Oak cube reuse

[Brewmaster Tom]

Last year I made a "Bourbon Barrel" Porter by using a couple ounces of oak cubes soaked in Maker's Mark bourbon. It was bottled in July 2013 and all I did with the cubes after was rinse them off with water, allowed them to dry and then stored them in a ziploc bag in the basement.

I'm getting ready to make another "barrel" aged beer and was just wondering if the cubes are reusable (going to soak them in bourbon again) or are these one of those things that it's just better to spend the couple of bucks and get fresh cubes; or use them in combination with some new cubes?

Thanks in advance for the advice....CHEERS!

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I would think buy new, reason oak turns black when wet and puts off a mildew smell, even in hard liqueur I wouldn't chance it

 

[Hogarthe]

I'd gt new ones. the liquor will probably kill any germs, mildew, fungus etc. that might have grown in them, but most of the good flavor will have been absorbed by the first brew. your second one will have a lot less oak flavor if you reuse them. getting new would also give you the chance to try a different oak, or different toast level, if you wanted.

 

[Brewmaster Tom]

Thanks for the responses gentlemen. I will chuck the old cubes and use some new ones for the next batch of beer. Cheers!