Oak cubes

[yegnal]

I picked up oak cubes because I read they will sink on their own.

Soaking them in bourbon for a few days but they're floating... Is this due to the alcohol content of the bourbon ? and can I expect them to sink once added to my wort ?

 

[J A]

Most oak weighs around 50 lbs per cubic foot. Water weighs over 62 lbs per cubic foot. Beer weighs slightly more than water, 80 proof alcohol slightly less. That means that most oak will float in either. It may eventually soak up enough liquid to become heavier and then sink.
It shouldn't matter too much whether they sink but if you were very concerned about it, you could put them in a clean mesh bag with some sterilized marbles.

 

[lonelymtn]

I did the same with some oak cubes (I charred two sides with a torch) and left them in a jar of Scotch for three months. They eventually sank.