Distress aging with charred oak

[WalkingWolf]

Decided to try and distress aging on some UJSSM, got a gallon jug filled about 4/5 full with about 5 sticks of heavy charred oak. Started on Monday and it started to color the first day out of the freezer. Now its Saturday and its starting to get some nice color, still way too light tho. On a lark I watered down a shot to try it. Keep in mind i left a little heads and tails in this batch to hopefully get some complexity. Less than a week and its totally different already. I was shocked how good it tasted, its actually drinkable right now. I'm gonna distress age for two weeks then let it sit a week. Its totally amazing how well this works!

As has been said countless times on HD distress aging will not produce "aged" whiskey.

With that said, you can still make some nice tasting goods in short-order by using this method. Take your jug out of the freezer and let get to room temp. Place in an oversize pot with 3 or so inches of water. Heat the water up to hot (not boiling but hot) and leave the lid on loosely. Hold at temp for a half hour or so. This will temper the young liquor considerably (will liberate many of the lower boiling point undesirables). Leave out on the counter overnight and resume the in-out sequence thereafter. Enjoy your liquor but do yourself a favor and run up enough stock for proper aging and enjoy some good whiskey.

[blind drunk]

I had very mixed results trying this. I found that once the distillate heats up, it pulls alot of tannins out of the wood. Too many in my opinion. Maybe it's different in a barrel for 5 years or whatever, but I didn't like it with a stick and glass. Maybe a variable to play around with is to use a well used stick, re-charred, or something. Or use a very small piece of stick. Or maybe I didn't give it enough time. I just didn't like the direction the likker was going so I stopped the experiment. Or maybe I'm just a picky a-hole

[frozenthunderbolt]

I had very mixed results trying this. I found that once the distillate heats up, it pulls alot of tannins out of the wood. Too many in my opinion. Maybe it's different in a barrel for 5 years or whatever, but I didn't like it with a stick and glass. Maybe a variable to play around with is to use a well used stick, re-charred, or something. Or use a very small piece of stick. Or maybe I didn't give it enough time. I just didn't like the direction the likker was going so I stopped the experiment. Or maybe I'm just a picky a-hole

No, I agree - Heat treating with some overpressure as Odin has previously described is brilliant for whit spirits - made an instant and exceptional difference to my Slivovitsa - plum brandy, was pleasant on some of my oaked whiskeys, but got oak tea on 1 or two that still had the sticks in the jar when i heat treated them.

[WalkingWolf]

Not sure on BlindDrunks post.

I didn't/wouldn't heat with the wood in the bottle. I apologize for not mentioning that in the original post. I had read previously about the wood getting kinda "funky". I pulled the wood out and heated it up. Once complete, and cooled, I replaced the wood and continued onward.

[blind drunk]

I pulled the wood out and heated it up. Once complete, and cooled, I replaced the wood and continued onward.

That makes alot of sense. Why didn't I think of that? That's probably why

[baron4406]

As I go on with my new hobby here i keep trying newer and newer things. I still have alot of my original distress aged hootch here as my drinking stock so I can experiment with my other runs. I did ALOT of reading in this aging forum and will be trying some new things. My first run had some very bad oak, way too thin and it was charred all the way thru (bought it on E BAY-bad move lol). All it really did was smooth out my run. My next 1 gallon jug I got proper wood (an old whiskey barrel) and charred it myself. Two sticks with a vanilla bean were distress aged for about a month, then after reading I decided to try something else. I read on here it ages better in a hotter environment, so i moved it into my super hot garage attic. It should be another month up there and we will see how it goes. Its already very smooth and as dark as store bought. I just got another gallon going, this one has two charred oak pieces with a small charred cherry piece and a small charred apple piece. I even prepared a "skank" jar that i put some heads in. Its only a mason jar and has a nice size chunk of charred apple wood in it plus a vanilla bean. I wanna see if that smooths it out after some time in that hot attic. Even me only making one run a week and getting product every two weeks (I do one strip run and then a spirit run) I still am gonna end up with some hootch that has been aged for a long time. I may even try a "super" distress aging experiment. A day in my freezer, then a day in the hot attic. Should be a 90 degree temperature swing. Also in two weeks with my next run I'm gonna try that heatup trick. I actually should have tried with with that skank jar I prepared today, maybe i will not sure yet. Ultimate goal is to get a 2 gallon barrel (dropping hints to my wife)

[baron4406]

Wow just gotta report this. I moved both my new 1 gallon jug into my hot garage attic as well as my one that I've been distress aging for a month like I said i was gonna do. Result? The new jug already has the same color in two days in that hot attic as the one that was distressed aged one. Consider a commercial distillery, they put their aging barrels in a unheated/uncooled building to age. I think that's what i duplicated here. The bottles get over 100 degrees during the day and I checked them now and they were both about 68 degrees. That attic is well vented and is cool at night and real hot during the day. Should be great for the summer huh? Dunno what I'll do this winter tho. Gonna age these guys a few months and see how they do.

[2495robert]

I have been aging some cherry,JD,peach-vanilla,and french oak by placing it in the freezer until its below freezing and then placing in a sink of hot water until it reaches a hot temp and then repeating the process. On the days I have to work I pull it out of the freezer and let it sit all day and then return it to the freezer in the evening. I have been doing this for about a week and it seems to be smoothing things out really well.

[tejaswolf]

I've been doing this with several jars of spirits with oak chips for about a week now with some observations. When put in the freezer with the lids sealed the liquid contracts forming a vacuum in the jar and the oak, like a sponge gets squeezed releasing air and liquids from it. Out of the freezer the lids are open relieving the vacuum and allowing some liquid to reabsorb into the oak. I then reseal the lids and let it warm in the garage where the liquid expands creating pressure and forcing liquid into the oak. That's the theory anyways and I think it is bringing things along quicker. After a week I'm putting the jars into a box and placing them into my storage shed and try to forget them for a while. Besides I've got another batch ready to prepare for aging. I only have one quart jar close enough for sampling and at only 2 months old is quite tasty. Hopefully my gin and vodka can keep me from temptation long enough to make the aging product better.

[greatlakesltnin]

fellas.. i just pulled a pint of 'shine out that i blended and proofed to 55% abv..i got a big ol oak in the yard that shed a few decent stick down..so, i shaved all the bark off of one that is abt 1 1/4" in dia, and toasted it good with the ol propane torch... i then cut two 1 inch pcs off, toasted the ends, and plonked them in the pint. one month later after hiding it in my sock drawer.."hey..its dark in there..ok??) it has a beautiful golden hue, and tastes verrrrrrrryyyyy smooth...i took the oak out and strained it good with a coffee filter, and capped it into a new jar..Bring on the festivities!!!!! tomorrows friday..no time like the present, and its fall here in this northern state..and everyone is dying to have bonfires!!!!! i shall provide spirits in moderation for those whom appreciate custom crafted libations!!!! cheers gentelmen!!!!! greatlakes...................

[Welf Huck]

Been distress aging a few quarts of UJSSM for a week now. I've been freezing it for a few hours, then heating them up by setting them in my hot tub. I can get 2-3 cycles on my days off, then one per day after that. Bought some whiskey barrel staves, cut them into 1x1x4 planks and re-charred them with a torch.

Thought it was a somewhat unique way to age my hooch since that's where most of it will be consumed anyway!

[bcboyz86]

So I've seen this other thread that had oak lids for the mason jars that screw on with the ring... Do ya think it would bwnifit from this a bunch, or would too much air pass through the oak to keep the preassure/vacume built up with different preassures in the jars? Also would using a larger jar or smaller amount of liquid work better to because liquid doewnt compress, but air will compress and expand a lot....so more volume=more preassure varience...

[Loganmeister]

a bit of an odd idea, but if you want plenty of temperature change and some movement, what about putting some bottles i the boot/trunk of a car? everytime you drive it moves around, and cars heat up and cool down with the weather/sun on the car. is there a problem with them reaching 35+ degrees in the summer though?

would probably work pretty well. a bit odd explaining why you have 10+ bottles of booze in the trunk of your car though.

Great idea, should work. Should be perfect in the late spring late summer months. Not sure I would want it in my car though.

[Loganmeister]

It is amazing what even just a month with some oak in it will do. I have some sitting back now that I hope not to touch for a year at least, but that will depend on how much I make versus how much I drink.
I just wish I was in the part of the country where I could get some sugar maple to mix in with it too.

I just picked up delivery of a bag of sugar maple bbq chips. I stuck them in a coffee can covered it with a piece of flat metal across the top and built a small fire around it then cooked it for an hour........or was it two......hmmm........turned out well for my $6 investment.

[Loganmeister]

I am in a closed bedroom at 35C ! hot dry

I fluctuate between the frig (1 day) & out

Haven't I read where others report a nice amber color in a day or 2???

I just stick my bottles with wood chips in a pot of water on the stove and keep it at 150 degrees for 3 hours........shake it, open it for 15 min, then put it in the freezer overnight. Color turns amber after the first day and Jack Daniels dark by the second day of the process.

[jgodd]

Bump.

Okay guys, I'm back. I just distilled some bourbon whiskey that I had made with "too much barley" for the second time. It was much better after the second run. Anyway, I used to toast my oak, but this time I charred some American white oak and pecan wood with a blow torch and threw that in a jar with some whiskey. In 2 days time it had a beautiful southern comfort looking color to it and a pretty good flavor, but still a really strong moonshine zing to it. I aged it at 110 proof.

I have been reading about the distress aging and in/out of the freezer wanting to mellow my liquor out a bit more, but obviously impatient to do it the long way. My question is, if I leave the wood in with the 'shine while I distress age it, wont the liquor taste more like wood the longer it soaks? I really want it to mellow and have some good flavor, but I'm worried about it tasting too much like wood. Anyone have an answer or some pointers for me?

Thanks!

[lemon_zeppelin]

Maybe this has been done before but the last half gallon I oaked I used pre toasted white oak chips, but I heated them in the oven until they were slightly smoking, let them air cool for about 5 minutes then put them in the WIDE MOUTH gallon jug (glass of course) while they were still pretty hot. Let it breathe for about 5 more minutes then sealed the jug and let it cool until I felt comfortable putting it in the freezer. The next day I put it on the counter until it reached room temp(no sweat on the jug) removed the oak and ran through a coffee filter. It has a beautiful amber color, not too tanniny and the 5 minute breath it took after the hot oak probably got rid of a lot of the bite, as it was to shelf smooth in the end. (Let it breathe outdoors or In a well ventilated area, heat+ethanol= vapor.) That's how I did it. It was 120 proof to start.

[jarheadshiner]

Bump.

Okay guys, I'm back. I just distilled some bourbon whiskey that I had made with "too much barley" for the second time. It was much better after the second run. Anyway, I used to toast my oak, but this time I charred some American white oak and pecan wood with a blow torch and threw that in a jar with some whiskey. In 2 days time it had a beautiful southern comfort looking color to it and a pretty good flavor, but still a really strong moonshine zing to it. I aged it at 110 proof.

I have been reading about the distress aging and in/out of the freezer wanting to mellow my liquor out a bit more, but obviously impatient to do it the long way. My question is, if I leave the wood in with the 'shine while I distress age it, wont the liquor taste more like wood the longer it soaks? I really want it to mellow and have some good flavor, but I'm worried about it tasting too much like wood. Anyone have an answer or some pointers for me?

Thanks!

Have a look see at this one http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... it=nuclear Works well with JD chips. 2 to 3 rounds and run it through a coffee filter. Not barrel aged but a good quick drinker if'n you're in a hurry.

[Copper Thumper]

I have aged on oak, charred oak and now JD chips....

Idk why but I am seeing a HUGE increase in sweetness on a SF batch that I made a few days ago aging on the NON CHARRED OR TREATED JD chips.


I have no clue if it is the bag I got it what...I picked out many charred pieces and added to a pint and it was not ANYWHERE as good as NON charred- untreated pieces.


The likker I added the untreated -uncharred pieces is AMAZING.


Better than any store bought I've ever had. EVER.

I still...can not believe it. I JUST CAN'T.


I have no clue if it was the added corn to the SF that helped or it is just THIS BAG of chips.


I am having an amazing result in just a few days and I am in awe.

Literally I don't know what to say about the flavor. No airing- 120 proof and not tempered.


I "oaked" another half gallon last night just to keep testing.


Any similar experience?


I AM SOLD on the JD brand chips- just as they sit in the bag.

It might be this bag but if I can replicate this result I will scoff at the liquor stores from now on.

[Copper Thumper]

Edit- btw the likker I made tasted like any other SF I have made....no sweetness and the regular SF whiskey taste as it sits white

Seems like toasting the chips took out what I am experiencing????


Ohh and no cooling- heating cycle like before either....no microwave or fridge ...etc..... ROOM TEMP.

[Copper Thumper]

Aged SF... Second jar should be swapped with third.


Room temp...only one or two "charred" pieces per jar.


Who knows the quality of the pic, had to resize four times...lol

Might be a turd.


Left 2 jars 5 days...middle two ....2 days...last three- today.

[PoPo VanWinkle]

So I've been distress aging my corn/rye whiskey alternating between the freezer and then a warm room for about 2 weeks and the result is amazing! Over the weekend I used a sous vide water bath at 140 F for 6-8 hours a day. The almost daily change in smell of the product is remarkable. The harsher notes are gone and it has real warm, vanilla, caramel, "woodsy" notes and the corn "nose" is diminished. I used charred medium + oak spirals in one jug and chips in the other. The chips are making a darker liquor. Haven't tasted it yet!
How long are most of you "distress aging " your product ?

[Bluesshine]

rsz_1rsz_1rsz_1rsz_20151218_161648.jpg

Aged SF... Second jar should be swapped with third.


Room temp...only one or two "charred" pieces per jar.


Who knows the quality of the pic, had to resize four times...lol

Might be a turd.


Left 2 jars 5 days...middle two ....2 days...last three- today.

Copper, any further reflection on this JD chip process? Continued success? Hv you tried it with UJSSM?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Stargazer14]

Wow just gotta report this. I moved both my new 1 gallon jug into my hot garage attic as well as my one that I've been distress aging for a month like I said i was gonna do. Result? The new jug already has the same color in two days in that hot attic as the one that was distressed aged one. Consider a commercial distillery, they put their aging barrels in a unheated/uncooled building to age. I think that's what i duplicated here. The bottles get over 100 degrees during the day and I checked them now and they were both about 68 degrees. That attic is well vented and is cool at night and real hot during the day. Should be great for the summer huh? Dunno what I'll do this winter tho. Gonna age these guys a few months and see how they do.

I wanted to chime in on this discussion and put forward my aging technique - basicly the cooling and heating with a twist -
I have a few 5L barrels and I have found their effect is rapidly increased by leaving them in my car for a couple weeks!

The combined effect of sloshing around from daily driving, with the constant up and down temps from day and night (100ºF to 40ºF) really pulls whatever the oak has out in short order.
Yes, they are buried away in the trunk under cover and secure. Next week they go into the Bain Marie for a few more months.

[Amin]

just novice question with oak i added bunch of heavy toasted oak cubes it colored my self made vodka
thou it taste and smell like lumberjack wood cutting

its been 2 week should i wait longer or dump it!?

[Stargazer14]

just novice question with oak i added bunch of heavy toasted oak cubes it colored my self made vodka
thou it taste and smell like lumberjack wood cutting

its been 2 week should i wait longer or dump it!?

I would think 'heavy toasted oak' in a neutral sprit is just going to give you wood flavored alcohol,
if you dont like the taste you can always run it again with your next batch.

[Amin]

tnX, well flavoring seems interesting subject i will try to see whats what tnX,
re running idea is good thank you

[Radek]

http://alcofermbrew.com/en/Spirits-and- ... 62c86.html
Dose: 5-30g /10 liters wine or 5-30g /1 liter vodka.
Oak chips are beneficial for introducing premium oak characters to wines at a low cost while offering positive effects on wine color, aromas, flavor, mouth feel as well as creating depth and body.
Bourbon Oak Chips Toast provides complex, pleasant and well defined toasted oak characters and aromas of vanilla, toffee, butterscotch, chocolate, coffee, mocha, graham cracker, with a touch of nutmeg and clove. The flavors provide sweetness, creaminess and roundness to the mouth feel with a lingering pronounced toast character.
Oak flavoring is associated with darker, older beers or beers replicating historic brewing techniques. Oak is most strongly associated with English and some Scotch ales such as Old Ales, Stouts, Porters, Browns, IPAs and some Bitters. Some brewers have used oak in Belgian styles such as the darker Belgian Ales, Farmhouse Ale, or Saison.
DIRECTIONS: It is recommended that Oak Chips be added to a wine after the fermentation has completed and the wine has had time to cleared. Prepare Oak Chips before using by boiling in water for 15 minutes. Strain the chips off the water and then add the them directly to the wine.
Add to the must or the finished wine. Dose: 5-30g /10 liters wine.
Contact time: a few days to 3 months

[Pikey]

That's just a copy and paste of the sales blurb on that site where they want £3.39 for 20 gm chippings. (4/5 oz) I expect they want extra for postage as well. - but I'm not going back there to look

That's even better profit mark up than potato chips ! (Crisps for the uk viewers)

[Swedish Pride]

That's just a copy and paste of the sales blurb on that site where they want £3.39 for 20 gm chippings. (4/5 oz) I expect they want extra for postage as well. - but I'm not going back there to look

That's even better profit mark up than potato chips ! (Crisps for the uk viewers)

Yep, looks like Radek works for alcofermbrew.com, most of his posts have a link to that site