Whiskey Bottling – The Distiller’s Final Phase

While the individual whiskey hobbyist may not have the need to mature or even bottle their spirit (if they decide to use a cheap whiskey still kit to brew their spirits), it does make sense for anyone interested in this field to learn a little more about how distillers proceed with bottling. Fortunately for us, the whiskey industry has evolved far past the early days of patrons purchasing whiskey directly from the distillery. Indeed, the inconvenience of traveling to the local distillery in order to fill up a container would be tremendous. Instead, the modern practice of bottling liquor in specialty glass bottles has taken over completely and we are able to acquire our spirits in a more convenient way (unless you decide to buy whiskey still kit, which would make things even more convenient). While a number of single malt whiskies continue to be sold in actual casks, whiskey is usually bottled once the pre-determined aging period within the barrels has concluded.

However, to ensure that distillers are getting the most from their investment, careful consideration is made to determine the most efficient bottling to be extracted from each cask. Depending upon the size of the cask itself, on average, a 200 liter bourbon barrel which has been filled with liquor at approximate alcohol strength of 63% will likely retain roughly 175 liters of whiskey after 12 years of storage. Additionally, while the percentage of alcohol within the liquor began at 63%, it will have likely dropped to somewhere in the range of 50-60% upon the conclusion of its 12 year aging run. Thus, if you buy whiskey still kit and look to age your whiskey in a cask, don’t forget about the changes which you may see in the alcohol proof. Once the whiskey is finally diluted to roughly 42% right before bottling, distillers will likely see around 250 bottles comprising 70cl produced from their original 200 liter cask. In order to discourage the usage of too many different bottle sizes, a standard was established for the industry in 1993 at 70cl (though many distillers will also produce 1 liter bottles and/or small 5cl bottles). If the price of each 70cl bottle was to be set at 50 Euros, then what you would be looking at for an average 12 year old cask of single malt scotch whiskey would be in the range of 10,000 Euros (of course, if you’re just an independent hobbyist with a cheap whiskey still kit, then you may not have to worry about bottling a 200 liter cask).

However, before deciding to age the whiskey for any length of time, one thing to consider is that different varieties of whiskey ultimately attain their peak flavor at a variety of age lengths (even if you buy whiskey still kit and a small cask). While there are a number of other factors which play a role in the maturation process, financial issues for distillers must also be taken into account when deciding to bottle whiskey. Chief among these issues is the cost involved in the actual bottling (which includes taxes), transportation, demand (upon bottling), and a variety of other influences which could easily cause the price point for a cask of whiskey to go up or down. Of course, those who manage to secure a cheap whiskey still kit, along with a low price barrel, will be much more likely to see a better line in their profit margins.

In any case, for the duration of time during which the whiskey is bonded within the cask, taxes do not need to be paid. It is only when the actual bottling occurs that any taxes are applied to the whiskey at all. It’s also at this stage that distillers need to worry about distribution costs and the amount of money which will be put into marketing the product. All told, the decision to take a whiskey out of the cask and get it into the open market isn’t one that distillers will take lightly; it can be a costly venture and the distiller must be sure that he/she will exact the right profits from its ultimate sale. If you decide to venture into this world and someday form your own small distillery, there is nothing wrong with trying to buy whiskey still kit that makes the most sense financially. While you don’t want to sacrifice quality for cost, there is no substitute for prudent financial decisions (such as finding a cheap whiskey still kit) which will not be detrimental to your spirit’s taste.

Single Malt Whisky Production

The foundation of any single malt Scotch whisky has always been barley. When Scotch was first produced, distilleries would often grow their own fields of barley, or bought it from nearby farms where it was grown. However, as the years have passed, the reliance on locally grown barley has greatly diminished and this special ingredient has become increasingly purchased in bulk and, in certain instances, even imported from overseas farms.

While you may have difficulty in trying to find a cheap whiskey still kit which includes high quality barley from Scotland, rest assured that there are a variety of barley types which will be more than adequate in your single malt whisky production.

However, the difference in barley varieties and methods used to grow this special crop is an important component of the entire single malt production process.  Putting together a fantastic whiskey still kit and using barley that is subpar will of course yield a product which you won't be offering at your next cigar party.  Indeed, just as several grape varieties are used in wine production, a number of barley varieties can be utilized in the distillation of single malt whisky.  For instance, a variety known as "golden promise" has established a strong reputation, but several Scottish distillers have also successful experimented with varieties such as "optic" and "chariot."  While any variety of barley can be used to produce malt whisky, there can never be any other type of grain involved in the production process.  So if you're looking to buy whiskey still kit which includes mashes made from ingredients like maize, buckwheat, rye, you won't be producing single malt whiskey. Instead, there should only be one special ingredient added to the barley: water.

As part of the malting process, barley is soaked in water for 2 or 3 days, then spread out in order to foster germination. While the barley is germinating (a process which usually lasts approximately one week), enzymes are actively working to convert the starch within the barley into soluble sugars; these sugars will eventually be converted into alcohol as part of the distillation process. The barley is monitored until the green malt begins to sprout; when this occurs, the barley is dried in a kiln in order to halt the germination process.  While drying the sprouting barley can be achieved in a variety of ways, an older and quite popular method involved the use of peat.  Indeed, Islay malts would often derive a distinctly peaty character from the reek, also known as peat smoke, generated from the peat fumes. When you buy whiskey still kit, you may not have to endure the process of germination or have to work with a kiln to create the malt; however, it is important to understand the inner workings of this production to ensure that you are careful in acquiring high quality ingredients and tools.

Once the malt has been dried, it is then placed in the malt mill, which is a device used to grind the dried malt into a substance called "grist;" this is in preparation for a vital step in the process: the creation of the "mash." Once production reaches the mashing stage, hot water is then added to the "grist" in a large vessel called a "mash tun," (not something you'll find in an ordinary, cheap whiskey still kit) wherein the starch within the substance is further refined into fermentable sugars.  Interestingly enough, mash tuns can be made of different components like wood, or even be substituted altogether with a stainless steel apparatus known as a "washback" (which will be the subject of a future article). Because of the importance of mash tuns and/or washbacks, which will likely come if you buy whiskey still kit that comes as a premium package, this step cannot be overlooked and its importance cannot be diminished.  The product of this phase, our mash, will lead directly to the most interesting part of the process: distillation in our pot stills!

The liquid that's drained off as a result of time spent in the mash tun is known as the "wort."  This liquid will pass through the fermentation process where its sugars are then converted into alcohol by the addition of yeast (never settle for a cheap whiskey still kit when preparing for the fermentation process: the results will speak for themselves).

Several varieties of yeast are used in a multitude of combinations to influence both the 'yield' and the quality of the final product. Regardless of the yeast chosen, the fermentation of the wort within our moonshine stills will eventually provide us with the highly coveted single malt whisky.  However, the single malt process isn't entirely complete.  The subsequent steps in this process will be the focus of our next article.