Home Distiller

Mr. P with all due respect, you often refer to lots of other threads on specific questions, however i have been reading alot and trying to find threads that answer specific questions I have had with little luck. Seems to be more difficult to wade through the jibbersh than to find fact or specifics. I have tried to find the answer to this exact question with little success the pool has to many floaty things in it. Now would be a great time for the Dunder to chime in if he is so inclined.

Well my intention of this thread had nothing to do with barrel aging. So if you want to get the best answer to your question. It would probably be best if you started a thread and asked the forum. And make the title reflect what you are asking. That's one of the reasons you are having a hard time finding what it is you are looking for. Because either the thread is titled incorrectly. Or a discussion occurs about one subject within a thread about another subject.

But I did a HD Google search. (barrel aging) And read through a few threads that came up. That had some really good information about aging in smaller barrels. Not 1lt barrels exactly. But they explain the things you need to know.
The first really good one was this.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=32221
Then there was a link to this one in that thread.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=16372
Here is another one. Read the third post down.
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=23184

I am new to this forum. The collecitve knowledge contained here is great. It can be quite intimidating to voice a opionion. However, I make cuts as likker comes off of the pipe.
Airing spirits for a couple of days allows for taste buds to recover and better judgement to prevail. We are talking about airing spirits.

Those threads that were posted by PP nailed it pretty well on the airing out and oaking. I know this isn't exactly an "oaking" thread, but its a good read....kinda ties in to this one pretty well....

Now lets get back on topic.

I'm following this thread with great interest because I made a run on Thursday and have let it sit on my work bench waiting to blend. It is a corn all grain that have a very sweet smell to it. I could really tell the different in it after 1 day so I'm hoping the extra days it would help me make better cuts.

singlemaltluv wrote:I'm following this thread with great interest because I made a run on Thursday and have let it sit on my work bench waiting to blend. It is a corn all grain that have a very sweet smell to it. I could really tell the different in it after 1 day so I'm hoping the extra days it would help me make better cuts.

So its a AG corn mash with no sugar? And you could tell a difference after a day of airing?

Prairiepiss wrote:

singlemaltluv wrote:I'm following this thread with great interest because I made a run on Thursday and have let it sit on my work bench waiting to blend. It is a corn all grain that have a very sweet smell to it. I could really tell the different in it after 1 day so I'm hoping the extra days it would help me make better cuts.

So its a AG corn mash with no sugar? And you could tell a difference after a day of airing?

I don't know if I quiet understand what you is getting at but yes it is a AG corn mash without sugar added. It has a different smell in the jars now from when they was first off the still.

That is exactly as it should be. If you left them sealed then you would experience the same phenomenon, but the delicate flavors of a good all grain mash should be better preserved.

I've been guilty of adding too much tails into my keeper bottle more times than I care to remember. Sometimes it means cloudy likker, or sometimes it just stinks. Sometimes if I am unclear on what is too far into the tails I will dilute a small sample from each collection jar and observe that for a little. That has helped me a lot. There is a lot of flavor in that end of the hearts, beginning of the tails part of the run, but going deep into the tails just sucks. Cloudy shine or floaters or wet carpet smells... I certainly appreciate the need for knowing how far is too far. Its not being greedy, its getting the most of the flavors from that part of the run... Sometimes that part of the run smells great, but its too full of tails to use without causing other problems....

putting all the senses to work on defining that tails cut is better than airing for me. I work hard to get the flavor... I hate to think of loosing so much so early in the aging.

singlemaltluv wrote:

Prairiepiss wrote:

singlemaltluv wrote:I'm following this thread with great interest because I made a run on Thursday and have let it sit on my work bench waiting to blend. It is a corn all grain that have a very sweet smell to it. I could really tell the different in it after 1 day so I'm hoping the extra days it would help me make better cuts.

So its a AG corn mash with no sugar? And you could tell a difference after a day of airing?

I don't know if I quiet understand what you is getting at but yes it is a AG corn mash without sugar added. It has a different smell in the jars now from when they was first off the still.

I was just making sure I read your post right. Because it is exactly opposite of what I'm finding. The AGs I've done didn't benefit from airing. So I throws a wrench in what I was thinking.

Thanks Mr.P being able to find the right threads still eludes me even when I try using the seach bar as I have had little luck just raeding and raeding and not find the topic i want or the answers to my question thanks for the directions, much appreciated

Is there anyone who has tried different methods of airing likker out besides filling a jar and using a papertowel or coffee filter? What I mean is has anyone found one material is better than another for a filter and tried different amounts of air in the jar? Like say 6 quart jars half full instead of 3 all the way full... Or using something like a glass carboy and just filling it a littlebit and capping it off air tight. Would that be enough empty air space, or does it HAVE to be in open air? Then another idea I had was to increase the amount of surface area exposed... So say something like a cookie sheet or casserole dish then cover it with paper towels and such to keep unwanted debris out. It's been kinda burning in the back of my brain lately and was wondering if anyone has tried any of that stuff yet.

Interesting thread. Unfortunately all we have to go on is anecdotal evidence. I air out my stuff and it seems to help. I have taken two jars that were collected right next to each other and only aired one, the aired one smelled better, as in more like hearts. I think that without access to something like a spectrophotometer to really identify changes in the distillate as it airs over the course of a few days, we're just shooting in the dark.

bcboyz86 wrote:Is there anyone who has tried different methods of airing likker out besides filling a jar and using a papertowel or coffee filter? What I mean is has anyone found one material is better than another for a filter and tried different amounts of air in the jar? Like say 6 quart jars half full instead of 3 all the way full... Or using something like a glass carboy and just filling it a littlebit and capping it off air tight. Would that be enough empty air space, or does it HAVE to be in open air? Then another idea I had was to increase the amount of surface area exposed... So say something like a cookie sheet or casserole dish then cover it with paper towels and such to keep unwanted debris out. It's been kinda burning in the back of my brain lately and was wondering if anyone has tried any of that stuff yet.

I have not tried this yet, but I have an idea.

I have some 1" white oak boards about 5" wide. I was thinking of ripping one of these down to get a piece of oak about 1/8" to 3/16" thick. I would then cut them into disks, and screw my mason jar lids down on top of these. Depends on how thick or thin I can get them, and still screw the lids on. I could also char them or toast them I suppose. Probably just a novelty to try it, but it might allow a little oxygen in and keep the nasties out, like a coffee filter, but it would be wood like a barrel. Not sure how it will work, but it is not a huge deal to do a trial experiment with it.

My other idea would be to see if they are actually water tight this way. Then, I would probably try to rest them on their sides, so the liquor contacts the oak lid........might try an aging experiment this way if it works. My guess is that it will leak around the lid top eventually when the thin wood gets saturated.

SmokinDave

Hey Smokin.....

Check this out..... http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=30121

WIski wrote:Hey Smokin.....

Check this out..... http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =2&t=30121

Well, look at that......I will have to study this some more. Thanks for the tip.

As far as cuts go, I do notice that if you leave it out/open for a while that some of the rawness/alc hit on the nose, etc..seems to dissipate some. But, I can't say that's really changed anything for me in regards to cuts. Usually, the same jars I marked up front as heads, etc..are still heads after they chill out a bit, etc. I'ts rare that I've found doing this extra airing step..actually changed my mind about a jar or changed it enough to switch it from heads column to hearts, etc. More often than not that happens more so based on how wore out or not my taste buds are.

What I do for white dog: I collect in mason jars..and I seal them as they come off the still. There isn't any scientific, aging reason I do this...it's more because of the proximity etc..to open flame/fire and heat. I seal the jars and remove them from the area. I open all the jars and start to do my initial/rough cut. I leave that overnight..and come back to it after 12 hours or so...to do the final cut — mainly cause my taste buds are wore out. I use my large stainless mashtun pot that has a valve on it. I blend my cut in and water it to around 110-115 proof. Using a ladel I stir it up good back and forth, cover it and leave it. This leaves "tons" of headspace in the pot. Next day, I proof it down to 105-110 or so. Let it sit another day. Then do final proofing down to 100-105 proof the 3rd day. After that..it's ready to bottle up (I just pour it out of the valve to fill bottles).

Doing it this way, I've noticed a difference in the resulting distillate. It seems smoother and more blended taste and it has less odor and tends to subdue pronounced spikey off tastes/flavors to some degree. I would guess that's because of a combination of alot of different things going on some of which I probably don't even understand. What I "do" know is that it makes my stuff taste better and smell better.

For me...that's really all I need to know.

Do you use JUST a stainless tun to do your mixing? Or could you use say a giant igloo cooler with a spout to do the same thing? Since your not storing it for anything longer than a day it seems like a good cost cutting alternative. Unless there is something I'm missing :/

I use stainless pots mainly cause I have them, and I know it's not going to hurt anything to leave high abv spirit in them for a few days. I don't think I would use plastic for this. Even a cheap stainless pot will do.

Oh, I didn't think of that...I think I have a couple 3 gallon jugs laying around. And I doubt I will have enough yield from a 5gal or even a 10gal wash to have 3gallons of good stuff left... I will probably shoot for that then. Maybe get a valve and put it in the bottom of that jug to use it for that thanks for the idea!

I run a Pot Still and always air my Sprits. I run whiskey and brandy. After airing I place my White dog in a Hot water bath. After that I place said likker in a deep freeze and run through a filter.

DHS wrote:I run a Pot Still and always air my Sprits. I run whiskey and brandy. After airing I place my White dog in a Hot water bath. After that I place said likker in a deep freeze and run through a filter.

I am not being critical of your process, certainly you can make what ever product, how ever you choose. I wonder though have you compared your process to unchill filtered? A number of higher end Scotch producers note on their labels that they are non chill filtered and I find that they carry a lot of flavor and complexity that may be missing in chill filtered whiskey. Just food for thought.

cheers
stilly

Why would you need to chill filter whiskey or brandy? If its new make?

I Do a Hot Water Bath and then Cold Filter because that is what I prefer. I don't like syrupy brandies or flavorless neutrals. The process that I use creates a Likker that I like.

I do single runs through a Pot Still

Ok first experiment has made a big improvement. I decided to try fermenting to a lower ABV on my sugarhead washes. To see if this made a difference. And what do you know. It did. This was only the first go with the experiment. I have now 3 other washes going and or ready. All at 8% ABV or lower.

Off the still I'm finding it much easier to find the cut points. Where before with the higher ABV ferments the cuts all blended together. I made three runs of UJSSM 10 gal each. And I could tell a lot easier where the cut points are.

I have a 35 gal panela rum wash ready to go at 8% ABV
A 40 gal Birdwatchers going expected ABV of 8%.
And 45 gal gen 2 of UJSSM going expected ABV of 8%.

After I run the Birdwatchers I will be starting an All Bran shooting for 8% on it too.

So I will have more input from the other washes. As I run them. The rum won't get ran till the end of the month. But I'm looking to run the bird watchers Sunday. I plan 4 10 gal strip runs and a spirit run with it. I'm going to try to pull that off in one day. Should be no problem.

you're the cutting edge Mr. Piss

Good job PP. You must be ripping through those runs to finish 4 in a day.

I just ran 10 gal of UJSSM hearts all in the mid 80%s. In 2.5 hours.

Impressive. And that was on your plated still? (for info)