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Aged manhattans


RyanL
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My sister told me about a bar that made 1 month aged manhattans. They put the manhattan together then put it in a mason jar and age it for 1 month and said it was really good. Anyone ever try making these or had one before?

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I have one in a 1 liter barrel that has been aging about 2 months now. The barrel was previously used for a wheated bourbon. I wasn't planning on pulling it until early summer.

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I've got a couple of bottles of Manhattan and Sazerac too, I tend to add to and adjust them (e.g. more bitters) until the balance seems right, then finish (drink) it and start another. Sometimes the last couple of ounces forms the basis for the next jar. It's hard to say if they improve just by the storage. They do seem to round a bit, but there's some heavy duty alcohol in there not to mention the "preservative" effects of bitters. Bitters is made from tree barks and have lots of tannins to add to those from the whiskeys. Mine seem quite stable.

Gary

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I have a 5 liter barrel that I use exclusively for Manhattan's. The age continues to vary as I top it off a few times a year as it drinks down. The idea came from what Dave Perkin's is doing at High West. The combination of the time mingled as well as the subtle impact of the barrel makes for a great drink...... and so easy to serve. It serves as a great place to use stub bottles or whiskey that you will never drink neat....

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  • 4 weeks later...

cigarnv, can you give us some specifics on the mix you use? Is it perfect, or just sweet vermouth? I am going to do this soon...

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I just filtered and bottled mine over the weekend, and I was very happy with it. The vermouth seemed "richer" for lack of a better word, and the whole thing had an excellent mouthfeel. Now, like all of my creations, the real challenge is repeatability.

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I've started experimenting with bottle aging, as opposed to barrel aging, manhattans. I have yet to find my "perfect" manhattan, so I thought I'd do a little experimentation. Maybe this is the easy way to do it, or maybe it's just my first step to purchasing a barrel to age cocktails :lol: I poured myself a glass the other night and I must say I enjoyed it more than a freshly made manhattan. I'm going to have to compare a fresh vs aged manhattan using the same ingredients and proportions.

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I've started experimenting with bottle aging, as opposed to barrel aging, manhattans.
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had one last summer at The Girl & the Goat. (chef Stephanie Izard won Top Chef Season 4). The place is FANTASTIC.

The drink was good, as I recall

Here's the story. Like, how much is a "dash" of bitters on that scale.

http://chicago.seriouseats.com/2011/04/barrel-aged-cocktails-girl-and-goat-stephanie-izard-how-to-barrel-age-cocktails.html

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  • 3 weeks later...

Joel,

love your signature...

I picked up some High West barreled Manhattans last night and I don't think the bottle will last long.

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  • 3 months later...
I have one in a 1 liter barrel that has been aging about 2 months now. The barrel was previously used for a wheated bourbon. I wasn't planning on pulling it until early summer.
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I'm definitely with bottle-aging. Examples I've had from wooden barrels tend to show oxidized flavors, especially to the vermouth component, which is not my thing although I know some people enjoy the taste. It reminds me of certain barrel-aged beers I've had.

Gary

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I've been researching this and I'm very interested in giving it a try with some of my favorites Negronis, Manhattans, Boulevardiers.

However, I'm worried about the vermouth spoiling. Wouldn't this be an issue? Or does the higher alcohol content prevent this?

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Well, the overall-higher ABV will certainly help keep it for some time, in bottle or cask (and maybe the alcohol is getting stronger in wood, too).

I like doing it because the flavours mature and meld in a way different from fresh-made drinks; yet I know people and some experts who feel a cocktail is only worth its salt if made on the spot. As always, different strokes...

Gary

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