How to Toast oak wood

toasted oak wood is used in the aging process used on all major whiskeys worldwide. it imparts 80% of the flavor to whiskey. by toasting your own at home, you can turn a cheap vodka or everclear into a very different beverage, more resembling whisky.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• clear alcohol spirit( vodka, everclear, etc...
• White oak wood.
• oven
• propane torch (optional)

1. 
   american oak log

   The first thing that you need to get is American white oak wood, or french oak. You can find oak by looking threw a firewood pile. The oak is one of the hardest woods and when freshly split will have an overpowering strong musty odor to the freshly split side. You need it dry so find a dry log of it. Or, just go to lowes and buy a strip of oak from there wood section, that is just as easy (but costs more).

2. 

   Now to toast it, cut it into strips about 4 inches long and as big around as your thumb. Lay these in the oven and turn it to the heat desired. Different temperatures produce different flavors in the finished product. Refer to the photo below for temperature guides relating to the flavor you want most prevalent. it is advisable to toast them for about 3 hours at the temperature specified.

3. 
   Un-toasted oak strips

   As an optional step you can burn one side to mimic the char on real whisky barrels insides. Use a propane torch and burn one side for a few minutes. For an example jack Daniels toasts there barrels at 450 degrees F for 5 hours and then burns them on the inside with a gas flame at 1500 degrees F for 4 minutes.

4. 
   finished tosted oak strips

   Now for aging your vodka or everclear. Get it down to 40 % by volume or what ever strength you like. For a 750 ml bottle cut the oak into strips the size of your pinkie finger. Put 2 of these in the bottle. add 4 raisins for extra authentic flavor. Let this sit for a few weeks to a few years, depending on how long you can wait, taste it once a week until the flavor is the strength you like, then strain and serve!

Tips & Warnings

• Don't add too much wood at first, you can always add more later if you want.
• don't drink and drive.
• If you hurt yourself somehow (burn,cut with axe, ect...) dont blame anyone but yourself.

Resources

• info on barrel charing
• jack danials.
• How to tour jack danials distillery.

[soaringeagle]

on 10/6/2008 cool facts - ok wish it were time for a glass of Jack - sounds good.

[Ballzy]

on 9/26/2008 Thanks for the information!