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CSE > Spirit Production > Flashcards

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
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.
26
What is rectification?
The process of concentrating the alcohol content in a liquid by repeated distillation.
27
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.
28
What is a worm condenser?
A spiral metal tube connected to the still that assists in rapid condensation of the vapors.
29
What is a lyne arm?
The part of the pot still that transfers the vapors from the still to the condenser.
30
Who was Jean-Baptiste Cellier-Blumenthal?
A French distiller who built the first operating distillation column in 1813.
31
Who was Robert Stein?
A Scottish whiskey producer who patented an early continuous column still in 1826.
32
Who was Aeneas Coffey?
Patented a version of the column still in 1830 in Dublin (although used mainly in London and Scotland).
33
What is a Coffey Still?
A column still, sometimes called a Patent Still.
34
What part of the distillate contains high boilers?
The tails.
35
What portion of the distillate contains low boilers?
The heads.
36
What is pyrolysis?
A series of chemical changes brought about due to elevated temperatures.
37
What is a wash?
A fermented liquid intended to be distilled into a spirit.
38
What type of still works in the batch process?
The Pot still
39
What is the term for the first batch of distillate off a pot still in brandy production?
Brouillis
40
What is the term used for the first batch of distillate off a pot still in whiskey production?
Low wines
41
What is a Hydroselector Column?
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
What is a rectifier?
A column (or columns) of a multiple column still where the final distillation takes place.
43
What is a new make spirit?
The term used for all newly distilled spirits.
44
What is lignin?
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
What is Hemicellulose in oak?
An organic compound responsible for the red layer that forms in charred barrels. It contains many different sugars easily soluble in alcohol.
46
What does cellulose provide in oak?
Structural integrity and chemical resistance. Sometimes called the skeleton.
47
What are extractives in oak?
Organic compounds present in wood in tiny amounts, including gums, resins, waxes and tannins.
48
What percentage of oak is made up of extractives?
5-10%.
49
What are some extractives found in oak?
Gums, fats, resins, waxes, oils, starches, coconut-scented lactones, volatile phenolic acids, tannins.
50
What percentage of oak is lignon?
25-30%
51
What percentage of oak is hemicellulose?
20-30%
52
What percentage of oak heartwood is cellulose?
40%
53
What are the three main structural component of oak?
Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
54
Is French or American oak tighter grained?
French oak.
55
What is Quercus Alba?
The species name for American oak.
56
What is the genus for oak?
Quercus.
57
What is a downcomer pipe?
A pipe connecting plates in a column still with a damn level where overflow goes down to next plate.
58
What is the typical alcoholic concentration after the fourth (or fifth) batch using a pot still?
55-70%
59
What is the typical percentage of alcohol in the first batch off of a pot still?
About 25%
60
What is a batch process?
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
What is a multiple column still?
Additional columns are added for a purer product - possibly hydroselector and/or rectifiers.
62
What is the name of the process included in oak aging the adds aromas of chocolate, butterscotch and caramel to the spirit?
Extraction
63
What is the part of oak aging that occurs due to the semiporous character of the wood?
Oxidation and concentration.
64
What part of oak aging occurs due to the presence of charcoal from charring?
Filtration
65
What process during oak aging results in the "angel's share"?
Evaporation.
66
What occurs during the oak aging process due to the degrading of the tannins of the wood?
Coloration.
67
What is the typical annual loss of liquid due to oak aging?
Approximately 3% per year, higher in warmer climates.
68
What is the effect of a humid climate on evaporation during the oak aging process?
In areas of high humidity, the spirit evaporates faster than the water, resulting in lower proof.
69
What is the effect of a dry climate on evaporation during the oak aging process?
In drier regions, the water loss is greater than the spirit loss, resulting in higher proofs.
70
What are the burn times for the four main levels of char?
Level 1 - 15-second burn Level 2 - 30-second burn Level 3 - 45 second burn Level 4 - 55 second burn
71
What is the term sometimes applied for a level 4 char?
Alligator char.
72
What is thermal degrading?
The term used for the toasting and charring of the inside of wood barrels.
73
How many bottles will come from a single barrel or cask?
100-300, depending on barrel size.
74
What are other terms for blending barrels of a spirit?
Batching Vatting
75
What is a small batch?
An unregulated term, in some cases 10-60 specifically selected barrels but could mean anything.
76
What are the main post-distillation processes?
Adding coloring/other additives Filtration Batching or Blending Bottling.
77
What does filtration by activated carbon do?
Removes the harsher characteristics of the spirit.
78
What is chill filtration?
A spirit is chilled, which causes a haze to form that can then be removed.
79
What are some of the benefits of using American Oak for aging spirits?
Strength Resiliency Ability to bend High tannin content (resistant to insects/fungus) Leak proof yet breathable.
80
What are the processes involved in oak maturation?
Extraction Evaporation Oxidation Concentration Filtration Coloration
81
What are the parts of a column still?
The analyzer Stripping Section Rectifying Section Reboiler Condenser Liquid Return
82
What effect does the angle of the lyne are have on the distillate?
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
What are some terms for the leftovers that remain in a still after distillation?
Dunder Stillage Backset
84
What is a Demijohn?
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
What is a Bonbonne?
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.

CSE (23 decks)

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