favorite charred wood and why

violentblue · Post by **violentblue** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:19 pm

made some applewood aging sticks up.
took a branch I salvaged from the tree trimmings
stripped the bark and the first "soft" layer of wood and let it sit on the barbecue burners on one side on low and the wood on the other side. left it like that for the better part of a day.

since it was a smaller branch (2 1/2" dia) I quartered it then sliced in 4" long sticks. took half and charred them on all surfaces, and put them all in an airtight jar for later use. the smell of the smoke coming off them, and on my hands is very nice.

I think a couple sticks of this and some premium oak chips will make my rum something special.

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:00 am

Made toasted oak sticks in the oven last night.
It's all you can smell in the house now, the smokey background. It's not bad, just strong.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:22 pm

I know what you mean. I love that smell. SWMBO, on the other hand, thinks it's too strong... that's why I've been thinking about getting a mini-oven to put into the "lab" so I can toast there, instead of in the kitchen.

Aidas

punkin · Post by **punkin** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 10:06 pm

Aidas wrote:I know what you mean. I love that smell. SWMBO, on the other hand, thinks it's too strong... that's why I've been thinking about getting a mini-oven to put into the "lab" so I can toast there, instead of in the kitchen.

Aidas

My bourbon girl puts up with it

ForObviousReasonsPunkin

Dutchmancreek · Post by **Dutchmancreek** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:45 am

I bought my wife a new toaster oven and put the old one out in the shop where I can toast oak and apple without smoking up the kitchen. I got the oven, she got a present....win/win.

Aidas · Post by **Aidas** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:04 pm

Dutchmancreek wrote:I bought my wife a new toaster oven and put the old one out in the shop where I can toast oak and apple without smoking up the kitchen. I got the oven, she got a present....win/win.

Ah, you had an old toaster oven to do the deal with. All I've got is the integrated convection oven that was put in when we redid the kitchen.

SWMBO secretly thinks that this hobby is not worthy of the kitchen... as long as it stays in the lab, it's all good, but the kitchen is not where it should be

Aidas

violentblue · Post by **violentblue** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:27 pm

charred applewood turned my rum a peach color, thats only after 2 days, so we'll see what happens with more time.

violentblue · Post by **violentblue** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:53 pm

took 1 750ml bottle of hearts from my rum run to try out some of the apple wood, after about a week I gave it a try. the alcohol was much to strong, even diluted down 1:1 with water

mixed with a little coke, it definatly didn't taste like appletons, but it was very nice, let it sit for six months with a little charred oak and it will be something special.