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I've got some product aging in the garage attic that is giving off a hot, peppery smell. Some of the product is a year and a half old and some is just about one year. The bourbon was a corn-barley-rye grain bill, twice distilled, sitting in 1 gallon glass jars with white oak I cut, toasted, and charred myself. The whiskey is the same recipe but filtered through charred maple, and sitting on toasted and charred Jack Daniels Smoking blocks. Both have a similar peppery smell.

Has anyone experienced this? Can I expect the wood to start contributing more of the traditional profile over time? Should I add more wood?

Due51 wrote:I've got some product aging in the garage attic that is giving off a hot, peppery smell. Some of the product is a year and a half old and some is just about one year. The bourbon was a corn-barley-rye grain bill, twice distilled, sitting in 1 gallon glass jars with white oak I cut, toasted, and charred myself. The whiskey is the same recipe but filtered through charred maple, and sitting on toasted and charred Jack Daniels Smoking blocks. Both have a similar peppery smell.

Has anyone experienced this? Can I expect the wood to start contributing more of the traditional profile over time? Should I add more wood?

Lol. Sounds like rye. Haven't worked with it before, so others will have to Confirm.

But I will say. I don't think, in the history of HD, has "more wood" ever been the answer to an issue. At least not that pertained to spirits. .. Maybe the ol' missus. But we are talking about whiskey here.

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:But I will say. I don't think, in the history of HD, has "more wood" ever been the answer to an issue...

That's funny. I agree, even thought I have oaked the heck out of some things and I don't feel like any of them are "over oaked", I have never seen any one on here suggest throwing more wood at it.
My first guess would also be rye. How much rye? Any other specialty malts in there we should know about?

My grain bill is 80% corn 12% barley and 8% rye.


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Year and half in glass jars....what proof and what's the lid on the jars made out of? Just thinking out loud here....

How much oak/gal?
Pepper like black pepper, green pepper, or cayenne?
Could just be that the smell is concentrated when you open the jar?

Could be heads... if you missed the cuts. They can have almost a peppery hint to me.. but more like star anise . Or could just be the tannins with hotter say 60+%

I would take a small sample and cut with distilled water and let it rest a bit.. I like about 37% let it air out for a little and then take a few gentile smells to see whats there. Then take a taste and a second taste to get first and second impression.

Were does your tongue feel/ taste things. I like things to sit in the middle of your tongue and then wash down the back a little, but not all the way back. I find diluting really allows things to open up and also allows any overwhelming flavors to be more mute. If you feel things on the tip the tongue normally means heads.

B

StillLearning1 wrote:Year and half in glass jars....what proof and what's the lid on the jars made out of? Just thinking out loud here....

62.5% down to 55%. It varies.
The lids are metal - like that of a pickle jar or mason jar. I think I'm picking up where you're going. I didn't snug the lids down at all so the whiskey can breathe.


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MichiganCornhusker wrote:How much oak/gal?
Pepper like black pepper, green pepper, or cayenne?
Could just be that the smell is concentrated when you open the jar?

Fresh ground black pepper.


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bitter wrote:Could be heads... if you missed the cuts. They can have almost a peppery hint to me.. but more like star anise . Or could just be the tannins with hotter say 60+%

I would take a small sample and cut with distilled water and let it rest a bit.. I like about 37% let it air out for a little and then take a few gentile smells to see whats there. Then take a taste and a second taste to get first and second impression.

Were does your tongue feel/ taste things. I like things to sit in the middle of your tongue and then wash down the back a little, but not all the way back. I find diluting really allows things to open up and also allows any overwhelming flavors to be more mute. If you feel things on the tip the tongue normally means heads.

B

I'll pour a sample tomorrow.
Thanks.


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