Chips

Other discussions for folks new to the wonderful craft of home distilling.

Moderator: Site Moderator

Post Reply
timmsy
Novice
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:40 pm
Location: South Australia

Chips

Post by timmsy »

I have 5ltrs sitting on Gobblers chips and 5ltrs sitting on Jacks chips for about 3 months now maybe a tad longer. I am leaving them untill xmas. My question is shoul at some stage should i add the essence to each of the bottles or should i flavour them after i strain it of the chips? I was thinking adding the essence so i can mature a bit better before xmas....

Thoughts

Thanks in advance
Dnderhead
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 13666
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:07 pm
Location: up north

Re: Chips

Post by Dnderhead »

You got me stumped,,,never heard of aging then flavoring.
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: Chips

Post by rad14701 »

There is no "maturing" that takes place once essence is mixed into spirits... Whether you drink it immediately or wait years it's still just flavored spirits... The taste profile will never change...

Not sure what you're shooting for by using chips and essence...
blind drunk
retired
Posts: 4848
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:59 am

Re: Chips

Post by blind drunk »

I think he's trying to get a little bit of the best of both worlds in the shortest amount of time ...

I guess if you flavor and age at the same time, the various elements will have a chance to meld together. Conversely, you might over flavor without knowing it until it's too late.

The only time I ever used an essence was right at the beginning and I added it to un-aged white grappa that I purchased from a friend of a friend of a sailor. It worked OK because the grappa was already good to begin with.

Good luck.
I do all my own stunts
maheel
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 936
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:25 pm
Location: OZtralia in the lower half

Re: Chips

Post by maheel »

years ago i used to do chips and essence
works pretty good, i found many of the bourbons improved really well with some chips in them.
i would also often also put a cup of port into 5L of spirit (with the oak and essence) as i liked the aroma and mouth feel it would give

now i focus just on the good hearts and age on oak and maybe try a few ingredients like vanilla bean, raisins and fruit peel etc and GIN ingredients


don't be afraid to experiment, try toasted oak, charred oak, plain etc and mix it all up you then find what you like the best and go with it :)
maheel
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 936
Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:25 pm
Location: OZtralia in the lower half

Re: Chips

Post by maheel »

rad14701 wrote:There is no "maturing" that takes place once essence is mixed into spirits... Whether you drink it immediately or wait years it's still just flavored spirits... The taste profile will never change...
Hey Rad i disagree, i used to find that essence only spirit seems to improve if you give it time to rest after adding essence. The difference if you drink it 5 mins after mixing or a week after was very noticeable to me.

but I agree it does not effect the flavor profile like aging on some form of natural substance like oak or maceration of fruit etc.
rad14701
retired
Posts: 20865
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:46 pm
Location: New York, USA

Re: Chips

Post by rad14701 »

True, maheel, there may be some benefit to a brief rest after mixing in essence... But probably less than a week, as you eluded to... I definitely wouldn't recommend using essence as frivolously as a simple mixer...

"Nothing beats a good 12 hour scotch!" :lolno:
User avatar
DAD300
Master of Distillation
Posts: 2839
Joined: Wed Mar 02, 2011 11:46 am
Location: Southern U.S.

Re: Chips

Post by DAD300 »

If you've had some on chips for three months...taste it now! I bet it's good.

You shouldn't need the essence.

If you feel it needs something, use something organic. Cherries and raisins for sweetness, pepper, cloves, a coffee bean, a drop of maple syrup, a drop of caramel,...
CCVM http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... d#p7104768" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Ethyl Carbamate Docs viewtopic.php?f=6&t=55219&p=7309262&hil ... e#p7309262
DSP-AR-20005
Dnderhead
Angel's Share
Angel's Share
Posts: 13666
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:07 pm
Location: up north

Re: Chips

Post by Dnderhead »

if any one likes essence or not it appears to me Timmsy has it backward,,
you flavor then age..not age then flavor..
davidwh
Swill Maker
Posts: 251
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 2:41 pm
Location: OZ

Re: Chips

Post by davidwh »

Bloke,

Chips are expensive and add far less flavour and notably colour imho than your own charred white oak strips. Might be worth spending some time developing your own char profile you like.
True you can over do it but a few test jars scaled down with varying degrees of chars will soon sort it out without risking a whole run. I reckon gettin char and timber volumes right is dam intresting work and very rewarding once nailed.
its also a fraction of the cost.

cheers
davew
timmsy
Novice
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:40 pm
Location: South Australia

Re: Chips

Post by timmsy »

Thanks for the replies guys....

I had tested the spirit sitting on the cips with out any essence flavor. Was really nice.

I also have alot of more reading to do on this site as im still new to this hobbie so if i ask what seems silly questions excuse my ignorance.....

davidwh......

Could you explain more about doing charred oak strips etc
rtalbigr
Site Donor
Site Donor
Posts: 2200
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 2:25 am
Location: Tennessee

Re: Chips

Post by rtalbigr »

Whiskys are aged in white oak barrels, usually charred, so you can age with charred oak sticks. There are post here quite specific about size but generally for a quart a stick 4-5 inches long and 3/8 to 1/2 inch square will do. First toast sticks in oven at about 400F, 1-4 hours depending on desired toast. Then use fire to put a "char" on the exterior. The char will deepen the color and help extract some undesirables however the goal is the interaction of the alcohol and the oak. A number of reactions occur that improve the flavor of your whisky.

Big R
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." William Pitt
davidwh
Swill Maker
Posts: 251
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2010 2:41 pm
Location: OZ

Re: Chips

Post by davidwh »

hello timmsy

thanks rtal for posting...been away for past few days.

I grabbed a 1/2 white oak ex port keg for <$25 from a salvage place...hand selected cos some where a little rough and moldy. At current use it will last about 8 years lol!
to do sticks I try and keep it simple.

grab a barrel strip, run a sander over it to remove any insecticides or mould prevention stuff the winery may have used first off. Grab the jigsaw and cut 6" long strips in two widths 3mm and about 6mm.
Pop them into boiling rainwater for about 2 mins to remove and remaining nasties then remove wet. i don't toast as such. I roughly heavily char on a gas ring burner, then quench in rainwater. finish off any that need a touch up with propane touch...optional really.
The 3mm strips are paper thin and heavily charred...it adds colour a reeeeal deep colour. The wider 6mm strips do the flavour work. Start at 75-85 abv for four weeks then drop to 65-70 reduce timber, add 10 pepper corns, pinch cracked black pepper to 4.5lt spirit and let it sit for 3 months at least.

Then reduce timber again down to 2 or 3 6mm strips and let sit.

hope this helps

cheers
dave w
Post Reply