Authored By Laura Kelton

As we kick off the new year, it seems that everyone is dying to start over. But why go through all the lessons you’ve learned in the past 365 days just to act like you’re tossing them out the window and begin all over again? Each year is about building on the last and bettering yourself, whether it is through trial and error or just trying new things.

So what about starting the year with something old? Or, in this case, aged? Barrel-aging cocktails has been a trend in the beverage scene for the past few years, thanks to Portland bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler. In 2010, Morgenthaler started experimenting with taking spirit-driven cocktails in large volume and resting them in previously used oak barrels. Much like the art of distilling, the art of aging can be just as nerve-wracking-you pour hundreds of dollars into what can boil down to an experiment, hoping that your end result will be both delicious and profitable.

So why go through the trouble? Does it really make any kind of difference? Yes. Think about the world of wine and whiskey. Both products are exposed to wood to achieve different qualities. Whiskey takes on a honey color in oak, is softened, rounded out and becomes a fleshier product than that with which you started. Wine, on the other hand, benefits from integration of flavors. It becomes cohesive in the barrel and, much like whiskey, takes on new character after being stored in oak.

Much like wine and whiskey, any other liquid, and in this case cocktail, is going to take on a new form after sitting in a barrel for an extended period of time. To generalize, it softens all the edges of a drink. Flavors are richer; there is added depth to flavors that come out more harmoniously than they would when mixed to order. Why? The movement of liquid in and out of a porous barrel allows the liquid to take on the characteristics of the wood, such as vanillin. This is why whiskey takes on notes of honey, caramel and vanilla.

Enough about what happens. How do you make this happen? Step one, obtain barrel. It’s not always cheap or easy, but with so much whiskey entering the market, barrels are aplenty. Or at least, used barrels are. If you’re a bartender, find a brand you wish to support and inquire. For the at-home enthusiast, look online. We all know you can buy just about anything on the Internet. You can also look into buying a small kit, like this one, for a similar but possibly limited (in quantity) effect. There are many people talking about the next aging revolution, saying that it will be the submergence of barrel staves in glass containers to achieve the same result with much less mess.

Once you have said barrel, fill it with water. Remember the trial and error portion of getting better that I mentioned earlier? This was my first error. When barrels have not held liquid for a considerable amount of time, the wood becomes dry, shrinks and is no longer capable of holding liquid. Filling it with water for a few days to a week, depending, will cause the staves to swell and return to their original purpose.

Pick a cocktail. Whether it is a Manhattan, Boulevardier or Negroni, look for something spirit-driven. There is no need to age juice because it will spoil. Although there are many directions to go in, these three cocktails seem to be the most popular in the aged cocktail world. The craziest I’ve seen? Barrel-aged vodka Red Bulls with Chartreuse. From what I hear, it was fantastic. My first adventure in barrel aging is now a lighter twist on the Boulevardier with Yellow Rose whiskey, Aperol and Cocchi Americano. What’s next? Only time will tell.

Have you ever experimented with oak aging? Have you tried these cocktails in other cities? I’d love to hear how consumers feel about the process!

Until next time, happy drinking!

Laura Kelton is a recent graduate of UTC and currently runs the bar program at Easy Bistro & Bar. Feel free to reach out to her by email with any questions, comments or requests. The opinions expressed in this column belong solely to the author, not Nooga.com or its employees.