Distiller magazine a publication of the American Distilling Institute, the Voice of Artisan Distilling; devoted to the craft spirits industry: vendors and distillers alike.
Issue link: http://distilling.uberflip.com/i/1306663
fall 2020 | 139 from the cask to look at the warehouse itself. e warehouse is effectively the cask that contains the cask, and its materials of construction and envi- ronment are every bit as important as the casks themselves. is section deals with the common warehouse designs, their construction, and the advantages and disadvantages of each as well as safety and work-flow considerations. Next, we talk about the warehouse micro-climate and macro-cli- mate and how these affect the maturation of the casks contained therein. Finally, this chapter goes into more detail about the common aging and phys- ical placement systems currently in use and how they affect the maturation process. Chapter 5, for some people, may seem like the crux of this book, and in some ways it is, though this comes with the caveat that nothing in chapter 5 will mean much if we don't pay heed to chapters 1–4. is chapter is all about maturation techniques. is section is front-loaded with traditional aging tech- niques for the world's best-known spirits including American whiskey, Scotch whiskey, French brandy, rum, and tequila. Of course, I am a big proponent of studying as many distilling traditions as possi- ble, so this chapter contains information on what some might call "alternative" maturation techniques, which includes such concepts as stave additions, alcohol adjustments, and oak extract additions. Chapter 6 deals with blending and the minu- tiae of the blender's art. As an art, blending is not something that can necessarily be taught but must be experienced first-hand for the practitioner to hone their skills. All the same, there are quite a few standards and techniques practiced throughout the industry that we will treat as suggested practices for the would-be blender. Chapter 7 takes a shallow dive into the world of sensory analysis. Every distillery should consider implementing a formalized sensory program to ensure consistency and better understand their products. is chapter includes building and training a sensory panel for simple discriminatory tests as well as basic statistical approaches for their assessment. Chapter 8 is all about physical cask maintenance. Wood is a porous and organic material, meaning it is structurally prone to problems if not well attended to. Barrels can leak. ey can dry out during stor- age. Mold can grow on them. ese and many other issues can occur if the distiller is not paying atten- tion or properly maintaining their casks. is chap- ter speaks to the handyman living in all of us and attempts to set out a simple set of techniques that can be used to assess barrels upon receipt from the cooper or broker, proper storage conditions, repair techniques, and basic coopering concepts. Barrels may serve as ingredients, but they are also tools and we must be diligent about keeping our tools in top condition. When I teach classes and workshops, I have always had a simple view on sharing information with stu- dents. I believe that with rare exception there is no one correct way to do something in the spirits industry. at is probably why I find this industry so freeing when compared to brewing or winemak- ing. e motto that a friend and I coined at a con- ference one year discussing this very thing is, "Tools, not rules." I believe the contents of my courses and, by extension, this very book should be treated not as dictums for how something must be done but rather how it can be done. If you line up 100 bour- bon distillers and ask them how to make bourbon, you will likely wind up with close to 100 different answers, and most of those answers would produce some delicious liquor. I cannot tell you how to run your cask program. I can only show you techniques and hopefully give you some ideas and inspiration on how to improve your processes. So, we begin our journey down the rabbit hole of spirit cask management. Cheers to your journey. I hope to someday share a dram with you on the other side. END The warehouse is effectively the cask that contains the cask, and its materials of construction and environment are every bit as important as the casks themselves.