Essencia Bourbon Barrel Chunks 500g

Made from a blend of fresh barrels from the Jim Beam, Jack Daniel’s and Wild Turkey distilleries.

For those who want to make the best bourbon possible. Will produce 2 x 1125ml (40oz) bottles of finest quality bourbon in only one week. Use again to produce a further 2 x 1125ml (40oz) bottles of good bourbon in three weeks. 
These Chunks can then be used a third time, soaking 2.3lt of spirit for 5 - 6 weeks, then adding a bottle of essencia Bourbon flavour to produce another 2 x 1125ml (40oz) bottles of great bourbon.

SUGGESTIONS FOR USE
First Soaking
Add 2.5 litres of alcohol per 500g of essencia Barrel Chunks.
Cover and soak for approximately 7 days. Drain the liquid from the Chunks and then filter it.
Character: Flavour - High, Colour - Dark, Oak - Low.
Use for: Drinking or blending

Second Soaking
Add a further 2.3 litres of alcohol per 500g to the used essencia Barrel Chunks.
Cover and soak for approximately 19 days. Drain and filter.
Character: Flavour - Medium, Colour - Medium, Oak - Medium.
Use for: Drinking or blending

Third Soaking
Add a further 2.3 litres of alcohol per 500g to the used essencia Barrel Chunks.
Cover and soak for 5 - 6 weeks. Drain and filter.
Character: Flavour - Low, Colour - Light, Oak - Heavy.
Use for: Blending, or add 1 x bottle of essencia Spirit flavouring for drinking.

TESTING
Because everyone's tastes are different, the soaking times stated above are suggestions only. To obtain the best results for you, it is suggested that you test your product regularly during the first two soakings.
Trying not to disturb any sediment, use a syringe to draw off about 15ml (1 nip) each test and try it. You will notice a marked difference in the character of the product with each test.
First soaking - After 4 days soaking, test once every day.
Second soaking - After 10 days soaking, test once every 3 days.
As soon as the product is to your taste you should start the draining process.

DRAINING
Putting the Chunks in a straining bag while soaking them makes the draining process a lot easier. It also reduces the amount of sediment carried over to the filtering phase. A Small - Fine Straining Bag is ideal. After draining the Chunks, allow the sediment to settle for a few hours before filtering as this sediment clogs the filter and slows down the process a lot. Ideally the sediment is left until the end of filtering.

FILTERING
Use a coffee filter paper in a funnel, or 2 x cotton wool balls pushed down the neck of a large funnel.
This process should take time. The product should only drip out of the filter.

BLENDING
The essencia Barrel Chunk system not only produces amazing results, it allows you to become the Blender, exactly as they do at the distillery.
Once you have the product from the three soakings, all you need is a syringe, a glass, a notepad and some time, to blend your own personal favorites.