Oaking Rum

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Oaking Rum

Postby Kimbo » Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:09 pm

Hi Mr McStill,
i just read your post on the Molasses wash, it sounds great, i think i will try it next time.
i was wondering how you oak it- how much oak/ Litre, type etc.
** and anyone else for that matter**
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby MacStill » Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:25 pm

Bit of a tricky question that one kimbo, I like it :D

If your using store bought oaks I find that I do as the directions on the pkt suggest except double the time, but I havnt used those for quite a while now that I've got a decent supply of oak from second hand wine barrels.

Apparently the longer you leave your hooch on oak the better it gets, but I seem to have trouble getting past 3 months before I need to start tasting and then it's all over.

IMHO you're better off using less oak for a longer time, there's nothing worse than over oaking your hard earned booze, it tastes like sucking on a wet stick.

My advise would be to try a few different things in smaller lots, say 1 liter jars or something like that, then when you find your preference you can adjust quantaties to do bigger lots.

Make sure you mark your jars with date, %ABV etc etc and oak your booze at around 65% and water down again once your happy with the taste.

Cheers.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby Kimbo » Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:36 pm

Thanks mate,
once again, sounds like pretty sound advice :D
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby reknaw » Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:43 pm

I have'nt been oaking that long, I have used new oak and wine barrel, never used store bought oak. Some people say use only raw oak, others say you need a full char with no wood visible, others say toasted :)

I use a bit of everything :) I use about three pieces about 100mm x 8mm x 6 mm and I might use a piece that has been fully chared, a bit that is partially chared say 50% and the other bit whatever I feel like throwing in at the time into a 2 ltr bottle.

Do a bit of experimenting, once you've oaked it you can do a bit of blending, the only problem I have had is recreating the exact same taste time after time. I am thinking of doing a big batch and then it'll be constant for the whole say 30 liters. Bottle it and then let it age for 12 months :)
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby Kimbo » Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:03 pm

Thanks Spud, Sounds like i need to get some bulk oak
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby reknaw » Tue Mar 22, 2011 10:07 pm

If you want bulk oak let me know, I have got a LOT of oak in the garage.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby rumby » Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:43 am

I have been oaking all my rum and find gives a it a lot nicer taste, with an after taste (just neutral & essenece is good but missing the two second after taste). If you are a bundy drinker, I have done a few differnt takes, and have found new oak is good and then add, some chaarred oak and finially some shop bought jack daniels chips(unfortunately the homebrewshop charges a fortune). I also source mine from old barrels, I currently have a 200l barrel I got from the beenleigh distillery, which has burbon/whiskey printed on it. I was going to try and make up 200l litres of neutral wash & store it for a few yeras, but like mcstill, There is no way I can produce that much without a lot of tasting, I am going to cut it up. Gets some of spuds chips and charr them.

Spud, I am going to cut that barrel up, but I just keep looking at it and just cant bring myself to do it, i need some encourage meant.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby reknaw » Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:36 pm

After doing my barrel, learnt a bit. Don't cut it, use a hammer or axe to knock off the rings, it'll fall apart :) No mess and it makes it easier to stack when it's in lengths.

I recon the wine barrel chared on three sides gives a better taste than the new oak. Thoughts? Anyone got any tips? i.e soaking oak in something?

If you want a hand I'll come over, it'ld be interesting to see what your barrel smells like \ looks like inside from the rum.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby MacStill » Thu Mar 24, 2011 8:03 pm

I just took a bottle out of my oak barrel that's 3 months old, it was the first run I did from my bubble plate still..

Fuck it's good :mrgreen:
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby rumby » Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:04 am

Does anyone now what oak they use for JD and how they charr/prepare it? I dont drink JD but it gives a good rough after taste to my 60 % neutral and 40 % mollasses liquor (rum) that I have been making.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby reknaw » Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:09 am

There is a show on foxtel next Tue, jack daniels megafactories, you may get a few tips. I know I'll be watching it, I saw the promo and they had the barrels on a conveyor and had huge ass flames coming out the top of them, people making barrels etc.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby Kimbo » Fri May 06, 2011 8:00 pm

If you want bulk oak let me know, I have got a LOT of oak in the garage.

Hi Spud, where do you source all your oak from?
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby reknaw » Fri May 06, 2011 8:09 pm

The stuff from the American oak from the wine barrel I bought a wine barrel and busted it up, the new american oak I get from the same place some home brew shops (wholesale ) get it from I charge $25.00 a kg and not $70.00 - $95.00 a kg that the home brew shops do. I then split it myself and char it myself instead of putting it through a chipper.

You can get a whole barrel for $160.00, cheaper if you shop around depending on where you live i.e wine growing area would have cheap barrels I recon.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby Kimbo » Fri May 06, 2011 8:20 pm

thanks mate, i thought of taking a drive to the Swan valley (Winery region)
i can get a used barrel for $120- $140 (depending on size), thought of doin the same thing ( de- banding it and runnin it thru tha saw)
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby reknaw » Fri May 06, 2011 8:47 pm

You should be able to get american oak or french oak, I went for the american oak after a bit of reading. It'ld be interesting to do some comparisons between the french and american.........

I cut mine into about 4 -6 inch lengths then use an axe to split them and then toast over a naked flame :) takes a bit of time to do it but you get a good result I recon.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby Kimbo » Fri May 06, 2011 8:52 pm

Cool, i've got a small toaster oven great for doin small batches of oak :D
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby 2deadly.308 » Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:29 am

reknaw wrote:You should be able to get american oak or french oak, I went for the american oak after a bit of reading. It'ld be interesting to do some comparisons between the french and american.........

I cut mine into about 4 -6 inch lengths then use an axe to split them and then toast over a naked flame :) takes a bit of time to do it but you get a good result I recon.

Aren't most of the wine barrels in Aus made with French Oak?
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby bluc » Mon Feb 21, 2022 6:25 pm

I wouldnt say the majority no. French pairs well with rum its less whiskeyish and sweeter then american. More caramel and toffee me thinks..Used oak is much more gentle on spirit something to keep in mind..
Last edited by bluc on Mon Feb 21, 2022 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby bluc » Mon Feb 21, 2022 6:27 pm

My bunnings often has jim beam and jack Daniels barrels..
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Re: Oaking Rum

Postby 2deadly.308 » Wed Feb 23, 2022 12:41 am

bluc wrote:My bunnings often has jim beam and jack Daniels barrels..

Really? Being sold as half barrels or something?
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