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i can get tasmainian oak really cheap but american oak etc is expensive as hell after you account for shipping now i was wondering if tasmainian oak is safe to use or another local hardwood to Australia
like pine red gum gum etc ill do a total list of what is avaluble but im not really finding any luck on my searches for info on alternatives to american / french oak

do you have any fruit woods? most are pretty safe.

Dnderhead wrote:do you have any fruit woods? most are pretty safe.

+1, the part of any tree you choose should be the heartwood. Currently I have been aging from some older wood given to me that is the trunk of a plum tree. I cut, then chopped, then finished my stick size on a bandsaw.

Bushman wrote:

Dnderhead wrote:do you have any fruit woods? most are pretty safe.

+1, the part of any tree you choose should be the heartwood. Currently I have been aging from some older wood given to me that is the trunk of a plum tree. I cut, then chopped, then finished my stick size on a bandsaw.

well id be doing it all by hand so not looking forward to that i might be able to get some apple pitty i didn't find this out 6 months ago they cut down a plumb tree and left the wood in the front yard i would have grabbed it if i knew this

in all honesty im just trying to save a few buks i really don't mind spending the dollars but if i can hit something close to the american oak or french oak profiles of flavor but if i discover a wood that makes a nice flavor well who can say no to that

Hi Chris
I have done a range of testing with Australian hardwood - mainly with wine but the results will be similar with spirit.
The first thing is that none of the Eucalypts give a very satisfactory result - too many dominant off flavours.
The thing I had some success with are some of the larger tree Acacias like Acacia melanoxylon or decurrens. Probably most of that family would give you a workable result because of their high tannin content which seems to be the thing that is common with all the traditional timbers that are used like Chestnut. Having said that not sure you will get a traditional oak taste but its about a result you like not necessarily copying what has gone before.

Bogdan wrote:Hi Chris
I have done a range of testing with Australian hardwood - mainly with wine but the results will be similar with spirit.
The first thing is that none of the Eucalypts give a very satisfactory result - too many dominant off flavours.
The thing I had some success with are some of the larger tree Acacias like Acacia melanoxylon or decurrens. Probably most of that family would give you a workable result because of their high tannin content which seems to be the thing that is common with all the traditional timbers that are used like Chestnut. Having said that not sure you will get a traditional oak taste but its about a result you like not necessarily copying what has gone before.

i just looked them up through google i have a few Acacia melanoxylon trees locally so will make a small piece or 2 of charred up and use like 500ml of spirit to oak with and test what its like

You need to make sure the wood is dried before you try to use it - guess you can easily do that in the oven for a small amount.
Let me know how it goes.

Bogdan wrote:You need to make sure the wood is dried before you try to use it - guess you can easily do that in the oven for a small amount.
Let me know how it goes.

will do once im able to be in full swing im in the middle of moving at the moment and only making small amounts of spirit

Check out wineries or commercial distilleries for decommissioned barrels. Do some online searches for the Jack Daniels BBQ chips. Here in the US, garden centers have old whisky barrels cut in half to be used as garden planters. Lot of people use the staves from the old barrels - cut them up into one inch sticks. One of those planters could last you a good long time.

Just sayin',
S-C