Branding Aging

[Odyssey Spirits]

While I understand there are variations to the practice of aging, is there a standard amount of aging that is required to produce a fruit brandy?

[Gwydion Stone]

Hiya Jeffrey. Have a good read through this: http://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam.shtml

Chapter 8 gives all the specifics.

[BWFiggins]

While I understand there are variations to the practice of aging, is there a standard amount of aging that is required to produce a fruit brandy?

Hi Jeffery,

This is how I understand it to be: If the Class is "brandy" then it is understood to be grape-based, in which case the minimum is two years of barrel maturation. If any modifier to this class is used, say "cherry brandy," then it is not compulsory that it be aged.

If anyone understands this to be somewhat contrary to what I have stated, please post your comments.

Thanks,

Rusty

[Jonathan Forester]

Rusty- from reading Chapter Four dozens and dozens of times over the past few years, that's what I think as well.

Hi Jeffery,

This is how I understand it to be: If the Class is "brandy" then it is understood to be grape-based, in which case the minimum is two years of barrel maturation. If any modifier to this class is used, say "cherry brandy," then it is not compulsory that it be aged.

If anyone understands this to be somewhat contrary to what I have stated, please post your comments.

Thanks,

Rusty

[Odyssey Spirits]

Thanks for the manual reference Gstone ~ I'm going to finally print it out and read it.

My only experience with Brandy was a tour of Clear Creek Distillery in Portland, Oregon and they clearly aged their brandies (pear, cherry, spruce, etc.) in barrels I guess I thought it was standard practice.

I guess the question then becomes, if one were to age a brandy ~ are there any distiller standards to start out with for aging brandy?

[BWFiggins]

The standard in Cognac uses the following designations:

VS (Very Special) at least three years in barrel

VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) under six years in barrel, but never less than four

XO (Extra Old) over six years in barrel (although most XOs are made up of much older brandies, with no single component being less than six full years in barrel