Using wood chips for aging.

[S-Cackalacky]

That makes sense about the end staves Kiwi. From what I've seen in videos of the toasting/charring process used for barrels, they don't do it with the ends on - it's just the barrel staves that get the treatment. Also, thanks for the info about damaged planter barrels. I'll definitely look into that.

[kiwi Bruce]

You are right S-Cackalacky. I got this from McGinnis's site. They are charring bourbon barrels and the heads are not on the barrels. The other image is reference photo from the magazine "Aussie Bartender (March 20th 2013)" showing the amount of char available in different bourbon barrels. If you get a chance to read it, it's a good article. Kiwi Bruce

[kiwi Bruce]

Barrel Char

[kiwi Bruce]

A quick quote from the Aussie Magazine, (There are things to worry about with this level of char, he said. “The deeper char level has a tendency to leak,” said Kass, “especially the barrel heads, since it compromises the wood more when it is burned longer.”) So the heads are not charred as much as the staves because they will leak.Kiwi Bruce

[Greig56]

SC Wrote "for each quart jar, I use the nuclear (microwave) process as outlined in Fully's thread on the subject"

I can't find either Fully's thread about it or this process listed to read up on it! It's also not within the Flavouring and Aging Link either -least as far as I have found! So, please can someone link me or easier 'still' elaborate for me/us a wee bit on this?
I've stumbled over this on YouTube before on aging/oakin so I have an inklng,, of what you speak! You're aging things along a lot quicker than it would normally!!

I might get lucky on both counts that I'll get both a link to this thread or simply a few expansions or answers to some basic questions that seem to come up about this!

To nuke or microwave your product, aren't you heating things up near to a point of vaping off alcohol? How long or to what point or temp are you willing/wanting to run it in your nuker?
When you actually are doing your nuking, what's suggested in covering your bottles -you WOULD be using glassware sans the metal seal [beyond the obv!]at this time of course! I can't see using a wrap [or good old Maritimer's -like Red Green's DuckTape, age-old useall fixall use of wax paper!] at this point so what's a good basic seal to have on your bottles or KISS principle just a plate say over the top of your jars, or simply left open during this process??

I understand the principle of heating then cooling for the result -the leach and temp rest/recovery and it taking say 3-4 runs before yould want to have it lager on some!
Again, I've heard this is a very very quick method of doing some aging with oak! Now, would this process affect any other additional adjuncts such as herbs or flavourings you might be using??
What say you?

[S-Cackalacky]

This is FulliySilenced's (AKA, Fully's) nuke aging thread - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=38991" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow .

[humbledore]

I know this thread is about using chips but on the whole nuking thing I for one had my eyes opened recently to how even a lower ABV like 40% is very flammable when heated. Be careful folks.

[ga flatwoods]

I know this thread is about using chips but on the whole nuking thing I for one had my eyes opened recently to how even a lower ABV like 40% is very flammable when heated. Be careful folks.

Leave the pall malls on the porch next time humbledore. Ought not to smoke while cooking breakfast, or anything else anyways. I can see it now : "Yes, I can taste the radically improved oaking from the nuke aging, kinda like an oak/tea steep, and can discern the "greeness" of the whiskey itself. But there is something else I cant quite pick out....I swear I know what it is but not sure how that could be. *ponder moment while sipping and airing some more* Yes, that is it I am sure! Did you, by chance smoke while blending this fine alcoholic tea, or have a cat around? It leaves an aftertaste of cigarette ash, or, cat piss, I cant quite distinguish which!"
Ga Flatwoods

[Skydog28]

I read somewhere to let sit in the fridge the first 24 hours out the still with coffee filters in place of the lids, is that necessary before the 3 cycles of nuking? If so do you add the chips before or after airing it out that first 24 hours?

[YeahMate]

So the bloke at the HBS I go to just told me not to use these (JD Whiskey Barrel Smoking Chips) in spirits because the supplier told him they are sprayed with pesticides to keep the rats away. Sounds like BS to me and I'm gonna look into it with the manufacturer but has anyone heard anything like this before? I have been using them for months and I'm still kicking.

If they were covered in pesticides I wouldn't wanna use them on the BBQ anyway, makes no sense to me I think he just wants to sell me the more expensive "specialised" chips.

[Saltbush Bill]

I doubt its true.....no one will want to smoke meat using pesticide soaked chips.
The world of BBQ is small and its participant's often fussy.
Another case of a HBS owner trying to justify his overpriced product.

[YeahMate]

Another case of a HBS owner trying to justify his overpriced product.

Yeah Mate I reckon that's about it. The chips he sells for ageing are about double the price and they are tiny little things with heaps of end grain exposed (which from what I have gathered is gonna lead to more tannin being leached). These JD smoking chips are probably not ideal compared to some nice dominoes but I just pick out the choice examples from the JD BBQ chips that are bigger and charred and use the rest on the weber so they work out pretty good value for me.

Will see what the manufacturer comes back with.

The home brew shop guy is a fucken tool and he lies through his teeth but I can't help but support him because its nice to have an easily accessible spot to pick up hops and speciality yeasts for the beer supply. When I was looking at getting into distilling he told me the Turbo 500 was the only thing on the market worth looking at and everything else was chinese ebay crap. He also told me there was no way that TPW could make a decent product (I'm onto weetbix/all bran wash now but still TPW was better than turbo any day). I bought some rank 2nd hand corny kegs and went in asking what cleaner to use, he gave me a chlorine based cleaner which after a 2 second google search when I got home was definitely not the right shit to use. He kinda gives home brew shops a bad name, but still, he's the best option I have.

[YeahMate]

So the Jack Daniels online team just gave me a phone number to call, but being in Australia its a bit hard for me to get that done. Wondering if maybe one of you US members might have a bit of time to chase this up for me? Honestly I think the chips are probably fine but I'd like to be able to laugh at the HBS owner next time I'm in there!

Hi There,
I was wondering if there are any chemical processes these chips are put through? I have heard a rumour they are covered in pesticides before being packed. Are they simply barrels turned into woodchips or are they treated with chemicals in any way?
Thanks

Hello Redacted.

Thanks for contacting us here at the Jack Daniel’s Online Store. The online store team handles all matters related to the Jack Daniel’s promotional items. All liquor related and/or manufacturing inquiries can be better answered by a representative from the Jack Daniel’s distillery. They can be reached by phone at (931) 759 – 4221.

Kind Regards,

[still_stirrin]

I’ve been to the JD distillery...did the tour...and asked a lot of questions. The chips are from shredded staves. They also make chunks from staves too. None of their “recycled barrels” are treated with pesticides, so don’t fret that. Selling the chips and chunks simply adds another revenue stream to the distillery’s economy, just like distillery tours. It is an added bonus for them...and us “hobby distillers” (or BBQ aficionados) as well.

If you can get the chunks, they’re better for jar aging. So, if you order online, search for the chunks instead of chips.
ss

[kiwi Bruce]

It's not the barrel stave chips that have the problem with Pesticides, it's the fruit tree woods chips...apple, peach, cherry and the like. These trees are sprayed the keep the bugs from damaging the fruit and unfortunately the trees are sprayed year after year and the Pesticides are absorbed into the wood. So for our purposes hardwoods and nut-woods are fine for both aging and smoking, however it looks like the fruit-woods should be a "no no" for at least spirit aging...smoking ?...not sure it the heat would destroy the toxins or not and I don't know how toxic the fruit tree Pesticides are to humans...BUT do you really want to take the chance ? NOT ME !

[Definatenovice]

I recently tried adding Jim Beam wood chips made from recycled bourbon barrels to my liquor for aging. I didn’t let them soak in water but I did rinse them and shake them up in a jar of water several times before adding them. After a couple days a kind of milky white goo started coming out of the wood and leaving residue in my liquor. It kind of looks like the cloudy gooey stuff that comes out in the tails if you run it that long. Any idea what this is? Is it normal? Do I just need to filter that stuff out or is it mold or dry rot or something inside the wood that’s not safe?

[contrahead]

I recently tried adding Jim Beam wood chips made from recycled bourbon barrels to my liquor for aging

Sounds like it could be lipids (fats, oils & waxes) extracted from the original Jim Beam liquor. You are most likely recycling, not only the charred wood once again, but also the trash that was absorbed by and trapped in the wood during the first (2 yr) aging process. Charred wood acts as a charcoal filter.

What was once filtered out, is now free do dissolve back into solution. Your solution. My opinion.

[Saltbush Bill]

A lot of the reading that I've done suggests that chips are not the best way to go for oaking.
They contain to much end grain.
Much better to use home made oak sticks made from old barrel staves or to buy commercially available oak dominos.
These come in various chars and toasts.

[Chucker]

I use hand split bits of white oak that are processed for bbq/smoker and pizza ovens. I’ve gotten them from Amazon from a wonderful vendor called Smoake. They can be had in either large chunks or splits that are still too big to go into jugs.
At about 4-5” length I’ll knock ‘em down so they fit through a jug cap, toast and/or char them to my liking.
They’re clean, kiln dried and not a bunch of scrap. A small box of wood will last through a few seasons or better.
I used to use some red oak from the trees around our property. This got me started but when I wanted to level up going to white oak was a game changer! Far sweeter and less tannic.

[Flavorstil]

I have a question about bbq chips and chunks could you use any in aging no matter the brand or type of wood?

[NZChris]

No. I smell them and chew them before deciding.

[kiwi Bruce]

I have a question about bbq chips and chunks could you use any in aging no matter the brand or type of wood?

Don't know where you live but if it's in the US we're going into grilling season, lots of smoking chips and all that good stuff. PLUS...if there is a garden supply near you ask them if they have a half Bourbon barrel that's lost it's hoops. You can pick these up real cheap, like $5 or $10 bucks. The Half barrels aren't that bad ether, they were $35 to $40 here last year. I like the barrel staves FAR better than chips.