Carbonating

[Keithj]

It's come to the time that I need to go round the house with my little pot of lime, filling all the gaps where the new oak has shrunk (yes, despite all the wet!).

I know to damp down the old lime, and to cover the new lime with damp cloth while it carbonates. But a thought occurred to me. I have a large bottle of soda water sitting in the fridge: would it help the carbonation process if I used that instead of Best Tap to damp down the cloths? Would the extra CO2 help the process, or would it have some nasty unexpected side effect?

 

[LadyArowana]

... or would it have some nasty unexpected side effect?

Yes, there will be nothing left to go with the whiskey.

 

[Keithj]

Oh dear me no! I drink my Highland Park without any adulteration!

 

[LadyArowana]

Oh dear me no! I drink my Highland Park without any adulteration!

You aren't "Johhny No Mates" are you? what about when the assembled hordes of PPUK descend for a party :lol:

 

[Feltwell]

I quite agree - fizzy water, or any kind of dilution agent for that matter, has no place with a good whisky (although a nice Glenlivet 12 is more my thing than Highland Park :wink: )

No idea on the lime query though, sorry!

 

[LadyArowana]

I quite agree - fizzy water, or any kind of dilution agent for that matter, has no place with a good whisky (although a nice Glenlivet 12 is more my thing than Highland Park :wink: )

No idea on the lime query though, sorry!

His Lordship would agree, he was quite distressed to find me putting ginger ale into something by Grants? that claimed to have been made over 18 years ago

I do hope someone knowledgable on the lime front arrives soon to answer the original question!

 

[Keithj]

Glenlivet I don't think I have (I've not delved in the back of the cupboard for a while), but Highland Park and Talisker are there aplenty. I don't do those blended things (not even the "25 year old" blends). Sorry you missed the party, though. Perhaps another one next year.

I've done an experimental strip of lime filling - half with Tap, half with soda water in the covering cloths. Everything else is the same. I'll see how they look after a few weeks.

Being a cautious bunny, I'll do the rest with Tap but note the test results as time passes. If there's any significant difference long term, I'll report back.

My theory was that since the atmosphere is 0.036% CO2 (increasing towards 0.04% per the global warming experts), a bit of soda water will increase that under the cloths by a lot, which should speed the carbonation.

 

[MdB]

My theory was that since the atmosphere is 0.036% CO2 (increasing towards 0.04% per the global warming experts), a bit of soda water will increase that under the cloths by a lot, which should speed the carbonation.

I think you are right and its an interesting idea. My doubt is that it might carbonate too fast and whilst there is still significant moisture in the mix.

 

[Feltwell]

Glenlivet I don't think I have

Ohh, you should, you definitely should. Personally I prefer their 12 year old to their 18 year old.

Auchentoshan is another favourite - a bit different, being a lowland whisky.

But then of course it's all subjective. I quite agree on blended whiskies though - maybe there are some decent ones, but I've been put off by those I have tried. They're not even good enough for carbonating lime. :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

My doubt is that it might carbonate too fast and whilst there is still significant moisture in the mix.

Hmm. Would it really matter if there was still moisture in the mix - lime is supposed to be breathable, after all, so it should dry out alright shouldn't it?

 

[worms]

... or would it have some nasty unexpected side effect?

Yes, there will be nothing left to go with the whiskey.

Oh dear me no! I drink my Highland Park without any adulteration!

Please note that LadyA's comment was only in respect of whiskey with an 'e' and if your standards have slipped far enough to be drinking that sort, then it is quite acceptable to resort to adding whatever is necessary to improve the taste, or better still to use it to clean the paintbrushes. Whisky on the other hand...

 

[MdB]

My doubt is that it might carbonate too fast and whilst there is still significant moisture in the mix.

Hmm. Would it really matter if there was still moisture in the mix - lime is supposed to be breathable, after all, so it should dry out alright shouldn't it?

Lime shrinks quite a bit as it dries (hence the cracks if you aren't careful). If it sets too fast whilst still wet and before this shrinking process then it may compromise the strength. Then again it may well be fine, these are just musings, I don't really know. It will certainly dry fine, it just may not have the strength long term.

Interesting idea though as I guess it should allow normal lime to set whilst still wet which it wouldn't normally do.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

I quite agree - fizzy water, or any kind of dilution agent for that matter, has no place with a good whisky (although a nice Glenlivet 12 is more my thing than Highland Park :wink: )

No idea on the lime query though, sorry!

Good grief men... You need to try a nice Islay malt like Bunnahabhain. Pure nectar.

 

[agbagb]

Sugary water with a sprinkling of yeast on the covering cloth? or pipe from the home brew?

 

[Feltwell]

You need to try a nice Islay malt like Bunnahabhain.

How ingenious - a drink you can only pronounce correctly after you've consumed a large quantity of it. Must help sales no end. :wink:

 

[tobydog]

You would therefore be plastered and what a great way of getting this topic back on track :lol:

 

[FamilyWiggs]

You need to try a nice Islay malt like Bunnahabhain.

How ingenious - a drink you can only pronounce correctly after you've consumed a large quantity of it. Must help sales no end. :wink:

Booner-harven. Simples. :wink:

 

[Feltwell]

Robin, sorry to single you out, but has anyone else noticed how those annoying car-insuring meerkats have made the word "simples" enter the language all of a sudden?

 

[Keithj]

Bunnahabhain I have. And Ledaig (Mull), and a good stock of various others from the Islands and the Rivers (friends for the use of). I don't like the very peaty or very smoky ones, although some do.

I was taken on the "long Highland and Island Tour" by a friendly barman in a fine hotel many years ago. He started with the gentlest malts, and progressed geographically and peatily/smokily to the seriously aggressive ones. I have to admit that by about number 15 my concentration was slipping, but I stayed the full course.

As a result of that experience, I settled on the refined delicate flavour of Highland Park as "my" whisky.

Meanwhile, the lime is carbonating (or not, depending).

 

[LadyArowana]

Robin, sorry to single you out, but has anyone else noticed how those annoying car-insuring meerkats have made the word "simples" enter the language all of a sudden?

I know I am risking the wrath of Penners, but I rather like "simples", better than "easy peasy". I don't associate it with meerkats, driving cars or otherwise, but I get little UK media, other than The Sun online, so will defer to Feltwell's wisdom.