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Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 7:53 pm
by Westshine
I've done a few AG corn whiskey's and aged them on white oak and French oak, using different char and combinations. I'm keen to give a Tennessee whiskey ago but my early searches haven't turned up any Sugar Maple. I'm based WA, does anyone know where I can get some Sugar Maple offcuts?
Happy to do the charing myself, I'd most likely use some for ageing as well.
If all else fails I'll most likely just use coconut charcoal.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Thu Jan 03, 2019 8:39 pm
by Georgio
A mate of mine got some North American maple from a bbq wood smoking place online in Aus. I have toasted it and finished some UJSSM with it. Pretty pleased.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:55 am
by dukethebeagle120
I am in eastern Canada and it grows everywhere
Btw just get a Brita and save the work
More work then what it's worth
Jmo

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:00 pm
by The Stig
Georgio wrote:A mate of mine got some North American maple from a bbq wood smoking place online in Aus. I have toasted it and finished some UJSSM with it. Pretty pleased.

I havent tried mine yet :crying-blue:

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:48 pm
by Georgio
I gave it a toast in the bbq, turned out pretty nice. Only hit 1L with 7g for a week. Added a toffee after taste, really nice :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:37 pm
by hillzabilly
These guys may know were ta find some https://www.wildwestsmokerproducts.com/ .cheers hillzabilly ;-)

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2019 10:31 pm
by Westshine
I'm yet to setup a charcoal filter, probably use a double stainless pot setup. Drill some holes in the bottom and half fill the top pot with coals, about ~20ltrs or so.

That pink lady apple wood may be just as good as sugar maple if I can't get any.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 5:43 am
by The Stig
We aren’t talking about filtering we are talking about aging

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:18 am
by Westshine
Yes you might be, but, I'm posting about Tennessee Whiskey which has to be filetered after it comes out of the still and it's done with sugar maple charcoal.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 7:25 pm
by Westshine
Well for those interested in filtering, I bought a box of "charcoal fruit wood" from Bunnings. Who knows what the fruit wood is but hey beggars can't be choosers. I bashed it up under a towel with a rubber hammer and washed the dust off, I used a large sieve with fine muslin cloth and run a neutral through it. I probably did this about 10 times. For some reason the ABV dropped?? I'm sure there is a reason for this but as I was running 92% through and it dropped to 89% it's not really an issue.
It smoothed out the bite and left a slight burnt caramel flavour that is very pleasant. May not be sugar maple but I'm going to run with it for my AG bourbon.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 7:40 pm
by bluc
Westshine. be careful using un tried and proven wood :snooty:

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 7:57 pm
by Doubleuj
Westshine wrote:Well for those interested in filtering, I bought a box of "charcoal fruit wood" from Bunnings. Who knows what the fruit wood is but hey beggars can't be choosers. I bashed it up under a towel with a rubber hammer and washed the dust off, I used a large sieve with fine muslin cloth and run a neutral through it. I probably did this about 10 times. For some reason the ABV dropped?? I'm sure there is a reason for this but as I was running 92% through and it dropped to 89% it's not really an issue.
It smoothed out the bite and left a slight burnt caramel flavour that is very pleasant. May not be sugar maple but I'm going to run with it for my AG bourbon.

I highly suggest against anyone doing this, there is a huge difference between using charcoal for smoking meat to filtering something through.
Just the fact that you have said it left a flavour to your spirit means that it has imparted “something” to your drink :handgestures-thumbdown:

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 9:53 pm
by Westshine
Doubleuj wrote:
Westshine wrote:Well for those interested in filtering, I bought a box of "charcoal fruit wood" from Bunnings. Who knows what the fruit wood is but hey beggars can't be choosers. I bashed it up under a towel with a rubber hammer and washed the dust off, I used a large sieve with fine muslin cloth and run a neutral through it. I probably did this about 10 times. For some reason the ABV dropped?? I'm sure there is a reason for this but as I was running 92% through and it dropped to 89% it's not really an issue.
It smoothed out the bite and left a slight burnt caramel flavour that is very pleasant. May not be sugar maple but I'm going to run with it for my AG bourbon.

I highly suggest against anyone doing this, there is a huge difference between using charcoal for smoking meat to filtering something through.
Just the fact that you have said it left a flavour to your spirit means that it has imparted “something” to your drink :handgestures-thumbdown:


Your going to need to be more specific with your warning, I'm all for "don't go near the cliff" statements but need a bit more detail. Is there a fruit wood charcoal that one should be steering clear of?

There is a difference between smoking and filtering charcoal? I've been using this charcoal to cook steaks directly on the coals. I never knew there was a difference between charcoal for cooking and charcoal for filtering would love to hear the details.

What compounds in fruit charcoal should people look to avoid? What are the symptoms of ingesting/eating bad charcoal?

Hey, happy for your wisdom to shine through, so need some details or us novices will never learn.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:12 pm
by Doubleuj
Tell me what timbers are in this mix and I may be able to help you.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:24 pm
by Doubleuj
But, at the end of the day, if you want to suggest that using an un known and un tested product to filter or anything else that may affect that health or safety of our members then I’ll show you the door.

Any sensible person can ascertain that cooking with charcoal is different to filtering with it.
Prove to us that what you are using is safe for all before this thread continues

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:50 pm
by woodduck
For one mate you've taken this thread off topic. Secondly there is no need to be a scientist to question someone trying something that is unproven. It is our job as moderators of this forum to ensure we promote safe home distilling. Allowing without question unproven methods to be posted and assume they are ok is not a safe move. Doubleuj was questioning your method so that people can see it's not a proven method therefore they would be cautious of it. If you can prove your method is safe then we will be all good with it. We can't be expected to be able to prove you wrong, we're not scientists, just blokes that care about our members.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 11:59 pm
by Westshine
woodduck wrote:For one mate you've taken this thread off topic. Secondly there is no need to be a scientist to question someone trying something that is unproven. It is our job as moderators of this forum to ensure we promote safe home distilling. Allowing without question unproven methods to be posted and assume they are ok is not a safe move. Doubleuj was questioning your method so that people can see it's not a proven method therefore they would be cautious of it. If you can prove your method is safe then we will be all good with it. We can't be expected to be able to prove you wrong, we're not scientists, just blokes that care about our members.


I'm not following your theory, I can't disprove a theory unless I know what the details are. I've just had a look on the box in the shed and it turns out I'm using a charcoal that is made from apple, pear and cherry. I obviously can't tell the difrerence between whats in the box, but hey that doesn't mean there isn't an issue with using fruit charcoal.

The dude earlier posted a warning about using fruit charcoal, I'm keen to know more. If there is an issue please let me know what it is. Could I be using a wood that will cause stomach ulcers, throat cancer, bowl cancer, dysentery, erectile disfunction etc.

I work in an industry that is safety overload, you can't fart without an isolation permit. Most of the time it's total BS, so forgive my asking. But if it's a real risk of using a fruit charcoal then I'd like to know, or, if your just chicken little waining on about the sky falling then I'd also like to also know.

The detail will save us all.

What is the risk using this mix of fruit charcoal or any fruit charcoal, I'm genuinely interested to know what it is.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 6:17 am
by The Stig
The solvent we soak the wood in melts yummy and yukky stuff in the wood.
Some wood has really yukky stuff in it that we don’t want people drinking because it can make you sick.
Can’t put it much simpler than that

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:24 am
by woodduck
I have no idea if that charcoal is good or bad. I have no knowledge of what it could do to you. I also have no idea what plastic or rubber causes when it is ingested but I know it ain't good. By all means mate if you want to use that charcoal go your hardest but I'm not going to tell other people it's ok to use just because I can't prove it's bad. If you want to make sure it's safe then you need to do the research. It's our job to promote safe home distilling so I'm not going to recommend something that's not proven simple as that. Come back with the proof that it's fine and I'll back you up and promote it as being safe.

Re: Sugar Maple

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 9:38 am
by RC Al
So, not my fight, but 20 minutes on Google with cask ageing and the wood names Apple, pear & cherry as mentioned would have saved a bit of grief....

The cherry charcoal is used by JD as part of their process for bourbon
Apple casks are used by many companies for boutique products
Pear is on the approved list over at HD & has many mentioned users

All 3 are considered safe for pet rats to eat...
Apple seeds, stems and bark metabolize into cyanide in humans...
Most of the woods used for aging list as an skin irritant...
The charcoal making process removes up to 80% of oils in the wood..

It's an extremely complex subject that few people on the planet have a grasp of even half of what's going on....

Rolls, the mantra of this site is responsible & safe distilling, reports of poisoning are pretty bad press.
In a worse case scenario would you like to be considered even slightly culpable?