Are brandy barrels charred?
 

I was reading in the latest wine enthusiast magazine about the
different types of french oak used, but the made no mention of
charring.


But I heard on a documentary that scotch makers take used american
bourbon barrels and french brandy barrels and use them for scotch
production. So I am assuming that they are charred. If not, how does
brandy get the golden color?

Are brandy barrels charred?
 

# But I heard on a documentary that scotch makers take used american
# bourbon barrels and french brandy barrels and use them for scotch
# production. So I am assuming that they are charred. If not, how does
# brandy get the golden color?

scottish whisky makers tend to us mainly used bourbon or sherry casks
I think they re-charr most of them from memory.
The flippant answer to the golden colour is caramel. A lot of whisky makers
add caramel to their product to get the golden colour people expect.
Whisky take from a bourbon barrel is often of extremely pale colour when
no caramel is added. Practically colourless.

There is a current trend to use other barrels in whisky production (port, rum
brandy, wine) often, but not exclusively, just for a final maturation period
of around 2 years. For example Bruichladdich are currently using barrels
from CHATEAU D YCHEM for whisky maturation for a limited production.

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Are brandy barrels charred?
 

Strange, if they re-char I wonder why they do not get the same color
contribution that a burbon maker gets from teh same barrel. Bourbon by
law cannot have any flavoring or coloring added.

How much color does the wood itself impart. I have never aged a white
wine in oak, but I have drank them....they are not particularily brown.

Are brandy barrels charred?
 

Droopy a écrit :
> Strange, if they re-char I wonder why they do not get the same color
> contribution that a burbon maker gets from teh same barrel. Bourbon by
> law cannot have any flavoring or coloring added.
>
> How much color does the wood itself impart. I have never aged a white
> wine in oak, but I have drank them....they are not particularily brown.
>
I use renewed barrels for Calvados aging : they are dismantled, planed,
reassembled and lightly charred.

The aim is little wood taste (it is not cognac!)
After 4 years the color is light

most of makers add caramel (and forget to mention it on the label)

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