Neutral in Oak Barrel from T500

[Roger]

Hi All,

Apologies if this has been covered already, but have been reading these posts and am getting a few different viewpoints!!

I am producing a decent neutral with TPW and have just bought a batch of EC1118 to try and get the quality as good as this equipment (standard Still Spirits T500) will get! I am looking at a 50 litre barrel (maybe order one from ROTB with light charring) for my neutral and put it in at 60-65% ABV as seems to be the consensus for the best results. My question is whether I will get something reasonably drinkable or should I just keep going with essences to make an acceptable drink? I understand my poor old T500 is probably producing the best I can expect at the moment with my TPW, but was hoping I could up the standard/quality as best as I could before I decide to spend the funds to upgrade my equipment?

Thanks in anticipation!!

[Zak Griffin]

Using an ROTB barrel for TPW would be a waste of perfectly good neutral, and a perfectly good barrel...

[Muppet]

Macrum can be run through that still with good results. Other than that your neutral is good for strawberry G, Limonchello, Espresso Vodka, etc etc. Flavored spirits are generally oaked.
Building a simple pot still head for your boiler is pretty cheap and will allow you to do low wines runs, also experiment with good flavored washes. A power controller would be needed for doing spirit runs tho. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Muppet]

Macrum can be run through that still with good results. Other than that your neutral is good for strawberry G, Limonchello, Espresso Vodka, etc etc. Flavored spirits are generally oaked.
Building a simple pot still head for your boiler is pretty cheap and will allow you to do low wines runs, also experiment with good flavored washes. A power controller would be needed for doing spirit runs tho. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Ok Ill add more to this, Above is the test your toes in the water cheap option to delve further in the hobby.
A 4 plated bubbler is a better option if your serious, Ive never looked back since I went to one. Many others would agree. :dance:

[Marbled]

Hi All,

Apologies if this has been covered already, but have been reading these posts and am getting a few different viewpoints!!

I am producing a decent neutral with TPW and have just bought a batch of EC1118 to try and get the quality as good as this equipment (standard Still Spirits T500) will get! I am looking at a 50 litre barrel (maybe order one from ROTB with light charring) for my neutral and put it in at 60-65% ABV as seems to be the consensus for the best results. My question is whether I will get something reasonably drinkable or should I just keep going with essences to make an acceptable drink? I understand my poor old T500 is probably producing the best I can expect at the moment with my TPW, but was hoping I could up the standard/quality as best as I could before I decide to spend the funds to upgrade my equipment?

Thanks in anticipation!!

In my (limited ) experience, a decent TPW, and................................................. http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=6879

[Roger]

Thanks for the replies. One certainly wouldn't want to waste any neutral or barrel!! I was hoping someone has had experience and tried it and came up with something reasonable - or better than neutral + essences.

Interesting reading some experiences in older posts about chips or dominoes being a better option than barrels. But to my mind, if that is the case, why wouldn't an oak barrel work? I suppose I like the thought of filling a decent barrel and having it tucked away for a year or two. I have put some chips in a neutral (removed the chips after 3 months) but it does taste a bit woody. I will leave it another few weeks then if it still tastes like that might add some more neutral to tone it down or add some essence.

Again, appreciate the responses. Trying to keep my T500 interest going until I can save the pennies for a plated bubbler....

[huggy_b]

You generally barrel brown spirits (rum, whisky, borbon etc) and not a neutral product like vodka - there is simply too little flavour in the wash and final product. Oak is magic stuff, its just not a miracle worker - I suspect it will taste like woody vodka?

If you want something to barrel, I'd try small batches of wash recipes here - macrum, cornflake whisky, corn moonshine etc and see what takes your fancy before committing to 20L of it. Thats 14L of 93% hearts give or take. In a T500 (first still I started with), that'll take you a fair while.......