So, today I'm pitching some oak chips into Chernobyl Stout. After much consideration, I decided not to soak my oak in bourbon before adding them. Instead, for sanitation, I'm cooking 'em at 350° for 30 minutes in the oven. I'm using 2.5 oz of medium-toast American oak chips, and I think I'll leave 'em in there for 2-3 weeks. I may sample it after 2 weeks and then decide if I want a third.
In related news, I took a sample of Chernobyl to measure its gravity. It is currently sitting at approximately 1.038, which is high, but that means it is about 70% attenuated. This is the figure I had for Backbreaker Wee Heavy (1.101 OG) and close to the 72% I got for Pyatiletka Stout (1.086 OG). So, attenuation is right where it ought to be. The brew is quite sweet and the 11.5% ABV is masked extremely well. The flavor on this one is quite good, although it could use a hair more complexity. I'm hoping the oak will help that a bit.
My brew buddy Lance provided me with a packet of Nottingham dry yeast in case this guy did not ferment as well as expected, but I think I'm going to hold off on adding it. I am not convinced this beer would benefit at all from drying out; the sweetness is working for it.
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