My version of "nuclear whiskey" looking for input

[Canadiancowboy]

Hello all.
New to site. Looking to start a batch of peach moonshine later this week in which I'll post some pictures of my homemade SS pot still. Looking for some input on a project I built recently. After reading an article in Popular Mechanics on a company secretly aging whiskey 20 years in a week, I read up on what I see is called "nuclear whiskey". For those who don't know it's a technique of heating your shine in the microwave with your toasted oak chip/sticks, then letting it cool to produce the vacuum effect used in canning. I hear 4 cycles of this can age your whiskey well along with adding good flavour. I came across a Stainless pressure tank at a friends house and after cleaning it, ordered a few fittings on eBay. My plan is to place around 3 gallons of shine in it with toasted wood of my choosing and using either an electric or hand vacuum pump, draw down enough vacuum without reaching the boiling point. I figure this can be done fast and safely in order to flavour and age. I haven't seen it done anywhere else like this and would like some positive and negative criticism along with any ideas. Call the procedure what you will, I called it vacuum infusing or aging so far. If nothing else I've built a cool place to store my shine. I still have to purchase either an aluminum or ABS camlock cap to thread my fittings into. Here's a photo. Well I can't figure out how to shrink my photo to fit so I'll post that when I figure that out.

[pfshine]

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... g#p7221189

[NZChris]

Once the wood is saturated, changing the pressure in the vessel seems a bit pointless, as there is little in the wood that can compress and expand to force anything in and out of the wood.

If you search the site for nuclear whiskey you will find a very good long thread on the subject.

The Lost Spirits Distillery article has been discussed here as well.

[moosemilk]

There is more than just pressure to the method. The temperature fluctuations play a part as well.

Nuclear whiskey does make a difference, but nothing beats time.

[ben stiller]

I consider nuclear aging as a good jump start to aging, but as stated by moosemilk nothing beats time to really smooth things out. I have been at this long enough now to experience what time can do.

[GrassHopper]

This has been discussed extensively in the past. The first time I read it as a Newb, I read with great interest the back and forth (the positive and negatives of the process. I tried it, was very pleased with the result as was a great many others. However, like many in the know, the best comes from time. But, for many it works! This is a great thread by "The one" who I think introduced it "fullysilenced" http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... ear+ageing.
My opinion is this: Want a quick drinkable whiskey? Nuclear works, bottom line. Does it have all the qualities of true aging on oak....no.
My opinions are exactly what you paid for them. But, they are based on personal experience and much research.

[Expat]

No offence intended, however as I mentioned in the original nuclear thread, using a microwave to heat any highly flammable liquid is a bad idea Plenty of opportunities for alcohol vapours come in contact with an ignition source (magnetron, control electronics, AC power converter and many others) and you've essentially made a fuel air bomb. Ask yourself, would you put gasoline in a microwave?

Frankly i'm amazed that a safety conscious board like HD allows these ideas to persist.

[pfshine]

No offence intended, however as I mentioned in the original nuclear thread, using a microwave to heat any highly flammable liquid is a bad idea Plenty of opportunities for alcohol vapours come in contact with an ignition source (magnetron, control electronics, AC power converter and many others) and you've essentially made a fuel air bomb. Ask yourself, would you put gasoline in a microwave?

Frankly i'm amazed that a safety conscious board like HD allows these ideas to persist.

Minus the abs (can't believe nobody said anything about that) it is just a vacuum with etoh in it. If you read the op you would have known this. Vacuum infusion is nothing new and has nothing to do with a microwave. Take another look.

[Expat]

You're correct Pfshine; I did misread the latter half of OP's comment.

[Monkeyman88]

No offence intended, however as I mentioned in the original nuclear thread, using a microwave to heat any highly flammable liquid is a bad idea Plenty of opportunities for alcohol vapours come in contact with an ignition source (magnetron, control electronics, AC power converter and many others) and you've essentially made a fuel air bomb. Ask yourself, would you put gasoline in a microwave?

Frankly i'm amazed that a safety conscious board like HD allows these ideas to persist.

I know right. And would you believe, there are even people that put an alcoholic liquid in a pot and then boil it over an open flame with the hopes of catching the highly flammable vapours. Crazy right.

[Expat]

Not to take this thread further in a direction OP hadnt intended but...

Monkeyman - People go to great lengths to ensure that there are no vapour leaks in still designs and We dilute low wines to safer levels before we heat them.

So surely I'm misreading your scarcasm and you're not comparing a leaky box full of ignition sources, loaded with high proof spirit to safely designed still process.... Because that would be stupid.

[pfshine]

Nice expat that's funny.

[Canadiancowboy]

Think I have the photos figured out
First off thanks for all the responses. This is what I was hoping for was lots of input on both sides of the fence.

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So for the nuclear whiskey debate. I'm not trying to replace ageing. Nor take away from any of the fine craftsmen here. As some one said just make a better drinkable product faster. Nothing can replace 12 year American white oak. I know this is a lot more of a setup than the average joe will have. I have a fully stocked home hobby machine/fab shop and love building things. There far from works of art but I had most parts on hand. Ordered the SS camlock on eBay along with the sight glass. I've been debating using the hand pump (dad has one) or buying a power vacuum pump. Biggest concern was boiling point. If you draw to much vacuum it'll boil off at room temperature and I'd be left with an empty pot. Had a hard time working on the math but I see someone posted the numbers I'm looking for. I still need to add a drain to the bottom but the theory seems there what do you think of the setup?

[FullySilenced]

I may know a little about nuking... but i would suggest your search read and watch all the videos out there on Cleveland Distillery...

I think you are duplicating their patent.... if fact see if you can look up his patent on his ageing process maybe it will give you some additional insight...

Happy Stillin,

FS

BTW nuke some stuff up and enjoy it while your waiting on your system to get up to working speed

[Canadiancowboy]

This is purely for personal consumption. And a chance to get out in the garage and build some thing way cool. In no way am I looking to crack or compete with there patent. Even if my way is close to there's. This was strictly my take on nuking whiskey without the much fought about flammables and magnatrons.

[FullySilenced]

I was just giving you insight into where to look for more information on what you maybe trying to get accomplished....

jeez man watch the videos, the news releases some good stuff there... and you can read the patent online if you want to...

you can duplicate a patent for your own use....

happy stillin

FS

[Canadiancowboy]

Just a few photos now that I got it figured out

[xring01]

And?

Love to get an update on this..


I am a amatuer.. Heres what I know..

The best wines only come from France, until some hard headed Californians, proved them wrong..

Can I prove that rapid ageing can beat long term ageing? No.. Icant..

But I am trying to figure it out. I am only on my third batch, would put my 3.0 recipe up there against any store bought bourbon.. Its only been aged a few weeks..

My problem, my recipes taste to good, drinking them faster than I can age them.