2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
Among the various types of strong liquor, cognac is considered one of the most purchased. It is available in almost every home. It may happen that after the guests left, there was still a drink left in the bottle. Despite the high popularity of this type of alcohol, many do not know how to properly store cognac. There is an opinion that alcohol cannot go bad.
However, according to experts, this is not so. This type of alcohol, if it is not properly maintained, will become unusable even in a closed container. How to store cognac at home? What container is suitable for this drink? In what position should the bottle be held? All the answers to these questions in our article.
General information
Cognac is a wonderful fragrant alcoholic drink with a strength of at least 40%. In its production, special grape varieties are used. The technological process includes the following procedures: fermentation, doubledistillation of grape juice and aging of the alcohol base for at least two years.
France is traditionally considered the birthplace of cognac products. In order for this type of strong alcohol to turn out with an original flavor bouquet, special oak barrels are used for its aging. Being in such a container, cognac is getting better and better every year. However, the maximum aging period should not exceed 70 years. If stored longer than the indicated term, then the alcohol will become a little worse.
In what conditions to contain
For those who do not know how to store cognac, experts recommend considering the following factors:
- The location of the bottle. It must be vertical.
- A place where alcohol is kept.
- Material from which the container is made.
- Temperature.
More details on how to store cognac will be discussed later.
Which place to choose
It turns out that it is also important that the drink retains all its properties. For those who are interested in how to store cognac, professionals recommend choosing the right place where the container with alcohol will stand. It is desirable that direct sunlight does not fall on the container. Otherwise, the cognac may spoil. This fact explains why this type of long-aged alcohol is packaged in special boxes and tubes.
For example, Armenian Kochari cognac is aged for 7 years. During this time, the drink does not spoil,because it has a special box. The glass in bottles with this drink is often dark in color. To protect cognac from light, it is better to put it in a bar. If not, then a separate shelf in the kitchen cabinet is suitable for this purpose.
At what temperature to store cognac
According to experts, the optimal temperature regime for this purpose varies from +5 to +18 degrees Celsius. Factory-made cognac in a glass bottle can be put in the refrigerator for a while before use. Can cognac be stored in the freezer? The answer will be negative. The fact is that in an oak barrel, alcohol acquires the necessary taste qualities. The aroma of an alcoholic drink is due to the presence of tannins in it. Low temperatures affect them negatively. As a result, the substances will be destroyed, and the products will lose their original taste.
The best option for storing homemade cognac is a cellar or basement. Pre-liquor is bottled in champagne bottles. Before serving, you need to get homemade cognac and hold it for a while, for example, in the kitchen, so that it warms up to room temperature. Judging by the numerous reviews, both branded and homemade alcohol should be kept in clean containers and at the appropriate temperature. Although this product does not freeze, it is best to protect it from extreme temperature fluctuations.
How to position the bottle
Since cognac is able to absorb the smell well, do notit is recommended that it be in a horizontal position during storage. This advice is due to the fact that the drink and the cork should not touch. Otherwise, the alcohol will acquire an unpleasant corky aroma.
About capping glass containers
How to store bottled cognac at home? What to do to prevent alcohol from spoiling? In addition to the correct location of the bottle, attention should be paid to what material the cork is made of and how tight it is. Plastic and polyethylene should be excluded, since these materials have low resistance to alcohol. It will be possible to increase the tightness if the plugs are filled with sealing wax. Storage in a bottle is considered the simplest and most easily implemented method. Mostly they resort to it when there is still alcohol left after the feast.
About draft alcohol
Those who have acquired draft cognac should know that it is inferior in quality to bottled. Therefore, it can be stored for a short time. Its term mainly depends on the container in which the drink will be contained. Judging by the reviews, many lovers of strong alcohol pour cognac into plastic containers. Such consumers of cognac products need to take into account that plastic bottles seem the same only externally. In fact, they are made using various materials. Among them may be polyvinyl chloride, with which the alcohols that make up the drink will actively react. In connection with this fact, in order to prevent negative consequences, it is best to pour cognac inglass containers.
Timing
Many people are interested not only in how to store cognac in bottles, but also for how long? The period of storage of strong alcohol in an open container is limited. As experts advise, such cognac should not be kept for more than three months. The fact is that after opening the bottle, air will get inside, which negatively affects the aromatic and taste qualities of this drink.
If alcohol remains in the bottle after the feast, it is better to pour it into a glass container of a smaller volume so that it does not “exhale”. It is more expedient to use the started alcohol in the following days. For example, Chateau de Montifaux cognac loses some of its taste properties after opening the bottle. Therefore, it is better to drink it immediately, and not leave it for later. In order not to spoil the original taste, the remains of cognacs of different brands should not be poured into one bottle.
Where else can you keep an alcoholic drink
Metal flasks have become a fairly common way to store cognac. Among consumers of alcoholic beverages, this method is resorted to mainly by the male part of the population. Those who decide to store the drink in this way can be advised to choose the right flask. It is important that it be made of high quality metal, which will not oxidize when interacting with alcohols. The shelf life in a good flask is the same as in a glass bottle. Another advantage of flasks is that they are more comfortable to wear. Such containers can be taken with you for hunting and fishing. A flask made of solid metal can be filled with cognac andpresent as a gift.
Some cognac lovers pour this drink into special containers called bag-in-box. The container is presented in the form of a bag, for the manufacture of which dense polyethylene is used. This material is contained in a cardboard box.
To make it more convenient to pour alcohol, the structure was equipped with a special faucet. According to the owners, these containers are not without some drawbacks. So, they often leak, and disinfecting them is problematic. In addition, a portion of hard liquor often remains in the bag-in-box. To drain the remaining cognac, the owner has to turn the box over.
How to store homemade cognac? The ideal place, according to experts, for this will be oak barrels. Home liquor lovers should get a keg.
An alternative would be wine or champagne bottles. Their advantage is that they have tinted glass, which will protect the cognac from direct sunlight. You need to put containers with alcohol in a cool basement or on a balcony. Alcohol is bottled before serving to guests. Then it should reach room temperature. To do this, it will be enough to hold it for several hours in a bar or kitchen cabinet.
Conclusion
It is noted that cognac in an unopened bottle can stand for several decades. Is notonce confirmed in practice. If the glass container has been opened, the shelf life is limited to weeks or months. Everything will depend on the conditions under which the owner keeps alcohol.
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