Oak cube re-use

[Brew-boy]

I just oaked an IPA with 2 oz of oak cubes this being my first try at this. I was wondering are oak cubes a one time use or can you reuse them again?

 

[scinerd3000]

i would toss them but if your insistant on keeping them i would soak in a solution of potassium metasulphite (campden) to kill anything on them. Being pretty cheap i would just toss them and get new ones without the risk of infection

 

[Chriso]

what if you were to put 'em into a mason jar, fill with bourbon, and seal till next time you used them? would that theoretically re-sanitize and add flavor, simultaneously?

 

[scinerd3000]

haha probably....i mean people use vodka to sanatize...why not burbon.

 

[Bokonon]

what if you were to put 'em into a mason jar, fill with bourbon, and seal till next time you used them? would that theoretically re-sanitize and add flavor, simultaneously?

I'm not sure if it would actually sanitize them since there isn't sufficient alcohol in the bourbon to sanitize it, but I'm sure it would be good enough to inhibit any extra growth especially if they were sanitized/sterilized to begin with. I'm pretty sure there would be enough alcohol to at least kill any of the yeast that might have grown in there.

Seems like a good experiment to me. I'll have to think about it a bit and maybe put together a plan. I've got some oak cubes in a keg of IPA right now that I'm going to rack the beer off of sometime soon.

 

[Deofol]

I second the use of Potassium metabisulfite. Thats what I use to sanitize and keep my oak barrel hydrated in between beers (1/4 tsp per 5gallons water, or 1tsp per 500ml water as a sanitizer you can spray and wipe).

I've even used it to kill an infection on an aging/maturing beer. But you have to force carb it at that point since it kills off the yeast.

If you had any fears of it killing yeast in your new batch, you could always boil the cubes before you use them again since it decomposes at 190 degrees.