how much is too much oak?

[Coon Dog]

How will I know when I have too much oak? I'm aging my first batch of corn whiskey, about 3/4 gallon, with 25-30 sticks 1x1x4 inches. Heavy char, to the point of some charcoal falling off if handled too rough. I split a piece open and about 1/6 total width is charred. Flavor just keeps getting.g better (about 7 weeks now) I see people talking about over oaking.....how will I know? Will it start to taste like a tree? How are whiskey aged for a dozen years in a barrel without over oaking? I'd like to try to figure out when to put it smaller bottles off the oak.

I'm asking in part for this first run, but mostly for a future run. I made my first distilling run a few week ago on the day I brought my baby home from the hospital after birth.y dad thought I should make a batch and age it in a barrel 21 years. I'd rather put it in a sealed 1 gallon jug and forget about it. Maybe that's another post though.....

[Kifi]

First of all, on HD when people talk about bringing their baby home, they're usually referring to their 'copper' baby..... But congrats!!

I'd say 25 sticks for 3/4 of a gallon is going to get you a woody taste before any serious aging happens, so if you're going to stick with that approach, be sure to taste it each week for the first month or two. If you're aging for 21 years, you'll only need 2 or 3 sticks, IMHO.

[rtalbigr]

I have a "Few" bottle set back for when my grandkids are eventually of age. You're not gonna want to leave it on oak for the duration. Time on oak is subjective to a certain extent so ya need to sample occasionally. When it is to your liking pull off the oak. As for doint in barrels, after 21 years I'm afraid the angels would be real happy but you'd only be left a few sips. I think the figure is something like 3% per year for the angels. Besides, depending on your barrel size, after a while ya really aren't gaining anything as far as aging. So, get it to where your happy and bottle it. Even in glass it will improve some. Every so often open the bottle and get some new air and give it a shake. In 21 years you'll have some fine drinking.

Big R

[Bushman]

+1, if your tasting it on a regular basis and it is where you want it then bottle it and let set. Everyone will have an opinion on this but it really comes down to personal taste. One idea is if you like it know draw part of it out and compare it to what you leave a week or two later.

[Coon Dog]

Thanks for the input. This first batch was put on heavy oak partly because I didn't know better, and part because I wanted it to flavor faster. I don't think it is too woody right now, but I'm afraid I won't know until it's too late. It has had 8 weeks, still tastes good, mellowing. Not sure if ill bottle now, or just reduce he oak and let itsit more. Leaning towards the first.

The 21 yr stuff I'm not going to put in a barrel. I have some 1 gallon jugs I'll use. Maybe just a few sticks total and seal it up? Oak for 3 yrs then remove? I'd hate to drink it up sampling. Maybe ill make a few batches with different amounts of oak and blend it. Hmmm, so many options!

[Bushman]

Thanks for the input. This first batch was put on heavy oak partly because I didn't know better, and part because I wanted it to flavor faster. I don't think it is too woody right now, but I'm afraid I won't know until it's too late. It has had 8 weeks, still tastes good, mellowing. Not sure if ill bottle now, or just reduce he oak and let itsit more. Leaning towards the first.

The 21 yr stuff I'm not going to put in a barrel. I have some 1 gallon jugs I'll use. Maybe just a few sticks total and seal it up? Oak for 3 yrs then remove? I'd hate to drink it up sampling. Maybe ill make a few batches with different amounts of oak and blend it. Hmmm, so many options!

And that is why we experiment and share ideas!

[rad14701]

Thanks for the input. This first batch was put on heavy oak partly because I didn't know better, and part because I wanted it to flavor faster. I don't think it is too woody right now, but I'm afraid I won't know until it's too late. It has had 8 weeks, still tastes good, mellowing. Not sure if ill bottle now, or just reduce he oak and let itsit more. Leaning towards the first.

We have a saying around here that goes "less oak longer" for good reason... If you truly over-oak it can be nearly impossible to make the spirits drinkable... You may want to re-think the amount of oak used and remove some before it truly is too late... You can't really tell much by tasting along the way because there are times when the spirits taste worse before they taste better, due to the order in which oak constituents are released and reabsorbed...

[blind drunk]

You can't really tell much by tasting along the way because there are times when the spirits taste worse before they taste better, due to the order in which oak constituents are released and reabsorbed...

That's why there's nothing wrong with taking out the oak if you think it's even slightly too woody. Wait a week or two and and check; you can always add back the wood you removed if you think it could use it. Also, if you do think it's over oaked, just pull out all the wood and leave it alone in a dark place. It's amazing what could happen after a bit of time, once all the wood elements get absorbed and/or commingle with the likker ... or whatever they do ...