For the whiskey lovers

[nostalgia]

The second most common question I get is, "When are you going to start making whiskey?"* I always have to explain that distilling is illegal. Much to my excitement, I found out that CopperFox Distillery offers Wasmund's Barrel Kit!

It's a cute little 2-liter barrel and 2 bottles of spirits. I asked Santa for the rye, sine I love good rye whiskey and it's hard to find.

I started a blog to document my experience with it, and to talk about whiskey in general, if you'd like to come along for the virtual ride. Drinking with Angels blog.

-Joe

*Most common: "What kind of beer do you make?"

 

[wcarter1227]

this rocks,:rockin: i like the fact that they had different size barrels. A good way to get some small barrels for some experimental batches.

Good post!

 

[nostalgia]

this rocks,:rockin: i like the fact that they had different size barrels. A good way to get some small barrels for some experimental batches.

Good post!

Thanks! I was thinking the same thing. A couple of 5- or 10-liter casks behind the bar with small batches. Could serve right out of them, since they're small enough to kill in a couple days,

-Joe

 

[azscoob]

I really think I need a post Christmas gift to myself, and an age-it-yourself rye seems like just the thing!!!

 

[MikeRoBrew1]

Holy cow! Kewl!! If you start with the Rye Spirits, are you just cask-aging them? Is there anything else to the process that I am missing or is it just flavoring from the barrel?

 

[nostalgia]

Nope, that's it - I'm cask aging already-distilled whiskey. But you get to control how long it ages and any additives you might put in with it.

I'm considering getting a single-malt kit or two for more experimentation.

-Joe

 

[dataz722]

How much were the bottles of rye?

 

[azscoob]

I saw online that they were like $24 and change per 750ml bottle

 

[dataz722]

I saw online that they were like $24 and change per 750ml bottle

Not too bad, but you can get some pretty decent stuff for not much more than that. If it isn't pretty high quality to begin with I don't see how it would be worth it other than just the coolness of having a barrel of whiskey.

 

[nostalgia]

Like homebrewing beer, it's not really about doing it cheaper. Being able to experiment and be part of the process is well worth it to me.

-Joe

 

[nostalgia]

Also, the base whiskey is of high quality. The fact that I enjoyed it un-aged at cask strength speaks a lot about that.

If I'm not mistaken, they hand malt their own grains, drying them with fruitwood smoke. It's allegedly unique to the industry. Let me find it on the site...

-Joe

 

[509inc]

Now that is a cool idea.

 

[dataz722]

Like homebrewing beer, it's not really about doing it cheaper. Being able to experiment and be part of the process is well worth it to me.

-Joe

Good point.

 

[dataz722]

Also, the base whiskey is of high quality. The fact that I enjoyed it un-aged at cask strength speaks a lot about that.

If I'm not mistaken, they hand malt their own grains, drying them with fruitwood smoke. It's allegedly unique to the industry. Let me find it on the site...

-Joe

You were able to get it in NJ? I looked on the site and they don't distribute to DE but I could make the trip over the bridge to get it if it is in JErsey.

 

[nostalgia]

Found it:

We malt our own, in small batches, using a traditional floor malting the way it's been done for centuries in Scotland.

When the malt is ready to be dried, we don't use peat! Instead we use the smoke of an apple wood, cherry wood and oak wood fire that is kept at a slow burn for a night and a day. This is another first for single malt whisky that adds to the cascade of finishing flavors.

Not sure if that also applies to the rye (the rye spirit is 2/3 rye and 1/3 barley).

-Joe

 

[nostalgia]

You were able to get it in NJ? I looked on the site and they don't distribute to DE but I could make the trip over the bridge to get it if it is in JErsey.

Apparently my mother-in-law special ordered the kit from Mendham Liquors. I don't know if they just carry the spirits.

You can also put already aged spirits in the cask, which I may also try in the future. Take something mild like Glenfiddich and age it in the oak cask, maybe with some apple wood chips? Hmmmm

-Joe

 

[dataz722]

You can also put already aged spirits in the cask, which I may also try in the future. Take something mild like Glenfiddich and age it in the oak cask, maybe with some apple wood chips? Hmmmm

-Joe

Not a bad idea.

 

[nostalgia]

So yeah, I broke down and ordered the single malt kit. Yay, more little barrels!

-Joe

 

[nostalgia]

A few updates for you whisky folks. I tasted the Rye after a month, and it was delicious! My barley single malt kit came in, and I stuck that in the keg. Also attended an awesome tasting hosted by Laphroaig. Details and plenty of pictures at the links.

-Joe

 

[nostalgia]

I visited Tuthilltown Distillery today. Turns out it's about a 2-hour drive from me.

According to the tour guide, they are the first distillery in NY with a tasting room, and were the first (legal) distillery in NY since Prohibition. I got a ton of pictures, but they're on a friend's camera. I'll get those up soon.

Because you could still sell whiskey during Prohibition if it masqueraded as medicine, they decided to bottle their spirits in these cool apothecary bottles.

The clear one up front is their un-aged 100% corn whiskey. It's going to age in my barrel once the other two are out. The other whiskies are their Manhattan Rye, 4-Grain Bourbon (51% corn, the rest is barley, rye and wheat) and Single Malt made from all barley.

Oh and that odd bottle on the right is bourbon-barrel aged Maple Syrup. It was out of this world.




-Joe

 

[nostalgia]

The tour was great. Some of the equipment and processes were very familiar.

Check it out on my whiskey blog.





-Joe