Distilling Grant C. Klover Beer & Spirits

Distilled Spirits Alcoholic beverage (such as brandy, whisky, rum, or arrack) that is obtained by distillation from wine or other fermented fruit or plant juice or from a starchy material (e.g.. barley) that has first been brewed. The alcoholic content of distilled liquor is higher than that of beer or wine.

The Process The four basic steps in making distilled spirits: 1.Milling--cracking the kernel of grain, 2.Mashing--converting the grain starch to grain sugar, 3.Fermenting--converting the grain sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide by the addition of yeast 4.Distilling--converting the alcohol to beverage alcohol by heating and cooling.

Milling The grain is ground into a coarse grain meal. – The milling process breaks down the protective hull covering the grain kernels and frees the grain starch. – At the end of this step, the process results in grain starch.

Mashing In the mashing step, the grain starch is converted to grain sugar. – The grain meal is mixed with pure water and cooked. – This produces a mash. – Barley malt, which is barley that has been allowed to sprout, is added to the mash. – At the end of this step, the process results in grain sugar.

Fermenting In the fermenting step, the grain sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide by the addition of yeast. – With the addition of yeast to the grain sugar, the yeast multiplies producing carbon dioxide which bubbles away and a mixture of alcohol, grain particles and congeners. – The congeners are the flavor constituents. – This process results in grain alcohol.

Distilling In the distilling step, the alcohol, grain particles, water and congeners are heated. – Since alcohol boils before water, the alcohol will vaporize first leaving the water, the grain particles and some of the congeners in the boiling vessel. – The vaporized alcohol is then cooled or condensed forming clear drops of beverage alcohol--distilled spirits. – At the end of this step, the process results in Beverage alcohol which is also known as Distilled Spirits – Video of a home Distiller making Whisky Video of a home Distiller making Whisky

Aging In the aging or maturing step, the distilled spirits are sealed in charred oak barrels where they gradually develop their distinctive taste, aroma and color over the years. – This aging period can last from two to as many as 100 years.

Blending In the blending step, spirits of different ages and which are made from different grains are combined to produce a more pleasing alcohol. – This is done with alcohols like Scotch, and Cognac

Work Cited "Bumble's Bodacious Buffet." : Spirits: Part 1. Web. 02 May Callanauger. "Distilling Whisky." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Nov Web. 02 May "Distilled Beverage." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 30 Apr Web. 02 May "Distilled Spirit (alcoholic Beverage) : Introduction." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 02 May "The European Spirits Organisation." The Distillation Process. Web. 02 May "Home Distillation of Alcohol (Homemade Alcohol to Drink)." Home Distillation of Alcohol (Homemade Alcohol to Drink). Web. 02 May Mrak, Emil M., and Herman J. Phaff. "Distilled Spirits." Access Science. Web. 02 May