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Good afternoon,

I've been reading about oaking, and my main question is how much oak to use. I was planning to experiment very small. I don't have a still yet, so I'm going to cut some Everclear to about 90 proof and try oaking it with something like Jack Daniels chips. I know I have to water soak the chips first. If anyone can recommend the proper amount of chips to use, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

Try diluting the grain alcohol down to around 120 proof
I forgot who can up with this idea but it works.
Toast the JD chips until a sweet vanilla smell appears.
Put them in the freezer overnight.
The next day take them out and char them.
Rinse in hot or boiling water.
And use.

Just guess on the amount needed.
try using no more than 5 to 10% fill on the jar.

I don't soak mine (JD chips). I put about a half a cup straight out of the bag into quart jars and then fill the jars with white dog to about 3/4 full. I use the nuclear (microwave) process - 3 cycles. I then drain/strain the quart jars into a larger jar and put it up to age for a couple or three months. You can kinda tell how far to go with it by the color/smell/taste. I think this is also true if you use a traditional form of aging (non-nuclear). That is, you would want to pull out the chips when it reaches the desired color/flavor and then allow it to continue to age without the chips. I also like to give mine a good shake and open it up to air for an hour or so every 2 or 3 weeks. Like anything else, there are many different ways to go about it.

Posted while Shadylane was posting.

S-Cackalacky wrote:I don't soak mine (JD chips). I put about a half a cup straight out of the bag into quart jars and then fill the jars with white dog to about 3/4 full. I use the nuclear (microwave) process - 3 cycles. I then drain/strain the quart jars into a larger jar and put it up to age for a couple or three days.....

I get to here but can't age more than three days before its all gone lmao

Though I have one 1L JD bottle full for now three weeks(record) but that was from four runs ago lol

I use 1litre jars couple hands of JD chips 1.5 - 2.5" worth

Nuke for 3 mins then put lid on tight to create a vacuum. Once cool enough not to shock I put in freezer for 24 hours and repeat.

Third day I Nike three mins and strain through coffee filter while still hot/warm.

Haven't tried the nuclear method yet. I fill a quart jar about halfway full with chips right out of the bag and let it sit outside for about two weeks. Then strain off the chips and keepy hands off it as long as I can stand.

Everclear? At least start out with something better then that crap. And it wouldn't be a good choice to age on wood anyway.

Find some good white unaged whiskey. Or just wait till you get a still going.