You have a range of choices when it comes to putting a spirit that tastes great down your gullet. You can certainly buy a nice bottle of whisky if you have the money, or you can simply take matters into your own hands by using an at-home aging product.
Here, it will be discussed a range of items that can all assist you with the aging or flavoring phase in some way. So to answer the question, can you age spirits at your own home, the answer would be yes. It is recommended that you browse through all of the mentioned solutions and find the one that fits best for you.
What are Spirits Exactly?
Any of your best cocktails come from blending ingredients with spirits. Of course, garnish should not be skipped either naturally. In most cocktails, these six foundational spirits can be found:
- Whiskey
- Brandy
- Gin
- Rum
- Tequila
- Vodka
These spirits have distinctive flavors and features that make them ideal in cocktails as a combination of different tastes and ingredients. They are most often tasty if drunk alone too. When these alcohols first come out from the distillery, they taste not so fresh, rough, and too intense.
For instance, cheap vodka or moonshine are ones to have in mind. Distilleries age spirits in oak barrels to smooth out their flavors and strength. The aging process for alcohol and other spirits takes some time and adds color, complexity, and smooths out the rough edges of the spirit to make the customer more attracted to the drink.
Is the Oak Barrel Worth the Trouble?
Perhaps the most common at-home aging system is an oak barrel. They not only look amazing on the shelf behind the counter, but a gallon of spirit, or cocktail even, can be done at a time. This method sure is considered to be the best. The professionals behind redheadoakbarrels.com explain that oak barrels will turn your ordinary spirits into top-shelf liquor. Oak barrels today are sold everywhere so there is no need to dig through the internet for hours. You can expect to find one that you like relatively quickly.
Consider Using Aging Canisters
The aging canisters give the best “bang” for your “buck”. Usually, they are provided in measures of 150, 355, and 750-milliliter cans and each bottle can age any type of alcohol for as little as two hours or as long as three months for some beverages if needed. The bottle optimizes alcohol by exposing smaller volumes of it to more wood, thus effectively acting as the small barrel.
You can use oak bottle canisters forever, unlike the other wood alternatives, as long as you care for it properly between uses. This is perfect for those with craft beer yearnings since there is an array of flavors to pick from and customize. Those with a little less patience may even invest in alcohol-aging tumblers that do the job in five minutes.
Is it Possible to Have Your Drink Ready in Five Minutes?
In just five minutes, some products utilize infrared technologies to mature wine. For instance, some adhesive badges. They are placed directly on the bottle. That way, your wine will definitely be “cooked” to perfection.
The invention never fades, but gradually the silicone stickiness does. It wears down after 100 uses. You may not have a direct effect on the result of the taste, but the wine will definitely speak for itself. The patch can even come with a cover that conveniently fits into your pocket, so at parties with your friends, you can simply use it.
Chips and Spirals
The oak infusion spiral has spiral formation as the name would suggest and create charred staves. In the container, these staves age alcohol and enhance its taste. The process lasts for two weeks and can not be used again.
Another way to apply aging to your during is by using oak chips. Oak chips impart taste and flavor in a reasonably expedient manner with an expanded surface area. There are also other many types of chips available, which will again come down to what flavors you choose to add to the spirit.
The barrel-aged spirits in their raw form taste cleaner, better, and stronger than any other alcohol does. It is possible to learn how to barrel age your own spirits at home. And it is a perfect excuse in a way, to get spirits that taste and smell just as you want them.
Just imagine being the creator of your own liquor like tequila, bourbon, or even rum. By using any of this method, you surely will not make a mistake. the results can be better than you could have ever imagined.