We have an internal club/friendly discussion about IPAs and how they were created historically and should we incorporate this technique in our IPA recipes today.
During the beginning days of IPAs, they were aged and shipped in casks. These casks were made of a lighter oak that were cold soaked and then had water boiled in them. Burton Coopers chose slow-growth oak from the Baltic and Poland due to the little flavor being given off from the oak. There have also been claims of barrels lined with pitch (still trying to find that reference). I have read the Mitch Steele IPA book and seems like each chapter seems to reference to barrel/cask ageing, some upwards of 18+months and however long to ship out. Then some areas would age the IPA even longer before serving. My opinion would suggest some type of "oak" flavor to be given off during this.
BJCP guidelines states for all IPAs..."Oak is inappropriate in this style."
So here's the question...knowing that the ageing and shipping process utilized barrels, usually of an oak variety, should we look at using a light oaking technique in our IPA recipes today? Does anyone in HBT land oak their IPAs to be more historically "correct" verses guideline specific?
Any input on this topic is welcomed.
Cheers!
During the beginning days of IPAs, they were aged and shipped in casks. These casks were made of a lighter oak that were cold soaked and then had water boiled in them. Burton Coopers chose slow-growth oak from the Baltic and Poland due to the little flavor being given off from the oak. There have also been claims of barrels lined with pitch (still trying to find that reference). I have read the Mitch Steele IPA book and seems like each chapter seems to reference to barrel/cask ageing, some upwards of 18+months and however long to ship out. Then some areas would age the IPA even longer before serving. My opinion would suggest some type of "oak" flavor to be given off during this.
BJCP guidelines states for all IPAs..."Oak is inappropriate in this style."
So here's the question...knowing that the ageing and shipping process utilized barrels, usually of an oak variety, should we look at using a light oaking technique in our IPA recipes today? Does anyone in HBT land oak their IPAs to be more historically "correct" verses guideline specific?
Any input on this topic is welcomed.
Cheers!