Solera system discussion

[Beerswimmer]

Discussion for anything and everything solera system related.

Who has them, who had them,why do you still have one, why do you not, how many barrels, sizes of barrels, WTF even is a solera system, solera systems suck, solera systems are the best, climate issues, what you should do instead of a solera,how many months or years between fills, post way too many pictures of your solera pretty please with sugar on top, what spirits are soleras good for, what spirits are horrible for soleras, how do you maintain your solera, how much room does yours take, same recipe each time, different each time, different for specific barrels, different cuts for specific barrels, when do you change your barrels for new, change them for used, all new, all used, all spent, a few of each, tips & tricks for soleras perfection, problems, solutions, tell me I'm an idiot for wanting one, tell me it's the best thing I'll ever do in the hobby.......... so basically any and all discussion and media is absolutely 100% bring it welcomed by me!!



I've been running the same recipe for the past few months, 85% corn 15% rolled oats(probably a higher % when I'm done, I love it!!), and my 2024 plan is to fill a big 20-30 gallon #4 char American oak barrel. New or used? I'm not certain yet, that's why I made this. In '25 fill two once used 10 gallon probably very different bourbon barrels with probably very different bourbon-ish recipes with more/different grains. '26 age. '27 fill two new 5 gallon barrels with some bourbon of some sort. '28 pull & bottle or finish or a bit of both 10 gallons from the 20 barrel, top off with 5 gallons from each 10 gallon barrel, top those off with the 5's and refill the 5's with new spirits. And take a few jars here and there from barrels

The first 2 years will be pretty busy and expensive, but I will be OK. The time commitment will mean less recipe experiments during the busy time as my equipment will be in use for 6 months and the cost of ingredients and a big high quality barrel will surely cause my wife to limit me.

I'm not sure yet on if I should buy a new charred oak barrel for the base, or buy a used one? Over oaking is my concern. I'll be using used for the 10's, new and used for the 5's.

Along the way I'll still be busy, I would like to have 2 more solera systems if I can find the room and the wife lets me. #1 is the bourbon-ish one because it's so cheap to make here. Then a same sized one for rum that will be all used barrels and made less often and aged longer between dumps & refills due to hard to find and expensive molasses where I live. And a smaller Peated one due to the premium cost of it. That one will also be dumped and re-filled less often. Once all that is rolling it'll be pretty easy to keep up with. If that's all that I distill going forward I'll be set! I just retired pretty young, so I have all the time I want now for my hobbies!

[howard]

i have a little rum solera.
only 3 of those 6L barrels are rum with a 15L feeder barrel (B4) not in picture.
barrel 1 (6L) is where i take about 3 bottles worth (1.8L) about every 4/6 months.
barrel 2 refills barrel 1, B3 refills B2 & B4 refills B3.
then B4 gets refilled using preoaked rum.
all barrels are in a room which has a good temp swing every day.
i'm lucky that i live in a hot dry climate, so the ABV actually rises from barrel strength 65%abv to 75-79%abv.
B1 was filled in july 2021 with 6 month old rum.
B4 was filled in dec 2021.
B1 could still have some rum in it that is 3.5 years old.
i tested, tasted, bottled and refilled 4 weeks ago.
i can taste the difference in progress along the barrels.
i am not popular during this process, as most of the kitchen space is temporarily seized.

soleraweb.jpg

[Beerswimmer]

Reply error

[Beerswimmer]

i have a little rum solera.
only 3 of those 6L barrels are rum with a 15L feeder barrel (B4) not in picture.
barrel 1 (6L) is where i take about 3 bottles worth (1.8L) about every 4/6 months.
barrel 2 refills barrel 1, B3 refills B2 & B4 refills B3.
then B4 gets refilled using preoaked rum.
all barrels are in a room which has a good temp swing every day.
i'm lucky that i live in a hot dry climate, so the ABV actually rises from barrel strength 65%abv to 75-79%abv.
B1 was filled in july 2021 with 6 month old rum.
B4 was filled in dec 2021.
B1 could still have some rum in it that is 3.5 years old.
i tested, tasted, bottled and refilled 4 weeks ago.
i can taste the difference in progress along the barrels.
i am not popular during this process, as most of the kitchen space is temporarily seized.

soleraweb.jpg

Awesome, thank you!!! How often do you need to distill? Do you keep the same recipe?

[BigRig]

I have a rum solera set up also but i use SS and glass with staves (dominos). The cost of barrels here is ridiculous and i can mix and match the oak. I use 7g / L.

20L corni kegs
1. Nov20 - mixed oak
2. Nov21 - mixed oak
3. Dec21 - french

5L demi's
4. Jan22 - USA
5. Jun22 - french
6. Feb23 - USA

22L demi
7. White dog - Last filled Apr23

I take from 1, top up from 2, top up from 3, top up from 4 etc.

I now only have to run the still once a year to top up the white dog.

Got a smaller set up for Angel Yellow Label All grain started in 2022.

[Beerswimmer]

Thanks so much! How do you like the Angel Yellow? I have used it exclusively for whiskeys for years now, I have found no ferment flavors for much of any flavors from it, I only taste the grain. The grains are the show with the yellow label yeast to me, and they shine. And it couldn't be any easier! F mashing ever again!!

[howard]

i have a little rum solera.
only 3 of those 6L barrels are rum with a 15L feeder barrel (B4) not in picture.
barrel 1 (6L) is where i take about 3 bottles worth (1.8L) about every 4/6 months.
barrel 2 refills barrel 1, B3 refills B2 & B4 refills B3.
then B4 gets refilled using preoaked rum.
all barrels are in a room which has a good temp swing every day.
i'm lucky that i live in a hot dry climate, so the ABV actually rises from barrel strength 65%abv to 75-79%abv.
B1 was filled in july 2021 with 6 month old rum.
B4 was filled in dec 2021.
B1 could still have some rum in it that is 3.5 years old.
i tested, tasted, bottled and refilled 4 weeks ago.
i can taste the difference in progress along the barrels.
i am not popular during this process, as most of the kitchen space is temporarily seized.

soleraweb.jpg

Awesome, thank you!!! How often do you need to distill? Do you keep the same recipe?

i have always used the basic rum recipe by Mcstill in the Tried and proven.
i use dunder (less than Mcstill advises), muck pits, rum oils and other methods.
a refill usually takes about 6L because, as well the 1.8L for bottling, i have to replace the angels share in each barrel.
i only need to distill rum about 3 times a year at the moment.
you just have to watch when your stock is going down and plan ahead.

[Beerswimmer]

Cool, I'd like a smaller one like that to maybe play with finishing some day.