Crafting barrel aged cocktails

Looking to create an innovative serve while also speeding up service? Well creating barrel aged cocktails could be what you are looking for. Jack Sotti, venue manager at the Boilermaker House in Melbourne, gives us the ultimate dos and don’ts of how to make the best barrel aged cocktails.

I first read an article about barrel aged cocktails in 2010 and since then these cocktails have taken the industry by storm. Bartenders all over the world are experimenting with new flavours through barrel aging and have also seen the added benefits of improved speed of serve and consistency. So first things first, let’s talk about what barrel aging is and what it adds to a cocktail.

What is Barrel Aging?

Barrel aging is the process of using wood and time to change the flavour of a product placed within it through maturation.Maturation is a three-pronged process: Extraction, Subtraction and Oxygenation.

• Extraction - Alcohol acts as a solvent and pulls out flavours and colours from the cask. For example if you use an oak cask notes of vanilla, coconut and marzipan will often be tasted in your serve.
• Subtraction– It is common process to char the inside of your barrel. This will ensure the cocktail you place inside will continually pass through a charcoal layer, acting as a filter. The goal is to soften the cocktail and clean up any harsh, sulphuric flavours.
• Oxygenation – Arguably the most important for cocktails. Barrels are porous and will slowly allow your cocktail to interact with the surrounding air. A controlled oxidation of ingredients within a cask can produce new nuances and marry the individual ingredients together, creating a harmonious serve.

Getting started - The key to the cask

First, you have to choose the right material. Most barrels are made of oak with the most common being American oak and European oak.

You can purchase oak barrels from a wide variety of companies including The Whisky BrokerThe Whisky Broker, however if you are using a brand new barrel you will need to prep the oak using the following steps:

1. Charringthe barrel –As mentioned, charring (partially burning) the inside of the barrel creates a filter. To do this you will need to dismantle the cask which can be tricky, however you can buy barrels that have already been charred.

2. Prefill– The barrel will need to be soaked to allow the wood to expand and seal any potential leaks. To do this, fill the barrel with filtered water and after 24 hours the wood should have swelled enough to plug any leaks. Afterwards allow the water to drain out for around 12 hours.

3. Season the cask –This is a fantastic way to reduce the water content in the pores of the oak and also add an extra dimension to your cocktail. Be as creative as you like, for instance a tequila finish can lend an extra dimension to the spicy, herbaceous notes of a rye cocktail.

Top tips to create the perfect barrel aged cocktail

Take it up a level - Try infusing your seasoning liquid for an extra dimension to your cocktails. Orange peel and vanilla infused Oloroso sherry sets the stage for a truly magnificent Old Pal.

Seal the leak – Sometimes intense temperature fluctuations can cause leaking. An organic beeswax is a great option for sealing leaks. Empty the cask of its liquid, rub the beeswax onto the problem area and give it a quick blast with a blow torch to melt the wax into the oak.

Reuse the cask - After four to six uses your cask will be pretty spent, however you can continue using it to add controlled oxidation to your cocktails or alternatively, you can use your cask to put a unique cocktail finish on a spirit. A Manhattan cask finished with Johnnie WalkerJohnnie Walker Black Label is always a winner.

The angels' share - Be aware that whisky is slowly maturing when in its cask, a small amount of whisky evaporates through the wood and into the atmosphere. Factorthis loss into your final cocktail costings.

Barrel half full or half empty? - Emulating the Solera process of Spanish sherry bodegas is a fantastic way to get consistency out of a barrel aged cocktail especially if you intend on having the cocktail listed for a while. Have a series of casks and when bottling, only empty the first cask halfway. Top it up with the second cask, the second cask with the third, and so on, finishing with a fresh batch of unaged cocktail in the final cask. At Boilermaker we have a six cask solera system.

Maintenance– In between uses, ensure your cask is filled with something so as not to dry out. If you are filling it with water, ensure you change it fortnightly so as not to stagnate.

Why not try some of my barrel aged favourites to get you started;

Bobby Holiday

THE CASK

Season the cask with pineapple infused rum.

Remove the rum from the cask.

Add cocktail to seasoned cask:

RECIPE

50ml JOHNNIE WALKER BLACK LABEL SCOTCH WHISKY

20ml Vermouth

5ml Cognac based liqueur

13.9 grams of alcohol*(according to mls of the serve)

METHOD

Leave your cocktail to age for 4 – 8 weeks

Add 75ml of batched, barrel-aged cocktail to a mixing glass

Fill with ice

Add 2 dashes of bitters to serve

Stir and strain into an Old-Fashioned glass and garnish with a candied pineapple ring

Oldest Pal

THE CASK

Infuse the peels of 3 large navel oranges and 5 split vanilla pods into 5L of oloroso sherry and add to 5L cask. Agitate daily for one month.

When your cask is seasoned use the sherry in mixed drinks. A favourite of mine is infused sherry with tonic water.

RECIPE

Add your cocktail to the seasoned cask:

40ml BULLEIT BOURBON AMERICAN WHISKY

20ml Red herbal liqueur

20ml Dry vermouth

17.5 grams of alcohol*(according to mls of the serve)

METHOD

Leave to age for 4 – 8 weeks

Add 80ml of your cocktail to a mixing glass with ice

Stir and strain into a coupe glass.

Garnish with a lemon twist

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(*One standard drink contains 8g of alcohol)