Spirits and Distillation Flashcards
What is the simple premise behind distillation?
Alcohol has a lower boiling point than water
What is the boiling point of ethyl alcohol?
173F
What is the separation of two liquids with different boiling points called?
Fractional distillation
What are 3 other names for a modern continuous still?
Coffey, column, or patent still
What is the fermented liquid to be distilled called?
The wash
How is the wash distilled in a simple pot still? What must a distiller do to the condensed liquid?
The wash is placed into the closed vessel and heat is applied directly to the vessel, vaporizing the ethyl alcohol, a certain amount of water, and congeners-volatile molecules such as esters, other alcohols, and aldehydes, which contribute to the flavor (or off-flavor) of a spirit. These vapors travel up through the vessel and into a condensing coil. The vapors will be cooled, condensed into liquid and collected in a separate vessel. In this simple form, the spirit will be impure. The distiller must take care to discard the foreshots-the first vapors to condense- as these contain congeners such as methanol, a toxic alcohol. The tails are also discarded, as unwanted congeners tend to collect in the distillate residue.
How is the wash distilled in a continuous still? How does it differ from the pot still? How is the flavor impacted?
A continuous still has two columns (the analyzer and the rectifier) and uses steam, rather than direct heat, to vaporize the alcohol. In this still, the alcohol is condensed in a purer fashion, stripping the liquor of excess congeners and creating a higher-alcohol spirit. While congeners are responsible for impurities, they are also the source of flavor; thus, the continuous still sacrifices distinction for a clean spirit
Which still will produce a purer spirit? Continuous or pot still? Which will produce a more flavorful spirit? Why?
The continuous still will produce a more pure spirit but sacrifices flavor as it removes a large majority of the impure but flavor-containing congeners. The pot still will produce a more impure spirit but will have more flavor because of a higher presence of congeners
How do brown spirits gain color?
Through extensive aging in casks
Do bottled spirits gain complexity?
No
How are spirits flavored?
Oak aging will imbue flavor and so will additives through maceration, percolation, or infusion.
Maceration, percolation, and infusion are all techniques for adding flavor to spirit. How do they differ?
Maceration and infusion are similar techniques that involve steeping a flavoring agent in alcohol; maceration is a slower, cold method and infusion is a quicker, hot method. Percolation resembles coffee brewing, as the base spirit is pumped through the flavoring material.
Until 1980, Britain based its legal calculation of the alcoholic strength of liquor on the proof test. What does this test measure?
The ability of gunpowder to combust when doused in the spirit.
How is the alcoholic content of all alcoholic beverages in the EU and the US, whether fermented or distilled, measured or listed today? What does the proof indicate?
Stated as a percentage of alcohol by volume (abv) at 20 C or 68F Proof indicates a number that is twice the percentage of abv
What is the general abv range for liqueurs? Vodka and gin? Whiskies, brandy, and rum?
15-30% for liqueurs 40-50% for vodka and gin Whiskies, brandy, and rum is much wider with some cask-strength whiskies, those not diluted with water prior to bottling reaching over 60% abv
If a spirit is cask-strength, what does this mean?
The spirit has not been diluted with water prior to boiling.
What are 5 sources used for the production of vodka?
potatoes rye grapes beets molasses
What still is usually used to distill the wash for vodka distillation? How is it filtered? Why?
continuous still, and filtered with charcoal to make the spirit ultra-clean
What can be said of vodkas regarding the more distillations it goes through?
The more distillations it sees the purer and stronger the spirit will be
Why do Eastern European and Russian vodkas tend to have more character than vodkas produced in the western EU and US?
Because in the EU and US if a bottle says vodka then it must be neutral in flavor.
The source used for a vodka produced in the EU must be listed on the bottle if it is not produced from what two sources?
potatoes or grain
What is the min abv a vodka must have if produced in the EU?
min 37.5%
What are two top Russian vodkas? 2 Polish Vodkas? Top French? Top Dutch?
Stolichnaya and Ikon (Russia) Chopin and Belvedere (Poland) Grey Goose (French) Ketel One (Holland)
What is used for the production of Titos Vodka? Where is it produced?
100% Corn Texas