return to later. The wine industry though, has made progress with micro-oxygenation, dialing in small quantities of oxygen to “manage” the oxidation processes and so the opportunities are clear. One final point concerning wood in spirit is that the physical properties of oak on which cask construction are so reliant are not a consideration in this context, so not only can oak be used but also woods that lack the necessary structural integrity yet can, in principle, be used to impart novel flavors. Other approaches are focused on augmenting maturation within the cask. Perhaps the simplest approach is to add additional wood into the cask itself, providing more wood surface area even though it does not necessarily follow that oxidation, controlled by the porosity of the containing cask, will be affected. Alternatively, some form of spirit agitation is likely to result in more rapid interactions between wood and spirit. For instance, casks that are stored in a moored raft or boat will have increased rates of various
maturation processes (as would storage in an actively seismic location!), much as laundry in a washing machine will clean more effectively if agitated. Indeed, Seven Fathoms Rum from Cayman Islands is matured seven fathoms (42 feet) below the ocean surface in sealed casks. Other, patented processes, apply combinations of heat and light, or ultrasonic agitation, to accelerate spirit maturation. One other innovative approach that may be worth considering is the development of wood flavor extracts that can be added back to a spirit. This does not get around the subtractive and interactive reactions that occur during spirit maturation but nonetheless provides options for wood extractive augmentation of spirit and, if extracts are made from spent cask wood, there is a potential opportunity for increasing the sustainability of oak. All of these options will generate spirits of at least acceptable sensory performance, although for some spirits such suggestions will fall foul of the regulations surrounding the production of certain categories
(e.g. Cognac, Scotch whisky). But while accelerated processes can in principle be tailored to mimic traditional maturation processes on the basis of analytical data, analysis is typically a poor predictor of sensory performance. My personal view is that accelerated maturation has much to commend it from a business perspective, but it is likely to be more successful when applied to new products, rather than if trying to shift from traditional to accelerated maturation for existing brands. One final point here is that a final product on the shelf could be a blend of traditional and accelerated maturation liquids, offering a compromise between production costs and acceptable flavor profile. If I was the brand manager of an international brand though, I’d be wary of making the decision to do anything that may change the flavor of the product unless I had no choice! Paul Hughes, Ph.D. is assistant professor of food science and technology at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. For more info visit www.oregonstate.edu or call (541) 737-4595.
Craft distillery equipment designed by craft distilling pioneer Robert Cassell exclusively for your craft distilling needs and manufactured entirely in North America by Specific Mechanical Systems, one of the leading craft brewery manufacturers for over 25 years. Available with industry best lead times in our exclusive, modular 240 Gallon all-in-one skid mounted system that can be easily moved into place and arrives pre-wired and pre-plumbed. We feature interchangable heads so you can make any spirit you want to at any time. Custom work also available.
WWW.MILLSTONESPIRITS.COM VISIT OUR STILL SHOWROOM
New Liberty Distillery 1431 N Cadwallader Street Philadelphia, PA 19122 www.millstonespirits.com 800-996-0595
VISIT OUR MANUFACTURING FACILITY
Specific Mechanical Systems 6848 Kirkpatrick Cres Victoria, BC Canada V8M1Z9 www.specificmechanical.com 250-652-2111
ALL OF OUR DISTILLING EQUIPMENT IS 100% PROUDLY MADE IN NORTH AMERICA 74
WWW.ARTISANSPIRITMAG.COM