Aging ABV?

[goinbroke2]

Just curious what ABV people are storing/aging at? I know high ABV will give vanillins and lower will give tannins but I'm curious as to what you guys do.

I normally leave it in the glass carboy at 60-70% until I get around to cutting and bottling. I started at 50% but now cut to 40% and bottle then add a cube of toasted hungarian oak.

I'm thinking since I have a a new batch (10L of 68%) maybe I should try something new. Bottle and oak at 65% then in a few months or a year pour it all into a carboy, cut to 40% and bottle?

What say ye?

[Dnderhead]

I age in barrels at 60% after , cut and blend
your partly right higher proof will color faster/age quicker but also have more tannins,there for harsher taste.

[goinbroke2]

Figures I got it backasswards.

Higher ABV = tannins
lower = vanillins

Got it.
Have you tried aging in barrels at a different ABV and that's why you stick to 60% or is that an arbitrary number that happens to work/you like?

[Dnderhead]

6o% is what works for me. I have tried higher but did not like it as well. (to woody) I have read that 50% is best but that whould
not give me any thing to "play with" because most I bottle at 100 pr. I also do some "blinding" not that I'm good at it but each
barrel is different . by mixing it is more consistence.

[Hawke]

I usually shoot for 65% for aging.

[theholymackerel]

I like to age at 55%. I bottle (almost) everythin' at 80 proof.

[Dnderhead]

I like the "cushion" because after I put it in the "hole" I age most for 5 years .must be the humidity is balanced there because the proof stays about the same
and I don't loose much to the "angels".I bottle 100proof because boys around hear like to see the "goose eyes" (frog eyes if your from florida)