When to Barrel age?

[Keyser Soze]

I posted this question to some of our most revered members and Tater told me to post it, so here it is.

About 5 years ago I started this hobby and have made some really good rums (Pugi's) and UJSM's to 6 generations and have gotten mixed success with all grain cooked mash , both sour mash bourbons and whiskeys. Some are too sharp, some are too "corn flavored" and some, when aged with a chunk of toasted oak in the mason jar are pretty tasty. I never had enough spirits or thought I had a good enough product to put in my 10 liter barrel. You know, the one everyone buys when they start this and say " I'm gonna make the best damned whiskey anyone ever tasted !" and then you're not sure your stuff should go in yet cause it is never just right.

I'm over it. I'm filling this thing with something because I have got to get it off my living room cabinet. But here's the thing:

I have a recently fermented all grain mash (65% corn,15% rye and 20% malted barley) about 4 gallons worth. Smells great. I also have about 6 gallons of various white dogs going back about three to four years, some sharp, some corny etc. varying in proof from 110-140. I have to admit these are parts of runs I have left over because I drank the middles or went past them and wound up with lower proofs. Most of the time my spirits are 150 proof or so and then they go off taste before I know it. I think my taster is off due to the sampling rate at the end of the condenser.

What would you do? 1. Mix the lot with the new mash and distill the whole thing at 130 proof and barrel it ? or
2.Would you do a stripping run on the new mash and mix it all and then re-distill at 130 proof ? or
3. Spirit run the new wash and blend them and add water to make 130 proof and then barrel it ?

I'm leaning towards # 1 but I'd like some more opinions on what to do next. Remember, to add why you would do it that way, and there are no right or wrong answers, they are opinions. We all have em and no two are exactly the same.

Thanks all

[woodshed]

I would go with 1. Tight cuts. Into the oak. Leave it alone for a year or two.
At least 6 months.

[StillLearning1]

If im understanding you correctly, you have a few runs saved up that you drank the middle out of. That means the six gallons is basically just feints? I would mix all that together, dilute below 40% and run it.

As far as the AG i have never made it so i would run it alone just to see!

What goes in the barrel is whatever you like best.

[DFitz]

I've had several AG runs finish nice and barreled. I leave my (5 gal) barreled spirits, (bourbon or rum) a minimum of 1 year in a new barrel then finish another 6 months to another year in a used barrel. I have been holding a rum in a new 10 gal barrel (med toast no char) for two years now which has come along very nicely.

Now to answer your question; before I even order a barrel ( I only use Gibbs bros), I develop a good AG recipe or show acceptable proficiency using a recipe from Tried and True to provide an acceptable spirit to put into the barrel. Otherwise, oak chips are easy to come by and its easy enough to age out 5 gallons on chips in a carboy. Why waste a good barrel on mediocre booze that will fare reasonably well on chips? Its not like barrel aging is going to put something into a created spirit that was never there to begin with.

Typically, I won't use a barrel on a sugarhead spirit although, I have used a 2nd use barrel for a wheat whiskey with a sugar back on the used grain.

[BoisBlancBoy]

I would also use choice number 1. I don't have much experience with aging but what I do know so far it can make some mediocre into something very nice.

Woodshed hit it. Make tight cuts don't get greedy and you should pull some good tasting stuff from it.

[BoomTown]

Me, I'm a pot stiller, with a thumper, and if I had your problem...

I'd put the AG wash into the thumper, combine the fients into a 40% wash for the pot. I'd run the pot real slow, (Low heat) through the thumper, snag off the first 500ml as Fients, and carefully monitor the rest. On my rig, the heads run off at above 160 p, and I can keep the heart of the run at between 155p and 100p for the bulk of the run. With a batch like you describe, I'd try catch every thing between 155p and 100p, let it sit overnight in an open top container covered with cloth, and then put as much as would fit into the cask. Me, I'd keep checking it once a month, and topping of the loss to the angels with the leftovers which I'd have mellowing on oak chips in mason jars, just to keep the little Gibbs critter full and happy. I use Gibbs barrels too, and one that size, you let sit for 8 months or a year, you'll end up with a very nice drop. Might get better after 8 months, but I wouldn't know cause I never can wait that long to bottle it and start sipping on it.

Just wish I had the problem.