Is alcohol included in the kit?
No, you'll need to add 750ml (a "fifth") of your own alcohol in the quart mason jar. This gives you options: you can choose the clear distilled spirit of your choice like Everclear, or one of the many moonshines on the market. Note the proof of the alcohol and use the measuring stick on the back of the instructions.
are the wood chips reusable a second time?
Yes! After you've aged your clear distilled spirit into bourbon, empty it into another glass container. Then, add 750 ml of a wheat-based vodka, like Svedka or Grey Goose to the used bourbon chips. Scotch and Irish whiskeys are aged in used bourbon barrels. Start tasting after 10 days to find your favorite flavor.
What is the optimal number of aging days to get the best taste?
Taste is personal, which is what makes this kit so much fun -- you can age it to a taste of your liking. But the majority of our panel testers prefer round 1 aging at 5 days for the best bourbon; and round 2 aging at 12 days for the best scotch. Note: one of our tasters who likes Irish whiskies prefers round 1 aging at 3 days.