"Basic question. How does one create an alligator char for a stick? I don't have a propane torch.

Thanks in advance."

"Steve,
You could pull the grates off of your grill and use a pair of tongs to hold your sticks on the fire.

But if you are gonna do any still builds or mods on your exsisting still you will need a torch any way.

Cheap enough and a good tool to have.

289,
I find that the alligator char gives me the color and aroma that I most prefer. Some times I see those stock photos of a glass of delightfully colored likker and it just gets my mouth watering.

My personal goal was the color and nose of Pompero (rum), but with the passing of time I seem to be moving more and more full circle back to the silver.

Batch white is getting good press lately. Maybe I am falling for the trend?"

This is what oaked aged 60% sweetfeed hooch looks like. As you can see one is finsihed and one is waiting for the sticks to be added. I get my sticks by cutting a oak limb thats about 1 inch in diameter and splitting it 4 times. Then take my little propane torch and burn it (or char it) to this point. It gives a nice amber color and this is after 5 days with oak. Now I hope I can let it go for a while to age. Oh the paper you see under the ring is so it can breath. Theres no cap just the ring to hold the paper and keep out the vermin.

"I read that someone soaks in water for a while and then chars the wood??? I cut mine green on the tree, remove the bark and then split and char. I will let someone with more knowledge of this process chime in as I dont want to give you info that would ruin your hooch. It seems to work for me but I'm from the south.... If you get it dried and then soak it to get it damp, then burn it, woooweeee..I'll just say it works for me.
I leave mine at 60% so when I cut it will get mellower and lighter. I know when they use oak for barrels its dried and then they char heavily then put about a gallon of water in the barrel and plug the bung hole. The steam puts out the fire and dampens the wood again. I'm not sure either way you do it is wrong -- just different."

"Dried wood isn't just a referance to the amount of water in the wook, its the oils also. You can quickly force dry oak, hickory or apple woods just as nature does, by placeing your split or sawn green wood into the freezer overnight and into hot or dry location during the day.
the freezing crystalizes the moisture and the heat evaporates it. You know its done when no more moisture at all appears.

I think the best quality for flavor is a slow roast to a med. toast, then an alligator charon 2 sides/ No soaking. The steam used for barrels, is superheated live steam. No moisture is introduced as its way beyond the temp. to condense. Simular to the process for makeing activated charcoal, but not as intense. If you soak your woods prior to toasting you will get color, but none of the vanillans and tannins etc. you want for good flavors. The toasting needs to penetrate deep for that. Skim charring and or to deep charring will kill those also.

For a good mellow neutral nothing beats a bit of ageing with activated stone carbon, then a bit of aireation, till just right. If cuts are made right, I am talking about makeing Grey Goose being garbage in comparison. Doesn't happen overnight."

"

CC. You may think you are drinking it without a problem. It will desensitise your mucous membranes, ie. kill them, so you are no longer sensative. Then your bronchial and then your stomach and organs. This is poisen at that strength. Better to dilute it, drink twice as much or twice as fast, though I don't recommend that either. but a heck of a lot safer.

To any reading this, alchohol kills and wipes out B vitimins, esp. B 12. Suggest takeing a B complex before first drink, another during and another first thing in the morning. Your day will be a hundred percent better."

"

Good, good, good. Thanks for clarifying. Alchohol washes out all you B vit. which is so necessary for health. From a health group I have been makeing a ""total tonic"". I made a slight change in it, and now make the healthiest and tastiest bloody mary ever. It wil knock a cold, or flue or whatever out in nothing flat and just make you feel super the next day. Anyone want the recipe let me know."

"

Same here if you'd please - who de-railed this thread anyways? sorry steveb"

"I never aged anything that large and for all my testing use 16oz jars, my hickory splits are 6""x1/4"" and medium toasted followed by a torch charring, I used one stick per jar as less is more.

I also recently purchased medium toast oak chips $1.50 for 4oz and says it is good for 5 gallons. I put 4 chips to a jar which had no discernible weight to them, In 2 weeks both the hickory and oak gave a amber color and sweeter taste.

I do not make whiskey and only wood age pot stilled sugar wash to help absorb some of the off flavors and mellow it a bit. It seems to do the trick for me but I also refrigerate, shake, and air daily for the first 2 weeks. None of my tests have ever made it beyond the 4 week mark."

good morning walker and co. i would love that recipe please.
just me
Who says flattery gets you nowhere? My wife was practically beaming
when I told her, "Honey, for you I would only have to use half a
Viagra."