Home Distiller

I have some oak staves and i want to char them. What is better, putting them in the oven or setting them on fire? If in the oven how long and what tempeture do you bake them at?
If burning them how charred do you let them get and do you have to wipe them down before sticking in the bottle?
Sorry if i sound a little nieve, i'm New!

I just grip them with a pair of multi-grips and blast them with my torch until they are black with an aligator skin texture. Douse them with cold water and add to your spirit which should be at 65ABV for oaking. Then leave for a couple of months or more.


OD

Oven for toasting, fire for charring. they give quite different results.

kiwistiller wrote:Oven for toasting, fire for charring. they give quite different results.

Yeah. It's not really a "whats better" or "what should I do" kind of question that can be responded to.

Do all of the possiblities then let your taste buds (and the rest of your senses) guide you.

Ok, If I've aged my spirit for a month or so with oak chips or sticks, it should be about 60 - 62 %abv by now. So is this when you take out the wood and dilute it down to 40%? or do you take out the wood and let it age further before diluting and drinking?

Grav.......

leave it on the oak for the duration of aging. when you're done, dilute and you're done.