Spirits: Whisk(e)y

Question 1

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

Answer 1

• Grains + cereals
• Fruits
• Plants
• Vegetables
• Fruits + their pits
• Sugar cane + its derivatives

Question 2

What are some common grains + 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 + cereal-based spirits, such as Bourbon or Scotch, what has to happen first in order for them to be distilled?

Answer 4

The grains + 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, too, like cereals or 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

If you think about it, making beer and making a grain-based spirit share similar first steps (germinating the grain to convert the starches into sugars, kilning it to make a malt, then brewing it).

So why would you basically 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 cereral.

Question 7

What are the boiling points of alcohol and water?

Which one is higher?

Answer 7

Water’s BP = 212ºF (100ºC)

Alcohol’s BP = 173ºF (78ºC)

Question 8

Go through 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 evaporates (because alcohol boils at a lower temp than water)
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 the 2 types of stills used in making spirits?

Answer 9

1. Pot still
2. Continuous still

Question 10

Features + 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 scale production?
4. Are flavors of primary ingredient retained or lost?

Answer 10

Pot stills:

1. Usually slower distillations
2. Used for rich, wooded spirits e.g. Cognac + Scotch
3. Small scale production
4. Aim to retain the flavors of primary ingredient

Question 11

Features + 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 a 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 + 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 flavor + texture

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

1. Scotch whisky (no ‘e’)
2. Irish whiskey
3. Canadian whisky
4. Bourbon whiskey
5. Tennessee whiskey

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?

What is its minimum aging requirement?

Answer 21

• Made from barley grown in Ireland
• Must be aged minimum 3 years in barrel

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 United States (most made 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 whisky 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 whisky?

Answer 26

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

Question 27

The dominant flavor of Scotch comes from what?

Answer 27

**The kilning of the malted barley** (the more you kiln it, the deeper the flavor -- much like in beer!)

Question 28

What aromas + flavors does the peat add to Scotch?

Answer 28

**Smoky 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 (EYE-luh), 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

1. Orkney Islands 2. Isle of Skye 3. Speyside 4. Isle of Islay 5. Lowlands