Toasted Oak
Moderator: Site Moderator
Toasted Oak
I ahve some oak chips that are saupposed to go in some wine I made, but I didnt used them as I do not like my lighten wines oaked.
If I wrapped these up in aluminium foil and put them in the oven, would they be suitable for flavouring/colouring my distilate?
Me
If I wrapped these up in aluminium foil and put them in the oven, would they be suitable for flavouring/colouring my distilate?
Me
Been Stilling since October 2007
I operate a 20ltr, 2m LM Reflux Still, based on the Bokmini Photos http://s391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/ZAXBYC/
I use the head part of this unit for stripping and as a Pot Still- produces LOTS of flavour
I operate a 20ltr, 2m LM Reflux Still, based on the Bokmini Photos http://s391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/ZAXBYC/
I use the head part of this unit for stripping and as a Pot Still- produces LOTS of flavour
Re: Toasted Oak
Yes they can. Chips will impart a lot of wood flavor so you need to be carefull when using them. I prefer a very light toasting for my stuff. You may want to do 3 or 4 batches at different levels to find one that works best for you.
It is the very things that we think we know, that keep us from learning what we should know.
Valved Reflux, 3"x54" Bok 'mini', 2 liebig based pots and the 'Blockhead' 60K btu propane heat
Valved Reflux, 3"x54" Bok 'mini', 2 liebig based pots and the 'Blockhead' 60K btu propane heat
-
- Trainee
- Posts: 775
- Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:57 am
- Location: 1000 acre farm, Ohio
Re: Toasted Oak
IMO, shavings and "chips" are not the best when it comes to in-bottle aging. They toast through too quickly and don't form temperature layers that add complexity to the finished product. The end result: you get something resembling whiskey very quickly, but it's rather bland.
Relevant thread: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6597
Relevant thread: http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6597
"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance... baffle them with bullshit."
"Don't steal. The government hates competition."
"Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see"
20lt small pot still, working on keg
"Don't steal. The government hates competition."
"Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see"
20lt small pot still, working on keg
Re: Toasted Oak
I do mine 2 ways first i chuck the lot in a old frypan and just stir on high heat till they go a dark brown you
you can smell the oak as it browns..
or i use a corse wire sive to shake out the fine chips or splinters leaving me with large fat chips then still in the frypan i let them sit on one side to Burn a bit evry now and then giving them a gentle tap to or shake, you dont want them to burn on both sides.
cheers.
you can smell the oak as it browns..
or i use a corse wire sive to shake out the fine chips or splinters leaving me with large fat chips then still in the frypan i let them sit on one side to Burn a bit evry now and then giving them a gentle tap to or shake, you dont want them to burn on both sides.
cheers.
-
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 2711
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:36 pm
- Location: Northern NSW Oz Trail Ya
Re: Toasted Oak
decoy wrote:I do mine 2 ways first i chuck the lot in a old frypan and just stir on high heat till they go a dark brown you
you can smell the oak as it browns..
or i use a corse wire sive to shake out the fine chips or splinters leaving me with large fat chips then still in the frypan i let them sit on one side to Burn a bit evry now and then giving them a gentle tap to or shake, you dont want them to burn on both sides.
cheers.
I can vouch for decoy's aging process, it works, in a very short frame for the fine result.
Re: Toasted Oak
Awesome! Cheers Guys!
Will have to give this a go then
Will have to give this a go then
Been Stilling since October 2007
I operate a 20ltr, 2m LM Reflux Still, based on the Bokmini Photos http://s391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/ZAXBYC/
I use the head part of this unit for stripping and as a Pot Still- produces LOTS of flavour
I operate a 20ltr, 2m LM Reflux Still, based on the Bokmini Photos http://s391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/ZAXBYC/
I use the head part of this unit for stripping and as a Pot Still- produces LOTS of flavour
Re: Toasted Oak
Rather than starting the 745th toasted oak thread, I thought I'd just tack on my question here. I must confess I am a toasting virgin, in the past I have always bought toasted chips from the local home brew shop. Rudi was kind enough to send me down some oak (about 18 months ago I think) and I' have just done my first toast. The oak was wrapped in foil and placed in a fan forced oven at 200 deg C for 2hrs, does the colour look right to you guys? Maybe it could have stayed in a little longer? I've seen some guys (Pint perhaps?) that take to the oak with a gas torch, every time I've tried that I just get charcoal.....so this is looking a little better. The untoasted is in the rear of the pic just for comparison.
I'm gonna chuck it in some UJ and see what happens anyway....just thought I'd ask.
I'm gonna chuck it in some UJ and see what happens anyway....just thought I'd ask.
Last edited by CoopsOz on Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are disguised by sobriety. ~Thomas de Quincy, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, 1856
-
- Trainee
- Posts: 775
- Joined: Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:57 am
- Location: 1000 acre farm, Ohio
Re: Toasted Oak
That looks perfectly fine to me. I use oak with two different toast levels on it to get the kind of flavor I want. The majority is lighter than that, and I add some that is very dark to it as a small adjunct for flavoring.
"If you can't dazzle them with brilliance... baffle them with bullshit."
"Don't steal. The government hates competition."
"Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see"
20lt small pot still, working on keg
"Don't steal. The government hates competition."
"Believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see"
20lt small pot still, working on keg
Re: Toasted Oak
Thanks BW.
It is most absurdly said, in popular language, of any man, that he is disguised in liquor; for, on the contrary, most men are disguised by sobriety. ~Thomas de Quincy, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater, 1856
Re: Toasted Oak
Cheers CoopsOz Useful photo for reference!
-
- Master of Distillation
- Posts: 2711
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:36 pm
- Location: Northern NSW Oz Trail Ya
Re: Toasted Oak
That looks a very good colour Coops. I usually split my sticks before i toast em though
There's a lot of wood left in those staves that'll never see it's pupose.
I split mine into about 8-10mm square sticks pretty roughly with a tommyhawk. It goes a lot further that way.
Sometimes i'll let some of the sticks get a darker chocolatey toast on the verge of char, and sometimes a few in the middle of a foil bundle get a lighter toast. Then i can play with different blends for different flavours too.
There's a lot of wood left in those staves that'll never see it's pupose.
I split mine into about 8-10mm square sticks pretty roughly with a tommyhawk. It goes a lot further that way.
Sometimes i'll let some of the sticks get a darker chocolatey toast on the verge of char, and sometimes a few in the middle of a foil bundle get a lighter toast. Then i can play with different blends for different flavours too.
-
- Novice
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:55 am
- Location: Danger Bay
Re: Toasted Oak
The oak chips at the local store here is more like oak sawdust. To reproduce rye whiskey I usually make a aluminum foil eggroll with half the pack of sawdust and using tongs place it on a electric stove burner on high. Move it around flipping it a few times don't be afraid to burn it a lil. I then pour it into mason jars containing 2nd and 5th hearts. Watch the color as using undulited spirits pull the color and flavor from the oak in hours. I usually leave it for a day or so then filter and cut down to 45%. I find the more burnt oak the darker the color but if you leave it too long you'll taste the burnt flavor. Hopefully one day get a 5L barrel from ebay!
Learn first...then ask questions.....then learn some more !
"Only fools don't make mistakes"
"Only fools don't make mistakes"
Re: Toasted Oak
I had been using cubes of toasted oak about 3/4" x 3/4" x 1" for aging. One cube per quart. It takes a month or two for the spirits to reach a true dark color. Recently after reviewing the suggestions I found in a book I got i decided I wanted to try about half as much oak per quart. I had already made myself quite a supply of the larger cubes so I split them in half. I was surprised to find that the dark toasted color was consistent right through the center of the cubes I split.
I'm also really liking the results I'm getting using these smaller cubes.
I'm also really liking the results I'm getting using these smaller cubes.