How to age your own whiskey

[@stillworksandbrewing]

I have very good luck using chips but i do see a barrel in my future cheers my Friend

[@StillnTheClear]

Yes, sir.

[@Jake_B74]

Great video Cyrus. I do a rapid aging process, different folks have different methods. What I do is use something like the sticks or staves. Seal it up in the jar and put the jar in a crock of hot water with a silicome mat under the jar. Heat it up pretty hot like 140 or so for 4 - 6h, then put it on warm and let temp drop overnight to more like 90. Take it out and let it come to room temp then open it and let it breath. This is important because it let's more volatile stuff out and oxygen in similar to what happens in a barrel. Shake it up, let it sit a day, breathe again then fridge for 24h. Then rest on the counter again. I do this around 10 times over 3 months. I think it does give better maturation compared to just throwing the stave in there. I'm sure a real barrel is better, but I think this method is as close as you can get to real aging, if you don't have a barrel or years to wait.

[@StillnTheClear]

I'm going to have to try that. Thanks for sharing.

[@mickhardage6678]

I do something similar with sticks. Not with a crock pot but leaving jar outside (I live in a sub tropic area and it's hot) 24 hours, freezer 24 hours and repeat for a week before sitting jar on a shelf for 2-3 months

[@timchapman6702]

That’s a great idea!

[@mickhardage6678]

I've been at this hobby over a decade and never knew or realized how quickly these methods age or flavor. I appreciate your video, I learned something new.

[@StillnTheClear]

Awesome. Learning knew things is always my goal. Thanks for the comment.

[@russellfye1033]

Good vid. Thanks. I'm going to look for the toasting / charring vid of you've done it. If you haven't yet I'll keep an eye out!

[@janettarothmeyer1217]

I have your oak sticks and we really like them. A barrel is on my wish list. Thanks Cyrus.

[@StillnTheClear]

Thank you, Janetta. I'm so glad you like them.

[@wendellakabama6128]

I love the outlaw kits an barrels thats good stuff

[@OSCARE38]

Great video hope all is well at the brew shop👍

[@StillnTheClear]

Yes, sir.

[@thirdsamuel6643]

I've used charred white oak chips with good results.

[@StillnTheClear]

Nice, how much char?

[@thirdsamuel6643]

@@StillnTheClear I ordered it from Georgia still its the dark charred, I took a fifth of 190 proof gem clear and divided it equally into three quart jars and added pure mountain spring water taken from the source to finish filling the jars and added about two table spoons of charred oak and let it sit for a month, taking a taste along the way.

[@StillnTheClear]

@@thirdsamuel6643 Hell yeah, that sounds awesome.

[@thealembicdiary1814]

Great video. When you do your barrel video can you discuss leaking and how to solve those problems. I have a couple leaky barrels and no matter what I do, they continue to slowly leak.

[@StillnTheClear]

Yes, that's important info.

[@widgets76]

Bees wax can be used to seal I believe. Might be worth a shot if you haven’t tried it already?

[@thealembicdiary1814]

Oh yeah. That’s good stuff. My problem is at the spigot. I’ve changed spigots a couple times and waxed them before so marrying them. Still a slow drip. I’ve started to get barrels without spigots now.

[@hughjaynus8619]

I accidentally over oaked a half gallon of 120 proof on my first try at bourbon. Added way too many scorched oak chips. Was going for Jim Beam's #6 alligator char. It smelled like a fireman's boot. Long story short, never throw anything out ! It makes a great smoke/wood extract for flavoring white dog to sip on, while the good stuff ages on a shelf :-) P.S. Like the new backdrop ! ~Cheers!~

[@StillnTheClear]

That's a great idea. Thanks for sharing it. I'm currently attempting to over oak a half gallon so I can experiment with ways to revive it.

[@urbanwrestlingnw]

Any advice for someone just getting into it or a video you’ve done for beginners

[@kristypalmer1403]

We use two things you didn't mention The first being toasted oak caps that replace the mason jar lids it allows the air transfer while still doing very small amounts The second is a bad motivator barrels they are stainless stick cans with oak heads that age at the same rate as a 53 gallon barrel so the is much less chance of over oaking Just some different options we have ade very good product using just oak chips

[@StillnTheClear]

I'm familiar with the bad motivator barrels. I've looked for the oak caps, but haven't found them. Thanks for sharing. It would be great if you could drop a link for the oak caps.

[@kiwiprouddavids724]

Aw man this cleared things up a bit , looking forward to seeing the next videos....I have my jars with staves in in a garden shed. it can get quite hot and cold all in 24 hours so that should help the process .still got some staves sitting in a jar of jam and shine kinda peeping them ,the first lot I tried seems to be e working out.but the ones I left longer should be even better. One thing that's always bothered me about people using a blow torch to char their staves , you don't think it adds a kinda film to the staves and some off petrol aromas and flavors? I thought roasting in a fire would always be the better option

[@StillnTheClear]

I haven't noticed any Petro type flavors using the torch, but I would like to try toasting some on a grill and let the smoke flavor seep in.

[@kiwiprouddavids724]

@@StillnTheClear yeah that sounds like the way to go👍 I'll give it a go again soon

[@yosuatrisnadi5190]

Great video as usual Cyrus, I've been watching your videos as a newbie and learn many things from here. I've got a question however,I made and distilled some rums for myself but recently I've got this bitter aftertaste in my rum, the first,second,third distillation results were amazing but after that it taste bitter in my 4th run, how can i fix this?

[@theghostofsw6276]

I'm glad you mentioned the Jack Daniels chips. I was hoping they'd be OK for oaking, and not just good enough for smoking fish, etc... These are available here at Crappy Tire, and I might just pick some up. Question though, for anyone who's used this brand, are they good for an apple cider, or will they impart too much of a 'whiskey' taste to it? Thanks

[@pascalbroek848]

I use them always,but I also use some single malt essence and add a little bit of quality white port to the mixture for the flavor sir.After 6months of aging with various methods I say my whiskey is smoother than my missus buttucks 🤣😂

[@theghostofsw6276]

@@pascalbroek848 Thanks pascal....do you think they would impart too much "whiskey" flavour if I used them in an apple cider?

[@pascalbroek848]

@@theghostofsw6276 if I could answer it I would sir,but I didnt try that yet .... you could use apple tree wood or some other wood blands,meaning, check out the barbecue chips avalaible in most diy shops and experiment with them in small batches before doing the mother load.,this way you cant mess up your shine sir.. I`m as we speak trying this with cherry-chips to age my infused cherry liker, so we are on the same level of brainstorming. Good look shine on sir

[@theghostofsw6276]

@@pascalbroek848 Thank you.

[@T.Mitcbree]

Will using chips introduce the nasty tannins quick as well. Meaning don't let sit for longer than a month and really should not be reused.

[@dannyking748]

I'm new to this and recently bought a charred oak barrel bout tge size of the one you have in the video and it said you can leave the whiskey in there for 2-3 weeks and it would age it perfectly is that true. I never seen your video on barrels.

[@StillnTheClear]

I don't think that's enough time, but it will depend on your preferences. I will start checking flavor at around 3 months.

[@dannyking748]

@@StillnTheClear ok. Thank you for the help. I knew it really didn't seem right and wanted to ask someone who knew what they were doing.

[@StillnTheClear]

@@dannyking748 anytime. What are you going to age?

[@dannyking748]

@@StillnTheClear bourbon

[@StillnTheClear]

@@dannyking748 cool. My favorite.

[@artn.7107]

I find that chips no matter what company they’re from give off far too much tannin. I’ve switched to staves after ruining a lot of liquor.

[@fredrickgavigan8721]

Can u use cherry wood

[@StillnTheClear]

Yes, You can use any hard wood. White oake just happens to be the most commonly used.

[@wesfletch7826]

How many grams of Jack Daniel chips do you add per quart and for how long would you recommend

[@StillnTheClear]

I've never weighed the chips. I would use about a handful. I would guess it's about 85 grams.

[@poboy942]

If youre the type person that gets all bent out of shape over terms when makin moonshine you need a different hobbie 😂😂 humans have a bad habit of contradicting other people and their terms that describe tbeir hobbie , life is too damn short for that silliness . Just bec as use tou may know something that Cyrus doesnt know or most people dont know ,does not mean you gotta go around correcting the world just to get some recognition. Just a pet peeve from an old man who cant stand a know it all 😂😂😂..by the way Cyrus sir, ,great video I love them all and i learn something every time i watch ....God bless

[@StillnTheClear]

Thank you, sir. Well said.

[@ryccahilser6299]

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