Production Flashcards

Question

Cut Points

Answer 1

Cut points are the points of separation between the heads and hearts and the heart and tails.

Answer 2

Commonly used to age French bandies, cognac & Armagnac as well as used as a finishing wood for a variety of whiskies and rums (particularly French Limousine Oak) – a wood prized for adding luxurious mouthfeel to spirits.

Answer 3

The remaining 5-10% of the oak’s mass is comprised of tannins that are bitter and astringent (polyphenolic compounds) and small amounts of coconut flavored lactones and volatile phenolic acids. These acids are small in quantity but can provide over 400 aromatic and flavor combinations to the matured spirit.

Answer 4

Consisting of two essential parts, the still and a worm condenser, the pot still is the only still out of the four different types that uses the batch process. Is a metal pot, usually copper or stainless steel, with a broad rounded bottom topped with a long-tapered swan’s neck. The worm condenser passes through a jacket that contains cold water, which assists in rapid condensation of the vapors. Produces alcohol concentrations no greater than 70% alcohol by volume (140 proof). Spirits produced via pot are still generally less pure and have a higher concentration of congeners – which can have flavorful or distinct characteristics. Using the pot still batch process, the distiller must rely on a combination of timing, smell, and touch to separate form of the still, a pot still may be considered inefficient as it requires significant time and labor to carry out multiple distillations and cuts which lead to increased costs of production. But the still used in commercial distillations as it is appreciated for its historic accuracy and artisanal qualities, and the pot still impacts on the product outputs.

Answer 5

A batch of fermented liquid is loaded into the pot, and the still is heated either via fire lit directly underneath the pot or more commonly uniformly applied around the outside still via a “steam jacket” – an outer shell typically made of stainless steel that surrounds the pot still which is filled with a continuous supply of boiling hot steam. As the vapors come off the still, they are condensed and collected at low alcohol strength. (25% alcohol by volume). This first batch off the still is known as the brouillis, from the French word meaning to “brew” or “boil” (may also be referred to as “low wine”). The pot is cleaned out, any residue remaining may be put aside to use for a future batch distillation with a higher concentration of alcohol. This process can be repeated several times with the final results having an alcoholic concentration between 55-70% alcohol by volume.

Answer 6

Product in need for more efficient ways of distillation. In 1826 Robert Stein, member of a famous Scotch whiskey-distilling family, invented the continuous still. It was later perfected by Aeneas Coffey, whose patent replaced Stein’s – Coffey’s still – known as the column still, is comprised of a distillation column or columns. The column still (also known as Coffey still or patent still (was originally used by Coffey at his dock distillery in 1830). The main advantage was its continuous maturity, which vastly improved efficiency in terms of labor and also imparted the ability to distill to higher alcohol strengths. With the increased efficiency of the column stills, distillers can produce spirits at a much purer and higher strength (90-96.5% ABV) with less production down time (vs batch process) plus the process of separating congeners from pure ethanol is streamlined as the timing of the extraction may be automated resulting in achieving high yields of pure spirit in less time. The column still consists of the long tube known as the analyzer, a condenser, an optional reboiler, steam inlet, and a liquid return. The analyzer or the long column has two parts, a stripping section (above the feed tube) and a rectifying section (below the feed tube) The condenser is located at the top, and at the bottom, there is an optional reboiler, steam inlet, and liquid return. The liquid return contains a mixture of condensate water and some wash from which not all of the alcohol was removed.

Answer 7

A continuous inflow of wash and a continuous outflow of spent wash goes through the still, unlike the pot still, where the first distillate is removed and then poured back in, the column still always has a continuous flow of materials. is an output of concentrated alcoholic liquid that can be tapped at various levels in the rectifying section. *There is an output of highly concentrated alcohol vapor. This vapor is condensed and then partially withdrawn as a final product, while much of it is recirculated to the top plate as in supply liquid to the rectifying section. The downward-flowing liquid settles on each plate in a shallow pool, the height of which is controlled by the dam level of a pipe connecting each plate to the one below, known ass a downcomer pipe. As the liquid rises, the overflow goes into the downcomer pipe and sinks to the next plate below. Meanwhile, the vapor bubbles up through holes in the plate, which are small enough so that the bubbles prevent the liquid from flowing through. At each plate level, the bubbling vapor from below (initially at lower alcoholic concentration) is in contact with the plate liquid (at a higher concentration). The vapor with the higher alcoholic concentration leaves the surface of each successive plate while progressing upward through the column – and the liquid at each plate, giving up alcohol to the bubbling vapors – flows downward in an ever-decreasing alcoholic concentration.

Answer 8

When even larger quantities of high-strength spirit is desired, along with even better efficiency, the basic column still can be further adapted by adding more columns in sequence. The multiple column still or a continuous still is similar to the single column still – the spirit, which changes the vapor/liquid equilibrium and permits the volatile components of the liquid to vaporize more easily. In this manner, the aldehydes, esters, and other congeners can be removed from the spirit, creating a purer product. The resulting solution is then passed onto another set of columns, known as rectifiers for further distillation. This final distillation process removes the added water and brings the alcohol level up to the desired strength, eventually coming off the still at 96.5% alcohol by volume.

Answer 9

Each type of still has its advantages and disadvantages, and some producers prefer to use the traditional pot still. But as mentioned above, pot stills are limited to outputting an alcoholic concentration of about 70% alcohol by volume, even when two batch distillations are used. Although a third or fourth batch distillation can be used, this procedure is time consuming, expensive, and not energy efficient. A hybrid still (alco called pot and column still) is used to achieve the desired results – this still has a rectifying column sitting on top of a heated pot still so that the initial distillate is transferred from the pot still to the column for distillation to a higher concentration. There are many shapes, sizes, and configurations of the hybrid still. The hybrid still differs from the multiple columns still (continuous still) in that as the alcoholic vapor is boiled off from the wash, the concentration of alcohol in the wash diminishes. Concurrently as the wash loses its alcohol, the drawn-off product also loses its concentration. To prevent this from happening, more refluxes must be allowed to drain back into the column to refresh the loss of liquid and to increase the alcohol concentration in the upper plates. The advantages of this still are in its simplicity of design, construction, and operation. This disadvantage is its lower distillation efficiency – typically a hybrid distillation unit requires about three times as much energy as an equivalent continuous distillation still, but the hybrid still is more efficient than a pot still alone.

Answer 10

There are no set rules when it comes to evaluating spirits, but the Total Wine & More guidelines to extract the most information during the evaluation are as follows: Spirits should be evaluated in flights of similar products with no more than six to eight samples during one evaluation. Spirits should be poured in order of alcohol by volume (lowest to highest) and in order of age, from youngest to oldest. Spirits can be evaluated effectively either chilled, or at room temperature. The spirit will vary based on their serving temperature, but during an evaluation one method either serving the spirit at room temperature or chilled should be chosen and kept consistent throughout the tasting. In the event spirits are tasted from various categories within one sitting, it is best to taste the more complex aged spirits first) (whiskies, rums cognac,, etc.) and sweetened spirits last (cordials, liqueurs) Spirits tasting can quickly lead to palate fatigue, this when tasting through spirits keep the following steps in mind:

Answer 11

Perception of sweetness can be deceiving - high levels of alcohol can mimic the taste of sweetness in a large percentage of tasters Some studies showed that up to 50% of the population perceives alcohol as having a "sweet" taste The perception of sweetness could also be derived from the charring of the barrel, as the lignins may have caramelized and formed vanilla and coconut-flavored compounds Some spirit producers may add additional sugar during post production.

Answer 12

Generally sensed on the sides of the tongue - it may be soft or smooth, crisp like green apple or even sharp like melons The level of acidity can be determined by noting the salivary reaction of our palate, the higher acidity, the more you will salivate

Answer 13

Most spirits will have some apparent bitterness because of the alcohol content, unless the bitterness is well-masked by sweetness Bitterness is generally experienced on the back of th e palte and is a long-lasting sensation - the slight taste of bitterness may underlie the finish of the spirit

Answer 14

Some tasters find it beneficial to go through the step of aroma and flavor evaluation one more time after diluting the spirit wioth a few drops of ddistilled water The dilution allows the aromas to blossom - by recuding the alcoholic strength of th e spirit, dilution may allow some of the background flavors to come forward

Answer 15

Some tasters find it beneficial to go through the step of aroma and flavor evaluation one more time after diluting the spirit wioth a few drops of ddistilled water The dilution allows the aromas to blossom - by recuding the alcoholic strength of th e spirit, dilution may allow some of the background flavors to come forward

Answer 16

The in-mouth impression registered by the sense of touch is known by various term, such as body or "mouthfeel"

Answer 17

The impression that a spirit leaves after one spits or swallows is a large part of the overall impression. The sensations of some spirits may quickly disappear, but most will linger on the palate Typically a longer finish correlates with a higher quality product A slight hint of bitterness in the back of the mouth, or a warm sensation in the mouth and throat, is often the final sensation left at the end of the finish

Answer 18

Spirits that are one-dimensional or linear may reveal only a few simple aromas and flavors More complex spirits will show a variety of aromas, flavors, and textures gleaned from the base materials and the production processes of fermentation, distillation, and aging Complex spirits will also continue to change and reveal an array of sensations over the course of a tasting

Answer 19

Premium spirits will not necessarily appeal to everyone - therefore it is important to consider weather the suits the customers needs and intended uses, and if it offers a good value for its price point Premium priced spirits should be able to offer something in terms of "expressiveness" that is not available in a less expensive brand.