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Creating a New “Flavor Wheel”
I’m getting back into distilling after a bit of a hiatus. I’ve used flavor wheels to help me understand aged spirits, but I’m having trouble with new make and figuring out which flavors tend to fade over time (as a white spirit or during aging) and which ones become more pronounced. I know this will change depending on what type of spirit is being made but does anyone know of a good resource or guide that breaks down new make flavors? Along the same lines of how during fermentation that baby vomit smell can turn into pineapple but post-distillation. I want to get better at working with new make, like knowing which flavors pair well with X [type of wood/char/toast level etc] or which ones mellow out as the spirit marries.
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3 Replies
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Corn tends to lose its flavors over time evolving into a general ‘sweetness’. The flavor impact of smaller grains as they age would depend on their type, relative proportions (ratios?) to each other and the overall grain bill as well as many other factors.If you read through (even established) commercial distilleries’ tests of experimental grain bills, they are at a loss for definitive final flavor profiles, relying instead on a history of changes to make their hopeful projections. On the other hand, Four Roses famously produces distinctly different bourbon expressions using different yeasts on the same grain bill so yeasts play a role as does oak characteristics on final flavor.With so many influences I believe its going to be an uphill challenge predicting a final flavor profile from your newmake. If there was such a flavor wheel I would think it would be bouncing around the Forum. With so many different flavor perceptions, personal experience will be your best guide. Too bad it takes so long to discover what your newmake tastes like after a long rest on oak. That said, a potential approach (what I do) is to taste the expression, review its grain bill (if available) and even get feedback from experienced whiskey folks for their assessments. I love opening a bottle to reviews by these guys , who tend to share the grain bill of what they’re sampling. ‘Course your distillery is gonna be different, but hey, getting even a general comparison of whats in the bottle is a great reason to pour a few drams.“Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.”- W.C. Fields My EZ Solder Shotgun My Steam Rig and Manometer
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Appreciate the response, I think I’ll need to do some digging on here to find others experiences and compare that to my own. This definitely indicates I also need to take batter notes in both the recipe and product breakdown.
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Its best to write down as much as possible. especially when you’re new, and when you’re trying a new recipe of your own. From the weights and types of the grains, and the yeast, to the OG and FG, and tastes all the way through from mash to final blend. How else will you determine how to make that one incredibly delicious batch a second time?You’ll learn over time how wide you like your cuts on either end flavor wise if you make enough to monitor it over time. I wouldn’t go to all the work to make whiskey for less than 1.5 gallons of product to age. I don’t think I’d learn enough from a batch any smaller, but I like watching it develop over time.Fear and ridicule are the tactics of weak-minded cowards and tyrants who have no other leadership talent from which to draw in order to persuade.
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