New barrel, age faster with heads?

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JohnsMyName
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New barrel, age faster with heads?

Post by JohnsMyName »

Hi all, I have a new American Oak barrel with med toast. I don't like the brand new oak and want to pull some flavor out before aging my new batch of rum. I'm thinking I'll fill it with heads I've been saving. Let those sit for a couple weeks and then pull them, rinse with hot water and put my rum in. Any reason not to do that? They're rum heads any way and with the hot water rinse I don't think the headsyness will come through in the good rum at all. Thoughts?
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still_stirrin
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Re: New barrel, age faster with heads?

Post by still_stirrin »

JohnsMyName wrote:...have a new American Oak barrel with med toast. I don't like the brand new oak and want to pull some flavor out before aging my new batch of rum.
Huh...a new cask is perfect for a new make whiskey. And it will season the cask for your rum in good time.
JohnsMyName wrote:I'm thinking I'll fill it with heads I've been saving. Let those sit for a couple weeks and then pull them, rinse with hot water and put my rum in. Any reason not to do that?...Thoughts?
You’ll ruin that new cask this way and your rum won’t like it either. Even filling the cask with wine or sherry would be better to season the oak than using heads and water. Do it right...your time and money are worth it.
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JohnsMyName
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Re: New barrel, age faster with heads?

Post by JohnsMyName »

I don’t make whiskey, so none to use in the fresh barrel. I do all brandy and rum. I like to age in barrels and with the brand new one fear it will only take a month or two to oak and then I’ll have to keep it in glass for another year where it won’t breath right. How will heads ruin the barrel stirrin?

ETA: My thought was the high proof of the heads 160's, would pull some of that new wood essence off quickly and I could rinse with hot water to get rid of them before putting in my next batches of rum once I collect enough in a month or so.
OtisT
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Re: New barrel, age faster with heads?

Post by OtisT »

Hi John. I’m supprised there is no response to this yet. IMO, The heads would not just soak up tannins from the wood, but the heads will also soak into the wood. Whatever you put in that barrel after that will smell/taste of heads.

This weekend I tasted spirits at a friends place. He has a lot of barrels. One batch of spirits was split into two barrels over a year ago; One was a new barrel and the other was a once used barrel he picked up. The spirit in the new barrel smelled wonderful, and no hint of heads or tails. The spirits in the once used barrel smelled of heads. Not strong, but to the experienced nose it was there. I did not smell the barrel before he filled it, but we speculated that the heads smell was left by the previous spirit.

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JohnsMyName
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Re: New barrel, age faster with heads?

Post by JohnsMyName »

Good to know Otis. I was hoping that with the hot water rinse and aging the heads would be non existent in a year, but you guys are probably right. I don't have an issue with new oak, but like the mellow flavors after a year better than having to pull them after a few months and glass age. Thanks for the replies.
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