What recipe?

[Yase]

Hi Guys

Looking at dropping some coin on 25L barrel that has been re-coopered from and old port pipe. So far i have only used the McWhiskey recipe aging in 2lt jars with french and american dominoes soaked in port for a few months. I am feeling that i will never achieve the style of whisky that i love using this method such as Lark, Limeburners and Overeem port cask delights, which are aged solely in 200L used port barrels. So before i spend the likes of $600 on such a barrel i would love the input on some of the novice whisky makers on here that may have played with both the McWhiskey and CFW recipies to see which would be better suited. I understand the CFW is quite a bit cheaper but as i'm trying to emulate a $250 bottle i don't mind spending the extra on the McWhiskey recipe if it would make a noticable difference.

For reference i will be fermenting in a temperature controlled fridge with 4 x 30L fermenters and running strip and spirit runs in my 2" copper pot still with shotty condenser on a 50lt keg boiler with a 3600w temp controlled element.

[copperhead road]

Hi yase, great post as I have been wondering the very same questions and have not got answers for you, but are very keen to see what the home pro's say.
I been putting down batches of BWKO and CFW, I have not looked up the macwhiskey but I will now. I'm the same as you and don't give a rats about costs of ferments in regards to ingredients. My goal is just to be able to make something top shelf, I am more of a hobbyist not learning to feed a habit as I barley drink , not the case with a lot of my family members though LOL
I have ordered a 25 litre barrel from ROAB
I have 2 60 litre German fermentation vessels with all the bells and whistles and quite a few 200 litre jobbies without air locks.
Will be running a 95 litre CAN (boiler as they call them here)

I'm very fond of the limeburners also, last bottle I bought was 340.00 at Perth airport on my way home from work (can not remember the barrel age) but it was delish fire water, my old man drunk the lot bar the single shot I tried

Happy chugging through your rig :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[bluess57]

IMO you need to go all grain recipe and not a sugar head recipe, if you're chasing top shelf results

[Kenster]

you will need a lot of booze to fill a 200lit barrell to achieve proper oaking. I have been advised that a 'partly' full barrell is no good.

[coffe addict]

With bluess57 if you are chasing top shelf you can't cut corners or the top shelf stuff would be made with breakfast cereals and not whole grains. That said you'd easily hit mid shelf with good processes and aging practices.
The level in a barrel isn't too critical as long as it's not drying out. A half full barrel will loose more to the angles but when I start a new barrel I throw in enough to keep it sealed ie 50% and finish topping it up as I make it. Just turn the barrel every day or two

[coffe addict]

Kenster I believe that he was talking about fermenters when he said 200L

[copperhead road]

Kenster I believe that he was talking about fermenters when he said 200L

Yase is referring to a 200L barrel and wondering if the 600 dollar outlay is worth it, I was talking about my 200L plastic jobbies for fermentation.
I thought 600 for a 200L was cheap considering a 25L barrel is 350 :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[copperhead road]

With bluess57 if you are chasing top shelf you can't cut corners or the top shelf stuff would be made with breakfast cereals and not whole grains. That said you'd easily hit mid shelf with good processes and aging practices.
The level in a barrel isn't too critical as long as it's not drying out. A half full barrel will loose more to the angles but when I start a new barrel I throw in enough to keep it sealed ie 50% and finish topping it up as I make it. Just turn the barrel every day or two

I'm so glad to read your knowledge buddy, because I want to learn with sugarheads for a couple of years before I start complicating things being a novice nob with all grain mashes.

I got to crawl before I can walk, better to be an experienced runner before even thinking about AG and 200L stainless mash ton. Thanx coffe-addict :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Azza76]

IMO you need to go all grain recipe and not a sugar head recipe, if you're chasing top shelf results

:text-+1:

[copperhead road]

Ageing chart

[Yase]

Just to clear things up, I am wanting to use a 25L barrel not a 200L. I was referring to the size the aussie distilleries seem to use for their Port cask whiskys. Also totally agree with the all grain requirement for achieving a "top shelf" drink. Thought I'd give the sugar heads a go till I get my head around everything else then move to mashing. Is it worth investing in a barrel with a sugar head like the macwhisky, CFW? Or is the extra time and money not worth it over the old jar and dominoes??

[warramungas]

Ageing chart

Since when is 53 gallons 200 liters?

[scythe]

Especially when 44gal is 205L, 53 would be 246L-ish.
What surprises me is that a 20L barrel has roughly a quarter the surface area of a "200L" but takes half as long.

[copperhead road]

Especially when 44gal is 205L, 53 would be 246L-ish.
What surprises me is that a 20L barrel has roughly a quarter the surface area of a "200L" but takes half as long.

That's the first thing that excited me and stuck me in the eye, think it's because I have ordered a 25L jobbie.

Apparently that sign comes from the wall of a whiskey distillery

[copperhead road]

Just to clear things up, I am wanting to use a 25L barrel not a 200L. I was referring to the size the aussie distilleries seem to use for their Port cask whiskys. Also totally agree with the all grain requirement for achieving a "top shelf" drink. Thought I'd give the sugar heads a go till I get my head around everything else then move to mashing. Is it worth investing in a barrel with a sugar head like the macwhisky, CFW? Or is the extra time and money not worth it over the old jar and dominoes??

After 6 months reading walls of text and asking questions I perceived that things were pointing in the direction of a barrel.
Maybe I perceived things wrong, it seems to be an ongoing grind among Home distillers over barrel versus dominos.
The barrel option looks cool as shit but more of an outlay with Ching Ching :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[rumsponge]

Since when is 53 gallons 200 liters?

Its US gallon (=3.785 L), you guys are thinking in Imperial gallons (=4.55 L)

[Sam.]

Since when is 53 gallons 200 liters?

Its US gallon (=3.785 L), you guys are thinking in Imperial gallons (=4.55 L)

And that's why America should come out of the dark ages and use the metric system :angry-banghead:

[hillzabilly]

Just to clear things up, I am wanting to use a 25L barrel not a 200L. I was referring to the size the aussie distilleries seem to use for their Port cask whiskys. Also totally agree with the all grain requirement for achieving a "top shelf" drink. Thought I'd give the sugar heads a go till I get my head around everything else then move to mashing. Is it worth investing in a barrel with a sugar head like the macwhisky, CFW? Or is the extra time and money not worth it over the old jar and dominoes??

I found this very good info ta get started http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=1842 .And viewtopic.php?f=47&t=1837 .cheers hillzabilly ;-)

[copperhead road]

Just to clear things up, I am wanting to use a 25L barrel not a 200L. I was referring to the size the aussie distilleries seem to use for their Port cask whiskys. Also totally agree with the all grain requirement for achieving a "top shelf" drink. Thought I'd give the sugar heads a go till I get my head around everything else then move to mashing. Is it worth investing in a barrel with a sugar head like the macwhisky, CFW? Or is the extra time and money not worth it over the old jar and dominoes??

I found this very good info ta get started http://aussiedistiller.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=1842 .And http://www.aussiedistiller.com.au/viewt ... =47&t=1837 .cheers hillzabilly ;-)

Awesome read on whiskey hillzabilly :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[Dyno]

Hi Guys

Looking at dropping some coin on 25L barrel that has been re-coopered from and old port pipe. So far i have only used the McWhiskey recipe aging in 2lt jars with french and american dominoes soaked in port for a few months. I am feeling that i will never achieve the style of whisky that i love using this method such as Lark, Limeburners and Overeem port cask delights, which are aged solely in 200L used port barrels. So before i spend the likes of $600 on such a barrel i would love the input on some of the novice whisky makers on here that may have played with both the McWhiskey and CFW recipies to see which would be better suited. I understand the CFW is quite a bit cheaper but as i'm trying to emulate a $250 bottle i don't mind spending the extra on the McWhiskey recipe if it would make a noticable difference.

For reference i will be fermenting in a temperature controlled fridge with 4 x 30L fermenters and running strip and spirit runs in my 2" copper pot still with shotty condenser on a 50lt keg boiler with a 3600w temp controlled element.

Hey Yase...if you are looking for a basic Whiskey / to be Scotch guve Franks Scotch a go from the tried n proven recipe list on here. Its a cheats brew as it uses LME but having said that its a fine drop. Costings run around $230 for the 100L ferment give or take depending on where you source your ingredients then theres the barrel cost but I shit you not it comes up spectacular. Off that 100L expect to get around 9.5 -10L of really good stuff at around 65% after a little dilution . I have 5 X 10L barrels on the go and the first, which is approaching 1yr is smooth as silk. Definitely a recipe thats worth the cost n not so much effort. Just my 2c buddy. Good luck with it