Mellowing and Ageing Whiskey

[ammo man]

I have been reading everything I can find on mellowing and ageing whiskey as fast as possible. At my dear old age of 73 years I cannot afford to set it back and wait. Don't have that much longer.

As soon as my still gets here I am going to try the recipe given by Ian Smiley in his book Making Pure Corn Whiskey on page 72. After distilling, I thought I might do this:

1. Set the "middle run" in an open container with toasted oak chips for a short period.
2. Then do the freezer bit at least two times

My question is: What is the minimum time I can get away with using the open container idea to get a noticeable improvement in taste?

Thanks for any comments and suggestions in advance.

Bert (ammo man)

[LWTCS]

My question is: What is the minimum time I can get away with using the open container idea to get a noticeable improvement in taste?

Bert, you will get improvement every day that passes. I recon the issue is how "good" can you wait.

I can't wait very good at all. I'm trying to fix that though.

I am doing my best to force some goodness into my batches for a month (if i'm lucky). If your looking to drink your likker neat,,,,,,,,,well thats the difficult stuff to wait for isn't it?

I don't have much reserve capacity, so it gets tough. Especially when my likker mooching friends stop by.

I finally got my keg boiler dialed in. just need to get the tri-clamp connecter for the still head. Then another fermenter.

Onward and best luck to you.

[Hawke]

I use toasted sticks about 5/8" square by 5 inches long. Once they sink to the bottom, it is more than passable. Usually takes about a month for that to happen.

[ammo man]

Thank you LWTCS and Hawke. I have a gut feeling that there is not going to be much of my first few runs held back a month. I have one of those new 8 gallon milk can stills from MileHi on order, and from what I understand I will not be able to distill much at a time with an 8 gallon still. However, I plan on trying to hold back a couple or three pints with the toasted oak as a test.

What I am not clear about is the open container versus the closed container. I know the closed container works and is what you should use long term, but is there any advantage to letting the distillate "air out" in an open container with toasted oak a few days first?

Bert(ammo man)

[LWTCS]

but is there any advantage to letting the distillate "air out" in an open container with toasted oak a few days first?

Mr. Hawke is way further along than me for a good responce. But my short answer yes that will help.
As well as leaving some head space within your aging vessels and giving them a good shake when passing by.

Some members also cycle their likker in and out of the freezer to try and stress some age into their likker.

I also vigorously pour from one vessel to another several times on the days just before I cycle back into the freezer.

[olddog]

Hi Ammo Man, I am not too far behind you na the age scale, so I know where your coming from.
You could try air aging with an aquarium air pump with a length of copper tubing attached to the end of the plastic air tubing, let air bubble through your spirit for a couple of minutes each day for about a week, not perfect but it does improve it somewhat.
I have got to the stage where I have 3 fermenters going to achieve a bit of excess for age storing, means you have got to do a bit of stilling, but at my age being retired, means you have a bit more time to do these things

[ammo man]

Wow! Thank you fellows.

Here is the way I have it planned now subject to change if more and different ideas come in. I do have tropical fish, and I bought another air pump just the other day to aerate the mash as Ian Smiley suggested. Now to buy some copper tubing.

1. Let the distillate air out for two or three days.
2. Place in jars with toasted oak chips and a space at the top.
3. Shake often and aerate each day for a minute or two.
4. After several days to maybe of month of this, put the whiskey in the freezer, thaw out the next day, and back to the freezer for another 24 or so hours. It is important to do the freezer bit according to that college professor who gave some theory behind it two times. I have lost the site address.

My best guess is that I will have some very drinkable whiskey.

Oh, I will filter out the oak chips before i drink it so I will not think they are chewing gum after I get a little on the other side of sober.

Bert (ammo man)

[olddog]

I have never done the freezer thing, there's not enough room, its all full of food and stuff.

[Dnderhead]

I never seen where the freezing did much good. the air pump helps some. a small amount over a longer time is best. charcoal helps.
But I have not found a substitute for time.

[LWTCS]

But I have not found a substitute substitute for time.

The truth hurts

[Hawke]

I do a majority of my aging with the jar or jug covered with a coffee filter.
About once a week I'll cap it and give it about 30 seconds of shaking. Once the sticks sink, I leave it capped.

[olddog]

Hawke when the sticks sink, do you remove them or leave them in the jar?

[ammo man]

But I have not found a substitute for time.

Gosh Gnderhead, how true. If one of us did, the big boys would be all over us like a hen on a June bug. We would be rich.

However, if you go back and read my first post, you will see that time is a luxury I don't have. I just wanted to know what would be a minimum time before one would see a noticeable improvement in taste. Of course, with time I would have been able to answer my own question, but I decided not to wait since I felt that some of you could answer my question.

You did, and along the way gave me some good advice on techniques of mellowing and ageing. It looks like about a month will be my minimum time.

Thank you.

Bert (ammo man)

[Hawke]

I leave them in. Once they sink, it just keeps getting better with time.

[LWTCS]

I am trying to get a handle on cycling in used sticks with the new ones.

So many variables...............So many taste buds