Iowa Fall 20-Winter 21 - 35

"When other distilleries want to source
ex-wine barrels [for use in aging a
liquor], a lot of times they have to
source across the country, and they
might have to wait for them to be
shipped there." --Murphy Quint

leave them out. We store our barrels outdoors in the
elements so the beautiful Iowa humidity and heat,
temperature variations, and weather variation really
work the wood very well. And yet again ... that's the
way it was done in the '30s."

THE BEAUTY OF SECOND-USE BARRELS
Few distilleries are better positioned for barrel
reuse than a distillery-winery like Cedar Ridge.
"When other distilleries want to source ex-wine
barrels [for use in aging a liquor], a lot of times they
have to source across the country, and they might
have to wait for them to be shipped there," explains
Quint. "By the time they receive them, they might
still be in good condition, but they're certainly more
dried out. Ours we can empty and fill that same
day."
Cedar Ridge showcases barrel-aging potential in
QuintEssential. The 100% malted barley whiskey
begins its aging process in American oak barrels.
After about three years, it moves to a distinctive
finishing cask, such as a red or white wine barrel or
dark rum barrel or brandy barrel.
"We've got all these different barrels we've utilized for other products that we can then reuse to
finish out our single malt, and they impart a ton of
flavor and character and aroma into that final product," Quint says.
But the fun doesn't stop there. The whiskey ages
in the second-use barrel for another two to three

years and then goes into a solera vat, marrying other
single malts that have previously been added to the
vat-"which ironically looks like a barrel, but it's
about 50 times larger and it stands up on one end,"
says Quint. "Then we bottle it halfway down, so it
never goes empty."
Cedar Ridge Winery takes advantage of the connection, too. Its Double Oak Reserve wine is aged
first in traditional oak barrels then finished in Cedar
Ridge bourbon barrels.
Barrel expressions at Iowa Legendary Rye include
a double-distilled, double-barrel expression. "We
do a lot of barrel play to get different expressions
and different flavors," says Schneider. "It's neat in
that based on how you work the barrel you get
highly diversified flavor profiles."
Rather than simply discarding a barrel, distilleries
typically make them available to other businesses,
including breweries and cideries. "It's a great way
to team up with other Iowa businesses and let our
fans and theirs know of other companies in Iowa that
are doing amazing things," says Brooke Avila of Iowa
Distilling.
The kitchen at Cedar Ridge occasionally uses
barrel char and staves for culinary purposes such as
smoking meats.
So, the next time you sip an aged whiskey, as you
savor those notes of vanilla, butterscotch and
toasted coconut, give a salute to the barrel that
made your pleasure possible.

FALL 2020 | WINTER 2021 35

Iowa Fall 20-Winter 21

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