Too Woody?

[cowdery]

I don’t usually post here about articles I’ve written for Malt Advocate, WHISKY Magazine, and other publications. For one thing, the lead times are so long I’ve usually forgotten all about them by the time they’re published.

But I’m very excited about a piece I have in the new issue of Malt Advocate. (Volume 19, Number 4. Winter 2010.) My enthusiasm starts with the title: “Quercus Alba and the Rise of the Eumycotians." For a writer, the most satisfying work is when you learn something new that you can then share with readers. On this project I learned a lot about how new whiskey barrels are made and, in particular, how they are being improved. “Quercus Alba,†in case you don’t know, is American white oak, the wood used to make whiskey barrels. "Eumycota" are true fungi, including yeasts and mushrooms, the latter of which figure prominently in stave seasoning.

If that intrigues you, there is also a fascinating story by Jonny McCormick about barrel management practices in Scotland.

It’s an issue with major wood.

[B.B. Babington]

thanks for heads up. That looks like SUPER INTERESTING must read for those that care about wood.

[jburlowski]

...

It’s an issue with major wood.

Does Major Wood salute Col. Cowdery?

( By the way, great article!)

[Dramiel McHinson]

I'm wondering if that mushroom taste in some of the bottles I've opened can trace their ancestry to Eumycota?

[Josh]

Guess they haven't gotten to the Ws yet!

[ethangsmith]

Sounds more interesting that an article on Ronnie Wood. I'll be sure to pick up my copy of MA and look for the article!

[callmeox]

Many thanks to you Chuck for posting your blog entries here wholesale and not farming SB for clicks via links or teasers.

I follow your blog as well as John Hansells and Lew Bryson's via RSS but I appreciate the courtesy of your posts.

[cowdery]

Many thanks to you Chuck for posting your blog entries here wholesale and not farming SB for clicks via links or teasers.

I follow your blog as well as John Hansells and Lew Bryson's via RSS but I appreciate the courtesy of your posts.

Thank you.

A lot of times I will post something here and then think, "that would work on the blog." The conversations here are frequently my inspiration for things I write about elsewhere.

[nblair]

Picked up a copy of Malt Advocate today (my first). This is an extremely interesting article, Chuck. Great job. It sounds like the industry might be changing down the road as Cooperages are finding ways to manipulate the barrels to produce certain qualities, a la Maker's 46. Although that might not be the best example around here because I know MM46 has it's detractors...

Chuck, you mention the importance of naturally drying barrels rather than kiln drying. I know that Maker's Mark really pushes the fact that they let their barrels air dry. Do any other distillers do this or do most of them kiln dry? I assume the larger producers like Beam & BF use kiln-dried barrels?

[bonneamie]

Guess they haven't gotten to the Ws yet!

"whiskey" "wood" "winter" "white" "work"

I think you're "wrong"

[cowdery]

Chuck, you mention the importance of naturally drying barrels rather than kiln drying. I know that Maker's Mark really pushes the fact that they let their barrels air dry. Do any other distillers do this or do most of them kiln dry? I assume the larger producers like Beam & BF use kiln-dried barrels?

Air drying has become the norm again although some use a combination of air drying and kilning.

[OscarV]

I’m very excited about a piece I have in the new issue of Malt Advocate. (Volume 19, Number 4. Winter 2010.)

I got this issue this week and it is loaded with a lot of good stuff.

The articles on wood, Dave Pickerell's Whistlepig Rye and an article by Stephen Beaumont about bars.

It seems he shares the same distaste as I about TV's in bars and the absence of music and conversation.

[jburlowski]

I'm sorry Oscar, what did you say? I couldn't hear you over the ESPN....

[cowdery]

I'm sorry Oscar, what did you say? I couldn't hear you over the ESPN....

Typical bar here is 100 TV screens showing sports but loud music instead of the TV audio. Conversation still impeded.

That said, last time Oscar and I were in Delilah's they were showing one of Dean Martin's Malt Helm movies.

[OscarV]

That said, last time Oscar and I were in Delilah's they were showing one of Dean Martin's Malt Helm movies.

Yeah, but Delilah's had the TV screens near the ceiling so they were easy to ignore and they had some ass-kicking music to spur ya on.

BTW, gotta admit, the Lady in the Helm's movie trying to get out of the mud was some sweet eye-candy.

[cowdery]

Yeah, but Delilah's had the TV screens near the ceiling so they were easy to ignore and they had some ass-kicking music to spur ya on.

BTW, gotta admit, the Lady in the Helm's movie trying to get out of the mud was some sweet eye-candy.

[cowdery]

My Malt Advocate article "Quercus Alba and the Rise of the Eumycotians. How Geeky Science Makes Whiskey Taste Good" is available on the Independent Stave web site here.

[squire]

Chuck, you've got me intrigued, I will be on the lookout for that issue.