Aging with casks/wood chips

by **Opus 27** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 4:50 am

Hi Optic

yes I\'ve had a look and my HB shop is getting one of their carbon filters in for me to have a look at.

Opus 27

by **optic** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:53 pm

Opus 27

My local HB shops dont stock Essencia products,does your HB shop have a website?

Optic

by **hoppinmad** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 2:56 pm

Great link, I found a shop in Derby that stocks their stuff so I might go and check it out one day its about time I gave the missus a day out

by **Opus 27** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 3:15 pm

Hi Optic

Sorry but no they don\'t have a web site all though they do mail order by phone or email.

Thats not much help though unless you have an idea of what you want?
Opus

by **hoppinmad** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 5:14 pm

Optic,

You can find essencia stuff at www.creativewinemaking.co.uk
Cheers, hoppinmad

by **optic** » Wed Mar 17, 2010 9:06 pm

Thanks hoppinmad

by **hoppinmad** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 1:01 pm

Also found this if anyone\'s interested,

Www.ebay.co.uk:Winebarrel/woodenbarrels100liters

they\'re chestnut and they have smaller sizes on ebay too

by **optic** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:27 pm

My local HB shop have got some in now,I went in this afternoon and got a bag,so now have 2 ltrs of spirit soaking,when they say oak chunks they are not kidding they make the SS chips look silly, they also have a nice strong bourbon aroma.The shop have also got some of the Essencia essences and some of the liquer bases.

by **Opus 27** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 6:41 pm

Optic

If you go on the Essencia Web site they have their own labels that you can save and print off. Just done their Bourbon Label and it looks quite good on the bottle.
Opus 27

by **optic** » Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:15 pm

Opus 27

yes i was thinking of printing some,Essencia have definitely got it right with the oak chunks,mine has only been soaking two days but already looking and smelling good.I had a result my HB shop gave me the oak chips to try,think I will buy the bigger bag that they have in stock that was priced at Â£13.45.

My plan is once I have done the 14 day soak im going to use the chunks again to soak a batch of scotch from the profile kit.
Optic

by **marc83** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 1:51 pm

I have just started soaking a 500g bag of Essencia Bourbon Chunks in 3L of 40%.My main concern was the container to use,I asked my local HB shop owner if plastic bucket/container was ok,he said it would be fine as long as its foodgrade etc.I would have prefered to use a glass container but had bought a 5L foodgrade plastic container on the way home.What are your thoughts on this?i am only soaking for 7-9 days first then may soak for a second time for 2-3 weeks.

by **hoppinmad** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:17 pm

Marc83,
I think most of us on here think that spirit and plastic should be avoided but then I think about all the duty free stuff I\'ve bought in the past in plastic bottles. Best to steer well clear I reckon, to be safe.
Cheers, hoppin

by **marc83** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:23 pm

Yeah i should have waited,couldnt wait to get it started,will search around for a decent glass container tomorrow me thinks.Cheers.

by **marc83** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 6:20 pm

Have just transferred the spirit and chunks into a 5L Demijohn,feel so much better now.smells so good!

by **marc83** » Tue May 11, 2010 1:31 pm

So how did everyone go with there Essencia Bourbon Chunks?I have another 2.5L back on the same chunks,leaving them on for a month or so this time round.

I must say what i drained off the chunks the first time was the best bourbon i have made so far!And it smelled so damn good!Even had a few great coments from several friends which i was stoked with.very happy with them.

While this lot is on the oak i have bought 2 100gm packs of other sorts.picked up a SS tennessee chips and a spirits unlimited jack daniels chips,Will update on how those go in about 10 daysish time.Must get another bag of essencia though,they were bloody good!