aging in barrels

[dogbreath vodka]

I've been playing around with distilling and flavouring for a couple or three years now.
Having read this thread - it occurred to me that if I had read it at the beginning it would mean nothing much.
I just wouldn't have understood.

My point is simple.
Even though many of the threads are repeated we are all at different levels of understanding and trying this and that.
We need such threads repeated or pinned so us neewbs can get edumarcated.

Cheers and thanks to all that posted. :handgestures-thumbupleft: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

DBV

[Konzo]

catcher,

there lies the problem and if we could get em they would most likely be hogsheads - 300lt or the 225lt barque??? one...near useless for hobby level.... don't despair however cost you've access to plenty of used timber strips from bourbon makers....might be a workable solution for you.

bt1

Bugger!

So where would people recommend buying barrels from in OZ then? Even 50-100L new American Oak ones????

[bt1]

catcher,

the barrel type your after is called a topping barrel. They are 65lt and 100lt sized. There's several cooperages that make them and retailers like roll out the barrel.

just for info here's a link to a local who does em..in about 5 different oaks then add in toasts...ain't cheap btw.

http://www.apjohn.com.au/barrels/small-oak-casks

cheers
bt1

[ozybottler]

would it be ok to oak for a while then bottle with cork if kept in right environment it should age just like wine :think:

[Konzo]

Sweet thanks I will keep researching :-)

[crow]

@ ozybottler : no once bottled it will not age further.
@ catcher it is not possible to help you much with your question of appropriate cooperages to approach when you have not indicated a general location or state nor have you introduced yourself in the welcome centre ;-)

[Grandvewe]

Wow RC Barstud! Thankyou so much for taking the time to write all that you have, and thanks to BT1, Crow and everyone else for such a quality thread.

RC can I blatantly rape your mind further for more detail on your aerating philosophy?

What size jar do you use?
Do you leave the lid off or on your jar?
If lid on, do you leave an air gap of fill to the brim and simply let the aerator do its job?
What quantity/weight of wood chips do you use for the quantity of alcohol?
How long do you do this process before your normally happy with the result?
Do you keep your aerator on 24/7 until your happy with the flavour or only periodically?

Thanks again :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[crow]

Given that this thread was started about aging in barrels not the many methods of flavouring in a non porous container I really think it should be in another thread. I have nothing against flavouring what so ever but there is no ullage and it is not aging. The end result will not be the same and for these reasons ticks every box for being of topic

[bt1]

Howdy,

I reckon Pug in original post was looking for a 18 year soln. the container he mentioned a wood barrel, was and is the most common known method.. nothing wrong there but it's not off topic to suggest a soln. to his specific requirement ...the storage and ageing requirement for 18 years. Pug where are u :handgestures-thumbupleft:

There's a few issues here that need addressing but short on time at the mo...be back to this on the weekend. This is a great thread and needs some love and careful thinking as I reckon it will become a sticky if there was an admin about ;-)

bt1

[Sam.]

Howdy,

I reckon Pug in original post was looking for a 18 year soln. the container he mentioned a wood barrel, was and is the most common known method.. nothing wrong there but it's not off topic to suggest a soln. to his specific requirement ...the storage and ageing requirement for 18 years. Pug where are u :handgestures-thumbupleft:

There's a few issues here that need addressing but short on time at the mo...be back to this on the weekend. This is a great thread and needs some love and careful thinking as I reckon it will become a sticky if there was an admin about ;-)

bt1

I would say this is all in development right now. I don't see it reaching a tried and proven until most here are almost dead :handgestures-thumbupleft: :laughing-rolling:

[MacStill]

Howdy, I reckon it will become a sticky if there was an admin about ;-)

bt1

Yeah dunno where you'd find one of them :roll:

[Konzo]

Here is some interesting info on barrel aging.

http://oakagingbarrels.com/small-barrels?mobile=1

IE if it takes 1 year to age whiskey in a 200 litre barrel, it will take 173 days in a 20 litre barrel.
Do the maths.

scarecrow

So am I understanding this right? That if I wanted to age a whisky for say 7 years but in a 20L barrel it would be 7 x 173 days which would equate to 3.3 years?

Also what is the recommended time for aging Whisky and other spirits? Mins and max?