Bourbon is a type of whiskey, and it's one of the most popular spirits in the world. It gets its flavor from aging in a barrel made from oak or other hardwoods. Whiskey barrels are also called "casks," and they're used to store beer as well as wine and liquor. Bourbon barrels are traditionally made from new American white oak that has been charred on the inside to help seal it during maturation. The charring also gives them their dark brown color!
Barrels can be made from new or used barrels.
Depending on your budget and the type of whiskey you want to make, you can choose between new or used barrels. New barrels are much more expensive than their used counterparts. However, they also have a better flavor and can be re-used for many years.
If you're planning on aging your bourbon in a single barrel for several years (or even decades), it might be worth buying a new one every few years as opposed to buying multiple used barrels at once. This way, each batch will have its own unique flavor profile based on where in its life cycle it was aged--and if something goes wrong with one batch that doesn't work out well with another batch's ingredients or recipe, only one batch will be affected!
The inside of the barrel is lined with charred oak and soaked in whiskey to season it. The longer you soak it, the better it tastes.
The whiskey has to mature for years before it's ready for bottling.
As the whiskey ages, it develops a smooth and mellow flavor. The longer it ages, the smoother it gets.
Some distillers age their spirits in barrels that were used for other kinds of alcohol (like bourbon or wine), while others prefer to keep their barrels all-purpose. The type of wood used also affects how long a spirit takes to mature--white oak tends to produce more robust flavors than redwood or ash trees do.
The longer it ages, the smoother it gets.
The longer it ages, the smoother it gets.
The more you age the whiskey, the smoother it gets.
The longer a barrel has been in use and aged, the more flavor it develops and thusly imparts on whatever liquid is inside of it (such as whiskey). This process can take anywhere from six months to several years depending on how long you want your bourbon to be aged before bottling and selling--and also how much money you're willing to spend on purchasing said barrel(s).
The process of making a bourbon barrel is long, but it produces a delicious drink.
The process of making a bourbon barrel is long, but it produces a delicious drink.
The whiskey needs to mature before it's ready for bottling. The longer it ages, the smoother it gets. It takes years for a barrel to be ready for use; once you've used one in your bourbon or rye whiskey blend and bottled your product in glass bottles (like Jack Daniel's), there are no more steps left until you drink it!
Conclusion
So, there you have it. The process of making a bourbon barrel is long, but it produces a delicious drink. If you're looking for an easy way to enjoy the flavor of whiskey without having to wait years for it to mature, try making yourself some whiskey cocktails! If you have any questions or want to see what anything looks like, we have a showroom in Manchester, CT in Hartford County. Please give us a call at (860) 643-9191 or you can visit us online at www.woodandbarrel.co