US Government Laws regarding barrel aging?

[scohar]

I've been told that the U.S. Government imposes laws on how barrel aging can be done in the U.S. Unlike Scotland, who use used bourbon (among other) barrels for much of their aging, I was told that the US requires NEW barrels for each aging.

Is this correct? Who enforces this law? The TTB?

If so, are there any restrictions on using chips and such in the aging of spirits OUTSIDE of barrels (like in a steel tank)?

[Ralph at Tuthilltown]

Do not depend upon whatever you've "been told". Go to the TTB site, go to the DISTILLED SPIRITS tab and the Advertising section and read the STANDARDS OF IDENTITY. I don't want to be rude, but this is extremely basic "due diligence", read the law. There is no mention of "aging" or "aged" in the basic requirements.

Read about what oak does to alcohol and the effect of stainless steel; how that relates to the "aging" question.

[heartland distillers]

Regarding straight whiskys, others can correct me if I'm wrong on this, but the only aging requirements relate to labeling. Straight whiskys under a certain age (I belive 4 years) must state their age. Labeling requirements do sometimes drive aging.

[heartland distillers]

Here is the relevant reg.

§ 5.40 Statements of age and percentage.

(a) Statements of age and percentage for whisky. In the case of straight whisky bottled in conformity with the bottled in bond labeling requirements and of domestic or foreign whisky, whether or not mixed or blended, all of which is 4 years old or more, statements of age and percentage are optional. As to all other whiskies there shall be stated the following:

(1) In the case of whisky, whether or not mixed or blended but containing no neutral spirits, the age of the youngest whisky. The age statement shall read substantially as follows: “___ years old.”

[scohar]

Thank you guys for all the help. I will go check the TTB out for myself.

Is there anything preventing me from keeping my barrels, recycling them through my lots, and using them for 10-20 years as the Scots do?

Here is the relevant reg.

§ 5.40 Statements of age and percentage.

(a) Statements of age and percentage for whisky. In the case of straight whisky bottled in conformity with the bottled in bond labeling requirements and of domestic or foreign whisky, whether or not mixed or blended, all of which is 4 years old or more, statements of age and percentage are optional. As to all other whiskies there shall be stated the following:

(1) In the case of whisky, whether or not mixed or blended but containing no neutral spirits, the age of the youngest whisky. The age statement shall read substantially as follows: “___ years old.”

[scohar]

I'm a newbie here, so I apologize if this topic was misplaced or too elementary. I'm searching TTB regs, but I can't find anything specifically regarding the barrel aging requirement. But the Wikipedia page for Jim Beam (among others I've found) states the following:

In order to be called America's Native Spirit, a designation given to bourbon in 1964, distillers must follow governmental standards for production. By law, bourbon must be ... aged in new, charred white oak barrels ...

This regulation seems only to apply to bourbon, and not other barrel aged spirits that may be produced here in the U.S. I would like to find this out definitively. I went to the TTB site to review the regulations, but a lot of the links throw a 404 Page Not Found error.

[Ralph at Tuthilltown]

Please folks, read the actual STANDARDS OF IDENTITY. The storage requirement applies to whiskey. Whiskey stored in used barrels are for instance in the case of bourbon, called "whiskey distilled from a bourbon mash". The same applies to rye or wheat or spelt whiskeys, etc. The law says "STORED" in new charred oak barrels. It does not mention the source of the oak. It does not say you can't reuse them, only that if you call it, for instance "Bourbon Whiskey" it must spend some time in new charred oak; it does not specify how long it must be stored. Conceivably it could be poured into a new barrel, bunged (go have a cup of coffee) then unbunged and poured out and it's bourbon (if it meets all the other criteria).

The Scots as well as the French and Italians all reuse barrels. So do we. Old school European distillers store their goods in barrels which have often been used for generations. Some Calvados casks are the size of an Econoline Van and four inches thick oak. They also use our bourbon barrels, they use sherry and port barrels, all to steer the flavors.

The law is as important for what it does NOT say as it is for those things which are specified. Read the CURRENT law from the Federal site, not a thirty year old guide to alcohol or your buddy's recollection from his uncle the moonshiner. There is no substitute for experience and we all have the highest regard for those who came before us in the honorable craft of distilled spirits. But this is a new age, the small distillers have an opportunity to do something no one has done in many many years; make NEW whiskeys. Read all the books and web sites, talk to the distillers, learn all the rules, memorize the "box". Then don't think outside the box, burn it and start out with what YOU want to do (within the law of course).

[scohar]

Thanks Ralph. I finally found the standards of identity for distilled spirits at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2008/apr...f/27cfr5.21.pdf

[Charles@AEppelTreow]

Ralph, that's a great metaphor I'm going to have to 'borrow'. Learn the box. Know the box. Then burn the box and do something innovative.

Reminds me of a R.A.Heinlein quip. 'Always listen to the experts. They'll tell that something can't be done, and why. Then do it.'

[Ralph at Tuthilltown]

Thanks Charles. The well known original: "If you see a Buddha in the road, kill him." We respect the cumulative knowlege we all make use of in our craft work. But if we all believe the old Buddhas of whiskey and question nothing of what they do but only continue what "is done" or "what has always been done" the world will not change and we'll make no progress in the craft. Martial arts have the same approach, learn all the rules till they become a part of you, then throw out the rule book do not think, simply "Do".

[cowdery]

The same principal is taught to artists, from painters to musicians. You don't get to break the rules until you know the rules inside and out. No abstraction allowed until you master perspective.

Where people in this business get into trouble is when they decide to make something a certain way and then they want to call it by a certain name, and they get angry if they find out that the rules don't allow them to make x and call it y. You can still make x, you just can't call it y. Then it's "those stupid rules," trying to keep the artist down.

Ralph has done it right, even though he gets a lot of grief from ignoramuses who have no idea what the rules require, and get belligerent when he tries gently to correct them.

You can make a spirit from chick peas and age it in egg crates if you want to, you just can't call it straight bourbon whiskey.