Unit 1 Overview

Question 1

What is a spirit?

Answer 1

A spirit is an alcoholic beverage produced by distilling the product of an alcoholic fermentation

Question 2

What is the definition of the spirit gained from cereals?

Answer 2

Whisky - distilled from a fermented cereal mash.

a product of the distillation of fermented cereals where the distillate is no stronger than 94.8% abv.

Question 3

What is the definition of the spirit gained from molasses?

Answer 3

Sugar & sugar cane - by product is molasses and then fermented to get rum.

Rum is a product of the distillation of fermented sugar cane, sugar cane juice, and/or other sugar cane by-products.

Question 4

What is the definition of the spirit gained from grape?

Answer 4

Brandy can loosely be defined as the product of a distillation from the fermentation of fruit.

Question 5

What is the definition of the spirit gained from agave?

Answer 5

Tequila - is made from fermented agave plants

needs to be directly and originally prepared from the material extracted n the factory premises of an authorised manufacturer.

cooked

subjected to alcoholic fermentation with yeast

Question 6

What is the process flow of whisky production?

Answer 6

barley is steeped in hot water

Then spread out on the malting floor to help it germinate - producing the sugars that will turn into alcohol

Sprouting barely is then dried in the malt Kiln (sometimes with peat)

Once dried, barely gets milled & mixed with hot water in a mash tun to create wort.

Wort goes to washbacks & yeast is added which creates a chemical reaction which converts worst sugars into a low alcohol liquid called wash

Wash is traditionally distilled into two copper stills.

Sending alcohol vapour up the swan neck to condense in pipes cooled by water.

Runs off the second still into the spirit safe. It’s now separated for the high quality middle run of the new spirit.

New spirit is put into casks (Sherry oak or bourbon oak) for a minimum of three years.

A skilled master blender will decide when it’s ready.

Question 7

What is the process flow of rum production?

Answer 7

Primary ingredient is sugar cane (most rums made from molasses which is a by product of sugar refinement)

After the sugar cane is harvested and stripped of it’s leaves it is taken to the sugar mill.

Sugar cane is then crushed or pressed to extract the juice.

The resulting sugar cane juice is then either directly fermented or first converted into molasses.

The wash has to be fermented to produce alcohol.

The cane juice or molasses are mixed with water and then introduced to yeast.

short fermentation time = lighter wash, used for white rums

Dark rum requires a slow and careful fermentation process where yeast is slowly added.

once the sugar cane juice has been fermented into a wash - it’s now ready to be made into rum

using a copper pot still

Ageing process for rum is key - rum normally aged for 2 years

Ex bourbon barrels most popular for maturation

Producers will combine rum of different ages, batches & casks to produce the desired character & flavour

Question 8

What is the process flow of gin production?

Answer 8

juniper berries, spices, coriander seeds and lemon peel are added to a 90 gallon copper still

A spirit distilled from fermented grin is already in the still (tasteless but ABV of 95%)

To dilute it to 40%, they add spring water

Then prepared to redistill with spices

Slowly heat from the bottom of the still - 1 hour the alcohol boils and beings to evaporate

Continue to distil for 6 hours - monitoring the temp

At 212 degrees the water also rises as vapour, ruining the batch.

Alcohol vapour rises up and along the pipes to a chilled stainless steel tank

condenses back to gin

target alcohol level of 76%

“heart” is collected then pumped through filters to a storage tank then diluted with water to reach 43%.

Before bottling, the distilleries draw samples for quality control.

Question 9

What is the process flow of vodka production?

Answer 9

Mashing process -
Break down the complex starch molecules into simpler sugars

Milling & crushing ingredients to break them up.
The add water, yeast special enzymes & heat.

Fermentation - yeast is added & eats at the sugar to create alcohol.
Type of yeast used is really important.
24-48 hr process
By product of wash @ 10%ABV

Distillation - Now produced in continuous column stills which will produce a spirit of 60-80% ABV
Raw spirit then passes through a series of additional columns designed to remove specific compounds increasing it’s purity.
Spirit is then t 96% ABV

Rectification - some places will include a pot still stage.

Water is added after rectification to reduce the strength to bottling strength (EU controlled at 37.5%) most brands is typically 40%

Water accounts for 60% of the final product.

key that water is demineralised to give it a cleaner taste which can be achieved by using reverse osmosis, charcol filter or distillation.

Question 10

What is demineralisation

Answer 10

Before bottling the vodka must be filtered to remove any remaining sediment or particles

some opt for charcoal filtration, a process that uses activated charcoal to further purify the spirit after distillation

but can also remove a wide range of aroma compounds from the spirit

Most brands use simple barrier filters (natural fabric mesh)

Additives can be added for a certain mouth feel.

Question 11

What is the process flow of brandy production?

Answer 11

cognac distillation process is done in two steps (double distillation)

Vapour will transfer in a vat called the refrigerant.

Afters 1st distillation, we want whats called the brouillis.

They take a sample of the head but dont keep it

What they take (heart) is about 70/71% and this is what gets used in the cask.

Ageing process is the next step.

9L of wine is required to make cognac.

Question 12

What is the process flow of tequila production?

Answer 12

Harvested by hand
Chop away all the leaves until whats left is the Pina.

Remove a small piece and measure the starch content.

If officiant it is sent to the distillery.

They carve the Pinas into quarters (more manageable for baking)

They transfer the pina to a big oven, where they are steam baked for 79 hours.
(this converts the starch to sugar)

The flesh softens & the colour turns from white to red/brown.

It now goes to the shredder which tears the fruit into long fibres then exit onto a conveyor

Shredded pina lands in a bit where it’s moved into a shape of a huge stone wheel, called tahona.

The wheel crushes the fibres & squeezes out the agave nectar which takes 2 hours.

They pipe the mash to wooden tanks & add yeast.
(causes fermentation 72 hrs)

ABV is at 5% (earthy and acidic)

Distillation - 2 cycles
Measure the alcohol content 55%

After straining out the pulp, they transfer the tequila to steel tanks.

They dilute with purified water to make it 40%.

Question 13

What are the basic production principles of all spirits?

Answer 13

a sugar rich liquid is produced from raw materials
The liquid is fermented to produce alcohol.

The resulting liquid is boiled inside a closed vessel. This produces a vapour containing alcohol and other volatile compounds. Less volatile compounds are left behind in the vessel.

The vapour is cooled, condensing it back into a liquid.

The resulting liquid contains a higher concentration of alcohol and flavour compounds.