WSET Chapter 2

Question 1

What are the four stages of making alcohol?

Answer 1

selecting raw material
fermentation
distillation
post-distillation operations

Question 2

Spirits can be made from anything that contain

Answer 2

carbohydrates

Question 3

Alcoholic fermentation starts when

Answer 3

yeast is added to a sugary liquid

Question 4

The yeast eats the sugar and creates

Answer 4

alcohols (notably ethanol)
congeners
CO2

Question 5

Congeners are

Answer 5

flavors

Question 6

The result of fermentation is an alcohol with what percentage

Answer 6

10%

Question 7

Distillation starts when

Answer 7

the alcoholic liquid is heated and turns into vapors

Question 8

A common level of concentration takes the alcoholic level from 10% to

Answer 8

75%

Question 9

Distillation is also used to

Answer 9

select and isolate congeners

Question 10

Raw materials provide a distiller with what two things?

Answer 10

carbohydrates that feed yeast during fermentation

provide distillers with a distinct set of flavors

Question 11

Grapes and sugar cane provide yeast with

Answer 11

sugar to feed on

Question 12

Grains and agave have stores of

Answer 12

complex carbohydrates that need to be converted into sugars before fermentation can begin

Question 13

Fermentation starts when

Answer 13

the distiller adds yeast to the sugary liquid

Question 14

The liquid produced by fermentation is mostly made up of

Answer 14

water and alcohols

Question 15

When does fermentation end?

Answer 15

When all of the sugars are converted to alcohol

Question 16

What are esters

Answer 16

congeners formed during fermentation that have a fruity smell

Question 17

Why do distillers use certain types of yeast?

Answer 17

To make the final product consistent and contain the correct congeners

Question 18

What is the aim of distillation?

Answer 18

To produce a product that can be put on sale

Question 19

Ethanol boils at a ______ temperature than

Answer 19

water

Question 20

On a pot still, what does the pot do?

Answer 20

Holds the liquid that is going to be distilled

Question 21

The swan neck connects the

Answer 21

pot and still head

Question 22

The lyne arm connects the

Answer 22

still head to the condenser

Question 23

What does the condenser do?

Answer 23

converts vapor back into a liquid

Question 24

What is the most common type of condenser?

Answer 24

shell and tube

Question 25

In a shell and tube condenser, vapor enters through the top and comes in contact with

Answer 25

a coolant, typically cold water

Question 26

Pot still distillation is a

Answer 26

batch process

Question 27

In Pot still distillation a liquid has to be distilled

Answer 27

at least twice

Question 28

What is the goal of the first pot still distillation?

Answer 28

To remove water from the alcoholic liquid

Question 29

What is the liquid and ABV called after the first distillation?

Answer 29

low wines 25-30%

Question 30

What is the aim of the second pot still distillation?

Answer 30

TO create a liquid the distiller can put on sale

Question 31

Why is the heads and tales added to the next batch of low wines?

Answer 31

Because they contain a lot of ethanol and positive congeners

Question 32

What is the hottest part of the column still?

Answer 32

the base

Question 33

In a column still, where does distillation take place?

Answer 33

On each plate of the still

Question 34

In a column still there is a constant rising of

Answer 34

ethanol and water flowing down

Question 35

In a column still what ABV can the alcohol reach?

Answer 35

96% (not achievable by pot still)

Question 36

In a column still the most volatile congeners

Answer 36

will reach the top of the still and be taken off as the heads

Question 37

The least volatile congeners will reach their

Answer 37

highest level of concentration near the bottom of the still and be taken off as the tails

Question 38

If the heart is drawn off near the middle of the column still what is its ABV

Answer 38

75%

Question 39

What types of alcohols are drawn off near the middle of the column still

Answer 39

Armagnac bourbon rhum agricole

Question 40

In the USA, a neutral spirit must be distilled to

Answer 40

95%

Question 41

In the EU a neutral spirit must be distilled to

Answer 41

96%

Question 42

What is a neutral spirit

Answer 42

when it rises near the top of a column still and has very few congeners remaining

Question 43

What is the aim of post distillation choices?

Answer 43

color, aroma, sweetness and alcohol strength

Question 44

What is the order of post distillation

Answer 44

maturation adding other flavors blending finishing

Question 45

How can oak affect the character of a spirit?

Answer 45

Add color and congeners oxygen and time concentration remove harshness

Question 46

What is the part of the barrel that evaporates

Answer 46

the angels share

Question 47

In a barrel, flavor and color come from the

Answer 47

wood

Question 48

In a barrel, harshness is removed by

Answer 48

the char of the barrrel

Question 49

What concentrates the liquid in a barrel?

Answer 49

evaporation of water and alcohol

Question 50

Inert vessels are made up of

Answer 50

stainless steel or glass

Question 51

Spirits stored in inert vessels are said to be

Answer 51

uncaged

Question 52

If kept in an inert vessel for a short amount of time,

Answer 52

the liquid doesn't change much

Question 53

After a number of months in an inert vessel,

Answer 53

spirits become smoother and more mouth filling

Question 54

What is a demijohn

Answer 54

glass vessel cognac is poured into after oak aging

Question 55

What is the purpose of a demijohn

Answer 55

stop further oxidation and concentration

Question 56

What is the aim of blending?

Answer 56

consistency and complexity

Question 57

Blending for consistency is especially important for

Answer 57

spirits aged in oak

Question 58

What are some ways to finish a liquid?

Answer 58

Adding water adding color adding sugar filtration

Question 59

What is the legal minimum bottling strength?

Answer 59

40% USA | 37.5% EU

Question 60

How is color added?

Answer 60

caramel

Question 61

what is caramel?

Answer 61

tasteless foodgrade coloring

Question 62

What is chillfiltration

Answer 62

when a distiller chills the liquid, it becomes hazy and then filters it