Oak Spirit Aging Barrel

[hogthrob]

I just became aware of the existence of these; 1L oak aging barrels you can age spirits in:



£60 from Amazon https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Urban-Bar...5871165&sr=8-5

The blurb says "A small tabletop barrel has greater contact ratio than a professional 55 gallon barrel so can age spirits up to 10 times faster. It will vary depending on the size of your barrel, but a rough guide is that 1 month in our mini oak barrels is equivalent to 1 to 1½ years in a 55 gallon barrel."


Are they actually any good?

[Saint-Just]

Are they varnished?

I would stay away.
I have friends in Charente Maritime who age their mixture (pineau) in small casks (10/15 litres, I can't remember) but they keep it cool and dark in the cellar.

Also, when they start to draw they transfer the whole content to smaller Demi-johns, so that air doesn't oxidise it too quickly.

In the case of a 1 litre cask full of whisky, the amount of air would gradually increase. Try pouring yourself a whisky in the evening, and drinking it for lunch the next day...

[hughtrimble]

Do you like the impact American white oak has on spirits? If so, no harm in giving it a try. They're not uncommon things and lots of videos on YouTube about them with various experimental ideas thrown in too.

[ernestrome]

A couple of small oak barrel blocks, balls or staves (charred or uncharred), which are easily obtained, put in the bottle would be a much cheaper way of finding out if the taste is for you.

I would say that aging spirits is considerably more complex than just the effect of the wood, congeners and acids in the spirit are also reacting to form desirable flavour elements.

https://cocktailwonk.com/2015/04/fro...ted-aging.html

[pugster]

as above , its easier and cheaper to just toast some oak sticks and add them to a bottle , aging takes time regardless as fresh oaked spirit is harsh.

* the fastest way to 'age' or 'smooth' a spirit is to add 1 tbs of glycerine per ltr (availbale at most chemists) and give it a shake.

[Saint-Just]

* the fastest way to 'age' or 'smooth' a spirit is to add 1 tbs of glycerine per ltr (availbale at most chemists) and give it a shake.

Shtt! you're going to give ideas to the spirit industry with your loose posting

Oh... wait!

[pugster]

Shtt! you're going to give ideas to the spirit industry with your loose posting

Oh... wait!

not sure what the point of your post is?

[Saint-Just]

not sure what the point of your post is?

There was recently a debate here about rum, and how much most have been artificially mellowed to accommodate public tastes.

[inspector gadget]

I have had the 3litre for 5 years and the 5litre two years, going well so far mostly 67% ABV but the angels keep pinching some...

[ernestrome]

And do they leave any tasting notes?

[inspector gadget]

And do they leave any tasting notes?

They did after the first batch, said it was a bit too woody, This latest batch is more JD esque I await the angels opinion...

[pugster]

They did after the first batch, said it was a bit too woody, This latest batch is more JD esque I await the angels opinion...

do you know if these small barrels have been pre charred? as the last ones i looked at were not - if so where did you get them from?

[inspector gadget]

do you know if these small barrels have been pre charred? as the last ones i looked at were not - if so where did you get them from?

they are pre charred and I got them from Love Brewing. Not the cheapest out there but they know what they are doing.... there are a couple of good videos on the website, check them out.