gibbs barrel at 3 weeks

[junkyard dawg]

Oh my...

I'm ordering a 5 gallon as soon as I save enough pennies...

Its sort of orange/red, has a wonderful smell, unlike any oak chips I've found. The flavor is smooth, but strong! Just what I was wanting.

[hornedrhodent]

How many batches of hootch will a barrel do before all the 'oak' flavours are leached out?
What sort of toasting has it had?
Can you re-toast it without being a Cooper?

[golden pond]

That will probley depend on how long you leave the first batch in and the weather and location you have the keg at.

[Monster Mash]

Guys, how long is your average batch of whiskey taking to age in a 5 gallon Gibbs barrel? One year to two years? Thanks for the benefit of your experience.

[Uncle Jesse]

It takes a while. I had 2 gallons in a barrel for a year and it did great. The larger the barrel, the longer it takes.

[junkyard dawg]

My first batch was great at 6 months, and a little too tannic at 9. The second batch in that 2 gallon barrel was perfect at 6 months.

[Monster Mash]

Thanks for the replies. Anyone tried a 5 gallon Gibbs charred? I have been thinking about cycling it in and out of the refrigerator to the back screened lani every week. It's starting to get pretty warm here.

[TRANSPLANTED HILLBILLY]

Thanks for the replies. Anyone tried a 5 gallon Gibbs charred? I have been thinking about cycling it in and out of the refrigerator to the back screened lani every week. It's starting to get pretty warm here.

If ya can, just put it in a shed outside with no climate control. Then forget about it. Youll get truer results, and you'll have more of it to enjoy after its gone thru a year of temp cycles. Even if you only give it a few months it will be better without all the work. At least for me, if im always messin with it, I want a sample.

[blanikdog]

If ya can, just put it in a shed outside with no climate control.

I did this after someone in here - I think it was Husker - suggested it and it has helped to save seven gallons (in half gallon flagons) of various spirits which I thought was stuffed. I give it a shake ever so often and it has improved quite markedly. Our outside temperature currently goes from about zero to 12c daily.

Prior to this I had them under the house in an effort to reduce temperature changes.

[Husker]

if im always messin with it, I want a sample.

That is the ONLY "real" problem I have found with distress aging. If the aging takes to long, the imps share (I am no angel), just gets way too large

H.

[CoopsOz]

the imps share (I am no angel), just gets way too large

[MikeyT]

Have had my bourbon in a Gibbs 5 gal barrel for about 3 months. Noticed yesterday that the % has dropped from 62% down to 61%. Color is good and taste is good.

I have rolled and shook the barrel twice in this period.

Figure to let it go for a year. Will brew up another load and hold it in gallon jugs till I empty the barrel.

Barrel is on the back porch. Notice that the dog goes over and smell of it occasionally.

[Cruiser]

I hope that's all the dogs are doing to it

All my rum goes into a 10 gallon oak cask which has a tap on it. It's kept full all the time. As I take a bottle from it I add the same amount of new rum. Look up "Solera" method of aging. The majority has been in there for just over two years now and smoooth-as! Best thing I ever did was buying that keg - apart from building the still that is

Cruiser.

[junkyard dawg]

Best thing I ever did was buying that keg - apart from building the still that is

I feel the same way. I've never had near the results with anything else. A good barrel performs magic on your hootch.

[copperhead]

I just emptyed a two gal keg of bourbon that had been ageing a year.man it is good. this was the second time the keg had been used. the first was a sour mash corn.that was left for six months. i was worried about getting the flavor the 2nd time around.but it still took up a nice vanilla and caramel flavor and the color is just rite. makes my mouth water just to smell it lol. i have 15 gal of sourmash thats been in the barral four months.it is a nice amber color but hasn't really started getting the flavors yet. i hope it will be finished after year.but the lager keg may take longer.

[Virginia Gentleman]

do you all use the charred Gibbs barrels or the toasted? I've got a 5 gal charred with double run sour mash in it, and am amazed at how dark it is after just a month and a half.

[Husker]

do you all use the charred Gibbs barrels or the toasted? I've got a 5 gal charred with double run sour mash in it, and am amazed at how dark it is after just a month and a half.

Good question. Also to extend this, what would be the barrel type to use for:

1. Bourbon (charred or toasted)?
2. Rum (charred or toasted)?


Thanks, H.

[junkyard dawg]

I'd use charred for bourbon. after about three batches through it I'd think it would be good for rum. My gibbs bros is very strong and tannic. I have over oaked the first too batches throught it, It didn't take years to acheive the color and flavor I wanted, it was only months... When it gets to where you like it, take it out and put something else in. If you get it too dark and oaky, add some white dawg to it to mellow out the oak.

[Virginia Gentleman]

Cool Husker and Junkyard, you gotta watch that first batch in a charred barrel for sure. Good news is that means lots of sippin! I will probably take the sour mash out soon, it's right where the color should be and getting close on flavor. Will probably use 2-3 times for whiskey, then rum, etc.

I have an old 2 gal. that I've used a bunch and am now using it to age a bunch of pureed, salted hot peppers I grew. Gonna age them for a while and then add vinegar to make a tabasco-style sauce. Bet it will have a lot of whiskey flavor, hopefully not too much.

One more question, how are you measuring proof from the barrel, MikeyT? Does it measure OK with a alcometer?

[MikeyT]

One more question, how are you measuring proof from the barrel, MikeyT? Does it measure OK with a alcometer?

Yes, I use an alcohol meter.

[copperhead]

jd what size are your gibbs barrels?have you aged any in larger barrels. it really gets hot in my shed rite now.hope that is a good thing. iv had to add too my keg twice this summer and it aint leaking.

[junkyard dawg]

two gallons. I want to get a five sometime, but these just keep on working great. I don't think that heat is gonna be too bad, the barrel houses get pretty hot too. I have a hell of a time keeping mine full... Not so much evaporation, I just love drinking it...

[partsbill]

Best thing I ever did was buying that keg - apart from building the still that is

I feel the same way. I've never had near the results with anything else. A good barrel performs magic on your hootch.

A while back I bought a used barrel stamped with "jim beam" and when bought, still had 1.5 gal of 80 proof in it. Put various quantities in it, probably to the 30 gal mark. Did a little magic for me but not as much as read on here as a new barrel should do. So I cut it up. Found out that the 1" THICK staves weren't really used the 75% as often touted(3/4" of 1" of the wood being used). You could clearly see the line where the alcohol saturation was. More along the line of 15-20% usage, the rest nice and dry.
So I cut the staves in 3 inch chunks(against the grain) then used a hatchet to slice the chunks in 1/4 - 1/2" slices. Char them with a torch on both sides and place in carboys. Use about 25-30 pieces per carboy. Works in and out of the smaller pieces , using up all the wood with much faster color and taste. Have since run out of all that barrel yet have purchased barrel heads and done my on charring on a regular basis.While the still was a great accomplishment, I'd put my complete use of barrel oak and a strong second.

[Durhommer]

My first batch was great at 6 months, and a little too tannic at 9. The second batch in that 2 gallon barrel was perfect at 6 months.

I checked my barrel 6 weeks in and the color is amazing the flavor is young like fresh wood you can tell

[ismbardbrunel123]

I bought a 5.5 uk Gallon barrel, its being soaked in water at the moment, what's the lowest amount of whiskey/percentage i could get away with to fetch it in to use?....i have about 7 litres at around 55%..should i wait till i have the full 25 litres UK to activate ? .....also, is 55% ok or would you go higher or lower...?

[still_stirrin]

I bought a 5.5 uk Gallon barrel, its being soaked in water at the moment, what's the lowest amount of whiskey/percentage i could get away with to fetch it in to use?....i have about 7 litres at around 55%..should i wait till i have the full 25 litres UK to activate ? .....also, is 55% ok or would you go higher or lower...?

110 proof will work for barrel entry. Typically, distillers aim for 120 to 130 proof, but it'll work lower. It will extract different flavors than it would at a higher target (usually sweeter with a lower barrel entry). With only 7 liters for a 5 gallon barrel, you'll be low so the angels will "have their way with you", meaning the shrinkage will be quicker with the greater exposed barrel due to the lower fill. But, it will start the aging process sooner. And aging is the part many, if not most, new distillers fail at....patience.

So, go ahead and load your cask with your new make. But get your fermenters fired us right away. Get you a couple of back up ferments going as soon as possible to complete the 1st fill. And remember, you'll likely pull a little out of the cask when you have the next batch of spirits to add.

Now, get busy!
ss

[tiramisu]

Thanks for the replies. Anyone tried a 5 gallon Gibbs charred? I have been thinking about cycling it in and out of the refrigerator to the back screened lani every week. It's starting to get pretty warm here.

If ya can, just put it in a shed outside with no climate control. Then forget about it. Youll get truer results, and you'll have more of it to enjoy after its gone thru a year of temp cycles. Even if you only give it a few months it will be better without all the work. At least for me, if im always messin with it, I want a sample.

You clearly don't live in Canada

[nerdybrewer]

15 gallon OOLA bourbon barrel full of rum.
At 2 years I added staves from a red wine barrel.
At 3 years the stuff was just too good to ignore any longer.
I'll bet it would be better in a few more years but how much might be left by then?

[Oldvine Zin]

15 gallon OOLA bourbon barrel full of rum.
At 2 years I added staves from a red wine barrel.
At 3 years the stuff was just too good to ignore any longer.
I'll bet it would be better in a few more years but how much might be left by then?

Depends on how often you take samples
Be well and I hope that we can have a PNW meet sometime soon

stay safe
OVZ

[Saltbush Bill]

I'll bet it would be better in a few more years but how much might be left by then?

That is the problem here too, once it hits 2 or 3 years it becomes so tasty that its hard to leave it age longer.