Ch 9 Flavoring Flashcards
What are the two types of flavoring in spirits?
Natural and other.
What are natural flavors in spirits commonly referred to as?
Botanicals.
What types of ingredients are commonly considered botanicals?
Fruits, herbs, spices, and florals.
How do distillers ensure a consistent flavor profile in each batch?
By carefully weighing ingredients.
What is an alternative to preparing flavoring ingredients in-house?
Buying pre-prepared flavoring, like a bottle of perfume.
What are the two main techniques for flavoring spirits?
Maceration and redistillation.
What does maceration involve?
Placing botanicals in chosen alcohol, sometimes diluted to avoid undesirable flavors.
What can maceration introduce besides flavor?
Color, bitterness, and aromatic compounds.
What is maceration often referred to as?
Tincture.
What factors influence maceration?
Time and temperature, ranging from a few hours to a few months.
What does redistillation involve?
Placing diluted neutral spirit and botanicals in a pot still and redistilling to capture aromas as vapors.
What can be done during redistillation to control flavor?
Use cuts to isolate desired congeners from botanicals.
What are the three variations of redistillation?
Combining with maceration, using a basket in the lyne arm (vapor infusion), or using a vacuum still.
What is the purpose of using a vacuum still?
To boil at lower temperatures, preserving delicate aromas like cucumber.
Who typically makes spirits using vacuum distillation?
Specialists, who may then supply the product.
What is another method of flavoring besides natural botanicals?
Using artificial flavors blended through cold compounding.
What can be done to blend flavors in spirits?
Using blending techniques to mix flavors evenly.
How can color be added to spirits?
Using plant extracts or artificial coloring.
What issue can arise with natural coloring in spirits?
Inconsistency in color.
How do producers sometimes address inconsistent natural coloring?
By using dark glass bottles to conceal it.
What do many producers use to achieve consistent color?
Food coloring or dyes.
