I have really enjoyed your alternative blends and barrel aging videos. Have several bottles aging away in my cabinet, that I try every once in a while to check in on them. I watched another small whiskeytube channel that did some home aging with some homemade aging mini barrels, that are stainless vessels that you have to make your own oak lid for (so its also a project). But you can toast and char that oak to your own preferences, and it does not all go to the angels that way a normal mini barrel does (at least in my environment). They also had a ton of home blending videos for Stagg and Weller etc. Not here to spam their channel in your comments, but based on both of your interests in home aging your 2 channels seems a natural fit to crossover. Just my opinion, keep up the great work here! Cheers
This really sounds like fun. I have seen this guys videos, but dont remember the channel name. What is the name of the channel? (Also, never appolgize for commenting, it helps the channel a ton!)
@@tillbrook They bought the vessels on Amazon and they were like $8. He details how he made the lids and its a little involved unless you are good with jig saw, router etc. Links to everything is in the video description.
I love blending to make something unique! The baby bday bourbon is my favorite to make. It tastes just like this years release. Statesman and 1910 together make the under 100 proof blend.
I think my favorite stave aging so far is a jug of "moonshine" my friend got me from his Bourbon Trail trip which was 50/50 corn/rice mash. I gave it about 6 months on toasted oak and maple spirals and did some thermo cycling setting it in my freezer then room temp, then setting it next to a vent in the winter. It turned out really interesting and honestly not like anything I've ever tasted. I've had japanese and korean rice liquors but they are never barrel aged. So you get something that is like a bourbon sake/soju with some nice oak and maple notes but not really sweet.
Amburana is good to experiment with bottles that would otherwise be a sink poor. I used it in Traveller Whiskey and it made it drinkable. I’ve done several poor man’s blends for various Pappy’s, Blanton’s, and even an EHT 4 Grain (I’ll come back and post the recipes later). I’ve turbo aged Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star and AA90 with Blanton’s smoking chips. I did my own spin on JD Sinatra with a 50/50 blend of Gentleman Jack and JD Bonded (although Cooper’s Craft Barrel Reserve could also work). My go to, though, is the Prudent Pappy you did. I often find myself reaching for it over much more expensive bottles on my shelf.
I have been experimenting with some different spirals and would definitely agree in using caution with the amburana. I place a small light toast amburana spiral into a Benchmark Full Proof and after just 3 days it was like paint thinner! My most successful experiment was using your brand oak spiral for 6 weeks in a bottle of Benchmark Top Floor with some Larceny Barrel Proof blended in. 5 to 2 ratio was used. IDK what to compare it to, but its pleasant to sip! Cheers to all!
Love the episode. I have a “Prudent” baking for 6 months. However I used Rebel Cask Strength just to see how a higher proof “HH” would do, it’s worth a try. I also have an Ancient Age 90 and Benchmark Full Proof that’s baked for a year, dumping I. Two days. Cheers
Good stuff DB! I just made combined JD barrel proof and WT rare breed and threw a couple tablespoons of mizunara for 3 days, made a before and after. I meant to bring you some!
I enjoyed adding a barrel spiral to EWBIB. Makes it much more like HMBIB and takes off the rough edges. I did this with Weller SR and have friends a blind with Weller 12. Friends liked the aged SR as much as the 12. However, there is a consistent and flavor that pops up in the aged versions (same spirals you use).
Yes. There definitely IS a consistent flavor that comes through on nearly all projects where the spirals are used. It is a oaky-vanilla thing, and I am glad I like the note! Since it nearly always comes through.
Never used any wood products/spirals in my blends yet, sounds like something to try. I've made up MANY blends, some good some 🫣😖😵💫. my all time favorite is my Old 36 that has a blend of 🤔 . I have to keep better records 🙄🤣 Cheers my friend 🥃👍
I have done Early Times BiB with two oak spirals and I mixed in 1/5 Benchmark Full Proof. I also have placed a spiral in Rebel 100 (thought it was good) and a 60/30/10 mix of Bulleit Rye, Bulleit Bourbon, and Knob Creek 7. That last one is to week four. Finally, I have a JP Wiser's Triple Oak with two spirals. That one I'm curious about, but I may need to mix in some higher proof stuff. I am thinking of Knob Creek 9 120 proof.
I got into home aging based on some of your earlier content, thanks again for the recipe video you did a few months back! I got a 2L barrel, and I’ve done Benchmark Full Proof and a batch of your Prudent Pappy recipe. I have to say, my barrel imparts some more of those smoky, mesquite notes, so while I’m like you and I find the end product enjoyable and interesting, it wasn’t what I was going for necessarily. Just landed a 1.75L of Weller Special Reserve last week, probably going to play with that next. I know you did a video trying to turn Weller green into Weller 12 without success, although you improved the original. Any advice for me with it?
I definitely feel it imporved special reserve. I wonder what your barrel would do to it!? I think the only way is to find out what happens. You have to let me know how it turns out.
@yourdrinkingbuddy I put two (used in Prudent Pappy, then dried in between) spirals in a 1.75 of Ancient Age. I am hoping to get it closer to Ancient Ancient Age, than to anything else. It's been about a week, and it's not noticeably darker in color. The taste seems to have improved, but I forgot to keep a sample of before, haha. Do you ever re-use spirals?
I have, but feel they dont impary nearly as much flavor. They do however, work well to use for other things. Take one of those used spirals and drop it in port, then two weeks later you have a port stave. Take one and drop it in honey and two weeks later you have a honey barrel stave.
I haven’t tried aging anything lately, but I’m intrigued on aging the Widow Jane Decadence. The maple pancake and syrup aged with a certain spiral, really bad or really good? Thoughts? Cheers DB
The quick cut to “I just knocked my whole glass of water over” is hilarious 😆 00:58
@@Wild_Danimal lol yeah, i broke the plastic cup somehow too in the process. 🤦 i was standing on wet towels.
I’ve been aging bourbon in 2liter barrels and using spirals for about year. Love it. Really enhances standard to exceptional.
That is awesome! Charred spirals?
Love the blends keep em coming. My buddy made this one called it banana pancakes
1/3 JDBP
1/3 OF 1910
1/3 Woodford reserve D oaked
It is soo good.
That does sound fantastic.
I have really enjoyed your alternative blends and barrel aging videos. Have several bottles aging away in my cabinet, that I try every once in a while to check in on them. I watched another small whiskeytube channel that did some home aging with some homemade aging mini barrels, that are stainless vessels that you have to make your own oak lid for (so its also a project). But you can toast and char that oak to your own preferences, and it does not all go to the angels that way a normal mini barrel does (at least in my environment). They also had a ton of home blending videos for Stagg and Weller etc. Not here to spam their channel in your comments, but based on both of your interests in home aging your 2 channels seems a natural fit to crossover. Just my opinion, keep up the great work here! Cheers
@testuser55 Did they make the stainless vessels, or buy them? That sounds interesting to use instead of spirals.
This really sounds like fun. I have seen this guys videos, but dont remember the channel name. What is the name of the channel?
(Also, never appolgize for commenting, it helps the channel a ton!)
@@yourdrinkingbuddy Did not want to come across like I was only commenting to promote another channel but its 'The Dram Diaries'
@@tillbrook They bought the vessels on Amazon and they were like $8. He details how he made the lids and its a little involved unless you are good with jig saw, router etc. Links to everything is in the video description.
Loved the prudent pappy when I tried it, keep up the alternative content. Channel rocks!!
Thanks buddy! Means a lot.
I love this idea and want to explore it more for sure. need to try some more stuff. cheers
Definitely! Let me know what you try.
I love blending to make something unique! The baby bday bourbon is my favorite to make. It tastes just like this years release. Statesman and 1910 together make the under 100 proof blend.
I definitely have a fun idea for this. Need to plan for it and have you over.
I think my favorite stave aging so far is a jug of "moonshine" my friend got me from his Bourbon Trail trip which was 50/50 corn/rice mash. I gave it about 6 months on toasted oak and maple spirals and did some thermo cycling setting it in my freezer then room temp, then setting it next to a vent in the winter. It turned out really interesting and honestly not like anything I've ever tasted. I've had japanese and korean rice liquors but they are never barrel aged. So you get something that is like a bourbon sake/soju with some nice oak and maple notes but not really sweet.
This sounds really fun and wild!
Amburana is good to experiment with bottles that would otherwise be a sink poor. I used it in Traveller Whiskey and it made it drinkable. I’ve done several poor man’s blends for various Pappy’s, Blanton’s, and even an EHT 4 Grain (I’ll come back and post the recipes later). I’ve turbo aged Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star and AA90 with Blanton’s smoking chips. I did my own spin on JD Sinatra with a 50/50 blend of Gentleman Jack and JD Bonded (although Cooper’s Craft Barrel Reserve could also work). My go to, though, is the Prudent Pappy you did. I often find myself reaching for it over much more expensive bottles on my shelf.
Amburana did improve famous grouse for me.
I have been experimenting with some different spirals and would definitely agree in using caution with the amburana. I place a small light toast amburana spiral into a Benchmark Full Proof and after just 3 days it was like paint thinner!
My most successful experiment was using your brand oak spiral for 6 weeks in a bottle of Benchmark Top Floor with some Larceny Barrel Proof blended in. 5 to 2 ratio was used. IDK what to compare it to, but its pleasant to sip! Cheers to all!
That sounds like a VERY fun experience! I am glad to see everyone experimenting.
Love the episode. I have a “Prudent” baking for 6 months. However I used Rebel Cask Strength just to see how a higher proof “HH” would do, it’s worth a try. I also have an Ancient Age 90 and Benchmark Full Proof that’s baked for a year, dumping I. Two days. Cheers
You have to let me know how they all turn out!!!
Good stuff DB! I just made combined JD barrel proof and WT rare breed and threw a couple tablespoons of mizunara for 3 days, made a before and after. I meant to bring you some!
That is awesome! How did it turn out!?
@@yourdrinkingbuddy will report back, just dumped it, it’s so dark, thinking I might have added too much, we will see
I enjoyed adding a barrel spiral to EWBIB. Makes it much more like HMBIB and takes off the rough edges. I did this with Weller SR and have friends a blind with Weller 12. Friends liked the aged SR as much as the 12. However, there is a consistent and flavor that pops up in the aged versions (same spirals you use).
Yes. There definitely IS a consistent flavor that comes through on nearly all projects where the spirals are used. It is a oaky-vanilla thing, and I am glad I like the note! Since it nearly always comes through.
Never used any wood products/spirals in my blends yet, sounds like something to try. I've made up MANY blends, some good some 🫣😖😵💫. my all time favorite is my Old 36 that has a blend of 🤔 . I have to keep better records 🙄🤣 Cheers my friend 🥃👍
Let me know what is in that one.
I have done Early Times BiB with two oak spirals and I mixed in 1/5 Benchmark Full Proof. I also have placed a spiral in Rebel 100 (thought it was good) and a 60/30/10 mix of Bulleit Rye, Bulleit Bourbon, and Knob Creek 7. That last one is to week four. Finally, I have a JP Wiser's Triple Oak with two spirals. That one I'm curious about, but I may need to mix in some higher proof stuff. I am thinking of Knob Creek 9 120 proof.
That sounds awesome!!! Glad to see this!
I got into home aging based on some of your earlier content, thanks again for the recipe video you did a few months back!
I got a 2L barrel, and I’ve done Benchmark Full Proof and a batch of your Prudent Pappy recipe. I have to say, my barrel imparts some more of those smoky, mesquite notes, so while I’m like you and I find the end product enjoyable and interesting, it wasn’t what I was going for necessarily.
Just landed a 1.75L of Weller Special Reserve last week, probably going to play with that next. I know you did a video trying to turn Weller green into Weller 12 without success, although you improved the original. Any advice for me with it?
I definitely feel it imporved special reserve. I wonder what your barrel would do to it!?
I think the only way is to find out what happens. You have to let me know how it turns out.
@yourdrinkingbuddy I put two (used in Prudent Pappy, then dried in between) spirals in a 1.75 of Ancient Age. I am hoping to get it closer to Ancient Ancient Age, than to anything else. It's been about a week, and it's not noticeably darker in color. The taste seems to have improved, but I forgot to keep a sample of before, haha.
Do you ever re-use spirals?
I have, but feel they dont impary nearly as much flavor. They do however, work well to use for other things. Take one of those used spirals and drop it in port, then two weeks later you have a port stave. Take one and drop it in honey and two weeks later you have a honey barrel stave.
I haven’t tried aging anything lately, but I’m intrigued on aging the Widow Jane Decadence. The maple pancake and syrup aged with a certain spiral, really bad or really good? Thoughts? Cheers DB
That could be very interesting but might be an expensive experiment if it doesnt work out.
Have you ever tried putting a spiral in an Eagle Rare? Curious how that would turn out.
I havent, because I feel it has a great oak presence already... but maybe I should! Poor mans ER17!
@@yourdrinkingbuddy That's what I was curious about if it could become a Poor mans ER17 lol!