Talk:Angel's share

This is a very basic article that needs to have more detail, explanation, and perhaps some data tables add. Sweetfreek 00:00, 18 July 2005 (UTC)

Just came acroos some data that with bourbon, about 5 out of 53 gallons of liquid in a barrel evaporate in the first year... followed by either 1.5 gallons or 1.5% each additional year. (source: Thirsty Traveler: Kentucky Bourbon) Sweetfreek 00:09, 18 July 2005 (UTC)

Scottish Angels
With Scotch Whisky barrels, the distillers talk of 2 causes of loss. The first, like above, is based on evaporation. This is mostly determined by the condition of the cask, starting % alcohol and if the warehouse is humid (e.g. above an underground spring). I've heard them estimate average at about 2% loss a year (in both strengh and volume). The loss can be seen by the black growth on the outside of the warehouses which lives on the alcohol vapor (one of the ways the tax men would catch illegal stills).

The second half of the loss may be written off as evaporation, but up until quite recently it was a common perk for the tax man to have an assortment of bottles (in his case, coat or boots) that would quietly become filled during the inspections of the warehouses. This loss has historically been great enough and recent enough that some current distillery managers confide that they aren't quite sure about the real evaporation figures.

Stub?
I would say that this is not very stubby, and that it is an adequate explanation of the topic. Perhaps more examples could be brought in, but I think that this article is close to completion. RSido 21:19, 1 January 2007 (UTC)