Hi there, I know, it has not been long enough between posts, but hey, I found a little free time to get some pictures uploaded and typing done!
So after I had emptied the two barrels, I decided to age some whiskey based cocktails. I let the barrels dry out after the first experimentation, so I needed to re-prep the barrels by loading them up with water
Saturating the barrels with water
I wanted to age two of my favorite whiskey cocktails, the Old Fashioned of course, and also a Manhattan. I just started these on Thursday, so we’ll see how they turn out in a few weeks.
Here is the whole setup with both barrels and everything I’m planning to throw together.
The countertop showing all the different ingredients.
In the smaller barrel, I decided to age the Old Fashioned.
Here is what I added to the barrel including the quantities:
750ml Buffalo Trace boubron
One whole bottle of Buffalo Trace, poured into the barrel
150ml Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
Measuring out the Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
100ml Angostura bitters
The Angostura bitters, all measured out
6 dried orange peels chopped up into bits
Dried orange peels, chopped up for easy insertion (and eventual removal)
Dropping the bits of dry orange into the barrel
Label in place, let’s see how it tastes in a week!
I knew that this barrel aged version had to be different from the kind I can whip up behind the bar. The buffalo trace would be fine in a barrel, after all it had already been in one for 9 years! The Angostura bitters would be fine in the barrel as well, at 47.5% abv, there is little that could go wrong mixed with other ingredients in an air-tight barrel. As for the other crucial items, I knew I could not use sugar, fresh oranges or cherries, for they would either rot or ferment, and I did not want that kind of mess on my hands. So I opted to use the Luxardo Maraschino liqueur to replace both the sugar and cherry aspects of the original cocktail. For the orange flavor, I decided to use some dried orange peels left over from my infused bourbon creation.
I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what comes out when I remove the contents in a week or two. Hopefully, I will end up with a rich complex version of a classic cocktail.
In the large 5 liter barrel I decided to try my hand at an aged manhattan. Using a 2:1 ratio of Whiskey to Vermouth, I knew I should use 3 liters of whiskey to 1.5 liters of vermouth. This left 500ml of space for a crucial but oft forgotten ingredient to the Manhattan, Angostura bitters.
Here is what I added to the large barrel, including the quantities:
3 liters Maker’s Mark bourbon
It puts the Maker’s Mark in the basket! Errrrr, I mean, barrel!
1.5 liters of Carpano Antica
500 ml of Carpano Antica measured out, ready to be added.
Pouring a whole 1-liter bottle of Carpano Antica into the barrel
Last, but not least, 500ml of sweet, sweet Angostura bitters!
Measuring out the Angostura bitters
500ml of Angostura bitters, thats a lot of love from Trinidad & Tobago!
The big barrel all ready to be rested for two weeks!
Obviously, I’ll have to report back on how these turn out.
Until then, happy cocktailing!
-W
