Spirits Production Flashcards
Saccharification
Heating starch to trigger conversion of the starch to sugar
Mash Tun
Cylindrical container used to cook mash
Fermentation
Action of yeast on sugar
Yeast consumes and metabolizes sugar and coverts to:
Ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide and energy (Heat)
Lees
Dead yeast cells
Distillation
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
h2o boiling point
212
Alcohol boiling point
173
Miscible
Liquids that dissolve one another
Fractional distillation
Separation of liquid components
Potential ABV
Never more than 96.5 ABV
To achieve 100% a dehydration procedure would have to be carried out in specified conditions
Congeners
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
Heads
First part of the distillate to come off
discarded and non-potable
Tails
(Feints/fused oils)
Last part of the distillate includes high boilers
May be poisonous
Typically re-distilled or discarded
Hearts
The center part of the distillate or the portable spirit
Distiller’s main focus
Cut points
Points of separation between the heads and hearts and the hearts and tails
Post-distillation treatments
Coloring or filtration done in stainless steel containers or large wooden vats
Chill Filtration
Causes congeners and fats to separate from the remaining spirit producing a hazy quality which can then be removed
American oak barrels
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
French oak
Used as a finishing wood for a variety of whiskeys and rums prized for adding luxurious mouth feel to spirits
Cellulose
40% of the mass of the wood
Structural integrity to the wood
Hemicellulose
25% of the mass of wood
Composed of sugars
Responsible for the red layer that forms in charred Oak barrels
Lignin
25-30% of the mass of the wood
Helps cement the cellulose fibers providing rigidity
Contains vanillin makes it smell and taste like vanilla.
Polyphenolic compounds
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
Extraction
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
Evaporation
3-10% of alcohol may be lost per year
Angel’s Share
Oxidation
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
Concentration
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.
Filtration (Barrel)
The charcoal layer on the inside of the charred barrel acts like a filter for the spirit
Coloration
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
6 processes of spirit maturation
Extraction
Evaporation
Oxidation
Concentration
Filtration
Coloration
Pot still
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
Worm condenser
Passes through a jacket that contains cold water which assists in rapid condensation of the vapors
Pot still batch process
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
Brouillis
First batch off of the still
French - brew or boil
Referred to as “low wine”
Reflux
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
Column still
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
Column still process
Continuous inflow of wash and outflow of spent wash
Output of concentrated alcoholic liquid can be tapped at various levels (rectifying section)
Multiple column still
Larger quantities of high-strength spirit
Better efficiency
Hybrid Still
Pot and column still
3x as much energy as a column still but more efficient than a pot still
Tasting spirits
Appearance
Sniff
Taste
Mix (add small amount of water, sniff and taste again)
Spit
