5 - Whisky/Whiskey Flashcards
Name the five major players in whisky production
USA
Canada
Scotland
Ireland
Japan
What do all major whiskies have in common?
They are made from grains
They are matured in oak
How may whiskies be varied in style?
By varying grains, distillation strength and barrels
What are grains?
Seeds produced by a number of different species of grass
What are the most important grains used to make whisky?
Barley
Corn
Wheat
Rye
Can distillers use any grains?
No, this is often regulated by law
How may starch be converted to glucose by a distiller?
Malting or cooking
…is typically malted, while…are cooked and then…
Barley
Other grains
Mixed with malted barley
Describe the first stage of malting
Grains of barley are placed in a warm, damp room and they start to grow
What happens within the barley as it begins to malt?
The new plant unpacks the starch granules from the net they’re stored in and releases enzymes
What happens after a few days of malting?
The new growth within the barley seeds is halted by heating the grains with hot air
What is the malt called once the shoots begin to grow?
Green malt
What are barley grains called after the process of malting is complete?
Malted barley
What’s the next stage after malting is complete? What’s this called?
It’s ground into a course flour and mixed with hot water
Mashing
What’s the purpose of using hot water in scotch making?
It unrolls the starch molecules, which are then able to dissolve in the water
What’s able to happen once the starch molecules have been unrolled in the mash?
The enzymes that were released by the barley during malting are able to convert the starch into glucose
What is wort?
The sweet liquid resulting from mashing
How are non-barley grains usually processed?
They are crushed, mixed with water and cooked at high temperature
What must happen with other whisky grains once they’ve been cooked? Why?
They must be mixed with enzymes, usually from malted barley, but sometimes bought in
While the starch molecules have been ‘unpacked’ by cooking, they still need converting to glucose so that they can be fermented
The use of…enzymes is not permitted in the production of Scotch Whisky
Bought in
What happens once wort has been created?
It is fermented and distilled to produce a spirit
What are the still options for a whisky producer?
Varied, though sometimes limited by local laws
What is the impact on whiskies of being distilled in various ways?
Some have a warming, almost sharp texture with pronounced aromas, others are smoother with a medium or even light intensity
How are whiskies typically matured?
They’re almost always matured in oak barrels for several years