The Fizzy Tarte’s Oak Barrel Aged Cocktails

Here at The Fizzy Tartè, you may have noticed we have started barrel-aging some of our cocktails, those which you can find under our ‘bartender’s choice’ section of our drinks menu.

Barrel-aged cocktails are becoming more popular, and the reasoning behind that is rather simple: barrel aging allows each component of a cocktail to develop a more balanced flavour and silky feel, resulting in a much deeper cocktail!

cocktail being poured from the barrel-aged cocktail barrel at the fizzy tarte

pouring the barrel-aged cocktail into a glass

lighting the oak in preparation to smoking the barrel-aged cocktail

smoking a barrel-aged cocktail in the fizzy tarte

a completed barrel-aged cocktail, smoked and ready to be served to the customer

So what are barrel-aged cocktails exactly?

As the term suggests, barrel aging is a process of changing the flavour of a product by allowing it to mature in wood over time.
We take the cocktail process from just a few minutes to a period of up to a few months which allows the elements to blend even further. Furthermore, the liquid also absorbs some beautiful aromatic notes from the barrel.

Maturation has a three-step process: Extraction, Subtraction, and Oxygenation.

Below is a good explanation of this from the Diego Bar Academy.

Extraction – Alcohol acts as a solvent and pulls out flavours and colours from the cask. For example, if you use an oak cask notes of vanilla, coconut and marzipan will often be tasted in your serve.
Subtraction– It is a common process to char the inside of your barrel. This will ensure the cocktail you place inside will continually pass through a charcoal layer, acting as a filter. The goal is to soften the cocktail and clean up any harsh, sulphuric flavours.
Oxygenation – Arguably the most important for cocktails. Barrels are porous and will slowly allow your cocktail to interact with the surrounding air. Controlled oxidation of ingredients within a cask can produce new nuances and marry the individual ingredients together, creating a harmonious serve.

Which of our cocktails are barrel-aged?

Barrel-Aged Old Fashioned
(Bank Hall sweet mash bourbon, Angostura bitters, and demerara syrup)
We aged these together to create a more rounded flavour that’s balanced and smooth.

Barrel-Aged Negroni
(Sweet vermouth, Campari, and gin)
We age these together for a more balanced mouthfeel, with less of the mouth-watering Campari taste drowning out the gin.

Finally, both of these cocktails are then smoked to finish.

What kind of aging barrels do we use to barrel-age cocktails?

The barrels that we use are American Oak barrels has a medium char, our spirits are able to interact closely with the wood’s characteristics. American white oak gives spirits a hint of vanilla and caramel from the wood sugars.

How long do we barrel-age cocktails for?

This may vary, but this is around 3 months (always worth the wait) – However, once they’re ready, we placed the barrel behind our bar at The Fizzy Tarté. We’ll then pour the barrel-aged cocktail straight from the barrel, then stir and pour over ice. Finally, it’s then smoked and presented to you!