Oak

[EliteEvil]

I have read a few posts over the years about people buying oak chips, cubes etc. but can you just cut a branch from an acorn tree, cut the bark off, char it and use that?

[ajclarkson]

I have no idea, but I'm very interested in the answer to this as well. I've used chips in the past.

My initial though about it would be that you'd have to dry the wood out really well first to ensure the moisture in the branch doesn't come out into the beer, not sure just charring it would be enough. That's just off the top of my head though.. I could, of course, be talking rubbish!

[hobbsy]

I'm pretty sure it has to be dried, I've heard of people wrapping it loosely in tin foil and bunging it in the oven on low for several hours though. I'd play it safe and buy some still spirits oak chips.

[Geezah]

A friend of mine tried cooking a piece of oak and adding it to a sugar wash that had been reduced
It tasted like a tree, and was thus called 'the tree whisky drink'

If you can get in touch with some of the Scottish distillaries, you could ask to buy pieces of their scrap aging casks as this will add some real depth of flavour.

[Dr. Dextrin]

I believe the oak used in making barrels is seasoned before use. During this process, various fungi colonise it and partly break down the wood to produce the flavour compounds that eventually go into the wine/whisky or whatever is stored in the barrel. Whether the seasoning process used for barrels is fundamentally different from that used on oak destined for other purposes, I don't know. But it looks like you can't expect the same results by just using unseasoned wood.

[zerodivine]

Hi all hope i can shed some light on the seasoned oak. It's been left to dry out side raised above the ground and out of the worst of the rain. Unseasoned oak doesn't have the same smell.
So if you wanted to try get a good branch thats dead but on the tree. it will still put up a good fight but will give a deep crack. Then split it and age it for 6 months. just to be on the safe side.
Then cut bite size buts and add to a frying pan. If it hisses, it's not ready.
If it doesn't keep going. It will darken and the sweet smell of oak will be yours!

[timbo41]

Apropos of nothing..Elite,I just clocked your signature," mean streets of hingham". Near peed myself!! How about a little side trip to st.georges distillry at east harling...might be able to blag some aged oak there. Failing that,it would be rude not to sample the whiskey beer I hear they're now selling

And out of interest where do the mystery silver tins come from? Goodlife on sweetbriar??

[oldbloke]

According to a lot of Googling I did some time back, the oak used for casks, and commonly added to wine/whisky/etc, is from a few specific varieties of oak. None of which are native to the UK (as far as I know).
I'm not sure if the stuff sold for smoking meats and for barbecues is the same or not.

[EliteEvil]

Apropos of nothing..Elite,I just clocked your signature," mean streets of hingham". Near peed myself!! How about a little side trip to st.georges distillry at east harling...might be able to blag some aged oak there. Failing that,it would be rude not to sample the whiskey beer I hear they're now selling

And out of interest where do the mystery silver tins come from? Goodlife on sweetbriar??

I actually live in Hardingham but the streets aren't as mean here, it made the front page of the parish newsletter when there was an aerosol can left at a bus stop the other month.

The silver tins came off "the site which must not be named" and I am pretty sure they are LME.

I do plan to visit the distillery at some point, and asking for some old staves is an excellent idea! Is the tour any good?

[EliteEvil]

According to a lot of Googling I did some time back, the oak used for casks, and commonly added to wine/whisky/etc, is from a few specific varieties of oak. None of which are native to the UK (as far as I know).
I'm not sure if the stuff sold for smoking meats and for barbecues is the same or not.

Hi all hope i can shed some light on the seasoned oak. It's been left to dry out side raised above the ground and out of the worst of the rain. Unseasoned oak doesn't have the same smell.
So if you wanted to try get a good branch thats dead but on the tree. it will still put up a good fight but will give a deep crack. Then split it and age it for 6 months. just to be on the safe side.
Then cut bite size buts and add to a frying pan. If it hisses, it's not ready.
If it doesn't keep going. It will darken and the sweet smell of oak will be yours!

I guess that is mostly tradition - it would be easier for the sherry and bourbon producers to use local wood rather than import it?

If I remember by next autumn I will keep an eye and chop some tree up in the middle of the night. XD

[oldbloke]

According to a lot of Googling I did some time back, the oak used for casks, and commonly added to wine/whisky/etc, is from a few specific varieties of oak. None of which are native to the UK (as far as I know).
I'm not sure if the stuff sold for smoking meats and for barbecues is the same or not.

Hi all hope i can shed some light on the seasoned oak. It's been left to dry out side raised above the ground and out of the worst of the rain. Unseasoned oak doesn't have the same smell.
So if you wanted to try get a good branch thats dead but on the tree. it will still put up a good fight but will give a deep crack. Then split it and age it for 6 months. just to be on the safe side.
Then cut bite size buts and add to a frying pan. If it hisses, it's not ready.
If it doesn't keep going. It will darken and the sweet smell of oak will be yours!

I guess that is mostly tradition - it would be easier for the sherry and bourbon producers to use local wood rather than import it?

If I remember by next autumn I will keep an eye and chop some tree up in the middle of the night. XD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_(wine)
Different oaks have different tannin levels and different aromatics. Matters

[zerodivine]

Fair point on the different oak types. I always just in know them as oak. If any one is in the truro area of cornwall loads of oak on the old newham train line.
Scotland not so much havent found one in 3 years of looking and that includes estate parks