Bourbon colour Not happy!

[davidwh]

Hello all,

I've had a number of allbrans sitting in mason jars on oak for up to 5 months now, unsealed. I recently sort Kiwi's advice after his colouring/taste experiment and have started to applied that.
I have 2 close mates I trust to taste and provide feedback and everyone's fairly consistent...taste ok but the colour is not strong enough.

So here's the routine I've used:
Air 3 days in open glasses dust and grit fee spot
Cut to 65% abv, 3/4 fill mason jar
Add approx a ciggy packet sized volume of oak charred with propane torch, dark toast to approx 60% of oak, on 2cm x 2cm x 2-5mm square pieces.
Freezer/fridge to bench rotations
Allow 2 weeks
Cut back to 60% abv
Sits at this abv less angel's share for a month or 2

For drinking cut back to 37 - 38% abv using clean rainwater.
Colour is a very light tan colour, nowhere near as strong as JD or Jim Beam black.

Thoughts are:
1 as per other posts ...significantly increase oak qty for first few weeks
2 Ensure oak is completely dark toasted
3 add a volume of "alligator" charred large sawdust sized oak
4 remain at 65% abv for 2 weeks but with extra oak and char
5 Cut back to 60%abv reduce oak

I've read a post or two on Still spirits caramel 4 colouring but not keen if it adds taste...(I've more than enough vanilla/sugars coming through as it is)

Without prompting there's an absolute perception that colour equals strength/character... (We know different) but mates without prompting make comment on light colour..."it looks a bit thin"
I'd also say visually that deeper colour does look pleasing...I'm a victim of JD & Jim Beam black I know, but that's where I feel I should be.

I'm always going to be in the mode of drinking 6 month old-ish product.

Any advice?

cheers,
dave

[WalkingWolf]

try this

Mix green and red food coloring in equal parts. Green and red should give a brown mixture. Maybe with with just a tad it'll add some depth.

Pour a bit of your liquor in a glass. Put just a dab of the above mixture and see if it'l help any.

[kiwistiller]

could you post a pic of your oak? Also, some of us don't know how big a mason jar is.

[Kentucky shinner]

we need pics... a mason jar holds 32 fluid ounces. just a little short of a liter I think Kiwi but not for sure on that.

[MuleKicker]

Honestly, if it tastes good, drink it

[ScottishBoy]

Whiskey is like Women: If they taste, smell and feel good, then they are all the same color with your eyes closed.

If I went on looks alone...I never would have tried Absinthe...

[davidwh]

Thanx all,

My jars are 4.5lt...glass lid storage jars. oak picture be a while..

Scottishboy are u suggesting then I only drink with my eyes closed? lol

cheers
dave

[kiwistiller]

sounds like a bit more heavy charred oak could be the ticket... will reserve judgement until we see your pics though I'm wondering if they were sufficently charred.

[rad14701]

I'm wondering if they were sufficently charred.

They were when I buried them... Ummm... Uhhh... Oh, you were talking about oak... Hmmm... Noticed ScottishBoy talking about women and . . . Oh my...

[Mr.Spooky]

Honestly, if it tastes good, drink it

+1 good point MuleKicker. i mean,,, afterall, are we going for coulor or taste?

[beelah]

I know that some of you will jump up and down on me, but you may want to make up some dark caramel ( Basicly burned surgar and water) to a nice deep brown, the colour of #3 amber Maple surup,and add a teaspoon at a time. It will add colour and a bit of sweetness as well.

I have read here somewhere that some folks use maple surup which adds a bit of flavour- colour and sweetness. My dad used the old burned sugar when he was mixing up his whisky for sale. It didn't improve the flacour all that much, but folks sure loved looking at it.

I would agree that taste is everything, but then why do all those high-paid chefs talk about presentation and that old saying that "we eat as much with our eyes as we do our mouths".

In this hobby I guess the metaphour would be "we drink as much with our eyes as our mouths!"

[ammo man]

Sight and smell contribute to taste as much as your taste buds. All three send signals to your brain which then gives you the taste you perceive. Which sense contributes the most? I guess that would depend on the individual.

Bert

[davidwh]

Thanks to all to replied,

I feel having read more I'm just not putting enough oak in at the start.

Read MK's recent post on same subject has some quality advice in there along with several related posts.

So 4 days down the track with 4x 2cm x 1cm x 10cm full dark char(Alligator) sticks per 5lt and got some real nice colour coming through.

Not charring the red wine stained inside edge(ex wine barrel) and the short boil pre use seems to be on the money.

http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopi ... =4&t=16588

cheers
dave

[kiwistiller]

never done the preboil, will have to try it. I basically take it out of the flame, quench in boiling water (figure that's as close as I can get to the blasting a charred barrel with steam thing that the bourbon big boys do), and imediately drop it into the aging carboy.