaking time but once you over do it, it's too late.
What you suggest sounds fine and what I've read was a week is usually enough testing and tasting every few days.
Keep us updated.

[BB2]

Thanks BL

Maybe just put the priming sugar in at once? We aren't force carbing. Maybe use more chips but less time before priming? Not sure how to sample from the keg before it gets pressurized. This is all new territory.

[natural320]

since the yeast cranked through already (love some ESB yeasties!), and you want to skip secondary, and sampling from inside the keg sounds like a problem...
just toss the chips into your fermenter after 7 or 8 days from your brew day. this way you should be able to easily pull a taste whenever you need to (using a sanitized medium of course). I have heard that fresh chips could often be overpowering in as little as 2 days, so I would highly recommend sampling early and often. I don't think more chips in less time is the answer.
then once you get the taste profile you want, transfer over to the keg and add your sugar as per usual. don't overthink your process! also, to be safe, I would recommend dunking your chips in cheap vodka for a minute or 2 to sanitize them. that should give the alcohol enough time to "clean" the oak without much soaking in.

[Kealia]

All I can tell you is that I've used oak cubes (not chips) a few times in the past and I've always just added them into my fermentor and treated them like dry hops.

FWIW - I used 3/4oz in a 3G batch of Double Barrel Ale (Firestone Walker brewery clone) and the oak presence was good. Not overpowering, but most definitely present.

Hope that helps a bit - good luck.

[BB2]

You guys have really helped. Will report back on the results. Thanks!