Home Distiller

Just curious on how everyone is aging their brandy, specifically peach, apple, grape, and watermelon?

Glass, toasted (no char) wood, or charred wood? Just curious if everyone prefers a white spirit or oaked. I have never made it before and plan on possibly making some next summer.

Hi Glock,

I will just tell you how I do it. When my brandy is ready, I ditute to 50% - 55% with distilled water. Then I put in a teaspoon of honey, a teaspoon of sherry or a teaspoon of port per half a gallon. I put in 20 grams of medium toasted French oak chips per half a gallon as well. After a few days I distress age as follows. Put the bottle in a pan with 50 degrees centigrade water. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Open the bottle for a few seconds, you can smell the bad stuff getting out. Close the bottle again and let it cool for an hour, then open it again for a few moments. Then close the bottle and let it rest. Like this you will have aged your brandy a year in one time. You will end up with a much smoother and more harmonious drink.

Success, Odin.

Glock, I did some peaches last year (got 45 gal fermenting right now) and experimented with a light toast and a heavy toast w/char. Both turned out pretty good but
the heavy toast/char was much better, in my opinion. I think the char is important in modifying the chemical makeup and the heavier toast gives more of the good things from the wood. I let it age for a couple a months @ 65% and then diluted to 50% but left the wood in. After about 8-9 months it was really good. I think I still got a couple of qts that'll be about a year old now.

This year I'll barrel the peach brandy. Depending on how much I end up with I may use some 2.5 gal barrels I have. If I get enough I may buy a 5 gal Gibbs and get a med toast w/ med char and see how that works. With a 5 gal I think I'll leave it in the barrel for at least 4-6 months, longer if necessary.

Big R

If its pure brandy I keep white and 100 proof.Makes a fine sippin likker. My grand pa would char some peaches and soak in likker if he wanted a char to his peach brandy.Not bad that way either.

I make about 120 litres of brandy each year from apples, grapes and quince and most of mine goes into oak casks, 1 year old, with 5 mls of maple syrup per litre and several burnt pieces of oak. (aligator skin burnt). Then I leave it for 1-2 years and it is magnificent. After about 18 months there are significant changes to taste with a lot of the harshness disappearing but a further six months really makes the difference. It changes for blood good to excellent! I treat my rum the same way.
The addition of quince to the wash (must be fresh) adds an amazing flavour and taste...ya gotta try it..............
If I have a small quantity (5 litres) then I age it in glass with burnt oak (both aligator and toasted) and this gives a similar flavour but a little slower. I guess coz of the air/oak/brandy interaction.

Cheers