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Honey-amber cognac, clear as a mountain stream, is found mainly in films, and only because tea is poured into glasses in the frame. In real life, the drink may become cloudy or change color, let’s say even a slight sediment in cognac. Let’s figure out what this means and how safe this brandy is.
Even the highest quality French cognac can contain a little sediment, and this will not affect the price. However, we are talking only about a licensed drink in factory packaging, with all seals and excises.
Causes of sediment in a bottle of cognac
1. Microparticles of a barrel or cork. They are formed from incorrect (sometimes just long-term, over 10-15 years) storage, do not significantly affect the taste and organoleptic properties of the drink. They appear in the form of small, almost transparent particles that are clearly visible if you bring the bottle to a light source.
2. Increased content of certain minerals in the drink. Substances can be found in water or appear in cognac directly during the production process after contact with distillation equipment and filters.
Hardware
Brandy with this admixture has a darker color and high acidity. Iron enters the product through contact with pipes or metal staves of storage barrels.
Copper
It precipitates as a reddish-brown precipitate, gets into cognac upon contact with copper alambicas. We can say that this is even a sign of real French cognac, made according to traditional technology.
Calcium
Drops out as white crystals, appears after prolonged contact with oak barrels and paper filters.
It is important to understand that all three elements are in any case contained in cognac, sediment appears only when they are overabundant.
3. Fake. Chemical additives that mimic the taste, aroma or color of cognac after some time curl up and turn into abundant flakes that settle at the bottom. The main sign of a fake is a very large amount of sediment, often black or brown.
Precipitation in homemade cognac can appear from anything – from the use of low-quality raw materials to gross violations of technology.
Is it possible to drink cognac with sediment
Factory – yes. Just do not shake the liquid so that the flakes do not mix with the noble brandy, and pour the cognac carefully.
Most modern cognacs go through the filtration stage during production. If this stage could be excluded from the technology, impurities would be contained in 100% grape brandy. Before bottling, alcohol is treated with cold, as a result, a finely dispersed suspension precipitates, which is then removed, so that a “clean” drink arrives on the counter.
However, as we can see, sediment is a completely natural element of any cognac, indicating rather its naturalness than low quality. Many manufacturers get rid of sediment solely for aesthetic reasons, so as not to embarrass buyers.
Keep in mind! If you store real cognac in the refrigerator, the risk of sedimentation increases!