Whiskey Flashcards
Bourbon whiskey requirements
Made in the USA
produced from fermented mash of min 51% corn
distilled at abv max 160 proof
stored at max 125 proof in charred new oak
rye whiskey requirements
min 51% rye mash
distilled at abv max 160 proof
max 125 proof in charred new oak
corn whiskey requirements
mash must be min 80% corn
distilled at abv max 160 proof
no requirement for oak
“straight” meaning
aged for at least two years in barrel
Scotch whisky must be aged in oak for a minimum of..
3 years
5 step production procedure for whiskey
mash/wort preparation
fermentation
distillation
maturation
blending and bottling
4 primary grains for whiskey production
barley
corn
rye
wheat
saccharification
the conversion of a starch to fermentable sugars
malting
allowing the grain to sprout
what happens when a grain sprouts
speicific enzymes are released that convert the grain’s starch to sugar
most widely used whiskey grain
barley
How is the malting stage begun?
barley or other grain is soaked in water - causing grain to sprout
What is a kiln
an oven
what happens after malting
kilning - the malt is dried and roasted in a kiln (oven)
what happens after kilning
milling - the kilned malt is screened and grounded into grist
what happens after milling
mashing - the ground malt is mixed with hot water - the hot water fully activates the enzymes that convert starch into sugar
What is “washing”
Process used in Scotland and Ireland - post mashing - the sugary liquid is washed from the malt and drained off. this liquid is known as the mash or wort.
What is a “mash” in the US?
sugary liquid and ground grain mixture
why is water a critical component of whiskey production?
water must be iron free, or the whiskey will become black-tinged
hard vs soft water affects final flavor
“cask-strength” and “barrel-proof bottling” meaning
no water is added to the whiskey before bottling
the 5 categories of Scotch whisky
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
Blended Scotch Whisky
Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Distilled at a single distillery by batch distillation in a pot still
Solely made with malted barley
Must be bottled in Scotland
Single Grain Scotch Whisky
Distilled at a single distillery
Produced from other malted or unmalted grains (typ. wheat or corn) + malted barley
t/f: Single Grain Scotch Whiskey means that the Scotch was made from a single type of grain, eg, wheat
False - single refers to the use of a single distillery
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
blend of two or more single malt single malt Scotch whiskies that have been produced at more than one distillery
Blended Grain Scotch Whisky
blend of two or more single grain Scotch whiskies that have been produced at more than one distillery
Blended Scotch Whisky
blend of one or more single malt scotch whiskies with one or more single grain scotch whiskies
Blended scotch whisky accounts for about __% of production
90
Cutty Sark
well known blended Scotch