THE VATTING THREAD 2017

[fishnbowljoe]

3 hours ago, Daveheelga said:

I stumbled across a 1.75 of WSR today, so I'm ready to start my vatting journey. Apart from OGD114, any other suggestions with WSR? I do have some OWA on hand.

 There ya' go Dave. You just named your own poison.  I use Weller SR and OWA for my version of the SB blend. Most folks on the site prefer using Weller 12 and OWA though.

 

Cheers! Joe

[HoustonNit]

 There ya' go Dave. You just named your own poison. [emoji6] I use Weller SR and OWA for my version of the SB blend. Most folks on the site prefer using Weller 12 and OWA though.
 
Cheers! Joe

Joe you weren't the first to make the SB Weller Centennial blend?

[fishnbowljoe]

3 minutes ago, HoustonNit said:

 

Joe you weren't the first to make the SB Weller Centennial blend?

 

 

I wish I had, but no, it wasn't me. Another member here came up with the original SB Blend. IIRC, it's a a 60:40 ratio of OWA to Weller 12. It's a truly great vatting, and I like(d) it a lot. My problem is that Weller 12 is one of my favorite bourbons. A long time ago, I started using Weller SR instead of Weller 12 in my blend because I preferred sipping Weller 12 all by it's lonesome.  Fast forward a few years. I'm now using all three Wellers in my vattings. Go figure.  Hey, ya' gotta have some fun. 

 

Cheers! Joe

[HoustonNit]

My problem with vatting Weller is I also tend to like OWA and W12 on there own I believe more than mixed. I'm going to do a small vatting of 60:40 OWA:W12 and 60:20:20 OWA:W12:WSR and have them SBS blind with W12 and OWA. My guess is OWA or W12 first followed by the vattings.

Also reminds me I need to do a blind SBS of wheaters again. Last time I did this I
I had W12 first, OWA and RYSB10 not far behind and almost tied. A little behind these WSR and in a distant last Makers Mark.

[HoustonNit]

 
I wish I had, but no, it wasn't me. Another member

Ha in my mind whenever I see SB blend mentioned anywhere in my mind I have an image of a pic you posted of Weller Centennial with your awesome wallpaper as a back drop. That and a bottle of the blend you posted with a cool label you made.

[Mako254]

On 10/17/2017 at 4:21 PM, Harry in WashDC said:

Thanks for this.  I have a lonely bottle of WSR on the shelf and too many OGD 114s in the bunker.  As part of my "free up some space" project, I shall combine them 3:2 in a clean handle I've been saving for something (don't remember what).  IIRC, I tried 1:1 awhile back and was not thrilled.  But, I was younger, then, so . . .

 

I’ll echo. Keep seeing WSR on my Georgia runs. Going to try my hand at vatting. 

[Bob_Loblaw]

On 10/31/2017 at 7:15 AM, smokinjoe said:

I admire your Go Big, Or Go Home mentality, Rob!  No little 1L Barrel for you!  

You have solid components picked, so I'm sure it will be great.  Looking forward to hearing how it progresses.

You know it's funny after taking a few samples from the barrel and playing around with what I thought worked best the final yield was only three 750ml bottles.  One is for me (already halfway gone) and the other two will be distributed sometime during the holidays, but there is not nearly enough to go around to everyone I want to try it out.  

 

The final cocktail was quite enjoyable, there is quite a bit of wood, but the overall drink is quite smooth, viscous and I really do feel like the components married well.  In fact going to pour one now!

 

After lamenting about the limited supply I decided the better solution was to make another batch!  Duh!

 

So on Monday the barrel was filled with three bottles of Old Fitz Bib; one HH6; 2 oz of mint infused simple syrup; 2 oz Angostura Bitters; and 1/2 oz orange bitters.  Will come out in two weeks.  Looking forward to Batch No 2!  

[smokinjoe]

1 hour ago, Bob_Loblaw said:

You know it's funny after taking a few samples from the barrel and playing around with what I thought worked best the final yield was only three 750ml bottles.  One is for me (already halfway gone) and the other two will be distributed sometime during the holidays, but there is not nearly enough to go around to everyone I want to try it out.  

 

The final cocktail was quite enjoyable, there is quite a bit of wood, but the overall drink is quite smooth, viscous and I really do feel like the components married well.  In fact going to pour one now!

 

After lamenting about the limited supply I decided the better solution was to make another batch!  Duh!

 

So on Monday the barrel was filled with three bottles of Old Fitz Bib; one HH6; 2 oz of mint infused simple syrup; 2 oz Angostura Bitters; and 1/2 oz orange bitters.  Will come out in two weeks.  Looking forward to Batch No 2!  

Nice!  Sounds like it turned out very well!  

[Harry in WashDC]

On 11/15/2017 at 8:49 PM, fishnbowljoe said:

 There ya' go Dave. You just named your own poison.  I use Weller SR and OWA for my version of the SB blend. Most folks on the site prefer using Weller 12 and OWA though.

 

Cheers! Joe

Glad I pulled this topic up, Chicken Joe. I have NEVER seen a Weller 12.  WSR and OWA do appear near me sometimes, well, lately they have.  The GW4G (3 WSR:2 OGD114) vatting hits the spot for me, but I have plenty of that on the shelf now, and I've been envious of those who could make up the classic SB blend.  I have an opened OWA from a couple years ago (one of those whose taste just seemed "off") and plenty of WSR.  NOW, I know what to do with them. 

[Harry in WashDC]

On 11/15/2017 at 5:47 PM, Daveheelga said:

I stumbled across a 1.75 of WSR today, so I'm ready to start my vatting journey. Apart from OGD114, any other suggestions with WSR? I do have some OWA on hand.

FWIW, I did up an almost full 750 of WSR:OGD 114::3:2 (per flahute), and liked it much better than my old 1:1.  A week later, I LOVED it so made up another 750.

 

In other words, letting it sit a few days seemed to enhance the "mixing".

[Daveheelga]

Two nights ago I did my first OGD and WSR vatting and loved it. Can't wait to see how it tastes after some age.

[EarthQuake]

Dialing in another Barterhouse/Stagg Jr vatting, I did the following:

 

Barterhouse	8.5
Stagg Jr	4.5
WhistlePig barrel proof (120)	2
Armagnac	1

 

A bit of 40 year old Armagnac, because why not? This came out at about 104 proof. It hits a nice balance between the softness of the Barterhouse and the intensity of the Stagg. I've done a couple other similar vats, 1:1 Barterhouse:Stagg, 3:2 Barterhouse:Stagg which was quite good, but I think this is the best one yet.

[Harry in WashDC]

Instead of working outside in 25F weather like the idiot I occasionally appear to be, I worked inside on important projects.  I did some tax info collection (that is, I put stuff in a pile, stuffed it in a large envelope,and wrote "tax stuff 2017" on the outside).  THEN, I made my first ever SB Blend - 50/50 W12 and OWA.  From left to right, VOB BIB "100", GW4G vat, RHF, Issac Bowman Port Finish, and my new SB Blend under the blue top.  I have them sitting safely out of the way in the utility room on top of the air handler (heat pump) behind the cat food where I can reach and see them, but persons of shorter stature cannot see them easily (which means I don't have to worry about the "levels" in the bottles becoming an issue), and persons with shorter arms cannot reach them at all without a ladder.