Brandy Recipe

Sanitize

Sanitize the glass container, funnel, strainer and bottle with hot water. Allow to air dry. Clean tools prevent off-flavors during infusion and aging.

Measure base spirit

Pour 1 cup of neutral grape brandy (or a young brandy) into the sanitized glass container. This is the spirit you'll flavor and age to approximate a finished brandy profile.

Add oak influence

Add 1/2 tablespoon of toasted oak chips or an appropriately sized oak spiral to the container with the spirit. If using a tiny oak spiral designed for single-bottle aging, insert it directly into the brandy. Oak provides vanilla, tannin, and woody aromas characteristic of matured brandy.

Optional color and sweetness

If you prefer a deeper amber color, add up to 1 teaspoon of caramel color and stir gently. For a slightly sweeter, more approachable finish, add 1 teaspoon of 1:1 simple syrup and mix. Both additions are optional — traditional brandy is not typically sweetened.

Short-term aging

Seal the container or close the small barrel and store it at a cool, stable room temperature (60–70°F / 15–21°C) out of direct sunlight. If using oak chips in a jar, open and smell daily; if using a small barrel or spiral, sample after 24–48 hours. The small oak pieces act faster than full-size barrels.

Monitor development

Taste the spirit every 24–72 hours. Light toasted oak will impart desirable notes within a few days; toasted medium to heavy oak will be faster and stronger. When the aroma, color, and mouthfeel reach your preferred level (usually 3–14 days for oak chips/spiral), stop the aging.

Stop aging and rest

Remove the oak chips/spiral promptly to avoid over-extraction of tannins. If you used a small barrel, rack the brandy into a clean vessel. Let the brandy rest in the sealed bottle for 24–72 hours to allow flavors to marry.

Filter and bottle

Using a funnel and fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, filter the brandy into a clean glass bottle to remove any particulate matter from the oak. If you added caramel color, ensure it is thoroughly mixed before bottling.

Label and store

Label the bottle with contents and date. Store upright in a cool, dark place. Once bottled, allow at least one week for the integrated flavors to settle before serving for best results.

Serve

Serve neat at room temperature in brandy snifters or tulip glasses to concentrate the aroma. For cocktails, use as directed in recipes calling for brandy.