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So I am slowly starting to venture into better things after years of very basic 48hr yeast alcohol.

I am putting down one on the tried and true recipes, probably the all bran recipe it looks like it would be a good base. After that I really want to age it with chips.

I am however finding it hard and expensive to find American oak in Australia. Any suggestions? I wasn't able to find a thread on it already.

We do enjoy the standard drinks aka Jim beam, JD.

Got mine from ebay.

Prolly be more help if ya narrowed it down to about where you are or at least which state. No point me telling you you can get a sack of off cuts from Stubbs cooperage in Williamstown SA for $15 if you are in fn qld

Roll Out The Barrel cooperage in Brisbane sell off cuts at a reasonable price and will post if required. You will find them easily if you google the name. Doing it this way means you have to learn a bit about toasting and or charring Oak Sticks.
Still Dragon Au sell a variety of American oak and French Oak dominoes in different toasts and chars if you want to go that route.
Dont be tempted to buy the Chips n such that you see in Home brew shops, they will give inferior results 9 times out of ten.

+1 Salty
I got some American Oak off cuts from ROTB
Most are quite large ... easily able to split into domino sizes that will fit in a demi
But personnally I don't get the point of flavouring up nuetral with Oak

Good for a molasses based Rum though

Yeah ROTB sell shavings too .... don't

If you don't mind paying postage it not a supa cheap option but A P Johns sell a range of products that suit ageing. One I believe is called vat planks or vat inserts, they are inserts to give flavour in otherwise spent vats. This is range of oaks and a range of toasts and chars. I think they are about 15x70 mm that can be easily ripped down to 15x15. One toast is called dark toast or chocolate toast and has been toasted so as to caramelize the oak sugars. They are fantastic for fast ageing and smoothing out say a sugar head mash. Like I said doing ya own is way cheaper but I've never come close to replicating these and am for sure going to try them again. That said I think they don't suit every drink, loved then in rum and whiskey but in plum brandy they tasted weird.

StillDragon

thecroweater wrote:If you don't mind paying postage it not a supa cheap option but A P Johns sell a range of products that suit ageing. One I believe is called vat planks or vat inserts, they are inserts to give flavour in otherwise spent vats. This is range of oaks and a range of toasts and chars. I think they are about 15x70 mm that can be easily ripped down to 15x15. One toast is called dark toast or chocolate toast and has been toasted so as to caramelize the oak sugars.

They are another very good option Crow, But I'm not sure that they sell to the general public in small quantities.

kimbodious wrote:StillDragon

Here:
http://www.stilldragon.com.au/american- ... ium-toast/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Check with Bundy Kegs

kimbodious wrote:Check with Bundy Kegs

I wouldnt buy a keg from him ..they are twice the price of ROTB Barrels, I suspect his off cuts a similarly priced.

Yummyrum wrote:+1 Salty
I got some American Oak off cuts from ROTB
Most are quite large ... easily able to split into domino sizes that will fit in a demi
But personnally I don't get the point of flavouring up nuetral with Oak

Good for a molasses based Rum though

Yeah ROTB sell shavings too .... don't

Yeah i am looking into options on how to convert the old reflux still into a pot still now.

Thanks for the replies, StillDragon looks the go.

I brought some from the local home brew shop once.

Toby91 wrote:Thanks for the replies, StillDragon looks the go.

If you do go down that path I would suggest buying a little American Oak and some French Oak....both Medium Toast as a good starting point. They both give great but different results.

Saltbush Bill wrote:

thecroweater wrote:If you don't mind paying postage it not a supa cheap option but A P Johns sell a range of products that suit ageing. One I believe is called vat planks or vat inserts, they are inserts to give flavour in otherwise spent vats. This is range of oaks and a range of toasts and chars. I think they are about 15x70 mm that can be easily ripped down to 15x15. One toast is called dark toast or chocolate toast and has been toasted so as to caramelize the oak sugars.

They are another very good option Crow, But I'm not sure that they sell to the general public in small quantities.

Not sure, EG got some with another snoozer so I'm guessing the minimum buy isn't to large , would have to contact them to ask I guess.

Ive used the AP Johns stuff as well Crow, its good stuff....not saying you cant get it....its probably just harder to organize.