Why Whisky Barrels are Important

A barrel refers to a hollow cylindrically shaped container that is made of wooden board for storing drinks. The casks are made of different shapes, size and design depending on the type of liquid in them. People who specialize in making barrels are referred to as cooper. There are different types of barrels, these include cooperage, pipe, pins, butter churns, buckets, firkins, tierces, puncheons, breakers, among others. Ever since their discovery, barrels have been used for various purposes , including storing liquids such as sake, water , and beverages such as beer, wine, port, whiskey, as well as sherry. The main roles of barrels is to store water and oils and assist in the maturing of beverages. Click for more info.
There is a huge difference in taste between whisky that has been store in a barrel and that that is served immediately after processing, the one in a barrel is tastier since the barrels assist in ageing the drink hence improving its taste. The casks work by adding oxygen into the liquid and some of the air is released through an outlet pipe. During whisky processing, manufacturers do prefer using wooden barrels since they are believed to contain essential compounds that are vital in the aging process, however, the compounds depends on several factors including the magnitudes and number of times the barrels have been toasted, the ways in which the stave are cut as well as the place of origin of the barrels. Though one can choose barrels of any material to age their beverages; most countries require whisky to be aged in wooden barrels. Other requirements vary with nationality include  whisky to be stored for at least two years in new wooden containers. Another requirement for whisky manufacturer is that the whisky labeled Scotch need to be distilled and matured for at least three years. Visit for more about barrels.

When a whisky making company wants to age the beverage, it can choose from the following types of barrels, hogshead, barrel butt, puncheon, barrique, quarter cask, port pipe, Madeira drum, among others. Maturing is not only essential in whisky but also for brandy, however, just like in whisky maturing, for a better taste wooden barrels are also used in brandy due to their ability to transfer certain aromas to the spirit. Other than whisky and brandy, other types of beverages that need ageing include balsamic vinegar, tequila, beers, as well as soft drinks.

When you want to make the whisky be tastier, these guides will assist you in the aging process. One of the essential factors to consider is the temperature of the barrels, for good taste, the temperature need to be constant throughout till the aging process is completed.

Besides the type of barrel that one uses influences the taste, for instance new barrels tend to absorb more wine in the early stages than the old barrels, therefore one needs to ensure that they monitor the levels and add wine when the level falls. Another way of improving the taste is to set a schedule for racking the barrels after at least three months. Explore more at
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