Blog
Wood It Were Simple
Having left off at new make spirit, it’s time to delve into the maturation of whisky and the important role that wood plays in how a whisky comes to be. Scotch whisky ages for at least three years in oak casks of no more than 700L capacity. There isn’t any specification on the type of oak used: it can be new or used, but distilleries almost always fill used oak casks with their spirit for three main reasons: 1) Used oak is cheaper than new oak 2) Wood components are extracted more readily and in greater quantity in new oak barrels. Given the lengthy maturation period a new oak cask could simply make even a three year old whisky taste like sawdust. 3) Reusing...
Read MoreGerman Revival
Following Oktoberfest I kind of went off German beer. And not just in a ‘I had a lot of Festbiers recently so I’m going to try something new for a change’ but in a ‘Day in and day out I’d honestly prefer to have anything other than a Pils or Hefe’. More than anything, I blame it on the weather. These beers were all too light and drinkable for those cold winter months which demand high-gravity Belgians and Bourbon barrel aged stouts. But when I went to the pub a few weeks back and decided to indulge in a Weinstephan Hefeweizen I was reminded of one thing: spring is coming. And spring- and summertime drinking demands sessionability,...
Read MoreDog Beers
Like most people, the start of the week is a tough time for me. On a typical Monday I’m out of the door by 8:15 and I’m not back home until 10:30. That being said, I do look forward to Mondays, or at least Monday evenings, because I get very excited about our beer tastings. This was particularly the case on the 24th when Jonny Reid, the Scottish Sales Manager for BrewDog, kindly came to the Dalry shop to give us the lowdown on some stars from BrewDog and Mikkeller. And by stars I mean ‘Yes, that beer is, in fact, worth the £15 a bottle price tag’. So, at eight o’clock, with a shop filled to the brim with beer geeks, Ash and I poured the...
Read MoreBlind Man’s Bluff – Beer
Title: Blind Man’s Bluff – BeerLocation: 63 Comely Bank RoadDescription: Six bottles, no promises. Everything is up for grabs and you’ll have to put your senses to the test to pick out what’s what in this blind tasting. Start Time: 20:00Date: 2014/03/31
Read MoreWhisky
Title: WhiskyLocation: 63 Comely Bank RoadDescription: Join us for a wee dram or two as we taste our way through Scotland’s finest. From Islay to Speyside, to the Highlands and the Islands, we’ll be exploring this beautiful country via its single cask whiskies. Start Time: 16:00Date: 2014/03/29
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