Small Batch Bourbon

Name: Small Batch Bourbon
Cook time: 72 hours (15 minutes active prep)
Yield: 8
Cuisine: United States

intro

Smooth, oaky small-batch bourbon with warm caramel, vanilla, and subtle rye spice, perfect for sipping neat or mixing into classic whiskey cocktails.

Ingredients

Unaged 80-proof corn whiskey (white dog) 475 ml (2 cups)

Medium-toast American oak chips 15 g (3 tbsp)

Split vanilla bean (seeds scraped) 1 whole bean (5 g)

Dark grade B maple syrup 10 ml (2 tsp)

Cracked rye grains 5 g (1 tsp)

Filtered water 30 ml (2 tbsp)

Steps

1

Toast grains and oak

Preheat a dry, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat (300°F / 150°C). Add 15g oak chips and 5g cracked rye grains, toasting for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until you smell warm, nutty oak and toasted grain. Do not burn, as this will add bitter notes. Remove from heat immediately and let cool for 10 minutes.

2

Prep infusion vessel

Sterilize a 750ml (3 cup) glass mason jar by submerging it in boiling water for 5 minutes, then removing with tongs and air-drying completely. Add the cooled toasted oak chips, rye grains, scraped vanilla bean seeds and empty vanilla pod, and 10ml grade B maple syrup to the dry jar.

3

Pour in whiskey base

Slowly pour 475ml of unaged 80-proof corn whiskey over the ingredients in the jar, ensuring all solid ingredients are fully submerged. Seal the jar tightly with its metal lid, then give it 3 firm, gentle upside-down flips to evenly distribute the maple syrup and spices.

4

Steep in cool dark space

Store the sealed jar in a cool, dark cabinet (60–65°F / 15–18°C) for 72 hours, shaking the jar gently once every 12 hours to circulate the flavors. Taste a small 5ml sample after 48 hours to check for oak strength; if you prefer a bolder oak flavor, steep for the full 72 hours.

5

Strain out all solids

After steeping is complete, set a fine-mesh sieve lined with 2 layers of cheesecloth over a clean glass bowl. Pour the infused bourbon through the sieve to catch oak chips, rye grains, and vanilla pieces. Discard the used solids, then strain a second time through a fresh cheesecloth layer to remove all fine sediment.

6

Proof and bottle bourbon

Stir 30ml of filtered water into the strained bourbon to bring it to a smooth 75-proof sipping strength. Use a small funnel to pour the finished small-batch bourbon into a clean, sterilized 500ml glass bottle with a tight-sealing cap. Label with the batch date if desired.

Tips

1.Do not walk away while toasting oak chips and rye—they burn quickly over medium-low heat, and burnt solids will give your bourbon an unpleasant ashy, bitter flavor.
2.Taste your bourbon at 24-hour intervals during steeping; if you prefer a lighter, smoother flavor, you can strain it earlier than 72 hours to avoid overly strong oak notes.
3.For a classic serve, pour 60ml (2 oz) of finished bourbon over a single large ice cube, and garnish with a thin twist of orange peel to brighten the caramel and oak flavors.

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Small Batch Bourbon:Frequently Asked Questions

1.How long do I need to let this small batch bourbon steep before it’s ready to sip? ▾

Let it rest in a sealed glass jar in a cool, dark spot for 2 to 4 weeks, giving it a gentle shake every 3 days to distribute the flavors. Taste a small sample weekly—once you pick up that balanced oaky, vanilla-caramel note you love, strain out all the solids to stop it from developing overly bitter, woody off-notes.

2.Can I swap in common pantry staples if I don’t have grade B maple syrup or a whole vanilla bean? ▾

Grade B maple’s deep, caramelized, almost molasses-like sweetness is ideal, but dark robust grade A maple works as a last-minute swap—skip light pancake syrup, as it will taste thin and artificial. If you don’t have a whole vanilla bean, add 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract during the final 3 days of steeping to avoid a harsh, fake vanilla flavor.

3.Why use cracked rye grains instead of rye whiskey to get that classic rye spice note? ▾

Cracked rye grains add a soft, warm baking spice edge without ramping up the alcohol content or overpowering the smooth corn-forward base of the white dog. For extra depth, toast the cracked rye in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, until fragrant, before adding it to the jar to amp up its nutty, toasty spice.

4.How do I store the finished bourbon, and how long will it stay fresh? ▾

Once you’ve strained out all the oak, vanilla, and rye solids, pour the bourbon into a clean, tightly sealed glass bottle and keep it in a cool, dark cabinet away from direct sunlight or heat. It will stay smooth and flavorful for up to 2 years with no refrigeration needed—just give the bottle a quick swirl before pouring if it’s been sitting for a few weeks.

Comments (6)

CocktailConnor ★★★★

30 minutes ago

Wait, has anyone tried this with a little extra cherry wood instead of the standard oak? I’m a big fan of that sweeter, smokier cherry note in my bourbon and I’m curious if that would work, or if it would throw off the whole flavor balance. Also, can I cut the steep time short if I’m crunched for time for a party this weekend?

SmokySpiritSue

5 minutes ago

I swapped half the oak for cherry wood on my last batch and it was incredible! Gave it this nice fruity, smoky depth that was chef’s kiss for manhattans. I will say don’t cut the steep time below 60 hours though, I tried that once and it tasted super raw and grainy, not great.

Chef Admin author

just now

Great question! Cherry wood is a fantastic swap for up to half the oak, just avoid using 100% cherry wood as it can make the final flavor overly tart. We don’t recommend steeping less than the full 72 hours for the best, smoothest flavor, but if you’re in a pinch, 60 hours is the absolute minimum, just give it an extra stir once every 12 hours to help the flavors infuse faster!

MidwestMike216 ★★★★★

2 hours ago

Tried this last month for my annual guys' poker night, and let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint. I was worried the medium difficulty rating meant I'd mess something up, but the steps were super straightforward. I did add a tiny extra vanilla bean because I love that warm note, and it came out perfectly sippable neat. My friends kept asking if I’d bought a top-shelf bottle, I felt so proud! SO good.

NewbieHomeBrewer ★★★★

2 days ago

Wait, quick question! I’m 24 hours into the steep time and I noticed the mixture looks a little darker than the reference photo in the recipe. Is that normal, or did I burn something when I was heating the base? I really don’t want to waste all these ingredients after waiting so long!

Chef Admin author

yesterday

Great question! Darker color at the 24 hour mark is totally normal, especially if you used a darker roast oak chip or a higher proof grain alcohol base. Give it a gentle stir once a day, and as long as you kept the heat low during the initial prep step (no boiling!), you’re totally on track. Let us know how it turns out after the full 72 hours!

WeekendWhiskeyDrinker ★★★★★

3 days ago

Game. Changer. I’ve tried a couple other homemade bourbon recipes before and they always tasted like cheap rubbing alcohol with artificial vanilla, but this one? It’s so smooth I can sip it on the rocks no problem. The 72 hour wait was torture but so worth it. My only question is, how long does this keep for once it’s done steeping and bottled?

Chef Admin author

2 days ago

So glad you loved it! If you store it in a sealed, cool dark place (like a liquor cabinet) it’ll keep perfectly for up to 6 months, no refrigeration needed. The flavor actually mellows and gets even better after the first week bottled, too!

HomebrewHank

yesterday

Can confirm! I bottled a batch back in November and just opened my last bottle last weekend, it tasted even better than it did on day 3. Just make sure your bottles are fully sanitized before you pour it in and you’re golden!

TexasTina88 ★★★★★

1 week ago

I made this for my husband’s birthday dinner party last week and he was obsessed! We used it to make old fashioneds for all our guests and everyone raved. Only note is I wish I’d made a double batch because we ran out halfway through the night, oops!

PotluckPam

5 days ago

Oh my gosh I did the exact same thing when I made it for my neighborhood potluck! Everyone was coming back for seconds, next time I’m definitely tripling the recipe so I have extra to keep for myself too!

BourbonBabe77 ★★★★★

2 weeks ago

OMG, this small batch bourbon recipe is an absolute game changer! I was so intimidated to try making my own spirit at home, but 15 minutes of active prep? No way that was real until I tried it. Let it sit the full 72 hours like the recipe said, and it was so smooth I brought a bottle to my family cookout the weekend before last and everyone was begging for the recipe. Way better than the cheap store bought stuff I usually grab for mixed drinks! 10/10