Whiskies Flashcards
Name two concepts of Milling and Mashing in Scotland
Production of Grist - Similar at several distilleries in UK because of optimal temperature required for the gelatinization of starch granules in barley.
Fermentation initiated before conversion is complete - to prevent sugary liquid, called wort, from becoming contaminated by wild yeast or bacteria.
Fermentation in Scotland
48 hours, some distilleries let the alcoholic liquid, called wash, stand for a number of hours. Bacteria become active, adding complexity to the final spirit.
Whisky Law in Scotland
Whisky as a spirit that is made from grains, distilled to less than 94.8% abv and matured in wood vessels of 700 liters for at lest three years with a bottled strength of at least 40% abv.
Scotch Whisky Law
Must be made in a distillery in Scotland, the distiller may buy in either malted barley or other whole grains and must undertake mashing, fermentation and distillation on site. A distiller cannot buy in a sugary liquid or a fermented liquid. Distillers may not use exogenous enzymes. The rest falls under the same regulations as Whisky Law in Scotland.
Name the five types of Scotch Whisky
Single Malt Scotch Whisky - Made in one distillery from malted barley and distilled using pot stills.
Single Grain Scotch Whisky - Made in one distillery from malted barley and other grains. Any whisky that is made from just malted barley cannot be included in a grain whisky.
Blended Malt Scotch Whisky - A blend of two or more Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from different distilleries.
Blended Grain Scotch Whisky - A blend of two or more Single Grain Scotch Whiskies from different distilleries.
Blended Scotch Whisky - A blend of one or more Single Malt Scotch Whiskies with one or more Single Grain Scotch Whiskies.
Name the five regions that by law may appear on a label of Scotch Whisky
Highland, Lowland, Campbeltown, Islay & Speyside
Speyside is within Highland; distillery has the choice which to label.
Age Statments
Youngest in the bottle by law; older whisky may be labeled younger for marketing.
Vintage Dates
All the spirit in the bottle must have been distilled in the year on the bottle.
Can Grain Whiskies Receive Post-Distillation Operations?
Yes, Dilution and Chill-Filtration along with Caramel Coloring are available. However, most are pale in color and therefore likely that coloring is only used in small amounts, if at all.
Start and ending with glucose, what is the correct order for glucose through starch formation back to glucose.
Glucose to starch formation, starch formation to starch, formation of starch granules, modification, gelatinization, enzymatic hydrolysis to finally glucose.
What is the distillation strength of Scotch?
Less than 94.8%
What type of still is used to create Scotch Malt Whisky? How is this different in Grain Whisky?
Pot still must be used in Malt, Grain may use any still (mostly Column are used)
What is one option a Scotch distillery has to modify their Pot Still for Malt Whisky production?
The use of a Purifier to condense Group 3 fractions.
Post-distillation, what are the legal requirements in Scotland for whisky?
Minimum 3 years in oak barrels 700 L or less, maturation in Scotland, Age Statements and Vintage dates.
What are the permitted additions post-distillation operations?
Water for abv percentage (minimum bottling strength 40%), Caramel color E150a for consistency in color, not flavor.
