Jack Daniels Oak chips. How to use them.

[azcz10]

I bought some Jack Daniels chips. They are used JD barrel staves that have been run through the chipper and are sold to be used for smoking meats. I rinsed a few of the chips that had the char on them (they were on the inside of the barrels) and put them into the # 2, #4 and the # 5 quart (out of 8 quarts) of a run I'd made from a corn mash back in September. I saved the #3 quart and left it "as is" after airing out for a day or so. I thought I'd compare the #2,4 & 5 on oak and #3 plain after they've sat for a while. This was back in September. It's now late December and there is a very nice flavor of smoke in these jars. The color is nice and the harshness and burn of the #2 quart has all but gone. The taste of tails in the #5 jar is still there but it has diminished. Hey....this is drinkable stuff! My goal to begin with. It's undilluted just like it came off of the still. #2 was 65% (130proof), #3 was 52%, #4 was47% and #5 was 40%. #5 had a touch of oil film on top after it aired out for a day or so and had the tails smell and taste. What I'm tasting and smelling now is - #2 - you know it was one of the earlier jars in the run but it's smoky and much much smoother. The clear untouched #3 quart is much much smoother, no bite, and very little burn and very drinkable as is. #4 is probably the best. Slight smoky flavor, no bite, no burn, and smooth. #5 - you know it's later in the run and it's got the tails smell and taste and it picked up the most smoky flavor and smell out of all of them. I'm thinking of tossing the #5 into my tails jug and re-running it with another batch of ....something These jars have been sitting in the dark in my lower kitchen cabinet since September.

Since I discovered the Sweet Feed mash I don't think I'll even bother with corn anymore. To me, there's a world of difference in the taste, smell, and strength of tails.

I don't know about you guys but I really don't like the smell and taste of tails. I'd rather have a jar of heads if I had to pick between the two. Since I figured out that I don't like it, I just cut the still off not long after I start getting into the tails. I'm not sure if that's proper procedure or not since the tails still contain quite a bit of alcohol. I figured that if I put the tails back into the boiler and mash prior to firing up the next run, I'd just get a stronger tails with the run. Is this correct? Or will the alcohol in the tails come off earlier in the run and you'll have the same volume and concentration of tails no matter?

Thanks guys.

[Pyewacket]

Thanks for the info here MR. We found some at ACE Truevalue. I forced my wife to buy me some for a stocking stuffer. I will be experimenting with these on a 3rd generation SF run I plan to complete once my cold goes away. I have been working on these runs for a month now...and...wouldn't you know I would get a horrible head cold the day I was set to complete it. No way I am gonna attempt things without the sense of taste or smell!

[kekedog13]

I've been told these are also available at " Bass Pro" Shops, thy there if there's one near you .

[BourbonStreet]

I put some of these into a jar of 60% UJSSM about a week ago, and it's getting nice! The new make "funk" is going away, and the vanillin and oak flavor is coming through. The color is getting really good, too.

[DFitz]

I use JD chips to get a quick idea of what a flavor profile will be. If its good on chips its probably a barrel worthy recipe and will likely be fantastic after proper aging.

[Bushman]

Has anyone tried these?

http://www.thebarrelmill.com/infusion-spirals.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[DFitz]

I've used them but oak splits work just as we'll and are free. I still have to use chips with either to smooth out the flavor.

[Geronimo]

I use the Jack Daniels chips...... I take about a half a bag and wrap them in foil and put it on my bbq grill for about 45 min. I get part of it with a darker char and mixed with the lighter charring. the chips at the bottom are usually darker. I mix those up and put them in the jars with the proof at about 160 or so. After about one week it really adds a great flavor. I actually saved a batch of some really horrible tasting shine I did. I used some turbo yeast as an experement and OMG it was the worst tasting shine I had ever made. I had even charcoal filtered it and it still tasted like ass. I figured I had nothing to lose but to try using some Oak chips on it. OMG it came out one of the best tasting whiskies I had ever had!! I was so amazed that it had salvaged something I was going to use to clean paintbrushes with.... It had a nice complex flavor to it with some vanillas and some other complex buttery flavors to it. All of that nasty flavor had dissapeared. Those jars did not last long at all. every time I passed by them I had to take a small swig of it.

[rhube961]

Awesome, I put about an inch of chips in a pint and quart jar, not knowing if I had enough. But it sounds like I could put more in without worrying. The pint jar became dark, also like maple syrup in a couple days and after two weeks...it was a completely different product, the sour smell was gone and the burn was much more pleasant.

[Bushman]

Awesome, I put about an inch of chips in a pint and quart jar, not knowing if I had enough. But it sounds like I could put more in without worrying. The pint jar became dark, also like maple syrup in a couple days and after two weeks...it was a completely different product, the sour smell was gone and the burn was much more pleasant.

Check this thread out:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 8#p7195978

[S-Cackalacky]

I use about a half cup straight out of the bag in a quart jar filled about 3/4 full. I nuke it about 3 times and allow it to rest for a day after each nuking. I strain out the chips and let it age for a few weeks - airing it occasionally every other day or so. I figure the JD chips are already toasted and charred, so I don't bother with that process and have been very happy with the results.

[oilguy]

I used straight out of the bag , 1 cup in a litre of 65%ABV ,Let is sit for 6 months and then took em out, That was Feb. it tastes really melow now, but I think I will try to toast em as see what flavors i get

[Beerbrewer]

What's a cup worth roughly? I tend to use about 10gms per ltr but I'm wondering if it's a little on the low side.

[Deezil]

did about 4-5 little pieces in a pint jar of ujssm, 24 hours later it was delicious! Gained a little color, 48 hours later it gained a little more flavor, and enough for me, so I took them out. My new fav drink!

[oilguy]

Cup worth is roughly a handful, roughly about 1/2-3/4 inch on bottom of jar

[Odin]

I use JD blocks that are bigger. I cut them in half for faster extraction.

Odin.

[FullySilenced]

JD Chip are a viable option be their use in whiskeys, rums or other spirit combinations... have fun playing with them...

Chips and Nuking or Chips and time..... either work unless you need something rapidly...

Chips/Nuking/ and time really seems to turn the calendar back by many months in a long term age.... and dramatically increase the aging on chips versus just time alone...

Many Thanks to Mash Rookie for his getting this started in a big way...

MASH ROOKIE's Thread: For Your Reading Pleasure...

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... 6#p6938976

[Timeking]

Ok so some of you are not charring the JD chips
and some are charring your chips?

[S-Cackalacky]

Ok so some of you are not charring the JD chips
and some are charring your chips?

Either way - it's a matter of personal preference. Got to remember - the JD chips come from a barrel that has already been toasted and charred, so you get some of that flavor without doing anything to them. If you further toast and/or char them, I suppose the flavor would be a little more robust. I've never done anything to them and found that the flavor was something I really liked.

[Deezil]

I have not charred mine at all and Im very happy with how the product tastes, so I cant compare the difference, but they do work great this way, so I probably wont go through the extra work unless I get pretty bored to try something new.

Try it on a small tester, and see if you like it.

[heartcut]

For whiskey, I like charred JD chips at around 15g/liter. For rum, virgin at 10g/L. Nuke rum or sugarhead a couple times and leave on the chips as long as possible. No nukes for the AG, they represent a lot of work and turn out great with time (I'm chicken, in other words). But if you're doing it and it tastes good, who's to argue?