Aging Help

jacksonbrown

I soak barrels first.
Most scotch and rum barrels get soaked in bourbon for a few years before use.
I'd be looking at the ferment first though.
You can't polish a turd and aging sugar wash on oak is just rolling it in glitter.
If you are after an authentic bourbon then save that stuff for your neutrals and start with an authentic mash bill.
You can get brown spirit in a few days if you put in enough oak but it won't be 'aged'.
Try less oak but for a longer time.

punkin

Don't lisen to them mate. UJSM is just fine aged on dominos or in barrels and i have loads of people who'll testify that it bears no resemblance to a turd.

Smaug

+1 Punkin.

Big Pa and Rockchucker both make a top notch UJSSM that is totally respectable by any standard. At least any standard that I have tried thus far....and there has been a few.

jacksonbrown

@punkin said:I have loads of people who'll testify that it bears no resemblance to a turd.

:D I'd love to try some.

Kdog

I'd love to try some too!

Kdog

@jacksonbrown said: I soak barrels first.

How long do you soak them? How big of barrels do you age in?

jacksonbrown

Small ones, 20l.
I just fill them with hot water for a few hours to swell them so they don't leak but the water that comes out afterwards is pretty oaky.
I like the train of thought your on though as I think the oak quickly gets over powering. Especially with the smaller, fresh barrels.

vooharmy

its been my experience that oak adds tremendously to a spirit. Also its the easiest way to ruin a good spirit if its over done. Best result for me have been less oak over the long haul.

FloridaCracker

I think my UJSSM is in its 9th or 10th generation and it tastes a shitload better than what I was previously buying in bottles. I did tweek mine a bit by adding barley malt and rye about Gen 7.

I am starting to believe that how a spirit is handled AFTER the ferment contributes more to the overall quality than how it starts. Granted I am not talking about a neutral put on oak either.

Removing most of the heads, tight cuts, just the right tails added back in, US treatment, oaking, aging, etc. A lot of ways to either make it awesome or totally fuck it up.

I don't see me making an AG in the future. I know you can get an incredible outcome but it just isn't worth the 10X hassle for me.

Kdog

@vooharmy said: its been my experience that oak adds tremendously to a spirit. Also its the easiest way to ruin a good spirit if its over done. Best result for me have been less oak over the long haul.

I hear that.....I ruined about 1.5 gallons by over oaking........ :((

Kdog

@jacksonbrown said: Small ones, 20l.

Do you have good results?

jacksonbrown

Still way too much oak flavor after less than a year. Blending has helped. I'll be expecting better results with the next lot that go in there but I'm only playing too. Don't take my word as gospel.
Anyone got some tips to treat the barrel before the next round goes in? Do I just dump the current contents and refill or do I deed to clean it out somehow?
It's only rum being replaced by rum.

FloridaCracker

I found that in my 15 gallon barrel (only used once previously for rye whiskey) I only left the rum in it for a month. The rest of the aging will be done in jars. I only filled it halfway so the ratio of oak to rum was high. Each successive use should be better, in that you should be able to leave it longer without over oaking. There are so many variables, that's why I checked mine every week. Very oak smelling when it came out and after just one month out, the oak smell is fading.

I would err on the side of caution and remove the current contents. No cleaning necessary just put the new stuff in.