Distillers have used barrels to age whiskies, brandies and other distilled spirits for centuries. Today, American craft distillers increasingly seek to innovate and extend their product offerings by barrel aging spirits, both traditional (e.g., whiskies) and non-traditional (e.g., barrel-rested cocktails). Not surprisingly, the thicket of alcohol beverage laws and regulations impose certain requirements and place certain limits on the use of barrels.
This article, originally published in the Fall 2013 issue of Artisan Spirit, briefly outlines some of the most important considerations.