Jack Daniels smoking blocks

[bassassassin772]

So I bought the JD blocks instead of the chips. The blocks are staves cut into 3" lengths. I plan on oaking in quart jars at 100 proof. My question is how many of these blocks should go into a jar? Everything I found in my search only talks about chips.

[Jimbo]

Very little. If its one stave wide and 3" long that is a LOT of oak for 1 quart. Use 1 and keep a close eye on it. Are they toasted all around? If not you shoudl toast it up all around with a propane torch. Soak it overnight also in water, it will pull some crud out from the side that never saw liquor.

[bassassassin772]

Its not toasted all around. It looks like they broke the barrels down and chopped em up. If u dont toast the chips why would u toast these? Just wondering

[Jimbo]

the chips are toasted, all around, you dont want raw wood on yoru hooch. its tannins woody crap. Toasting caramelizes the sugars in the oak and brings out the vanillans and other flavors, the char helps mellow the raw dog (rough edges from the cuts). Dont forget to soak overnight in water first, importante

Read the posts in aging here in HD, good stuff, and some charts on what differnt toast levels bring out in the wood at what temperatures 350, 400 etc.

[bassassassin772]

Ok I have been trying to read all. Maybe im just not comprehending the info. I didnt think the chips were toasted as people herehave said to just put em in. Is there a difference between charing with fire and toasting in an oven

[Fastill]

The entire barrels are toasted, then the insides are charred. I sand off the outer surfaces on barrel staves, rechar and use the ammount I like until I am satisfied. Experiment. If you want more toasting, You can always sample and find what works for you and add more toast, but the JD. chips and chunks were already toasted.

[bassassassin772]

Ok thank you both for the info. I will be toasting the ends tonight soaking em and dropping em in tomorrow. Wish me luck

[Jimbo]

Fastill the staves are toasted? they dont toast oak before the cooperage makes barrels. They usually air dry for a year then char the middle of the barrel. Do they toast the chunks afterward?

Bassassasin, toasting is differnet than char. chips are usually toasted, cooked at 350 or 400 until they darken up. this is typcial for wine. Since brewshops dont cater to booze makers, they sell tasted chips for wine makers. You can char staves with fire. go for a light char on the outside after you clean em up, like fastill says, sounds like great advice. Then soak em then toss em in. A 3" chunk sounds liek a lot fo 1 quart, so watch it close or youll make oak tea and kill your drink. take a sip after a week, and see what you think. thats a big chunk of oak for 1 quart.

[Fastill]

I have read that the barrels are toasted, not the staves afterwords. Bourban barrels are toasted then charred. The staves I use are from used barrels cut up for planters. They yield an excellent result, smell like whisky new, and I never retoast them. Just sand them, char and add to my hooch.

[Odin]

Mash Rookie did a lot of research on them JD chips. Conclusions: you can use many because most of the tanines got over into the Jack Daniel's whiskey. His advice, if I remember correctly, is up to 25% of total volume. I tested with 20% for 5 weeks on wood and that worked fine. So in a 5 liter bottle, I would put 4 liters of likker and 1 liter of the chips. I think for the blocks it is the same. Extraction might be slower on the colour department, but more interesting since the wood is thicker.

If you char or toast the wood before adding it, I think 10 grams per liter would be fine.

Odin.

[BrooklynTech]

So I bought the JD blocks instead of the chips. The blocks are staves cut into 3" lengths. I plan on oaking in quart jars at 100 proof. My question is how many of these blocks should go into a jar? Everything I found in my search only talks about chips.

Where did you buy the JD blocks?

[bassassassin772]

At Bass Pro Shop 15.99 for a bag that contains 549 cu inches.

[BrooklynTech]

At Bass Pro Shop 15.99 for a bag that contains 549 cu inches.

Interesting. No Bass Pro shop for over a 1000 miles. Went to their web site and did a search. Comes up w/nothing.

[F6Hawk]

CHIPS

I did some rough calculations using a normal barrel size, volume, and surface area of oak. What I came up with was 11.6 sq in of chips in a fifth. BUT... remember that chips such as I linked to are already used once. This would more readily work with fresh, unused wood, charred to your preference.

[BrooklynTech]

CHIPS

I did some rough calculations using a normal barrel size, volume, and surface area of oak. What I came up with was 11.6 sq in of chips in a fifth. BUT... remember that chips such as I linked to are already used once. This would more readily work with fresh, unused wood, charred to your preference.

Thanks chips not blocks. Found some at local Sears about 40 miles from here.

[Angel_Kefka]

I found an off brand at Kmart. Bag says whiskey barrel smoker chips, made by char-broil grill brand.

[bassassassin772]

I saw those as well at other stores. I know the JD blocks are straight from the barrel the others I wasn't so sure so I passed. So after a few days on the wood this stuff has smoothed out considerably and has a good flavor. gonna leave it in another week then see what that does. I also took a piece of wood and did no char on the ends and no soak of water. The shine is a yellowy greenish color and is quiet harsh. I tried it out as an experiment and now know to defiantly char and soak

[BrooklynTech]

I'll be danged if I didn't find a few bags at the local WalMart. No need to drive 40 miles to Sears.

Plan to remove from the chips/splinters I got from the home brew shop and put on the JD chips. woo hoo...

[Odin]

Is there anyone out there that can give me a quote on those JD blocks? From the States, they should be cheaper than over here. I am thinking of importing some for the Dutch HD forum.

Odin.

[BrooklynTech]

Is there anyone out there that can give me a quote on those JD blocks? From the States, they should be cheaper than over here. I am thinking of importing some for the Dutch HD forum.

Odin.

I paid just under $5 at WalMart for a bag. Bag says 2.94 L (180 cu In). Seems strange selling by volume rather than by weight. Maybe someone on the east coast could ship you a bag it it's really high priced online to ship to you.

[Jimbo]

How much you want Od? Ill talk my shipping dept at work and see where ship by weight comes out to a reasonable figure crossover point. Can you pay by paypal? PM me your addy, and Ill tell you what shipping comes out to for x pounds of these bags of blocks.

[Odin]

Thanks Jim!

The bags of around 3 liters should be fine. As long as they are those blocks made out of JD old barrels and not the chips or non-JD. I will contact you.

Odin.

[BrooklynTech]

Thanks Jim!

The bags of around 3 liters should be fine. As long as they are those blocks made out of JD old barrels and not the chips or non-JD. I will contact you.

Odin.

Yea, the WalMart bag was chips. But that's better than the splinters from the home brew shop. I probably paid about $6 for 8 oz there and the big bag from WalMart was less than $5. LOL

[Odin]

Yes, the chips are very good. MUCH better than those brew market shavings ...

My guess is that those blocks I pictured above are even better. More, thicker wood. And easier to toast or charr ...

Odin.

[BentJar]

I stumbled upon those chips at wall mart, bought some and suprisingly they work very well, I put 2-3 inch. in bottom of Qt. jar and fill with 120 proof. A few weeks later, got a nice amber color and good bourbon tasting hooch. Leave it in the jar to suit your own taste and color. Strain over cheeze cloth.

Removes bite and adds a vanilla flavor.
Im on to something here.. does that mean I can do this to ruff tasting shine and come off with good drinking likker?

bent

[Odin]

Guys, look into Mash Rookies posts. He did a lot of research on them JD wood oaking chips. Pages full of info!

Odin.

[Jimbo]

Im gonna pick one of these up. Thats a shitload of bourbon wood for 32 bucks.

http://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/pl ... -10138.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Odin]

How about this?

http://bourbonbarrelfoods.com/shop/bulk ... -wood-case" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Odin.

[Bushman]

Another choice.
http://www.infusionspiral.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[baron4406]

Im gonna pick one of these up. Thats a shitload of bourbon wood for 32 bucks.

http://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/pl ... -10138.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Exactly what i did last year, I'll have enough oaking wood to make hootch until I retire. The smell when I brought it home was heavenly too