Guys,
I hope our all members of this lovely community are safe, fit and fine!
I am ready with my First 8 liter of bourbon(65%) for aging and mainly Oaking. My pocket is not allowing me to Buy oak barrel So, i am seeking you guys help to tell me which kind of oak chips is best to get good color and vanilla kind of similar flavor. I am from S.Korea, if some one can send me link to buy also would be very big help....
I've bought a planter from home depot, it's a hardware store here in the USA. A planter is just an old whiskey barrel that's been cut in half, people buy them to use as pots for plants. Mine cost like $5. I got a discount because it was falling apart.
I've been turning the staves in to charred oak sticks. That's been working pretty well so far, all vanilla and carmel.
First, sand the stave down to nice pretty white oak.
Second, cut it long ways in to sticks about 1/2 - 3/4 inch by however thick the stave is to begin with.
Third, cut each of those in to 5" sticks.
Fourth, char each side with a propane torch while listening to conspiracy theory radio show.
$5 for the barrel and maybe half of a mini propane tank, another $5, so $10 total.
I am not sure what would be available to you in S Korea. However, if you want to use Oak Chips, then you might want to do an online search for BBQ Oak Chips or BBQ Oak Chunk. BBQ (short for barbeque ) is very common in the US. These same chips can be used to toast and char for aging spirits. Jack Daniels is a very common brand that sells them. Also just about any online brewing supply shop will sell you some oak chips.
Personally, I prefer "staves" instead of chips. But in the US it is not too hard to find whole pieces of white oak.
Ravi,
You may get some interesting flavors using local fruit wood sticks. Apple, plum, persimmon, etc...will all work. If you know an older farmer, he can probably show you something. He also might know if there is oak in s.korea and where to get some. Just make sure its seasoned wood, not green. Not sure if that helps. But hope it does.
SF
Simple Lil' Pot Still, no temp guage, no carbon, no scrubbers, nuthin' fancy. Sometimes use a thumper, sometimes don't.
