Although very much about the loss of whiskey into thin air, there's actually more to the Angel's share concept than that. The term refers to the process of ethanol evaporation which occurs while the whiskey is stored in barrels, for ageing. The loss is called the Angel's share because of the popular belief that guardian angels watch over the drink, as it matures. Angel's share also occurs during wine or ale storage.
Barrels
have been used for centuries for the storage and transportation of
liquids, from water and olive oil to beer, wine and
distilled spirits. But, aside from the technical advantages, that they
were more resistant than clay pots and more easily carried over longer
distances, quality benefits also came into play. It became obvious that
the different types of wood improved the taste for many of the alcoholic
drinks, such as beer, wine and spirits. The same story goes for the
beginnings of using oak barrels for transporting moonshine. The
distillate became mellower, rounder, richer in flavor and more complex
after a
longer contact with the wood. We now know that there are reasons behind
every type of wood used for whiskey barrels: the new oak lets the
moonshine soak up different aromas of vanilla, tobacco, spicy and nutty
hints, while the charring generates sweetness, through a layer of
caramelized sugars. The method used in making the barrel is also
relevant to the flavoring and maturing process, whether it was sawn,
hand-split, whether the staves were kiln or air-dried and bent through
the use of steam,
natural gas or wood fire.
Regardless
of the type of wood or method used in putting it together, all barrels
are porous. Oxidation is essential for the whiskey's flavor, its
acquired color and its final complex character. The angels take their
share thanks to the nature of the material that lets the barrel breathe.
Barrels
of whiskey get stacked in commercial warehouses for several years.
Conditions also affect the produced distillate and the quantity of the
angel's share as storage is usually done at 60% humidity or higher. If
it is a low-humidity area, more water will evaporate, making the liquor
stronger. If the area has a higher-humidity level, then more alcohol
will evaporate, lowering the proof. So, the process is not just about
loss:
as proof lowers, the whiskey can mellow and leave the barrel at a more
enjoyable alcohol level, after having also allowed the more subtle
sweet, spicy or nutty flavors of the wood to emerge.
The
exact amount that is lost depends very much on conditions, as well as
materials and methods used for making the barrels. This is why the
process develops differently also depending on region: in
America, especially in the South, where temperatures are higher but
humidity lower, compared to Scotland or Ireland, where it's colder but
humidity higher. Producers estimate the angel's share around an annual
2% loss per barrel. This means that a distilled whiskey which is
maturing in a new charred oak barrel for 5 years, can lose up to 10% of
its alcohol content to the angels.
In
humid
climates, the loss of ethanol is also what causes the growth of the dark
fungus which can be easily noticed in areas where whiskey is distilled
and stored. Especially around distilleries which have been around for a
long time, the exterior of houses, trees, vegetation and anything
located in the neighborhood are all visibly covered in the dark mold,
also called Whiskey Fungus or Angel's Share Fungus. During the Tennessee
Whiskey Trail we were also told that this was a good way for revenuers
to
find illegal moonshiners during Prohibition, as the mold would give away
areas in which whiskey and moonshine had been distilled and stored.
The market has referenced the Angel's share theme in a series of products. Jim Beam launched a Bourbon called Devil's Cut
a couple of years back. They said it reclaimed the whiskey that had
been soaked up by the wood in the barrels and then blend this pulled out
whiskey with a 6 year aged bourbon. There's also the Angel's Envy
Kentucky Bourbon, while Lost Abbey produces a strong ale called Angel's Share which spends a year in freshly emptied bourbon and brandy barrels after having been brewed.
A
recent Scottish movie also called Angel's Share has been
quite popular in Europe; it follows a young delinquent in his discovery
of Scotch and the Angel's share, which is about to change his life from
hopeless to rich and refined.
Happy distilling!
Jason
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