E104 Wood Aging Experiment

Still Works and Brewing is conducting a wood aging experiment chips vs sticks toasted vs charred.

[@Brumasterj]

Hey Randy Here is another aging tip After putting chips or sticks in heat spirit to 165 via microwave then let cool to room temp Place in freezer 24 hours Take out and pop lid let warm to room temp Put lid back on and put in freezer again 24 hours Do this 3 x’s or till you get what you like:) I believe The idea of popping lid is introducing air to simulate the barrels swelling and retracting

[@stillworksandbrewing]

thanks for the tips

[@donniepowell7146]

Really enjoyed watching this video. Thanks for your hard work.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Cheers

[@mrbrown3546]

This is always fun, nice work 👍 Don't worry about getting the oak out too quickly, longer is better. It ages so much better with oak. Distillerys leave things barrelled for years 😉

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Thanks 👍

[@distillingfordummies6699]

Interesting experiment. I really enjoyed it. Thank you

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bobtheelectrician6692]

YESSS...been waiting for this for a long time. Chips light one handful per quart, sit for 2 weeks, coffee filter, then age for 6 months. Gets my vote. Let's hear from others on quantity, curing and aging times. Thanks again Randy. PS: No surprise, it's the aging that makes all the difference. Go easy folks. It's impossible to get rid of burnt taste.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Hi Bob glad to hear from you thanks for the info Cheers!!

[@Fucht4567]

Спасибо! Отличная идея!

[@mikew.1902]

Great experiment. I have been trying something similar following Bearded and Board and letting some of my spirits sit on wood for months at a time and letting it go through its various phases of aging and flavoring. Its all very interesting and takes a lot of patience. Enjoyed the video.

[@mrbrown3546]

I've got some currently 3.5 months on the oak, I highly recommend it 👌

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Nice!!

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Cool Cheers my Friend

[@kevinbaxter2578]

Great vid Randy. As one who has spent a lot of time with this I would say if you are looking for months in gal jugs go med staves or cubes and let them do their thing. Don't over do it. Chips can over oak really fast. The staves take a bit longer but make a better end product over time.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Thanks for the tip and info Cheers!!

[@craigberry2472]

nice video and thank you

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Most welcome

[@mauistevebear]

Happy to hear the winner! I use med chips to age my whisky's

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Good stuff!

[@BigEdsGuns]

Beaver beat me to it. Aging your product on wood with High ABV works better than aging on low ABV. The higher the ABV the more volatile it is when it comes to Hot and Cold temp swings. That's why you see a lot of Bourbon & Whiskey manufacturers age at 70% to 80% ABV. Each distillery/product will be different. But the biggest benefit to aging at High ABV it saves on Barrel warehouse space. That way when it comes to tasting/bottling they can proof it down with water. Cheers Randy!

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Hey BigEdsGuns thanks for the tips sorry took a long time to get back to you Cheers my friend !!

[@buddysmoken490]

I found bbq chips made of old whiskey barrel. There not full toast or char so I raze the white part a bit with a torch. I try different levels they all work. I like the final product myself.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Cool, cheers!!

[@fourdeadinohio8303]

after you have the art of distilling down there's not a whole lot of things to do. I've done nuke aging.. heat it up in the microwave and cooling in the freezer. toast and chard. i ran 5gal. of corn and 6row couple of days ago so the fun starts.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

enjoy Cheers!!

[@BEAVERDIY]

Awesome video Randy, what ABV did you age at Brother

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Hey Beaver it was a corn Whiskey at 110 proof

[@jdmichigan8824]

Hi there love this hobby. I was wondering what’s your oldest personal Bourbon? And how much wood you you put in a quart for long term storage? Thanks for your time. I like to put some back every run and store it in the basement.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

I think the oldest is near 2 years I use 1/4 oz per Qt. and I do the same Hide a bottle i a high cabinet out of sight out of mind cheers!!

[@catvideos304]

Here’s a dumb question, what do you do with the unsuccessful test alcohol(like the charred chips test etc)? Do you redistill or dump it?

[@Rubberduck-tx2bh]

Great watch Randy. Where did you get the oak sticks? I haven't seen them at the home brew shops (either online or brick & mortar).

[@mrbrown3546]

Check your butcher 👍 My butcher sells bags of used barrel squares for smoking meats, they're about 3" squares and perfectly fine to use for oak aging etc. Far cheaper than the stuff brew shops sell plus I can size it how I like.

[@stillworksandbrewing]

Thanks

[@stillworksandbrewing]

found on amazon have to see if i can find a link

[@jayhenry7553]

What was the spirit you used, and ABV for the aging experiment?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

corn whiskey at 110 proof

[@rimrock53]

Did your heavy toast consume some of the sugars that were left in the medium toast?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

could be Cheers my friend

[@RiggerBrew]

what about comparing Spirals?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

wish I would have thought of that next time cheers!!

[@rimrock53]

Do they char the barrel because it is too hard to toast the wood in the barrel without burning it?

[@stillworksandbrewing]

That's a good question

[@DanielJAudette]

How about blend the chips med and the staves chard

[@stillworksandbrewing]

I was thinking that Cheers!!

[@DanielJAudette]

@@stillworksandbrewing Would love to find out how the blend turns out.

[@wesfletch7826]

What size jar did you add 3.5 g of chips to I've tried using chips and it always comes out so oaky and bitter like

[@stillworksandbrewing]

my rule of thumb for a starting point is 1/2 oz per qt.

[@DiegoRodriguez-pr1bf]

Please consider a Smoking Gun for food and drinks. Adds a great dimension to the liquor

[@stillworksandbrewing]

might have to try that cheers!!