2018Q3SpiritedVA - 26

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By Andrew Mad

26 VIRGINIA ABC | ABC.VIRGINIA.GOV

igan

t's common knowledge
that many spirits,
especially top-shelf
products, are stored and
aged in barrels, but why
and how is this done?
The aging process is,
in theory, quite simple.
After the spirit has been
distilled, you take an
aging container-typically
a wooden barrel-add
the beverage, and wait.
Chemical reactions involving
the container, air and the
spirit change the composition
of the liquid and therefore its
flavor, color and texture (also
called "mouth-feel"). While this
process is, in essence, quite
simple, it's also mysterious.
Scientists don't understand
exactly how and why the flavors
emerge. Distillers have to rely
on tradition, experimentation,
tasting, intuition and sometimes
a bit of luck.
How do these chemical
transformations occur? Primarily,
it's through the make-up of
the barrel itself. Properties are
transferred from the wooden
barrel, or cask, to the beverage
in the form of three primary
compounds. In the wood,
degraded lignin-an organic
substance from plants-adds
vanillin, a substance that has
notes of vanilla and marzipan.
Lactones-acidic compounds that
have a coconut taste-are also
transferred. Finally, tannins are
extracted from the wood, which
convey a dry, bitter, "woody"
aspect to the spirit.
Should all spirits be aged?
No, not necessarily. Products
distilled in a column still,
for example, such as vodka
and dry gin lead to a higherproof beverage and fewer
congeners-a substance
produced in fermentation.



http://ABC.VIRGINIA.GOV

2018Q3SpiritedVA

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of 2018Q3SpiritedVA

2018Q3SpiritedVA - Cover1
2018Q3SpiritedVA - Cover2
2018Q3SpiritedVA - 1
2018Q3SpiritedVA - 2
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2018Q3SpiritedVA - Cover3
2018Q3SpiritedVA - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/leisuremedia360/leisure/spirited-virginia-q1-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ42021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ32021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ22021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ12021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ42020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ32020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SpiritedVA-Q2-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ12020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/SPVAQ42019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/VTCRecipeBook
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2019Q3SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2019Q2SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2019Q1SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2018Q4SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2018Q3SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2018Q2SpiritedVA
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/2018Q1SpiritedVirginia
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/leisure/Spirited_Virginia_Q4_2017
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com