Spirits, Beer, Sake, Liquours Flashcards
What is the boiling point of ethyl alcohol at sea level?
173 degrees F
78 degrees C
Who originally used fractional distillation for perfumes?
Babylonians
Who can modern distillation be traced to?
8th c. Arabic chemist/alchemist Jabir ibn Hayyan
Where does the word alcohol come from?
Derived from the Arabic word ‘al-koh’l’- a cosmetic powder purified through distillation
In distillation, what parts are discarded?
The heads and the tails:
- Heads- the first vapors to condense, contain congeners such a methanol (a toxic alcohol)
- Tails- unwanted congeners tend to collect in this
What is a Coffey?
Continuous Still
What is a patent still?
Continuous still
What two columns does the continuous still have?
Analyzer and Rectifier
What form of heating does a continuous still use?
Steam, rather than direct heat
How is the product of a continuous still different from a pot still?
The alcohol is condensed in a purer fashion, stripping the alcohol of excess congeners and flavors, creating a higher-alcohol spirit
What was ‘proof’ originally?
Until 1980, Britain based its legal calculation of alcohol strength of liquor on a simple test, or ‘proof’: the ability of gunpowder to combust when doused in the spirit
What is ‘proof’ today?
Today in the US and EU it is stated as a percentage of alcohol by volume at 20 degrees C
What is the range for ABV for liqueurs
15-30%
What is aquavit?
Scandinavian vodka flavored with caraway
Where is Ikon from?
Russia (vodka)
Where is Chopin from?
Poland (vodka)
Where is Ketel One from?
Holland (vodka)
Requirements for vodka in the EU.
- Must be neutral in flavor.
- Must have a minimum of 37.5% ABV
- If it is not made from potatoes or grain, an EU producer must state the products used in fermentation on the label
Where is Stolichnaya from?
Russia (vodka)
Where is Belvedere from?
Poland (vodka)
Where is Grey Goose from?
France (vodka- distilled in a pot still)
Where is Tito’s from?
Texas (vodka- made from corn in a pot still)
Which country produces soju and which produces shochu?
- Soju- Korea
- Shochu- Japan
What is the big difference between soju and shochu?
Soju (Korean) is filtered through charcoal, where shochu (Japanese) is not