Mail Order Essences

by **quietman** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:10 am

Does anyone know of a web site where I can get essences online, my hb shop is a bit far away to keep making trips to for small essences. I'm after a good navy rum if anyone knows the best one.
Thanks, Ian.

by **bluecap** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:32 am

Hi Ian
I donâ€™t sorry but just a quick warning, donâ€™t even consider http://www.easybrew.co.uk/ they are a complete rip off, I have over a Â£100s worth of stuff ordered from over a month ago still not delivered, they donâ€™t answer the phone or answer e mails, I am at the moment trying to get my money back with a chargeback via my credit card.
I wish I had read this before I ordered.
http://grez.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/ac ... -problems/
Mick

by **quietman** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:28 pm

I found one in Grimsby and I've placed a small order to see if they deliver good service, I'll let you know either way.
http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/
Fingers crossed, Regards, Ian

by **Phantom** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:17 pm

Does anyone know of a web site where I can get essences online, my hb shop is a bit far away to keep making trips to for small essences. I'm after a good navy rum if anyone knows the best one.

Depends on exactly what you're looking for in a Rum Ian.
I've tried 3 different rum flavours, all "Still Spirits" brand, the "Jamaican" rum was a little too molasses for my taste, otherwise OK, the "Caribbean" (I think it was, the packet had a red border round the design) was also Ok, but my favourite is the "Navy Rum" flavouring. It's one of those that takes a couple of days to develop, but it had an excellent background taste of vanilla, not unsimilar to "Morgans Spiced" (just not as strongly vanilla flavoured) or some of the ones that come from the Windwards'.
Any of the home brew places that do the still spirits range of yeasts etc should stock them, I've always got those ones from here, they're very helpful. Or you could contact this lot (who are the still spirits importers - also helpful if you have any problems).
If you want to try the other brand(s), then I usually use this bloke (haven't bought anything for a couple of months as I stocked up a good bit, he used to sell some through ebay but doesn't have anything listed at the moment). I haven't tried the Prestige brand rums.
Or finally, you could always, for the Prestige stuff, go "straight to the horses mouth". You may be able to get some of the ones that are in sachets as I understand that they work out cheaper.
Dunno if that helps any!

by **Jimmy** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 10:43 pm

StillShop are very good, Graham has been known to knock about this site as well so he gets my vote!
I've also used Leyland Home Brew (http://www.leylandhomebrew.com/) and they are likewise very good. If you get chance, pop in and they might offer you some 'special stuff' from behind the counter...

by **quietman** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 11:08 pm

Thanks for the tips guys
Regards, Ian

by **quietman** » Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:04 pm

I've just recieved my parcel, I ordered on Sunday and received Tuesday morning all present and correct from:
http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/
I ordered some stillspirits items:
Classic (VSOP) Cognac Essence

Classic Whisky Essence

Classic Tennessee Bourbon Essence

Classic Navy Dark Rum Essence

Tennessee Bourbon Chips 100g

Carbon 10g Sachet Pack Of 4
Has anyone used the bourbon chips for ageing, I hope they work
Regards, Ian

by **Jimmy** » Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:04 am

Not those specifically, I tried a whiskey that had some chips included with the essence, that worked really well. I've also done some aging with barbecue chips which is great too. I keep meaning to write that up into an article. Let us know how you get on, or even better write it up for the main site and I'll post it!

by **quietman** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 1:04 am

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
I'm now sipping some Navy Rum made with "Classic Navy Dark Rum Essence" it is very nice, this is to be on the shoping list for the future.
I also hava a litre of Bourbon with 25g of "Tennessee Bourbon Chips" soaking in it, the colour has really darkened already after 5 days. It will be ready on Saturday so I'll post the results once I've tried it.
Regards, Q

by **quietman** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 2:13 am

Just an extra post, I just gave my wife a bourbon and coke and she thought I was trying to trick her by using real JD. :-)
Regards, Q.

by **HangOver** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:37 pm

glad to hear it went well for you i have seen these chips and wondered how they might work out. When I get a bottle I c.an spare

I think i'll try them.

by **HangOver** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:44 pm

***edited, posted to wrong place

by **quietman** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:02 pm

Ill let you know on Saturday after I taste the results.
Regards, Q

by **Jimmy** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:22 am

I'm a definite fan of the chips, they seem to work well for whiskey type drinks that need an element of wood in the flavour.

by **Phantom** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 4:32 pm

Jimmy, don't use "barbie chips".
The difference is that with the chips etc from the HBS, will be "White Oak", whereas barbie chips will be "any" (often "Red") oak. As it's cheaper than the higher quality of white oak.
Wine making/Coopering/etc barrels/chips/etc are definitely white oak. If you dig around, you'll find info that suggests the order of preference is french oak, then american. Though it seems that historically, Hungarian oak was originally prefered but that was stopped by communism, so french became prefered. American oak, well you'd want the slower growing "Northern" white oak chips.
This is all because it's about the tannins/other flavouring elements.
Whereas, barbie chips, are just used for the flavour of the smoke.
Yes, it depends on where you are, but there's a wood yard about 30 miles from me, that will sell you a barrel that's made of french oak that's been used to age burgundy for 1 year. So that if I can I can just buy one for about Â£60 and then split it down, sand off any dirt from the outside of the staves (and the inside as well, but that's only stained red, from the wine). Then just "bang" them with an electric plane to make shavings, which are then toasted slowly in the oven. Bingo, oak chips (the packets from the HBS are often little more than sawdust).
Or of course, you could alway just chop it into smaller staves that fit inside a DJ or other ageing container or into cubes and drop some into the container etc.
I'm thinking that staves or cubes would negate the need to filter it, but "chips" would make it "go further".