Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

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Virandell
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Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by Virandell »

Hi I have occasion to buy oak stoves after whiskey and sherry I am planning to put them in my apple brandy, anybody have idea how many Grams I should use per litre of alochol ? Or how many cubes add per 5 liter of alochol I am planning to make them 1x1 inch"
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still_stirrin
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by still_stirrin »

WAG (wild ass’d guess). . . 1 cube from a 1” (25mm) long stave per liter. Then, wait...like 6 months, at least.

You could make several jars, each with 875ml (quart mason jar) and add 1 cube to one jar, 2 cubes to another jar, 3 cubes to a third jar, and so on. Then, observe the performance, ie - color, flavor change, heads/sharpness reduction and when the brandy develops the “character” you’re looking for.

Again, it’s your product, so how you make it is for your preference, not mine!

Experiment....and learn how to learn.
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Virandell
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by Virandell »

still_stirrin wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 8:59 am WAG (wild ass’d guess). . . 1 cube from a 1” (25mm) long stave per liter. Then, wait...like 6 months, at least.

You could make several jars, each with 875ml (quart mason jar) and add 1 cube to one jar, 2 cubes to another jar, 3 cubes to a third jar, and so on. Then, observe the performance, ie - color, flavor change, heads/sharpness reduction and when the brandy develops the “character” you’re looking for.

Again, it’s your product, so how you make it is for your preference, not mine!

Experiment....and learn how to learn.
ss
What about sticks ? I have demijohn 1g so I would not fit cube I think :roll: I could make them long and like 0.5 inch wide. that's how the staves look like I don't know why but I can't put picture for some reason, I been planning to sand outer layer. Do I have to toast them again ? If yes I will probably loose flavour not better just use oak chips instead ? I have some American medium toasted ones. You think they will be ok if they been kept outside ?
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still_stirrin
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by still_stirrin »

Here you go:
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 5#p7539069

Spend some of YOUR time reading a while.
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Virandell
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by Virandell »

still_stirrin wrote: Fri Oct 23, 2020 3:58 pm Here you go:
https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtop ... 5#p7539069

Spend some of YOUR time reading a while.
ss
Hi I been reading topic about oak but I am interested if I need toast again oak after sherry/whisky I will probably lose taste after that, that's why I wonder if somebody been using staves after distilleries.
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by kiwi Bruce »

The re-toasting before the reuse of oak staves has become the norm...didn't use to be. "Skin" the outside wood from the stave, you can sand it off, I prefer taking off a blades width with a table saw, just quicker. Use a wire brush on the inside wood and remove all the old char and re- char or just re-toast depending on what flavors you want from your oak...do your homework and read the myriad of posts on how-to toast or char oak pieces.

https://homedistiller.org/forum/app.php ... itesearch=
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Virandell
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by Virandell »

kiwi Bruce wrote: Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:26 am The re-toasting before the reuse of oak staves has become the norm...didn't use to be. "Skin" the outside wood from the stave, you can sand it off, I prefer taking off a blades width with a table saw, just quicker. Use a wire brush on the inside wood and remove all the old char and re- char or just re-toast depending on what flavors you want from your oak...do your homework and read the myriad of posts on how-to toast or char oak pieces.

https://homedistiller.org/forum/app.php ... itesearch=
Ohh ye I know all the different temperatures and how they affecting the taste but I wonder if after re-toasting sherry/whisky staves it will gonna leave any interesting taste ? Or it will be the Same like oak chips what you can buy in the shop ?
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kiwi Bruce
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by kiwi Bruce »

Virandell wrote: Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:01 am Hi I been reading topic about oak but I am interested if I need toast again oak after sherry/whisky I will probably lose taste after that, that's why I wonder if somebody been using staves after distilleries.
So your question seems to be, "Do any of us here on HD forums re-burn our "distillery once used" oak pieces or staves, before we re-use them...and why would we do do this ?
Re-toasting or re-charring used oak staves opens up new wood cells within the oak that allows the spirits to extract more flavor and color from the staves. This is the main principal behind the use of used bourbon barrels by the Scotch whisky industry. The imported used barrel are refurbished and re-charred before they are refilled with new "white dog"...so what we are doing is in line with what has been done in Scotland for nearly two centuries.
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by Virandell »

kiwi Bruce wrote: Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:50 am
Virandell wrote: Sat Oct 24, 2020 10:01 am Hi I been reading topic about oak but I am interested if I need toast again oak after sherry/whisky I will probably lose taste after that, that's why I wonder if somebody been using staves after distilleries.
So your question seems to be, "Do any of us here on HD forums re-burn our "distillery once used" oak pieces or staves, before we re-use them...and why would we do do this ?
Re-toasting or re-charring used oak staves opens up new wood cells within the oak that allows the spirits to extract more flavor and color from the staves. This is the main principal behind the use of used bourbon barrels by the Scotch whisky industry. The imported used barrel are refurbished and re-charred before they are refilled with new "white dog"...so what we are doing is in line with what has been done in Scotland for nearly two centuries.
Righty so it is worth the effort then :D I will go pick-up two staves tommorow 1 from whisky and 1 from Sherry I just hope they been not kept outside or they are mouldy ..
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by kiwi Bruce »

Virandell wrote: Sat Oct 24, 2020 11:09 am I just hope they been not kept outside or they are mouldy ..
Oak is one of the woods not affected by mold...this could be the tannic acid content of oak...if there was anything spilled on the outside of the wood this could collect bold but this would be easily removed.
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Virandell
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by Virandell »

@Kiwi Bruce so I get two staves today after sherry you can even see red marks after it, it's been kept inside no mould just wood is alittle dampy I am planning cut them 1-2cm width and like 10cm height you think it will gonna add intresting taste to my apple brandy or it will be exactly the same like oak chips what you can buy online ? I am planning clean all upper and down layer and toast it again
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Virandell
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by Virandell »

Right done 2h in 180C I put two of them in 52%~ neutral Alcohol just for a test I am not sure only about amount of oak per litre with them sticks
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by NZChris »

To find the amount of wood to use, I nuke samples.

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38991
Virandell
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Re: Aging with oak after sherry/whisky barrels tips?

Post by Virandell »

NZChris wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 12:17 pm To find the amount of wood to use, I nuke samples.

https://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38991
Thanks, I will gonna have a read now :D btw that's how they look like I forgot to add picture they are about 0.6" wide and 3.1" heigh
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