Oak char and heartburn

[Down_Home52]

This might not fit in this category but wanted to ask the question. I had several quarts of very conservative cut liquor that started out as pure corn sugar wash and was twice distilled. I proofed the white liquor to 110 and it was a little hot but mixed with Coke made a decent drink. I oaked some at 135-140 proof with charred white oak sticks. Proofed that out to 110. The oaked liquor, without fail, gives me serious heartburn after consuming. Anyone else experienced this?

[BoisBlancBoy]

I have not experienced it. Maybe the tannins in the wood are doing it to you. Is it happening when you drink it straight or mixed? I know any mixed drink will give me heartburn cause of the sugars in the pop.

Maybe give it a try diluted down to 80? Just a thought.

[bitter]

What are your tails cuts like. Too much tails can give you heatburn depending on amount. I know you said conservative cuts but were they more skews towards the tails?

My bet is the tannins.. Over time either of there issue will lessen as aging occurs.

B

[Down_Home52]

Mixed with Coke. Had the same issue with a sweet feed whiskey. Drink it white and I am OK. Put the oak in it and it burns me up. Straight or mixed. Love the taste. Aging and maybe charcoal filtering? bitter my cuts were quarts 2-3-4-5-6 as hearts with quart 6 being at 100 proof and 2 being 160. This is out of 10-11 gallons in the boiler and it is second distillation. I have been running down to 90 proof usually, throw the first 400-450-ml in the fire started jug, put first quart and anything below 90 proof in the feints carboy. SPending money to get an electric boiler going for some AG runs indoors and didn't want to continue if I have to give everything away!!!

[BoisBlancBoy]

I wouldn't bother filtering it. Your would be stripping the natural and aged flavors from it. If it is indeed the aging that is bothering you then I just wouldn't age anymore.

How long has it been aged for?

[Down_Home52]

I used charred white oak and aged it 1 week in the sun 3 days in the freezer for 3-4 cycles. That imparted the color and taste I was looking for. I hate to give up the oak taste. Guess I will need to make enough to put some back after oaking to try and mellow out a bit.

[T-Pee]

I used charred white oak and aged it 1 week in the sun 3 days in the freezer for 3-4 cycles.

Not to be picky but that's not aging...it's flavoring and coloring.

tp

[Down_Home52]

Yep. I think I noted it was colored and flavored to my liking. Will aging calm it down and if so will it age in bulk in a glass carboy? How long?

[BoisBlancBoy]

I wouldn't AGE anything for less than six months. But my personal rule is let it sit a year. Any shorter in my opinion and your not getting the full effect.

Sweet feed out of the still I think is trash, six months aged it has a great flavor, 1 year at it is so smooth it's like candy.

With that said, no idea if it will help your heartburn issue.

[Down_Home52]

Hey, I am just happy to get the replies and suggestions. Thank you. This hobby is a marathon not a sprint. Aging in bulk after oak strips are removed? In glass? I was just getting started well when the weather got cold and I am not equipped yet to run indoors so I am working with the spirits I have left. Working on a smaller electric set up for spirit runs.

[BoisBlancBoy]

You can use oak strips to age any amount of your spirit. But once you remove the strips the aging process stops for the most part. The char on the oak helps mellow and flavor over time. It's not an exact science by any means, time is your friend. If aging in glass just open it up from time to time and give it a good shake to aerate.

[T-Pee]

You can use oak strips to age any amount of your spirit. But once you remove the strips the aging process stops for the most part.

So if I take my pants off I stop aging?
Yes, I'm being a smartass but you might get my point. Booze never stops aging.

tp

[Down_Home52]

I think T-Pee is saying he might have a little(!) wood in his life!! I might need to adjust the exposure to the wood if I am leaving it longer. I had essentially doubled the surface area of a 55 gallon barrel that a quart jar of spirit would see in order to speed up the coloring and flavor.

[cranky]

Lots of things happen during aging, even if aging white. There is a difference between aging and oaking although it is commonly not well understood. The alcohol is constantly changing and taking it off wood doesn't stop that it just stops the way the wood reacts with the spirit. When you use wood you are first extracting tannins and such from the wood, other things in the wood take longer to come out, then the mellowing and interactions of those things starts. Trying to force it to do something by just adding more oak doesn't work, it just makes oak tea, there really is no substitute for time and as GaFlatwoods says, the hardest thing to put in a bottle is patience. I think if you give it time to actually age and the right amount of oak for the likker you probably won't have the problem any more.

Another thing that comes to mind is, I don't think you mentioned specifics about the wood other than "charred whit oak sticks". Were they air dried or kiln dried? How long were they dried /cured for? Toasted, then charred or just charred? Rinsed or soaked after charring? All of these things can be factors.

[Down_Home52]

Thanks cranky. Patience is not one of my strong suits!! The sticks were 5" long, 1/2" x 1/2" wide toasted and charred. The ends were also charred. I can't answer the other questions but will find the brochure that came with them. They are commercially distributed by a company in Virginia. I bought some raw sticks from him and I am toasting them myself paying attention to the methods found on this site to reduce the tannins and maximize vanillins. Was thinking about charring the length but leaving the end grain uncharred. I am just getting started so was naturally rushing to discover what my product was doing.

PS The sticks were Corbett's kiln dried and charred white oak sticks.

[cranky]

I am just getting started so was naturally rushing to discover what my product was doing

I think everybody goes through that before they build up a good stock but time will really make a difference. I personally think air drying is much better than kiln dried. I actually prefer out in the weather exposed to the elements for more than 2 years so some of the less desirable qualities get leeched out. However, I think if you give it some time you will probably find it improves greatly after 3 months and only gets better from there.

[Down_Home52]

I am just getting started so was naturally rushing to discover what my product was doing

I think everybody goes through that before they build up a good stock but time will really make a difference. I personally think air drying is much better than kiln dried. I actually prefer out in the weather exposed to the elements for more than 2 years so some of the less desirable qualities get leeched out. However, I think if you give it some time you will probably find it improves greatly after 3 months and only gets better from there.

Yes sir. I was impressed with my first run of pure corn sugar wash product straight. My sweet feed was good until I got to 4th generation. I either got some moldy feed or my wash was too old. I got a funky taste in both the first and second distillation. Really want to try an AG as the pure corn is just a little too sweet for me. That is what I am working toward anyway and hope to have my new electric kettle ready shortly.