Building up product for a 5 gallon barrel

[Deplorable]

Great job, Deplorable. I remember when you first got your barrel and grains and had a plan. You executed that plan even while upgrading your still midway through the project. Yours is an excellent example for all others looking to take on their first all-grain mash.

In a year, when you sit down with a couple of fingers of your prized scotch and factor in everything involved, the true value of the learning, stilling experience, satisfaction, and the final, delicious product is: priceless.

Thanks for the kind words TB.
The last 5 months have been a journey of enlightenment.
The new still is a big improvement over what I started with. The improvement in the speed of the stripping runs, and the overall character of the product off the spirit run are far more than I expected. The flavor difference in the white dog was insane. I really had a shit still. LOL
I really appreaciate all the advice youve given along the way.
I have to say , your easy solder shotgun kit really is the cats ass. This time next year, we'll be exchanging a few drams from these barrels, and I can only hope that what Ive made here is worthy of your gift of knowlege.
May your gently used barrel bring you many bottles of happiness my friend.

[zapata]

Hell yeah, rad work. What's next?

[Deplorable]

Hell yeah, rad work. What's next?

I'm gonna make a 25 gallon mash of SCDs CROW bourbon. If I like it, that will likely be the next barrel.

[BlueSasquatch]

Hell yeah, rad work. What's next?

I'm gonna make a 25 gallon mash of SCDs CROW bourbon. If I like it, that will likely be the next barrel.

Have you done the Honey Bear Bourbon yet? I've got my spirit run cuts to blend and toss in a barrel, probably shoot for a 5 liter barrel, I think I should have enough.

[Deplorable]

No I haven't. I've only made 3.5 gallons of sweet feed, 2.5 of which is on oak, and this 4 gallons of single malt.
Ive got about 3.5 gallons of feints to play with reflux and try to make a little decent neutral for some infusions. Considering I've only had my still a little less over 4 months thats not to shabby, but I need to take a break from weekends in the garage for a bit. Honestly, ive already made about a 4 year supply of booze once it come to age.

[Twisted Brick]

Thanks for the kind words TB.
The last 5 months have been a journey of enlightenment.
The new still is a big improvement over what I started with. The improvement in the speed of the stripping runs, and the overall character of the product off the spirit run are far more than I expected. The flavor difference in the white dog was insane. I really had a shit still. LOL
I really appreaciate all the advice youve given along the way.
I have to say , your easy solder shotgun kit really is the cats ass. This time next year, we'll be exchanging a few drams from these barrels, and I can only hope that what Ive made here is worthy of your gift of knowlege.
May your gently used barrel bring you many bottles of happiness my friend.

My pleasure, although I think you shortchange your understanding of the concepts involved. To give back even a little of the knowledge I've learned here it is satisfaction enough and how this whole thing works.

I'm totally looking forward to an exchange and have already marked it on my calendar. I just hope our barrels (they should) give up their golden goodness at roughly the same rate. Cayars shared with me some excellent advice on shipping. I'll get it to you.

With excellent 5gal barrels for $50 (and no shipping) at your doorstep, I can easily see your shed looking like this soon.
.

[Deplorable]

I think my dog, and my wife would be pretty pissed if I spent that much time in the garage. At my pace of 2.5 to 3 months per barrel, thats 3 years of nonstop weekends mashing and distilling in that picture.
You should have seen the look I got when I told her I was thinking of going to get another barrel for a bourbon project or to put all my SF in to free up gallon jugs.
And I have a stack of new white oak bones out in the weather slowly washing out to toast and use for glass aging.

[BlueSasquatch]

I think my dog, and my wife would be pretty pissed if I spent that much time in the garage. At my pace of 2.5 to 3 months per barrel, thats 3 years of nonstop weekends mashing and distilling in that picture.
You should have seen the look I got when I told her I was thinking of going to get another barrel for a bourbon project or to put all my SF in to free up gallon jugs.
And I have a stack of new white oak bones out in the weather slowly washing out to toast and use for glass aging.

I've been sending the wife links to 15 and 26 gallon stills, she said my other ventures MAKE money where this does not. Trying to show how not-buying alcohol anymore, these stills actually SAVE us money, but she ain't buying it.
Where are you sourcing these barrels from? I was gonna order from this Texas barrel company shortly.

[Deplorable]

There is a local micro distillery in my town. They have a barrel club people join and get a new 5 gallon barrel of their own bourbon. They decide when to bottle it. If they don't want the barrel, the distillery sells them used for $50. You can't beat the price for a top quality once used barrel.
The barrel club has a good following, and they've got a pretty good supply of these 5 gallon barrels available most of the time. Last time I was in there I picked through several to find the best one to ship to TB as a favor since they wouldn't ship one to him.

[Chauncey]

Three 23 gallon ferments, 148 pounds of 50/50 Maris Otter and 2 row pale malt. Final blend was 64% ABV.
4.25 gallons into the barrel.
20201115_152507.jpg

Kickass, good work.

[Durhommer]

Any wet spots on your barrel deplorable

[Deplorable]

Any wet spots on your barrel deplorable

Just on the inside.

[Deplorable]

Im about one quarter of the way through a year of waiting, I see that I never updated this thread to add that I made a 4th mash and added in another gallon about three weeks after filling it. I haven't peeked at what's in my barrel. Moving it out to the shed, out of sight has probably helped to keep me out of it as much as knowing that its going into a very awkward time right now where it likely tastes very woody and tannic.
The other day, I figured it was getting lonely out there in shed alone, so I moved a gallon of KSSF, and a gallon of new make CROW bourbon out there to keep it company, and free up cupboard space while I contemplate what to make next. I'm thinking a more traditional bourbon, 65% Corn, 13% Rye, and 12% Barley.

[Deplorable]

5 month peek today as the spring season starts to warm the air, temp swings should start getting wider with 30° swings form the mid 70s down to the 40s at night pushing and pulling the spirit through the wood. Looking good, the flavor difference between the jar of white, and the barrel is not super dramatic, but the butterscotch, light caramel, and biscuits flavors are developing nicely.

[Stump Lake]

Hey Deplorable, I came across this thread while researching "How to Fill a 5 gal. Barrel". You have helped me several times of my quest to fill a 5gal.
barrel. I've always considered you "Knower of all things Knowable in Distilling"
It's been kinda cool following your entry into filling a 5gal barrel. I'm about 4 years behind you. I bookmarked this thread and I am going to reread it.

[Deplorable]

Hey Deplorable, I came across this thread while researching "How to Fill a 5 gal. Barrel". You have helped me several times of my quest to fill a 5gal.
barrel. I've always considered you "Knower of all things Knowable in Distilling"
It's been kinda cool following your entry into filling a 5gal barrel. I'm about 4 years behind you. I bookmarked this thread and I am going to reread it.

LOL Thank you, but Im hardly a "Knower of all things Knowable in Distilling". Ive done but a few 5 gall fills, and I did them all the same way, Back-to-back ferments and runs until I had enough to fill the barrels. Currently both of my 5 gallon barrels are sitting empty, and I need to get my poop in a group and get busy on filling one and refinishing the other. Ive got 5 full Badmo barrels on the shelf, and 6 of my one gallon jugs are full, along with a few half gallon jars and jugs.

The best advice I can give you is to balance what you read here with what you learn from each batch you make. Take meticulous notes and refer to them when making subsequent batches.
I took a friend through a tasting of my "rickhouse" on Monday, and I got some very good feedback on everything from my Brandy and rum, through all of my whiskey stash right down to the ASM white dog that was blended and put in jugs the day before. We sampled spirits from 4+ years old down to fresh off the still.
My favorites are still the single malt that this thread was about (Yes, I still have some on wood in glass) and my 21% rye bourbon that's been in a Badmo Barrel for 34 months and I'm still just taking just a dram every few months. I don't know that I will ever pull a full bottle from that one, just make more to age on new Oak and top it off from time to time as I sip on it.