Bourbon Production Flashcards
Name the two columns in a Double Column Still.
The Analyzer and the Rectifier
Why is copper used in stills?
Originally because it was plentiful, malleable and a good heat conductor but was found to bind with sulfur from the grains removing the pungent aroma and flavor, leaving the spirit to flow clean.
What is “Sour Mash”?
Sour Mash or “Backset” is the acidic residual liquid that has been stripped of alcohol in the distillation process.
How does the addition of Sour Mash benefit a fermenting mash?
Lowers the pH preventing growth of spoilage bacteria
Dead yeast in the Sour Mash provide nutrients for the fermenting yeast.
What is the standard barrel size for American distillers?
53 gallons
What is the “Angel’s Share?
Whiskey that is lost to evaporation through the barrel aging period.
What does a barrel contribute to Whiskey in the aging process?
Color absorbed from the “red layer” beneath the char
Aroma & flavor from the caramelized sugars in the “red layer”
Aroma and flavor esters vanilla, tobacco, fig, cinnamon & baking spices, smoky, burnt aromas, and from wood lactones - coconut
How are grains processed in preparation for mashing?
They are milled to a coarse grist
Why is barley an important component of a Bourbon mash bill?
Corn is difficult to malt so a small proportion of malted barley and its efficient enzymatic activity is necessary to convert the plentiful starches in corn to fermentable sugars
In traditional Bourbon distillation, the condensed spirit or “low wines” from the single column still is sent to what apparatus?
The Doubler - essentially a copper pot still
What is the “Lincoln County Process” that defines Tennessee Whiskey?
The new make spirit is filtered through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal
