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Ive aged for 6 months now a sf on med toasted oak, this last weekend my son and I opened the gallon and had a few shots and we both said we like it better white! It's not bad just not as good as I hoped. That being said, is there any benefit from resting a white spirit like sf? After 2 weeks rest the sf we make is great to us but... will it be better left 6 months white at 125 proof?

Shine0n wrote:Ive aged for 6 months now a sf on med toasted oak, this last weekend my son and I opened the gallon and had a few shots and we both said we like it better white! It's not bad just not as good as I hoped. That being said, is there any benefit from resting a white spirit like sf? After 2 weeks rest the sf we make is great to us but... will it be better left 6 months white at 125 proof?

Absolutely. But also probably still not what you were expecting.

Whether you just age it, or oak it and age it, it will change. I can almost guess what it is that you are missing from fresh white is that sweetness. That corn flavor. Unfortunately, that goes regardless. But it leaves a smooth refined spirit.

I know that I sure as hell thought i would never oak again. But do yourself a favor. Proof it to drinking, and let it sit in a decanter for 2 weeks. It will change yet again and become very smooth.

Next time leave a bottle white to compare.

If it was the sweetness that you are missing, then fear not. There is a solution. Grain flavor, particularly barley, is the opposite. When you first distill it, it is very earthy and rough and dry. But when it comes out of the attic in 6 months, omg, that earth becomes sweet. You always have all grain to look forward to.

+1 ShineonCrazyDiamond. That likker is constantly undergoing changes in its chemical profile the longer it sits. Oak or not...

The grains are so far in my experience just as ShineonCrazyDiamond has mentioned (well i can only say 3 months because I haven't gotten to 6 months yet ). My best white so far was a UJ. I have had it sitting clear on the shelf for about 6 months and have been drinking it for the near entire time (like 5 minutes ago). That sweetness continues to get more noticeable... and it is fantastic!

Shine0n wrote:That being said, is there any benefit from resting a white spirit like sf?

Certainly. As SCD just said, even sitting on glass makes a difference. The first I noticed this was a neutral I made with sugar and rice. It came out a bit hot and not as smooth as most of my neutrals so I just sat it on the back of the shelf and figured I would re-run it with something when I got to it. Months went by and stock got low so I tried some of it out again in despiration. Glad I did as it mellowed dramatically and was very good. While I still prefer to oak my sweet feed, I keep some white and see a difference from it just sitting. In my opinion it takes longer to mellow than being on oak though.

https://vimeo.com/39184670" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Great video... a fairly long section of it on ageing of clear liquor...

Hope you enjoy... I have watched it numerous times now

happy stillin,

FS

This is always a hard one for me. Most of you that have my sweet feed have always had some that was 2 months old at best. I've had a hard time putting some aside, but at six months it really is something! I have two bottles that are going for a year!

SCD,

i love that raw grainy off the still whiskey. but you are right, after some time on oak it mellows out into more of a smooth drink.

im doing 1.5 runs with a thumper , now with my whiskey to see if that raw grain flavor will hang on after some time again. kinda best of both worlds kinda thing. the white dog taste just right with my cuts . now its time to get some oak in it

i have some slivovitz that was amazing fresh. going on 2 years now in white, it is sadly lacking now.

some 2 yr old UJ that was oaked 6 months. when it came off the oak it was nice. on glass for the last 19 months it now tastes like fresh hot sugarhead again, with very little oak.
(i have noticed oak fades when on glass with most of my goodies)

some white rum has not changed noticably in almost 2 years.

i must like oak, corn likker outta a barrel wit some char settling in the bottom of my cup seems to be my favorite.

don't have neutral, going to make my first in a few weeks.

I've had some of my stuff make huge swings from one month to the other, white or oaked. I've had some I hated sit in a cabinet for a year then I liked it but a couple months later I hated it then a month later liked it. Regardless of what some people might say, alcohol ages in glass or on wood, it develops and oxidizes and constantly changes over time, usually for the better, occasionally not but when it is for the worse give it a little more time, it will change again..

FullySilenced wrote:https://vimeo.com/39184670

Great video... a fairly long section of it on ageing of clear liquor...

Hope you enjoy... I have watched it numerous times now

happy stillin,

FS

Thanks for postintg. Enjoyed watching it.

Thanks for all the replies!!!! I've always enjoyed white likker. Although 2 gallons of rum is on oak now for 2 months or so I'm still liking the white better and the 2nd run of it is even better. I've managed to keep my beaters out of the oaked, I can't seem to stay away from the white.
I oaked 1 quart of plum brandy
Strawberry brandy is white,, still very little flavor but the smell is there. Probably 4-5 months now
The peach brandy will stay white! In such a short time it has changed alot with the smell and the flavors are coming around.
Should it be 125 or cut to drinking strength for the sf?