Spirit Production Flashcards
What are ardent spirits, and what does the word ardent mean?
Ardent Spirits is the historical name for spirits. The word ardent comes from the Latin word “to burn” referring to the use of heat in distillation.
Where does the word alcohol come from?
The Arabic al-ko’hol, meaning spirit.
What is distillation?
The process by which two or more liquids are separated into smaller parts through the use of heat.
Where does the term distill come from?
The Latin word destillare, which means “trickle down”.
What does alembic mean?
It is the Arabic word for a still.
What is an alcohol?
An organic chemical in which a hydroxyl (OH) radical is affixed to a carbon atom. It may be bound to other carbon atoms and single hydrogen atoms.
What is the type of potable alcohol found in alcoholic beverages?
Ethyl Alcohol
What is saccharification?
The conversion process used to convert grains or starches into a fermentable form of sugar.
What process is necessary to convert grains and starchy materials to a fermentable form?
Saccharification.
How is saccharification typically accomplished?
By heating the starch to trigger production of enzymes that cause the conversion to sugars.
What is the term used for the fermented liquid produced from base materials that do not require saccharification?
A wine.
What is the term for the fermented liquid that went through saccharification?
A beer.
What are congeners?
Acids, aldehydes, esters and other compounds that add distinct aromas and flavors.
What is the boiling point of pure ethyl alcohol?
173℉
What are miscible liquids?
Liquids that dissolve in one another.
What is the maximum potential alcohol by volume for commercial distillation?
96.5%
What are heads?
The first part of the distillate to come off the still. Also known as foreshots.
What are foreshots?
Another term for heads, the first part of the distillate to come off the still.
What are low boilers?
Volatile compounds with low boiling points. Often non-potable or even dangerous.
What are high boilers?
Compounds with high boiling points. They may be unpleasant, non-potable or toxic.
What are tails?
The last part of the distillate. Also called feints.
What are feints?
Another term for tails, the last part of the distillate.
What is the heart?
The center part of the distillate, the potable spirit.
What are the points of separation between the heads and heart and the heart and tails called?
Cut Points.
What is reflux?
The process where some of the vapor produced during distillation cools, turns back into liquid form, and drops back into the boiling liquid.
What is rectification?
The process of concentrating the alcohol content in a liquid by repeated distillation.
What is fractional distillation?
The separation and concentration of the mixture of two or more liquids with different boiling points through repeated evaporation and concentration procedures.
What is a worm condenser?
A spiral metal tube connected to the still that assists in rapid condensation of the vapors.
What is a lyne arm?
The part of the pot still that transfers the vapors from the still to the condenser.
Who was Jean-Baptiste Cellier-Blumenthal?
A French distiller who built the first operating distillation column in 1813.
Who was Robert Stein?
A Scottish whiskey producer who patented an early continuous column still in 1826.
Who was Aeneas Coffey?
Patented a version of the column still in 1830 in Dublin (although used mainly in London and Scotland).
What is a Coffey Still?
A column still, sometimes called a Patent Still.
What part of the distillate contains high boilers?
The tails.