Toasting Bourbon Chunks

[alcodemon]

I have seen some info here in this forum about 'toasting' bourbon chunks but can't find it again.

Any new info would be appreciated.

I contacted Essencia and they told me, "That would wreck them and make them cease to work.
The instructions given on the 500g pack are the ONLY way to successfully use these chunks."

If you toast the chunks, will it remove some of the flavour from them? Just like putting a log on the fire, all the sap will evaporate.

Thanks in advance.
Cheers

[rubber duck]

If you toast the chunks, will it remove some of the flavour from them? Just like putting a log on the fire, all the sap will evaporate.

Thanks in advance.
Cheers

Bull shit. It will caramelize some of the sugar in the sap and yes the flavor will be different but good. Log on the fire ya if you left it there to burn but we're talking about chard oak not charcoal.

I wouldn't pay for that price for cubed oak. Look into getting a half wine barre, plane off the outside and char your own.

I think there is a sticky on charring oak sticks.

[alcodemon]

Hey, thanks for the tip.

I'll search for the sticky.

Cheers.

[kiwistiller]

RD, I know those chunks he is talking about. They are from freshly dumped barrels, and they way people use them is by adding neutral to them to extract the remaining whisky flavours. Retoasting them will probably harm them if you are wanting to use them for this purpose.

If you were aging whisky, instead of flavouring neutral, then yeah, you'd want those suckers toasted or charred. for the advertised purposes, the instructions are more or less right.

[rubber duck]

Hmmm that's interesting Kiwi.

So if I understand this correctly you take a perfectly good vodka and ruin it by putting old oak chunks in it, resulting in in really shity mock whiskey. I'm in the wrong business, I need to start selling crap stills and bad ideas.

[kiwistiller]

You'd think that, but you know what? I was pretty impressed with it (when using more chips and longer time that instructions say). I had some free ones I while back, the stuff got pretty universal acclaim from the normal tasting board, its a hell of a step up from essences at least. Side by side with Jack Daniels (yeah I know, aiming low, this is a beginners product, remember?) My results were very close, but a bit more flavourful and with more caramel on the nose. I guess you'd expect it close, because there are a lot of JD barrels in there (as well as wild turkey and JB (?) I think). They say you can use them more than once (ha) but after a small experiment I relegated mine to rum aging, for which they were great.

For the price though... bit steep.

[marc83]

Have used these before,used the same chunks(500gm) twice,the second i didnt like.Yes the price is quite steep!!
The first time i used them the end result was pretty good i thought.But for the price,ahhhh,may not buy em too often.

Wouldnt go so far to toast/char these chunks,i think you would be better off finding some white oak yourself and toasting or charring it.As Kiwi said the Essencia chunks wouldnt be prefered for aging,just flavouring.

[rubber duck]

For a guy that wants to do rum only they might be a good way to go.

I'm kinda surprised that they can turn a neutral into something acceptable, but this hobby is full of surprises.

[alcodemon]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the input.

Was a good thing I read the replies, as I was just about to toast the chunks wrapped in alfoil.

All I really wanted to do was to extract the flavour out of the chunks into my neutral spirit as I have done before. The bourbon that resulted was very good....Better than any essence I have used. A friend who worked in the pub/hotel industry for a number of years, commented that it was smoother than his 25 year old Johnnie Walker Blue Label. He came back for second helpings again after having the JW. That's good enough for me.

I paid $30 for 500gr. I only used 100gr per 2.2 litres and left it for 2 months, not 2 weeks as per the instructions. That gave me 3 x 700mL bottles. Anyhow, it'll cost me (all up) less than $4 per bottle. Around $30 to buy at the bottle shop.

I kept the chunks from the last 2 batches in a large jar and topped up with another 2.1 litres of neutral spirit. Only been 2 weeks and a taste test was rewarding.

I'm happy with the results and only use an essence when I need to make a 'snappy' bottle while I wait for the good stuff.

I don't have a pot still (at the moment), so have to resort to flavouring neutral spirit the best way I know.

I used to be a sceptic. The old saying, "Don't knock it 'till you try it" must be true. I have experimented with different beer recipes from friends. Some were good, some cost me money by filling the septic tank with the results.

Again, thanks to all