Barrel-Aged Cocktails

Barrel-Aged Cocktails

If you haven’t been paying attention to every micro-trend that sprouts to the surface of the Chicago dining/drinking landscape, then maybe you haven’t experienced barrel-aged cocktails, and maybe you never will, because I’m not sure they work.

Here’s the idea, and it’s not complicated: you take your mixed drink, with all spirit-based ingredients, and put it in a wooden cask to let it sit a bit before you enjoy it.

Last week, I had a martini, mixed by the Alinea crew, that had been aged in oak before it was served to me. It was called “Rye,” and the ingredients listed on the menu were Absolute Vodka, Pernod and lemon oil (I believe it was aged in a Templeton barrel). The hope, of course, was that the em-barreled beverage would take on some of the smoky, caramel or woodsy notes of the wood. At this point, I can’t say if the drink profited from being in the tun.



Now, let me say, this was not my favorite sip in a night filled with wonderful things to eat and drink (it had a cloudy, indistinct and slightly bitter note). But here’s the thing: I judge dining experiences in somewhat the same way that I judge movies. If, after a few days, I’m still thinking about the food/drink or movie, it was successful in some way. Maybe I didn’t like the chow or the flick, but if it's still got my mind working days later, then it did some kind of job on me and for that, I thank it.

I was at a table of maybe 50 or so, and I saw a lot of glasses going back to the kitchen, half or more filled, so I’m guessing others were feeling the same way I was. It was a strong drink and I think, ultimately, one that’s very hard to control in terms of flavor because mixologists don’t really know what they’re looking for yet. This is a relatively new and untested technique, so it’s all experimental at this point, and whether the results of the experiment are good or bad, well, only time will tell.

In the People’s Republic of Oak Park, to the best of my knowledge, we don’t have any places serving barrel-aged cocktails. Of course, we’re a demi-sec village, so we don’t have any taverns, unless you count Barclay’s, Velvet Rope and Bar Louis.

David Hammond wrote:Last week, I had a martini, mixed by the Alinea crew, that had been aged in oak before it was served to me. It was called “Rye,” and the ingredients listed on the menu were Absolute Vodka, Pernod and lemon oil (I believe it was aged in a Templeton barrel). The hope, of course, was that the em-barreled beverage would take on some of the smoky, caramel or woodsy notes of the wood. At this point, I can’t say if the drink profited from being in the tun.

I'd be very slow to judge the concept based on a vodka execution (ETA: a drink featuring the event sponsor's spirit, nonetheless)...but there's definitely a lot of hype going on surrounding barrel aging that I'm not entirely sure is deserved. For starters, the folks who convinced us we needed to use our vermouth quickly before it goes bad are the same ones promoting the depth of flavor that the oxidation of barrel aging can provide. That said, having just returned from visiting 6 bourbon distilleries, the magic that a charred oak barrel can perform is still very fresh in my mind. I have no doubt that there is potential for wonderful things to be done with barrel aging of certain mixtures. However, the popularity of the trend and the nature of the process almost ensure that very little good will come of this outside of places like 69 Colebrook Row and Clyde Common. Alinea/Aviary certainly have the type of budget necessary, we'll see if they have the determination to make it work. The Violet Hour could very well pull it off, but the costs are pretty staggering and the potential payoff not that great.

kl1191 wrote:the costs are pretty staggering.

You mean because it involves experimenting with relatively large amounts of booze and no promise that the result will be worth the effort...or even drinkable?

Just to set the tone of your post, could you detail how you came to this event?
Was this a sponsored event? if so, who sponsored it? Were you charged for the drinks?
While I appreciate hearing of the next trend in drinks, it's great to know who is promoting the trends...

Please don't think that I'm being disrespectful, I just would love to hear
"I got invited to try some cocktails by a PR firm...." or whatever set the scene better than
"Last week, I had a martini, mixed by the Alinea crew,"

somehow there is more to the story and as a reader here I'd be interested in those details...

mhill95149 wrote:Just to set the tone of your post, could you detail how you came to this event?
Was this a sponsored event? if so, who sponsored it? Were you charged for the drinks?
While I appreciate hearing of the next trend in drinks, it's great to know who is promoting the trends...

Please don't think that I'm being disrespectful, I just would love to hear
"I got invited to try some cocktails by a PR firm...." or whatever set the scene better than
"Last week, I had a martini, mixed by the Alinea crew,"

somehow there is more to the story and as a reader here I'd be interested in those details...

A colleague of mine was invited, but couldn't make it, so she asked me if I wanted to take her place. I gratefully accepted. Absolut sponsored the event.

David Hammond wrote:

kl1191 wrote:the costs are pretty staggering.

You mean because it involves experimenting with relatively large amounts of booze and no promise that the result will be worth the effort...or even drinkable?

Exactly...plus the investment in aging time, not to mention storage space and gaining the requisite knowledge on the topic (or obtaining the services of one of a--thus far very--limited number of individuals).

kl1191 wrote:

David Hammond wrote:

kl1191 wrote:the costs are pretty staggering.

You mean because it involves experimenting with relatively large amounts of booze and no promise that the result will be worth the effort...or even drinkable?

Exactly...plus the investment in aging time, not to mention storage space and gaining the requisite knowledge on the topic (or obtaining the services of one of a--thus far very--limited number of individuals).

About building requisite knowledge base, it sounds like there are a number of places that already are or soon will begin aging their cocktails (Aviary, Sepia, Violet Hour, Girl and the Goat) so that kind of "group effort" amortizes the costs of the experiment (assuming intel is shared, and I'm guessing some basic stuff will be). What would really make this effort worthwhile -- and motivate more to try -- is if someone could report on an absolutely fantastic rendition of a barrel-aged cocktail. I haven't read that report yet.

kl1191 wrote:[ the folks who convinced us we needed to use our vermouth quickly before it goes bad are the same ones promoting the depth of flavor that the oxidation of barrel aging can provide.

FWIW I made the Morganthaller Barrel Aged Negroni that was superb- I've served it at home along side one not barrel aged (same ratio, same ingredients) and the difference is quite striking.

jpschust wrote:FWIW I made the Morganthaller Barrel Aged Negroni that was superb- I've served it at home along side one not barrel aged (same ratio, same ingredients) and the difference is quite striking.

Very interesting that you did a side-by-side. I'm guessing the barrel aged version was more intense? If you could, it'd be excellent to hear how the two versions differed...

David Hammond wrote:

jpschust wrote:FWIW I made the Morganthaller Barrel Aged Negroni that was superb- I've served it at home along side one not barrel aged (same ratio, same ingredients) and the difference is quite striking.

Very interesting that you did a side-by-side. I'm guessing the barrel aged version was more intense? If you could, it'd be excellent to hear how the two versions differed...

I think intense is probably the wrong word for it- I'd call the barrel aged version more rounded- though I think the simple act of letting the ingredients sit together for a long time even in a glass jar would do some of that. The barrel aged negroni clearly picked up some of the barrel flavor but wasn't overwhelming- there was a layer of flavor that had smoke and took away some of the bitterness of the cocktail. I'm going to be in Chicago the Saturday after Thanksgiving, if you're in the loop I'd be happy to give you a bottle of the barrel aged version I've still got (I have about 8 bottles left of it)

FYI I used Campari (of course), Bombay gin, and Nolly Pratt Vermouth (sp?)

jpschust wrote:

David Hammond wrote:

jpschust wrote:FWIW I made the Morganthaller Barrel Aged Negroni that was superb- I've served it at home along side one not barrel aged (same ratio, same ingredients) and the difference is quite striking.

Very interesting that you did a side-by-side. I'm guessing the barrel aged version was more intense? If you could, it'd be excellent to hear how the two versions differed...

I think intense is probably the wrong word for it- I'd call the barrel aged version more rounded- though I think the simple act of letting the ingredients sit together for a long time even in a glass jar would do some of that. The barrel aged negroni clearly picked up some of the barrel flavor but wasn't overwhelming- there was a layer of flavor that had smoke and took away some of the bitterness of the cocktail. I'm going to be in Chicago the Saturday after Thanksgiving, if you're in the loop I'd be happy to give you a bottle of the barrel aged version I've still got (I have about 8 bottles left of it)

FYI I used Campari (of course), Bombay gin, and Nolly Pratt Vermouth (sp?)

That's mighty neighborly of you. Thanks, jpschust.

jpschust wrote:FYI I used Campari (of course), Bombay gin, and Nolly Pratt Vermouth (sp?)

Sapphire or Dry?

David, you asked me the other day about my experience with barrel-aged cocktails. I said I had none, but in my sleep last night I somehow realized this wasn't true! I've had the Morgenthaler negroni (same Morganthaller as above, right?) at Clyde Common in Portland. That evening was pretty hazy, but the drink must have been more memorable than I originally thought if it came back to me in dreamland. I remember thinking the oil from the orange was almost too pronounced, but I think this may have been a side effect of all of the other ingredients being much more integrated than I expect from a regular negroni. FWIW.

Here's Morgenthaler's post on barrel-aged cocktails.

kl1191 wrote:

jpschust wrote:FYI I used Campari (of course), Bombay gin, and Nolly Pratt Vermouth (sp?)

Sapphire or Dry?

Dry

happy_stomach wrote:David, you asked me the other day about my experience with barrel-aged cocktails. I said I had none, but in my sleep last night I somehow realized this wasn't true! I've had the Morgenthaler negroni (same Morganthaller as above, right?) at Clyde Common in Portland. That evening was pretty hazy, but the drink must have been more memorable than I originally thought if it came back to me in dreamland. I remember thinking the oil from the orange was almost too pronounced, but I think this may have been a side effect of all of the other ingredients being much more integrated than I expect from a regular negroni. FWIW.

Here's Morgenthaler's post on barrel-aged cocktails.

Yep, that one I just can't spell. He's in my blogroll- hence whey I went after that recipe.

happy_stomach wrote:David, you asked me the other day about my experience with barrel-aged cocktails. I said I had none, but in my sleep last night I somehow realized this wasn't true! I've had the Morgenthaler negroni (same Morganthaller as above, right?) at Clyde Common in Portland. That evening was pretty hazy, but the drink must have been more memorable than I originally thought if it came back to me in dreamland. I remember thinking the oil from the orange was almost too pronounced, but I think this may have been a side effect of all of the other ingredients being much more integrated than I expect from a regular negroni. FWIW.

Here's Morgenthaler's post on barrel-aged cocktails.

I was talking to a sommelier/cicerone a few nights ago, and his main concern with barrel-aged cocktails (like Manhattans) was that the vermouth would get funky, so it was interesting that Morganthaller addressed that issue (in the comments section) and explained it as a "controlled oxidation" due to the high alcohol mixture in the barrel.

I'm keeping an open mind on this beverage preparation.

I had a barrel-aged Manhattan at the Violet Hour last night...can't say that it sold me on the concept. My initial, albeit somewhat harsh in retrospect, assessment was that it's a "Chardonnay drinker's Manhattan". Oak is the most noticeable component, followed by the darker, bitter notes of Punt e Mes, which have been accentuated by oxidation/age. Whiskey is almost an afterthought on the palate. Some Cocchi Americano is added to the aged mixture prior to service, which really helps with aroma, something I assume is lost quite a bit in the aging process. All in all, it's a good drink, but I'm not sure it's a drink meant for people who really enjoy whiskey or Manhattans. It's extremely mellow and drinkable, and (for me at least) an interesting thing to study, but not an improvement on the original from my perspective.

kl1191 wrote:I had a barrel-aged Manhattan at the Violet Hour last night...can't say that it sold me on the concept. My initial, albeit somewhat harsh in retrospect, assessment was that it's a "Chardonnay drinker's Manhattan". Oak is the most noticeable component, followed by the darker, bitter notes of Punt e Mes, which have been accentuated by oxidation/age. Whiskey is almost an afterthought on the palate. Some Cocchi Americano is added to the aged mixture prior to service, which really helps with aroma, something I assume is lost quite a bit in the aging process. All in all, it's a good drink, but I'm not sure it's a drink meant for people who really enjoy whiskey or Manhattans. It's extremely mellow and drinkable, and (for me at least) an interesting thing to study, but not an improvement on the original from my perspective.

I've felt the same way, more or less. They're definitely interesting but way more mellow than the original incarnations and they lack intensity, though they do offer some complexity. The sharpness and distinctive notes of the individual components get flattened out in a way that I'm not sure is for me. Once at The Whistler I had a cocktail which Paul made with barrel-aged Manhattan (made by Ben Schiller of Boka Group) as one of the components. I liked this a lot more than the straight barrel-aged cocktail. I look forward to seeing where this 'movement' goes, since it's fairly new territory and I'm always in favor of experimentation, regardless of the outcome.

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ronnie_suburban wrote: ...way more mellow than the original incarnations and they lack intensity, though they do offer some complexity. The sharpness and distinctive notes of the individual components get flattened out in a way that I'm not sure is for me.

That is a perfect articulation of the way I've felt about the barrel-aged drinks I had. More mellow, some complexity, but less intensity and sharpness and a blurring of individual components (not surprising as the liquids have many days to marry and homogenize). When I drink a Manhattan, I appreciate the sting of the bourbon, which seems aged out in the barrel.

My first thought about barrel-aging cocktails with clear liquors is that you entirely negate that liquor's purpose in a cocktail. Well-made cocktails have a certain bite that's balanced. If you age it, you kill that bite (hence, Chardonnay in a cocktail glass). More troubling to me, though, is barrel-aging liquor that has already been aged. By adding another overlay of wood, it seems like you're wrecking the booze-makers' work, and negating the vision that the original spirit-maker had for the final product. Even taking the wood out of the equation, it wouldn't be any different than mixing the ingredients in a jar and letting it sit, as one poster above commented (jpschust?). (In fact, after a holiday party I was throwing was postponed at the last minute, and I was left with an egg nog base in the fridge, I aged it in my fridge before serving it three weeks later. It softened the otherwise lighter fluid glow of this liquor heavy-drink, and brought out caramel tones that played nice with the cream. So I'm not against it entirely in certain circumstances.) Having said all that, I'm not above trying anything new, but this trend seems to be more hype than logic. I'm sure there are those who may be able to execute this concept, but all one need to do is look at the centuries of knowledge acquired in experimenting with aging wine in barrels to know that successful, meaningful execution of this concept will take time, money and a lot of work. At the end of the day, I may have to be convinced that it would all be worth it. In the meantime, I'll happily enjoy my Manhattans "naked," thank you very much.

Has anyone experimented with barrel aging their own? I was thinking of giving it a try after reading an article in this month's Food & Wine magazine. Probably a negroni or a white manhattan. I found this source for a 1L barrel that seemed pretty reasonably priced. Any advice?

I'll be honest, it might be easiest to take a page from homebrewers and use oak chips/cubes--much cheaper and simpler to 'control' or adjust. Plus you can go and toast the chips yourself if you want a little more of that character. Here is an interesting article from BYO on how to do so (with beer)--it goes through some of the logic of figuring out how much oak and how long. This might not be as refined as slow aging in a full-size barrel, but fifty bucks for a one-liter barrel just seems way overpriced and not technically superior, flavor-wise. Cubes would definitely yield a cheaper, more versatile, method and probably better taste to boot.

mtgl wrote:I'll be honest, it might be easiest to take a page from homebrewers and use oak chips/cubes--much cheaper and simpler to 'control' or adjust. Plus you can go and toast the chips yourself if you want a little more of that character. Here is an interesting article from BYO on how to do so (with beer)--it goes through some of the logic of figuring out how much oak and how long. This might not be as refined as slow aging in a full-size barrel, but fifty bucks for a one-liter barrel just seems way overpriced and not technically superior, flavor-wise. Cubes would definitely yield a cheaper, more versatile, method and probably better taste to boot.

Yep. According to some of my bartending friends, these milled spirals used in a glass containers yield very favorable results and also result in much less waste. Personally, I've never done this but if I were to do so, this is probably where I'd start.

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