橡木桶的制造也很有講究。是制桶用的木材,必須是樹齡在百年以上的橡木。世界上有很多地方出產橡木,其中包括我國的內蒙古和東北三省,但釀酒們一致公認,當以法國干邑地區(qū)東面約150的林茂山上出產的橡木品質,用來貯存白蘭地效果更好。美國白橡木排行第二,但與法國橡木的質量相距頗遠。不過,美國阿肯色州出產的白橡木,卻很合適蘇格蘭威士忌的“棲身”。其次,當橡樹砍下后,必須經過2年以上工夫的風干,然后才能加工制桶。
The manufacture of oak barrels is also very particular. First of all, the wood used for barrel making must be oak with a tree age of over 100 years. Oak is produced in many places in the world, including Inner Mongolia and three provinces in Northeast China. However, wine experts agree that the best quality of oak produced on Linmao mountain, about 150 km east of cognac, is the best for brandy storage. American white oak ranks second, but is far from the quality of French oak. However, the white oak produced in Arkansas is suitable for Scotch whisky. Secondly, when the oak tree is cut down, it must be dried for more than two years before it can be processed into barrels.
在制作時,橡木不可用鋸鋸開,必須用斧頭劈開,以免損害木頭的原有結構,劈好的木板要風干1年,任其日曬雨淋,才能祛除苦味。于橡木桶的制作工藝,與我國的圓木工藝很相仿,用一條一條的橡木板嵌制,既不用膠水,也不許用鐵釘。制作時,先把桶的一頭制妥,用鐵圈箍好,然后倒轉過來,在桶的中間肚皮處用火烘烤,利用熱脹冷縮的原理,使另一頭也卷成桶形,木板間要拼得密不通風,外面再用鐵圈箍緊。其工藝之精巧,真實令人驚嘆。白蘭地酒桶的容量以350公升為更理想,據(jù)說這樣做酒液與木材的接觸面積更為平均.這種橡木百灌桶母只價值達1000美元。威士忌酒桶的容量一般為200公升。
In the production, the oak can not be sawn, but must be split with an axe, so as to avoid damaging the original structure of the wood. The split wood should be dried for one year and left to the sun and rain to remove the bitterness. As for the production process of oak barrel, it is very similar to that of round wood in China. It is inlaid with oak boards one by one, without glue or iron nails. When making, first make one end of the barrel, hoop it with iron hoop, and then turn it upside down, and bake it in the middle of the barrel with fire. Using the principle of heat expansion and cold contraction, the other end is also rolled into a barrel shape. The boards should be assembled tightly, and then hooped with iron hoops outside. The exquisite craftsmanship is really amazing. A brandy barrel with a capacity of 350 liters is ideal. It is said that the contact area between liquor and wood is the most average. This oak barrel is worth $1000. The capacity of a whisky barrel is generally 200 liters.
木材中的化學物質,大致可分為兩類,一類叫做細胞壁物質,包括纖維素、半纖維素、木質素等;另一類為非細胞物質,一般可分為菇類、酚類、糖類、蛋白質類、生物堿類、油脂類以及植物蠟等成分。酒在桶中貯存時,空氣會通過橡木細胞進入桶內而使酒吸收氧氣,而酒又通過橡木桶向外排出蒸汽,這時酒液就會浸透入細胞壁中,以吸取木材中的成分而改善酒質。由于酒在貯存期中會以蒸汽形式揮發(fā),造成每年損失酒液3^-5寫,故而酒齡越長,酒的售價越貴。
The chemical substances in wood can be roughly divided into two categories: one is called cell wall material, including cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin; the other is non cellular material, which can be generally divided into mushroom, phenol, sugar, protein, alkaloid, oil and plant wax. When the wine is stored in the barrel, the air will enter the barrel through the oak cells to make the wine absorb oxygen, and the wine will emit steam through the oak barrel. At this time, the liquor will soak into the cell wall to absorb the components in the wood and improve the wine quality. Because the liquor will volatilize in the form of steam during the storage period, resulting in the loss of liquor liquor by 3 ^ - 5 per year. Therefore, the longer the liquor age is, the more expensive the wine price will be.
提起酒的陳化,就必然會聯(lián)想到酒在酒桶中的窖藏。其實要提高葡萄酒的品質,除窖藏外,尚應注意其他因素。質量好的葡萄酒是會越陳越好的,但是質量差的葡萄酒卻會走向反面,要知葡萄酒的質量不但與葡萄品種、產地、土壤、空氣、水分等有關,而且還與釀造工藝和釀制技術關系密切。
When we mention the aging of wine, we will inevitably associate it with the cellar of wine in the barrel. In fact, in order to improve the quality of wine, we should pay attention to other factors besides hoarding. Wine with good quality will get older and better, but the wine with poor quality will go to the opposite side. We should know that the quality of wine is not only related to grape variety, origin, soil, air, water, but also closely related to brewing technology and brewing technology.
法國的波爾多紅酒,當其發(fā)酵完畢后,新酒須經過半年的木桶期才能使酒質更趨,而且要用225公升容量橡木桶貯藏,而橡木則要采自加拿大的,還要搭配肯定比例的法國利莫辛(Limousin)橡木,可見一種好酒的陳化,也是由多種因素決定的。又如蘇格蘭威士忌的質量,不僅與釀造的技術和經驗有關,而且與谷物、泥炭、水質、環(huán)境、蒸餾裝備、貯酒木桶的材質、桶貯工夫以及酒庫環(huán)境等都有肯定關系。
After the fermentation of French Bordeaux red wine, it takes half a year for the new wine to be more perfect. Moreover, it needs to be stored in 225 liter oak barrels, while the oak is from Canada and matched with certain proportion of French Limousin oak. It can be seen that the aging of a good wine is determined by many factors. For example, the quality of Scotch whisky is not only related to brewing technology and experience, but also positively related to grain, peat, water quality, environment, distillation equipment, barrel material, barrel storage time and liquor store environment.
眾所周知:菊萄酒,包括靜止葡萄酒或氣泡郁萄酒,無論是桶裝或瓶裝,更好應貯藏在酒窖內,酒窖必須設于地下深處,溫度保持在10-13'C之間.濕度變化也更好不大,通常維持在75%左右,濕度過高則瓶塞和標貼皆容纂霉爛,而空氣過分干燥又會使軟木塞萎縮而造成酒液滴漏。同時.酒窖貯酒處必須保持整齊,不得堆放易燃物或易揮發(fā)性的物質,以免破壞酒的品質.
As we all know, chrysanthemum wine, including still wine or bubble wine, should be stored in the wine cellar, whether in barrels or bottles. The wine cellar must be located deep underground, and the temperature should be kept between 10-13'c. the humidity should also be small, usually maintained at about 75%. If the humidity is too high, both the bottle stopper and label will be rotten. If the air is too dry, the cork will shrink The liquor drips. At the same time, the wine storage place in the wine cellar must be kept in order, and inflammable or volatile substances shall not be piled up to avoid damaging the quality of wine
橡木酒桶雖對某些酒的酒質提高有利.但也不是對所有酒的酒質都會有益。例如白葡萄酒,當人們欣賞其清爽、新鮮的風味時,那么就沒有必要桶貯;對伏特加、金酒以及無色的櫻桃白蘭地等酒,因為它們從蒸餾器中蒸餾出來時酒質已基本定型,因此也沒有必要再桶貯,此外,花色繁多的利喬酒類,也同徉不需要桶貯。
Although the oak barrel is beneficial to the improvement of the quality of some wines, it is not beneficial to the quality of all wines. For example, when people appreciate the fresh and fresh flavor of white wine, there is no need to store it in barrels; for vodka, gin and colorless cherry brandy, because their quality has been basically fixed when they are distilled out of the distiller, there is no need to store them in barrels. In addition, liquors with various colors do not need to be stored in barrels.