# Soaking Oak in Whiskey or Rum



## vcasey (Aug 10, 2009)

Has anyone ever soaked an oak spiral in whiskey or rum or something similar? We recently had a couple of beers from one of our local brewers that has been aged in a bourbon barrel and liked the effect (and to be honest the novelty) and I want to try this in one of my meads. I have a Cyser that is ready to rack next week and was thinking of taking the oak that it is currently in the cyser and drying it out some and then soaking it in either rum or Irish Whiskey for a few months and then adding it back to the cyser. Or should I just start with some fresh oak and soak that and then add it back. Since it is already oaked I am concerned about the oak level which is why I am leaning towards doing the unthinkable and reusing the oak. Any thoughts or suggestions?
VC


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## Tom (Aug 10, 2009)

many years ago I added oak (1oz)to JD. LOL, I thought I was sanitizing it. Well I let it soak for a while.Then I added it to my pale ale and thought that was not enough. So, I added the JD. WOW ! after I bottled it and carbonated it, The taste was like WOOD. All I can say id be careful on the amounts.
BTW I let it sit in the bottle for a year before trying it again.
It was one of the best I tasted. So, Time is on your side just like making wine.


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## vcasey (Aug 10, 2009)

The wood taste is why I am leaning towards using the oak that has already been sitting in the cyser. I don't know if the cyser can handle more, but I'll have a better idea once I taste it next week. 
My game plan is once I rack this off the spices and such is to let it sit for a couple of years before I even think about clearing and bottling. Right now its very young, almost 2 months, and at about 17-18% so I am in no hurry to rush. 
How long was a while in the JD? I am thinking about letting the oak sit in the whiskey for a couple of months or so and then toss it back in the cyser.
VC


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## Tom (Aug 10, 2009)

It sat in the JD for a couple of hours. 
There is no need that I can see to leave it in the JD for a year or so.
Good luck. At least you know to age it....


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## Allen (Sep 18, 2009)

Last month a friend of mine spent a couple of weeks working in Kentucky Bourbon Country, and brought home a merlot that was aged in a used whiskey barrel, at a small commercial winery. I thought it was going to be a neat idea, but I didn't care for the taste of it at all.


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## vcasey (Sep 18, 2009)

The oak is currently soaking in rum and will be added to the Christmas Cake Cyser next month. My husband did find somewhere that folks were soaking the oak for as long as 2 months in bourbon so I figured I would be all right especially since both cysers (I have an Apple Butter one going as well) are at 19% and still climbing , so I'll be waiting a while for them to mellow. Although when I racked the Christmas one it was really smooth, nice full mouth feel and a touch of warmth at the finish. The ABC was starting to smooth a bit as well but I'll have a better idea when I rack it out of the primary in a couple of weeks. The ABC will have bourbon soaked oak added to it in December.
I don't know about a merlot in a whiskey barrel, maybe a port like merlot, I'll consider that experiment another time. 
VC


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