A whiskey thief is a tool that master distillers use to extract small portions of whiskey from an aging barrel for sampling or quality control.[1] The old-fashioned ones are made typically of copper and resemble a drinking straw in design.[2] It has a coned narrow hole at the bottom and a vent hole at the top in which a distiller can cover with the thumb once the device is inserted in the barrel to trap and lift the whiskey out.[3] By removing the thumb from the upper vent hole, the whiskey is released to drain into drinking glasses for tasting.[3]
This same tool can be used for sampling other distilled spirits or wine from large vessels, hence it can also be used as a wine thief.[2] Newer models may be made of clear plastic or glass with the larger models having the capability of accepting a hydrometer for testing purposes.[4]
Capital Living - Resurrecting George Washington's booze, website article by Albert Eisele with a photo of a whiskey thief being used.
January 01, 1970
whiskey, thief, whiskey, thief, tool, that, master, distillers, extract, small, portions, whiskey, from, aging, barrel, sampling, quality, control, fashioned, ones, made, typically, copper, resemble, drinking, straw, design, coned, narrow, hole, bottom, vent, . A whiskey thief is a tool that master distillers use to extract small portions of whiskey from an aging barrel for sampling or quality control 1 The old fashioned ones are made typically of copper and resemble a drinking straw in design 2 It has a coned narrow hole at the bottom and a vent hole at the top in which a distiller can cover with the thumb once the device is inserted in the barrel to trap and lift the whiskey out 3 By removing the thumb from the upper vent hole the whiskey is released to drain into drinking glasses for tasting 3 This same tool can be used for sampling other distilled spirits or wine from large vessels hence it can also be used as a wine thief 2 Newer models may be made of clear plastic or glass with the larger models having the capability of accepting a hydrometer for testing purposes 4 See also editWine thief Aging barrel WinemakingReferences edit Scott Berkeley Scott Jeanine 2009 The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Arcadia Publishing ISBN 978 0 7385 6626 9 a b Trail Distillery 2015 09 25 What is a Whiskey Thief Distillery Trail Retrieved 2024 05 09 a b Introducing The Stave amp Thief Society Moonshine University 2020 07 08 Retrieved 2024 05 09 It Takes A Thief Copper Whiskey Thieves Copper Dipping Dogs website Retrieved 2024 05 09 External links editCapital Living Resurrecting George Washington s booze website article by Albert Eisele with a photo of a whiskey thief being used Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Whiskey thief amp oldid 1223210153, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
