Bubbles in my Whisky

by **les taylor** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 9:22 pm

Well this is very strange. My Dad has come over for dinner tonight. Now that in it's self is not strange. But after dinner we were talking whisky, and came out to the whisky nerve centre.

I offered my Dad a dram of Yamazaki 18 year old. Which is 2 thirds full, and has been open for about 3 months. When I took the bottle out of it's box it had a collection of bubbles floating on top. When you pour out the whisky there is also bubbles floating in the glass. So unless someone has put a squirt of Fairy liquid in my whisky I don't know what to make of it.

Any comments or ideas as to what has happened will be most welcome. Thanks in advance.

Les.

:shock:

by **irishwhiskeychaser** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 9:28 pm

By any chance was Michael Jackson over at any stage .....

.... he could of been blowing bubbles .....

..... boom , boom,

by **les taylor** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 10:52 pm

irishwhiskeychaser wrote:By any chance was Michael Jackson over at any stage .....

.... he could of been blowing bubbles .....

..... boom , boom,

Clint Eastwod and Clyde were driving past as well.

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 12:57 am

Was the bottle shaken or dropped perhaps? Sounds funny. You're not talking about the "dew" that seems to form on the neck of the bottle, usually see it with Bruichladdich are you Les?

by **Deactivated Member** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 1:26 am

The angels are...uh... :oops:

by **Ganga** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 4:40 am

I am presuming that your whisky is not cask strength. Higher proof whiskies will bubble when shaken.

by **killerwhale** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:35 am

MrTattieHeid wrote:The angels are...uh...

did it taste any different les?

by **les taylor** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:30 am

It tastes fine. It's a 43% 18 year old yamazaki and the bubbles are still in the bottle this morning.

Any ideas as to what's going on gratefully received.

by **killerwhale** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:50 am

very interesting.... perhaps a chemist can shed light on this intrigue?
or maybe you should send me a dram and I'll taste it for impurities and water and air and yeah! that's the ticket!! :lol:

seriously though..... looks/sounds funky, I wait for someone to answer with much interest.

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 12:15 pm

Maybe all whisky does this, but we've just never noticed it?!! I'm off to check my open bottles....

by **les taylor** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 12:17 pm

Di Blasi wrote:Maybe all whisky does this, but we've just never noticed it?!! I'm off to check my open bottles....

Di Blasi they probably only do it when we're not looking.
:sleep:

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 12:20 pm

Just checked 2 bottles, 1 at 43% and the other 61.2%. The lower strength had no bubbles, and the small ones that formed when I shook vanished instantly. The other higher strength whisky formed easily, just by picking it up, and was slower to dissolve back into the spirit. As killerwhale suggest, check with a chemist. Aren't there a few around here, or interested in chemistry at least??

by **martin grant** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 1:02 pm

There is an article in the summer 07 edition of 'unfiltered' - the newsletter of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society about bubbles in whisky. The article, by Charlie MacLean, is all about 'beading'. It talks about the appearance of bubbles in whisky, but only after the bottle has had a vigourous shake. Charlie writes that he has discussed this with several chemists, but few have heard about it or know anything about it. The chemists he asked however did confirm that 'beading' does not occur unless the spirit is over 50% abv (which I guess rules out your Yamazaki Les). The amount of beading is not related to the strength of the spirit (you don't get more bubbles at higher strengths). Both the size of the bubbles and the length of time they linger on the surface of the liquid tell you about the liquid's density, and so it's likely mouth feel, texture or body (the larger the bubbles, and the longer they linger, the bigger the body)

Having said all that - still no idea why there were bubbles in your bottle Les. Sorry

by **Paul A Jellis** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 1:10 pm

Weird! Any intersting side effects after drinking it?

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 1:19 pm

Paul A Jellis wrote:Weird! Any intersting side effects after drinking it?

Les?? Les?? Les!!! Are you okay???? :angel:

by **Deactivated Member** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 2:24 pm

We're sorry, Les Taylor is experiencing technical difficulties.

by **Reggaeblues** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:14 pm

You're not kidding. "Les" has been silent for 5 hours and 27 minutes. I'm starting to worry. The words of that old rock tune "Werewolves of London" by the late great Warren Zevon are haunting me as I look at Mr TH's identikit: "He's the hairy handed gent, who ran amok in Kent."

I am yards from the Kent border, and worried...if this monster knows, as I'm sure he does, the whereabouts of open bottles of good malt, I'm in trouble.

Re: the bubbles. I can only hazard a guess that it has something to do with this whisky's Japanese heritage. Since whiskies are to a large degree a product of geographical and topographical influences, i can only suppose this batch was subject to several earthquakes over its 18 year "sleep",, which inparted a sort of effervescence, maybe by the presence of certain gases, or electronic ions released during seismic activity from the bowels of the earth and "breathed in" by the casks.

Either that or a proud Japanese got his knickers in such a twist trying to pronounce "This quality single malt is totally free from Chill filtration" that he fell on his sword, missed, and ended up in the new make...

Les, that ain't no sherry finish you're tasting!

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 6:02 pm

Les?
We're honestly all getting a bit worried now!

by **Lawrence** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 6:21 pm

The bubbles have him! We must mount an on line rescue mission, everybody PM Les right away!

by **Di Blasi** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 7:20 pm

Just did! Let's hope it works!!

by **Paul A Jellis** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:17 pm

I guess I'm the nearest to him, I should go over and see if he's OK, I can at least save his collection!!! :lol:

After all, it would be rude not too. . .

by **Quaichuser** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:43 pm

MrTattieHeid wrote:We're sorry, Les Taylor is experiencing technical difficulties.

Are we sure this isn't the result of too much the "Hair of the Dog" cure.

by **Ardbeg311** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:27 pm

Paul A Jellis wrote:I guess I'm the nearest to him, I should go over and see if he's OK, I can at least save his collection!!!

After all, it would be rude not too. . .

And in the spirit of the forum you should share what you save with the rest of us. Les would have wanted it that way.

My Yamazaki 18 has no bubbles, but it is not opened yet either.

by **Di Blasi** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 12:39 am

Maybe it's time to start a thread, "Where has Les gone??"

by **Muskrat Portage** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:25 am

les taylor wrote:Well this is very strange. ... I offered my Dad a dram of Yamazaki 18 year old. .... So unless someone has put a squirt of Fairy liquid in my whisky I don't know what to make of it.

Any comments or ideas as to what has happened will be most welcome. Thanks in advance.
Les. ...

First off, Les ... if "Bubbles" is in your whisky, send him back to the trailer park! (Canuckistani humour)
Secondly, I've only espied a "string of pearls" in my CS whisky when I've covered the glass mouth and given it a shake or two. As this Yamazaki is bottled at 43% maybe the CS bubble effect is there, however, due to the length of endurance of the bubble effect, I suspect that the actual viscosity or surface tension of the product is causing this anomaly.

Muskrat
(by the by, for the rest of the world, "Fairy liquid" is a type of dish soap sold in the UK - not something offensive)
:lol:

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:08 am

Mrs Les wasn't very happy about the shedding on the furniture, but she was forced to admit to a certain satisfaction regarding Les' new outlook on life.

Edit: The other photo didn't seem to want to show up.

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:08 am

Fishboy wondered whether his lack of social success might be put down to poor choice in malts.

by **les taylor** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:32 am

Mr T how did you get your hands on our family photograph album.

We revisited the Yamazaki last night. I caught it at a moment with no bubbles in the bottle. However when it was poured there was just a few beads of bubble in the glass. This it getting curiouser and curiouser.

by **les taylor** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:58 am

Paul A Jellis wrote:I guess I'm the nearest to him, I should go over and see if he's OK, I can at least save his collection!!!

After all, it would be rude not too. . .

Paul thanks for your concern. The facial hair has receeded now. I'm going to be okay. The collection is safe.

:thumbsup:

by **Di Blasi** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:35 am

les taylor wrote:Mr T how did you get your hands on our family photograph album.

We revisited the Yamazaki last night. I caught it at a moment with no bubbles in the bottle. However when it was poured there was just a few beads of bubble in the glass. This it getting curiouser and curiouser.

If the bubbles are in the glass, perhaps the glass has some remnants of soap, if you're washing them in soap??

by **Reggaeblues** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:35 am

This is serious. No Les posting for @ 24 hours...

by **les taylor** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:38 am

Reggaeblues wrote:This is serious. No Les posting for @ 24 hours...

RB I'm back now you can rest easy.

by **Reggaeblues** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:53 am

ooops...the bubbles must have reached MY brain...didn't realise this had gone to two pages already 'til I checked my post! Les IS back i see, and not gone off with the fairies, ran amok in Kent etc.

Morning, Les! see how much we love ya!

by **Reggaeblues** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:56 am

"RB I'm back now you can rest easy."

Phew. I can bring me malts out from under the sofa again...

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:02 pm

Displeased with the effects of the Ledaig Sherry Finish, Crieftan has a word with the head distiller at Tobermory.

If Reggaeblues didn't get his post-gig dram, things could get ugly.

Be a little more careful with the pour next time, Mr Tattie Heid!

Bubbles in my Whisky

Bubbles in my Whisky

Re: Bubbles in my Whisky