Oak is Oak is Oak ?

allen42 · Post by **allen42** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:13 pm

LOL Will red Oak be Ok to age Sprits in to help Mellow it out ? I have read many times about useing white Oak , even fruit trees , Maple, BUT what about Red Oak ? Do most of Yall Char the wood 1st ?

allen42 · Post by **allen42** » Tue May 03, 2005 2:14 am

what ? Nobody has an opinion on this one? come on yall ! Give this redneck an idea on red oak

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:15 am

there is lot's of info available on red oak, just (maybe a wild idea though

) try and use the search !

http://www.taet.com.au/distillers.nsf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Virginia Gentleman · Post by **Virginia Gentleman** » Tue May 03, 2005 3:53 am

I don't have direct experience with it, but I've read that red oak won't do the job like white oak. Won't do anything harmful to your whiskey, but won't give you the flavor you're looking for either. Of course, you could try it on a small batch and see what it tastes like, but I'd get white oak if you can.

Post by **Grayson_Stewart** » Tue May 03, 2005 7:06 am

I'm naturally curious and tried red oak in a quart once. It's not like anything you've ever had before I'm sure...I know it's not like anything I ever want to have again. I'll stick with the white oak, rest of the world can't be wrong plus it suits my tastes. You may be different and actually like the taste of red oak, doesn't hurt to experiment.....in most cases

The Chemist · Post by **The Chemist** » Tue May 03, 2005 7:16 am

Finally, someone had something to say! White Oak is the wood of choice for barrel-making because of it's stuctural properties. Red Oak is more porous than White, so not as good if you're making a barrel. I didn't know how Red Oak would taste, but I'm glad someone tried it. Now I don't have to!

As an aside, American White Oak (Quercus Alba) can be sawn to make barrels, european White Oak (Quercus Sessilis) must be split--again, the structural differences.

DBM · Post by **DBM** » Wed May 04, 2005 4:13 pm

Red Oak is NOT straight grained and splits easily especially when dry. The Red Oak tree has lotts of tannen in it, so much that the streames down here take on a dark color from the tannen leached from the roots. I think the flavor imparted from (or leached from) red oak would be too rich in tannen to be considered flavorful, I even think it might even be bitter. Red oak makes good firewood, burnes clean, puts out a lot of heat and doesn't "pop" much. When it is well dried it doesn't smoke much and in the old days that's what the moonshiners fired their stills with. The only commercial use for red oak that I know of is using it to make pallets and selling it for firewood.

allen42 · Post by **allen42** » Fri May 06, 2005 2:56 am

Thanks for ALL the replys !! I opted for american white oak ! EVEN went and bought the damn stuff at the brew shop ! LOL too lazy to go find some & toast it myself i guess !! I had stoped by the brew shop to get some supplys for some strawberry wine as the berrys in South Carolina are ripe !! & also wanted to get a glass hydrometer testing tube ! So i now have one that doesnt crack !! Also i checked the last batch again ,this was tested at room temp & the 1st quart was 96% , 2nd quart was 95 % & the 3rd was 92 % , Still didnt adjust for the temps as i lost the damn paper that tells the numbers to adjust !

thanks Yall

DBM · Post by **DBM** » Fri May 06, 2005 7:17 am

Allen;
With mine i think you subtract 3 from the reading for every 10* over 60.
I'm like you though, I just get the juice to cool an go with the reading off the tube.

The Chemist · Post by **The Chemist** » Fri May 06, 2005 7:33 am

Handy-Dandy temperature conversion:

http://www.ebrew.com/primarynews/ct_hyd ... ection.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

It's only for specific gravity, you'll have to change it for % alcohol.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 31, 2005 3:24 pm

yes I have used red oak with quite excellent results I used 2 1/4x1/4x 4 inch splits burnt black and it flavored and colored aprox 500 ml of rum quite favorably. I would not hesitate to use red oak at all personally. Fruit or nut woods i would aproach more cautiosly.

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Tue May 31, 2005 11:18 pm

currently I am trying the flavour of apple, cherry and nut wood. Straight and toasted (will be trying charred later).

applewood: nice straight and not so good toasted
cherrywood: nice straight, ok when toasted
nutwood: not so nice straight, horrible when toasted (tastes chemically)

The Chemist · Post by **The Chemist** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 2:45 am

Pieterpost wrote:currently I am trying the flavour of apple, cherry and nut wood. Straight and toasted (will be trying charred later).

applewood: nice straight and not so good toasted
cherrywood: nice straight, ok when toasted
nutwood: not so nice straight, horrible when toasted (tastes chemically)

What is "nutwood"? I almost said the other day that your English was very good, and perhaps the parts you didn't "get" were causing misunderstanings. I didn't put that bit in, because when I read back over it, it sounded too paternalistic. But now, I have to come clean. I've never heard of "nutwood" here in the US.

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:31 am

well, I didn't know the english translation for amerikaans notenhout so I translated it myself into (american) nutwood

Anyway, searching the net I found the latin name: Juglaus nigra

perhaps this sounds more familiar to you?

The Chemist · Post by **The Chemist** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:38 am

Black Walnut, got it, I think. Juglans? (I'll check when I get home.) Beutiful for furniture, but I never would have tried it for booze!! Who would have thunk it?

Pieterpost · Post by **Pieterpost** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 3:42 am

well when I was walking in a woodshop I got kinda ambitious!

nothing ventured, is nothing gained !

reb1251 · Post by **reb1251** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 6:53 pm

Red oak is use for cabinets, furniture, flooring and plywood. It is not used to make water tight barrels because the pores are not filled as is white. White oak makes better thresholds for doors too because the pores are filled and will not soak water as much. I have used red and white oak planer shaving and like them both. Left over inventory of oak flooring that is unfinished is an easy to find at home depot or lowes stores. Try taking a glass and fill it with shavings, then fill it with clear spirits. Strain in 30 min. later into another glass. Try a taste. Go from there.

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Oak is Oak is Oak ?

Oak is Oak is Oak ?

Red Oak

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Re: Oak is Oak is Oak ?