About the smoky, iodine and peat. I only make peated whisky's but never got the actual taste or not enough of peat in the end product. So i send Ardbeg an e-mail. This was their answer "Phenols are heavy and so they are in the greatest concentration towards the end of a batch distillation therefore in the feints of the distillation run. So if you are in using a pot still then delay the cut from spirit to feints by a few minutes (then just go by trial and error. Please don’t delay by too much, as you will have an overpowering feinty note which is very undesirable) If you are using a column still it will be very difficult to achieve but dropping the take off plate will adjust the congener levels and hopefully will take off more of the smoky flavours. Again trial and error will be the best way to do this. The smoke will come, just need to play around with your distillation a little ! Also if you are reducing you whisky down after distillation with water, then keeping a higher ABV will keep more smoky notes there. "
Hi There, love your channel. I've aged similar distillates on varieties of wood as well as new/used barrels. One fun thing i did try was microwaving in mason jars to mimic aging. The idea is that you heat the 60% distillate to about 65 degrees C (this will remove some of your funk, unintentionally) while sitting on used wood that has already soaked the distillate. Immediately after heating, put the mason lid on and let it create a vacuum. Let it naturally get down to room temp, maybe after a day or so, and do it again. I've had great rum results after 4 or 5 cycles. Yes, you will be concerned about heating distillate in a microwave. Check the HD forums and you will see countless others who have done this and not had an issue.
While in the gulf, where spirits are unavailable, I tended to rush aging using lots of oak! I do believe one can use too much wood, as drink sometimes tended towards what I’d imagine chewing on wood chips would be like! What I haven’t found, is an amount of oak per liter of spirit, a “sweet-spot”. Today, I tend towards less wood, though ever a guessing game!
I purchased a five gallon oak barrel that just leaked too badly to use and was tempted to turn it into a trash barrel until I remembered this video. I took the barrel apart and cut the staves to a size that fits my jars, cleaned them up a bit, gave them a little extra char, and now I have enough oak to age a bunch of whisky. It is like making coffee or tea in that you use the recipe that matches your taste. Live and learn, you know!
Your actually my favourite RUclipsr. Over watched like 15 of your videos today in my hood of learning more about distilling before I start doing my own
Dude, this video really clears up a lot of the confusing info out there. Awesome! Also, seeing your product in those big jars really brings home how much you got. Impressive:-)>
Wow mate, really pleased to discover your channel with such high quality content. I’m a hack beer brewer and have always wondered how people make their own whiskies at home. I’ll be tuning in for more.
Ive used the 2oz of chips per gallon and my favorite is American oak for a week then added a mix of Sherry and a few French and let it sit for 2 to 3 weeks. It's really good
The beauty of home aging is we're not confined to the same constraints as commercial techniques. I've recently had wonderful results from apricot wood. And now trying rambutan wood. Only thing different I do is not seal the jar. And I don't toast. Only cook in a tray of feints and blast with a torch to char. Plus I use much more wood.
Love this channel mate! I’m just getting started in distilling - I’ve been all grain brewing for over ten years now so I’m confident I have the mash/wash process down pat. My question is regarding the jars you are using - you mention they have ptfe seals - did you make the seals yourself or did the jars come with ptfe seals when you bought them? Where’d you get the jars from?? I guess you could do a whole video on this topic!? Cheers from Australia!!
My friend has used a Pure Charcoal filter system he swares by as the best thing to take off the bad edges on his brew. I am not yet finished my still yet to try a run and filter set-up.
Hi, I realize this video is old, but I was hoping you could answer some questions for me. See I recently began my own experiments and I do not know who else to ask. I made a few batches of quick whiskey, by using oak chips roasted at various temperatures. Some turned out great. My favorite is the batch baked at 230 C for example, which turned out delicious. However, my problem is with the batch in which I used chips which I charred. The final product turned out ok...but there is a strange aftertaste. Like something has gone wrong. Some sort of sourness that is vaguely reminiscent of bitter charcoal. Regardless, it is not a pleasant burnt flavor I have come to expect from other whiskeys, and it is definitely quite different to my other more successful batches. I understand that there are numerous things that could have gone wrong. Maybe the wood needed to stay in there longer, or it was not long enough. Maybe it was too much wood, or perhaps it is because I did not bake this wood, whereas I did bake the others. I am not sure where to begin or continue with this particular experiment. I am interested in learning more, because from what I understand, most barrels which age whiskey are charred, so unpleasant flavors should not be expected...but alas, my knowledge is only that of an amateur. Any guidance on your part would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
One theory I have is given the acidity level of the mash the more tails you put into your final product the more acidic it is. I know although it may be really funky while it's raw those acids do something magical when it's aged with wood and some don't. Like you said who knows?? I sure don't
What would be awesome is if you travelled around and interviewed other home distillers ;) ive got a reflux and pot still and all about diy. Love your vids bro :)
This is a great channel! Thanks 👍🏽 Question i have aged vodka with ok outcomes, i imagine a moonshine will día better job getting oak aged whiskey. How about an inexpensive vodks (aka cheap) will one of those vodkas have enough esters than a more filtered destiled vodka? Thanks!!!
LOVE the channel! I am hooked. I live in Cusco, Perú and am having a hard time sourcing wood. I am also an smoker of meats and such. I have been using a fruit tree here called capuli (pandanus tectorius) IF you had to pick a runner up to the american white oak, what would it be brutha-man?
I bought some American Heavy Toast Oak Chips and put some chips in a pint jar and added some whisky and after a few days the whisky turned black. Not much different taste, should I have used a lighter toasted chip?
One thing that I consistently see people doing is oaking their spirits in sealed mason jars - the air can't get in to work its magic on the spirit! So, I wonder how it would change the process if we add our wood to the jar, then install an aquarium air pump to the jar so that it bubbles up through the wood into the spirit, and then poke a bunch of holes into the top of the jar so that we can simulate the air interaction that happens while barrel aging in warehouses for years. After that, set the jar in the sun as if we are making sun tea so that it can heat the product and open the pores of the wood. Just a thought, I wonder if anyone has ever tried it?
+Lawrence Stanley yup very good point dude. Right now I just go through them every day or so and open them up let some air in and give them a shake. There is a pretty cool thread on the nzhd forum documenting all sorts of stuff like that. One of the ideas being "snorkles".
i am on the aging video,, like what you done i have been told the oak tree we have in oklahoma make good aging barrels, so i have lots of them on my land and took small bits and chared them a bit and did or doing what you have here let you know how it works.
Hi jessi,I used an air still to distill the ginger wine I made and toasted in some french oak..it already is giving a nice colour but iam wondering how would it taste..what would I call it ?lol..its just been a month now..the spirit itself had some unpleasant odour..I just excluded the foreshots ,the rest I included almost everything..
Thank you again Jessy for another great video, thinking of leaving an oak stave in a bottle of stout for a couple of months and then add it to my banana wash or should I just add a charred and toasted oak to it? what does everyone think?
Unfortunately it will not be easy for you to find cachaça with good quality in NZ. It´s made from sugar cane. I checked on google and you will only be able to find the SAGATIBA or 51. But these brands are not aged in Brazilian woods. :-(
Cant remember if it was on your video or a diff one but what was said was Oak has to be weathered , you cant just go buy a slab of new oak it wont work Or something to that effect If this is true , how does bourbon work because from what ive read the definition of bourbon is majority corn in the mash and must be aged in a new and charred oak barrel for 3 years +
I do remember someone saying something to that effect on a video of mine .....sorry not sure if it was you haha 😀. I agree that there is something to that statement, I need to look into it some more in terms of appling it to the home hobbiest
Age = Time. The thing is that the phenols, polyphenols, mono and polysaccarides all dissolve into alcohol at different rates. Those are the things that trees convert soil minerals into the "sugars" within the wood. What you are accomplishing by increasing the surface area to liquid ration is "rapid infusing" and not "aging". There is no substitute for time for the phenols and saccaries to dissolve into the white dog to create a bonafide whiskey that is produced by barrel aging.
When you did the char on the oak sticks did you soak it in water after the char process? I have been playing with bourbon sugar heads and after 4 months on oak i am still finding an ash/smoke flavour in it. I am desperately hoping it will fade soon. Handy for single malt but not really what i am after in a bourbon.
Really depends on what you are going for and how long you want to wait. Generally the higher abv the faster (I mean it's a solvent). But it's also a different flavour profile. Generally somewhere in the 55-64 abv is where I aim.
I've been searching for a starting point on that. Thanks for the question and thanks Jesse for the answer. 60% is my starting point; I'll report findings ;)
I have staves of charred American White Oak, and it's turning my shine cloudy. It does not bother me personally, it's actually a nice/interesting look. But I am making a batch as a present for a family member, and want to make it crystal clear for him, if possible. Will running it through some activated carbon clear it up? I'm assuming some flavor will be lost, but he likes his liquor as smooth as possible, so that might be fine (the charred oak gives a very bold, smokey flavor).
5:35 - why do you say that scotch has to be aged in used barrels? That requirement is not contained in the SWA regulations. There are several expressions that use new oak - Deanston Virgin Oak is one.
Still It yep it is easy and amazing, using a converted pressure cooker, add flavoured spirits and toasted dominos weighted to the bottom, pressurised to 20psi for 1 hour, release for one hour, and repeat 4 times, I use between 1 to 2 dominos per 2 litres. Be warned it is easy to over oak. You end up with a real buttery finish.....I use a foot pump and a car valve to pressurise Real worth the effort
Still It anything u can make into a pressure vessel will work, commercially they use much higher pressure, but my safety valve lets go at 25 to 30 psa....... do not shake or swirl the pressurised container as the pressure suddenly goes up and blows the valve, I do not know why
I oak mine with a 50/50 mix of American and French White Oak for 7 days. IMHO, my whiskey ("bourbon") is second to none. I will give a little hint, oak AFTER diluting or you will flatten your spirit to an undrinkable liquid.
I know you dont want to go into this too much but what might be an ideal ratio of chips to spirit?? and does the oak influence in chips dissipate over time? At the moment my own experiment is quite oaky and not much nuance but im only at day 2 so will have to wait it out and see but its my first time so i haven't the experience
@@StillIt Cheers for getting back to me on an older vid. Currently have a cut chip mix 20g to 200ml of spirit which may be a bit much oak surface area being exposed but sure ill play it out and hope the oak notes come up first and the other ones are going to come in over time and mellow out, may increase the volume of poitin im using otherwise. First time ive tried this so thanks for the tips
No danger mate. If your loading it with wood keep tasting, when it starts to get bitter pull a good portion of wood out and let it sit for another month or so untill the bitter mellows. . . . . Or pull the wood before it gets bitter haha, I actually think the former gives a better flavour.
@@StillIt Haha you read my mind, in thinking of pulling 50% out today and letting it sit for a week and see again. Ill keep the chips that get pulled to maybe re-season and add at another point. Good to hear the bitter mellows out, figured it might but its like your first child and your not sure how badly you've fucked them up
How much alcohol is lost from the absorption of the chips? Can you squeeze the chips like limes to get a more concentrated flavor and save that loss of alcohol?
William James jr. I’ve been wondering the same thing actually, I bet some of the oak flavor will come over. Would be a good thing to try out. But if you did it you probably could oak it again but i don’t think you would have to
+lakshay bansal yeah throw. Small bit of wood in nd seal it up. I'm sure there would be those that would debate the definition. And probably state you need a bit of 02 in there every now and then. But yeah;)
"more slowly than new wood would" gotta love English. I got some unaged whisky from Cooperstown NY, which has a very interesting tequila like quality to it, do most have this presentation before aging or is this just what they produce?
+Frank Mecham hahaha right! Felt weird as hell saying that too. Ah interesting! I'm not that familiar with tequila (I love it, just don't get it often here). But do you mean the almost grassyness?
Still It yeah that very slight almost lime like smell and a hint of saltiness. I don't know how you manage to discuss the flavors you taste, I just had a sip in an attempt to explain to you what I'm tasting better and it's damn hard!
+Frank Mecham I think the citrus and saltiness would be fairly standard. The barnyard, is it kinda like fresh hay? Or a little more like wet dog? Or just kinda a little bit funky?
I have thought the same ;) haha. I have a big old stack of manuka sitting in the shed for the pizza oven. I will pull a few pieces out, dress them and start seasoning them. Will be fun to try. Perhaps paired with manuka smoke too.
I 100% recommend this, it's fantastic, also wood from apple trees and other fruit trees can be quite nice. Manuka is a fantastic wood for ageing!!!!!!!! you can find cubes of manuka at most BBQ type stores (theres a big forum on wood for those guys, they are as crazy as us!!!!
Aging involves Temperature changes, Humidity changes, and type of Oak American,French,or Hungarian lastly the surface area that the spirit contacts to breath
+burnt toast honestly I have no idea. Have not seen it discussed. Step one, check if it is poisonous haha. After that just weather it tastes good. Is it similar to gum? I should have mentioned in the vid you need to age it and season it before using it too.
nice descriptions. believe that your going to find that you havent used enough wood to age it. what you have may take you longer than you may wish. also, may want to male sure that you are aging it at around 120 proof.
+Nuntius01 good point about the proof!!! Man really should have mentioned that huh?! This is a touch over 60abv. I would have aimed a touch higher. But that's what I got after blending.
+Nuntius01 hmm so more wood you thinking? I was planning on throwing in a bit of sherry/port soaked oak in there a little later on too. I guess for the Xmas one I should do that soon rather than later.
just for fyi. a gallon barrel has approx. 300sq. in surface area. so when you plan on putting wood in a jar. take that into consideration on duration when aging it.
give it a week. i know the vid isnt the best but check this out ruclips.net/video/7PsKY4Mg4cU/видео.html. also, store it in a place not exposed to the sun.
+1FrenchConnection1 haha would love to try Canadian too! Yeah I know ;). Just easier to say scotch so people think scotch "style". Otherwise new combers always assume it's bourbon haha.
Still It no I’m still flavouring, because I end up with a bad experience with homemade GIN. I have only making liquor for 9 months. We learn from mistakes. I’m so busy that I only make vodka. As now I’m working on my polishing technique.
"And I'll let this take lots of time"...9 months is lots of time? You do know you can't even call it whisky unless it's been aged at least 3 years, right? I love the channel, I just found that a little funny
+TheFastolf hahaha yeah I hear you dude. Guess I'm taking home operator time not commercial ;). Plenty of people would say stick it on oak for a week. Anything over a year would be considered a huge feat of restraint. Lol
Hey mate just a question when you put the wood chips in with the vodka and you drink a bit from it after a while can you just add more vodka and if so how long will the wood chips continue to give more vodka flavour
About the smoky, iodine and peat. I only make peated whisky's but never got the actual taste or not enough of peat in the end product. So i send Ardbeg an e-mail. This was their answer "Phenols are heavy and so they are in the greatest concentration towards the end of a batch distillation therefore in the feints of the distillation run.
So if you are in using a pot still then delay the cut from spirit to feints by a few minutes (then just go by trial and error. Please don’t delay by too much, as you will have an overpowering feinty note which is very undesirable)
If you are using a column still it will be very difficult to achieve but dropping the take off plate will adjust the congener levels and hopefully will take off more of the smoky flavours. Again trial and error will be the best way to do this.
The smoke will come, just need to play around with your distillation a little ! Also if you are reducing you whisky down after distillation with water, then keeping a higher ABV will keep more smoky notes there.
"
Ah wow! I am impressed they answered. Thanks for the insight!
folkmarcmetal this is amazing! I love that you asked and love that they replied!
Hi There, love your channel. I've aged similar distillates on varieties of wood as well as new/used barrels. One fun thing i did try was microwaving in mason jars to mimic aging. The idea is that you heat the 60% distillate to about 65 degrees C (this will remove some of your funk, unintentionally) while sitting on used wood that has already soaked the distillate. Immediately after heating, put the mason lid on and let it create a vacuum. Let it naturally get down to room temp, maybe after a day or so, and do it again. I've had great rum results after 4 or 5 cycles. Yes, you will be concerned about heating distillate in a microwave. Check the HD forums and you will see countless others who have done this and not had an issue.
+Vincenzo Strati thanks dude!!
I actually tried this for a limoncello. Worked a charm! I have not tried it for a dark spirit yet though.
While in the gulf, where spirits are unavailable, I tended to rush aging using lots of oak! I do believe one can use too much wood, as drink sometimes tended towards what I’d imagine chewing on wood chips would be like! What I haven’t found, is an amount of oak per liter of spirit, a “sweet-spot”. Today, I tend towards less wood, though ever a guessing game!
I’ve gone down the rabbit hole....1 month ago I didn’t know a hydrometer from a barometer. From these videos I’m 10 gallons in and starting to to age!
Ayyyeeeee that's awesome man! Congrats!!!
I purchased a five gallon oak barrel that just leaked too badly to use and was tempted to turn it into a trash barrel until I remembered this video. I took the barrel apart and cut the staves to a size that fits my jars, cleaned them up a bit, gave them a little extra char, and now I have enough oak to age a bunch of whisky. It is like making coffee or tea in that you use the recipe that matches your taste. Live and learn, you know!
Your actually my favourite RUclipsr. Over watched like 15 of your videos today in my hood of learning more about distilling before I start doing my own
Ayyye wow thanks man :)
I have tried apricot several times with different burns and longer time and it has turned out vary well
Sometimes i put my roasted oak in red wine, then i add one of these sticks and some only toasted oak to the spirit. It gives a light nice wine flavour
Dude, this video really clears up a lot of the confusing info out there. Awesome! Also, seeing your product in those big jars really brings home how much you got. Impressive:-)>
+Bearded & Bored haha makes me want MORE!
Wow mate, really pleased to discover your channel with such high quality content. I’m a hack beer brewer and have always wondered how people make their own whiskies at home. I’ll be tuning in for more.
Ive used the 2oz of chips per gallon and my favorite is American oak for a week then added a mix of Sherry and a few French and let it sit for 2 to 3 weeks. It's really good
Nice, im really keen to play with sherry as well! Was this a scotch or bourbon style?
I’m excited. I’m just starting. Got a buddy who makes white lightning and I’m going to oak and age it so I can make my own whisky.
The beauty of home aging is we're not confined to the same constraints as commercial techniques. I've recently had wonderful results from apricot wood. And now trying rambutan wood. Only thing different I do is not seal the jar. And I don't toast. Only cook in a tray of feints and blast with a torch to char. Plus I use much more wood.
That's awesome man! Rambutan......that's out there haha.
That all sounds great,, I’m in SA. where would u be getting “ Apricot wood “ from ?? Like what’s that normally used for ?? Cheers
@@marctrott9437 for growing apricots of course....
You're a great ambassador! Thanks for the great videos
Appreciate that my man! :)
Thank you for making videos. Seriously. This is just awesome content to watch.
+k Bosell cheers man. My pleasure ;)
Great information and like your no bull style. Nice job
Remember to save your used oak for smoking some NZ snapper or even some home cured bacon. Really adds some delicious flavor.
I have actually been saving it up . . . . . . . but have not really decided what to do with it. Bacon . . . . now there is an idea! THANKS
Love this channel mate! I’m just getting started in distilling - I’ve been all grain brewing for over ten years now so I’m confident I have the mash/wash process down pat.
My question is regarding the jars you are using - you mention they have ptfe seals - did you make the seals yourself or did the jars come with ptfe seals when you bought them? Where’d you get the jars from??
I guess you could do a whole video on this topic!?
Cheers from Australia!!
My friend has used a Pure Charcoal filter system he swares by as the best thing to take off the bad edges on his brew. I am not yet finished my still yet to try a run and filter set-up.
Have you tried an air stone ? Can age a whisky very quickly , removes the volatile ethers the leaves a smooth spirit.
Love your channel, nice work.
+Aaron cammon cheers thanks man.
just must say love your show you got me hooked,,
+richard y. Haha awesome thanks 😀
Hi, I realize this video is old, but I was hoping you could answer some questions for me. See I recently began my own experiments and I do not know who else to ask. I made a few batches of quick whiskey, by using oak chips roasted at various temperatures. Some turned out great. My favorite is the batch baked at 230 C for example, which turned out delicious. However, my problem is with the batch in which I used chips which I charred. The final product turned out ok...but there is a strange aftertaste. Like something has gone wrong. Some sort of sourness that is vaguely reminiscent of bitter charcoal. Regardless, it is not a pleasant burnt flavor I have come to expect from other whiskeys, and it is definitely quite different to my other more successful batches. I understand that there are numerous things that could have gone wrong. Maybe the wood needed to stay in there longer, or it was not long enough. Maybe it was too much wood, or perhaps it is because I did not bake this wood, whereas I did bake the others. I am not sure where to begin or continue with this particular experiment. I am interested in learning more, because from what I understand, most barrels which age whiskey are charred, so unpleasant flavors should not be expected...but alas, my knowledge is only that of an amateur. Any guidance on your part would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.
One theory I have is given the acidity level of the mash the more tails you put into your final product the more acidic it is. I know although it may be really funky while it's raw those acids do something magical when it's aged with wood and some don't. Like you said who knows?? I sure don't
What would be awesome is if you travelled around and interviewed other home distillers ;) ive got a reflux and pot still and all about diy. Love your vids bro :)
+dan Hughes +dan Hughes I have thought about this actually. I agree I think it would be pretty cool too!!
Where did you get those labels. Yet another great video. Thanks Jesse
Thank you for the great video
This is a great channel! Thanks 👍🏽
Question i have aged vodka with ok outcomes, i imagine a moonshine will día better job getting oak aged whiskey. How about an inexpensive vodks (aka cheap) will one of those vodkas have enough esters than a more filtered destiled vodka?
Thanks!!!
Solid video. Keep up the good work.
+Nobody In-Particular thanks man Appreciate it.
LOVE the channel! I am hooked. I live in Cusco, Perú and am having a hard time sourcing wood. I am also an smoker of meats and such. I have been using a fruit tree here called capuli (pandanus tectorius) IF you had to pick a runner up to the american white oak, what would it be brutha-man?
I bought some American Heavy Toast Oak Chips and put some chips in a pint jar and added some whisky and after a few days the whisky turned black. Not much different taste, should I have used a lighter toasted chip?
One thing that I consistently see people doing is oaking their spirits in sealed mason jars - the air can't get in to work its magic on the spirit! So, I wonder how it would change the process if we add our wood to the jar, then install an aquarium air pump to the jar so that it bubbles up through the wood into the spirit, and then poke a bunch of holes into the top of the jar so that we can simulate the air interaction that happens while barrel aging in warehouses for years. After that, set the jar in the sun as if we are making sun tea so that it can heat the product and open the pores of the wood. Just a thought, I wonder if anyone has ever tried it?
+Lawrence Stanley yup very good point dude. Right now I just go through them every day or so and open them up let some air in and give them a shake.
There is a pretty cool thread on the nzhd forum documenting all sorts of stuff like that. One of the ideas being "snorkles".
So when you distill, besides the foreshots, how much are you scrapping? Like if you have 20 jars, do you just throw out the far ends?
i am on the aging video,, like what you done i have been told the oak tree we have in oklahoma make good aging barrels, so i have lots of them on my land and took small bits and chared them a bit and did or doing what you have here let you know how it works.
ahhh you lucky man~! Wish I had access to them like that!
Hi there, what happens if I put roasted oak chips in any scotch whisky and leave it for 6 months or a year ? Thanks.
Hi jessi,I used an air still to distill the ginger wine I made and toasted in some french oak..it already is giving a nice colour but iam wondering how would it taste..what would I call it ?lol..its just been a month now..the spirit itself had some unpleasant odour..I just excluded the foreshots ,the rest I included almost everything..
I started to aging a brand whiskey, but it is making bubble, do you know why?
Jesse, what ABV is that lekker when you add the staves?
Experiment flavour with saffron ❤️🙏
You are awesome, thank you!
Cheers mate 🥃
Thank you again Jessy for another great video, thinking of leaving an oak stave in a bottle of stout for a couple of months and then add it to my banana wash or should I just add a charred and toasted oak to it? what does everyone think?
Great! You should try brazilian wood called AMBURANA. It´s amazing!
huh, never heard of it! is it used to age spirits a lot there? Or just something you have tried?
It´s used to age our spirits in Brazil called CACHAÇA. We have more than 30 types of wood to age Cachaça. Have you ever tried artisanal cachaça?
+Escola da Cachaça I have not even heard of it before! I will have to have a look around. I get the feeling we may not be able to get it in NZ though.
+Escola da Cachaça just had a look. So it's made from sugar cane? And sort of similar to rum? Every thing I see around here is a white spirit though.
Unfortunately it will not be easy for you to find cachaça with good quality in NZ. It´s made from sugar cane.
I checked on google and you will only be able to find the SAGATIBA or 51. But these brands are not aged in Brazilian woods. :-(
Cant remember if it was on your video or a diff one but what was said was
Oak has to be weathered , you cant just go buy a slab of new oak it wont work
Or something to that effect
If this is true , how does bourbon work because from what ive read the definition of bourbon is majority corn in the mash and must be aged in a new and charred oak barrel for 3 years +
I do remember someone saying something to that effect on a video of mine .....sorry not sure if it was you haha 😀. I agree that there is something to that statement, I need to look into it some more in terms of appling it to the home hobbiest
Age = Time. The thing is that the phenols, polyphenols, mono and polysaccarides all dissolve into alcohol at different rates. Those are the things that trees convert soil minerals into the "sugars" within the wood. What you are accomplishing by increasing the surface area to liquid ration is "rapid infusing" and not "aging". There is no substitute for time for the phenols and saccaries to dissolve into the white dog to create a bonafide whiskey that is produced by barrel aging.
When you did the char on the oak sticks did you soak it in water after the char process? I have been playing with bourbon sugar heads and after 4 months on oak i am still finding an ash/smoke flavour in it. I am desperately hoping it will fade soon. Handy for single malt but not really what i am after in a bourbon.
What is the best proof to age in. I just did my first with toasted white oak in 150-160 proof is that good?
Really depends on what you are going for and how long you want to wait. Generally the higher abv the faster (I mean it's a solvent). But it's also a different flavour profile. Generally somewhere in the 55-64 abv is where I aim.
I've been searching for a starting point on that. Thanks for the question and thanks Jesse for the answer. 60% is my starting point; I'll report findings ;)
i Do mine at 190 proof for a year in a 15l oak barrel. knocks all the edges off it . Lovely colour and smooth as anything you buy in the shops.
Did I hear a goat in the background??? Anyhow thank you for your videos, you sir are a godsend
I have staves of charred American White Oak, and it's turning my shine cloudy. It does not bother me personally, it's actually a nice/interesting look. But I am making a batch as a present for a family member, and want to make it crystal clear for him, if possible. Will running it through some activated carbon clear it up? I'm assuming some flavor will be lost, but he likes his liquor as smooth as possible, so that might be fine (the charred oak gives a very bold, smokey flavor).
5:35 - why do you say that scotch has to be aged in used barrels? That requirement is not contained in the SWA regulations. There are several expressions that use new oak - Deanston Virgin Oak is one.
+degmar interesting. If that is indeed true I have been lead astray! Will look into it thanks man.
Came here to say the same thing!
Yeah 100% right. Now go back and tell me one year ago before I make this video 😂😂🤣
I know what I will be tasting around Christmas ;)
+Javier Medina 😋 hahaha
Have u tried pressure aging....it is my new way I am playing and get real interesting results in about 4 hours
+Peter James Simpson nice! I have not. Heard a bit about it but never tried it.
Still It yep it is easy and amazing, using a converted pressure cooker, add flavoured spirits and toasted dominos weighted to the bottom, pressurised to 20psi for 1 hour, release for one hour, and repeat 4 times, I use between 1 to 2 dominos per 2 litres. Be warned it is easy to over oak. You end up with a real buttery finish.....I use a foot pump and a car valve to pressurise
Real worth the effort
+Peter James Simpson that's cool man. Thanks for the tips!
Guessing a beer keg would work too......
Still It anything u can make into a pressure vessel will work, commercially they use much higher pressure, but my safety valve lets go at 25 to 30 psa....... do not shake or swirl the pressurised container as the pressure suddenly goes up and blows the valve, I do not know why
One trick passed on to me was to boil your oak fingers in a black iron. The toastier oak is ready when it smells like cheap Frankfurt.
Make infusão at 35 degress for 1 week and over pression :)
One of the crew was going to send me a diagram/pics of his little pressure set up.
@@StillIt easy to make. Just use bike pomp.
? is this made with normal alcohol base or something different
Awesome video, i get sediment at the bottom, how can i avoid it, pls help
Just let it settle out, then rack/syphon off the top leaving it behind.
@@StillIt thank you
Hi I have recently been using some charred hickory in my ujssm, not sure I like it, getting lots of green flavours. Anyone else tried it
I oak mine with a 50/50 mix of American and French White Oak for 7 days. IMHO, my whiskey ("bourbon") is second to none. I will give a little hint, oak AFTER diluting or you will flatten your spirit to an undrinkable liquid.
Could you please comment on oak chips as well?
what ABV did you have these at?
Is this distilled whiskey flammable
RED OAK AND HICKORY MADE I TAKE A BIG STARE
So those are ptfe rings on the jars?
Yup :)
Do you think I could use a manuka toast
those stickers look really good
Cheers mate!
Still It how did you make it? Was it from scratch or did you find a template ?
+alpine breed yeah just put it together in InDesign
Is it ok to use white oak out of my yard?
I know you dont want to go into this too much but what might be an ideal ratio of chips to spirit?? and does the oak influence in chips dissipate over time? At the moment my own experiment is quite oaky and not much nuance but im only at day 2 so will have to wait it out and see but its my first time so i haven't the experience
Yeah, there are so many different ways of doing it man. At the moment I think my optimal is on piece of oak 15cm x 1cm x 2cm for 1+ years.
@@StillIt Cheers for getting back to me on an older vid. Currently have a cut chip mix 20g to 200ml of spirit which may be a bit much oak surface area being exposed but sure ill play it out and hope the oak notes come up first and the other ones are going to come in over time and mellow out, may increase the volume of poitin im using otherwise. First time ive tried this so thanks for the tips
No danger mate. If your loading it with wood keep tasting, when it starts to get bitter pull a good portion of wood out and let it sit for another month or so untill the bitter mellows.
. . . . Or pull the wood before it gets bitter haha, I actually think the former gives a better flavour.
@@StillIt Haha you read my mind, in thinking of pulling 50% out today and letting it sit for a week and see again. Ill keep the chips that get pulled to maybe re-season and add at another point. Good to hear the bitter mellows out, figured it might but its like your first child and your not sure how badly you've fucked them up
do you just leave it there or do you shake/agitate it every XX amount of days/weeks?
Shaking helps
How much alcohol is lost from the absorption of the chips? Can you squeeze the chips like limes to get a more concentrated flavor and save that loss of alcohol?
Bro you're sounding awfully greedy just let it go that's a share for the Gods
Can you redistill whisky after oak Ing. And what will it taste like. And can you oak. It a second time. Is it better
William James jr. I’ve been wondering the same thing actually, I bet some of the oak flavor will come over. Would be a good thing to try out. But if you did it you probably could oak it again but i don’t think you would have to
Yes yes and yes.
Can we age whiskey in the glass bottel
+lakshay bansal yeah throw. Small bit of wood in nd seal it up. I'm sure there would be those that would debate the definition. And probably state you need a bit of 02 in there every now and then. But yeah;)
Can u use black walnut wood ?
no
"more slowly than new wood would" gotta love English. I got some unaged whisky from Cooperstown NY, which has a very interesting tequila like quality to it, do most have this presentation before aging or is this just what they produce?
+Frank Mecham hahaha right! Felt weird as hell saying that too.
Ah interesting! I'm not that familiar with tequila (I love it, just don't get it often here). But do you mean the almost grassyness?
Still It yeah that very slight almost lime like smell and a hint of saltiness. I don't know how you manage to discuss the flavors you taste, I just had a sip in an attempt to explain to you what I'm tasting better and it's damn hard!
Still It I almost want to say barnyard?
+Frank Mecham haha I make Russ up dude ;)
+Frank Mecham I think the citrus and saltiness would be fairly standard.
The barnyard, is it kinda like fresh hay? Or a little more like wet dog? Or just kinda a little bit funky?
How can I start this as a beginner
Is that a nutural spirit?
What about manuka aged whisky? I reckon it'd work a treat!
I have thought the same ;) haha. I have a big old stack of manuka sitting in the shed for the pizza oven. I will pull a few pieces out, dress them and start seasoning them. Will be fun to try. Perhaps paired with manuka smoke too.
Still It Can't wait to see that!
Guess I need to get onto making another whisky then hahah
I 100% recommend this, it's fantastic, also wood from apple trees and other fruit trees can be quite nice.
Manuka is a fantastic wood for ageing!!!!!!!! you can find cubes of manuka at most BBQ type stores (theres a big forum on wood for those guys, they are as crazy as us!!!!
I subbed for the accent
Aging involves Temperature changes, Humidity changes, and type of Oak American,French,or Hungarian lastly the surface area that the spirit contacts to breath
+Michael Smith dang your right I did not mention humidity at all did I?
Still It and external humidity would not effect the whiskey if it's sealed in a glass jar, this is another a benefit of aging in barrels.
"Ageing is a mistical process" 😂🤣😂🤣Really!?!?... There is NO substitute... Hence the price of a 25yr old !!!
Try some in a microwave if you want it quick.
+InglisHill I can't drink for 3ish weeks anyway. So Xmas is fine by me ;)
+InglisHill I can't drink for 3ish weeks anyway. So happy to wait a few months ;).
+Norbury53 antibiotics suck ;)
+Norbury53 hahaha apparently not the abscess though!
4.21 is that a sheep in the background?
Not any more....unless you get a glimpse of the freezer.....
Could I use Ironbark wood ? Cheers
+burnt toast honestly I have no idea. Have not seen it discussed.
Step one, check if it is poisonous haha. After that just weather it tastes good.
Is it similar to gum?
I should have mentioned in the vid you need to age it and season it before using it too.
Still It ok mate ill give it a look into and if turns out nice I'll let u kno n send u sum
+burnt toast awesome! I had a quick Google around. Couldn't see anyone else doing it.could be onto something ;)
nice descriptions. believe that your going to find that you havent used enough wood to age it. what you have may take you longer than you may wish. also, may want to male sure that you are aging it at around 120 proof.
+Nuntius01 good point about the proof!!! Man really should have mentioned that huh?!
This is a touch over 60abv. I would have aimed a touch higher. But that's what I got after blending.
+Nuntius01 hmm so more wood you thinking? I was planning on throwing in a bit of sherry/port soaked oak in there a little later on too. I guess for the Xmas one I should do that soon rather than later.
just for fyi. a gallon barrel has approx. 300sq. in surface area. so when you plan on putting wood in a jar. take that into consideration on duration when aging it.
blending wise youre spot on. it's going to be awesome. just wait
give it a week. i know the vid isnt the best but check this out ruclips.net/video/7PsKY4Mg4cU/видео.html. also, store it in a place not exposed to the sun.
Good Job on this video keep it up! Where is the Canadian OAK? ;-) And don't forget it's Whisky!
+1FrenchConnection1 haha would love to try Canadian too!
Yeah I know ;). Just easier to say scotch so people think scotch "style". Otherwise new combers always assume it's bourbon haha.
Still It it’s so funny we all glad you enjoy distilling. I let you know if I put my hand on Canadian OAK. Stay in touch bro!
+1FrenchConnection1 haha I'm glad I like it too ;) sounds good dude. Have you used it to age anything? Noticed much difference?
Still It no I’m still flavouring, because I end up with a bad experience with homemade GIN. I have only making liquor for 9 months. We learn from mistakes. I’m so busy that I only make vodka. As now I’m working on my polishing technique.
+1FrenchConnection1 fair enough dude!
"And I'll let this take lots of time"...9 months is lots of time? You do know you can't even call it whisky unless it's been aged at least 3 years, right? I love the channel, I just found that a little funny
+TheFastolf hahaha yeah I hear you dude. Guess I'm taking home operator time not commercial ;). Plenty of people would say stick it on oak for a week. Anything over a year would be considered a huge feat of restraint. Lol
You try and wait 9 months for a tast of your new wiskey, it's along time.
+SuperFunkmachine hahaha yep. He still has a point though ;)
As Jesse pointed out, we were talking about two very different time frames.
thank you have you ever heard of popcorn sutton i can't believe he took his own life I've subbed
Why's his whisky white?
Because it has yet to have the warm embrace of oak . . .
There is no such wood as "French Oak" It is European Oak . The "New Forest" Hampshire England a prime example.
Hey mate just a question when you put the wood chips in with the vodka and you drink a bit from it after a while can you just add more vodka and if so how long will the wood chips continue to give more vodka flavour
naptın sen şimdi anlamadım
I really don't care about scotch it doesn't taste worth a LOL
...............ok???
wasting our time not showing main things. useless talks.
U r talking to much and proses too short.....dont talk too much.....