Beginner's Aging Experiments 4 weeks out

by **cps1** » Thu May 02, 2013 1:33 pm

With my 5th generation of McRum bubbling away I thought I'd share the results of a few experiments conducted along the way.

The plan is to do a spirit run in a week or so's time but I wasn't sure how to age the product. There's plenty of useful advice on this forum but there's nothing like seeing things before your own eyes.

With each generation I have stolen 300ml of product taken in the middle of the run... Copper 35 litre riveted pot still with both 1380 and 2000w elements running. About an hour to produce 5 litres of 40% abv spirit. Max abv 65%.

Each sample is 60 - 65% abv.

To the first I toasted (in the oven) a stick cut from a slab of of oak burl that was lying around. That's the first bottle on the left in the photo and was bottled on the 30th March
The second bottle has a stick on uncharred oak burl 6th April
The third bottle has a stick of uncharred Australian cedar 6th April
The fourth bottle has a stick of uncharred English Oak 16th April
The fifth bottle has a larger stick of charred (with the gas blowtorch) oak burl 25th April

The first bottle coloured up within a few hours and gradually became darker and darker until I took the stick out after 3 weeks. After about 10 days there were vanilla aromas then caramel about a week later. Just before removing the stick there were some definite raisins coming through. It lost it's winey smell after two weeks. A few sips along the way were promising. It smelt so good last weekend that I poured a glass and it's very drinkable. Lined up next to Bundy OP I'd choose mine. Lined up next to Inner Circle Black I'd still go for the Black but that's being unfair.

I'm just sorry I didn't steal more.

The next three bottles still have a winey smell and the colour is self explanatory.

The final bottle is only a week old but it's colouring up nicely. I had added 3 raisins to it as they were missing from the first bottle when I bottled the big one. When I sampled the first bottle a few days later there were raisins developing so I removed them from the big bottle. I stole 700ml because I realised that the remains of the first bottle aren't going to last long.

I collected 3kg of French Oak Chips from Baldoss today (THANK YOU VERY MUCH) and the aroma from them in the kitchen is amazing.

So I am hoping to get about 10 litres of product from the final spirit run (Is that being optimistic?) which I will place in two 5 litre demijohns. One with the French Oak Dominoes and one with a similar number of toasted Oak Burl dominoes

I'll report back on the results

by **BackyardBrewer** » Thu May 02, 2013 1:36 pm

Good experiment, good photo. :text-+1:

by **Dominator** » Thu May 02, 2013 4:08 pm

Good stuff. I eagerly await the outcomes of the oaking. I will hopefully have a still in the next few weeks and am looking forward to getting some MacStill rum bubbling away.

PS That copper boiler and still is a work of art mate! :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **Dusty_ben** » Tue Nov 19, 2013 11:05 pm

How did the oaking go mate. Starting a rum run very soon. Cheers ben

by **cps1** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:17 am

I've got two demijohns of McRum with about 4l of 65% product in each that have been aging for 6 months now, one with toasted french oak dominoes, the other with toasted oak burl.

Both are similar deep brown colour... just like the real thing and the flavours are very similar. Taste is not bad but not great yet. Nothing great like that first sample in the tonic bottle that tastes wonderful.

I just finished a batch of UJSSM and it's sitting in two demijohns as well. The one with the charred oak burl went very dark overnight, you could see the tannin colour leeching out of the oak "fingers" It smells magic after only one week.

The one with the french oak is MUCH paler and doesn't smell nearly as good.

I'll try and post some photos tomorrow

by **cps1** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:29 am

A related question...

I reckon I can detect a faint whiff of rubber when I lift the lids of the demijohns

It can only be the "rubber " gasket supplied with the swing top lids

What is everyone else using as a gasket or are you letting it breath without one?

by **Sam.** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 6:38 am

I use a cork pushed in the top and have pissed off all my swing tops :handgestures-thumbupleft:

You have to remember you still have high strength vapor contacting that rubber. You could try swapping the rubber part for Teflon tape.

by **greenguy** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 8:47 am

i just use paper towels folded over then a rubber band so it can breath all day long

by **unsub** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:06 pm

I wrap plumbers tape around the rubber seal in demi's and have also made new ones from silicone baking sheets that seem to work ok.

by **crow** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 1:17 pm

yes I must get some silicon sheet and replace some of mine, where's the best place to get this stuff?

by **cps1** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 2:52 pm

The silicon baking sheets sound a good idea.

I wonder how seals punched from cork sheet would go?

by **tipsy** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 3:30 pm

greenguy wrote:i just use paper towels folded over then a rubber band so it can breath all day long

:text-+1: I've been amazed how little I've lost to the angels after 3 months. Haven't had any real warm weather though.

by **hayden** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 4:25 pm

crow wrote:yes I must get some silicon sheet and replace some of mine, where's the best place to get this stuff?

Hi mate I have used this seller on Ebay and she is reliable and quick on delivery. She has a very nice 6 litre drink dispenser in glass too.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/150885036218 ... 1497.l2649

by **Linno** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 9:41 pm

cps1 wrote:A related question...

I reckon I can detect a faint whiff of rubber when I lift the lids of the demijohns

It can only be the "rubber " gasket supplied with the swing top lids

What is everyone else using as a gasket or are you letting it breath without one?

G'day mate

I just take the rubber seal off my Demi's for the same reason. It makes a seal but not air or water tight but allows it to breathe/air which I think is a good thing. The seals go on and off as you need. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

by **cps1** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 4:11 pm

The photo shows some 5 gen Macstill rum at 6 months and 5 gen UJSSM at 1 week

Both at 65%

On the left is rum with charred french oak dominoes cut in half (to fit in the demijohn)
Second is rum with charred Oak burl sticks

Colour is identical, nose is similar with the oak burl winning, the french oak tastes good with some smoke, caramel and vanilla. the oak burl is a little bland

Third is UJSSM with Charred french oak dominoes
Fourth is UJSSM with charred oak burl sticks

Colour is very different, the colour from the oak burl could be seen leeching out immediately. The oak burl smells marvelous, the french oak is a bit winey and bland. both are a bit bland on taste at this stage

I have removed the rubber gaskets

Thanks for the comments and advice