Damned angels!

[NormandieStill]

So following a suggestion here (I don't recall whom), I tried ageing some stuff in my usual swing-top jars, but swapping out the PTFE-wrapped rubber rings for some layers of coffee filter. In all, each jar got two filters, meaning four layers of filter paper, then the glass lid was closed as normal, and the mechanical clip engaged. Admittedly, this took no effort at all meaning that there's not much sealing going on. In this way I put down a little under 3 litres of HBB back in march. I drew a line on the jar to show the fill level and then left them in the cupboard near the bedroom.

Some 8 months later, my proof has gone from 61% to 45%. I'll admit that what's left is very smooth, but not very complex (which you'd expect after only 8 months on charred oak). I had planned to experiment with slow proofing one of the jars, but seeing as it's already the strength that I would normally bottle, I'm not adding any water!

Conclusion. While this might work as a technique, it needs enough layers of paper that you have to compact it and perhaps needs to be stored in an unheated or ideally buried shed, rather than on a shelf in the house.

[Yummyrum]

Well that sux Normandie…..no Angel joke intended

Curious , whats your humidity like on average ?

[6 Row Joe]

Badmobarrels and never look back.

[Rusty Ole Bucket]

Oh no, that stinks! I had thought about trying some of my panela rum that way, but I think I'm gonna pass.

Thanks for posting it up, that's one of the things I love about HD. We all post successes and things that don't work so well, it makes the learning curve so much shallower.



Rusty

[Deplorable]

Badmobarrels and never look back.

Joe, how long have you let your spirits go in the Badmo Barrels so far?
Are you emptying them and reusing, or just taking the occasional dram here and there while they continually age?

[NormandieStill]

Well that sux Normandie…..no Angel joke intended

Curious , whats your humidity like on average ?

According to the thermometer we're currently at 60%. Without pulling the historical data for the last 8 months I think it fluctuates between 60 and 70%.

[6 Row Joe]

Badmobarrels and never look back.

Joe, how long have you let your spirits go in the Badmo Barrels so far?
Are you emptying them and reusing, or just taking the occasional dram here and there while they continually age?

A couple of barrels have been filled for a little over a year. I do some sampling from time to time and have bottled one when I thought it was just right. I filled it back up again. You should be able to reuse 3 or 4 times. Each time taking a little longer to mature. After that many uses, Badmo could pop a new head on the barrel. You may be able to do that yourself.

[Deplorable]

A couple of barrels have been filled for a little over a year. I do some sampling from time to time and have bottled one when I thought it was just right. I filled it back up again. You should be able to reuse 3 or 4 times. Each time taking a little longer to mature. After that many uses, Badmo could pop a new head on the barrel. You may be able to do that yourself.

My oldest one (#238) is coming up on 3 years old. I've been impressed with the limited angels share from that barrel after 34 months judging by current weight vs. its starting weight. I'm really happy with how the spirit is progressing, so I don't plan on bottling from it. Just enjoy it a dram at a time until its empty, then I'll to add a 1.5" TC Ferrule so I can put it into a solera rotation without disturbing the bung. The other 4 were all filled in the last 15 months or so.

[6 Row Joe]

A couple of barrels have been filled for a little over a year. I do some sampling from time to time and have bottled one when I thought it was just right. I filled it back up again. You should be able to reuse 3 or 4 times. Each time taking a little longer to mature. After that many uses, Badmo could pop a new head on the barrel. You may be able to do that yourself.

My oldest one (#238) is coming up on 3 years old. I've been impressed with the limited angels share from that barrel after 34 months judging by current weight vs. its starting weight. I'm really happy with how the spirit is progressing, so I don't plan on bottling from it. Just enjoy it a dram at a time until its empty, then I'll to add a 1.5" TC Ferrule so I can put it into a solera rotation without disturbing the bung. The other 4 were all filled in the last 15 months or so.

Wow! You have it going on! Enjoy what you make.

[JustinNZ]

Don’t be put off coffee filters on those glass and wire top jars cos they normally work pretty well. I’m just writing this for people who’ve not tried them. I just did an abv test on a bunch of them recently and a typical loss to the angels was a bit less than 5% (as in 60% to 55%) in a year or so, with some much less and a couple a bit worse. I guess that’s a lot over 4 years, but if the lids are nice and tight the losses are minimal and possibly helpful. I do single filters mostly.

[NormandieStill]

Don’t be put off coffee filters on those glass and wire top jars cos they normally work pretty well. I’m just writing this for people who’ve not tried them. I just did an abv test on a bunch of them recently and a typical loss to the angels was a bit less than 5% (as in 60% to 55%) in a year or so, with some much less and a couple a bit worse. I guess that’s a lot over 4 years, but if the lids are nice and tight the losses are minimal and possibly helpful. I do single filters mostly.

Wow. You must have thicker filters than me or tighter fitting lids. Mine take some force on the lever when there's a rubber gasket on (about 3mm thick at most) but I feel that the mechanism is just latching with no force when I use filters. Do you use whole filters or do you cut out the center so it's more like a gasket?

[JustinNZ]

Normandie, they’re pretty tight even with just filters. I try and slide the lid horizontally once secure and most don’t want to move.

I just place a whole large filter across the top as-is. If I only have small ones I over-lap them.

I store them at a pretty consistent 18deg though, which might be a factor.

The brand I use is FAGGS, which is a thick supermarket one. Seems to be quite fine though. Takes an age to filter product through for bottling.