Long term ageing

[Rowey]

Howdy,

I am trying to research ways to long term age rum/whiskey/bourbon. I did have a 29l oak keg that I was planing to use for storage. I was told that I could only put spirits in their for a short time other wise it would go off! So I gave the barrel away!! So what I want to do is make a batch of whiskey/rum /bourbon In the near future to put away for my sons 21st which is 13 years away( so plenty of time to practice).

Should I buy another barrel or use some chips/staves age for a while then bottle? Is there a max time to leave spirit in a barrel? ( will it get too much wood flavour?)

Any advise would be good.

Cheers Rowey

[choppy]

I don't have answers for you Rowey, except on sourcing the barrel.

To give you an idea on cost, I contacted Roll Out The Barrel this week to get a 10L american oak barrel and they are $275 plus $35 postage.

[Aussiedownunder01]

Howdy,

I am trying to research ways to long term age rum/whiskey/bourbon. I did have a 29l oak keg that I was planing to use for storage. I was told that I could only put spirits in their for a short time other wise it would go off! So I gave the barrel away!! So what I want to do is make a batch of whiskey/rum /bourbon In the near future to put away for my sons 21st which is 13 years away( so plenty of time to practice).

Should I buy another barrel or use some chips/staves age for a while then bottle? Is there a max time to leave spirit in a barrel? ( will it get too much wood flavour?)

Any advise would be good.

Cheers Rowey

Did you give the barrel to the bloke that told you it was no good :))

[scythe]

AFAIK using a smaller barrel imparts flavour faster (which I guess is what we are trying to achieve by aging) than a larger one.

So getting a 5L keg and a 30L keg filling them up at the same time with the same batch and letting them rest for the same amount of time (months or years) from my understanding the 5L will taste more "oaked" when you trial it at a later date.

[Brendan]

Hey Rowey,

There definitely is a limit, but it's a bit of a guess as I don't think home distillers have tried enough variations of barrel sizes and years.

It's generally considered that a couple of years for a 25L is good. I would imagine past 4 or 5 years in that barrel and it may be over-oaked (it will never go 'off').

For 13 years, I'd be guessing you would want a bloody big barrel. Take this into account: A lot of Scotch Whiskies are aged for 12 years (the generics and standard flagship products), and they are usually aged in 500L+ hogshead (?) barrels.

Even if you got a 100L barrel, it would take most people a couple of years to fill it I reckon. 6 months if you were unemployed and had plenty of time on your hands.

I would recommend getting a 25L or 50L barrel, depending on the time you can allocate to building up decent spirit, and age for 3-5 years checking it along the way...just my thoughts. :smile:

[choppy]

I am following this forum hourly, I am hooked, I appreciate the experienced guys dropping bits of wisdom in posts here and there and try to soak it all up.

I see there are three options for ageing hooch.

1. A corny keg or similar with dominoes.
2. Glass demi's with dominoes.
3. An oak barrel

To buy a new oak cask is not cheap. Have the veterans of this site tested enough to know if the cost is worth it?

Does the spirit improve exponentially more in the barrel to justify the $$$'s involved?

I'm happy to experiment myself, but if someone has already done it… well…. it could save me some dollars

[MacStill]

I tried a 5L barrel once and it was a WOFTAM, I've always wanted a 25L barrel to try but never got around to it and am quite happy aging in corny kegs and 50L kegs with wood staves or dominoes :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Edit: to add that I remove the lids for a day at least every 2nd week for a day after giving the kegs a shake

[Matt_Pl]

Mac,

Can you elaborate on your ageing process with the dominos and 50ltrs kegs please? It's my future plan after the new still rocks up and I'm currently sitting on an extra 3 kegs.

Cheers MP

[MacStill]

Not a real lot to elaborate on mate, although getting the dominoes out of a 2" hole after I'm done aging is right pain in the arse..... so I be welding a 4" ferrule on before I stick my next lot in.

I work on about 15 grams of dominoes per litre at 65% and the results are great, the 50L kegs get at least 12 months aging tho :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Matt_Pl]

Ask a stupid question and be stupid for 5 mins, do ask the stupid question and be stupid for a lifetime.......

What Dominos do use recommend for the rum and for the BWKO please Mac ?

Before you changed the 2" spear how did you cover the spear? I was thinking a jar lid to allow the Angels share but apparently a bath plug also fits well

Cheers

MP

[MacStill]

I use American oak medium toast for rum and bourbon, french medium toast for scotch

To seal the kegs I use a tri clamp, cap & seal :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Rowey]

Some really good advise!!! Thanks to everyone for the replies.

I like the sound of the keg idea as I have 2 spare.

Just wondering once you are done with the oak would it be on to use in my smoker?

Cheers Rowey

[Matt_Pl]

I use American oak medium toast for rum and bourbon, french medium toast for scotch

To seal the kegs I use a tri clamp, cap & seal :handgestures-thumbupleft:

:text-thankyoublue: :text-thankyoublue: :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Cheers Mac

[choppy]

Rowey,

Not sure about using them in a smoker, but in a recent post the Doc said to store them in sherry and re-use them for a better/different profile in your spirit.

I can't find the post right now because my modem is dropping in and out and it is really shitting me.

Choppy

[CH3CH2OH]

Here is the link

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=7503&p=130703#p130703

[Zak Griffin]

I char my used dominoes and reuse them in bourbon, then use them in the weber :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[tipsy]

I char my used dominoes and reuse them in bourbon, then use them in the weber :handgestures-thumbupleft:

:text-+1:

[Matt_Pl]

Mac,

Do you continue to add generations of hearts into your 50 ltr keg until you hit 5 generations then rinse and repeat?

Im assuming you would have to do this unless you have a 500 litre boiler.

Cheers,

MP

[bt1]

The SS keg soln is a good one for a few reasons.

To get to 13 years you going to need passive non wood storage in any case even if that meant wood barrel to SS keg/glass then seal cos left in a wood barrel it would be wood soup, low abv and significantly reduced volume.

At what ever flavour point you like you can remove the wood strips with little effort...just use a bit of copper wire to string them together in a long "rope" arrangement so you can pull em out when ready.

I've found if hearts are used bout 2 years on timber and it's tops...depends on level here a bit. As your in no hurry you could instead of chasing speed with quality hearts take less strict cuts allow much longer... what the hell you got years!.
After that I seal in SS keg. When needed place an aeration stone/leg into keg and liven it up for a good week or two @ about 50lt per hour, otherwise it's really flat and dull.

bt1

[choppy]

nice work bt1, I like the idea of the oak stave tea bag set up, and I never considered the spirit going flat as a potential issue.

I've got a spare corny here which no longer seals well enough for beer pressure, but i am sure it will seal just fine for ageing some rum for a few years, doubt it would get anywhere near 13 years though!!

I'll have to write the air stone instruction on top of the keg, because my head is like a sieve and I'll forget that and wonder why it tastes no good.