2- Preparing Raw Materials Containing Fermentable Sugars

Question 1

Fermentable sugars

Answer 1

Simple carbohydrates, principally glucose, fructose & sucrose, easier to process than complex carbohydrates (starch/fructans), in fruits & sugar cane

Question 2

Photosynthesis

Answer 2

Sequence of chemical reactions, takes place in leaves, uses energy from sunlight to convert water & CO2 into sugar & O2

Question 3

Glucose & fructose

Answer 3

Made during photosynthesis

Question 4

Sucrose

Answer 4

Made by bonding 1 molecule of glucose & 1 molecule of fructose

Question 5

Plant Growth

Answer 5

Combine sugars with other nutrients taken up via roots to build the structures they need, requires energy supplied by sugars

Question 6

Energy storage

Answer 6

Sugar is efficient, can use by breaking apart sugar molecules

Question 7

2 processing risks

Answer 7

Spoilage & oxidation- need management strategies

Question 8

Spoilage

Answer 8

Sugars are food sources for animals & microorganisms, animals can completely or partially eat, fungi & bacteria can grow

Question 9

Oxidation

Answer 9

Exposed sections of fruit rapidly turn brown, lose freshness, taste unpleasant, loss of sugar yield, lose identifiable aromas

Question 10

Management Strategies for Raw Materials

Answer 10

Not advisable to use SO2 (unlike wine & cider), sulfur compounds become unpleasant smelling when conc, danger to health, 2 strategies:
1- raw materials processed quickly as possible, once fermentation established, yeast can fend off other microorganisms
2- blanket in gas, CO2, denser than air

Question 11

Processing fruit

Answer 11

Grapes, apples, pears, 2 stage process:
1- crushed, release some juice
2- pressed, releases remaining juice
Other fruits sometimes only crushed & pulp included, some just macerated in neutral spirit & redistilled (geist)

Question 12

Pomace

Answer 12

Grape skins & stems left over from winemaking

Question 13

Processing white grape pomace

Answer 13

Pressed before fermentation, pomace contains some juice, need to ferment first

Question 14

Processing black grape pomace

Answer 14

Pressed after fermentation, pomace contains some wine, distilled immediately

Question 15

Processing sugar cane

Answer 15

Stems contain high conc of sucrose, when crushed releases juice, mostly used for sugar & molasses production

Question 16

Creating sugar cane juice

Answer 16

Harvested by machine, delivered quickly, mills powerful to break open stems, juice pasteurized, cloudy (plant material & farm dirt), clarified

Question 17

Bagasse

Answer 17

Left over plant fibers after milling, can be used as fuel for refinery

Question 18

Cane syrup

Answer 18

Conc sugars by evaporation of water in cane juice

Question 19

Pan boiler

Answer 19

Multi-stage boiling process produces different grades of sugar & molasses, under partial vacuum

Question 20

Sugar seed crystals

Answer 20

Mixed with cane syrup, sucrose can crystallize around, put into 1st pan boiler & heated, water evaporates & sucrose can’t stay in solution, builds up around seed crystals

Question 21

Centrifuge

Answer 21

Mix of liquid & crystals, forces separation based on relative densities, separates crystals from liquid, called A-sugar & A-molasses

Question 22

A-sugar

Answer 22

Highest quality sugar with fewest impurities

Question 23

A-molasses

Answer 23

Mixed with more sugar seed crystals, moved to 2nd pan boiler, same steps, gives B-sugar & B-molasses

Question 24

B-sugar

Answer 24

Few impurities in A-sugar, more conc in 2nd pan boiler, so more impurities in B-sugar

Question 25

B-molasses

Answer 25

Thicker & darker, more impurities, mixed with more sugar seed crystals, moved to 3rd pan boiler, boiled, centrifuged, marked C-sugar & C-molasses

Question 26

C-sugar

Answer 26

Used to form seed crystals for future batches

Question 27

C-molasses

Answer 27

Blackstrap molasses, byproduct, high levels of impurities, very dark & viscous

Question 28

A & B-sugars

Answer 28

Brown unrefined sugars, complex toffee, caramel aromas, need to be refined to become white sugar

Question 29

Rhum Agricole & Cachaca

Answer 29

Use sugar cane juice

Question 30

Rum

Answer 30

Uses cane syrup, molasses, brown sugar, sometimes white sugar

Question 31

Kokuto shochu

Answer 31

Uses brown sugar, Japanese spirit