StillSmart Home distillation made easy! 2017-10-05T22:09:13+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/feed.php?f=5&t=4587 2017-10-05T22:09:13+00:00 2017-10-05T22:09:13+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=44878#p44878 <![CDATA[Re: Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]> I do not believe that it is needed at the scale that we distill.
Little bits of wood do what I want.
But what do I know?

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Thu Oct 05, 2017 10:09 pm


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2017-10-05T19:17:34+00:00 2017-10-05T19:17:34+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=44877#p44877 <![CDATA[Re: Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]> Get mine from SD expensive yes, but they do
a good job.

Statistics: Posted by gaza the instructor — Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:17 pm


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2017-10-05T17:32:47+00:00 2017-10-05T17:32:47+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=44876#p44876 <![CDATA[Re: Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]>

Dominoes for me every time.


Thanks you for that Toper.
I know I bang on about dominoes, but it was getting to be a lonely place!

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Thu Oct 05, 2017 5:32 pm


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2017-10-05T06:55:21+00:00 2017-10-05T06:55:21+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=44875#p44875 <![CDATA[Re: Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]>
To pay heed to best practise as ED says is I think to be highly recommended. It was the quality of the wooden taps I bought which sent me to brass taps. To be honest, at the time I didn't give stainless steel a thought.

Differentiating between using a barrel for ageing or dispensing as mentioned by Mash is also of significance.

I actually age with dominoes.

For me the barrel is a piece of self indulgence which largely displays and dispenses my whisky, whilst it does I feel add to the finished taste over time. However, because the ready aged whisky is down to 40%abv before being barrelled, there is not such a marked stripping process of the interior.

As a home distiller, would I buy such a barrel again? No, I don't think so. In hindsight ,for the money, there are so many other items I might have made more effective use of.

Dominoes for me every time.

Statistics: Posted by Toper — Thu Oct 05, 2017 6:55 am


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2017-10-05T06:13:09+00:00 2017-10-05T06:13:09+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=44874#p44874 <![CDATA[Re: Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]>
Maturing.
I would stopper it with a quality cork cork for the year (or however long).

Then add the tap (wood or stainless) when done to decant.

Oak barrels work as storage to mature and flavour. You have to keep them wet and topped up. To get the flavour you have to keep buying them and use them in rotation. 40% of the flavour is lost first time.


Dispense.
Get a glass lined barrel with a ss tap. Brilliant. Looks great works great.

Make your spirit with quality oak dominoes, taste it and refine it as you go. Make it in glass. Rotate and mix the dominoes to get complex flavours, that you can control.

This method will get you a far better product, than lob in and hope.

Just my 2 cents ......

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Thu Oct 05, 2017 6:13 am


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2017-10-04T22:34:22+00:00 2017-10-04T22:34:22+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=44869#p44869 <![CDATA[Re: Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]> This summer I pulled up 30 metres of such a pipe,and replaced it with what is now considered safe.
The scrap value almost paid for the work!
I don't worry unduly about such things, but do try to heed best practise, where such is available.
I would have no problem with brass and alcohol, I am still waiting for some definitive numbers.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Wed Oct 04, 2017 10:34 pm


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2017-10-04T21:37:13+00:00 2017-10-04T21:37:13+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=44867#p44867 <![CDATA[Re: Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]>
I have had three wooden taps in the past and, with each, the cork sealing strip inside shifted due to moisture absorption causing the tap to fail.

I personally now use a brass tap in a 30 litre barrel. I feel the amount of metal in constant contact with the contents is rather miniscule.

However, I am not recommending such, just stating where I am at.

Statistics: Posted by Toper — Wed Oct 04, 2017 9:37 pm


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2017-07-04T21:17:30+00:00 2017-07-04T21:17:30+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=43722#p43722 <![CDATA[Re: Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]> I would go with wood.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Tue Jul 04, 2017 9:17 pm


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2017-07-04T18:31:24+00:00 2017-07-04T18:31:24+00:00 http://www.stillsmart.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4587&p=43715#p43715 <![CDATA[Oak barrels. Brass or wooden taps]]>
I was thinking about buying oak barrel and as I can see most of barrels are with wooden or brass taps. What would be your opinions? Which one you prefer or recommend? Would like to buy 5-6 liters, fill it with neutral and leave it for a year a least.

Statistics: Posted by Leatherman — Tue Jul 04, 2017 6:31 pm


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