Spirits Production

Question 1

Saccharification

Answer 1

Heating starch to trigger conversion of the starch to sugar

Question 2

Mash Tun

Answer 2

Cylindrical container used to cook mash

Question 3

Fermentation

Answer 3

Action of yeast on sugar

Yeast consumes and metabolizes sugar and coverts to:

Ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide and energy (Heat)

Question 4

Lees

Answer 4

Dead yeast cells

Question 5

Distillation

Answer 5

Alcohol concentrated in a still
Alcohol lower boiling point than water turns into gas
Vaporized alcohol and water cooled resulting in higher concentration of alcohol

Question 6

h2o boiling point

Answer 6

212

Question 7

Alcohol boiling point

Answer 7

173

Question 8

Miscible

Answer 8

Liquids that dissolve one another

Question 9

Fractional distillation

Answer 9

Separation of liquid components

Question 10

Potential ABV

Answer 10

Never more than 96.5 ABV

To achieve 100% a dehydration procedure would have to be carried out in specified conditions

Question 11

Congeners

Answer 11

The other compounds found in the initial solution they also vaporizer blend in with alcohol water vapors.

Compounds responsible for most of the aromas and flavors of spirits

Question 12

Heads

Answer 12

First part of the distillate to come off

discarded and non-potable

Question 13

Tails

Answer 13

(Feints/fused oils)

Last part of the distillate includes high boilers

May be poisonous

Typically re-distilled or discarded

Question 14

Hearts

Answer 14

The center part of the distillate or the portable spirit

Distiller’s main focus

Question 15

Cut points

Answer 15

Points of separation between the heads and hearts and the hearts and tails

Question 16

Post-distillation treatments

Answer 16

Coloring or filtration done in stainless steel containers or large wooden vats

Question 17

Chill Filtration

Answer 17

Causes congeners and fats to separate from the remaining spirit producing a hazy quality which can then be removed

Question 18

American oak barrels

Answer 18

Has small pores which allows the barrel to be leak proof but still able to slowly evaporate the contents through the walls of the barrel and allow small amounts of oxygen to enter

Question 19

French oak

Answer 19

Used as a finishing wood for a variety of whiskeys and rums prized for adding luxurious mouth feel to spirits

Question 20

Cellulose

Answer 20

40% of the mass of the wood

Structural integrity to the wood

Question 21

Hemicellulose

Answer 21

25% of the mass of wood

Composed of sugars

Responsible for the red layer that forms in charred Oak barrels

Question 22

Lignin

Answer 22

25-30% of the mass of the wood

Helps cement the cellulose fibers providing rigidity

Contains vanillin makes it smell and taste like vanilla.

Question 23

Polyphenolic compounds

Answer 23

5-10% of the wood’s mass

Bitter and astringent tannins

Coconut flavored lactones

Can provide over 400 aromatic and flavor combinations to the matured spirit

Question 24

Extraction

Answer 24

The extraction of congeners from the barrel

Made easier by toasting (burning) the inside of the barrel

This is where aged spirits get their aroma and flavor notes of caramel butterscotch and toffee

Question 25

Evaporation

Answer 25

3-10% of alcohol may be lost per year | Angel’s Share

Question 26

Oxidation

Answer 26

Pores of the barrel allow oxygen to seep through the wood into the barrel. The oxygen dissolves in the spirit and causes oxidation of the components over time additional esters and aldehydes are formed and acids increase

Question 27

Concentration

Answer 27

Evaporation of the water and alcohol causes the remaining spirit to be concentrated reducing the overall quantity remaining in the barrel. The primary reason aged spirits cost more to buy.

Question 28

Filtration (Barrel)

Answer 28

The charcoal layer on the inside of the charred barrel acts like a filter for the spirit

Question 29

Coloration

Answer 29

Charring process degrades the tannins in the wood which gives the spirit a reddish color that deepens with age, Oxidation may also change the color

Question 30

6 processes of spirit maturation

Answer 30

Extraction Evaporation Oxidation Concentration Filtration Coloration

Question 31

Pot still

Answer 31

Copper or stainless pot Round bottom and tapered “swan’s” neck Worm condenser 70% ABV Considered less pure/contains more congeners Inefficient compared to more modern stills Copper acts as catalyst and pulls heavy elements away

Question 32

Worm condenser

Answer 32

Passes through a jacket that contains cold water which assists in rapid condensation of the vapors

Question 33

Pot still batch process

Answer 33

Fermented liquid loaded into pot Still is heated Vapors collected 25% ABV Pot is cleaned out (residue reserved for future batch) First distillate is reinserted and redistilled to produce higher ABV Repeated to get to 55-70% ABV

Question 34

Brouillis

Answer 34

First batch off of the still French - brew or boil Referred to as “low wine”

Question 35

Reflux

Answer 35

Technique used to control which elements of the liquid are passed to the condenser By controlling this reflux the distiller can influence the character of the finished spirit

Question 36

Column still

Answer 36

1830 Can produce purer and higher strength spirits 90-96.5 ABV Less production down time ``` Analyzer (long tube) Condenser Optional rebuilder Steam inlet Liquid return ```

Question 37

Column still process

Answer 37

Continuous inflow of wash and outflow of spent wash Output of concentrated alcoholic liquid can be tapped at various levels (rectifying section)

Question 38

Multiple column still

Answer 38

Larger quantities of high-strength spirit Better efficiency

Question 39

Hybrid Still

Answer 39

Pot and column still 3x as much energy as a column still but more efficient than a pot still

Question 40

Tasting spirits

Answer 40

Appearance Sniff Taste Mix (add small amount of water, sniff and taste again) Spit