Vodka and Gin and General Terms Flashcards
Haymans Old Tom Gin
A gin recipe popular in the 18th century England. Known for being sweeter than London Dry Gin, but slightly drier than Dutch Genever.
What is a spirit?
The product of a distillation of a fermented beverage.
At what temperature does ethyl alcohol boil to?
Approx 173 degrees F (78 degress Celsius) at sea level.
What is fractional distillation?
The separation of two liquids with different boiling points.
Who developed the alembic still?
Jābir ibn Hayyān, an eighth-century Arabic chemist-alchemist.
What is an alembic still?
The precursor to the pot still.
What are alternative names to a continuous still?
Coffey, column, patent still
What is the process of a pot still?
Fermented liquor (the wash) is placed into a closed vessel
-heat is applied directly to the vessel
-this vaporizes the ethyl alcohol, water and congeners (volatile molecules, such as esters and other alcohols and aldehydes) which contribute to flavors of a spirit
-vapors travel up through the vessel into a condensing coil
-vapors are cooled and condensed into liquid and collected into a separate vessel
What are congeners?
Volatile molecules such as esters, other alcohols, and aldehydes, which contribute to the flavors of a spirit
What are the foreshots?
The first vapors to condense
-distiller discards these as these contain congeners such as methanol, a toxic alcohol
What are discarded in the distillation process?
The foreshots and the tails.
Why are the tails discarded?
Unwanted congeners tend to collect in the distillate residue.
What is a continuous distillation?
A still with two columns and uses steam, rather than direct heat to vaporize the alcohol.
It tends to create a cleaner, higher alcohol spirit with fewer cogeners.
What are the two columns of the continuous still?
The analyzer and the rectifier.
Where do brown spirits gain color and character?
From aging in oak casks.
How are spirits flavored?
-Many depend on the base fermented material (and oak)
-others flavored with additives by maceration, percolation or infusion
What is maceration?
Steeping a flavoring agent in alcohol at lower temperatures (slow and cold).
What is infusion?
Steeping a flavoring agent in alcohol at higher temperatures (swift and hot).
What is percolation?
-method that resembles coffee brewing
-the base spirit is pumped through the flavoring material
How are lower quality spirits flavored?
-artificial flavors and color additives
How is the alcohol content of a spirit legally required to appear on US and EU labels?
As abv
Until 1980, how did Britain base its legal calculation of the alcoholic strength of liquor on a simple test or proof?
The ability of gunpowder to combust when doused in the spirit
What is American proof?
Twice the percentage of alcohol by volume
Is labeling by proof required by law?
No
What is the range of ABV for liquers?
15-30%
What is the range of ABV for spirits like vodka or gin?
40-50%
What is range of ABV for spirits like whiskey, brandy, and rum?
over 60% ABV
What is a cask strength whisky?
those that are not diluted with water prior to bottling.
What is vodka?
A clear, neutral liquor, distilled in a continuous still and usually charcoal filtered.
What is vodka distilled from?
Different bases such as potatoes, rye, grapes, beets and molasses
The more distillations a vodka undergoes, the stronger and purer the final spirit will be?
True
What is the minimum ABV for vodka in the EU?
37.5%
If a vodka is not made from potatoes or grain in the EU, must a producer state the products that are used in the fermentation?
Yes
Name two quality producers of Russina vodka.
Stolichnaya and Ikon
Name two premium vodkas from Poland.
Chopin (a potato vodka)
Belvedere
Name a French vodka distilled in a post still.
Grey Goose
Tito’s is distilled from what ingredient? What still is used?
Corn
Pot still
Where is Ketel One made?
Netherlands
Who owns Smirnoff?
Diageo owns it
-of Russian origin but has not been produced in Russia for almost a century
What is aquavit?
A Scandinavian liquor
-clear spirit made from fermented potato or grain
-Flavored with Caraway root and other aromatics
-basically flavored vodka
What is soju (Korean) / shochu (Japanese)
Distilled liquors traditionally made from rice and grains
-now commonly produced from potato tapioca
-similar to unflavored vodka in character
-not filtered through charcoal
What is awamori?
An Okinawan style of shochu
-distilled from long grain indica rice
What is gin?
Essentially flavored vodka
How is gin made?
Essentially vodka flavored with juniper berry, citrus, cardamom, coriander, anise, etc. and redistilled.
What is London Dry Gin?
Most modern gins
-indicates a method rather than a geographical origin
-made with a wide proprietary blend of botanical flavorings and can be subtly or startlingly distinct in character
-contains a noticeable citrus and spice element-orange peel, anise, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg, angelica root
List a few popular London Dry Gins
Beefeater
Tanqueray
Bombay SApphire
Gordon’s
Boodles
Who developed the first crude gin as a medicinal oil known as genever (jenever)?
Sylvius de Bouve, a Dutch doctor in the 16th Century
What is genever?
The Dutch precursor to gin, produced in a pot still and sweeter and less alcoholic than London Dry Gin.
What are the dominant aromatics in genever?
Juniper and malt
-it may be aged in oak casks
What is oude Genever?
The traditional style, incorporating >15% malt wine.
What is malt wine?
A distillate of corn, rye, and wheat.
What is jonge genever?
A Cleaner, more neutral genever with less malt
-jonge means young
What is Corenwyn?
A cask aged genever in which malt wine composes at least 51% of the distillate.
Translates to corn wine
What is the difference in style between Plymouth and London Dry?
Plymouth is fuller in body, and more aromatic.
Where is Plymouth from?
England
-revived in 1996
-proper gin for Pink Gin cocktail
What is Old Tom Gin?
Lightly sweetened gin - the Tom in the Tom Collins cocktail.
-base of the Martinez cocktail
What distillery revived Old Tom gin?
Hayman’s Distillery
Name three producers of Old Tom Gin.
Haymans
Ransom
Tanqueray
