Hot Flavor

[Bee]

How does one reduce the "hotness" of aging liquor?

Didn't seem hot when I made my cuts, but after some aging it seems much hotter. Def hotter than a $45 bottle.
What specifically are those components?

[NZChris]

"Some aging", is a bit meaningless. If it's been years, you are in trouble, if it's months, it needs more time.

If you are in a hurry to put something in the drinks cabinet, glycerol may help.

[Deplorable]

How long is "some aging"?
Cuts too wide? Did you go a jar too far to the left on your blend?

[LordL]

If ageing in a wooden barrel, the heads will air out quite quick.
If glass jar, try to open it once every day for some air exchange.

Is the hotness coming from the wood or the Likker?

[shadylane]

I'm probably wrong, but it seems to me distilled alcohol goes through cycles while aging.
Hot then smoother, hot then smooth again.
Give it more time and the smooth becomes permanent.

[Stonecutter]

Interesting thought on the “cycles” theory Shady.
I’ll add my two hay-Pennie’s worth
Having compared a one gallon barrel of whiskey aged 6 months compared to 1 year the 1 year was quite obviously less hot or “smoother” if you will.
I’ve noticed the same with my “blanc” Spirit. Time just seems to mellow out that hotness IMO.

I’ve read that pushing abv with sugar has been perceived to affect the hotness.
I think the heads can be interpreted as hot as well.
Like 8Ball said. The rabbit hole is deep.

[Deplorable]

I think there is a lot to Shady's theory. Even my barrel aged stuff seems "hot" when I sample in in the summer, but just a few months later its smooth.
I've sampled stuff I've aged in glass that was hot, and ran it through the freezer for a couple of cycles and it comes out noticeably smoother once bought back to room temperature.
It brings us back to how long is "some aging"? Because it's common knowledge that glass aged spirits go through an awkward stage around 2-5 months on wood, and begin to start showing their potential between 6 to 8 months on wood.

[OtisT]

If it was not hot when you started, that heat could be from your wood.

I have ruined more than a few good batches by aging them on unseasoned oak. Unseasoned oak has a lot of tannins in it that leach into your spirit. I would describe the taste of a spirit aged on unseasoned oak as Hot.

[Bee]

In this case, ~2 years
No sugar. All grain.

[Bee]

Is the hotness coming from the wood or the Likker?

How would I tell?

[Deplorable]

Is the hotness coming from the wood or the Likker?

How would I tell?

What was the source of your wood? How long was it seasoned out in the weather?

[Bee]

The wood came from a tree in the yard. I left it out for ~1 year.

[still_stirrin]

Is the hotness coming from the wood or the Likker?

How would I tell?

What was the source of your wood? How long was it seasoned out in the weather?

The wood came from a tree in the yard. I left it out for ~1 year.

Have you “figured it out” yet?

It would seem that your wood was still too green. Apparently. Sometimes “the calendar” is not an adequate “test of time”. Patience, remember?
ss

[OtisT]

If the log is not cut and milled, I’m guessing it will take even longer to season. It should be cut into short rounds, at a minimum.

You should only be using heartwood from the tree. The sapwood has even more tannins in it than the heartwood. There will be a clear distinction in color between the two types of wood.

What kind of wood is this? Do you know the species?

[shadylane]

If it was not hot when you started, that heat could be from your wood.

I have ruined more than a few good batches by aging them on unseasoned oak. Unseasoned oak has a lot of tannins in it that leach into your spirit. I would describe the taste of a spirit aged on unseasoned oak as Hot.

Ya have to be careful about the species and cure of oak used.
But I don't think "Hot" would describe the character if a mistake was made.
I'm thinking tannins and possibly cat piss would be more descriptive.

My 2 cents worth.
"Hot" is made during the fermentation, carried over during distillation and then gets into the jug by blending mistakes.

[Bee]

The wood is White Oak.
Yeah, Shady, it doesn't taste like tannin to me, at least it doesn't taste like the tannin flavor I find in some wines. Another batch I aged with the same wood wasn't this hot, but it was a 1x distillate.

Shady, is it heads? Does it go away with aging? I don't remember the white being this hot when I put it up to age.

[HDNB]

booze made with sugar is "hot" . takes about 4 years on wood to put the fire out imho. 6 would be better.

[Bee]

2 year old All Grain.

It is a "flavor" like that sugar burn, though.

[shadylane]

Kinda off subject.
But I've noticed redistilling spirts that has already aged, brings back a hot bite.
Then requires time to settle back down before becoming smoother.

[shadylane]

Another batch I aged with the same wood wasn't this hot, but it was a 1x distillate.

I'm confused as normal.
Are you saying, the batch you're comparing to, is one run potstill?
And the run in question is a strip and spirit run?

[Bee]

Another batch I aged with the same wood wasn't this hot, but it was a 1x distillate.

Are you saying, the batch you're comparing to, is one run potstill?
And the run in question is a strip and spirit run?

Yes.

[jonnys_spirit]

Pot still or reflux? Can you tell us a little about how you did your cuts and what you're aging in for two years? How is that aging vessel sealed?

Cheers!
-j

[HDNB]

how's your hydrometer working? maybe out by some %'s

lower alcs (heads) give me burn more on the tip of the tongue, higher BP alcohols (tails) i sense on the sides of tongue and oils i get on the roof of my mouth, right at the back, down the hatch.

for headsy, you could try off gassing a bit, maybe even heated a bit. for tails and oils, i'd add more charred wood and time.

wood sugars should sweeten after 2 years. tannins should be balanced at that point too...unless you are casked at like 90+% so, if thats the problem add water down to 62%

the only other thing i've seen with unexplained "hot" was flux contamination on a first-run still head that never got an acid bath....but i'm sure yours was cleaned properly, right?

[Bee]

Pot still or reflux? Can you tell us a little about how you did your cuts and what you're aging in for two years? How is that aging vessel sealed?

Cheers!
-j

Pot. Did my cuts by watering down a sample from each jar to 40% and tasting. Aging in jars with clamp lids & ptfe gaskets.

[jonnys_spirit]

Pot still or reflux? Can you tell us a little about how you did your cuts and what you're aging in for two years? How is that aging vessel sealed?

Cheers!
-j

Pot. Did my cuts by watering down a sample from each jar to 40% and tasting. Aging in jars with clamp lids & ptfe gaskets.

Hmm... How much wood and how much likker? What is the ABV of your aging likker?

Cheers,
j

[Bee]

2 sticks 1/2"x5" in a gallon of 115p

[jonnys_spirit]

2 sticks 1/2"x5" in a gallon of 115p

Sounds like you're checking all the boxes..

Cheers,
jonny

[OtisT]

Toasted and/or Charred? (Temp? Time?). Are the levels of toast/char something you have used successfully before w/o the added burn?

[Bee]

I treated the single pot distilled batch with exactly the same wood. That ended up smooth & mellow.

[Bee]

Another (perplexing) clue.

I tasted the proofed liquor again today.

It's smoother than Silky Jones. !!!????