Spirits General

Question 1

What is the boiling point for ethyl alcohol?

Answer 1

173F (78C)

Question 2

What are the two main methods of distillation?

Answer 2

Pot Still
Continuous Still
(aka Coffey Still / Column Still / Patent Still)

Question 3

What is “Wash” in distillation?

Answer 3

The fermented spirit that will be heated to extract its vapours.

Question 4

What are the two columns of a a Continuous Still?

Answer 4

Analyzer

Rectifier

Question 5

What are the 3 methods for flavouring a distillate?

Answer 5

1. maceration
2. percolation
3. infusion

Question 6

What is the primary difference between Maceration and Infusion?

Answer 6

maceration - Cold / slow
Infusion - Hot / fast
(VS Percolation - base spirit pumped through flavour agents)

Question 7

Until 1980, how did Britain measure alcoholic strength?

Answer 7

Pour spirit on gunpowder, combust rate gauged %

Question 8

What is the min ABV for vodka produced in the EU?

Answer 8

37.5%

If not from potato or grain, it has to list what it is a distillate of

Question 9

What method of distillation does Grey Goose use?

Answer 9

Pot Still

Question 10

What is Awamori?

Answer 10

Japanese distillate specialty from. Okinawa.

from long grain Indica rice

Question 11

Where was Gin created?

Answer 11

Holland

(Dr. Sylvius de Bouve - Genever - 16th Century)

(lower ABV / slightly sweeter)

Question 12

What three categories may be labeled for Genever gin?

Answer 12

1. oude (“old”); Traditional made with min 15% “Malt Wine”
2. jonge (“young”): cleaner, more neutral
3. Corenwyn (“corn wine”) is a cask-aged version in which “malt wine” comprises at least 51% of the distillate.

Question 13

What are the 3 main categories of Gin?

Answer 13

London Dry- flavour must be added AFTER

Genever - lower abv/sweeter

Plymouth - fuller body (pink gin cocktail)

Old Tom - sweetened (Martinez / tom collins)

Question 14

Give 2 examples of each gin.

Answer 14

London Dry - (Beefeater / Tanqueray)

Genever - (Bols / Boomsma / Old Simon)

Plymouth - only 1

Old Tom - (Liberty / Both’s / Hayman’s)

Question 15

Who produces Plymouth Gin?

Answer 15

Black Friars Distillery

Question 16

What famous distillate does the Black Friars Distillery produce?

Answer 16

Plymouth GIn

Question 17

Name 3 producers of Old Tom gin.

Answer 17

Both’s / Secret Treasures / The Liberty Distillery
Tanqueray / Langley’s / Jensens / Ransom
Master Of Malt / The Dorchester Hotel
The London Distillery Company Ltd / Haymans

Question 18

What are ‘alquitaras’

Answer 18

Copper stills the Spanish use to distill Brandy.
(Airen and palomino grapes)
(used American oak for Solera)

Question 19

What are the average ageing for Spanish Brandy?

Answer 19

Solera - avg 1yr
Solera Reserva - avg 3yrs
Solera Gran Reserva - avg 10yrs

Question 20

name an Italian producer of Brandy.

Answer 20

Buton (from Trebbiano)

Vecchi Romagna)(the diamond shaped bottle

Question 21

Notable USA producer of Brandy?

Answer 21

Germain-Robin (Ukiah)

Question 22

Nme 3 examples of Pomace spirit.

Answer 22

Marc (France)
Grappa (Italy)
Bagaceira (Portugal)

Question 23

What are the 5 stages for making whiskey?

Answer 23

1. mashing
2. malting
3. fermentation
4. distillation
5. maturation

Question 24

Explain the Malting step.

Answer 24

soak your grain in warm water to begin germination.
(2-3 days)
-once they start to sprout, must be stopped.
- dry the in a kiln (sometimes fired by peat)
- ground to remover husks etc (called grist)
- now called malt

Question 25

Explain Mashing.

Answer 25

- add grist to warm water to extract fermentable sugars. - (called 'mash') - placed in a 'mash tun' - sugar and malt dissolve (called 'wort') - repeet - 1st and 2nd draws used only - 3rd is put back - left over husks etc (called 'draft') used for feed.

Question 26

Explain fermentation.

Answer 26

- 'wort' is cooled and placed in a 'washback' - fermentation happens (48hrs usually) - liquid now called a 'wash' (5-10% ABV)

Question 27

At what stage could you redirect in the making of Whiskey to make beer?

Answer 27

- Fermenation stage. | - spoil off the "wash" and continue to make beer with it.

Question 28

Explain the distillation process stage of making Whiskey.

Answer 28

- 'wash' in put into copper distiller. - Scotland - distilled Twice - Ireland - Distilled 3 times - Taller next - lighter spirit - shorter neck - richer spirit - heat / rises / called "Low Wine" - moves to second "Spirit Still' (smaller) - 3 stages: 'Foreshots" / "Hearts"(65-70%ABV) / "Feints"

Question 29

*What is an American Proof Gallon?

Answer 29

The measure of alcohol used in the USA: A proof gallon is one liquid gallon of spirits that is 50% alcohol at 60 degrees F. Distilled Spirits* bottled at 80 proof (40% alcohol) would be 0.8 proof gallons per gallon of liquid. At 125 proof, a gallon of liquid would be 1.25 proof gallons. In the industrial and fuel industries, most alcohol is at 190 or 200 degrees of proof. One gallon of alcohol that is 200 proof is equal to 2.0 proof gallons

Question 30

*What is Orujo? (Or-oo-Hoe)

Answer 30

Pomace Brandy from Northern Spain -Origions of Pisco. (Spanish settlers tried to produce it in Peru/Chile and it became Pisco there)

Question 31

*What are the departments of Peru that Pisco must be produced in?

Answer 31

``` Lima Ica Arequipa Moquegua Tacna (Only in the valleys of: - Locumba Locumba - Sama - Caplina ```

Question 32

*What is the main difference between Pisco from Chile VS Peru?

Answer 32

Peru is never cut. Always cask strength.

Question 33

*What are the categories of Pisco?

Answer 33

Puro (Pure) - single variety (mostly Quebranta), although (Mollar or Common Black can be used - but not blended) Aromáticas (Aromatic) - from Muscat or Muscat-derived grape varieties, and also from Albilla, Italia and Torontel (No blending) Mosto Verde (Green Must), distilled from partially fermented must, this must be distilled before the fermentation process has completely transformed sugars into alcohol. Acholado (Multivarietal), blended from the must of several varieties of grape All must be aged min 3M (glass or stainless. NO wood)

Question 34

what are the four categories of Pisco?

Answer 34

Puro (Pure), made from a single variety, mostly: - Quebranta (Mollar / Common Black) Aromáticas : - Muscat or Muscat-derived grapes varieties, and also from - Albilla, Italia and Torontel ``` Mosto Verde (Green Must): distilled from partially fermented must, this must be distilled before the fermentation process has completely transformed sugars into alcohol. ``` Acholado (Multivarietal)