Stupid Aging Question

[thedarkmesh]

So I got a mix of Rum and CFW sitting on 14g per 1L.
Every week I give them a shake and a sniff to see if I like the smell. So far I've watered down 1L rum and 1L CFW because it had a good smell. For some reason I never like the taste of straight booz nor can I tell if it is good, more like the flavor that coke brings out. Hell even when I make cuts I use smell alone (and drag my partner to the shed to help smell/taste) when doing cuts.

I noticed a lot of the bottles still don't have the smell I like (1 of the CFW might have been over-oaked), I was planning on removing the oak and just letting them age in glass.

So do they need oak to age? or just plain old time?
Will the flavor mature as time goes on without oak?

If I was going to leave them long-term would it be best to leave like 1/2gram per 1L in? or just naked no oak?

[Atreu]

Hi Mesh,

I sort of had the same issue, and first thing I looked at was the oaking I was doing, but really, after speaking to Mac, I realised it needs a minimum of 3 months on oak @ 10 to 15g/l - those ratios just won't over oak in that timeframe.

The next thing I noticed, was after I watered it down to drinking strength and bottled it, if I let it sit in the bottle for a week or 2, it seems to "settle" into itself, and tastes much nicer. Not sure why, but it really is noticable to my mates and I.

And as I understand it, (I may not be right here, but I think I am) ageing only happens when its on oak, and as such, the flavour will stop developing once you take it off the wood. It may mellow, but not age.

Also, take a look at the air stone for ageing thread that's on here somewhere... I'm waiting for mine to arrive at the moment, so I can't give personal feedback, but by all accounts, it seems like a logical progression.

Hope this helps.

[bluc]

I think aging need a combo of the tannins etc from the oak as well as some contact with air. Thats why peopld say to air the bottles from time to time while aging. Air stone and an o2 tank could be interesting...

[bluc]

Heres a link with some good reading http://homedistiller.org/aging/aging/wood

[bluc]

I am interested in this bit
"Oaking - Several different flavors can come from a single type of oak if alcohol strength is adjusted during maturation. 55%-53% will give vanillins, 40%-50% will give a mix of vanillins and sugars, 40%-49% will give sugars.

What I like to do is start at 55%-53% for first phase (1 to 12 months) then dilute to 40% (3- 12 months). In this manner I am adding sugar from the cells of the wood while I marry the dilution water to the whiskey. This results in rich vanilla oak charater with silky legs that cling to the side of the glass. The procedure works well with all types (chips or BBL) and varieties of Oak."

its for whiskey but am wondering what it would do to rum...

[WTDist]

I found the closer you get to 40% the more it taste like wood. My last age was at 75% and as it aired over 3 months. it was at 68% when i finally diluted down. Angels share took about 7%ABV. tasted nice but im still experimenting.

[thedarkmesh]

I am interested in this bit
"Oaking - Several different flavors can come from a single type of oak if alcohol strength is adjusted during maturation. 55%-53% will give vanillins, 40%-50% will give a mix of vanillins and sugars, 40%-49% will give sugars.

What I like to do is start at 55%-53% for first phase (1 to 12 months) then dilute to 40% (3- 12 months). In this manner I am adding sugar from the cells of the wood while I marry the dilution water to the whiskey. This results in rich vanilla oak charater with silky legs that cling to the side of the glass. The procedure works well with all types (chips or BBL) and varieties of Oak."

its for whiskey but am wondering what it would do to rum...

I found it interesting to, might try watering down some of CFW to 55 and put back in the oak to see what results I get.

[bluc]

I found the closer you get to 40% the more it taste like wood. My last age was at 75% and as it aired over 3 months. it was at 68% when i finally diluted down. Angels share took about 7%ABV. tasted nice but im still experimenting.

Ouch 7% in 3 months seems like a lot to loose is it in a barrel or demijohn and if in a bottle how long roughly is it left open to air in 3 months? Have been thinking of getting a barrel but I dont want to loose heaps from evaporation....

Darkmesh im getting ready to make some bwko and intend trying that oaking method...

[Sam.]

Depends on your climate mate ;-)

[bluc]

Yea im in qld so quite warm at times wondering what percentage would be lost in a year in a barrel. It would have to depend a lot on how open to the elements the storage vessel is to wouldnt it?

Sealed bottle opened up sometimes would lose less then an oak barrel that gets constant air flow(can breathe).?

I would have thought 7% over a year in a wooden barrel would be about right. Must cost distilleries a fortune to age if 7% is lost in 3 months

[Zak Griffin]

That would be why commercial distilleries take such a broad hearts cut ;-)

[Sam.]

Yep sealed bottle will lose less, more humid climate will lose more as well :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[thedarkmesh]

Yep sealed bottle will lose less, more humid climate will lose more as well :handgestures-thumbupleft:

And how about the 4 seasons in one day down in Melbourne?

[mark-gabb]

All bets are off in that case

[WTDist]

I found the closer you get to 40% the more it taste like wood. My last age was at 75% and as it aired over 3 months. it was at 68% when i finally diluted down. Angels share took about 7%ABV. tasted nice but im still experimenting.

Ouch 7% in 3 months seems like a lot to loose is it in a barrel or demijohn and if in a bottle how long roughly is it left open to air in 3 months? Have been thinking of getting a barrel but I dont want to loose heaps from evaporation....

Darkmesh im getting ready to make some bwko and intend trying that oaking method...

I had 4.5L in a large jar and around the lid i took the seal off and folded a paper towel a few times and used this as the seal. This way it could breath while sealed up and it was in the summer months.
Pretty sure it was triple distilled neutral i added essence too. I also added 100ml of spirit back after a bit evaporated but i prob lost 200ml all up but i dont mind loosing angels share. i figure any remaining heads will go first but i will loose hearts too.

[bluc]

Ok cool thanks for the info. Cant get the idea of a wooden barrel out of my head so i think i will go for it :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Undertaker]

........more humid climate will lose more as well.....

Thats interesting Sam. Do you know why that is? I woulda thought higher humidity would reduce evaporation? Im heading into my first wet season for storing spirits so I want to be reducing exposure.

Cheers Phil

[WTDist]

If there is high humidity then there is already more water vapor in the air which means the alcohol will evaporate faster. In low humid climates the water will evaporate faster as there is less water in the air

[Sam.]

If there is high humidity then there is already more water vapor in the air which means the alcohol will evaporate faster. In low humid climates the water will evaporate faster as there is less water in the air

What he said :text-+1:

[Undertaker]

Thanks!

Cheers Phil