Whats the best Bourbon Essence to use

[dazastar]

I tried T'Obriens - tasted like cats piss - not impressed at all. Has anyone had good experience making bourbon from essences - if so, what’s the best

[olddog]

UJSSM with a couple of handfulls of barley added

[MashMan]

corn, rye & malted barley. 70/15/15% cook it up, ferment it, distill it, and you will forget all about "bottled" flavouring

[maker]

but if you still need to use the bottled essences
i have found adding some liquid oak usually makes it drinkable

[airhill]

Stick some 45% abv neutral in a jar with some bourbon barrel chips. When it begins to colour strain and try some Bodines sour mash bourbon essence, but only enough to give it the flavour you want (its pricey).
I don't drink bourbon but a few people have told me it tastes like bourbon.

[Hawke]

I've never found an essence that can compete with the real thing, let alone UJSSM.

[dazastar]

Thanks ya awl,
Excellent advice that got me searching in the right direction. Found my biggest problem here is that I'm using a sugar wash in a pot still. From my new understanding, the flavours carried over is making the basis for rum. Then re-inventing the wheel so to speak trying to flavour it to be like bourbon. I shall try from the wash up doing it right this time eh.

[jdonly1]

Bodines gold medal is ok and Edwards Tennessee style is pretty good

[dazastar]

OK, ready to go with the advise.

I've double distilled, tripple filtered to get as neutal as possible. Got the barrel chunks soaking for 5 days. I've also purchased the Edwards tennessee essence. I'll let you all know how it turnes out next week.

[Barney Fife]

My most "bourbon-like" drink happened when I over-oak'd a few quarts of UJSM. The sticks were deeply charred on all faces, even the ends. There was no un-charred oak directly exposed. Also, it was freshly charred; torch the oak completely, dunk in cold water, toss in product jar. 6-8 months later, wow! I've since repeated it, with good results. I now believe much of the bourbon flavor profile comes from -freshly- and deeply charred oak, and not so much from the corn as we think.

Reading up on bourbon shows they only use the barrels once, so my feelings seem to have legs...

[kiwistiller]

thats very interesting info Barney, I'll try that on my next spirit run.

[Tater]

My most "bourbon-like" drink happened when I over-oak'd a few quarts of UJSM. The sticks were deeply charred on all faces, even the ends. There was no un-charred oak directly exposed. Also, it was freshly charred; torch the oak completely, dunk in cold water, toss in product jar. 6-8 months later, wow! I've since repeated it, with good results. I now believe much of the bourbon flavor profile comes from -freshly- and deeply charred oak, and not so much from the corn as we think.

Reading up on bourbon shows they only use the barrels once, so my feelings seem to have legs...

I agree with ya 100 percent .Dont often make charred likker but first use of charred oak has a flavor that not there the second use.Found it out when I tried using fresh charred on some rum.Made it taste to much like bourbon.

[dazastar]

OK that worked better than I thought,

Put my spirit back through for another pass.

Soaked about 2.5litres with 25gm of barrel chunks. After 1 week all turned a nice amber colour. Added Edwards Tenessee essence.

Yep thats bourbon!!!!!

Thanks everyone for all your help and advice, could not have made this without it.