Author Somerset Maugham wrote of Żubrówka in The Razor’s Edge: it “smells of freshly mown hay and spring flowers, of thyme and lavender, and it’s soft on the palate and so comfortable, it’s like listening to music by moonlight.”

Unfortunately for Americans, bison grass contains a naturally occurring chemical called coumarin, which was banned in foods by the FDA in 1954. According to the Wall Street Journal, coumarin “can act as a blood thinner and may be mildly toxic to the liver and kidneys.”

But thanks to years of experimentation by Polish distiller, Polmos Bialystok, a coumarin-free version of Żubrówka was made available to US drinkers in late 2010 under the brand name Żu.

Since we finally have the wonderful vodka in the United States, and the holidays are coming up, here’s a quick guide to drinking Żubrówka vodka in authentic, Polish fashion:

1. Put the bottle in the freezer for a few hours to make the vodka icy cold.

2. Take the bottle out of the freezer and bundle it up in a little parka made just for Żubrówka bottles. This keeps the vodka cold and stylish while it’s out on the table.

3. Pour a couple ounces of Żubrówka into a cold glass and add a splash of apple juice.

4. Sip and enjoy.

5. Have another.

Bartending is a serious business to those who seriously drink, but it can be a mystery if you aren’t familiar with all the vials of bitters, unusual-looking fruits and unfamiliar bottles of booze peering down at you often-dusty shelves.

What better way to learn about what you’re drinking than to talk to the man behind the stick — your ever-faithful barkeep? He’s a captive audience, eager to serve, and filled with information not typically found in the cocktail books. Most importantly, your bartender is an artist, a proud craftsman who has honed his skills after countless hours spent in seminars, reading hard-to-find bar books and trying out recipes. The most important tool behind a bar is not a shaker, a bar spoon or the cracked and stained muddler. It’s the bartender himself, and the following are some helpful hints to using your barman as the ultimate resource on the technique of tippling.

Be Patient

In today’s age of the “mixologist,” bartenders are taking great pride in the cocktails they create. Each $10 drink on a cocktail menu is filled with various booze, fruits and syrups of every nature and might require several steps to complete. If you’re looking for speedy service there are plenty of other bars where you can get a quick drink and get back to your friends. But if you’re here to learn, let the bartender take his time. You expect your food to take a bit to cook. Give your cocktail the same respect.

Look, Listen, Learn

Look: Sitting at the bar is the original “chef’s counter” and a great bartender will be putting on a visual show just for you. You can learn nearly everything you need to know by watching a great bartender in action for an hour or two. Listen: Just because he or she isn’t making a cocktail for you, the bartender is making a cocktail for someone, and will most likely be talking about it. Listen in and…Learn: Absorb the bartender’s methods and catalogue all of your remaining questions for the next step…

Q&A Sessions

The most annoying queries happen in the heat of service, on a busy Friday or Saturday night at 7:45 pm when we hear the same twelve questions by guests feigning interest in our occupation as they wait for a table.

But if you wait for the rush to die down — or have come in early — chances are you’ll get some real answers to your questions when the huddled masses have left. We can talk tequila production; you can taste the difference between Plymouth and Hendricks gin. I might even give you a recipe or two.

Bartender Trust

They’re called by many different names, but the Bartender’s Choice is an excellent way to glean knowledge from your friend behind the stick. Barring dietary restrictions, allow yourself to be open to having a new experience, a stout rye whiskey, a funky rum or, heaven forbid, a big botanical gin. This is the perfect time to ask questions because the bartender is showing off just for you. The spotlight is on and the performance is underway.

*Warning: It’s called Bartender’s Choice for a reason. If you come in hot, hollering about flavored vodkas and demanding ingredients, expect to be treated with disdain. I once let a loudmouthed woman mix blackberries, Thai basil, habaneros and vanilla vodka together because she wouldn’t shut up. Then I made her pay for it.

Keep Coming Back

Ever hit a bar for the first time and wonder why the bartender is giving specific guests more attention than he’s giving you? It’s because they’re regulars — and even if every customer should be treated the same, let’s face it, they’re not.

But please don’t take offense. If the bartender gives you a great experience, come back. I don’t know a single bartender who can’t remember a face the second time they see it. By the third or fourth time in, you’ll be a regular and the world will be your oyster. More specifically, an oyster in the form of a spectacular cocktail and a truckload of knowledge you can take with you for the ride home.

One block (and any number of other legendary pubs) over, next door to “the smallest pub in Dublin,” the Dawson Lounge, you’ll find an unassuming storefront: The Celtic Whiskey Shop.

The shop is tiny and crowded with whiskey lovers. Open bottles beg for tasting, and information is overwhelmingly available from aproned experts.

It’s the first and only whiskey specialty shop in all of Dublin. And it’s a monument to Irish stubbornness. During the 19th century, Irish whiskey was the most popular spirit in the world with hundreds of distilleries. But for the next century, while the Irish doggedly stuck to single malts and pot still whiskeys, the Scots raced past them in popularity by blending cheaper whisky for mass consumption.

What’s the state of Irish whiskey today? Four distilleries, single pot still quality, and a major comeback story in the making, as Irish whiskey just pushed past Scotch single malt sales, despite the massive production capacity advantage enjoyed by Scotch distillers. Still, drop into a typical liquor store in the U.S. and peruse the Irish whiskey selection. You won’t find much beyond Jameson and Bushmills — maybe a Michael Collins or a Redbreast on the top shelf.

That’s why you need to know Al Higgins. Al manages online sales and the e-newsletter at the Celtic Whiskey Shop, and he can hook you up. Here are five gorgeous and distinctive Irish whiskeys you’ve probably never heard of (without getting crazy on price), some of which aren’t even available in the U.S., but which you can get, if you know Al.

Celtic Whiskey Shop
27-28 Dawson Street
Dublin, Ireland
Phone: 353 1 675 9744
www.celticwhiskeyshop.com
» Map

From Midleton distillery, home of Jameson:

Green Spot Single Pot Still — Whiskey writer, Jim Murray, describes this as “unquestionably one of the world’s great whiskeys.” In the early 1900s, the winemaker, Mitchell & Sons, would take their used sherry casks to Jameson and have them fill them with whiskey. Then they’d mark them with a green spot of paint so they could tell them apart from the wine casks. Green Spot is the oldest surviving single pot still brand. Very small production. Soft, with honey and fruit.

From Bushmills distillery:

Knappogue Castle 12 Year Single Malt — The Bushmills standard whiskey is 10 years old. Knappogue Castle is an independently bottled Bushmills whiskey, 12 years old and aged in bourbon casks. “Bushmills always has a creamy maltiness that gets accentuated in these bourbon casks, giving it almost a marshmallow-y sweetness,” Al says. “It’s been selling very well, and people always seem to come back for more.

From Cooley distillery, formerly independent, now owned by Beam Inc.:

Greenore Single Grain 8 Year — Al calls this an easy-drinking Irish whiskey. “Its softer, gentle style is very popular with younger drinkers. Personally, I wouldn’t mix it with anything. I wouldn’t even put ice into it. If you’re looking for something very simple, something lighter, especially on a summer day or after dinner with a dessert, this would work very well.”

Connemara Peated Single Malt — The complete opposite of the Greenore, but milder than a peated Scotch whisky like Laphroaig or Lagavulin, the gold medal winning Connemara is a smoky Irish whiskey. The smokiness is there, but not overpowering. If you want big smoke, go with the Connemara Turf Mór (literally means “big turf”). “It’s their young, peat monster,” says Al.

Tyrconnell 10 Year Sherry Finish Single Malt — Anima Negra is probably the best Mallorcan wine producer, and supplies the casks in which this single-cask edition is finished. “Normally I’m not a huge fan of wine-cask finishes,” says Al. “The wine can actually take over the natural flavor of the whiskey. But this finish actually enhances the natural flavors, giving it a spicy, leathery aroma. It’s very popular, and the Irish Whiskey Society has rated it very highly — definitely worth trying.”

At least, that’s what we were later told, having gone there to meet up with one of the founding partners, Michael Foggarty. Honestly, it didn’t seem dodgy. But to three people from Denver who’re enjoying only their second day in Dublin city, maybe they have no idea what dodgy looks like.

W.J. Kavanaghs is Michael’s second place, in addition to what has become a rather famous drinking and eating emporium, L. Mulligan Grocer, situated on a far less dodgy Stoneybatter street just north of the River Liffey, and made famous by its massive selection of craft beers (in blessed relief, no Guinness!) and, of course, whiskey.

So what happens when a Scotsman who grew up with two distilleries on his doorstep, decided at the age of 14 he wanted to grow up to be a whisky maker, studied chemical engineering at university, worked as a barman, won some whiskey bar awards, met an Irish girl, moved to Ireland, sold whiskey to pubs for the Celtic Whiskey Shop, and moved a lot of whiskey everywhere he worked because he actually knew what he was talking about?

He ends up owning his own place, with a simple vision all its own.

“We’re doing something very clever and very different,” says Michael. “Bars in Ireland are funny. You go to the bar to drink, then you go a restaurant to eat, then you come back to the bar to drink. We’re unusual because we provide the whole experience in one place.” (Okay, maybe not different if you’re not in Ireland.)

He has also become the name you hear over and over and over again, as you wander about Dublin in search of THE GUY to talk to about Irish whiskey. And, in his current partnership, he’s the guy who does the whiskey, providing a selection of 100+ bottles. Including, more than a few Irish. So he’s the perfect guy to ask, why drink Irish whiskeys?

“Irish whiskeys are unique,” says Michael. “Nobody else in the world uses a single pot still and a combination of malted barley and un-malted barley.” Of course, while that might make some sort of sense to a distiller, it’s not so helpful to us. So we pressed him further.

“Sweeter.”
“It’s more accessible — I don’t like to use the word, smoother. It’s more rounded.”
“Creamy, caramel, toffee.”
“Clings to your palate, a bit oily on the palate.”
“No smokiness. Easier to taste.”
“Used to have a cult following, but now it’s in a revival.”

Michael says single pot still whiskeys are the perfect trade-up for a 21-year-old drinking Jameson today. “In ten years, they’re going to be drinking Red Breast 12 Year. It’s a step up. So if you still can’t afford to drink it yourself, buy it for your father, and he’ll let you drink it anyway.”

Here are three other Irish whiskeys, as recommended by THE MAN:

Jameson Crested Ten — A high proportion of pure pot still, matured in sherry barrels. “A high quality whiskey that won’t break the bank.”

Kilbeggan — Making 100,000 cases now. Beam bought the brand and plans to sell a million cases in the U.S. alone. “Get in and join the cult, before it becomes fashionable.”

The Tyrconnell — Whether you try the single-malt version, the sherry finish or the Madeira finish, it’ll be “Just brilliant, the ultimate after-dinner experience.”

Find Michael’s pubs in Dublin:

W.J. Kavanagh
4 Lower Dorset Street
Phone: 01 873 0990
www.wjkavanaghs.com
» Map

L. Mulligan Grocer
18 Stoneybatter Dublin 7
Phone: 01 670 9889
www.lmulligangrocer.com
» Map

Some people come to Islay (pronounced EYE-la) to play golf or go bird watching. Others come to get away from hectic city life. We’re here for the Scotch. The Isle of Islay, with just 3,500 people (and lots of sheep, cows and chickens), produces some of the world’s finest Scotch whisky. The chance to taste the whisky where it’s made, and to understand how important whisky is to the island makes it worth the journey from the mainland.

There are nine distilleries on the island: Ardbeg, Bowmore, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Port Charlotte (owned by Bruichladdich), and Port Ellen (malting only). Within an hour of landing on Islay, Rachel has checked us into our room at her bed and breakfast, Glenegedale House, and then sent us off to tour the Lagavulin distillery. The next day, we’re scheduled to see Bruichladdich and Bowmore.

Rachel and her husband, Alistair, both Islay natives who grew up speaking Scottish Gaelic, seem to know the history of every square foot on Islay. They’ll happily offer you a dram of the good stuff before diving into the details of medieval battles fought just over the hill, the migratory patterns of birds, or how to make the perfect Gin and Tonic with Bruichladdich’s Botanist Gin.

As the second largest employer on the island, the whisky distilleries are a huge part of life on Islay, and Rachel confirms what we heard from one of the distillers we visited: that everyone on Islay knows how to make whisky. “It’s part of Islay’s make-up,” Rachel tells us. “It’s like a family story. You don’t remember exactly when you’re told… it’s always been there.”

In fact, whisky is so entrenched in the culture of Islay, that Rachel puts it on par with the community’s devout Christian beliefs: “We have two spirits. We have the spirit within us and the spirit we put within us.” She tells us not to miss the “sacred stones,” crosses, and chapels scattered across the island — some of which date back to the 8th century. “It’s like the spirit we make,” she continues. “It makes you feel something else…you can’t have one without the other.”

Rachel Whyte’s Guide to Islay Whisky

As a native of Islay, Rachel knows more about the island’s whisky distillers than most people. She teaches a cookery class that’s all about pairing food with whisky, and she’s on a first-name basis with the folks at most of the distilleries. Rachel’s favorite whisky is a Lagavulin 16 Year Old. (“There’s not a more complex whisky than Lagavulin,” she says.) But whisky is a very personal thing, so here are some of her other suggestions, when to drink them and what to drink with them.

Pre-Dinner Scotch:

Islay is known for its big whiskies, full of peat and smoke. But as Rachel says, “there’s a place for everything…not everyone likes peat.” For those people or for a pre-dinner dram, she recommends the lighter whiskies from the Northern part of the island: “Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, maybe a Kilchoman or a Bruichladdich.”

On Islay, Bunnahabhain is known as “lady’s whisky” because it’s light and doesn’t have a heavy peat flavor. Pair a Caol Ila with an appetizer like smoked salmon (Scottish salmon, of course).

Post-Dinner Scotch:

Now we move on to what Islay is known for: big peaty whisky full of vegetal smoke and medicinal brine. First-time Scotch drinkers might not like that description, but believe me, the stuff grows on you. After dinner, Rachel recommends what she calls the “connoisseur trio” — Laphroaig, Lagavulin, and Ardbeg.

Ardbeg is great with cheese and “fantastic with a mature cheddar.” Laphroaig goes pairs nicely with dark chocolate (Rachel likes to serve it with dark Toblerone), and with a young Laphroaig, try some Stilton cheese.

Anytime Scotch:

According to Rachel, Bowmore is the Scotch you can drink any time of the day or night. Try it with a piece of rich fruit cake. The fruit, almonds in the marzipan, and the sugar in the icing bring out the flavors of the whisky.

Jeffrey Morgenthaler, bar manager at Clyde Common in Portland, is often credited with starting the barrel-aged cocktail craze. He began experimenting with barrel aging in 2009, with the bar’s aged Negroni. He’s since started aging another cocktail called Remember the Maine.

Bartenders tweak classic cocktails like the “New” Carré (a play on the Vieux Carre) from Ghost Plate and Tap in Denver or the Rusty Rob (part Rob Roy, part Rusty Nail) from Blackbird Bar in San Francisco. They also experiment with lesser known cocktails like Seattle’s Liberty Bar and their barrel-aged Trident. Others get creative with concoctions of their own like the Barrel-Aged Cocktail #3, a moonshine cocktail served up by The Dutch in Miami, and the Loreto, a pisco cocktail from Temple Bar in Cambridge, MA.

When the time comes that you notice a barrel aged cocktail has appeared on your favorite bar’s menu, give it a taste. After all, you can’t knock it until you try it.

Where to Try Barrel-Aged Cocktails

Atlanta
Livingston Restaurant + Bar

Boston
Deep Ellum
Drink
Marliave
Temple Bar

Chicago
The Aviary
Bridge Bar

Denver
Ghost Plate and Tap
Root Down
Steuben’s
Vesta Dipping Grill

Los Angeles
FIG Santa Monica

Miami
The Dutch

New York City
The Beagle
Saxon + Parole

Portland
Clyde Common

San Francisco
Blackbird Bar
Presidio Social Club
Zero Zero

Seattle
Liberty Bar

Tampa
Sidebern’s

Washington D.C.
Last Exit

To make a barrel-aged cocktail, bartenders mix together a large batch of a single cocktail, like a Manhattan or a Vieux Carre, then store the mixture in a wooden barrel for weeks or months at a time. The effect is a richer, mellow tasting cocktail. “It’s just absorbing some of the flavors that are in the wood, sort of that charred smokiness,” describes Curry. “It gets oaky, it gets more caramel-y, and it does have a tendency to mellow out the heat from the alcohol.”

Ghost began its barrel-aged program this year. “We read about it, we heard about the buzz in the industry,” says Curry. “We got our hands on some barrels and said, ‘let’s see what happens.’” Ghost currently has two barrel-aged cocktails on their menu: the Corpse Reviver No. 3 and the “New” Carre.

Curry sees barrel-aged cocktails as a gateway for her customers to start trying new drinks. “Most consumers are excited. In my experience if they are up for purchasing one, they are open to trying new things,” says Curry. “Everyone understands that [barrel-aged cocktails] aren’t better or worse, but who doesn’t love a little science with their drinking?”

This new trend also offers craft distilleries and bars the opportunity to work more closely together. “I can’t really see the industry falling out of love with awesome bourbon or awesome rum, or gin that’s made in your city right around the corner from you,” she says. “For me the ideas and possibilities are limitless.” Distillers like Peach Street Distillers, Tuthilltown Spirits, Copper Fox Distillery and Woodinville Whiskey have all contributed used barrels to bars for their barrel-aging programs. “Because we use some Peach Street barrels,” says Curry, “it’s important that we use as much of their product as we can.”

A few craft distillers have also started barrel-aging and bottling cocktails of their own. High West’s 36th Vote Barrel Aged Manhattan was inspired by bartender Jeff Jesenhans’ barrel-aged cocktails at the GG Lounge in San Diego. “The bartender there was a cutting edge guy and he wanted somebody to [barrel age a cocktail],” recalls David Perkins, Proprietor at High West. “So I said, ‘Heck we’ll do it,’ and it was so good.”

High West launched the 36th Vote on Repeal Day (December 5) back in 2010 and it has been a tremendous success among consumers ever since. “We literally rolled out the barrel and served it to people. We bottled the rest and sold out, and we thought, ‘shoot maybe we’re onto something,’” says Perkins. “Every time we did [more of them] they all sold out. We thought, ‘well you know, maybe we’ll just keep it as a product.’”

What’s on the horizon for barrel-aged cocktails? Tara Curry has said she is itching to age Ghost’s Italian Stallion: bourbon, Aperol, Applejack and sweet vermouth. High West also has plans for a follow up to the 36th Vote, “We hope to launch it this Christmas,” Perkins said. “A Boulevardier.”

First, start with the right cocktail. Morgenthaler says that cocktails made with aperitif spirits like Aperol and Campari work best simply because the light and refreshing flavors of these spirits work well with bubbles. That said, if you want to carbonate a Manhattan, go right ahead. (We recommend trying this with an Americano, an Aperol Spritz, a simple Tom Collins, or even a Negroni.)

Next, you need the right equipment. If you don’t have a Sodastream, get one. This water carbonator is compact and easy to use. You can get a complete starter kit (on Amazon) for less than $100. Using the Sodastream with anything other than water voids the warranty, but the trick is not to over-fill the bottle or over-carbonate the cocktail.

Store your cocktail in the Sodastream bottle — or, if you want to get fancy, you can also buy little glass bottles, caps and a bottle capper.

Now it’s time to carbonate! Morganthaler modified the classic Americano recipe so that it’s suited to carbonation (the recipe makes four cups, just enough to fill the Sodastream bottle).

Bottled Carbonated Americano

8 ounces sweet vermouth (Dolin Rouge or Martini and Rossi)
6 ounces Campari
18 ounces water
1 orange, peeled with a vegetable peeler, zests squeezed into the mixture to express the oils

Mix the ingredients and carbonate with the Sodastream. Use a funnel to slowly transfer the liquid to the small bottles. Use the bottle capper to seal each bottle, then store in the fridge until company comes.

Further Reading:

Bottled Carbonated Cocktails, jeffreymorgenthalter.com
Tech Bubble: Exploring the Carbonated Cocktail, Wired.com
Summer in a Bottle | Americano Soda, Times Magazine

(with reporting from Donny O’Neill)

Tequila Negroni

The Hooch Life chose this recipe for our own barrel-aged cocktail. Read this article from publisher Glenn Morey for more information about this less than well-known drink. With some help from Tara Curry at Ghost Plate and Tap in Denver, we came up with the following recipe:

20 ounces blanco tequila
20 ounces Aperol
10 ounces sweet vermouth

Mix up the ingredients in a large container. Funnel into your barrel, seal and wait. Strain cocktail and store in a large glass container. Serve this cocktail over ice with a lemon peel garnish.

Loreto

This cocktail comes from the Temple Bar in Cambridge, Massachusetts; the barrel-aged Loreto uses Pisco, a South American brandy that’s becoming more popular in the USA. Try this cocktail if you’re feeling a little more adventurous.

40 ounces Macchu Pisco
10 ounces Yellow Chartreuse
10 ounces Maurin Quina
1/2 ounce of orange bitters

Combine spirits together in a large container. Funnel mixture into barrel and let rest for 2 to 3 weeks. Strain cocktail and store in a large glass container. To serve, pour over ice in an old fashioned glass and garnish with a single maraschino cherry.

Three Amigos

This recipe comes from Hooch bartender Dean Hurst. This is a deliciously rich cocktail made with several premium spirits that will require a slightly larger financial investment. See if some of your friends want to get in on the action.

15 ounces Milagro Resposado Tequila
15 ounces Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey
7-1/2 ounces Balvenie ‘Double Wood’ 12 yr Scotch Whisky
7-1/2 ounces Averna Amaro
2 ounces The Bitter Truth “Jerry Thomas” Bitters
1/4 ounce white sugar

Stir ingredients together, then funnel your barrel. Seal the barrel and let rest for 1 to 2 weeks, tasting every other day. Serve over ice.

Barrel Aged Martini

Not many aged cocktails call for vodka. Because it’s a neutral spirit, vodka takes on much more flavor from the barrel. Cocktail writer James Teitelbaum contributed this recipe, which calls for old bourbon casks. These casks impart more flavor in less time.

45 ounces Karlsson’s Gold Vodka
15 ounces Noilly Pratt dry vermouth
1-1/2 teaspoons whole peppercorns

Combine ingredients together. Funnel into your barrel, seal and let rest for 1 to 2 weeks, tasting every other day. After aging, strain cocktail and store in a large glass container. When ready to serve, combine ingredients in a mixing glass, and fill with ice. Stir, then strain into a martini glass.

“New” Carré

Tara Curry of Ghost Plate and Tap has put her own spin on the classic Vieux Carré cocktail, using pear brandy instead Cognac, and bourbon instead of the traditional rye whiskey.

16 ounces Peach Street Colorado Straight Bourbon
16 ounces Peach Street pear brandy
16 ounces sweet vermouth
8 ounces Benedictine

After aging:
Peychaud’s bitters
Angostura Bitters

Stir ingredients together. Funnel into your barrel, seal and let rest for 2 to 3 weeks, tasting weekly. After aging, strain cocktail and store in large glass container. When ready to serve, stir over ice with a few dashes of both Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters. Serve in a cocktail glass over ice with a lemon peel garnish.

You don’t have to go to a bar to get a rich and mellow barrel-aged cocktail. It makes a great DIY project, especially if you need an interesting cocktail for your next party. We asked Tara Curry, bar manager of Ghost Plate and Tap in Denver, and David Perkins, proprietor at High West Distillery for advice on how to make a barrel-aged cocktail at home.

1. Prepare your barrel.

Start by filling your barrel with warm water, and then let it sit for a day or two. This allows the wood to expand and prevents your cocktail from leaking all over the kitchen.

If the barrel hasn’t been charred, it will impart much less oak flavor. If the barrel is charred, the cocktail will pick up the sugars caramelized in the wood, which will mellow out the taste. “It softens it a bit, you add sugar to cut burn,” describes Perkins. “The flavors marry and mellow out a bit so you get this smoother, more balanced, mellower drink.” If the barrel is used, your cocktail will pick up a bit of flavor from whatever was previously in the barrel.

You can purchase your barrel from a variety of online retailers or from distillers themselves. We got ours from Online Kegs & Barrels, but you can also purchase smaller barrels from Tuthilltown Spirits or Copper Fox Distillery. We recommend smaller two- or three-liter barrels for your DIY project.

2. Choose your cocktail.

“I don’t think barrel-aging would be a good time to try something completely new that you haven’t had before,” says Curry. Here comes the fun part: test out a few cocktails before you decide which one to age. Start with cocktails like the Negroni, Manhattan, and Trident. Or take a look at our 5 Barrel-Aged Cocktail Recipes.

Stay away from cocktails containing fruit juice or dairy, as both will spoil when left in the barrel. Also avoid carbonated ingredients like club soda, which will lose their fizz when aged.

When you’re shopping for ingredients, “make sure you have the best ingredients you can get your hands on,” says Curry. “Spend a little bit of money on a better bourbon or a better sweet vermouth.”

3. Mix the cocktail.

A two-liter barrel has approximately a 67-ounce capacity, so you’ll want to adjust your recipe accordingly. To make things easier, aim for a total of 60 ounces of liquid. It isn’t necessary to use fill entire barrel (we used about two thirds of our barrel).

4. Put your cocktail in the barrel and wait.

Use a funnel to pour your cocktail into the barrel, seal it and let it age at room temperature. As the cocktail ages, Perkins advises, “taste it every week if doing it at home in a small barrel. There’s a point at which it’s going to extract too much flavor.” After your drink has picked up just enough oak flavor, it’s time to roll out the finished product.

5. Strain cocktail and serve.

Use cheesecloth to strain the cocktail into a large glass container. This will remove sediment and debris from the wood. Congratulations! You’ve aged your first cocktail. Invite your friends over and show off your delicious creation — you may just impress some people.

6. Re-use your barrel.

Refill your barrel with warm water and let it sit until you’re ready for cocktail number two. This will keep the wood swollen and prevent leaks.