Entry 6:
BARREL-AGEING (Brewing)
Definition: Wooden barrels have been making alcohol for literally thousands of years. For both beer and liquor, a lot of flavors come from the complex chemistry of the wood in the barrels. Most of the barrels' woods come from oak trees. They are prized because they provide a watertight (almost) seal against the environment.
Notice it's not perfectly watertight. Which is a good thing. Oak is slightly porous which means it absorbs some of the liquid that is stored in it. And in turn it passes on woody flavors. These are good things because brewers re-use the barrels. This in turn makes the barrels more and more valuable because they have some much flavor inside the wood. This is especially excellent when a bourbon barrel houses beer later.
It's not just about the flavor though. To this day brewers are still learning about the chemistry that the barrel adds to the brewing process. Still that being said not every beer should be aged in a barrel. Pilsners and lagers don't benefit as much as an Imperial stout or a barley wine.
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