Ageing Whiskey:

Neewbie_noob

I have a bottle of Jameson that I bought in Berlin over a year ago. I have been ageing it. I was recently informed that whiskey only ages when in the barrel, and hence why some bottles specifically have years or years on them etc.
So, does whiskey actually age when it's in the bottle?? If not I'm gonna crack it open on Friday

the beer revolu

Crack it open on Friday!:D
You were informed correctly - whisk(e)y doesn't age once bottled.

Slaphead07

No option to drink it the way it should be drunk? With a small drop of water? For shame.

And no, whiskey doesn't age in a bottle.

the beer revolu

Slaphead07 wrote: »

No option to drink it the way it should be drunk? With a small drop of water? For shame.

I was wondering about that option too.
It is how I like to drink it.

rubadub

The ageing is mainly a reaction with the wood, and air can get at it more. Unaged whiskey is clear like water.

You can buy wood chips intended for aging yourself. Distilling suppliers sell them, homebrew places have oak intended for wine which I expect is fine. Or you can get oak yourself and do it. I aged some rum with some toasted oak I got. You can put shards in so there is much more surface contact than you would have had in a barrel.

I think I saw some commercial spirits that came with oak in the bottle, so you could hold onto it and age like wine.

Jameson is aged in used sherry casks. You can get sherry chips here http://www.homebrewwest.ie/oak-chips-sherry-oloroso-250-grams-1771-p.asp

If animal based finings were used to clear the sherry then the jameson would not be vegan, I asked them about this but got no response. Many people think all spirits are vegetarian as all will be left behind after distillation, forgetting it could be added later.

Zebra3

the beer revolu wrote: »

You were informed correctly - whisk(e)y doesn't age once bottled.

What about beers?

nickcave

Zebra3 wrote: »

What about beers?

Beers (especially unpasteurised ones) will mature with age to a certain degree, with certain tastes developing, etc. Generally I've found the hop flavours can become more mellow, and more rounded. But that's just me.

That said, there's no market for 'vintage beers' or anything like that. Oh and stay away from anything that's in a can - that's bad.

_blank_

Slaphead07 wrote: »

No option to drink it the way it should be drunk? With a small drop of water? For shame.

Should?

That's fairly snobbish, for shame.

Zebra3 wrote: »

What about beers?

Bottle conditioned beers will change over time in the bottle, as the remaining yeast will still interact with the sugars.

Distilled spirits don't have any remaining yeast in them for this to happen.

Slaphead07

Des wrote: »

Should?

That's fairly snobbish, for shame.

Yeah, but I did put "should" in italics rather than in bold.
I'd regard most of the suggestions given in the poll as ways to ruin whiskey so if it comes across as snobbish it's just a reaction to that. I'd be far more ashamed to put red lemonade in my whiskey than to be called a snob.

_blank_

I lash a single cube of ice into most single malts.

BeerNut

nickcave wrote: »

there's no market for 'vintage beers' or anything like that.

O rly?

Dermighty

I no drink booze

It's not like wine.

Enjoy it whenever you want. If anything it's only going to get worse.

nickcave

BeerNut wrote: »

O rly?

Sweet!