Distillates

Question 1

How are distilled spirits created?

Answer 1

They are created from fermented beverages which then go through a physical process to concentrate.

Question 2

What are the three groups of spirits?

Answer 2

1. Distilled beverages
2. Liquors
3. Amari

Question 3

What are the characteristics of a distilled beverage?

Answer 3

• 36% minimum alcohol
• only obtained through distillation
• 2% sugar minimum

Question 4

What are the characteristics of liquors?

Answer 4

• sweet tatse
• 10% minimum sugar
• 15% minimum alcohol
• addition of aromas and alcohol

Question 5

What are the characteristics of Amari?

Answer 5

• bitter taste

* addition of bitter aromas (herbs)

Question 6

What are the components of distilled beverages?

Answer 6

First 98%:

1. water
2. alcohol

Other 2%

3. Acids (from original fermented beverage)
4. sugar (very minimal)
5. aromatic components (from original fermented beverage)

Question 7

What are the steps of the distillation process?

Answer 7

1. base preparation
2. fermented beverage/fermentation
3. distillation (cooking/heating fermented beverage)
4. aging
5. packaging

Question 8

What is the head in the distillation process?

Answer 8

The first thing to evaporate when the beverage is heated. It turns to gas and back to liquid in another container and is discarded.

Question 9

What is the concept of distillation?

Answer 9

Elimination of the heads and tails, and retaining the core/

Question 10

What are the components of the distillation process?

Answer 10

1. Heads - methyl alcohol
2. Core - ethyl alcohol, aromas
3. Tails - acids

Question 11

What are the two methods of distillation?

Answer 11

1. Pot still (discontinuous)

2. Continuous (lower quality)

Question 12

What are the classifications of spirits?

Answer 12

1. Wine (cognac, Armagnac, brandy, pis I)
2. Pomace/grapes (grappa, Marc)
3. Malts or Spices (gin, whiskey (US), whisky (Scotland), vodka, steinhager)
4. Sugar plants (rum, tequila, cachaca)
5. Rice (chum, kapay, sura, arak) saki or rice beer
6. Fruits (framboise, kakshe, kirsch, calvados)

Question 13

What are the classifications of grappa?

Answer 13

1. Grappa young (Giovane): without aging
2. Grappa old vecchia: minimum 1 year aged in barrel
3. Grappa very old riserva: minimum 18 months aged in barrel

Question 14

What are the aging requirements for cognac or brandy?

Answer 14

Distilled wine must be aged in barrels a minimum of 2 years.

Question 15

What beverage is the base of cognac?

Answer 15

Wine

Question 16

What beverage is the base for whiskey?

Answer 16

Beer

Question 17

What cereal is used to produce Scottish whisky?

Answer 17

Smoked barley

Question 18

What cereal must be used to produce US whiskey (bourbon)?

Answer 18

Corn (minimum 51%)

Question 19

What is meant by single malt whisky?

Answer 19

Considered to be the best whisky, it is produced from a single distillate batch.

Question 20

What is meant by a blended whisky?

Answer 20

It is blended from multiple distillation batches.

Question 21

What are production characteristics for bourbon whisky (US)?

Answer 21

1. It is made with at least 51 % corn
2. The balance of the mixture is made with barley
3. It is aged in new American oak barrels

Question 22

T or F: Scottish whisky is made using continuous distillation.

Answer 22

False. Scottish Whisky is only made with discontinuous distillation, producing a superior product.

Question 23

What are the primary production areas for Scotch whisky?

Answer 23

1. Islay (peaty, smoky character)
2. Speyside (more than half of Scotland’s distilleries are here)
3. Highlands (whiskies have very expressive aromas)
4. Lowlands (lighter style)
5. Campbeltown

Question 24

T or F: Scotch whisky must age in the barrel for 3 years.

Answer 24

True