Spirits

Question 1

Spirits - The Process of Making Spirits

Answer 1

1. Raw material (fermented)
2. Fermented beverage
3. Distilled
   
   • Pot
   • Continuous
4. Aging
   
   • What type of vessel?
   • How long?

Question 2

Spirits - Fermentation of the Raw Materials

Answer 2

• Spirits can be made from fermented fruits, vegetables, grains and other plants
• Sugars in fruit or many plant based spirits are fermented directly into alcohol by the action of yeast
• For grain and some plant or vegetable based spirits, the starches must be turned into sugar first, after which fermentation can occur.

Question 3

Spirits - Fermentated Beverage is Distilled

Answer 3

1. Alcoholic liquid
2. Heated to boiling temperature
   
   • Alcohol Boils at 173
   • Water Boils at 212
3. Liquid boils, alcohol evaporates
4. Alcoholic vapor travels up the still to a condenser
5. Liquid is cooled
6. Vapor condenses
7. New spirit

Question 4

Spirits - Pot Still

Answer 4

• Provides a slow, gentle distillation
• Flavor from the base ingredient is retained in the final spirit
• Pot stills are used for richer, generally wood-aged spirits like Cognac and Single Malt Scotch

Question 5

Spirits - Continuous Still

Answer 5

• A continuous still is continuously running and is a faster distillation
• This has the potential to remove many flavors and impurities, creating a very neutral spirit
• A continuous still is used for vodka and most vourbons
• Most often used for large-scale distillation

Question 6

Spirits - Aging of the Distillate

Answer 6

• Immediately Bottled
  
  • The spirit remains clear and goes straight into bottle
  • Examples include most vodka, blanco Tequila and light rum
• Aged in Oak
  
  • Aging in oak changes the color, flavor and texture of the spirit
  • This depends on the length, time and char of the oak barrels used
  • Examples include most whiskies and brandies

Question 7

Spirits - Whiskey - Scotland

Answer 7

• Flavor
  
  • A dominant flavor character of Scotch comes from kilning, or srying, the malted barley with peat as the burning fuel.
  • The smoke from the fire infuses the grain with a smoky, “peaty” aroma.
• Single Malt Scotch Whisky
  
  • Distilled form 100% malted barley, in a pot still, at a single distillery
  • Must be bottled in Scotland
• Blended Scotch Whisky
  
  • Bend of one or more single malt whiskies

Question 8

Spirits - Whiskey - Ireland

Answer 8

• Irish Whiskey is a barley-based whiskey made only in Ireland, where they are aged for a minimum of three years in barrels.
• Portions of the barely will be unmalted, resulting in a lighter style.

Question 9

Spirits - Whiskey - Canada

Answer 9

• Canadian Whisky can be made of corn, wheat, rye or barley and must be aged a minimum of 3 years

Question 10

Spirits - Whiskey - United States

Answer 10

• Bourbon Whisky
  
  • Must be produced in the USA. However most is made in Kentucky
  • Must have a minimum of 51% corn and be aged in new, charred American white oak
• Tennessee Whisky
  
  • Must be made in Tennessee from a minimum of 51% corn
  • The whiskey must be filtered through a bed of Tennessee sugar maple charcoal

Question 11

Spirits - Brandy - Cognac AOP

Answer 11

• Fermentation
  
  • Cognac is a brandy made from white grape-based wines (mainly Ugni Blanc)
• Distillation
  
  • Cognac is distilled twice in copper pot stills
• Aging
  
  • Cognac is required to have a minimum of two years aging in French oak casks

Question 12

Spirits - Brandy - Armagnac AOP

Answer 12

• Fermentation
  
  • Brandy distilled from grape-based wines (a blend of local white grape varieties)
• Distillation
  
  • Traditionally one distillation in a continuous still (unique to the region)
• Aging
  
  • Armagnac is required to have a minimum of two years of aging in French oak casks.

Question 13

Spirits - Brandy - Eau de Vie

Answer 13

• A category of French brandy made with a variety of fruits.
  
  • Ex) Framboise: Raspberry, Kirsch: Cherry, Poire William: Pears
• Calvados AOP
  
  • Fermentation
    
    • Calvados is distilled from fermented apples and pears
  • Distillation
    
    • Calvados is traditionally distilled twice in a coper pot still
  • Aging
    
    • Calvados is required to have a minimum of two years of aging in French oak casks

Question 14

Spirits - Vodka

Answer 14

• Fermentation
  
  • Traditionally vodka is a distillate of fermented cereal grains or potatoes
  • Today, many base ingredients including a range of fruits, vegetables and other plants
• Distillation
  
  • Vodka is distilled multiple times to achieve purity and neutrality
  • Most often a continuous still is used
• Aging
  
  • Vodka is an unaged, clear spirit.

Question 15

Spirits - Gin

Answer 15

• Geography
  
  • Gin can be made anywere int he world, but its origins are Dutch.
• Fermentation
  
  • Traditionally, gin is a neutral distillate of fermented cereal grains, like vodka
• Botanicals
  
  • Gin is flavored with a number of herbs, spices and roots called botanicals.
  • The predominant flavor ingredient is juniper berries.
  • Other traditional botanicals include lemon, lime and bitter orange peel, anise, angelica root, orris root, licorice root, cinnamon, cassia bark and many more.
• Distillation
  
  • To produce gin, a neutral grain spirit is flavored with botanicals and is then redistilled
• Aging
  
  • Gin is predominatnly an unaged, clear spirit

Question 16

Spirits - Tequila

Answer 16

• Geography
  
  • A protected appellation centered around the province of Jalisco, Mexico
• Fermentation
  
  • Tequila is produced form the fermented juice of the cooked pina (pineapple), the heart of the blue agave plant (Agave tequiliana)
• Distillation
  
  • Can be performed either in a traditioanl pot still or by the continuous method
• Aging
  
  • Silver/Blanco: Bottled immediately after distillation
  • Reposado: Aged 60 days to 1 year in oak cask
  • Anejo: Aged form 1~3 years in cask

Question 17

Spirits - Mezcal

Answer 17

• Geography
  
  • A protected appellation mainly around Oaxaca, Mexico but other provinces are included
• Fermentation
  
  • Mezcal is the distilled spirit produced form fermented agave
• Distillation
  
  • Can be performed either in traditional pot still or by the continuous method
• Aging
  
  • Blanco or unaged is the most traditional style of Mezcal, however, barrel aged versions with the smae label designations as Tequila can be found

Question 18

Spirits - Rum

Answer 18

• Geography
  
  • The style originated in the Caribbean in the 17th century
• Fermentation
  
  • Rum is a distilled spirit produced from fermented suar cane or molasses (a by-produt of processing sugar cane into sugar)
• Distillation
  
  • Rum can be made with a continuous still to achieve neutrality or with a pot still to retain intensity of the base ingredient
• Aging
  
  • Light Rum
    
    • little to no aging
  • Dark Rum
    
    • Higher-end examples are aged for an extended time in oak

Question 19

Spirits - Aperitifs and Digestifs

Answer 19

• Aperitifs
  
  • Served before the meal to stimulate the appetite
• Digestifs
  
  • Served after the meal to help stimulate digestion. Examples include bitters or Italian Amaro.

Question 20

Spirits - Liqueurs and Cordials

Answer 20

• Liqueurs and Cordials are made with a neutral base spirit with flavor added in variety of ways.
• Ex) Bailey’s, Kahlua, B&B, etc.

Question 21

Spirits - What spirit is the term “Reposado” used for describing aging?

Answer 21

• Tequila
  
  • Rum
  • Vodka
  • Gin

Question 22

Spirits - Flavoring a neutral spirt with botanicals such as juniper berries and lemon peel can be found in?

Answer 22

• Gin
  
  • Tequila
  • Mezcal
  • Cognac

Question 23

Spirits - What is the predominant flavor of Kahlua?

Answer 23

• Coffee
  
  • Juniper
  • Peach pit
  • Anise

Question 24

Spirits - Apples and pears are the primary fruits of what spirit?

Answer 24

• Calvados
  
  • Cognac
  • Armagnac
  • Rum

Question 25

Spirits - "Peatiness" is a dominant flavor of what spirit?

Answer 25

* Scotch Whisky * Bourbon * Canadian Whisky * Irish Whisky

Question 26

Spirits - What is the base-ingredient of rum?

Answer 26

* Suger cane or molasses * Barley * Potatoes * Agave

Question 27

Spirits - Cognac and Armagnac have this in common.

Answer 27

* Oak aged, wine-based spirits * Apple and pear-based spirits * Light colored, suger-cane based spirits * Made from a minimum of 51% corn