aging in 5ltr oak barrel

[Kentucky shinner]

How long would you suggest aging whiskey in a 5ltr oak barrel? does anyone know can you age it to long? I know the smaller the barrel the faster it will pick up the oaking but I thought I would like to leave it for at least a year. I need some other opinions.
Thanks

[Dnderhead]

30-40 days per gal (4L) so probably 2 month's the first time it is used.

[blanikdog]

I had some rum in a gallon cask for two years and it was farrrrr too long. Go with dunder's experienced mind. Two months

[MuleKicker]

yer gonna have to let us know how this goes KS. Im strongly thinking of purchasing a couple of those 5 ltr barrels. STRONGLY.

[Dnderhead]

after two mo. take it out place into glass, either let it finish there or do another and another and----------- then blend as they will git "weaker" with each use.if you want something to age for a year git a 10gal (37l) barrel.

[Kentucky shinner]

so I can reuse the keg right? Is that what you meant by it will get weaker and weaker?

[Kentucky shinner]

I'll keep you posted mulekicker.. I should have them sometime next week and I'll fill em up as soon as I cure them with water.

[Dnderhead]

yes and each time you use it there will be less oak flavor. so you can leave it in longer.

[DCT]

what about aging on sticks in glass? I thought the longer it sitsthe better it gets as the oak goes threw different stages?

[Dnderhead]

yes but you got to consider how much oak,less oak you can age longer. to much oak and it will be woody. time and amount of oak has to be balanced. with a bigger barrel you have less oak per gallon there for you can leave it longer.

came back ,,I figured it out once if memory serves me right in a full size barrel there is 6 square inches per liter, that would be a stick about the size of your little finger, that is why they can age 3+ years in them. as the barrel gits bigger the liters to surface grows.

[ammo man]

I don't understand (as some of you know I don't understand a lot of things). How is it that some, if not all, of the big names in whiskey sell whiskey aged ten, twenty years, and even longer claiming it is "better". Also, at least one poster on this forum claims you cannot age too long, that you cannot use too much oak, and that it continues to get better with age forever. Would some of you help clarify this for me.

I don't mean this post to start a big controversy, and please understand I am not challenging anything anyone has posted. It is as I said, "I don't understand", and I truly would like to.

Bert

[LWTCS]

at least one poster on this forum claims you cannot age too long, that you cannot use too much oak, and that it continues to get better with age forever. Would some of you help clarify this for me.

I think you have to put that comment into the correct context. Although from my reading you can use too much oak.

Aging longer is better but aging with too much oak (as Dunder mentions) will make your likker taste woody.

Big boys are using big barrels. Therefore reducing surface area.
As time passes the barrel will loose it's woody/oaky qualties. Recon the big boys can calculate the correct size or optimal surface area, so that as time passes the best amount of oakyness gets installed into the likker with out over oaking.

[Dnderhead]

as I stated ,they use full size barrels that gives less wood exposed to product,and some even use "hogs heads" that they make up by using parts of used barrels, these are twice the size of a whiskey barrel. this would cut the contact further.
I believe the Soaera system would be a good way to go for a small amount.but this would take a bit of time.

[jawwoody]

So in a 10 lt keg should only need to be aged 4 months then?
Does the proof matter in equation?
I wanted to put triple distilled in mine.
Or sould is be watered down to 40 abv when put in keg?

[LWTCS]

Thinking that most here prefer around 60 to 65 % for best results.

Kiwi did a nice little experiment (though not with barrels)thats posted here somewhere.

[MuleKicker]

There are many compounds in the oak. Oaking at different % pulls different compounds out. I believe the optimum % is 60-65. Lower than that, and you start to get a bitter taste (if I remember right) Aging in the barrel, you have to compensate for the "angel share"

[blanikdog]

Kentucky, if you lived closer you could have my barrel. I won't be using it again. The small oak stick for a longer time is - IMHO - a far better method. The surface area of the small barrel in relation to the shine is the killer, as someone has already said.

[blanikdog]

_________________
AKA MulekickerHDbrownNose -

Some buggers get all the attention and have most of the fun. Onya mule. you're the man.

[Dnderhead]

I believe the optimum % is 60-65.

that is 55% tho there are laws that govern what commercial distillers do. also aging at lower proof cost more ,as it means more barrels for the same amount of product.
higher abv will develop color,vanillas, faster but will also extract more tannins that can make it harsh.
barrels that have been used can age at higher proof because much of the tannins have been removed
lower ph helps but none have control over this
the temperature in warehouse also plays a roil ,higher temperature will age quicker. lower humidity produces more villains.
high humidity ,high abv both tend to loose more alcohol than low humidity and low alcohol.

OK?

[Kentucky shinner]

Thank you.. Just waiting on my barrell right now.

[MuleKicker]

dunder, 55% makes sense, as most commercials bottle between 45-53. So do you water it down before aging? most dont collect down as low as 55. and starting around 80 will bring your average higher than 55? Currious.

[MuleKicker]

_________________
AKA MulekickerHDbrownNose -

Some buggers get all the attention and have most of the fun. Onya mule. you're the man.

Figured some would get a kick out of that

[JakeTheDane]

dunder, 55% makes sense, as most commercials bottle between 45-53. So do you water it down before aging? most dont collect down as low as 55. and starting around 80 will bring your average higher than 55? Currious.

So to sum up: Aging in a 5ltr oak barrel would take 2 - 3 months with a 80% destillate?

Sorry if my english is a little poor.

[Kentucky shinner]

Not sure Jake this is my first experience with the small barrels. I am going to try it after 1 month at 55%. I will let you know what I think about it.
KS

[JakeTheDane]

Nice, I'll look forward to hear from you. If you have any other experiences you would like to share, then let me know. I am preparing to make my first bottles

[MuleKicker]

dunder, 55% makes sense, as most commercials bottle between 45-53. So do you water it down before aging? most dont collect down as low as 55. and starting around 80 will bring your average higher than 55? Currious.

So to sum up: Aging in a 5ltr oak barrel would take 2 - 3 months with a 80% destillate?

Sorry if my english is a little poor.

No, you dont want to age that high. 55%, some will go as high as 65%. But yes, 2-3 months for a first use barrel.

[Kentucky shinner]

Hey MuleKicker , so will I need to age longer the second time I use my barrels? I am guessing that it would take longer the second time for the same flavors. I am looking at this right?

[kiwistiller]

Personally I'd be migrating used barrels to different products. I'd probably go Bourbon -> rum -> scotch. Just me though. I do like scotch that is finished in rum barrels (Glenfiddich 21)...

[Kentucky shinner]

I havent tried making any rum yet but that may be next on the agenda.

[GreyGambler]

havent had any expierance aging in 5ltr but just did my first 2liter and i'm very pleased with it, not much to compare with except store bought, its equal to that atleast but since i made it I like it that much more. cut it to 110, in barrel for 33 days.
now I'm thinking about buying a 5liter and another 2liter.