Ever tried a “young” whiskey?
It’s rough stuff; essentially moonshine. The problem is, with booze, aging takes time. And with a lot of indie distillers jumping into a hot market, that time means money — money many of these young companies don’t have. So, they sell young spirits.
There are a few quick fixes on the market, but Spanish researchers might have a better answer: Ultrasound. Thes brave chemists shot brandy through a bed of American oak chips and blasted it with ultrasound for three days — while simultaneously adjusting variables such as temperature and aeration.
Turns out, the three-day ultrasound spirit nearly replicated a two-year brandy. “These samples were better valued than starting spirits: they have clear notes of ageing in wood, such as wood notes, lower acidity, or a minor sensation alcoholic strength,” said the researchers.
As Nova Next noted, the ultrasound reacts with the oak cups, producing bubbles that “explosively collapse” and blast the wood’s tissues. Could be a while until this hits the mainstream, however. Until then … take a long sip of real time.
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