All Whiskey

Whiskey Origins

Irish Celts in Ireland. First written evidence from last decade of 15th century in Scotland, by order of the King, in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland

Whiskey translations and meanings

• uisge beatha

• Water of lift

• Lively water

Worldwide agreement for distilling proof

Cannot be so high that the distillate loses its unique flavor

Main flavor profile

Comes from grain-based raw materials and the time spent in oak

US Requirements for Whiskey

• fermented mash of grain

• Distilled at less than 190 proof

• bottled at no less than 80 proof

EU Requirements for Whiskey

• grain mash made from malted cereals

• Distilled to less than 186.9 proof

• Aroma and taste reflective of the raw materials

• Aged in wooden casks no larger than 185 gallons for at least 3 years

• Bottled at minimum strength of 80 proof

Whiskey vs Whisky

Derives from translations of the word from the Scottish and Irish Gaelic forms

Whiskey: US and Ireland

Whisky: Scotland, Japan, and Canada

Four primary grains

Barley, corn, rye, and wheat

Scotch whiskey

• malted barley and other cereal grains

• Aged in oak casks in an approved warehouse for min 3 years

• Scotland

Irish whiskey

• mash of cereals

• Aged in wooden casks for min 3 years

• Ireland

Bourbon whiskey

• fermented mash of at least 51% corn

• Distilled at max 160 proof, and stored at max 125 proof

• Charred new oak containers

• Can be straight if conforming to above standards and stored for 2 years or more

• US

Tennessee whiskey

• minimum of 51% corn

• Distilled at max 160 proof and bottled at min 80 proof

• Charred new oak containers for at least 2 years

• Charcoal filtering technique, known as Lincoln County Process

American Whiskey

• Min of 51% rye, wheat, malted barley or malted rye grain

• Distilled at max 160 proof and stored at max 125 proof

• Charred new oak containers

• May be called straight if conformed to above standards and stored for 2 years min

American Single Malt Whisky

• mashed, distilled, and aged in the US, entirely in one US Distillery

• Distilled to max 160 proof

• Fermented mash of 100% malted barley

• Oak barrels (used, charred new, or un charred new)

• Bottled at min 80 proof

• Caramel coloring allowed if disclosed on label

Corn Whiskey

• mash with at least 80% corn

• 160 proof min

• No requirements for aging in oak, but if it is it must be no more than 125 proof in used or uncharted wood

Grain whiskey

• Neutral spirit

• Mash of grain

• Oak containers

White whiskey

• Can be produced from unaged corn whiskey, light whiskey, slightly aged whiskey, whiskey filtered after short time in wood, and grain neutral spirit

Why must grain be malted

Since grains are primarily made of starch, and are not directly fermentable

Barley

Most widely used grain because it has the best source of enzymes. Even.a small percentage in a recipe is sufficient to convert the starch into fermentable sugar

Milling

Grinding and separating wheat and other cereal grains in preparation for malting to make starch more available for enzyme action

Mashing

Materials are mixed with water and alternatively heated and cooled in a mash tun to convert all materials to the form of fermentable sugars suitable for yeast consumption

Purpose of Mashing

• mix proper proportions of grains

• Increase availability of the starch for enzyme action

• Convert starches into fermentable sugars

Mash Bill

Combination of grains used for mashing

Enzymes released during malting

• alpha amylase

• Beta amylase (often called distase)

• Maltose

green malt

Name for malted barley after sufficient germination during mashing

Kilning

• follows malting

• Germination is stopped in a heated kiln

• Additional flavors are introduced in the grain

• Peat may be used as fuel source

Mashing process

• biochemical process involving liquefaction and saccharification

• Mixed with hot water

• Enzymes released in malting become fully activated and are able to convert starch into sugar molecules

Washing

• In Scotland and Ireland, sugar liquid is washed, and new liquid is known as mash or wort

• Final stage is known as sparging

• In the US, sugar liquid and ground grain are generally allowed to remain together

Water

• should be iron free (iron turns golden hue into undesirable black)

• Hard: contains minerals like calcium, magnesium, or phosphates

• Soft: contains only sodium

Scotland water

Mountain streams provide soft water, which is ideal for sleeping barley

US Water

Typically contains dissolved limestone and minerals, which have been found to provide nutrients for the fermenting yeast

Fermentation

• action of yeast on the sugars in a solution, where yeast consumes and metabolizes the sugar which converts ethyl alcohol, carbone dioxide, and energy in the form of heat

• Dead yeast cells are known as lees, which are often discarded

Scotland fermentation

large, closed containers called washbacks holding up to 13,209 gallons. Made of wood or stainless steel

US Fermentation

Typically takes place in large open fermenters, some of which hold up to 20,000 gallons

Fermentation time

40-72 hours, and sometimes up to 7 days

Considered complete when content changes from sweet to slightly acidic in taste, when alcohol content is 5-10% ABV

Pot Stills

• require two separate distillations to bring the alcohol up to desired degree, but won’t reach the high level in proof that a column still can achieve

• First distillation occurs in wash still or beer still

• Second dis

Irish Poitin

• traditionally produced in rural areas away from interface of law

• Awarded GI status in 2008

• Often unaged, does not meet EU or American standards for whiskey

• Grain, sugar beet molasses, and potatoes

• Clean clean spirit with minimum ABV of 40% but sometimes bottled at 90%

• Unaged, but sometimes are aged in oak for up to 10 weeks

• Genealogy Distillery is notable producer

English Whisky

• as far back as 1600s through early 1900s several whisky distilleries in England were in operation producing grain whiskies, malt whiskies and blends

• Last operating distillery closed their doors in 1903, which was end of English Whisky

• 2003 a brewery and ciders in Cornwall joined forces to make Enligh Single Malt Whisky using locally grown barley, called Hicks & Healey Cornish Singl Malt Whiskey

What is required for spirit to be called straight whiskey in the US?

Must be aged at least 2 years in new oak containers

Which grain is most widely used in production?

Barley

Which countries traditionally use the the spelling “whisky” instead of “whiskey”?

Scotland, Japan, and Canada

What does “usage beatha” or “usage baugh” mean?

water of life

Which of the following is not a classic whiskey cocktail?

Apple Jack

What is the primary purpose of malting grains in whiskey production?

to convert starches into fermentable sugars

What is the purpose of toasting the inside of an oak barrel?

Caramelizó sugars in hemicellulose and create flavor compounds

What does the term “single grain” in Scotch whiskey mean?

Whiskey produced at single distillery using grains other than malted barley

What are the geological indications (GI) of Scotch whiskey?

Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Islay, Campbeltown

Why was the Whiskey Excise Tax of 1791 passed?

The Revolutionary War helped establish America, but it also left behind a large debt which led to the Whiskey Excise Tax of 1791

Styles

Light, Full, Rustic, Flavorful, Shows Flavor of Dominant Grain(s)

Palate

Round, Delicate, Pungent, Full-Bodied, Rich, Balanced

Other Descriptors

Mellow, Complex, Layered, Warm, Lingering