BourbonEnthusiast.com

If everybody is really using char #4 (or close to), why offer #1-#3.
I would guess somebody is using lower char #, since it’s on offer.
Does anyone know what JD is using? (I’m not implying anything – but they might use lower char do to the LCP)

Thomas

The Whiskey Viking wrote:If everybody is really using char #4 (or close to), why offer #1-#3.
I would guess somebody is using lower char #, since it’s on offer.
Does anyone know what JD is using? (I’m not implying anything – but they might use lower char do to the LCP)

Thomas

Easy answer, Thomas - All brown-forman produucts are put up in Bluegrass Cooperage. That means the "something between #3 -#4 char" alligator char.

There is a slight variation howerever. A small version of the Woodford Reserve Distillery resides in Shivley, Kentucky at the Early Times Distillery. Small 10 & 15 gallon kegs are used for aging. No word as to their char level. This intel comes directly from the mouth of Chris Morris. Mike Veach and Chuck Cowdery were there as witnesses, as was Bobby Cox; Brenda J. Piercefield, Marvin and others of creditable character.


ima

This is interesting and something I haven't really given that much thought. It sounds like the char level is actually more geared toward the distillery than the actual whiskey that will enter.

Based on the way I understood George T. Stagg was originally selected, I doubt the char was (purposely) something special / different (compared to other B/T barrels destined to bottled under a different brand name).

Does anybody know if this is available in Maryland? I really would like to give it a try.

I would think brandy and even wine producers might buy barrels charred to #1 or #2 which might qualify as toasted. In any case it is known some brandy producers use varying levels of new charred wood for at least certain periods of aging their product (usually for the first year or so). I think the cooperages sell to more than the bourbon makers, and of course even some of them make products that might use the lightly charred wood, e.g. Heaven Hills makes brandy from California wines.

Gary

Archis wrote:Does anybody know if this is available in Maryland? I really would like to give it a try.

Are you near Westminster MD? If so there is a place there that is out but will probably get it next year... They have had in stock the past 3 years but it sells out ULTRA quickly just about everywhere.

Yes that is pretty close, can you give me their name and I will contact them.

Thanks

BIB doesn't require filtration.

There are doubtless lots of bourbons that could call themselves BIB. Mostly they don't because they don't think it means anything to the consumer.

Char level is a function of time. The gas jets flame on for X seconds for a #1 and Y seconds for a #2, so you get a 1/2 by splitting the difference. If you wanted to get silly about it, you could do a #2 5/16 if you wanted to.

Traditionally, #4 was the highest, the "alligator" char. This was somewhat arbitrary, but the cooperages said that if you burned the barrels more (i.e., longer) than that they would lose physical integrity. Then Buffalo Trace (naturally) started messing around to see if they could go futher and, again based on the traditional timing scale (I apologize, but I don't know the actual times, but it's something like 90 seconds for a #4), they pushed it up to a #7. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to really make the whiskey taste any different than a #4, so maybe the people who decided #4 was the limit knew what they were doing after all.

cowdery wrote: Then Buffalo Trace (naturally) started messing around to see if they could go futher and, they pushed it up to a #7. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to really make the whiskey taste any different than a #4, so maybe the people who decided #4 was the limit knew what they were doing after all.

A few questions...How much #7 char level was produced? Was it destined for a particular brand? Was it eventually dumped and married with more typically charred bourbon? Is it even known what the outcome of the #7 was/is? Has anyone else pushed the barrel's envelope like this?

It was one of their experiments. May have been one barrel or a couple, but no more than that. They have been letting people taste it at WhiskeyFest and the like. I assume the experiment is continuing.