For Christmas I got a Whisky aging kit. What’s cool is it comes with a mini charred whiskey barrel! Once I age the whiskey I’m going to use it for wine.Did you know the french wine makers buy our whiskey barrels? Some law says we can only use barrels once. Jamaican rum makers also buy them for rum. I never made wine before so I picked up one beginner book, and probably will pick up a few more too.
The barrel has to have something in it at all times. At first you need to swell the wood, so it doesn’t leak. I’m doing that right now with water. I will age the whiskey then store with water till I’m ready to use for wine. I might even just leave the whiskey in there. Two bottles came with it, a rye and a corn whiskey, which are clear right now.
Easy enough for sure, and to me the prize is this cute barrel!
Nice. What kind of wine will you be trying?
So I guess you put the clear whiskey in the barrel and the charred oak gives it that usual brown look and adds that nice flavor to it? How long does it need to age?
Of course, Kentucky is know for its bourbon, and they age their whiskey in charred oak. About 20mi from our house is a new whiskey barrel factory, so I imagine it’ll be supplying lots of barrels over the years.
Last year I took my Mom of a tour of Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort. They have maybe a dozen large old brick storehouses full of their fine bourbon. As soon as you get out of the car you can smell it in the air, very nice aroma. We actually got to check out the ground floor of one of the storehouses. Talk about a stout smell!
I use mine for homemade wine vinegar, delish!
I’m looking at ways to use the fruit I grow. So elderberry, raspberry, highbush cranberry, and any other fruit i grow. A few good books are out there, I ordered one and have a couple others on my wish list. Some have good recipes, and using other fruit, and even herbs. So I have a lot of reading to do. I have all winter!
Yes, correct. You can use anything. Tequila or rum are suggested. Even if already aged you can age even more.I guess it takes a very short time. 14-18 days check and check every week after that. No time limit on how long . Barrels are said to last 6-8 years.
I toured Appleton Estates Distillery in Jamaica, it was very cool, and you can get drunk in the storehouse from the alcohol in the air. I guess in 10 years about 1/3 of the barrel is for the angels (evaporates). One reason aged spirits are so expensive. We pay for that unused space! I took photos of the barrels and the estate. A very cool place.
Yes mentioned you could do that.