Professional winemakers know how ordinary moonshine in a barrel turns into a noble drink. The reason is in the chemical and physical processes that occur during the aging of alcohols.
Physical processes that occur during refining in a barrel:
1. Extraction. Various substances pass from the wood of the barrel into alcohol: acids, protein and nitrogenous substances, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins, lignin. In addition, the tree contains minerals, such as potassium and sodium. All these components create an alcohol extract. In order for the extraction process to take place more actively, it is necessary to increase the storage temperature and lower the pH of the distillate. Once in solution, all of the listed substances begin to enter into me waiting for myself in a chemical reaction. So, the drink gets in oak barrel color, taste and aroma.
2. Evaporation. Any high-quality barrel has pores, cracks and other microscopic holes. Volatile substances evaporate through them, less volatile substances remain. Alcohol evaporates easily, therefore, as a result of evaporation, the strength of the drink decreases. Important The most important factor is the humidity in the storage. Interestingly, at a humidity of 70%, alcohol and water evaporate with the same intensity. The drink decreases in volume, but retains the same strength. If the humidity is above 70%, alcohol evaporates faster than water, the strength decreases. At humidity below 70%, the opposite process is observed.
3. Absorption. An oak barrel not only ennobles spirits with useful substances, is not only guilty of evaporation, it also absorbs alcohol. The intensity of this process depends on the porosity of the wood, storage temperature, volume, ethanol concentration and air velocity (ventilation, drafts, etc.). There are two other important characteristics that affect absorption - these are the viscosity of the distillate and the pressure inside the barrel. Pressure is formed in a tightly closed container due to thermal expansion. And the viscosity increases with time as a result of extraction. The higher the pressure, the more alcohol is absorbed by the wood, the higher the viscosity, the lower the absorption.
Chemical processes in barrels for aging alcohol
1. Redox reactions. Oxygen penetrates through the chimes, joints and rivets. Part of it, dissolving, forms peroxides. Both oxygen and peroxides are unevenly distributed throughout the distillate. Their maximum concentration is formed in the upper layers, the minimum - in the lower. The longer the infusion in the barrel lasts, the more peroxides accumulate in the drink. Redox reactions are accelerated by catalysts. Alcohol is copper and iron. These elements are deposited and accumulate over time on the inner walls of the barrel.
2. Formation of aldehydes. Under the influence of oxygen, not only peroxides are formed. This gas combines with all alcohols, turning them into aldehydes. Another source of aldehydes are amino acids, which undergo oxidation and decarboxylation. In addition, lignin, which entered the drink by extraction, under the action of acids and alcohol decomposes into substances available for oxidation. As a result, aromatic aldehydes such as vanillin and lilac aldehyde are formed. This is how the bouquet of the future drink is formed, which is not by chance that connoisseurs placed in an oak barrel.
3. Hydrolysis to monosaccharides. Hemicelluloses contained in oak wood have a huge impact on the taste of the drink. Under the influence of acids and as a result of other factors, they undergo hydrolysis. Monosaccharides are formed that give alcohol softness: glucose, arabinose, xylose, xylan, galactan. At the first stage of aging in the barrel, xylose and arabinose predominate, and in 10-15-year-old alcohol - levulose and glucose.
4. Tannins. In the first 3-4 years, due to tannins, the drink acquires a rough taste, but becomes rich and beautifully colored. With longer exposure, tannins are oxidized. Alcohol becomes soft.
In other words, moonshine in a barrel after a few years of infusion completely loses its original properties and turns into an alcohol extract infused with oak wood. Every year the drink becomes more and more expensive. After all, it not only evaporates, but also occupies barrels, for the storage of which you have to pay
Barrels for aging alcohol
New or used? In different countries, barrels are used according to different principles. For example, in America, whiskey is aged exclusively in new barrels. In Ireland and Scotland, whiskey barrels are made from bourbon, sherry, port, etc.
Different in shape: in Spain, narrow elongated barrels, similar to cigars, are highly valued. It is in them that port wines are traditionally kept in the Portuguese Oporto.
Different in size: for each type of noble drink, a barrel of a specific size is used. In particular, 6 types of barrels are involved in the production of Scotch whiskey. The largest is called "butt", its volume is about 500 liters (110 gallons). The smallest is the "octave" at 45-68 liters (10 gallons).
Only real craftsmen can create oak barrels, whose work is highly valued. Oak wood is difficult to process. In addition to skills, you need to be patient. For example, each stave is kept outdoors for 5 years. Bochar determines its readiness by taste.
The aging of the drink in an oak barrel is still relevant today, since it is this container that gives a special taste to any alcohol. Therefore, the question of what strength of moonshine to pour into an oak barrel to get a shade of whiskey is often asked by distillers.
Requirements for moonshine before pouring
Tannins like tannin give not only the smell, but also the color of the drink. In order for moonshine to really be preserved, and not deteriorated, you should follow the rules for using oak barrels and recommendations for the drink itself.
Storage of moonshine in an oak barrel
When using such containers, alcohol vapor calmly leaves the barrel, the drink breathes, oxidizes and acquires a unique aroma.
Required for oak barrels can be different and depends on factors such as:
- container volume;
- planned holding time.
If aging is planned at home, then it is advisable to pour moonshine with an alcohol content of 43-46% into a barrel of 2-10 liters. It is recommended to keep the drink for 6 months. But if the container volume is from 10 liters, and the exposure is from three years or more, then the strength of the drink should be in the range of 60-70%. The longer the shelf life and the larger the barrel, the stronger the drink should be.
Moonshine in an oak barrel, in addition to the volume of containers, is also influenced by factors such as:
- Air humidity. Ideal performance is 80-85%.
- Medium temperature. For strong alcohol, 14-16 degrees is suitable, for wine 10-12 degrees.
- Infusion time.
The first two factors are controllable. The infusion time is calculated independently, depending on the strength of alcohol and the taste of the drink. To know the taste of moonshine, you need to periodically try it and determine the readiness. Once the desired result is achieved, the drink can be poured into sealed glass jars.
And the recipe for a good drink from a barrel depends directly on how many times the container has been used. The shelf life increases along with the duration of the operation of the keg. After the third and subsequent fillings of moonshine, due to the decrease in wood components, the rate of their extraction gradually slows down. Therefore, the container serves only as a reservoir, and not a source of useful substances. This process is called wood depletion. Therefore, it is important to monitor not only the drink, but also the barrel in order to increase its service life.
But just pouring moonshine into a container is not enough. The barrel requires preparation before storage, which takes place in several stages.
Rules for the use and storage of containers
To begin with, the barrel is filled with ordinary clean water. The liquid is left for 10 minutes and drained with the remains of the wood. The inner surface must be steamed for hygiene reasons. In addition to removing bacteria, this method also enhances the aroma of the barrel.
Heated stones are laid out at the bottom and filled with water so that the liquid occupies a third of the volume. Then the barrel is closed, and steam is produced inside. After the amount of steam decreases, the barrel is opened and filled with hot water, and also whipped with a fragrant broom.
When the wood swells, the easy flow from the barrel stops. But gaps may also remain, and then leakage of alcohol from the container will be observed. If the barrel is leaking, then you can close up the leak with the help of dough and insist the product to the end. If the leak is large, then you should pour the alcohol into another container, and then dry the place with a hairdryer. Sometimes after such a procedure, the leak closes, otherwise the barrel cannot be used.
It is necessary to soak the container before use with hot water. To follow the recipe correctly, you will need to pour boiling water into the barrel by a third of the volume, and then close it tightly and store the container in this form for half an hour. Then it is necessary to swing the barrel in order to completely wash its walls from the inside. After that, you need to carefully fill the tank with warm water and change it once a day for two weeks. You need to change the water until it becomes transparent and free of wood impurities.
And some distillers wash the barrel with soda solution. Soda is taken at the rate of 20 grams per liter. The water temperature should reach 70 degrees Celsius. After 10 minutes, the solution is poured out. But if the barrel is not new, then there is no point in such a procedure.
Of course, the container is ready for strong drinks. You can pour moonshine, cognac, whiskey into it. If the barrel is used for wine, then double distillate without sugar should be added to it. You need to withstand it for a month, and the strength of the drink should be at the level of 18-20 degrees.
You also need to store an empty barrel so that it does not deteriorate. After pouring the finished drink into glass jars, cognac spirit is poured into the barrel. It is this procedure that will help maintain the container for a long time and prevent the depletion of the container. All this must be observed, because the stronger the alcohol poured into the barrel, the more substances it absorbs and sucks out of the wood. Barrels are not recommended to be kept empty for more than a day, since the properties of the container disappear.
How to infuse a product in an oak barrel?
The aging of the drink also requires compliance with certain conditions. The thing is that the alcohol that is obtained after distillation usually has a harsh taste, a cloudy appearance, so you want to soften all these qualities. After aging in a barrel, the composition of the drink changes for the better. Moonshine acquires a golden hue, a pleasant aroma arises. Tannin and other substances help to improve the strength, but at the same time, moonshine will be softer and even acquire a vanilla flavor.
Oxidative processes contribute to the nobility and consistency of the drink. To do this, you need to observe the temperature regime, monitor the amount of evaporation of alcohol from the barrel. It is also forbidden to store the container in open sunlight. It is better if it is a dark room with high humidity, like a cellar.
Extraneous movements, vibrations, smells, contacts with moonshine stills and mash are undesirable. To raise the level of humidity in the room, it is enough to place a basin with clean water near the barrel. Water should also be changed and it should not be allowed to bloom.
The technology of using barrels and pouring moonshine into them is clear even to beginners. Of course, the process is time-consuming, requires economic costs, but at the same time, it is fully justified by the result.
Being engaged in moonshine brewing at home, you are guaranteed to pay attention to oak containers, which can not only guarantee decent storage of your alcohol, but also provide the product with new interesting organoleptic properties.
Further in the article, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with how to cook moonshine in a barrel, based on its strength and other interesting nuances. You will also learn the fundamental principles of selecting and preparing containers for use.
Did you know? Since 2002, brewing moonshine on the territory of the Russian Federation is allowed only for subsequent personal consumption.
Deciding to enrich the structure of your homemade alcohol from potatoes, buckwheat or any other ingredients, you will definitely pay attention to the process of aging the product in a wooden barrel.
With its help, you can achieve non-trivial organoleptic indicators in almost any alcohol. It is enough just to choose the right container and responsibly treat the procedure for its preparation. At the same time, not wanting to miscalculate with the choice of a keg, try to pay attention to the following significant points:
- Manufacturer. The purchase of a container should be carried out only in specialized stores, where the client can be provided with certificates of quality and guarantees for the product. In no case do not purchase containers from your hands, since you do not know for sure how many times it was used by the former owner and what kind of alcohol was poured into it.
- Volume. Do not neglect this parameter, as various inconveniences may subsequently arise. To store the same moonshine from wine in an apartment, small containers with a volume of 2-10 liters are perfect. If you have a whole house at your disposal, then you can purchase a larger container. It should also be remembered that the volume of the container directly affects the rate of maturation of the product. The smaller the product, the faster the drink acquires balanced and elegant organoleptic characteristics.
- The degree of roasting of wood. Having decided to store - moonshine from potatoes - in an oak container, be sure to take a look at the degree of roasting of the inner walls of the product. It can affect the color, smell and, of course, the taste of the finished product. In total, today there are three degrees of roasting: light, medium and strong.
How to properly prepare an oak barrel for moonshine infusion
Having chosen a suitable barrel for aging your alcohol, take your time, be sure to pay attention to the principles of proper preparation of the product for operation. That is, the choice of containers was only the first step.
Next, you need to learn how to soak an oak barrel for moonshine so that later in the process of using it, tannins that can kill the best tasting colors of alcohol do not penetrate into the drink. The preparation of containers involves the following procedures:
- Preparation of an oak barrel for moonshine begins with the fact that you need to pour water at room temperature into a container, filling it 9/10. Next, close the container and leave it filled for 2-3 hours. During this time, systematically check the product for leakage. At the same time, the rivets must be soaked, but there should not be any liquid under the container.
- After the expiration date, replace the water with a new one and leave it in this form for several days. This process will then need to be repeated again.
- Long exposure of water will cause it to change color to brown. You will need to drain this liquid and then fill the container with boiling water by 1/3. Once you've done that, start spinning the barrel to wash away the rest of the tannins from the walls. You need to do this for 5-10 minutes. Then leave the product for 30-40 minutes alone. As soon as the required time has passed, add water to the top and close the product with a cork. In this form, the product should stand for at least a month.
- As soon as the 30-day period comes to an end, drain the water and fill the container halfway with a hot soda solution in the proportion of 20 g per 1 liter of water. Shake the container with light movements and drain the solution.
- Rinse the vessel from the remnants of the solution and fill the container with boiling water for 20 minutes. Next, drain the water and fill it with cold water instead. Leave everything like this for 24 hours.
- Drain all liquid from the container and let it dry. After complete drying, you can start infusing moonshine by pouring primary distillate with a strength of 20-30 degrees into the container. The first aging of light alcohol should be carried out for no more than 2-3 months, then more resourceful products can be poured into containers.
Did you know? A moonshine still makes it possible to produce a higher quality strong alcohol than what you can buy in a store, but at the same time, home production is always an experiment, which can often lead to an unpleasant result.
What strength of moonshine should be poured into an oak barrel
To decide what exactly should be the degree measure of alcohol poured into an oak barrel, you must initially set a clear goal, namely, decide for yourself what product you want to get.
For example, in order for the finished alcohol to acquire characteristics, the strength of the initial distillate must be approximately 45 degrees. Of particular importance is the place where you subsequently place your keg.
In a dry, dark room, an oak container will increase the strength of the drink. That is, by pouring 45% alcohol, after aging you can get alcohol with a 65-degree strength. At the same time, in damp rooms, the strength of alcohol during exposure decreases by about 10 degrees.
How long to keep moonshine in an oak barrel
Infusion of moonshine in an oak barrel at home is a complex and very interesting process that does not tolerate negligence. At the same time, you should understand that this strong alcohol should not be kept for too long, as it can seriously change its taste, and not for the better.
The standard period for aging homemade distillate in oak barrels is considered to be a period of 3 to 10 months. Remarkable is the fact that each drink has its own special relationship to aging.
To get "scotch" you will need to age the product for 6-10 months. It can take only 2-3 months to make, and it will be ready in about 4-6 months.
How many times can you use an oak barrel for moonshine
The service life of a standard quality container is at least 10-15 years. Throughout this period, strong alcohol can be stored in the container.
Moreover, the more often you change the fluid in the tank, the faster it wears out. On average, one barrel is enough to age 5-7 batches of alcohol. Alcohol tends to evaporate and strongly dry the walls of the product in which it is stored.
And this can lead to damage. Therefore, after 5-7 aging, professionals recommend completely disassembling the casks and re-firing them from the inside. After this process, the quality of aging the drink in an oak barrel, of course, drops, but the product lasts much longer this way.
To protect your container from premature internal destruction as much as possible, do not neglect the simple generally accepted rules for operating the product. Fill the container with liquid at least 9/10 and every month try to add a little fresh distillate to it. Also, after completely draining the liquid, let the barrel dry normally. Do not speed up this process artificially.
Did you know? Do not confuse moonshine with sivukha! The latter is an unrefined product that should not be consumed.
Enjoy unique flavors
A properly selected and responsibly prepared oak barrel for moonshine will allow you to create unique alcoholic products again and again, with which you will subsequently delight both yourself and all invited guests. Using the recommendations outlined in the article, you are guaranteed to improve your skills in the production of alcohol.
Go to the nearest specialized store or workshop for a high-quality natural oak barrel, which will provide you with the necessary conditions for aging the finished alcohol.
If you want to improve the aftertaste of homemade strong alcohol, give it a rich aroma and noble color, there is no better method than aging moonshine in an oak barrel. Through the pores of the tree, oxygen compounds enter the drink, which makes it elite and expensive. In addition, alcohol is saturated with lignin, tannins, nitrogenous and protein substances, due to which the taste qualities of alcohol are formed.
Preparing a new container
If you purchased a new oak barrel, before using it, it must be processed. Without preparation, special tannins will penetrate into the drink, which will give it an unpleasant taste and astringency. This process involves several steps:
It is also necessary to store the used wooden utensil correctly so that it does not lose its useful qualities. After use, rinse it thoroughly with clean water and soda solution (as mentioned above). Then let dry and, wrapped in a cloth, store in a dark, cool, well-ventilated place.
Alcohol Storage Tricks
Novice distillers do not know what kind of moonshine to pour into an oak barrel, believing that wood will endow any alcoholic drink with special properties. In fact, in order to get a rich taste, the distillate must be of a sufficiently high quality, infused with grain or fruit components. We offer you to get acquainted with the answers to the most popular questions regarding the storage of alcohol in wooden containers:
- What strength of moonshine should be poured into an oak barrel? It all depends on what kind of alcoholic drink you subsequently want to receive. For example, for future homemade whiskey, the distillate should be 45°. Keep in mind that storing moonshine in an oak barrel under different conditions can affect the strength of the drink. In a dry place, this value rises, so pouring 55 ° alcohol into a vessel at the exit, you can get 75 °. In a damp room, the fortress drops by about 10 ° from the primary indicator.
- How long to insist moonshine in an oak barrel? The approximate maturation period for homemade distillate is from 3 to 10 months. The longer the alcohol is stored, the more its taste changes, and the richness of the aroma improves. For example, bourbon will be ready to drink in three to four months, whiskey in 6-10, and calvados in 4 to 6.
- How much to pour moonshine into an oak barrel? The container must be filled, leaving 1/10 from the edges. And since alcohol tends to evaporate by 5-10%, it is worth adding fresh distillate every month. This is also necessary to prevent the wooden container from drying out.
Regardless of what kind of moonshine you plan to pour into an oak barrel (meaning how many degrees it will be), it is still important to choose the right size for the vessel itself. For home storage, 2-10 liters are suitable. It is worth remembering that the smaller the volume of the container, the faster the ripening of the drink. For long-term storage of a large amount of alcohol, you can use vessels from ten to fifty liters.
Knowing how to store moonshine in an oak barrel and following all the rules, you will undoubtedly be able to get a pleasant golden-colored drink with a harmonious flavor bouquet.
Many of our clients and just readers of the library of our site are interested in: how to improve the taste of moonshine? What are the moonshine recipes? Is it possible to withstand moonshine in a barrel?
It turns out that there is a way to put a bottle of your homemade moonshine on a par with the products of the most famous French and Scottish distilleries! Own cognac at home or whiskey in the kitchen - quite realistic in a couple of months. Do you think this is fiction? Read to the end!
We have already talked about mash recipes and methods for cleaning moonshine after distillation. Today we will talk about, perhaps, the most popular drink that can be obtained from ready-made moonshine.
If you thought about vodka, then, alas, you were mistaken. Moonshine (in the traditional, classical sense of the word) - and not. Read about the differences between these two forms of existence of alcohol in the article "Distiller or distillation column?". Now we just recall that rectificate is, in fact, ethyl alcohol. This is drinking alcohol, alcohol of a high industrial degree of purification. However, "cleaning" is a double-edged sword, because in its process you not only get rid of harmful impurities and mechanical dirt; You can also lose flavor, lose what makes rum rum, tequila tequila, and whiskey whiskey!
This is how vodka is produced in the factory - mash is rectified, turns into pure alcohol (well, or we want to think so), ethanol, diluted with pure (in our dreams) water, and, devoid of taste and smell (we continue to idealize the domestic alcohol baron), it is bottled by bottles. Vodka, therefore, is the quintessence of intoxication, a liquid that serves solely to turn off the neurons of the cerebral cortex, to stimulate hypoxia, alcohol intoxication. They don’t drink vodka in small sips, don’t savor it and don’t discuss its taste. Good vodka is vodka without taste.
Some of us, however, though to get to know the taste of a drink that is long and painstakingly produced. And an oak barrel will help with this at home.
Both whiskey and cognac are aged in oak barrels, in which the base drinks, wines, were previously aged and matured. Oak itself gives whiskey a lot of flavoring substances. These are, first of all, oak tannins - plant compounds that give the drink a tart, astringent taste and have anti-inflammatory properties. These are also acetals. - ethers that give moonshine fruity shades; lignin, the most complex aromatic polymer that breathes into your moonshine the smoke of a distillery, the spirit of ancient folios and exotic spices. Oak fibers contain many types of lipids, lactones and cellulose, which in different combinations get into your drink, making the taste original and unique.
Not every oak is suitable for aging a drink. For example, American Oak or White Oak (Quercus Alba) contains a lot of lactones, which gives the drink the taste of inexpensive American bourbon. But Rock Oak (Quercus Petraea), common in France, is often used to ripen French wines. For the original cognac, oak from the forests of Tronsay or Limousin is used.
An oak barrel is a great way to personalize your drink. An oak barrel must always be kept full: leaving it without liquid, you run the risk of getting huge gaps between the rivets, the planks from which the barrel is assembled.
Partial selection of "cognac" or "whiskey" is also not recommended - the so-called "share of angels" increases, the loss of alcohol due to evaporation. Yes, the rivets are falling apart.
The larger the barrel, the longer the distillate must be kept in it, since a significant increase in volume leads to only a slight increase in the area of \u200b\u200bthe inner surface.
The keg must be prepared for aging whiskey - washed for a long time, soaked, kept in it as a preliminary base-wine. To seal the barrel, many moonshiners smear the barrel with wax melted in linseed oil. Although it is also not a panacea for leakage and evaporation.
An oak barrel is a wonderful male entertainment if you have a cool and not too dry place at home to store it for several months to several years. For example, for the smallest barrel with a volume of 3 liters, you will need a cool container 30X25X25 cm (better, of course, 50X50X50 to eliminate temperature changes and humidity fluctuations).
If you do not have the opportunity or desire to deal with oak barrels, we offer the best alternative. At home, oak chips (specially chopped oak chips from dried and prepared for the production of solid French oak) seem to be a very sensible solution.
Your drink can mature in a hygienic and airtight glassware, not be afraid of temperature, pressure and humidity fluctuations, not require a cool dark cellar; the surface area of the chips is simply huge compared to the useful contact area of the drink and the keg, which means maturation is much faster. Yes, and you won’t have to share with the “angels” (and these devils drink half a barrel during the aging of cognac!)
To prepare an interesting and unique alcoholic drink, you only need a teaspoon of wood chips per liter! Having withstood 40-50% moonshine for 1-4 months, you will surprise your guests at the table. The shelf life of such chips is unlimited and the aroma of the final product is amazing. The store site offers you strong roasted oak chips made in France. Each piece of wood chips has a stable uniform tone, even noble fiber and a light color saturated with the Mediterranean sun of France. Oak practically does not crumble, and in the airtight jar that you receive, there will be only oak chips ready for use.
Interesting experiments for you!
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