Sandpaper & Tea: The Science of Astringency

[Single Malt Yinzer]

https://talesofthecocktail.com/in-depth ... stringency" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Something I did not know before reading this article:

Contrary to intuition, astringency is actually not a taste, but rather a tactile perception

[OtisT]

https://talesofthecocktail.com/in-depth ... stringency

Something I did not know before reading this article:

Contrary to intuition, astringency is actually not a taste, but rather a tactile perception

Makes sense. Astringent is something I intuitively thought of as my skin tightening up or shrinking more than it seemed like a taste. I guess this confirms my senses are working properly, thank goodness.

Do you know if aging on oak (or something else) reduces astringency? I recently made a Chocolate Bourbon that is a bit astringent. It's sitting on oak now, so in a year I may be able to answer this myself.

Otis

[Single Malt Yinzer]

Do you know if aging on oak (or something else) reduces astringency? I recently made a Chocolate Bourbon that is a bit astringent. It's sitting on oak now, so in a year I may be able to answer this myself.

I don't know much about it other what's in that article. I know that heads & tannins (over oaking) can cause astringency. I assume that the chemicals responsible oxidize/react out eventually. As long as the spirit can breathe it should come around.

[OtisT]

I know that heads & tannins (over oaking) can cause astringency.

It was astringent fresh off the still, so definitely not over oaking. A few others have commented recently that their chocolate bourbons also turned out a bit astringent, so I am assuming it is the British Chocolate malt or the British Black Crystal malt I used.

Otis