Aging spirits is a science, but creating something that tastes just the way you like it? That’s art.
It’s easy to barrel-age your favourite wine, beer, liquor or even cocktail mix. Here’s what you need to get started:
Using a funnel, fill your oak barrel all the way to the top. Insert the bung and be sure to tighten it. You don’t want to leave any air inside as it can affect the aging process.
Place your oak barrel in a cool place and out of direct sunlight. Avoid extreme temperature fluctuations—this will cause the natural wood to repeatedly expand and contract, which will reduce your barrel’s lifespan.
How long does the aging process take? It’s your recipe so it’s all up to you! It could take as little as 3-4 weeks to develop the taste you crave, or it could take several months in larger barrels.
A small taste test every few weeks should help you determine when the flavour is just right:
Remember, spirits aged in smaller oak barrels will age faster. In fact, a spirit aged for a month in our 1 L barrel may look and taste like one that’s been aged twice as long in our 5 L barrel.
Happy with the flavour? Your drink is ready. Any batch will continue to mature so long as it’s kept in the barrel. To stop the aging process, decant your newly aged spirit into glass bottles. Enjoy!