Spirits & Distillation

Question 1

How is a spirit unlike a beer or wine?

Answer 1

It is not a fermented beverage, it the product of a distillation of a fermented beverage.

Question 2

What is the simple premise that distillation relies on?

Answer 2

alcohol has a lower boiling point than water

Question 3

The separation of two liquids with different boiling points is the principle behind what process?

Answer 3

Fractional Distillation

Question 4

Who is Jabir ibn Hayyan?

Answer 4

8th century Arabic chemist/alchemist who developed an improved alembic still- the precursor to the pot still- which allowed for a much purer distillation

Question 5

Modern spirits are generally distilled in what two types of stills?

Answer 5

the rudimentary pot still or the more modern continuous still

Question 6

What are other names for the continuous still?

Answer 6

Coffey, column, or patent

Question 7

How does a pot still function?

Answer 7

1) Fermented liqour “the wash” is placed into a closed vessel and heat is directly applied, vaporizing the ethyl alcohol, water, and congeners.
2) These vapors travel up a condensing coil where they are cooled, condensed into a liquid, and collected into a separate vessel.

Note: The foreshots, the first vapors to condense, are removed because they contain harmful congeners such as methanol and toxic alcohol.

The tails, the final condensation during the process, are also removed because again unwanted congeners collect in the distillate residue.

Question 8

What is the advantage of pot still distillation over continuous? The drawback?

Answer 8

Pot still distillations retain more congeners linked to flavor thus making a more flavorful distillate. However, the spirit is not as clean and thus not as pure as that which would be produced by continuous distillation.

Question 9

How does a continuous still function? Advantages over Pot Still?

Answer 9

Continuous still has two chambers (analyzer and rectifier) that continuously condense the rising vapors in a series of cooling chambers allowing for a much stronger spirit and one of higher purity than that from Pot still. Additionally, as the name implies, multiple batches of distillation can take place at once as opposed to pot stills which can only take place in single batches.

Question 10

True or False. All spirits are colorless immediately following distillation?

Answer 10

True. Brown spirits like Scotch and Bourbon gain their color from oak aging.

Question 11

True or False. Bottled spirits continue to develop.

Answer 11

False. Spirits are unlike wine in regards to aging. They do not develop more complex flavors while in bottle.

Question 12

How is flavor added to distilled spirits?

Answer 12

Oak aging, macerations, infusions, or percolations.

Question 13

What is the main difference between maceration and infusion?

Answer 13

Temperature. Maceration takes place over a longer period of time at a cool temperature whereas infusion is much quicker and at higher temperatures.

Question 14

How does percolation work in flavoring spirits?

Answer 14

Spirit is pumped through flavoring material. Just like brewing coffee.

Question 15

What does the value of “proof” on American spirits represent?

Answer 15

Twice the numerical %ABV of the spirit

Question 16

Where did the term proof originate?

Answer 16

Originated in the 16th century when British Sailors would be paid sometime in rations of rum. To test to ensure that the spirit wasn’t watered down too much, it was “proved” by dousing gunpowder in the spirit and then tested to see if the gunpowder would ignite. If it did not ignite the rum was considered too watered down and thus “under proof” Rum would not burn at any level below 57.15% therefor rum that contained this percentage of alcohol was considered 100 degrees proof.

Question 17

What is the range of %ABV for liqueurs? Vodka and Gin? Brandy, whiskey and rum?

Answer 17

Liqueur- 15-30%
Vodka and Gin- 40-50%
Brandy, whiskey, over 60%

Question 18

What kind of bases can Vodka be distilled from?

Answer 18

A number of different bases. Potatoes, rye, grapes, molasses. If it can be fermented it can potentially be made into Vodka.

Question 19

What vessel is vodka most commonly distilled in and how is it usually filtered?

Answer 19

Most commonly distilled in a continuous still and then filtered in charcoal for an ultra clean spirit.

Question 20

What is the idea behind repeated or multiple distillations?

Answer 20

Higher alcoholic strength and cleaner and more pure spirit.

Question 21

Why do Eastern European and Russian vodkas tend to have more character than there Western European and American counterparts?

Answer 21

Because by law in the EU and US, any spirit labeled vodka must be neutral in flavor

Question 22

What is the minimum abv for vodka in the EU?

Answer 22

37.5%

Question 23

What are the laws in the EU regarding bases used in the production of Vodka?

Answer 23

If vodkas are produced from bases other than potatoes or grain the materials used must be listed on the label.

Question 24

What is the base material used in the production of Tito’s?

Answer 24

100% Corn in Texas

Question 25

Where are Stolichnaya and Ikon produced?

Answer 25

Russia

Question 26

Where are Belvedere and Chopin produced?

Answer 26

Poland

Question 27

What is the base material used in Chopin?

Answer 27

Potatoes

Question 28

Where is Ketal One produced?

Answer 28

Holland

Question 29

Where is aquavit produced and what is it?

Answer 29

Produced in Scandinavia from potato or grain and flavored with caraway root and other aromatics. Basically its flavored vodka.

Question 30

Where is soju produced? What is it? What is its Japanese cousin?

Answer 30

Produced in Korea, soju is traditionally a distillate made from sake, but is now often produced from other bases like grain and potato. Very similar to unflavored vodka in flavor. Schochu is the Japanes cousin.

Question 31

True or False. Schochu is filtered through charcoal.

Answer 31

No, never.

Question 32

What is awamori?

Answer 32

An Okinawan style of schochu that is always distilled from rice.

Question 33

What is gin and how is it produced?

Answer 33

Essentially flavored vodka, gin is produced by taking a neutral grain spirit, flavoring it with a range of botanicals, like juniper berries, and then re-distilling it.