brandy experience?

[Freedave]

ok so it's had a good long time to air. had 4-500ml of heads that we didn't like. we combined the hearts cut jars 1-5 into one .75L bottle and the cut jars 8-12 into another .75L bottle. then we realized that the quart + of tails tasted pretty good(i don't think we gave the hearts enough space) so we put those jars 6 and 7 in with the tails (almost a half gal).

we made some toasted oak sticks(265 for 2 hrs & 325 for 20 min) put one in each .75 bottle and 2 in the <half gal.
will get a batch of wine started soon to cut it with.

so i wanted to ask what the popular things are to soak in there. raisins, apricots or what else? and I've read of putting in a little maple syrup or honey or what else? just wanted to get an idea of all the options.

Thanks for the input. hoping this may be ready by Christmas.

[LWTCS]

Chared up some very large dried dates a few batches back.

I'm thinking dried (and chared) appricotts would do nicely too.

[Freedave]

i must ask, how do go about charring dried fruit?
oh, and you mentioned the oil that they put on dried fruit. any ideas of how to remove it? maybe rinse with some high proof spirits? any others?

[LWTCS]

i must ask, how do go about charring dried fruit?

Put the torch on it.

That would remove prolly all oily residue also.

Tater got me all torqued up on chared fruit with his talk of a chared peach awhile back.

I'm doing (for my rums) chared oak, Chared dates, raisins, pineapple core (or regular wedge) and a few strawberries to help impart a nice red quality.

[Dnderhead]

an answer to oaking Brandies,, it depends on the flavor, heaver flavored, oak is ok but light ,delicate flavors no as the oak can cover up
flavor of the fruit.if you do use barrel ageing on a light flavored brandy , try a well used barrel that is unchard. maybe a "washed up" wine barrel?

[goose eye]

ole boys aint sure bout how stawberry looks in likker but in wine itll turn brown if you aint careful cause of oxidation

so im tole

[LWTCS]

Thanks goose eye.
As I recall I did read that as well.

Think I'll discontinue using strawberries.

Has not been an issue though, cuz my rum batches are small and they go quick.

[Freedave]

i missed that one. or are you yanking my chain? i can see you guys sitting around having a great laugh as you watch me taking a torch to my fruit. then rolling on the floor as i drop a few pieces into my new brandy.

i'll trust you, and try it, but if your hosing me i won't soon forget.

i'll use a small bottle.

[LWTCS]

I didn't quite get how tater explained how to do the peach.

But the dried fruit works very nicely (in my rum).

Think it was a chared peach added to a peach brandy.

Maybe he will chime in?

[LWTCS]

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 4#p6793294