Spirits Flashcards
Method of production
2 types of still used to produced spirit
- pot still
- continuos still (Patent still or Coffey still)
Pot still
A fermented liquor put onto closed vessel and heated. Alcohol boils at 78 C and will vaporize before water. The vapour are passed along a closed pipe through a cold-water tank where they are cooled. They condense into a liquid, which is the spirit.
(Shortly:
- heating the fermented liquor
- Vapour
-Cooling
-Condense alcohol)
The spirit will contain high proportion of alcohol, with some water, certain gases and flavouring oils, which have been carried in the vapour.
First vapour called “heads” or “foreshots” are not used.
The residue left in the still - called “tail” or “feints” and is not used.
This process :
- slower
- more complex flavours (fine spirit)
Continuous still
It produce a purer spirit containing fewer impurities.
The still contain 2 columns
1 column (analyser) where wash is vaporized, and the other is called the rectifier, where the vapours are condensed.
The wash is heated by steam.
Gin production
Gin is a white spirit produced by distilling a wash made from fermented grain, malted barley, maize(corn) or rye. This gin is flavoured by botanicals, either by passing the vapours through the flavourings or by steeping (soaking) in a spirit.
Flavourings: juniper berries, coriander, angelica root, orange and lemon peel, liquorice, orris root, cassia bark, cardamom seeds, calamus root, fennels and almonds.
Vodka production
It is distilled in continuous still producing a colourless neutral spirit at approx. 96% abv. It is re-distilled or filtered through charcoal filters to purify the flavour and brought down to the required strength by the addition of distilled water.
The best is made from rye, molasses, a mixture of these or from other grain, genuine Russian vodka is distilled from wheat.
Whisky/Whiskey/rye/bourbon made …
made by distilling the fermented wash (wort) which is made from unmalted barley, malted barley, maize (corn), rye and water.
Scotch whisky
Scotch whisky is made in Scotland. Its flavour and quality are governed by the type of cereal used, peat used etc... There are 4 types of Scotch: Single malt Vatted malt Blended grain Single grain
Malt whisky production
- barley is malted by steeping in water then spreading it out on a concrete floor in a warm atmosphere
- the grains germinate, converting the starch to sugar
- germination is stopped by heating the grains over a peat fire, and the pear smoke adds to the flavour
- malt is cracked and added to boiling water
- liquid (wort) is drawn off and fermented with the addition of yeast
- twice distilled in pot still
- matured min 3 years in cask by low
(Old sherry cask, bourbon cask, Madeira, port, cognac, Bordeaux casks etc …)
Islay whisky type and distilleries
Bowmore
Lagavulin
Bruichladdich Laphroaig
It has 8 distilleries
Most pungent and biggest whiskies with a salty seaweed flavour, stronger peat flavor, smoky aroma
Whisky from Skye (Islands)
Talisker (strong peat)
Whisky from Orkney (Islands)
Highland Park
Irish single malt
Connemara
Used peat fire
American rye whiskey
- min 51% rye
- continuous still
- aged min 2 years (usually 4) in new charred oak barrels
- majority produced in Maryland & Pennsylvania
Bourbon whiskey
- made from maize, rye, malted barley
- must contain 51% corn (maize)
- continuous still
- 4 years in charred new oak casks
- Kentucky Bourbon must be distilled and matured for a min of 1 of these 4 years.
Corn whiskey
80% corn
American
Sour mash
Makers Mark example -
Using mash from 1 fermentation to start next fermentation
Tennessee whiskey
Sour mash whiskey
51% corn
Matured in new charred oak barrels
Filtered through maple charcoal
Districts (6) in cognac
Grand Champagne Petite Champagne Borderies Fins Bois Bons Bois Bois Ordinaires / Bois a Terroir
Best soil in cognac
Chalky soil
Calcium content
Single malt
malted barley
double distilled in a pot still
Vatted malt
blend of malts from one or more distilleries
Blended whiskies
blend of malt and grain whisky.
Single grain whisky
1 distillery and
unmalted barley, wheat or corn.
Cameron Brig and Invergordon are two examples of straight grain Scotch whisky.
Highlands - 80% of all Scotch whisky distilleries are in thes region, which producers…
Glenlivet
Glenfiddich
Glen Grant
Highlands most important district
Speyside
Speyside distilleries
Glenfiddich Glenlivet Glen Grant Macallan Cardhu Knockando
Whisky from Highlands are considered …
light and refined, many are slightly floral, others slightly smoky with a touch of spice, full flavored
Islands whiskies are considered …
strong peat flavour (same as Islay) most pungent and biggest whiskies, with salty seaweed flavour.
Which region re-instated in 2004 by Scotch Whisky Association?
Campbelton
Lowlands whiskies are…
lighter and softer than the other malt whiskies and slight sweetish taste
Lowlands distilleries (2)
Auchentoshan
Rosebank
Irish whiskey
made in Ireland
malted, unmalted barley with some grain
germination stopped by heating in a closed kiln, rather than peat fire
normally not sold until 7 years
Cognac production
- only Charentais still (copper pot still)
- open flames fuelled by coal or gas
- brouillis - after 1st distillation
- 2nd distillation - distill the brouillis - only use “bonne chauffe” (middle part of distil)
- bonne chauffe put in Limousin or Troncais oak casks
- Min 3 years in cask
- add distilled water to bring down alc, add caramel for color
Grand Champagne and Grand Fine Champagne
grapes only from Grande Champagne region
Petite Champagne and Petite Fine Champagne
grapes only from Petite Champagne region
Fine Champagne
grapes only from Grand and Petite Champagne
50% from Grand Champagne
VS Cognac or 3 star
min 2 years
VSOP and Reserve Cognacs
min 4 years
XO/Extra or Napoleon
min 6 years
Armagnac located in which department?
Gers
3 delimited regions in Armagnac
Haut Armagnac
Bas Armagnac
Tenareze
4 AOC in Armagnac
Armagnac
Armagnac-Tenareze
Bas-Armagnac
Haut-Armagnac
Armagnac production
- continuous or rectifying still
- shorter rectifying column than for other spirit
- 58% spirit (cognac 78%) so more flavour left in
-double distillation - after distillation, the spirit is placed in black oak casks
(Monzelun oak, leaves are black in summer) - no caramel or sugar added
2 largesr producers in Armagnac
Janneau
Samalens
Armagnac age indications
3 star - min 2 years VO - min 5 years VSOP - min 6 years XO/Vieille Relique/Tres Vieille Reserve or Napolean - min 6 years (often more) Hors d'Age - at least 10 years
3 AOC of Calvados
AOC Calvados
AOC Calvados Pays d’Auge
AOC Calvados Domfrontais
Calvados Pays d’Auge production and aging
Double pot still distillation
2 years in wood
5 production region of Tequila
Jalisco Guanajuato Michoacán Nayarit Tamaulipas
Which only 1 agave is used for production of tequila?
Agave tequilana
Sugar allowed…
49% of other sugar (sugar cane or molasses) - Tequila mixto
4 classification of tequila
Blanco or Silver - clear and unaged (or aged up to 60 days)
Joven Abocado or Golden Tequila - unaged Tequila mixto with flavouring and coloring
Reposado - min 2 months oak
Anejo - min 1 year in wood 600 L
Extra Anejo or ultra aged - min 3 years 300L barrel
100% Agave
Tequila that doesn’t include sugars from any other sourse
