Red oak experiment

[bellybuster]

my red oak is at least 15 years, air dried. Milled myself. Personally I like the flavours from charred in both the red oak and the cherry. I get no burnt sugar flavours, lots of vanillas, coffee maybe even chocolate. haven't mastered putting flavours into words

[scout]

NOW THAT IS AWESOME! I tend to use up planked stave wood after a 3 year seasoning. I do have some nice red oaks on my land. I'm going to harvest one and start some stave wood seasoning after hearing what you are getting with it. Thanks for this info BB.

[bellybuster]

ohoh, what have I created??
The red oak I have is Quercus rubra from Nova Scotia
Keep in mind my doings with red oak have been mixed with cherry. both rather heavily charred.
I don't think it would make a good barrel for the same reason it hasn't been used in coopering in the past, the open pores. I would guess that a red oak barrel would leak right thru the staves eventually

I really miss milling lumber. It was hard work but incredible seeing the beautiful woods come off the end. I once milled a maple log that was 36" across, the entire log was fiddleback/flamed. The log above and below it showed no figure.... go figure. The lumber from that log sold for $12 a board foot.

[Lazarus Long]

We were talking about this back in 2006. http://ww.homedistiller.org/forum/viewt ... wrapheader

Just boils down to personal taste. In my experience, aging on red oak never turned...always had a wood taste that didn't develop the flavors I was used to. I cycled that carboy filled with red oak from freezer to summer sun over and over and it never changed. Tasted like it was aged on a matchsticks or toothpicks with a bitterness added. I had used red oak from the southeast US.

[firewater69]

I dont get the bitterness, i did an irish style whiskey, barley & oats. has a really nice flavor, i cant wait to see what father time does for it.

IMG_20140210_224449.jpg

[scout]

ohoh, what have I created??
The red oak I have is Quercus rubra from Nova Scotia
Keep in mind my doings with red oak have been mixed with cherry. both rather heavily charred.
I don't think it would make a good barrel for the same reason it hasn't been used in coopering in the past, the open pores. I would guess that a red oak barrel would leak right thru the staves eventually

I really miss milling lumber. It was hard work but incredible seeing the beautiful woods come off the end. I once milled a maple log that was 36" across, the entire log was fiddleback/flamed. The log above and below it showed no figure.... go figure. The lumber from that log sold for $12 a board foot.

I'm planning to use the red oak as sticks in glass jars, not as a barrel, I'll cut a tree, split the rounds to stave size on the quarter and age them for quite a while out in the weather. Just an experiment while I learn the process of aging in glass jars I've been reading about here.

I know what you mean about milling, I process by hand all my personal staves, and make my own bands. I've got some highly figured walnut, was sweet to see it come out as I sawed and sanded the planks.

In the cooperage we use planers and joiners to speed up the stave making process, something I don't have the money at this time to up-grade to for personal casks. I currently have a rack of ten 3 gal barrels of white oak and my runs get passed through three barrels, 3 months aging before the turn, on their way to being put in the glass.

[firewater69]

I envy you Scout, it would be awesome to make my own barrels, unfortunatley i dont have the time or experience to do so. i'll just have to stick to my gallon glass jars.

[firewater69]

One of my friends brought me some cherry wood. i've got it cut and toasted some, im gonna try it on a batch with some red oak that im running this weekend. i'll let ya'll know how it taste.

[humbledore]

From an old book.

[bellybuster]

Very cool

[bellybuster]

I've often thought of attempting my own barrel. Even before I started distilling. I have the woodworking background and the tools. Proficient with both spokeshave and draw knife. Hmmmmmmm do I need to start yet another project. I already have 3 unfinished guitars on the waiting list.

[firewater69]

Wow,a luthier too? I would love to hang out in your shop. i have wanted a hand crafted 5 string bass for years, just never could come up with the cash. I make selfbows & flintknap my arrowheafs, but that doesn't require the skill level of making an instrument.

[humbledore]

A quick update on my black (red family) oak. I think I would age the wood longer, or do as Scout says age it before splitting, and then after as well. 2 year old black oak, split and toasted/charred has a ton of tannins. The flavor is very strong with a bitter aftertaste. I am not calling it a failure of the wood, I think it needs to be aged out in the weather after it has been split from the log.

[scout]

A quick update on my black (red family) oak. I think I would age the wood longer, or do as Scout says age it before splitting, and then after as well. 2 year old black oak, split and toasted/charred has a ton of tannins. The flavor is very strong with a bitter aftertaste. I am not calling it a failure of the wood, I think it needs to be aged out in the weather after it has been split from the log.

I would age half logs of black oak for 1 year, then split on the quarter and sticker out in the weather for at least 2 years before use. This would allow the bitter tannins to leach down quite a bit. soaking in water for a week then letting air dry in the weather will take even more of the nasty tannins out ( you can repeat the soak and dry as often as you want during this stage). For bringing up the vanillins I would try a three stage toasting, 1st stage to 140 degrees for 1 hour let rest till cold then soak in water for a day, 2nd stage to 150 degrees for 1 hour let rest till cold wait a few days then toast to 160 degrees for 2-3 hours depending on the level of final toast you want. This should get the bitter taste out of black or other red oaks. The age time should be reduced since the red oaks have very open pores which will let the product move through quickly.

[bellybuster]

I have 1/2 litre on red oak right now. It's been in there for 3 weeks and has a light colour. Must admit I have been stealing little sips and I am pleased with the outcome so far. The vanilla is just starting to peak thru but so far has no huge character. (only 3 weeks) Even with the young age I can definitely say I will put a larger volume down on red without question. The single stick was only charred on half its length, No baking at all. Next one I will bake as per Scout's direction. Pic coming

[humbledore]

I would age half logs of black oak for 1 year, then split on the quarter and sticker out in the weather for at least 2 years before use. This would allow the bitter tannins to leach down quite a bit. soaking in water for a week then letting air dry in the weather will take even more of the nasty tannins out ( you can repeat the soak and dry as often as you want during this stage). For bringing up the vanillins I would try a three stage toasting, 1st stage to 140 degrees for 1 hour let rest till cold then soak in water for a day, 2nd stage to 150 degrees for 1 hour let rest till cold wait a few days then toast to 160 degrees for 2-3 hours depending on the level of final toast you want. This should get the bitter taste out of black or other red oaks. The age time should be reduced since the red oaks have very open pores which will let the product move through quickly.

Thanks Scout. Great input, I've got it bookmarked. I will try it.