The question of the strength of moonshine for a barrel causes a lot of controversy among home distillers. Someone pours 43-45% distillate, others take 60-70% vol. Interestingly, each of them is right in its own way and can get a drink of excellent quality. It all depends on the volume of the barrel, the exposure time, humidity and air temperature.
Theory
Even in industrial distilling, there are no clear standards regarding the strength of the distillate for the barrel. Legislative limits on the maximum strength exist only in the United States and amount to 62,5% vol. However, they were introduced not to improve the quality of drinks, but only to support the woodworking industry. The fact is that US law allows only new barrels to be used for bourbon, and the higher the strength of the poured distillate, the fewer barrels are required, here the lobby of woodworking enterprises is on the face.
But not all American bourbon producers enjoy the maximum allowed strength. For example, Wild Turkey fills distillate from 52,5% to 57,5% vol., Makers’ Mark – 55%, and Four Roses – 60%. In turn, many Irish and Scottish producers operate at 64% and above. For example, Tullamore DEW – 64% by volume, Highland Park – 69,8%, Aberlour – 69,1%. And this is about malt spirits, and barrels are filled with grain at 70-71% of the fortress by volume. Producers of brandy and cognac have a similar situation – the majority fills barrels with distillate from 52 to 62% vol. If, after aging, whiskey or cognac has too high a strength, it is simply diluted with water.
It should be said that the issue of distillate maturation in a barrel is still poorly understood, so many aspects of this process remain unexplained, and manufacturers primarily rely on their experience and technology developed over the years.
When preparing to pour distillate into a barrel, you need to take into account the volume of the barrel itself, the exposure time, humidity and air temperature in the room. In a large barrel (from 10 liters), maturation is slower, because the contact area between alcohol and wood is smaller. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that each drink has its own optimal ripening period – not always the longer the better. At a certain point, notes of oak aging become too intrusive, spoiling the aroma and taste. Most aged spirits are blended with young ones, achieving a better balance, for example, according to the Solera system. Another interesting property is that during the aging process, the drink can become not only weaker, but stronger.
For example, if the air temperature is high and the humidity is low, then water evaporates more intensively than alcohol, as a result of which the strength of the distillate increases. The reverse condition is also true – at high humidity and temperature, alcohol evaporates faster, and the strength of moonshine drops. Low temperature slows down the evaporation of both liquids, but at the same time slows down the maturation of the drink. As in any other business, you have to look for a middle ground, balancing all indicators according to your taste and experience.
Practice
It has been empirically established that at home it is optimal to use the following dependence of the strength of the distillate for pouring into barrels on the volume and exposure time:
- 43-46% vol. – for barrels 2-10 l barrels aged 3-6 months (in rare cases up to a year);
- 50-69% vol. – for barrels of 10-30 liters for a period of 2-6 years;
- the maximum allowable strength is 70% vol., then there is a risk that concentrated alcohol will damage the wood.
These parameters are equally suitable for both grain and fruit distillates and even sugar moonshine.
If the distillate remains too strong after aging, it can be diluted with water, although this is not very welcome among home distillers, because it reduces the intensity of taste.
Optimal conditions for strong alcohol: air temperature – 14-16 ° C, humidity – 80-85%. But you can keep the barrel at room temperature, given that all processes will proceed faster and not always exactly the same as in the basement (often for the worse), so an apartment is an extreme option.
With too long exposure or in an improperly prepared barrel, there is a risk of getting plinth – a drink with an overly pronounced aroma and taste of wood. Therefore, moonshine in a barrel should be periodically evaluated for aroma and taste: the smaller the barrel, the more often tasting should be carried out. For example, for a 5-liter barrel at room temperature, this can be done once every 6-7 days, for a 15-liter barrel, once every 12-15 days. The finished drink should be immediately poured into a glass container for storage, so as not to overexpose in a barrel.