Higher diluted abv to hide mistakes
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Higher diluted abv to hide mistakes
I noticed a few things I made taste better a little stronger. When closer to 40% it doesn’t seem as sweet or tasty. I figure my goal is get something at 40% that is great to drink. Is this real or am I crazy?
Re: Higher diluted abv to hide mistakes
I've watched a lot of tasting videos and they all seem to prefer a higher ABV as it carries more flavour. As you can imagine lower ABV simply Meade it has more water diluting not just the alcohol but the flavour also.
Sooner or later the people who run the planet all end up choosing one drink....
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Tummydoc
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Re: Higher diluted abv to hide mistakes
High ABV dulls your taste buds. High ABV ethanol is is used in medicine to destroy nerves.
Re: Higher diluted abv to hide mistakes
I don't think he is talking that strong. I have heard that the same product at just 43% has more flavour than at 40%
Sooner or later the people who run the planet all end up choosing one drink....
Re: Higher diluted abv to hide mistakes
More abv is more flavor.
But you're right, it can hide bad flavors as well.
And cask strength bottlings are fine and dandy the first sip, but then you ruin your taste buds and can't pick up subtleties anymore.
It's also why it's recommended to proof down low when making cuts, not only will your taste buds last longer but it highlights some off flavors.
For my sipping stuff I usually dilute to 43-46%. 46 as tribute to Rossi of course, to sip on race day.
Cocktail bottlings I can go higher, that stuff gets diluted anyway. My cask strength 'bourbon' gets used in Amaretto sours, made the Jeffrey Morgenthaler way. My wife loves them.
More abv also lets you get away with congeners that would make your spirit go cloudy at 40%. Odin's gin is a prime example. I've tried sweetwater in whisky and found this to be the case as well. Not cloudy, but not exactly clear when diluted.
But you're right, it can hide bad flavors as well.
And cask strength bottlings are fine and dandy the first sip, but then you ruin your taste buds and can't pick up subtleties anymore.
It's also why it's recommended to proof down low when making cuts, not only will your taste buds last longer but it highlights some off flavors.
For my sipping stuff I usually dilute to 43-46%. 46 as tribute to Rossi of course, to sip on race day.
Cocktail bottlings I can go higher, that stuff gets diluted anyway. My cask strength 'bourbon' gets used in Amaretto sours, made the Jeffrey Morgenthaler way. My wife loves them.
More abv also lets you get away with congeners that would make your spirit go cloudy at 40%. Odin's gin is a prime example. I've tried sweetwater in whisky and found this to be the case as well. Not cloudy, but not exactly clear when diluted.
Re: Higher diluted abv to hide mistakes
Ya I’ve read that a bunch. I’m still learning what to blend but it’s a long process when you add in aging. My single malt tasted good at 40% but needed more time that I didn’t give it. Sampling and trying things then when down to one bottle left I just enjoyed it. My popcorn whiskey is way better to me at 50%. Sweet and tasty. When I get too low near 40% the popcorn flavour is strong and I don’t like it. Now my rye tastes really good at 50% but is only aging for 3 weeks so far. Has a taste I call ‘green’. Kinda like the wash smells. Not bad but a raw flavour. It’s dissipated a bit in 3 weeks so I hope it goes away in a few months. It has a spicy pepper taste and smells of cloves a bit. Maybe allspice. I’m not great at sniffin and tastin as good as some.
So ya thats where I’m at. Wondering if it’s too much tails or heads or just age related. Maybe the grain I use or the yeast or only one fly got in the mash and the last batch had two? Either way I will keep going and figure it out.
Thanks