Raw Materials Flashcards
This deck acts as a study aid for the introduction to many of the commonly used raw materials for spirits production, as well as the basics of how those materials are prepared for distillation and production.
A- and B-sugar are unrefined sugars which are sometimes referred to as…
Brown sugar as a result of their appearance.
After starch in potatoes has been cooked and gelatinized, what happens?
The temperature is dropped to 64° C / 147° F and enzymes are added to convert the starch to fermentable sugar.
What is bagasse?
The fibrous plant material left over after sugar cane has been pressed.
Both the B-sugars and B-molasses have a higher level of what than the A-sugar and A-molasses?
Impurities
Describe the glucose to starch to glucose process:
- Starch is formed when the plant bonds together glucose molecules, releasing water.
- Starch molecules are rolled into tight granules and stored in a protein net.
- The protein net is broken up by enzymes or heat (modification).
- Heat is used to unravel the starch granules to make them soluble (gelatinisation).
- Enzymes and water react with the glucoses that make up starch, breaking the bonds holding them together (enzymatic hydrolysis).
Describe the process of kilning.
- Kilning is done to stop the growth of the grains
- It is achieved by raising the heat of the green malt with warm, dry air
Does clarification remove all of the impurities in the sugar cane juice?
No, this process continues into the refining process.
During what process are most varieties of malted barley created?
During the kilning process.
What are exogenous enzymes?
Supplemental enzymes not derived from grains.
Fermentable sugars are also known as what?
Simple carbohydrates.
From what plants do distillers mostly obtain fructans?
Various species of agave.
How are grains other than barley usually processed?
Other grains are typically milled and cooked in water before being mixed with malted barley or another source of enzymes.
How do animals help with the growth cycle of plants?
Animals eat the sugar-filled fruit and then disperse the seeds through their scat.
How do most plants store their energy?
In complex carbohydrates, which are sugars linked together in long trains.
How does a distiller view fermentable sugars?
As the energy source to fuel yeast and alcoholic fermentation.
How does the distiller manage the temperatures of cooking when using more than one kind of grain in a mash?
The grain with the highest gelatinization temperature is added first, the grain with the lowest gelatinization is added last, and the temperature is lowered during the cooking process.
How is spoilage of raw materials typically caused?
Fungi or bacteria render raw material unusable, especially if it has already been affected by other animals.
This can be difficult to control as there is no easy way to keep microorganisms away from exposed sugars.
How is starch conversion different for the distiller when comparing the use of grains to agave?
Distillers do not need to use enzymes with agave, they only need to cook the fructans.
How is sucrose different to glucose and fructose?
Glucose and fructose are made during photosynthesis, while sucrose is made by bonding a glucose and fructose molecule together (after photosynthesis).
This is important because yeast are single-cell organisms, and the larger the molecule of sugar present, the harder it will be for them to process.
In growing filamentous fungi, how is the fungal growth stopped once enough enzymes are created?
The raw material on which the fungi is growing is cooled and dried.
How is wort drained, initially?
Through the solids of the mash, and before sparging.
How is starch formed?
- Starch is formed in plant cells by bonding individual glucose molecules together.
- As each bond is formed a molecule of water is released.
How quickly can black grape pomace be distilled once it reaches the distillery?
Immediately
If a pina is not cooked, how else could it be processed?
The pina can be processed using a diffuser, which shreds it into small pieces and mixes it with hot water and sometimes a small amount of acid. This liquid is then cooked to create fermentable sugars.
In order to remove juice from fruit, what are the two typical steps used for processing?
- Fruit is crushed
- Fruit is pressed
Some fruits are not pressed before fermentation, and the pulp is included with the juice.
Name three styles of Asian distillates:
- Baiju
- Shochu
- Soju
Name two specific distilled products made from sugar cane juice:
Rhum Agricole and Cachaça
Name two types of complex carbohydrates that plants use to store energy.
Starch and fructans.
Once roots and shoots appear, why is it important to constantly turn the grains?
This stops the roots from becoming entangled and it also releases heat and keeps the grains at an even temperature.
Once the grains are cooked, how is the conversion of starch started?
The temperature is lowered to 64° C, and the malted barley is added.
What is a pan boiler?
Used in sugar and molasses production, a pan boiler is used in a simple three-stage process to create sugar crystals. Cane syrup is placed in the pan boiler, where it concentrates and forms into crystals (often under vacuum conditions).
What is photosynthesis?
The process by which plants make their own sugar from carbon dioxide and water, which is then used for energy to power the plant’s growth.
Rhum Agricole and Cachaça are made from what product?
Sugar cane juice.
Starch and fructans are what?
Molecules made up of long chains of sugars - AKA complex carbohydrates.
What are sugar seed crystals?
In the production of sugar and molasses, these are used to act as a point around which sucrose can crystallize.
The process by which plants make their own sugar from carbon dioxide and water - used for energy to power the plant’s growth.
Photosynthesis
The yield of what is maximized with the production of Distillers’ Malt?
Alcohol (by preserving all of the enzymes and starch).
Today, what will a distiller typically use to affect starch hydrolysis in potatoes?
Commercial enzymes.
True / False:
Any fruit can be used to produce a spirit.
True
At least in theory, as long as there is a usable quantity of sugar-rich juice.
True / False:
Black grape pomace contains some alcohol.
True
Because the skins are pressed after alcoholic ferment.
True / False:
There is alcohol in the pomace of white grapes.
False
Because white grapes are pressed prior to fermentation of alcohol, the pomace will not contain any resulting alcohol.
What are endogenous enzymes?
Enzymes that come from the plant itself.
What are needed to break up starch granules into individual glucose molecules?
Enzymes and water.
What are the four basic parts of a grain?
- Husk - hard outer covering
- Bran - made up of a number of different layers
- Germ - part of the grain that will grow into a new plant
- Endosperm - where the starch granules are stored
What are the names of the starch materials used to cultivate fungi and create a source of enzymes in China, Korea, and Japan?
- China - qu, which is a solid cake of material
- Korea - nuruk, also a solid cake
- Japan - koji, grown on an individual cereal grain or piece of potato
What are the stages involved in making a sugary liquid from barley, and what takes place in these stages?
- Malting, in which modification takes place.
- Milling and mashing, in which gelatinization and enzymatic hydrolysis occur.
What are the three fundamental stages of producing Asian distillates?
- A raw material, usually a grain, is steamed to gelatinize the starch.
- Fungi (or sometimes bacteria are used) are grown on a small amount of the starchy material, and they release amylase enzymes.
- This material, full of enzymes, is added to the raw material where modification and enzymatic hydrolysis take place.
What are the three most widely-used fruits for producing large-scale spirits?
- Grapes
- Apples
- Pears
What are the three types of simple sugars often found in fruits and sugar cane?
- Glucose
- Fructose
- Sucrose
What are the two countries most closely associated with spirits made from pomace?
Italy and France.
What are the two problem areas that a distiller may face when working with raw materials containing sugar?
Spoilage and oxidation.
What are the first two products that are created by the centrifuge in sugar production?
- A-sugar and
- A-molasses
With “A” implying the highest quality products with the fewest impurities.
What are the two things cooking grains achieves?
- Heat breaks up the protein net
- Gelatinisation of the starch granules
What are two ways in which distillers can avoid losing their raw materials, such as delicate fruit, to spoilage and oxidation?
- Process the raw materials as quickly as possible after harvesting
- Blanket the materials under inert gas, such as CO2
What are amylases?
Enzymes required to break up starch.
What are fructans?
Fructans are a group of complex carbohydrates that are mostly made up of fructose.
What aromas and flavors might you expect to get from A- and B-sugars?
Complex toffee and caramel.
What can American whiskey producers use that Scottish producers may not?
Exogenous enzymes.
What can be one cause of yield loss on raw materials, such as fruit or sugar cane?
Animals eating the material.
What can happen if you press grape skins too hard when extracting juice?
Can extract bitter, unpleasant flavors.
Therefore, there is often some juice and sugar left in the skins, and this can be used for fermentation into alcohol before distillation.
What conditions do filamentous fungi need to grow?
Warm and humid conditions.
What controls starch conversion in potatoes?
Individual cells working cooperatively.
What determines the speed at which enzymes break down starch?
Temperature
Enzymes are inactive when the temperature is too cold. All enzymes have an optimum temperature at which they function best.
What distilled product is most closely associated with sugar cane?
Rum
What do all flowering plants produce as part of their reproductive cycle?
Sugar-containing fruit.
What do all plants need complex carbohydrates to be converted back into in order to access the stored energy?
Simple sugar, which can also be fermented easily.
What do most living creatures need?
To consume sugars or to consume another creature that has eaten sugars for energy.
Thus almost all living creatures depend on plants in some way for survival.
What do plants use to convert water and carbon dioxide (CO2) into sugar and oxygen?
Sunlight
What does clarification do to sugar cane juice?
Removes suspended solids and farm dirt before processing.
What does cooking achieve with potatoes?
It breaks down the potatoes’ cells, which releases the starch.
What two things does cooking the piña achieve?
- It converts fructans to sugar.
- It weakens and softens the structures of the pina.
What does milling do to malted barley?
- Milling cracks open the grains, creating a grist
- Milling makes the starch more accessible during mashing
What does the operational temperature of the cooker depend on when processing grains?
The type of grains used.
Starch granules in different grains have different structures, which means the optimal temperature for gelatinization varies.
What does the process of malting do to the grain?
Malting tricks the grain into growing.
What grain is most often malted?
Barley
What happens during mashing?
Starch is first gelatinized and then undergoes enzymatic hydrolysis.
What happens to the barley grain during the first stage of growth?
It swells with water.
What happens with sulfur dioxide during distillation?
The aroma compounds become concentrated and very unpleasant during the process.
What has to happen to potatoes in order to prepare for starch conversion?
They have to be cooked.
What is a centrifuge used for in sugar production?
It allows for the separation of sugar crystals from the syrupy liquid.
What is achieved when more heat is applied during malting?
When more heat is applied, grains become darker in color and develop caramel and nutty flavors.
Extremely high heat can create roasted, chocolate aromas but can destroy enzymes.
What is C-sugar used for?
The sugar seed crystals for future refining batches.
What is done to sugar cane juice to kill unwanted bacteria or fungi?
It is pasteurized.
What is enzymatic hydrolysis?
The process of using enzymes and water to break starch granules into individual glucose molecules.
What is gelatinization?
Gelatinization is the process of exposing insoluble granules of starch to water over a period of time, so that they begin to unravel and become soluble in water. This can be sped up with the use of heat.
What is inside each grain?
An embryonic plant with a store of starch.
What is most sugar cane juice used for?
The production of sugar and molasses.
What is one configuration of fructans that is usually referred to in the agave spirits industry?
Inulin
What is parallel fermentation?
Parallel fermentation is when the starch-to-sugar conversion and alcoholic fermentation happen at the same time.
What is pomace?
Pomace is grape skins and stems leftover from the winemaking process.
What is produced once the water has been evaporated from the cane juice?
Cane Syrup, which is then fed into a multi-stage boiler to produce various grades of sugar and molasses.
What is removed during the second stage of sugar production?
- B-sugar and
- B-molasses
After the mixture is boiled in the second pan boiler.
What is the chemical commonly used to prevent spoilage and oxidation in fermentable fruit juices?
Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
Although this is most commonly used for fermented beverages, not necessarily for those destined for distillation.
What is the fibrous plant material that is left over after the sugar cane plant has been pressed?
Bagasse
What is the first part of the process that happens when malting?
Repeatedly soaking in warm water, draining, and then resting the grain several times, which encourages the germ to grow.
What is the first step in the production of sugar?
Evaporating the water from the juice, thereby eliminating it.
What is the function of the filaments produced by filamentous fungi?
The filaments grow down through the starch, excreting large amounts of different enzymes, some of which are amylases.
These enzymes can complete any modification that did not happen during cooking.
What is the goal of using filamentous enzymes?
To create a large amount of enzymes.
What is the key ingredient raw materials provide for any spirits production?
Fermentable sugars
These are used to produce a sugary liquid that can be fermented into an alcoholic base, which can then be distilled.
What is the malt of choice in Scotland among distillers?
Distillers’ malt
For barley, what is the optimum temperature for gelatinization and enzymatic hydrolysis?
Between 63º - 64º C / 145º - 147º F.
What is the pina on an agave plant?
The pina is the solid core of the plant where fructans are stored.
What is the primary grape used to produce Cognac?
Ugni Blanc
What is the problem if modification and enzymatic hydrolysis happen too late?
If the grains are allowed to grow too long, too much of the starch will be consumed by the plant, which reduces the amount of alcohol that can be made.
What is the process that plants use to make fermentable sugars?
Photosynthesis
What is the reaction that breaks fructans into fermentable sugars?
Hydrolysis
What is kilned barley referred to as?
Malted barley
What is the risk of waiting for the starch to sugar conversion to be fully complete?
There is a risk of the wort spoiling from unwanted yeast and bacteria.
What is the traditional European approach to convert grain starch?
Malting
What is Distillers’ malt?
It is the malt of choice among most distillers: pale in color, it has had the minimum amount of heat that has been used to stop the grains from growing.
Widely used in Scotland and other places due to its high level of enzymes.
What is green malt?
Green malt refers to the grains as they begin to grow.
What is sparging and why is it done?
Sparging is the process of spraying the remaining husk fragments after milling with hot water at least twice. This is done to flush out any remaining starch or sugars.
What is starch?
Starch is a complex carbohydrate that is composed of glucose molecules.
What is wort?
Wort is the sweet liquid created after the starch is turned into sugar.
What may control the use of exogenous enzymes?
Local laws
What must starch be broken down into before it is used by an organism as a source of energy?
Glucose
What part of the raw material will oxygen readily react with?
The juices in harvested fruits and sugar cane, which can become exposed to the air, unless there are preventative measures to keep them from getting exposed.
What part of the sugar cane plant is of interest to producers, and why?
The stem, because it contains high concentrations of sucrose, which can be used for alcoholic fermentation.
What produces amylase enzymes?
Nearly all animals, bacteria, and fungi.
What is responsible for making the vast majority of all fermentable sugars?
Plants
What two ways do plants use sugar?
- One way is for the growth of the structural parts of the plant
- The other is to store the sugars, thus preserving the energy in the sugar for future needs
Future Needs can include reproductive activities, such as the formation of grapes or other fruit for seed production and dispersion, or as starch in a grain that will be used for growth during the germination of that seed into a new plant.
What type of molasses is produced in the third pan boiler?
Blackstrap molasses AKA C-molasses.
What will Japanese distillers use to affect starch hydrolysis, even today?
The traditional method of adding Koji.
What will the winemaker need to dispose of after the grapes are pressed, either for red or for white winemaking?
The remnants of the skins and stems of the grapes, also known as the pomace.
When are black grapes typically pressed?
After alcoholic fermentation.
When are most of the sugars extracted from the pina?
Most of the sugar is extracted when the pina is crushed and milled.
This process is done to squeeze the sweet liquid from the broken-down cells and to break up other cells in order to release their contents.
When are white grapes typically pressed?
Before alcoholic fermentation.
Starch granules are kept in place by?
A protein net
This net must be broken down in order for the starch granules before they can be converted into glucose.
When thinking about spirits, where can starch be found?
Starch can be found in all grains and potatoes.
Where does wort go after it has been cooled?
Immediately to the fermentor.
Where does photosynthesis take place in the plant?
In the leaves.
Where have potatoes traditionally been used to make spirits?
Europe and Japan
Where is the greatest quantity of sugar extracted during the refining process?
During the first stage of extraction and centrifuging.
Which have fewer impurities: A-sugar or B-sugar?
A-sugar
Which is thicker and darker in color: A-molasses or B-molasses?
B-molasses
Which three important raw materials contain no easily fermentable sugars, but rather complex carbohydrates?
- Grains
- Potatoes
- Agaves
Which type of molasses are the most viscous and dark?
Blackstrap / C-molasses
Why and when must a distiller convert the store of complex carbohydrates into fermentable sugars?
A distiller must do this prior to fermentation because yeast is unable to consume complex carbohydrates.
Why are glucose, fructose, and sucrose important for the production of many distilled spirits?
Because they do not have to be converted into a fermentable form for the yeast to process them to alcohol.
As opposed to sugars based in a starch form that needs extra processing for the yeast.
Why are the agave fibers washed with water?
To maximize the extraction of the sugars.
Why are white grapes typically pressed before alcoholic fermentation?
In order to separate the sugar-rich juice from the skins and other solids.
Why is CO2 used to protect delicate fruits and other sugar-heavy raw materials?
It is heavier than air and blankets the raw material, thus keeping it from being exposed to the oxygen in the air.
Why is it important for modification and the release of amylase enzymes to happen for kilning?
If modification and release of amylase enzymes are not complete before kilning, the protein structure may not be completely broken down, some of the starch will not be accessible, and there may not be enough enzymes to complete starch conversion.
When using “other grains” for distillation, why is it common for distillers to use a small percentage of malted barley in the mash?
Distillers use special varieties of malted barley that yield high levels of enzymes to ensure that conversion does not take too long.
Why is oxidation a problem for a distiller?
There can be a loss of sugar yield in the oxidized fruit, as well as a loss of the flavors and aromas.
Why is sugar cane juice pasteurized?
To kill any unwanted bacteria or fungi before processing.
Why is temperature control so important during the mashing process?
- If the temperature is too high during mashing, enzymes can be destroyed, and
- If it is too low, the process can be slowed down, thus slowing down production for the distiller.
Why may distillers want to increase the speed of starch conversion by using specialty barley?
It decreases the risk of spoilage.
Why would a distiller not want to use blackstrap molasses for production and distillation?
Too many impurities, which can lead to problems both with consistency and quality.
With fruits that contain very limited amounts of juice, what is another way to extract the sugar needed for fermentation?
Fruits can be macerated in a neutral spirit and then distilled.
