Spirit Production Flashcards

1
Q

What are ardent spirits, and what does the word ardent mean?

A

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.

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2
Q

Where does the word alcohol come from?

A

The Arabic al-ko’hol, meaning spirit.

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3
Q

What is distillation?

A

The process by which two or more liquids are separated into smaller parts through the use of heat.

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4
Q

Where does the term distill come from?

A

The Latin word destillare, which means “trickle down”.

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5
Q

What does alembic mean?

A

It is the Arabic word for a still.

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6
Q

What is an alcohol?

A

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.

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7
Q

What is the type of potable alcohol found in alcoholic beverages?

A

Ethyl Alcohol

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8
Q

What is saccharification?

A

The conversion process used to convert grains or starches into a fermentable form of sugar.

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9
Q

What process is necessary to convert grains and starchy materials to a fermentable form?

A

Saccharification.

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10
Q

How is saccharification typically accomplished?

A

By heating the starch to trigger production of enzymes that cause the conversion to sugars.

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11
Q

What is the term used for the fermented liquid produced from base materials that do not require saccharification?

A

A wine.

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12
Q

What is the term for the fermented liquid that went through saccharification?

A

A beer.

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13
Q

What are congeners?

A

Acids, aldehydes, esters and other compounds that add distinct aromas and flavors.

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14
Q

What is the boiling point of pure ethyl alcohol?

A

173℉

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15
Q

What are miscible liquids?

A

Liquids that dissolve in one another.

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16
Q

What is the maximum potential alcohol by volume for commercial distillation?

A

96.5%

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17
Q

What are heads?

A

The first part of the distillate to come off the still. Also known as foreshots.

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18
Q

What are foreshots?

A

Another term for heads, the first part of the distillate to come off the still.

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19
Q

What are low boilers?

A

Volatile compounds with low boiling points. Often non-potable or even dangerous.

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20
Q

What are high boilers?

A

Compounds with high boiling points. They may be unpleasant, non-potable or toxic.

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21
Q

What are tails?

A

The last part of the distillate. Also called feints.

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22
Q

What are feints?

A

Another term for tails, the last part of the distillate.

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23
Q

What is the heart?

A

The center part of the distillate, the potable spirit.

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24
Q

What are the points of separation between the heads and heart and the heart and tails called?

A

Cut Points.

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25
Q

What is reflux?

A

The process where some of the vapor produced during distillation cools, turns back into liquid form, and drops back into the boiling liquid.

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26
Q

What is rectification?

A

The process of concentrating the alcohol content in a liquid by repeated distillation.

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27
Q

What is fractional distillation?

A

The separation and concentration of the mixture of two or more liquids with different boiling points through repeated evaporation and concentration procedures.

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28
Q

What is a worm condenser?

A

A spiral metal tube connected to the still that assists in rapid condensation of the vapors.

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29
Q

What is a lyne arm?

A

The part of the pot still that transfers the vapors from the still to the condenser.

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30
Q

Who was Jean-Baptiste Cellier-Blumenthal?

A

A French distiller who built the first operating distillation column in 1813.

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31
Q

Who was Robert Stein?

A

A Scottish whiskey producer who patented an early continuous column still in 1826.

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32
Q

Who was Aeneas Coffey?

A

Patented a version of the column still in 1830 in Dublin (although used mainly in London and Scotland).

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33
Q

What is a Coffey Still?

A

A column still, sometimes called a Patent Still.

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34
Q

What part of the distillate contains high boilers?

A

The tails.

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35
Q

What portion of the distillate contains low boilers?

A

The heads.

36
Q

What is pyrolysis?

A

A series of chemical changes brought about due to elevated temperatures.

37
Q

What is a wash?

A

A fermented liquid intended to be distilled into a spirit.

38
Q

What type of still works in the batch process?

A

The Pot still

39
Q

What is the term for the first batch of distillate off a pot still in brandy production?

A

Brouillis

40
Q

What is the term used for the first batch of distillate off a pot still in whiskey production?

A

Low wines

41
Q

What is a Hydroselector Column?

A

Also called a purifier column, the part of a multiple column still where hot water is added to the distillate to help remove congeners.

42
Q

What is a rectifier?

A

A column (or columns) of a multiple column still where the final distillation takes place.

43
Q

What is a new make spirit?

A

The term used for all newly distilled spirits.

44
Q

What is lignin?

A

A “glue-like” substance in oak that helps cement the fiber cells in the wood together. Also the source of methoxyphenols in oak that provides vanilla and smoke aromas.

45
Q

What is Hemicellulose in oak?

A

An organic compound responsible for the red layer that forms in charred barrels. It contains many different sugars easily soluble in alcohol.

46
Q

What does cellulose provide in oak?

A

Structural integrity and chemical resistance. Sometimes called the skeleton.

47
Q

What are extractives in oak?

A

Organic compounds present in wood in tiny amounts, including gums, resins, waxes and tannins.

48
Q

What percentage of oak is made up of extractives?

A

5-10%.

49
Q

What are some extractives found in oak?

A

Gums, fats, resins, waxes, oils, starches, coconut-scented lactones, volatile phenolic acids, tannins.

50
Q

What percentage of oak is lignon?

A

25-30%

51
Q

What percentage of oak is hemicellulose?

A

20-30%

52
Q

What percentage of oak heartwood is cellulose?

A

40%

53
Q

What are the three main structural component of oak?

A

Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.

54
Q

Is French or American oak tighter grained?

A

French oak.

55
Q

What is Quercus Alba?

A

The species name for American oak.

56
Q

What is the genus for oak?

A

Quercus.

57
Q

What is a downcomer pipe?

A

A pipe connecting plates in a column still with a damn level where overflow goes down to next plate.

58
Q

What is the typical alcoholic concentration after the fourth (or fifth) batch using a pot still?

A

55-70%

59
Q

What is the typical percentage of alcohol in the first batch off of a pot still?

A

About 25%

60
Q

What is a batch process?

A

The process used for a pot still, a batch of fermented beer/wine is loaded into the still. The pot is then cleaned, and the batch is put into the still again. May be repeated 3 or more times.

61
Q

What is a multiple column still?

A

Additional columns are added for a purer product - possibly hydroselector and/or rectifiers.

62
Q

What is the name of the process included in oak aging the adds aromas of chocolate, butterscotch and caramel to the spirit?

A

Extraction

63
Q

What is the part of oak aging that occurs due to the semiporous character of the wood?

A

Oxidation and concentration.

64
Q

What part of oak aging occurs due to the presence of charcoal from charring?

A

Filtration

65
Q

What process during oak aging results in the “angel’s share”?

A

Evaporation.

66
Q

What occurs during the oak aging process due to the degrading of the tannins of the wood?

A

Coloration.

67
Q

What is the typical annual loss of liquid due to oak aging?

A

Approximately 3% per year, higher in warmer climates.

68
Q

What is the effect of a humid climate on evaporation during the oak aging process?

A

In areas of high humidity, the spirit evaporates faster than the water, resulting in lower proof.

69
Q

What is the effect of a dry climate on evaporation during the oak aging process?

A

In drier regions, the water loss is greater than the spirit loss, resulting in higher proofs.

70
Q

What are the burn times for the four main levels of char?

A

Level 1 - 15-second burn
Level 2 - 30-second burn
Level 3 - 45 second burn
Level 4 - 55 second burn

71
Q

What is the term sometimes applied for a level 4 char?

A

Alligator char.

72
Q

What is thermal degrading?

A

The term used for the toasting and charring of the inside of wood barrels.

73
Q

How many bottles will come from a single barrel or cask?

A

100-300, depending on barrel size.

74
Q

What are other terms for blending barrels of a spirit?

A

Batching
Vatting

75
Q

What is a small batch?

A

An unregulated term, in some cases 10-60 specifically selected barrels but could mean anything.

76
Q

What are the main post-distillation processes?

A

Adding coloring/other additives
Filtration
Batching or Blending
Bottling.

77
Q

What does filtration by activated carbon do?

A

Removes the harsher characteristics of the spirit.

78
Q

What is chill filtration?

A

A spirit is chilled, which causes a haze to form that can then be removed.

79
Q

What are some of the benefits of using American Oak for aging spirits?

A

Strength
Resiliency
Ability to bend
High tannin content (resistant to insects/fungus)
Leak proof yet breathable.

80
Q

What are the processes involved in oak maturation?

A

Extraction
Evaporation
Oxidation
Concentration
Filtration
Coloration

81
Q

What are the parts of a column still?

A

The analyzer
Stripping Section
Rectifying Section
Reboiler
Condenser
Liquid Return

82
Q

What effect does the angle of the lyne are have on the distillate?

A

An arm that angles up produces a lighter/more refined distillate (more reflux)

An arm that slopes down produces a heavier, more congener laden distillate.

83
Q

What are some terms for the leftovers that remain in a still after distillation?

A

Dunder
Stillage
Backset

84
Q

What is a Demijohn?

A

A glass or plastic container that may be used to hold wine or spirits at some point during the maturation process. Also called a bonbonne.

85
Q

What is a Bonbonne?

A

A glass or plastic container that may be used to hold wine or spirits at some point during the maturation process. Also called a demijohn.