Aging in glass- twist

[Mountaintop]

so I am loving the fact I can watch my whisky age. I run small batches so I use 1 quart mason jars for storage. As you know this is a sealed state jar and no "age change" can occur. Clear, white spirits forever. ........So I do this.

First I use oak veneer. It's pretty cheap and available at the Home Depot. It is of exceptional grain quality and is extremely thin. Using scissors I can cut it up into 2x5" rectangles. These get toasted on the barbee either naked, for a light/ med toast or wrapped in foil for a dark charcoal char. The nice thing is that because they are so thin they work really fast and don't seem to have enough total oak to "over oak" and dominate the whisky. They take up a lot less volume than cubes as well. The bad thing is because they are so thin they catch fire easily so watch em.

As for the jar lids... I replace the metal lids with oak veneer lids. This allows the vapours to slowly mellow and allows some natural "faux barrel" exchange to the outside world.

Is it glass, or is it oak...you decide.

Top of the mountain to ya.

[S-Cackalacky]

Great idea - especially the veneer lids.

[Boda Getta]

Have you checked how this veneer was processed; do you know no harmful chemicals were used to process or stabilize the veneer?

BG

[bellybuster]

Straight veneer without being bonded to plys is seldom if ever treated for anything other than moisture content. Veneer destined for plywood is a different story.
Great experiment, may try it out myself for fun

[just sayin]

I have thought about turning white oak jar lid inserts to mimic barrel aging, but I always figured the moist inside /dry outside would warp and leak or crack the jar. Your veneer idea is excellent.

[Bushman]

I read where someone else was making wood lids for that same purpose but don't believe they used wood veneer. Probably should research it and see if they had posted any results.

[S-Cackalacky]

I read where someone else was making wood lids for that same purpose but don't believe they used wood veneer. Probably should research it and see if they had posted any results.

You may be thinking of Corene. I think she turns hers on a lathe. She just recently made a post somewhere about how it imparted some oak flavor to a white dog she had stored in a jar with an oak lid. Interesting idea.

[Mountaintop]

I have thought about turning white oak jar lid inserts to mimic barrel aging, but I always figured the moist inside /dry outside would warp and leak or crack the jar. Your veneer idea is excellent.

It's working so far. As far as wrapage.. Not an issue because the lid clamps the perimeter fairly well.
And.. Because it is a lid above the liquid it's not a lot of wet/dry issue. If you turn the jar side ways it will leak beads of liquor. So it's definitely porus being so thin.

I forgot to mention... If you try this...cover the surface of veneer with masking tape before you trace around the metal lid. This allows the scissors to not split the delicate grain. After you make the cut " carefully" remove the tape and you will have a nice part.

[S-Cackalacky]

I think it's a great idea worth experimenting with. I've been using natural cork jar stoppers in wide mouthed gallon pickle jars, but I'm always willing to try something different. What does a sheet of oak veneer cost and how well do they hold up over time?

[Mountaintop]

Cost... I think it's a buck or two / sq ft. You get a lot lids and toaster squares out of that. Lids seem to last longer than the whiskey they hold.

Hmmm...perhaps if we glue the lids closed... A small hammer...break in case of emergency...

Seriously, I can get some real deep color and warm tones in a week or two by using dark char in a 2"x5" strip.

[corene1]

Yes I have made the oak lids using pure toasted white oak. What I have noticed so far is that the thinner the lid is the more vapor loss there is. My 1/4 inch lids lost about 5 % volume in 45 days where as the newer 3/8 inch lids have only lost about 2 % in 45 days.

[Mountaintop]

Yes I have made the oak lids using pure toasted white oak. What I have noticed so far is that the thinner the lid is the more vapor loss there is. My 1/4 inch lids lost about 5 % volume in 45 days where as the newer 3/8 inch lids have only lost about 2 % in 45 days.

PC190001.JPG

Wow. Great research. I can't believe this much loss?
Are you keeping these on the side or upright.?
i have lost almost nothing through a 1/16" cap in 20 days. (Upright)
What area /volume ratio?
I can imagine 1% a year or 10% in ten years. Which way is the your grain going?

[corene1]

I don't know why you have lost so little . Maybe the grain in veneer is tighter than standard white oak planks. Maybe there is some type of bonding agent in the veneer . When I started oaking this batch I put a strip of blue tape at the starting level, you can see how much it had dropped. The jars are stored standing up and the grain runs lengthwise. You can see it in the previous photos.

[MichiganCornhusker]

That veneer is almost certainly bonded to something. Either paper, or second layer of wood.
If it's wood on both sides, the grains probably run in different directions. Veneer that thin won't hold together without being glued to something.

[Mountaintop]

That veneer is almost certainly bonded to something. Either paper, or second layer of wood.
If it's wood on both sides, the grains probably run in different directions. Veneer that thin won't hold together without being glued to something.

Corn h'r . The veneer is straight up peeled wood. One layer. I've used it on many occasions for other things. Same as all others. Pure wood - no additives - no adhesives- no other layers. You can get in a variety of "flavours" like maple and birch.
I'll run some more controlled test probably using weight so I get the exact loss. Between me sipping and all.....I am wetting the wood regularly to help tighten the grain. 90% of a barrel is actually submerged so it will do the same by swelling and tightening.
Really though....In a way, loss is good. Your are aging at an accelerated rate which is what we are really after. The harsh notes are getting out leaving the mellow behind. (Fingers crossed)
Thanks for the info I'll be taking more carefull notice from now on.
Nice work on the lathe.

[Mountaintop]

Here is a "lid on the jar" at the two week mark. Getting some nice color and flavour. You can see the oak char wood veneer inside.

[corene1]

I just had another thought about the lost liquor. I store my whiskey in the shed where it will get temperature swings. From late June to early October we had a tremendously hot summer here. July averaged 103 daytime highs and low 80's at night , That could have caused some accelerated vapor loss right there. I will have to try giving them a shake every morning to keep the caps moist, but they do swell with the vapor moving out so I am pretty sure the grain in tight.

[Mountaintop]

Agreed. That kind of temp swing is like "breathing" . I'm storing at room temp +/- 2degrees. So no changing pressure other than gradual atmospheric drift. Also those higher temps make the vapour that much more volatile. I'm sure a dark cool cellar would give totally different results. Thanks for all the info.