Charring

[nota...@live.com]

I was curious as to why you default to a heavy char on your barrels?

 

Is it because of the short time span needed to pull the flavor off the barrel?

 

If the short time frame is the reason would it be pointless to ask for a lighter char or would a lighter char make for a diffrent flavoring?

 

I honestly am new to barreling and still researching what to buy.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

-Jon

[Clay, Johnston]

Hi Jon, heating helps to shape the staves, the more heat the easier to bend but also heat brings the sugars and flavors in the wood to the surface and caramelizes them; the more heat the more caramelized sugars and flavors. For whiskey and strong spirits this is advantageous, for wine and other spirits other strategies are used. Clay

[VARocketry]

Actually, the char selected by the distiller is part of their flavor strategy for their whiskey.  In the case of bourbon, the Kentucky distilleries use between a 3+, and 5, with most using a 4 char. Wild Turkey uses a 5 char and a higher proof to impart their unique flavor.  The char temperature can materially affect the flavors available from the white oak as shown in the chart above.  You definitely don't want to cook it as much as you can.

No, it would not be pointless.  A lighter char will absolutely impart different flavors, as will too much char.

VA

[Clay Johnston]

I make my barrels by hand and don't have the sophisticated equipment to control exact temperatures in the charring process. I char the barrels by making a fire of white oak scraps, which helps to give even more flavor than just plain heat and then shovel the fire into the barrel and roll it around. I use my experience of aging whiskey, tequila and rum and go for the char which has always worked best for me which is a fairly heavy char. I really only have three chars; light, medium and heavy. At your service Clay Johnston 

On Friday, May 17, 2013 12:16:45 PM UTC-5, nota...@live.com wrote: