aging Archives - Angel's Envy

Accidental Aging and the Birth of Whiskey As We Know It

aging, scotch, scotland, whiskey, whisky, wine blight

Distilling is an industry built on history, and we all know that whiskey (particularly whisky) is steeped in tradition, legend and the occasional tall tale. There are a few pervasive misbeliefs that persist to this day: bourbon has to come from Kentucky, older is always better, and Scotch has been aged in used wine and spirits barrels for centuries. Occasionally, … Read More

Why Charring Barrels Matters

aging, barrel, bourbon, char, charring, whiskey

Let’s talk char. After all, aging in a charred oak barrel is one of the legal requirements for bourbon. So why do we do it? People have suggested that the inside of barrels were originally burnt to remove the leftover flavors of goods previously stored within, which sounds reasonable enough. There’s also some evidence that the practice goes … Read More

Barrel Wrangling with Kevin Curtis

aging, barrels, kevin curtis, rickhouse, whiskey

Did you know that a 53-gallon whiskey barrel can hold up to 525 pounds of spirit? That means we want to move them as efficiently (and little) as possible. After all, any movement increases the risk damaging the barrel and leakage, and if there’s one thing we hate, it’s losing good whiskey. A barrel’s weakest spot is … Read More

Kentucky’s Climate: The Engine that Drives Bourbon’s Flavor

aging, barrel, bourbon, climate, port, rickhouse, summer, whiskey

There are several all-important contributors to a whiskey’s flavor: mash bill and yeast can certainly make a difference, and the type of wood that the barrel is constructed from makes a major difference, as well as the duration of aging. Char level is another factor, with most bourbons being aged at #3 to #4, or an alligator char. This allows … Read More

The Guide

Tag: aging

Accidental Aging and the Birth of Whiskey As We Know It

Why Charring Barrels Matters

Barrel Wrangling with Kevin Curtis

Kentucky’s Climate: The Engine that Drives Bourbon’s Flavor

Tag: aging

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