Daniel Stewart
Are You Finished? Using Wine and Sherry Casks for Secondary AgingPort, sherry, and other wines offer distillers a wide variety of options to accentuate their whiskeys.
Casks and Craft: Exploring Barrel Size for Whiskey MaturationWhile smaller vessels can speed up certain types of aging reactions, the results are uneven among different aspects of maturation. Let’s look closer at what’s happening inside those barrels.
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Combining Yeasts for More Complex SpiritsDistiller’s yeast strains are efficient workhorses, but depth of flavor isn’t their specialty. By co-pitching characterful ale yeast strains with other trusted strains—and experimenting to achieve the desired outcomes—craft distillers can get the best of both worlds.
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Rhum Arrangé: How Craft Distilleries Can Beat the Big-Brand “Spiced” RumsNever mind the haters. Rum infusions represent an opportunity to win fans by adding flavor and complexity to an often-overlooked category.
Beyond Oak: Craft Distillers Are Branching OutWhile nothing is likely to replace the mighty oak for barrels, distillers are exploring a variety of other woods for aging spirits with distinctive character.
Beyond Quercus Alba: Distillers Eye Other American Oaks for Novel FlavorWith almost 100 species of oak just in the United States, distillers are looking at varieties beyond the traditional American white oak to explore their impact on spirits.
Time and Heat: The Science of Preparing Wood for SpiritsMany compounds within oak add flavors to spirits; the most desirable ones come from seasoning, toasting, and charring. While we don’t understand all these compounds, research is improving our knowledge of the ways that oak can influence spirits.
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American Oak Varies by Region. Does It Matter to Your Whiskey?Many American whiskey producers are convinced the variation in the oak they use is noticeable and important to their spirit’s character. Here’s a look at the facts.