Air exchange for jars

[fiery creations]

A recent thread made me once again revisit aging. Apparently, for 15 years I've only been OAKING since I don't have any oxygen exchange for the aging process. This really bums me out. Now it makes a bit more sense how white spirits can "age" without oak.


A lot of old threads show crafty ways people have tried by cutting out oak discs for lids etc. That seems like a lot of work with most of then ending up seeping or leaking. Couldn't you just throw some sticks in and punch a hole in a regular lid, leaving the jar upright? I have microfilter stickers I could give this a try with.


Has anyone played around with different diameter holes and found one that gives a good amount of air exchange for aging without a crazy high angels share?

[8Ball]

I use ptfe discs under my lids left a little loose with coffee filters. I also use corks with thin slots cut into the sides to allow for air exchange. This is pre-aging before I top off my oak casks.

[Saltbush Bill]

I've done one small nail hole in a lid , the covered that with a coffee filter held on with a rubber band, works for me.

[fiery creations]

I've done one small nail hole in a lid , the covered that with a coffee filter held on with a rubber band, works for me.

Thanks. I'll give that a try and see how it shakes out. I wasn't sure if a small hole would allow it to exchange air or if maybe with no air current the stale air would just kind of sit in the jar anyway.

[MooseMan]

I feel a bit of a neanderthal here in this case, as I fully cork all of my glass vessels with staves in, and just make a point of giving everything a hearty shake and a swirl, followed by a big sniff with the cork off, every chance I get.
That's it!

[Tammuz]

If you went to a bit larger container you could use an airless compressor to really help you age your product quicker. With this pump you can pull vacuum and add pressure. With a couple of valves and a digital timer you could automate it.

[fiery creations]

If you went to a bit larger container you could use an airless compressor to really help you age your product quicker. With this pump you can pull vacuum and add pressure. With a couple of valves and a digital timer you could automate it.

Wouldn’t that give the opposite of the desired effect? I think the goal is to keep oxygen in it, not remove more?

I’m not in a hurry. I just want to do it the right way and achieve the best results

[Tammuz]

I don't believe there's a right way or wrong way it's just doing the best with what you got. If you got money and 20 years 53 gallon barrels maybe the way to go.
This way is just mimicking the atmosphere in the barrel. Pushing and pulling.

[Swedish Pride]

If you use Demi's, only fill them to about ⅔ full.

Stuff some tissue paper down the neck of it.
You can do a year ageing like that without to much loss and lots of air exchange.

It's not going to be as good as a barrel but will be better than just a cork

[MooseMan]

If you use Demi's, only fill them to about ⅔ full.

Stuff some tissue paper down the neck of it.
You can do a year ageing like that without to much loss and lots of air exchange.

It's not going to be as good as a barrel but will be better than just a cork

SP I also underfill my Demi's, just to the shoulder.

With the tissue paper instead of a cork, have you found that you don't need to agitate it at all?
With corks and regular aeration, I can smell the spirit "Smoothing out" noticeably every time I give it a good hard slosh and a sniff.

[Swedish Pride]

Different Demi's have different shoulder location hence why I went with ⅔

Yeah, I find tissues allows constant air exchange.

Challenge is not to overstuff and cut off airflow, or under stuff and see the tissue fall in.

I suppose you could use a rubber band but you have to live a little

[dtrb]

I use SWMBO's laser and cut mason jar inserts (with a one mil hole in the center) out of 1/16 white oak. I use staves, stand the jars upright, slosh, and swirl them on occasion. It is easy and I don't worry about the rubbery gunk on the standard mason jars lid inserts.

RB

[fiery creations]

Thanks for the tips. I just realized it only takes me 1.5 spirit runs to fill a 5 gallon carboy, so I think I’m gonna give that a try!

Probably pick up a two or 3 gallon one for stuff that’s a little more labor-intensive than UJSSM.

Imagine it’s going to be a noticeable improvement over using a bunch of sealed half gallon jars. If nothing else at least I won’t have to deal with a ton of individual jars with labels. Should’ve done this sooner. Nice way to get by until I can afford bad Mo barrels

[Powder Monkey]

I have a fair number of the 5 gallon beer/soda kegs for aging, which you can either leave head space or bubble air through the co2 wand. I also buy 5-15gallon used barrels for less $, or splurge for a new oak barre and then reuse while allowing continued maturation in other vessels which are opened/stirred on occasion.

I did one experiment with some half gallon ball jars and some rum. Drilled a 1/8 hole in the top. After two years in my barn there was not an appreciable angel share with that size of hole.

[Dancing4dan]

If you use Demi's, only fill them to about ⅔ full.

Stuff some tissue paper down the neck of it.
You can do a year ageing like that without to much loss and lots of air exchange.

It's not going to be as good as a barrel but will be better than just a cork

Exactly what I do and works really well. I had Oak staves in until flavour was almost to much oak then removed the oak and let it sit in the Demi. 1/2 to 2/3 full and the paper towel rolled tight and stuffed. Exposure to air with time brought it around.

There is some risk of breakage/ injury with the glass so be careful.