Aging with Wild Cherry Wood

[Appalachia-Shiner]

Last year I made a couple gallons of likker, sweet feed and UJ types.
I charred some sticks of Wild Cherry wood that I had cut on my farm for firewood and dropped a stick in each quart.
As you know Wild Cherry Wood makes some purty reddish furniture. It also makes some purty red likker with a distinctive Cherry flavor. I posted a picture of a jar a while back showing the color difference vs white oak.

Now to my Question.
This shit gives me a bustin damheadache every time I drink some of it. Now, don't go saying it's the Heads doin it, cause that ain't it. I know Cows can't eat wilted Wild Cherry leaves cause it will kill them. I'm thinking maybe I may end up like the Damcows....
I sent some pieces of Wild Cherry Wood to a couple folks....Grasshopper is the only one I remember. Just wondering if any of y'all have ever used wild cherry wood for aging.
Thanks in advance to all you smart people.

[HDNB]

i used cherry of undetermined species once. tasted great looked amazing...and split my head with an ax too. Took 1 drink.

i asked the same question and most of the replies came back with "used it lots, never had a problem."

wish i knew what kind of cherry tree, i just got some chunks at the BBQ place and used them.

any how, it's not just you or your headsy booze.

[Appalachia-Shiner]

Well.
Thank you very much HDNB.
I was going to add that I never get a headache from anything I ever made.
I know exactly what kind of tree it was that I used....a Wild Cherry from the sticks of Kentucky, because I cut it down.
I think I'll give a jar to my brother in law who is always wanting free stuff.

[Tater]

got this off net--Poisonous Conditions

Wild cherry trees leaves and twigs contain prunasin, a cyanide known prussic acid that when ingested, can be fatal. The poison becomes a threat when the leaves are exposed to stress that causes them to wilt; wilting breaks down the prunasin and releases the cyanide. Cattle and horses are the main victims of poisoning. Symptoms include gasping, weakness, excitement, dilated pupils, spasms, convulsions, coma and respiratory failure.

[HDNB]

i mis-remembered the replies i got. here is my original post on this problem.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... y#p7236265

for the record, i tossed mine in the slough.

[rumbuff]

That's interesting, I've used cherry to age several of my spirits, and I've never noticed any effect. Mine was furniture grade though, perhaps the kilning process neutralises the poison?

[Appalachia-Shiner]

Thanks for the replies. Tater, now I know why you always be drinking that Clear stuff.
Going to dump the rest of it. Man, it's purty.

[The Baker]

I posted a message that seems to have disappeared.....

Appalachia-Shiner said he used STICKS; Tater said TWIGS AND LEAVES contain prussic acid.

Maybe others used heart wood which, it would seem, does NOT contain the prussic acid.

Geoff

[HDNB]

mine was big chunks from a big tree. it had 30ish% heart wood in it.

[Bushman]

With my plum wood I only use the heartwood. I have read that wood from fruit trees are fine for aging thus I am going to agree with the baker and guess you are not using the heartwood.

[Appalachia-Shiner]

I posted a message that seems to have disappeared.....

Appalachia-Shiner said he used STICKS; Tater said TWIGS AND LEAVES contain prussic acid.

Maybe others used heart wood which, it would seem, does NOT contain the prussic acid.

Geoff

Sorry I didn't clarify what I used. It WAS heartwood which had been cut and seasoned. I would not recommend using this stuff.

[The Baker]

So that was not the answer, Appalachia-Shiner DID use heartwood.

Geoff

[Shine0n]

Thanks for this as I just toasted up about 15 domino's from wild cherry hearts.
I also have a quart of some sf from last year I'll dump.

Shine0n