Home Distiller

Hi, I have been using glass gallon jugs to age and oak my spirits. These are a wonderful size for my purposes. It looks like they might take either a size 15, 16, or 17 widgetco xxxx cork. Not sure. I fet these in cases of four from my homebrew store and the 1/2 gallon use the same size cap.

Anyone have an idea which size widgetco xxxx cork fits best for long term oaking?

Thanks!

-j

Not a direct answer to your question, but another option.
Get some wood and whittle it to round with a knife.
Wrap some teflon tape around it where it will touch glass so you can get a seal and use that instead of a cork.
You can use apple or cherry or oak or whatever wood is available.
Though I don't suggest Brazilian Rosewood.
That shit will FU UP.

If that wood swells and is placed firmly in a jug neck, it's gonna pop it. Not an issue with cork.

measure the inside of the opening. mine measure 1 1/8" which means a 14 or 15 will work.

the xxxx appear to be non laminated that is a good thing.

I have a local guy who just reaches in a bin and pulls out a hand full and says these will work. how many do you need ?

Will these allow the spirit to breathe in the jugs? I age in these jugs as well, and for now have just been loosely capping the lid. That means it can breathe but no pressures pushing the spirit in/out of the wood much

size 14 does work but ends up going pretty deep in neck after multiple removal extraction cycles. Size 15 is a better choice.

I ordered size 15 xxxx Widgetco corks and they fit very nicely. I may also order some of their standard grade corks to perhaps aid in some exposure to air over a mid term time period. Right now I'm keeping the xxxx corls lightly sealed.

I feel much better about this than teflon or simple screw tops.

Thanks for the info!
-j

nerdybrewer wrote:Not a direct answer to your question, but another option.
Get some wood and whittle it to round with a knife.
Wrap some teflon tape around it where it will touch glass so you can get a seal and use that instead of a cork.
You can use apple or cherry or oak or whatever wood is available.
Though I don't suggest Brazilian Rosewood.
That shit will FU UP.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=44034

I found the cork from a champagne bottle works in my gallon jugs.

zach wrote:I found the cork from a champagne bottle works in my gallon jugs.

I'll check that. The ladies in my household love champagne. But I would need to get in before my sister-in-law, she collects champagne corks for a friend.

Geoff

Edit; Our old one imperial gallon jars are about twice as big as the champagne cork. I have six or seven of those but they are obsolete, most people would have none.
But those corks are a nice fit for our standard two litre flagon. They come with a plastic top, with a flat seal like a washer inside, don't know what that is made of.
The cork would provide a little interaction with the air over time and is a good replacement for lost lids.

Thanks. G.

you do want your spirit to breath, gets rid of the burning bite. ill make a stopper with a few scrunched up coffee filters. works great and to "seal" them ill cover it with coffee filters secured around the neck with tape. works great and had no problems

aircarbonarc wrote:you do want your spirit to breath, gets rid of the burning bite. ill make a stopper with a few scrunched up coffee filters. works great and to "seal" them ill cover it with coffee filters secured around the neck with tape. works great and had no problems

You don't lose much alcohol that way?

Geoff

The Baker wrote:

aircarbonarc wrote:you do want your spirit to breath, gets rid of the burning bite. ill make a stopper with a few scrunched up coffee filters. works great and to "seal" them ill cover it with coffee filters secured around the neck with tape. works great and had no problems

You don't lose much alcohol that way?

Geoff

I just loosely put the lid on mine and haven't had any noticeable losses

Antler24 wrote:

The Baker wrote:

aircarbonarc wrote:you do want your spirit to breath, gets rid of the burning bite. ill make a stopper with a few scrunched up coffee filters. works great and to "seal" them ill cover it with coffee filters secured around the neck with tape. works great and had no problems

You don't lose much alcohol that way?

Geoff

I just loosely put the lid on mine and haven't had any noticeable losses

same here, i did this with a 5gal carboy and didn't loose really any. a little evaporation isnt always a bad thing