The Largest Online Resource for Distillers
https://homedistiller.org/forum/
All good and valuable points, Corene. I recently made a mistake when I added a fresh (out of the pack) oak spiral to a kegged Porter beer I made to simulate barrel aging. The end result (harsh and sharp) was not appealing for all the reasons you know about already. Hence, I learned to get (or make) some low end bourbon and make a "sacrificial" tincture to toss leaving me with a nice aged oak spiral to infuse with.corene1 wrote:I am sure there will be others to chime in . Personally I have always let green fresh cut wood dry out side and age for a couple of years before using it. I also cut my rounds 5 inches long so my sticks don't expose as much of the end grain and use the center cut of the round and not the outer sections. The wood seems more dense and has a better flavor when used. Once I decide to use the oak I will toast it at 350 degrees for a couple of hours and then put a medium to deep char on it, then soak it in water for a day or so before putting it in the spirit. I also have a couple of big gallon jars one filled with white whisky and one filled with Sherry and have wood soaking in then to use for my Scotch and Irish whisky recipes.
That's a deep char. Does ash slough off in your product? Or do you soak it like Corene before infusing?dieselduo wrote:.i usually put an alligator char on mine with a torch
Morrey wrote:All good and valuable points, Corene. I recently made a mistake when I added a fresh (out of the pack) oak spiral to a kegged Porter beer I made to simulate barrel aging. The end result (harsh and sharp) was not appealing for all the reasons you know about already. Hence, I learned to get (or make) some low end bourbon and make a "sacrificial" tincture to toss leaving me with a nice aged oak spiral to infuse with.corene1 wrote:I am sure there will be others to chime in . Personally I have always let green fresh cut wood dry out side and age for a couple of years before using it. I also cut my rounds 5 inches long so my sticks don't expose as much of the end grain and use the center cut of the round and not the outer sections. The wood seems more dense and has a better flavor when used. Once I decide to use the oak I will toast it at 350 degrees for a couple of hours and then put a medium to deep char on it, then soak it in water for a day or so before putting it in the spirit. I also have a couple of big gallon jars one filled with white whisky and one filled with Sherry and have wood soaking in then to use for my Scotch and Irish whisky recipes.
I have plenty of white oak left to make sticks as you make a good case that cubes will have lots of end cuts. I am learning the pros and cons here. Aging another prime point. I think I will make some sticks and allow them to age as the increased surface area will accelerate aging.
Toasting at 350F is understood, how do you char? I have taken a propane torch and scorched the wood til it blackens but short of catching on fire. Is this your metho
Many thanks!
corene1 wrote:I do it about the same way and for the sane reasons .Morrey wrote:All good and valuable points, Corene. I recently made a mistake when I added a fresh (out of the pack) oak spiral to a kegged Porter beer I made to simulate barrel aging. The end result (harsh and sharp) was not appealing for all the reasons you know about already. Hence, I learned to get (or make) some low end bourbon and make a "sacrificial" tincture to toss leaving me with a nice aged oak spiral to infuse with.corene1 wrote:I am sure there will be others to chime in . Personally I have always let green fresh cut wood dry out side and age for a couple of years before using it. I also cut my rounds 5 inches long so my sticks don't expose as much of the end grain and use the center cut of the round and not the outer sections. The wood seems more dense and has a better flavor when used. Once I decide to use the oak I will toast it at 350 degrees for a couple of hours and then put a medium to deep char on it, then soak it in water for a day or so before putting it in the spirit. I also have a couple of big gallon jars one filled with white whisky and one filled with Sherry and have wood soaking in then to use for my Scotch and Irish whisky recipes.
I have plenty of white oak left to make sticks as you make a good case that cubes will have lots of end cuts. I am learning the pros and cons here. Aging another prime point. I think I will make some sticks and allow them to age as the increased surface area will accelerate aging.
Toasting at 350F is understood, how do you char? I have taken a propane torch and scorched the wood til it blackens but short of catching on fire. Is this your metho
Many thanks!
I bought a half barrel planter a few years back at Lowe's . Cleaned it up and baked some sticks and then charred about half of them .
Like Corene says ; they just flash char barrels . Baking and recharing that wood will give it new life .
I wrap my sticks in foil and seal them then bake at 350 or until the wood is a light brown. The time will change depending on the amount of wood being toasted. When I char I use a propane torch and go very slowly . I have a stainless grill I set them on and start with the heat about 12 inches away constantly moving and increase the char slowly and it is not a thick char either. I don't like to just blaze the wood and let it burn and put it out as that tends to just fall off when soaked. I have found that if I work it up to a char slowly it seems to char a bit deeper without losing as much of the sticks surface . Try one each way and then cut it in half and look at the cross section. a really hot and fast char will mostly fall off while the slow char will penetrate the stick a little deeper without as much loss to the surface. My thought is that a barrel is flash charred because it has so much more area and the wood is only charred on one side so there is not as much loss of wood to charring. My sticks are charred all the way around so I don't think a heavy char is necessary. Just my thoughts though.