Spirits: Whiskey

Question 1

What are some raw materials that spirits can be made from?

Answer 1

grains and cereals
fruits
plants
vegetables
fruits and their pits
sugar can and its derivatives

Question 2

What are some common grains and cereals that can be made into spirits?

Answer 2

Barley
Wheat
Corn
Rice
Rye

Question 3

What are some fruits that can be made into spirits?

Answer 3

cherries
apricots
apples
pears
grapes

Question 4

For grain and cereal based spirits, such as Bourbon or Scotch, what has to happen first in order for them to be distilled?

Answer 4

The grains and cereals have to have their starches converted into sugars so the yeasts can ferment the sugars out.

Question 5

High levels of natural sugars already exist in fruits and plants, so do they have to have their sugars converted first, like cereals and grains?

Answer 5

No. Sugar levels are already so high in fruits and plants that their sugars can be directly fermented into alcohol, just add yeast!

Question 6

Making beer and making grain based spirits are similar first steps (germinating the grain to convert the starches into sugars, kilning it to make a malt and then brewing it)

So why take a beer like liquid and distill it?

Answer 6

To remove impurities and the diluting parts of the beverage (water) to acquire and concentrate the true character of the grain or cereal.

Question 7

What are the boiling points of alcohol and water?

Answer 7

Water 212*

Alcohol 173*

Question 8

What are the general steps of making a spirit?

Answer 8

1. make your alcoholic liquid
2. bring it to a boil
3. As the water boils, the alcohol evaportes
4. Those alcoholic vapors rise up the distillation still and are captured by a condenser.
5. The vapors collect and are cooled
   6.Bingo! New distillate/spirit

Question 9

What are 2 types of stills used in making spirits?

Answer 9

pot still

continuous still

Question 10

Features and Functions of a pot still:
1, are they used for fast or slow distillations?
2. What spirit style is typically made in a pot still?
3. Are they used for small or large production?
4. Are flavors of primary ingredient retained or lost?

Answer 10

Pot Stills:
1. usually slower distillation
2. used for rich, wooded spirits (cognac/Scotch)
3. small scale production
4. Aim to retain the flavors of primary ingredient

Question 11

Features and functions of a continuous still:

1. are they used for fast or slow distillations?
2. What spirit style is typically made in a continuous still?
3. Are they used for small or large scale production?
4. Are flavors of primary ingredient retained or lost?

Answer 11

Continuous still:
1. faster distillation than pot still
2. Best for neutral spirits such as vodka and many bourbons
3. Best for large scale production
4. Aim is to remove flavor and impurities

Question 12

Regardless of what type of still was used to make a spirit, what color is a spirit when it comes out of a still?

Answer 12

Clear

Question 13

Name some clear spirits that are bottled as soon as they come out of the still.

Answer 13

vodka
gin
Blanco tequila
light/white/silver rums

Question 14

How is color added to new spirits?

Answer 14

Aged in oak
colored with caramel

Question 15

What does aging in oak do to a clear spirit?

Answer 15

changes the color

changes the texture and flavor

Question 16

What helps determine the depth of color, flavor and texture of a spirit aged in oak?

Answer 16

char of the barrels
size of the barrels
how long the spirit remained in the oak

Question 17

The spirits most often aged in oak include:

Answer 17

brandies
cognac
whiskies

Question 18

All whiskies are made from _____.

Answer 18

grains

Question 19

Name 5 different types of whiskey.

Answer 19

Scotch
Irish
Canadian
Bourbon
Tennessee

Question 20

What ingredients can be used to make Canadian whiskey?

What is its minimum aging requirement?

Answer 20

Made from corn, wheat, rye or barley

must be aged minimum 3 years.

Question 21

What ingredients can be used to make Irish whiskey?

Minimum aging requirement?

Answer 21

Made from barley grown in Ireland

minimum 3 years aging

Question 22

Why is Irish whiskey lighter in style than other whiskies?

Answer 22

a portion of the barley is unmalted, achieving a lighter style

Question 23

What are the rules around making Bourbon?

Answer 23

must be made in the US (in Kentucky)
must be minimum 51% corn
Must be aged in brand new, charred, American white oak barrels

Question 24

What are the rules around making Tennessee whiskey?

Answer 24

must be made in TN
must be minimum 51%corn
must be filtered through charcoal made from the Tennessee sugar maple tree

Question 25

Where does a scotch whiskey have to come from in order to be called Scotch?

Answer 25

Anywhere on the Scottish mainland or any of its surrounding islands

Question 26

What is the traditional fuel used to make Scotch whiskey?

Answer 26

Peat

Peat is an organic material that looks like soil, but its made up of decomposed plants and vegetation matter. Peat comes from wet areas with acidic conditions, like bogs or mires, and its used as fuel or in gardening because of its high mineral content.

Question 27

The dominant flavor of Scotch come from _____.

Answer 27

The kilning of the malted barley. (the more you kiln it, the deeper the flavor

Question 28

What aromas and flavors does the peat add to Scotch?

Answer 28

smokey notes from the peat fire

Question 29

Certain regions in Scotland are known for their Scotches to be heavily peated while other regions are known to be lightly peated.

Name a region known for its heavy-peated Scotch and one for its light peated Scotch.

Answer 29

Heavy peat-Islay Speyside

Light peat-lowlands

Question 30

What are the rules around making a single malt scotch whisky?

Answer 30

Distilled from 100% malted barley

made in a pot still

made at one, single distillery

bottled in Scotland

Question 31

What is a Blended Scotch Whisky?

Answer 31

One that’s made from a blend of Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Single Grain Scotch Whisky, usually from different distilleries.

Question 32

Name the 5 major areas in Scotland that produce Scotch whisky.

Answer 32

Orkney Islands
Isle of Skye
Speyside
Isle of Islay
Lowlands