What is Alcohol?

INTRODUCTION
The first distillers were probably perfume makers who made distillates not from liquids but from flowers, scents and water. Alcohol is a product that has provided a variety of functions for people throughout all history. From the earliest times to the present, alcohol has played an important role in religion and worship. Historically, alcoholic beverages have been widely used for their medicinal, antiseptic, and analgesic properties. The role of such beverages as thirst quenchers has played an important role in enhancing the enjoyment and quality of life. They can be a social lubricant, can facilitate relaxation, can provide pharmacological pleasure, and can increase the pleasure of eating. Thus, while alcohol has always been misused by a minority of drinkers, it has proved to be beneficial to most. Alcohol is a volatile fluid obtained by fermenting a liquid containing sugar, and the strength can further be increased by distillation. The name is derived from the Arabic word al-khol. Although there are various kinds of alcohols, the main one is called methyl alcohol (methanol) and ethyl alcohol (ethanol). Methanol is used only in the industries. It is a dangerous poison when consumed. But, ethanol (C2H5OH) when consumed sensibly is a beneficial alcohol. Alcohol is sometimes used as a medicine for treatment of certain physical conditions. Ethanol (CH3CH2OH), the active ingredient in alcoholic beverages, is almost always produced by fermentation - the metabolism of carbohydrates by certain species of yeast in the absence of oxygen. The process of culturing yeast under alcohol-producing conditions is referred to as brewing. It has been suggested that alcoholic impurities (congeners) are the cause of hangovers. However, it is more likely that they are caused by ethanal, a toxic breakdown intermediate naturally produced by the liver as the alcohol is metabolised. It should be noted that in chemistry, alcohol is a general term for any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom, which in turn is bound to other carbon atoms and further hydrogens. Other alcohols such as propylene glycol and the sugar alcohols may appear in food or beverages regularly, but these alcohols do not make them "alcoholic". Alcoholic content The concentration of alcohol in an alcoholic beverage may be specified in percent alcohol by volume (ABV), in percentage by weight (sometimes abbreviated w/w for weight for weight), or in proof. The 'proof' measurement roughly corresponds in a 2:1 ratio to percent alcoholic content by volume (e.g. 80 proof 40% ABV). Common distillation cannot exceed 192 proof because at that point ethanol is an azeotrope with water. Alcohols of this purity are commonly referred to as grain alcohol and are not meant for human consumption, with the notable exception of neutral grain spirits. Most yeasts cannot grow when the concentration of alcohol is higher than about 18% by volume, so that is a practical limit for the strength of fermented beverages such as wine, beer, and sake. Strains of yeast have been developed that can survive in solutions of up to 25% alcohol by volume, but these were bred for ethanol fuel production, not beverage production. Spirits are produced by distillation of a fermented product, concentrating the alcohol and eliminating some of the by-products. Many wines are fortified wines with additional grain alcohol to achieve higher ABV than is easily reached using fermentation alone.

ALCOHOLIC STRENGTH Long before distillation became a science, the early distillers had a unique and entertaining method of testing alcoholic strength. They mixed equal quantities of spirit and gun powder and applied flame to it. If the mixture failed to ignite, the spirit was too weak; if it exploded or burned too brightly, it was too strong. If it burned evenly with a mild blue flame, it was proved suitable safe to drink. Hence the word proof. In the year 1816, from the Board of Excise a person by name Mr. Sykes introduced a hydrometer. He determined that 100 was proof of pure alcohol. 100 proof equals 57.1% alcohol and 42.9% water. This proof became very popular in UK and all spirits were sold at 70 proof. So to convert British proof into percent by volume of alcohol, you need to multiply proof by four and divide by seven. (70 X 4) / 7 = 40% A French chemist by the name Joseph Gay-Lussac invented a system that was much easier to understand. The Gay-Lussac or GL system concluded that 0 indicates no alcohol and 100 is pure alcohol. Thus, degree equals percentage. Meanwhile Americans decided that proof spirit was the balance of spirit and water and that pure alcohol should be 200. Each degree of proof equals one-half percent of alcohol by volume. So, in simple words, a spirit marketed at 90 proof would contain 45% of alcohol by volume. Flavoring Ethanol is a moderately good solvent for many "fatty" substances and essential "oils", and thus facilitates the inclusion of several coloring, flavoring, and aromatic compounds to alcoholic beverages, especially to distilled ones. These flavoring ingredients may be naturally present in the starting material, or may be added before fermentation, before distillation, or before bottling the distilled product. Sometimes the flavour is obtained by allowing the beverage to stand for months or years in barrels made of special wood, or in bottles where scented twigs or fruits or even insects have been inserted. The History of alcohol Alcoholic beverages have been widely consumed since prehistoric times by people around the world, seeing use as a component of the standard diet, for hygienic or medical reasons, for their relaxant and euphoric effects, for recreational purposes, for artistic inspiration, as aphrodisiacs, and for other reasons. Some have been invested with symbolic or religious significance suggesting the mystical use of alcohol, e.g. by Greco-Roman religion in the ecstatic rituals of Dionysus (also called Bacchus), god of drink and revelry; in the Christian Eucharist; and at the Jewish Passover. Fermented beverages Chemical analyses of organics absorbed and preserved in pottery jars from the Neolithic village of Jiahu, in Henan province, Northern China, have revealed that a mixed fermented beverage of rice, honey, and fruit was being produced as early as 9,000 years ago. This is approximately the same time that barley beer and grape wine were beginning to be made in the Middle East. Recipes have been found on clay tablets and art in Mesopotamia that show individuals using straws to drink beer from large vats and pots. Wine was consumed in Classical Greece at breakfast or at symposia, and in the 1st century BC it was part of the diet of most Roman citizens. However, both Greeks and Romans generally consumed their wine watered (from 1 parts of wine to 1 part of water, to 1 part of wine to 4 parts of water). The transformation of water into wine at a wedding feast is one of the miracles

attributed to Jesus in the New Testament, and his use of wine in the Last Supper led to it becoming an essential part of the Eucharist rite in most Christian traditions. In Europe during the Middle Ages, beer was consumed by the whole family, thanks to a triple fermentation process the men had the strongest, then women, then children. A document of the times mentions nuns having an allowance of six pints of ale a day. Cider and pomace wine were also widely available, while grape wine was the prerogative of the higher classes. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, wine production in Europe appears to have been sustained chiefly by monasteries. By the time the Europeans reached the Americas in the 15th century, several native civilizations had developed alcoholic beverages. According to a post-Conquest Aztec document, consumption of the local "wine" (pulque) was generally restricted to religious ceremonies, but freely allowed to those over 70 years old (possibly the all-time record for legal drinking age). The natives of South America manufactured a beer-like product from cassava or maize (cauim, chicha), which had to be chewed before fermentation in order to turn the starch into sugars. (Curiously, the same technique was used in ancient Japan to make sake from rice and other starchy crops.) The medicinal use of alcoholic beverages was mentioned in Sumerian and Egyptian texts dated from 2100 BC or earlier. The Hebrew Bible recommends giving alcoholic drinks to those who are dying or depressed, so that they can forget their misery. Distilled beverages Beer and wine are typically limited to a maximum 15 percent alcohol, although brewers have reached 25% alcohol. Beyond this limit yeast is adversely affected and cannot ferment. Since the fourth millennium BC in Babylonia, higher levels of alcohol have been obtained in a number of ways. It was not until the still was invented by Islamic alchemists in the 8th or 9th centuries that the history of distilled beverages began. Distilled alcohol appeared first in Europe in the mid 12th century and by the early 14th century it had spread throughout Europe. It also spread eastward, mainly by the Mongols, and was practiced in China by the 14th century. However, recent archeological evidence has supported the idea that China has had wines and distilled beverages dating back to 5000 BC. Paracelsus gave alcohol its modern name, taking it from the Arabic word which means "finely divided", a reference to distillation. Uses In places and eras with poor public sanitation, such as Medieval Europe, consumption of alcoholic beverages (particularly weak or "small" beer) was one method of avoiding water-borne diseases such as the cholera. Though strong alcohol kills bacteria, the low concentration in beer or even wine will have only a limited effect. Probably the boiling of water, which is required for the brewing of beer, and the growth of yeast, which would tend to crowd out other microorganisms, were more important than the alcohol itself. In any case, the ethanol (and possibly other ingredients) of alcoholic beverages allows them to be stored for months or years in simple wood or clay containers without spoiling, which was certainly a major factor in their popularity. In colder climates, strong alcoholic beverages such as vodka are popularly seen as a way to "warm up" the body, possibly because ethanol is a quickly absorbed source of food energy and dilates peripheral blood vessels (Peripherovascular dilation). This however is a dangerous myth, and people experiencing hypothermia should avoid alcohol. Although a drunk may feel warmer, the body loses heat and body temperature decreases, which may cause hypothermia, and eventually death. This is because of the dilation of blood vessels not in the core of the body; because of this increased bloodflow, the body loses its heat out of its less protected outer extremities. In many cultures, both contemporary and historical, alcoholic beverages mostly because of their neurological effects have also played an important role in various kinds of social interaction, providing a form of "liquid courage" (those who consume it "gain" confidence and lose discretion). While other psychoactive drugs (such as opium, coca, khat, cannabis, kava-

kava, etc.) also have millennial traditions of social use, only coffee, tea and tobacco have been as universally used and accepted as ethanol is today. Alcohol consumption and health Moderate consumption Moderate consumption of alcohol is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as no more than two drinks for men and one drink for women per day. It is defined as four drinks per day, not to exceed 14 per week for a man and three per day, not to exceed 14 per week for a woman. An exhaustive review of all major heart disease studies has found that "alcohol consumption is related to total mortality in a J-shaped manner, where moderate consumers have a reduced total mortality compared with total non-consumers and heavy consumers" (La Porte et al.). Abstaining from alcohol is a risk factor for heart attack. A logical possibility is that many of the alcohol abstainers in research studies previously drank excessively and had undermined their health, thus explaining their high levels of risk. To test this hypothesis, some studies have excluded all but those who had avoided alcohol for their entire lives. However, the conclusion remained the same: moderate drinkers are less likely to suffer heart disease. Another possibility is that moderate drinkers have more healthful lifestyles (making them healthier), higher economic status (giving them greater access to better foods or better healthcare), higher educational levels (causing them to be more aware of disease symptoms), etc. However, when these and other factors are considered, the conclusion again remains the same: moderate drinkers are less likely to suffer heart disease. Excess consumption Excess consumption is sometimes detrimental to an alcohol abusers health. The neurological effects of alcohol use are often a factor in deadly motor vehicle accidents and fights. People under the influence of alcohol sometimes find themselves in dangerous or compromising situations where they would not be had they remained sober. Operating a motor vehicle or heavy machinery under the influence of alcohol is a serious crime in almost all nations. Some people are predisposed to developing a chemical dependency to alcohol, alcoholism. The results of alcoholism are considered a major health problem in many nations. The development of alcoholism does not take place in the absence of alcohol, but neither does the presence of alcohol cause it. Types of alcoholic beverages Alcoholic beverages include low-alcohol-content beverages produced by fermentation of sugaror starch-containing products, and high-alcohol-content beverages produced by distillation of the low-alcohol-content beverages. Sometimes, the alcohol content of low-alcohol-content beverages is increased by adding distilled products, particularly in the case of wines. Such fortified wines include Port wine and Sherry. The process involved (as well as the resulting alcohol content) defines the finished product. Beer involves a relatively short (incomplete) fermentation process and an equally short aging process (a week or two) resulting in an alcohol content generally between 3-8%, as well as natural carbonation. Wine involves a longer (complete) fermentation process, and a relatively long aging process (months or years -- sometimes decades) resulting in an alcohol content between 7-18%. Sparkling wine is generally made by adding a small amount of sugar before bottling, which causes a secondary fermentation to continue in the bottle. Distilled products are generally not made from a "beer" that would normally be palatable as fermentation is normally completed, but no aging is involved until after distillation. Most are 30% or greater alcohol by volume. Liqueurs are characterized by the way in which their flavors are infused and typically have high sugar content. Spirits typically contain 37.5% alcohol or greater and are not infused with flavors during the distilling process, however some modern spirits are infused with flavors after distilling (the Swedish vodka Absolut, for instance).

Standard drinks of alcoholic beverages in the United States all contain equivalent amounts of alcohol, about 0.6 fl. oz. (American) each (17.75ml). A U.S. standard drink is a 12 ounce can or bottle of beer, a five ounce glass of dinner wine, or a 1.5 ounce drink of 40% distilled spirits (either straight or in a mixed drink). Note that in common speech, wine or brandy is made from grapes unless the fruit is specified: "plum wine" or "cherry brandy" for example, although in some cases grape-derived alcohol is added. In the USA and Canada, cider often means unfermented apple juice, while fermented cider is called hard cider. Unfermented cider is sometimes called sweet cider. Also, applejack was originally made by a freezing process which was equivalent to distillation but more easily done in the cold climate of New England. In the UK, cider is always alcoholic, and in Australia it can be either. Beer is generally made from barley, but can sometimes contain a mix of other grains. Whisky is sometimes made from a blend of different grains, especially Irish whiskey which may contain several different grains. The style of whisky (Scotch, Rye, Bourbon) generally determines the primary grain used, with additional grains usually added to the blend (most often barley, and sometimes oats). Two common distilled beverages are vodka and gin. Vodka can be distilled from any source (grain and potatoes being the most common) but the main characteristic of vodka is that it is so thoroughly distilled as to exhibit none of the flavors derived from its source material. Gin is a similar distillate which has been flavored by contact with herbs and other plant products, especially juniper berries. The name comes from the Dutch liquor genever, which in turn takes its name from the Dutch word for juniper. Effects of alcohol on the body An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol. Ethanol is a drug, and depressant, and even though alcohol is a legal drug, most societies regulate or restrict the sale and use of it. The effects of alcohol on the human body take several forms. Alcohol, specifically ethanol, is a potent psychoactive drug with a range of side effects. The amount and circumstances of consumption play a large part in determining the extent of intoxication; e.g., consuming alcohol after a heavy meal is less likely to produce visible signs of intoxication than consumption on an empty stomach. Hydration also plays a role, especially in determining the extent of hangovers. The concentration of alcohol in blood is usually given by BAC. Alcohol has a biphasic effect on the body, which is to say that its effects change over time. Initially, alcohol generally produces feelings of relaxation and cheerfulness, but further consumption can lead to blurred vision and coordination problems. Cell membranes are highly permeable to alcohol, so once alcohol is in the bloodstream it can diffuse into nearly every tissue of the body. After excessive drinking, unconsciousness can occur and extreme levels of consumption can lead to alcohol poisoning and death (a concentration in the blood stream of 0.55% will kill half the population). Death can also be caused by asphyxiation when vomit, a frequent result of overconsumption, blocks the trachea and the individual is too inebriated to respond. An appropriate first aid response to an unconscious, drunken person is to place them in the recovery position. Intoxication frequently leads to a lowering of one's inhibitions, and intoxicated people will do things they would not do while sober, often ignoring social, moral, and legal considerations. The term intoxication is typically used in legal proceedings when some crime has been committed during a state of inebriation.

Assignment: 1. Make a mind map of the topic on alcohol from the notes given here and the notes taken down during session. 2. Answer as many two marks question on alcohol as possible and submit during the next class.

Distillation:
In short: Distillation is defined as a process in which a liquid or vapour mixture of two or more substances is separated into its component fractions of desired purity, by the application and removal of heat. In detail: The process of separating a liquid's components by heating it to the point of vaporization and collecting the cooled condensate (vapor that reverts to liquid through condensation) in order to obtain a purified and/or concentrated form. The apparatus that performs distillation is called a still, of which there are two types-pot still and continuous still. The pot still (which in France is called an alembic-sometimes spelled alambic) consists of a copper or copper-lined pot with a large rounded bottom and long tapering neck connected by a copper pipe to a condenser (a cooled spiral tube). As the fermented liquid (wine for brandy, mash for whiskey) in the pot comes to a boil, it vaporizes. The vapor rises up into the still's condenser, where it cools and returns to a liquid state. This condensation (condensate), which has a higher alcohol concentration than the original mixture, is collected in a receiving compartment. However, because alcohol boils at 173.3F, water boils at 212F, and a mixture of the two boils somewhere in between, the condensed liquid still contains some water. This means that redistilling (often several times) may be necessary to achieve the appropriate alcohol level-cognac and scotch whisky are distilled twice, for example, while irish whiskey undergoes 3 distillations. Distillation is based on the fact that the vapour of a boiling mixture will be richer in the components that have lower boiling points. Therefore, when this vapour is cooled and condensed, the condensate will contain more volatile components. At the same time, the original mixture will contain more of the less volatile material. Distillation columns are designed to achieve this separation efficiently. Although many people have a fair idea what distillation means, the important aspects that seem to be missed from the manufacturing point of view are that: distillation is the most common separation technique it consumes enormous amounts of energy, both in terms of cooling and heating requirements it can contribute to more than 50% of plant operating costs The best way to reduce operating costs of existing units, is to improve their efficiency and operation via process optimisation and control. To achieve this improvement, a thorough understanding of distillation principles and how distillation systems are designed is essential. TYPES OF DISTILLATION COLUMNS There are many types of distillation columns, each designed to perform specific types of separations, and each design differs in terms of complexity. Batch and Continuous Columns

One way of classifying distillation column type is to look at how they are operated. Thus we have: batch and Continuous columns. Batch Columns In batch operation, the feed to the column is introduced batch-wise. That is, the column is charged with a 'batch' and then the distillation process is carried out. When the desired task is achieved, a next batch of feed is introduced. Continuous Columns In contrast, continuous columns process a continuous feed stream. No interruptions occur unless there is a problem with the column or surrounding process units. They are capable of handling high throughputs and are the most common of the two types. We shall concentrate only on this class of columns. Main Components of Distillation Columns Distillation columns are made up of several components, each of which is used either to tranfer heat energy or enhance materail transfer. A typical distillation contains several major components:

a vertical shell where the separation of liquid components is carried out column internals such as trays/plates and/or packings which are used to enhance component separations a reboiler to provide the necessary vaporisation for the distillation process a condenser to cool and condense the vapour leaving the top of the column

a reflux drum to hold the condensed vapour from the top of the column so that liquid (reflux) can be recycled back to the column The vertical shell houses the column internals and together with the condenser and reboiler, constitute a distillation column. DISTILLATION PRINCIPLES Separation of components from a liquid mixture via distillation depends on the differences in boiling points of the individual components. Also, depending on the concentrations of the components present, the liquid mixture will have different boiling point characteristics. Therefore, distillation processes depends on the vapour pressurecharacteristics of liquid mixtures. Vapour Pressure and Boiling The vapour pressure of a liquid at a particular temperature is the equilibrium pressure exerted by molecules leaving and entering the liquid surface. Here are some important points regarding vapour pressure: energy input raises vapour pressure vapour pressure is related to boiling a liquid is said to boil when its vapour pressure equals the surrounding pressure the ease with which a liquid boils depends on its volatility liquids with high vapour pressures (volatile liquids) will boil at lower temperatures the vapour pressure and hence the boiling point of a liquid mixture depends on the relative amounts of the components in the mixture distillation occurs because of the differences in the volatility of the components in the liquid mixture

FACTORS OF DISTILLATION The principle of distillation is that ethyl alcohol vaporizes at a lower temperature than water 78C. The distillation of alcoholic spirits depends on three factors.

Ethyl alcohol vaporizes and becomes a gas when the temperature reaches 78C. Water
boils at 100C. The STILL is an apparatus which separates water and alcohol. Water is constantly vaporizing. Therefore, most of the distillation will contain some amount of water. The minor constituents, or congeners and few organic compounds give the product a distinctive taste and aroma. Alcohols are either distilled by pot still or patent still method. THE POT STILL DISTILLATION Pot still is a slow-temperature distillation process. Due to the slow temperature, the aroma and the character are high. The pot still is shaped like a big onion. It has 2 parts namely the still and the condenser. This still is made of copper. It is therefore a good conductor of heat and does not react to any acids. This type of distillation process is time consuming but the final spirit is rich in quality and flavour. This method is also time consuming since it requires cooling, cleaning and refilling after each distillation.

Fig:1 POT STILL (outside look & dissected look)

Distillation by pot still method Fermented liquid is placed in the still

Turned over direct flame 78C Alcoholic vapor rises

Led through worm into condenser

1st part Heads or foreshots Toxic and unpalatable

2nd part Heart 80% alc Best part Channeled into spirit receiver and inturn into maturing casks Redistilled and refined. The alcoholic strength is reduced to 63% after addition if ionized water

3rd part Weak in alcohol, has impurities and nauseating oils

The spirit is now ready for resting, maturating, blending, reducing the strength, color enhancement etc. They mature only in porous containers like wood. Once bottled, It stops maturing and the quality does not change. Advantages of Pot Still The basic advantage of this pot distillation process is its simplicity. It does not require a constant supply of beer, which is often not available in minimum-labor fuel alcohol processes. It also provides a very simple equipment system. with cooking, fermentation and boiling for distillation carried out in the same vessel. This procedure may aid in sterilizing equipment between successive batches, since cooking and fermenting in the same vessel tends to heat-sterilize. Separation of the spent grain and large solids from the beer prior to heating for distillation is not necessary, an added advantage. Dis-Advantage The disadvantage of the pot distillation process and its system simplicity is lower distillation efficiency, because of the diminishing alcohol concentration in the beer under continuous boiling. Typically, a pot distillation unit requires about three times as much energy as an equivalent continuous distillation system, based on (by weight) feed 8 percent, stillage 0.4 percent and product 90 percent. Less stored heat may be used at the end of cooking when the slurry is rapidly cooled for fermentation; and heat losses during cooking and distillation heating cannot be minimized as readily as with the constant-feed process. Insulation applied to the pot to conserve heat during cooking and distillation heating may hinder cooling necessary to fermentation in the summer. Thus, amount of energy required per gallon of alcohol for the pot distillation process is high. THE PATENT STILL It was not until the late 1820s that a new form of still was invented by Robert Stien, which produced spirit in a continuous stream as long as wine, beer or some such mildly alcoholic wash was fed into it. First going into commercial production in Cameronbridge distillery in Fife, Scotland. A Dublin Excise officer, Aeneas Coffey, attended a demonstration of the new still, took the idea and developed it further, and it was Coffey's version of the continuous still that eventually caught on worldwide. This new still was called the 'Continuous Still' (also 'Column', or 'Patent', or 'Coffey Still'). In simple terms, consists of two columns, one of which has steam rising and wash descending through successive storeys inside (referred to as the 'Rectifier'). The steam stripped out the alcohol from the wash and carried over to the second column (referred to as the 'Analyzer') where it circulates until it can condense at the required strength. The benefits of the continuous still is a cheaper and purer spirit [the alcohol produced is high in strength - 90%].

Has two main parts, a 'Rectifier' and an 'Analyzer', which both resemble tall, wide tubes. They are both filled with steam. The liquid being distilled enters a pipe travelling down the rectifier, and is heated almost to boiling point The alcohol from the primary liquid vaporizes and is channelled along with the steam back to the base of the Rectifier.

Here it mixes with more steam around the pipes, bring with it more liquid to be distilled, hence a 'Continuous Still'. Roughly two-thirds up the Analyser, the vapour hits a cold plate condensing it into a liquid. This is channelled out as a distilled product. It does involve the task of emptying, cleaning and refilling. It consumes less fuel to operate Today, alternatives open to distillers are to use the labour intensive pot still which carries the fragrances and flavours of the raw material, or the faster, cheaper continuous still with its potential for high strength, pure but tasteless spirit. How does it work: Summary: Steam is fed into the base of the analyser and hot wash into the top. As the two meet on the surface of the perforated plates, the wash boils and a mixture of alcohol vapours and uncondensed steam rises to the top of the column. The spent wash runs down and is led off from the base. The hot vapours enter the rectifier at the base and as they rise through the chambers they partially condense on the sections of a long coil through which wash is flowing. The spirit vapour condenses at the top of the rectifier and is run off through a water-cooled condenser to the spirit safe and on to the spirit receiver. Once the spirit begins to be collected it runs continuously until the end of distillation. The Process in detail This distill has 2 main columns namely Analyzer and Rectifier. The role of the analyzer is to separate the parts in the wash. The role of Rectifier is to enhance the character of spirit and also to condense the alcoholic vapors. Inside each of these columns, there are chambers. These chambers are divided by copper perforated plates. There is a drip pipe that runs through these chambers. The fermented liquid or the wash enters at the top of the rectifier. The rectifier is heated with steam. As the cold wash passes through the drip pipe, its temperature increases. By the time it reaches the bottom of the rectifier, it is at boiling point. When the wash reaches the bottom, it is pumped into the other column called Analyzer. The analyzer too has chambers that are divided by perforated plates. The hot wash enters the analyzer from the top and passes through different chambers. While the hot wash is being channeled downwards, gush of steam is injected into the analyzer from the bottom. The steam boils the wash and produces alcoholic vapors. The vapors rise upward and the spent wash goes to the bottom of the column. The spent wash is removed from the still at this stage. The alcoholic vapors which rise pass through the different chambers and reach the top of analyzer. From here, it is channeled into another pipe to the bottom of the rectifier. These hot vapors pass through the perforated plates. As the fumes go up, it is met by drip pipe which is carrying the cold wash. Due to the sudden change in temperature, partial condensation of the hot vapor takes place. The vapors keep getting cooler and the wash keeps getting hotter on its way to the analyzer.

When the vapor has reached of its way up, it reaches the cold spiral plate and condenses fully. The first part of the liquid (heads) that is collected in the spirit receiver sent back for distillation. This is because it is pungent and it is unpalatable.

The pure spirit which follows subsequently is collected. This pure spirit is reduced in strength by deionised water. Deionised water is used since it does not alter the taste of the end product. After it has been treated with water, it is sent for maturing. Some of the spirits that use patent still distillation are Vodka, Gin, Rum etc. A rectified spirit or rectified alcohol is highly concentrated ethanol (drinking alcohol) which has been purified by means of rectification (repeated distillation). It is used in mixed drinks and in the production of liqueurs. FACTORS AFFECTING DISTILLATION COLUMN OPERATION The performance of a distillation column is determined by many factors, for example: Feed conditions o state of feed o composition of feed Internal liquid and fluid flow conditions State of trays (packings) Weather conditions Some of these will be discussed below to give an idea of the complexity of the distillation process. Feed Conditions The state of the feed mixture and feed composition affects the operating lines and hence the number of stages required for separation. It also affects the location of feed tray. During operation, if the deviations from design specifications are excessive, then the column may no longer be able handle the separation task. To overcome the problems associated with the feed, some column are designed to have multiple feed points when the feed is expected to containing varying amounts of components.

Vapour Flow Conditions Adverse vapour flow conditions can cause

foaming entrainment weeping/dumping flooding

Foaming Foaming refers to the expansion of liquid due to passage of vapour or gas. Although it provides high interfacial liquid-vapour contact, excessive foaming often leads to liquid buildup on trays. In some cases, foaming may be so bad that the foam mixes with liquid on the tray above. Whether foaming will occur depends primarily on physical properties of the liquid mixtures, but is sometimes due to tray designs and condition. Whatever the cause, separation efficiency is always reduced. Entrainment Entrainment refers to the liquid carried by vapour up to the tray above and is again caused by high vapour flow rates. It is detrimental because tray efficiency is reduced: lower volatile material is carried to a plate holding liquid of higher volatility. It could also contaminate high purity distillate. Excessive entrainment can lead to flooding. Weeping/Dumping This phenomenon is caused by low vapour flow. The pressure exerted by the vapour is insufficient to hold up the liquid on the tray. Therefore, liquid starts to leak through perforations. Excessive weeping will lead to dumping. That is the liquid on all trays will crash (dump) through to the base of the column (via a domino effect) and the column will have to be re-started. Weeping is indicated by a sharp pressure drop in the column and reduced separation efficiency. Flooding Flooding is brought about by excessive vapour flow, causing liquid to be entrained in the vapour up the column. The increased pressure from excessive vapour also backs up the liquid in the downcomer, causing an increase in liquid holdup on the plate above. Depending on the degree of flooding, the maximum capacity of the column may be severely reduced. Flooding is detected by sharp increases in column differential pressure and significant decrease in separation efficiency. Column Diameter Most of the above factors that affect column operation is due to vapour flow conditions: either excessive or too low. Vapour flow velocity is dependent on column diameter. Weeping determines the minimum vapour flow required while flooding determines the maximum vapour flow allowed, hence column capacity. Thus, if the column diameter is not sized properly, the column will not perform well. Not only will operational problems occur, the desired separation duties may not be achieved. State of Trays and Packings Remember that the actual number of trays required for a particular separation duty is determined by the efficiency of the plate, and the packings if packings are used. Thus, any factors that cause a decrease in tray efficiency will also change the performance of the column. Tray efficiencies are affected by fouling, wear and tear and corrosion, and the rates at which

these occur depends on the properties of the liquids being processed. Thus appropriate materials should be specified for tray construction. Weather Conditions Most distillation columns are open to the atmosphere. Although many of the columns are insulated, changing weather conditions can still affect column operation. Thus the reboiler must be appropriately sized to ensure that enough vapour can be generated during cold and windy spells and that it can be turned down sufficiently during hot seasons. The same applies to condensors. These are some of the more important factors that can cause poor distillation column performance. Other factors include changing operating conditions and throughputs, brought about by changes in upstream conditions and changes in the demand for the products. Alcohol Quiz http://www.quizmoz.com/quizzes/Liquor-Quizzes/a/Alcohol-Facts-Quiz.asp http://www.quizmoz.com/quizzes/Liquor-Quizzes/a/Alcohol-Quiz.asp

Production of Scotch Whisky

PRODUCTION The raw materials required for the production of Malt Whisky are barley, water and yeast. The production process can be broken down into five stages.

MALTING MASHING FERMENTATION DISTILLATION MATURATION

MALTING First the barley is MALTED, that is the barley is germinated to convert the starches in each grain into a simple sugar. Distillers look for plump, ripe barley with plenty of starch and not too much nitrogen. Barley is a food cereal similar to wheat and oats. It has always been the primary raw material for conversion to malt. The preference for barley over other cereals is undoubtedly the fact that the corn or seed is covered with a straw-like husk that is not removed by threshing and protects the grain during the process stages in malting. The husk subsequently serves as a filter in the mashing operations. The origin of the barley is not important. Although Scottish barley is considered to be the most suitable, due to the soil and climatic conditions, there is not enough to satisfy the industry demand. Barley is imported from England and other countries. Originally the barley was grown locally and malted at the distillery, as evidenced by the familiar pagoda-shaped roofs of the malt kilns visible at some whisky distilleries. Today only a handful of distilleries have their own maltings; these include Highland Park, Glenfiddich, Bowmore, Laphroaig and Springbank. Specialist maltsters can provide distillers with more consistent malt made to their detailed specifications. A grain of barley consists of two main parts, the Embryo and the Endosperm. The embryo is the important part of the corn, all the organs which will develop into a future plant being present there in a modified form. The Endosperm is the chief food storage organ of the seed from which the Embryo draws its food supplies in the early stages of germination. Also present in the corn, both in the Embryo and the Endosperm (to a limited extent) are substances known as proteins. Also secreted in the barley are Enzymes, which develop during germination and, in association with other Enzymes formed in the process, degrade the starch hydrolytically to provide simple fermentable sugars. The object of malting is, therefore, to develop Enzymes and in particular Diastase of Malt and to modify or make friable the starch contained in the grain. This is carried out in three stages, steeping, germinating and kilning or drying. These processes must be affected in such a manner as to provide maximum fermentable matter (Malt Extract), adequate Diastatic Power and ensure minimum malting loss due to respiration etc.

STEEPING The steeping cycle in the steep tanks is variable according to the quality of the barley and is, of course, dependent on the time taken for the moisture content of the barley to rise to the desired level. Generally a 60-hour cycle is adequate. During this period the water will have been changed at least three times, air rests, the number and lengths of periods having been first determined, will have taken place and regular periods of aeration of the steep water will also have been carried out. GERMINATION Until recent years, floor malting was operated in the conversion of barley to malt. The disadvantage of this system is the difficulty of removing or counteracting the influence exerted on the malting process by atmospheric conditions. A large amount of space is necessary and the cost of employing the essential skilled workers is high. Today floor malting is practically non-existent and the germination process is usually carried out in pneumatic malting either Box Malting or Drum Malting. Box Malting are generally more common and the essential feature is that temperature controlled air, saturated with moisture to a humidity of 100%, is passed through the bed of germinating grain contained in a concrete box and via perforations in the box floor. This system provides ideal conditions for the germination of the barley to proceed irrespective of the atmospheric conditions. The germination period is reduced in comparison with floor malting, production increased and a considerable economy affected in labor. Turners are provided in the germinating box to ensure that all the grain contained therein is kept free, leveled and receive similar treatment in the passage of air throughout the bed. Having sprouted, the barley is now termed "green malt" and is ready for drying. KILNING OR DRYING Germination having been completed the grain or "green malt" as it is now termed is transferred by screw and elevator to the Malt Kiln for drying. In Kilning, perfect control as far as is possible, should be established over the temperature of drying and economy in the use of Fuel. The Kiln is a tower shaped structure with a furnace provided at the base. The hot air chamber is located above the furnace.It distributes the heat from the furnace evenly under the wedge wire floor on to which the grain has been spread. The wedge wire floor is so constructed as to allow an easy passage for the hot air to pass through the grain. The upward draught of hot air may be natural but is often assisted by a powered fan. The furnace is a simple grate in which coke or anthracite and peat is burned. The drying of the grain performs the following functions.

It stops germination and modification and fixes the Enzymes. It reduces the Diastatic Power of the grain which was at its maximum in "green malt". It physically changes and forms the malt into a condition suitable for milling or grinding at a subsequent stage. It imparts a flavor to the malt as a result of the use of peat in the furnace.

Peat is formed from decomposed vegetable matter and the peat "reek" or smoke given off from combustion is imparted to the Malt. In the early drying stages whilst the grain is in a soft moist condition the peat "reek" permeates into the corns. In the latter drying stages the outer skin of the seeds will also be flavored.

Finally, on termination of the Kilning the Malt is removed to be stored in Bins for five to six weeks. This period of time is necessary to allow the heat to be dissipated naturally. The use of hot Malt is not conducive to the satisfactory function of one of the later functions, i.e., Fermentation. In preparation for the next stage, Mashing, the malted barley must first be ground and this is carried out on a four-roller mill. Magnets are installed in the Mill to prevent pieces of metal passing through and making contact with the revolving rolls. Such an occurrence could cause a spark within the mill and create a fire and/or explosion. The quality and consistency of the ground malt or Grist is all important if maximum extraction of fermentable matter is to be obtained in the Mashing operation. An ideal Grist should have as many of the husks as is possible, unbroken in appearance, although they should have been split open to release the starch. Unbroken husks provide a more buoyant Mash and give better filtration in the Mash-Tun by allowing the liquor to percolate through. Husks that have been crushed into numerous small pieces are liable, due to liquid pressure, to pack and thus impair drainage in and from the Mash-Tun. In so far as the starch is concerned it is the aim of the Millman to break it down into minute gritty particles without creating flour. Some flour is unavoidable but this should be kept to a minimum. Fine grits allow the water to mix readily but flour resists mixing. If too much flour has been produced it creates bad filtration and often "soggy" or "sticking" mashes giving bad drainage. A visual examination of the grist provides an experienced operator with a good idea of the quality. To obtain maximum efficiency, however, it is essential to know the exact quality of the grind. For this purpose a hand screening box which, when shaken, can separate a sample into three portions is used. Ideal Grist should have the following components. 1. 2. 3. Coarse Materials and Husks 14% by weight Fine Grits 78% by weight Flour 8% by weight

Barley seeds and consequently Malt corns vary in size and it is therefore necessary to close or open the Mill Rolls to ensure that a Grist of the quality described is obtained. This entails regular sampling and checking by the Millman in order to obtain a Grist, which will provide the maximum Mash Tun Extract of fermentable matter. MASHING The object of Mashing is to render soluble and to dissolve as much of the valuable contents of the Malt as is possible. This produces a sweet liquid or sugar solution termed Wort containing in addition to the sugars intermediate products. The materials used in the Mashing process are Water and ground Malted Barley. The quality of the water plays an important part throughout this process and finally in the quality of the spirit produced. All waters tend to differ to some extent in the quantity and type of minerals and organisms contained therein. Generally speaking, hard waters are considered unsuitable and soft waters are preferred. An ideal process water would be one rising from a whinstone or granite strata, acid in nature and flowing through peaty soil with a minimum of metal content.

Springs and burns should be protected, wherever possible, to prevent contamination and water tanks and pipes should be scoured and sterilized frequently. It is undesirable to use water that has lain in tanks and pipes for some time. Such water may well contain bacterial and dissolved metals. In short, poor quality water should never be used in the process and regular analyses can assist in this respect. The only cereal in the production of Malt Spirit is malted barley. Malt, as stated, contains a high percentage of starch together with enzymes that possess the power to convert starch to sugar when mixed or mashed with water. Enzymic action is influenced to a large extent by temperature, Ph and concentration of the mash. The ground malt or Grist is conveyed to a hopper or bin situated above the Mash-Tun and mashing can commence. The Mash-Tun is a circular metal vessel provided with mechanical stirrers that revolve and rotate to thoroughly mix the Mash of Grist and Water as necessary. A perforated false bottom, to allow the liquor to drain through and discharge to a holding tank termed a Worts Receiver, covers the whole surface of the bottom of the Mash-Tun. Whilst the liquor drains off through the perforations the grains are retained in the Mash-Tun. The process involves the application of three waters. First Water Hot water at a temperature of 156F and the Grist are brought together simultaneously in a Mashing Machine, situated above and discharging into the Mash-Tun. The mixing of the Grist and the Water combines to give a striking temperature of 148F - 149F. When the Mash-Tun has been filled to the required capacity the temperature of the mass should be 147F 148F. At this temperature the desired conversion proceeds rapidly. Great care must be exercised in regulating mashing temperatures, as variations will seriously affect the fermentability of the liquor. The Mash is allowed to sit for 1 hour to ensure maximum conversion at this temperature. The Wort is, thereafter, drained into the Wort's receiver, cooled through a Heat Exchanger and pumped to the fermenting vessels called Wash Backs. It is necessary to cool the Wort as Yeast, which is added to the sugar solution, will not live or propagate in high temperatures. The Wort is therefore cooled to 72F at which temperature fermentation is rapidly incited by the action of the Yeast. In cooling the Wort in the Heat Exchanger the cooling agent is, of course, water and the heat from the Wort is transferred to same resulting in warm water at a temperature of 125F being returned to the Brewing Tanks for further use. This practice effects a saving in steam and consequently an economy in the use of coal. Second Water All the First Water liquor having been drained from the Mash-Tun a second Water is added to the bulk of the grains left in the Mash-Tun. No more Grist is added and the Second Water is applied at 172F giving a temperature of the mixture in the Mash-Tun of 157/159F. Quantitively the Second Water is usually about half that used for the First Water. The temperature is raised to further assist extraction and render soluble ant starch particles which had not been dissolved at the lower temperature of the First Water. The Mash, when the Second Water has been added, is again left "sitting" for a period of thirty minutes for conversion to take place. The liquor is thereafter drained, cooled and passed to the Wash Back.

Third Water The grains left in the Mash-Tun still contain a small percentage of sugars. This is too valuable to lose and accordingly a Third Water raised to a temperature of 190F - 195F is applied. The stirrers, in this instance, are used vigorously to ensure thorough mixing and complete the final extraction. The liquor from the Third Water, which is a very weak sugar solution, is termed Sparge. It is returned to the Brewing Tanks to be used as the mashing liquor of the First Water of the next Mash. These operations should, therefore, obtain maximum extraction and minimum loss. The grains left in the Mash-Tun are, after the Third Water liquor has been drained off, removed mechanically and sold to Dairy Farmers. A high milk yield is forthcoming from the use of these grains known as Draff. FERMENTATION YEAST Yeast is a unicellular microorganism, that is to say, it is a living organism whose individual units are visible only under the microscope. It belongs to the planet kingdom and is classified as one of the fungi. There are many different species of yeast but the one normally encountered in the distilling and brewing industries is called Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. To give some ideas of the minute size of this micro-organism, three fully grown yeast cells placed end to end will measure only one thousandth part of an inch and in a 1 lb packet of yeast, there are approximately seven billion cells. (7,000,000,000,000). REPRODUCTION VEGETATIVE: - The usual way in which yeast reproduces itself is by "budding" i.e. asexual means of propagation. A small protuberance first appears on the cell wall and gradually grows until a new cell is formed. This new cell can have a daughter cell of its own and so on. With ideal growth conditions one yeast cell can produce thirty yeast cells in three days. SPORULATION: - this is also an asexual means of propagation which is very much more rare. When a yeast cell finds itself in a position where growth conditions are adverse, for example, when there is little or no food available, it forms spores. Within each cell four spores are formed and these eventually rupture the cell wall and escape into the surrounding liquid. Some of these spores are male and some female and when conditions are once again favorable and food is available pairs of spores unite to form new yeast cells. ACTION OF YEAST IN WORT When yeast is introduced into a sugar solution such as Wort there are three ways in which it utilizes the sugar. 1. For multiplication i.e. it uses sugar to form new cell material. 2. Fermentation: - This is an anaerobic reaction in that it occurs in the absence of air. 3. Respiration:- This is an aerobic reaction and occurs if a constant source of oxygen is available. The action of the yeast when added to the Wort can be divided into three phases. (1) The lag phase where there is little fermentation. The yeast is busy adapting itself to its new surroundings and this is the period when contaminating bacteria can cause a great deal of damage. (2) The log phase being the period of rapid fermentation when there is a rapid rise in

temperature and fermentation is so vigorous that "switchers", rotating metal blades, must be employed to keep down the frothy head. (3) Phase of restricted growth where the fermentation slows down and eventually terminates. Yeast (1% by volume) is added as soon as possible to the cooled Wort being pumped into the Wash Back. This is done in the very early stages in order to quickly establish fermentation. It is more readily accomplished by providing the yeast with the ideal nutrient, the strong high gravity Wort of the initial liquor from the First Water. A strict control is kept on the Wort temperature and maintained until all the Wort from both the first and second waters has been collected in the Wash Backs. When all the Wort has been collected in the Wash Back the final temperature should be around 72F. however, if the sugar concentration of the Wort is likely to be high and a very quick acting yeast has been used, the collection or setting temperature should be dropped two or three degrees. A rise in temperature takes place during fermentation from 72F - 94F. If the temperature exceeds the last figure and the temperature rise has been excessively rapid, this can destroy the yeast resulting in a poor fermentation and loss of spirit. Great care must therefore be exercised in the setting temperature and due allowance made for any abnormalities such as high concentration of sugars in the Wort. The rate of fermentation is variable and is dependent on many factors such as the type of yeast, quantity, its condition, the setting temperature, the temperature in the Fermenter Room, the type of malt, the available Diastase, suspended solids in the Wort, mashing temperatures, purity of water and so on. Sometimes fermentation will appear to be continuing after fifty hours. Generally fermentation after forty-eight hours is negligible. The cause of poor fermentation can be attributed to a number of factors, some of which are given below. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) The use of Malt low in Diastasic Power. Bacterial infected yeast. Excessively high percentage of dead cells in yeast. Incorrect mashing temperatures. Bacterial infection in vessels, pipes, pumps, valves etc.

It is of paramount importance that all vessels in the mashing and fermentation processes be kept 100% clean and free from bacteria. To this end a very strict cleaning and sterilization of all plant is adhered to and no relaxation of the cleaning operations is permissible. Bacterial infection can have a serious effect on the yield of spirit and also adversely affect the quality of the spirit. DISTILLATION Distilling takes place in pairs of copper pot stills with tall 'swan-necks'. One is usually larger than the other, otherwise their shapes, heights and sizes vary from distillery to distillery. The life of a still is between 15 and 30 years, depending on how hard it is used. The two main operations in distilling are turning liquid into vapor and then vapor into liquid i.e. vaporization and then condensation. Distillation is simply a means of separation by these

operations. A liquid can be separated from solids or one liquid from another and either the distillate or the residue collected. The wash is pumped into the larger of the two stills, called the 'wash still', where it is brought to the boil. Stills are either heated directly from below (by gas, oil or coal) or from within by steam heated coils, not unlike those found in electric kettles. The Wash contains solids such as dead yeast etc. from the fermentation process and it is necessary to keep these solids in suspension during the distillation period. This is done by means of a "rummager" inside the still. The "rummager" consists of three rotating arms to which are affixed webs of copper chain and also brass links. The webs scour the bottom and flue plates of the Still. This prevents the adherence of solids and thereby prevents the Still from being burnt. The temperature has to be carefully controlled to prevent the foaming wash from rising up the swan-neck and into the condenser. A small window in the neck tells the distiller how far the wash has risen. The alcoholic vapors and steam rise over the neck and into the condenser - essentially a series of pipes in a cold-water jacket. Here the vapors return to liquid at about 21 per cent alcohol and are termed low wines. The Low Wines, thereafter, flow through the Spirit Safe, which is the control point of distilling operations, to a vessel called the Low Wines & Feints receiver. Inside the Spirit Safe, fabricated of brass or copper and glass and kept securely locked by the Customs & Excise, samples of the running distillate may be drawn and the strength tested by means of a hydrometer located inside the Safe. They then pass through into the second still, the 'low wines still' or 'spirit still'. The same process is repeated in the second distillation, but this time the distiller watches the spirit carefully as it passes through the spirit safe. The early part of the run (known as 'foreshots') is pungent and impure. He test the spirit by adding water (which turns it cloudy), measuring its specific gravity and watching the clock, and until the foreshots run clear, he directs it back to the low wines and feints charger to be redistilled. This takes between 15 and 45 minutes depending on the size of the still. When he is sure that the run is clear, the stillman redirects the spout and begins to collect the spirit for maturing. This is 'new make', and will run between two and fours hours, depending on the size of the still, commencing at about 70 to 75 percent alcohol and decreasing steadily down to between 60 to 65 percent. The precise strengths, the speed at which he operates his still and the length of time he saves spirit (known as the 'cut') is part of his art and influences the flavor and quality of the product. It varies from distillery to distillery but the 'new make' may be about one third of the spirit distilled. Only part of the run is collected, because about halfway through the second distillation, various oily compounds called 'feints' begin to vaporize. They are mild and pleasant at first, lending character and flavor to the whisky, but in time their intensity increases to such a degree that to continue to collect the spirit will spoil the whole batch.

The stillman will again direct the distillate to the low wines and feints charger for re-distillation. Distilling continues until all that is left is 'spent lees' (more or less water). The distillation of 1,500 gallons (6,800 liters) of low wines and feints normally takes about six hours. MATURATION In this discourse up to this point no mention has been made of whisky. This is simply because the spirit produced cannot legally be termed Scotch Whisky until it has been matured in oak casks for at least three years. If it is intended to sell the Malt Spirit as a single Malt Whisky then at least eight years maturation or preferably ten to twelve years will be necessitated. No reputable distiller would market Malt Whisky or even Blended Whisky at such an immature age as three years. The maturation of whisky i.e. the change from a raw harsh spirit to the smooth, mellow aromatic whisky, so acceptable to most, is to a great extent a closed book. It is known, of course, that the spirit vaporizes and permeates through the cask into the atmosphere and that moisture from the atmosphere is drawn into and mixed with the spirit in the cask. It is also known that, proportionally, the congenerics change in relation to their original content in new spirit. This is, of course, due to the variance in vaporization tendencies. Many millions of gallons of spirit are lost due to the vaporization during maturation. In the past efforts have been made to artificially mature whisky. These efforts, one is glad to state, have proved unsuccessful. Electrolysis, the use of Catalysts and other methods have all been tried but not with any real degree of success. It is to be hoped that no artificial process of quick maturation will be forthcoming and thus ensure that, although more and more chemistry is being applied to the production of Scotch Whisky, it will still remain an art and not a science

The angels share

The advantage of oak for maturing alcohol is that it is not airtight. It lets surrounding air enter the cask (which explains the salted taste of a whisky aging near the sea), but is also lets evaporate the whisky it contains. It is generally admitted that between 1 en 2% a year evaporates this way. Evaporation can affect water contained in the cask, but also the alcohol itself, resulting in a diminution of the alcohol percentage. That is called "the angels share". However, this percentage is theoretical, because this could result in a strange situation, as old whiskies (30 years and more) would lose their right to be called whisky. Indeed, assuming a whisky has about 70% of alcohol when it leaves the spirit still, and loses about 1% of alcohol a year a 30 years old whisky would just have a percentage of 40%, which is the lowest limit for a whisky. The angels share is indeed the part of alcohol which escapes to excise rights. Excise rights are calculated on the amount of alcohol coming out of the still (and not on the amount of water). As this amount is diminishing over the years, it would not be fear to tax the marketed whisky based on the alcohol percentage it had when it was distilled... The nature of the warehouse is also very important. A damp cellar or a dry cellar will influence the evaporation of the spirit differently. In a dry cellar (with a concrete floor), water will evaporate mainly, letting a dryer whisky with a higher alcoholic percentage. In a damp warehouse (beatenearth floor) the alcohol will evaporate, letting a rounder whisky, with a smoother taste.

Bottling
Bottling is the last step before putting the whisky on the market. Unlike wine, whisky does not mature anymore in the bottle. So a 12 years old whisky stays a 12 years old even 12 years later, and does not become a 24 years old one.... When bottling, some residues are left in the whisky. The effect of this is that whisky looks "cloudy", and this is not always appreciated by the consumer. That's why distilleries found out the "chill filtering", which removes all this residues. The problem with chill filtering is that it also removes parts of the fragrances and of the taste. During bottling, the alcohol percentage is reduced. This is the other operation where the quality of water has a great influence on the taste of whisky. The minimum percentage of alcohol for whisky is 40%. Most of the bottles are marketed at this percentage, because the excise rights are calculated on the alcohol proportion in the bottle. Often whisky is not diluted when bottled. That's called cask strength bottling. Generally, the casks are mixed before bottling, to get a more standardized product, just like great wines. When the whisky comes from just one cask, it is called "single cask".

Useful sites
Whisky
Variety: http://www.examiner.com/x-12276-Austin-Bartender-Examiner~y2009m6d9-Liquor-101-Whiskey Bottles: http://webexpedition18.com/articles/amazing-whiskey-bottles-and-packages-for-your-inspiration/

Taste: http://www.wikihow.com/Taste-Single-Malt-Scotch A-Z http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/whiskey.aspx Cooking - http://www.scotchwhisky.net/cooking/index.htm Videos: http://www.bruichladdich.com/windows(mpg_&_wmf).htm Quiz: http://www.quizmoz.com/quizzes/Liquor-Quizzes/w/Whiskey-Quiz.asp Quiz 1: http://health.howstuffworks.com/alcohol-quiz.htm Short note on making Single Malt Whisky Obtain sugar source, ferment, cook resulting beer to increase strength and mature for several years. 1. Malting - Sugar source

Encourage germination: Steep barley in water, so enzymes (fructase, maltase) turn the starch present in to sugar.

2.

Kilning smoke drying

Stops germination to prevent sugar being used for growing. Dries damp barley ready for milling. Peat smoke flavours the barley grains. 3. Milling Flour creation

By grinding the harden barley grains a Grist is obtained (65% husk, 25% middle and 10% flour) making it possible to extract the sugars. 4. Mashing Sugar extraction

Using large vessel (Mash Tun), hot water is percolated through grist to extract dissolved sugars, creating hot, sweet water (wort). 5. Fermenting alcohol creation

Cooled wort is put in fermentation vats (Wash-Backs), Yeast is added to eat the sugar and create weak alcohol called wash. 6. Distilling concentration of alcohol

Wash is cooked in stills vaporising at 80. The vapour is cooled until it recondenses to become 30% spirit (low wines). This is repeated to obtain 70% spirit. The best bit (middle cut) is retained. 7. Maturing whisky creation

Raw British spirit is transformed in to mellow whisky by maturation in top quality oak casks over several years the longer the better. STYLES OF SCOTCH WHISKY Blended Whiskies: These whiskies are produced from a blend of malt and grain whisky usually 50/50 basis. Blends that use a higher proportion of malt whisky are called Deluxe whiskies. If there an age showing on the label it will reflect the number of years the youngest whisky in the blend has matured in cask. Whisky only improves when it is maturing in the cask. Blended Whiskies Black & White Teachers VAT 69 Bells Deluxe blends

Chivas Regal Johnnie Walker Haigs Dimple Antiquary

Malt Whisky: This is made entirely from malted barley.

Single cask malt: Exceptionally high quality whisky put to mature in a particular cask for a number of years. Single Malt: Sometimes known as straight malt. It is the unblended product of one single distillery. Vatted malt: A marriage of single malts from different distilleries.

SCOTCH PRODUCING REGIONS

1. 2. 3. 4.

Highland malts Lowland Malts Campbeltown malts Island or Seaside Malts There are many malts made in the Islands. E.g.: Islay, Jura, Mull, Syke.

Irish whiskey HISTORY King Henry II invaded Ireland in 12th century. The natives were drinking uisge beatha. By 1500, there was so much drunkenness that there was a law against it. Tax was imposed on the 1228 distilleries operating at that time. By the end of 1887, there were altogether only 28 distilleries in Ireland. In 1966, three companies namely John Jameson, John Power and Cork Distillers combined to for the IRISH DISTILLERS COMPANY. The oldest distillery in the world called the Old Bushmill founded in 1608 joined the Irish Distillers Company in 1972. FACTS

Here the pot still and patent still work side by side Most of the Irish whiskey are blended from both stills It is made from malted barley and other grains It is always triple distilled The legal maturing period for Irish Whiskey is 5 years. Sherry casks and charred American barrels are often used which gives it a distinctive smooth finish BRAND NAMES ARE: Bushmill Jameson Tullamore Dew Paddy Irish Powers Gold Label Middleton Rare American Whiskey The art of distilling was brought to America by Irish and Scottish immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. The product became so popular that in 1791 George Washington imposed a tax on it. This led to the whiskey rebellion of 1794. The temperance movement and others had it banned by the notorious Fourteenth Amendment of November 1920. This led to Prohibition which lasted 13 long years, ending in 1933. In 1964 the 38th Congress of the United States codified the various types of whiskey.

Rye whiskey Rye whiskey is made from a mash containing not less than 51% rye. Most comes from Pennsylvania and Maryland and there is a wide variety of quality and styles. There are some straight ryes, but the majorities are blended with other whiskies or neutral spirit. Ex: Jim Beam Corn whiskey Made from a mash containing 80% maize, this gets little ageing and has a fiery flavour. Straight whiskey Unblended and made from one type of grain, this is aged for atleast 2 years in charred oak casks Blended Whiskey This is a combination blend of straight and neutral spirits. Bourbon whiskey The classic American Whiskey, this was named after Bourbon County, Kentucky where it was first made. In 1789 the Reverend Elijah Craig, a Baptist Minister, set up a still beside a limestone creek in the Blue Grass Mountain of Kentucky and sold his product as Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey. It is produced from mash containing 51% maize but more usually the mash contains up to 70% maize. Famous examples of this quality whiskey are Jim Beam, Old Crow, Old Forrester, Old Granddad, Wild Turkey, Four Roses and Makers Mark. Sour Mash Bourbon This is made from a mash which is fermented by using yeast from a previous fermentation. Typical examples are Makers Mark and Eagle Rare. Tennessee: e.g. Jack Daniels Canadian whisky HISTORY OF CANADIAN WHISKY Canada has been making distilled spirits for over two centuries according to Canadian Distillers Association. The first Canadian distillery was opened in Quebec City in 1769. Canada had its own Prohibition too, from 1916 to 1917. During this ban, alcohol production was limited only to military, medicinal, scientific, mechanical, and industrial purposes. When American Prohibition was repealed in 1933, Canadian whisky became popular once again, this time legally, both in Canada and in the United States. By definition, Canadian whisky is a grain spirit that has been aged in charred oak barrels for a minimum of three years. Canadians tend to give John Molson a credit as the first distiller to produce whisky in Canada in 1799. The most important grain ingredient used in Canadian whisky is corn. Master blenders of each distillery would usually take different types of matured whiskies to blend with a house recipe. When the criteria of quality and consistency are met by their

standard, whisky is sent off for the final step to be packaged. At Canadian Club distillery, blending takes place before aging their whiskies. FACTS OF CANADIAN WHISKY Canadian whisky is made from a mixture of grains namely corn, wheat, malted barley and rye.

Wheat

Rye

Corn

It is mostly made in multi columned continuous still. It is made is charred oak casks. It is slightly sweet in flavour; light in body and flavour. It is a very good mixer, used for cocktail preparations. BRAND NAMES Canadian Club Seagrams Crown Royal Royal Reserve Windros Wisers Deluxe A GLOSSARY OF WHISKY TERMS Scotch: means simply that the whisky was distilled and matured in Scotland. Scotch comes from Scotland. Malt Whisky: This indicates that the raw material is barley malt, by itself fermented with yeast and distilled. This produced a far superior whisky to the common grain whisky found in blends. Malt: Malt is essentially barley which has been allowed to germinate by soaking in water then has been dried by the application of heat. The malting process converts the stored starch into soluble compounds such as the sugar maltose and by so doing makes fermentation possible. Drying the malt over a furnace stops the germinating process and adding peat imparts an aroma to the malt. Blended Scotch: Such a whisky contains a variable proportion of blended malt and grain whiskies, commonly about 40% malt: 60% grain. A good quality blend may contain more than 40% malt, a cheap one much less. Age Statement: This gives the age of the youngest component of the whisky. Note that maturation stops at bottling so both the year and the age may be significant. A 12-year-old whisky bottled 4 years ago is still a 12-year-old, not a 16-year-old though different years may occasionally be quoted. The Malt Kiln: The fully germinated malt is next transferred to the kiln for drying on a mesh over a fire containing a certain amount of peat, thus contributing to the peaty taste evident in many malt whiskies.

Dressing: The malt contains rootlets. These are removed and used as cattle food. The malt is then coarsely ground and becomes known as 'malt grist'. This process is called dressing the malt. Casks: Principally two types of cask are used - Olorosso sherry casks and American oak Bourbon casks. Some distilleries use intact barrels. The barrel may be charred before use. No two casks are the same - one may produce a fine whisky and may be refilled and used again whereas its neighbour may taste woody after one filling. Saccharify: To saccharify means to convert to sugar. In whisky distilling it refers to the process which takes place during the malting and mashtun stages by which enzymes in the malt, referred to as diastase; turn the starch in the cereals into sugar ready for the fermenting action of the yeast. Diastase: When conditions of temperature and moisture flavour germination, the embryo and associated parts of the barley grain secrete a mixture of enzymes commonly known as diastase. These act to modify and make soluble the starch in the barley, thus preparing it for conversion at a later stage to maltose. Wort: Wort is the liquid drawn off the mash-tun in which the malted and unmalted cereals have been mashed with warm water. Wort contains all the sugars of the malt and certain secondary constituents. After cooling, it is passed to the fermenting vats. In Malt distilleries the cereals are all malted; in Grain distilleries a proportion only is malted, the remainder being unmalted. In some cases, Grain distilleries do not separate off wort, passing the complete mash to the fermentation vessels. Wash: The wort or mash technically becomes wash as soon as yeast is added to start fermentation. However, the term is usually used to refer to the liquid at the end of the fermentation. It is the wash which forms the raw material of the first distillation in the Pot Still process and of the only distillation in the Patent Still process. Worm: The worm and its surrounding bath of cold running water, or worm-tub, form together the condenser unit of the Pot Still process of manufacture. The worm itself is a coiled copper tube of decreasing diameter. It is kept continuously cold by running water. In it the vapours from the still condense. Low wines: This is the name given to the product of the first distillation in the Pot Still process of manufacture. It is the distillate derived from the wash and contains all the alcohol and secondary constituents and some water. It forms the raw material of the second distillation, which is carried out in the Spirit Still. The feints and foreshots are added to the low wines when the Spirit Still is charged. Foreshots: Foreshots is the term applied to the first fraction of the distillate received during the distillation of the low wines in the Spirit Still used in the Pot Still process of manufacture. They form the first raw runnings of this second distillation and their collection is terminated by the judgment of the stillman. The following fraction of the distillate is the potable spirit. The foreshots are returned to the still, together with the feints. Feints: Feints is the name given to the third fraction of the distillate received from the second distillation in the Pot Still process (Tails). They form the undesirable last runnings of the distillation. As noted above, they are returned with the foreshots to the Spirit Still when it is recharged with low wines.

Principal by-products of Scotch Whisky: The liquids and solids remaining after distillation are not wasted. It now makes an important contribution to the animal foodstuffs industry. These are extremely rich in protein and are sold in small form to farmers who use them to enrich cattle food. Grain Whisky distilleries usually recover the carbon dioxide produced during the fermentation stage. This has several applications in industry and in the production of soft drinks. Green Malt: This is the term used to describe the germinated barley. It is still alive so must be kiln-dried to stop the germination process.

Brandy
Brandy has a long and ancient history. Concentrated spirits of wine were first used in ancient Greece and Rome, both as an antiseptic and as a primitive anesthetic. As early as the 13th century, a kind of brandy was being made from wine in both Spain and Italy. The French did not begin making this spirit until more than 100 years later. Brandy is distilled from fruits such as grapes, apples, blackberries, and apricots just to name a few. It is distilled around the globe. Depending on the region of origin and the type of fruit used, brandy can be classified into many different categories: Cognac and Armagnac, both French brandies, Applejack, an American apple brandy, Grappa, a grape brandy, etc. Brandy is, in essence, distilled wine. Most brandies are bottled at eighty proof, meaning 40% alcohol content. Brandy has a unique rating system intended to make identification of its many different types and aging categories. The letters C, E, F, O, P, S, and V are used to describe the different varieties. C means cognac, E means extra, F means fine, O means old, P means pale, S means special, and V means very special. Combinations of these letters are used to distinguish different types of brandy. For example, VSOP is very special old pale which is aged for five years in a wood cask and often called five star brandies. There is also other vocabulary that brandy drinkers are familiar with. Napoleon means the brandy is at least six years old, usually much older. Vintage means that the liquor must be kept inside a wooden cask until the time it is bottled, and Hors Dage means the exact age of the brandy is unknown. Brandy is best served at room temperature. Long before the sixteenth century wine was enjoying its status as one of the most popular drinks in Europe. In 1512 a Dutch trader, searching for a way in which to transport larger quantities of wine, found that by removing the water from the wine he get more casks of wine onto his ship. He could then add the missing water back to the wine when he reached his destination. This was known as brandewijn which meant burnt wine in Dutch and eventually became brandy. Cognac, one of the more famous and popular brandies, originated in the seventeenth century when the Cognacais family began to double distill their wines. This drink quickly became one of the most essential and profitable exports in France. It was first exported to Holland, the birthplace of the liquor, and was soon expended to England, the Far East, and the New World. In France cognac became the drink of choice for the aristocracy. The King use to partake of its fruity and potent taste with strict regularity. Cognac, both then and to this present day, is produced in the Cognac region of France. Cognac it made from white wine, which is produced from the vineyards of this area.

Brandies saw their introduction into the New World in the late seventeenth century. Spanish monks, who developed a taste for the drink before they left Europe, brought with them to the New World many casks of Brandy. However, when they ran out of it they quickly found that the native grapes that grew in California were a perfect source for brandy. They also found that other fruits could be used to produce the much-loved drink. At this time several other counties were also discovering the cacophony of fruit that brandy could be derived from. Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Australia, and South Africa were all producing fruit brandy by the end of the eighteenth century.
"Brandy" is derived from brandywijn, a word of Dutch origin for "burnt wine". Created in a still to

leave the water and remove the alcoholic vapour which condenses back into liquid form as it cools. In other languages too, it is the burning that is the essential feature. Brandy was discovered by accident. However, this accident has led to an entirely new market. It has many different types and offer many different levels of sweetness, bitterness, and smoothness. Grape Brandy is Brandy distilled from fermented grape juice or crushed but not pressed grape pulp and skin. This spirit is aged in wooden casks (usually oak) which colors it, mellows the palate, and adds additional aromas and flavors. Pomace Brandy (Italian Grappa and French Marc are the best-known examples) is Brandy made from the pressed grape pulp, skins, and stems that remain after the grapes are crushed and pressed to extract most of the juice for wine. Pomace Brandies, which are usually minimally aged and seldom see wood, are an acquired taste. They often tend to be rather raw, although they can offer a fresh, fruity aroma of the type of grape used, a characteristic that is lost in regular oak-aged Brandy. Fruit Brandy is the default term for all Brandies that are made from fermenting fruit other than grapes. It should not be confused with Fruit-Flavored Brandy, which is grape Brandy that has been flavored with the extract of another fruit. Fruit Brandies, except those made from berries, are generally distilled from fruit wines. Berries tend to lack enough sugar to make a wine with sufficient alcohol for proper distillation, and thus are soaked (macerated) in high-proof spirit to extract their flavor and aroma. The extract is then distilled once at a low proof. Calvados, the Apple Brandy from the Normandy region of Northwestern France, is probably the best known type of Fruit Brandy. Eau-de-vie ("water of life") is the default term in French for spirits in general, and specifically for colorless fruit brandy, particularly from the Alsace region of France and from California. Brandy, like Rum and Tequila, is an agricultural spirit. Unlike grain spirits such as Whisky, Vodka, and Gin, which are made throughout the year from grain that can be harvested and stored, Brandy is dependent on the seasons, the ripening of the base fruit, and the production of the wine from which it is made. Types of Brandies, originally at least, tended to be locationspecific. (Cognac, for example, is a town and region in France that gave its name to the local Brandy.) Important Brandy-making regions, particularly in Europe, further differentiate their local spirits by specifying the types of grapes that can be used and the specific areas (appellation) in which the grapes used for making the base wine can be grown.

Raw Material
The raw materials used in brandy production are liquids that contain any form of sugar. French brandies are made from the wine of the St. million, Colombard (or Folle Blanche) grapes.

However, anything that will ferment can be distilled and turned into a brandy. Grapes, apples, blackberries, sugar cane, honey, milk, rice, wheat, corn, potatoes, and rye are all commonly fermented and distilled. In a time of shortage, desperate people will substitute anything to have access to alcohol. During World War II, people in London made wine out of cabbage leaves and carrot peels, which they subsequently distilled to produce what must have been a truly vile form of brandy. Heat, used to warm the stills, is the other main raw material required for brandy production. In France, the stills are usually heated with natural gas. During the Middle Ages it would have required about 20 ft 4 of wood (0.6 m 4 ) to produce 25 gal (100 l) of brandy.

The Manufacturing Process

The fine brandy maker's objective is to capture the alcohol and agreeable aromas of the underlying fruit, and leave all of the off-tastes and bitter chemicals behind in the waste water. Making fine brandy is an art that balances the requirement to remove the undesirable flavors with the necessity of preserving the character of the underlying fruit. Mass-produced brandies can be made out of anything as the intent of the people is to remove all of the flavors, both good or bad, and produce nothing but alcoholtaste is added later. Fine brandies are required to retain the concentrated flavor of the underlying fruit. In theory distillation is the simplest of physical processes. It is based on the fact that alcohol and water boil at different temperatures, water at 100C, alcohol at 78.3C. If a fermented liquid is heated, the vapour containing the alcoholic constituents is released first. It can then be trapped and cooled, then condensed to an alcoholic liquid. The process was probably first observed by the Arabs, who carried the torch of science during the Dark Ages. We still use their words "alambiq" (alembic) for the still, "al-kuhl" (alcohol) for the distillate. Originally, the object was to produce medicinal properties, but it was soon discovered that the use of an appropriate raw material produced a drinkable liquid, a "water of life", aqua vitae. But the raw materials were generally so impure that the alcohol could only be consumed with safety if it had been repeatedly redistilled, which removed most of the essential characteristics of the original raw material as well. The biggest breakthrough came in the 16th and early 17th centuries when it was found that distilling the sharp white wines, produced on the slopes overlooking the little town of Cognac in western France, resulted in spirits which, after as few as two passes through the stills, produced an eminently drinkable brandy, especially if aged for a few years in oak casks. It has proved to be an unbeatable formula.

Distillation
The next essential in making fine brandy is the speed of distillation: the slower, the gentler, the more effectively the aromatic elements in the raw material are detached with the alcohol, the better. It is rather like stewing fruit: the lower the flame on the stove, the more intense the aromas released and the more thoroughly is the residue drained of them. Indeed, the Cognacais like to describe their method of distillation as (speeded-up) evaporation. The vapours should contain as high a proportion as possible of the congeners, the hundreds of organic chemical compounds which are extracted with the alcohol. Some of these are undesirable, bringing with them rank and unpleasant aromas and have to be removed. This entails a close control over the distillation process to remove the "heads", the first vapours emerging from the

still, which contain the bulk of these undesirable elements, and then the "tails" which will simply be too feeble, without the requisite alcoholic concentration. At the other extreme are the continuous stills, invented early in the 19th century by, and named after, an Irishman, Coffey. This still can concentrate wine 10 or more times up to the normal industrial maximum of 96.6%. This fast, continuous process saves heat (pot-stills have to be reheated between each batch), is highly productive - and can be highly destructive of all the elements which make brandy interesting.

Aging
Newly distilled brandy tastes raw, oily and unappetizing. The key to its final quality is a more or less lengthy sojourn in oak casks. The choice of wood was originally accidental: oak happened to be the most easily available for making the casks required by the pioneering distillers. They were, of course, accustomed to using wood to mature and market their wines. Because brandy, like wine, is a product of the grape, oak has proved suitable for maturing it. But there are many varieties of oak and as with so many aspects of brandy making, local practices differ so widely that only a few generalizations can be offered as applying to the whole range of brandies. Most of the qualities which make oak so suitable are physical. For whatever the chemical qualities of the wood and the reactions they induce when in prolonged contact with the spirit, it is the porosity of the cask which allows the brandy to have a steady, limited access to the air. The brandy gradually absorbs the oxygen required to oxidize and thus soften the raw spirit. Fine brandy 1. The first step in making fine brandies is to allow the fruit juice (typically grape) to ferment. This usually means placing the juice, or must as it is known in the distilling trade, in a large vat at 68-77F (20-25C) and leaving it for five days. During this period, natural yeast present in the distillery environment will ferment the sugar present in the must into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The white wine grapes used for most fine brandy usually ferment to an alcohol content of around 10%. 2. Fine brandies are always made in small batches using pot stills. A pot still is simply a large pot, usually made out of copper, with a bulbous top. 3. The pot still is heated to the point where the fermented liquid reaches the boiling point of alcohol. The alcohol vapors, which contain a large amount of water vapor, rise in the still into the bulbous top. 4. The vapors are funneled from the pot still through a bent pipe to a condenser where the vapors are chilled, condensing the vapors back to a liquid with a much higher alcohol content. The purpose of the bulbous top and bent pipe is to allow undesirable compounds to condense and fall back into the still. Thus, these elements do not end up in the final product. 5. Most fine brandy makers double distill their brandy, meaning they concentrate the alcohol twice. It takes about 9 gal (34 1) of wine to make I gal (3.8 1) of brandy. After the first distillation, which takes about eight hours, 3,500 gal (13,249 1) of wine have been converted to about 1,200 gal (4,542 1) of concentrated liquid (not yet brandy) with an alcohol content of 26-32%. The French limit the second distillation (la bonne chauffe) to

batches of 660 gal (2,498 1). The product of the second distillation has an alcohol content of around 72%. The higher the alcohol content the more neutral (tasteless) the brandy will be. The lower the alcohol content, the more of the underlying flavors will remain in the brandy, but there is a much greater chance that off flavors will also make their way into the final product. 6. The brandy is not yet ready to drink after the second distillation. It must first be placed in oak casks and allowed to age, an important step in the production process. Most brandy consumed today, even fine brandy, is less than six years old. However, some fine brandies are more than 50 years old. As the brandy ages, it absorbs flavors from the oak while its own structure softens, becoming less astringent. Through evaporation, brandy will lose about 1% of its alcohol per year for the first 50 years or so it is "on oak." 7. Fine brandy can be ready for bottling after two years, some after six years, and some not for decades. Some French cognacs are alleged to be from the time of Napoleon. However, these claims are unlikely to be true. A ploy used by the cognac makers is to continually remove 90% of the cognac from an old barrel and then refill it with younger brandy. It does not take many repetitions of this tactic to dilute any trace of the Napoleonic-age brandy. 8. Fine brandies are usually blended from many different barrels over a number of vintages. Some cognacs can contain brandy from up to a 100 different barrels. Because most brandies have not spent 50 years in the barrel, which would naturally reduce their alcohol contents to the traditional 40%, the blends are diluted with distilled water until they reach the proper alcohol content. Sugar, to simulate age in young brandies, is added along with a little caramel to obtain a uniform color consistency across the entire production run. The resulting product can cost anywhere from $25 to $500 or even more for very rare brandy. Mass-produced brandy 1. Mass-produced brandy, other than having the same alcohol content, has very little in common with fine brandy. Both start with wine, though the mass-produced brandies are likely to be made from table grape varieties like the Thompson Seedless rather than from fine wine grapes. Instead of the painstaking double distillation in small batches, mass-produced brandies are made via fractional distillation in column stills. Column stills are sometimes called continuous stills as raw material is continuously poured into the top while the final product and wastes continuously come out of the side and bottom. 2. A column still is about 30-ft (9-m) high and contains a series of horizontal, hollow baffles that are interconnected. Hot wine is poured into the top of the column while steam is run through the hollow baffles; the steam and wine do not mix directly. The alcohol and other low boiling point liquids in the wine evaporate. The vapors rise while the non-alcoholic liquids fall. As the still is cooler at the top, the rising vapors eventually get to a part of the still where they will condense, each type of vapor at a temperature just above its own boiling point. 3. Once they have recondensed, the liquids begin to move downward in the still. As they fall, they boil again. This process of boiling and condensing, rising and falling, happens over and over again in the column. The various components of the wine fraction and collect in the column where the temperature is just below the boiling point of that

component. This allows the ethyl alcohol condensate to be bled out of the column at the height where it collects. The resulting product is a pure spirit, colorless, odorless, and tasteless, with an alcohol content of about 96.5%. At 96.5% alcohol, it can be used to fuel automobiles. It can be diluted and called vodka or diluted and flavored with juniper berries and called gin. 4. Mass-produced brandies are also aged in oak casks and pick up some flavors from them. Like its fine counterpart, the brandies are blended, diluted to around 40% alcohol, and bottled.

Grape brandy Grape brandy is produced by the distillation of fermented grape juice. There are four main subtypes of grape brandies. Cognac comes from the Cognac region in France, and is double distilled using pot stills. Popular brands include Martell, Rmy Martin, Hennessy, Ragnaud-Sabourin, Delamain and Courvoisier (a favourite drink of Napoleon). Armagnac is made from grapes of the Armagnac region in Southwest of France (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne). It is single continuous distilled in a copper stills and aged in oak casks from Gascony or Limousin. Armagnac was the first distilled spirit in France. Armagnacs have specificity: they offer vintages qualities. Popular brands are Darroze, Baron de Sigognac, Larressingle, Delord, Laubade, Glas and Janneau. Grape brandies from other countries such as South Africa, Spain, Mexico etc. South African grape brandiesare, by law, made almost exactly as in Cognac, using a doubledistillation process in copper pot stills followed by ageing in oak barrels for a minimum of three years. American grape brandy is almost always from California Cognac Named after the town of Cognac in France, is a brandy, which is produced in the region surrounding the town. It must be made from at least 90 percent Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche,or Colombard grapes. The rest of the cognac can consist of ten selected grapes. However, most cognac is made from Ugni Blanc only. It must be distilled twice in copper pot stills and aged at least 2 years in oak barrels in order to be called cognac. Cognac is made from eaux- de-vie (literally, "water of life") produced by doubly distilling the white wines produced in any of the growth areas. The wine is a very dry, acidic, and thin wine, not really suitable for drinking, but excellent for distillation. It may only be made from a strict list of grape varieties. Distillation takes place in traditionally shaped Charentais copper stills, the design and dimensions of which are also controlled. Two distillations must be carried out; the resulting eau-de-vie is a colourless spirit of about 70 percent alcohol. Cognac may not be sold to the public, or indeed called 'Cognac' until it has been aged for at least two years, counting from the end of the period of distillation (1 April following the year the grapes were harvested). During the aging, a large percentage of the alcohol (and water) in the eaux-de-vie evaporates through the porous oak barrels. This is termed locally the "part des

anges", or angels' share, a phrase also used in Scotch Whisky production. A black fungus, Torula compniacensis richon, thrives on the alcoholic vapours and normally grows on the walls of the aging cellars. The final product is diluted to 40 percent alcohol content (80proof ). The age of the cognac is shown as that of the youngest eau-de-vie used in the blend. The blend is usually of different ages and from different local areas. This blending, or marriage, of different eaux-de-vie is important to obtain a complexity of flavours absent from an eau-de-vie from a single distillery or vineyard. Each cognac house has a master taster (matre de chai) who is responsible for creating this delicate blend of spirits, so that the cognac produced by a company today will taste exactly the same as a cognac produced by that same company 50 years ago, or in 50 years time. In this respect it may be seen to be similar to a blended whisky or non-vintage Champagne, which also rely on blending to achieve a consistent brand flavour. Only cognacs exclusively made from a blend of Grand and Petite Champagne, and containing a minimum of 50% of Grand Champagne, may bear the name Fine Champagne. Grades include

VS (Very Special) or *** (three stars), where the youngest brandy is stored at least two years in cask. VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale), Rserve, where the youngest brandy is stored at least four years in cask. XO (Extra Old), Napolon, Hors d'Age, where the youngest brandy is stored at least six years in cask.

Each cognac house also produces its own premium-level cognac. Richard Hennessy L'Esprit de Courvoisier Moyet Antiques Louis XIII Remy Martin

What is the difference between Cognac or Brandy? Brandy is named after the Dutch term 'brandjiwin': It defines a wine spirit distilled from wine or fermented juice and aged for at least six months in oak casks. Technically, therefore, all Cognacs are brandies. But while the Brandy may be made anywhere in the world, Cognac can only be produced in the Cognac region. A decree amended in 1909 delimits the boundaries of the Cognac production area; later decrees define the rules to follow in order to deserve the controlled appellation: Those rules cover topics including the two stage distillation, the maturing in oak casks in warehouses called "jaune d'or" (or: golden yellow), reserved specifically for Cognac, the minimum period of aging of approximately 30 months. The Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac (BNIC) is responsible for ensuring that all Cognac sold follow these rules.

Armagnac
http://le-cognac.com/armagnac/a-propos-de-larmagnac.html?___store=default_en&___from_store=default

The region of France, has given its name to its distinctive kind of brandy or eau de vie, made of the same grapes as Cognac and undergoing the same aging in oak barrels, but without double distillation. Armagnac production is overseen by a Bureau National Interprofessionel de l'Armagnac (BNIA).

Armagnac is the only true rival to Cognac for recognition as the finest producer of brandy in the world. Along with Cognac and Jerez in Spain, it is one of only three officially demarcated brandy regions in Europe. Its quantity of production is significantly lower than that of the Cognac region; for every six bottles of Armagnac sold around the world there are one hundred bottles of cognac sold. Armagnac has been making brandy for around 200 years longer than Cognac. The Armagnac region lies between the Adour and Garonne rivers in the foothills of the Pyrenees. A part of this historical region is permitted to grow the grapes that are used in the manufacture of brandy that may be labelled with the Armagnac name. This area was officially demarcated when Armagnac was granted AOC status in 1936. The official production area is divided into three districts which lie in the departments of Gers, Landes and Lot-et-Garonne. These are: Bas Armagnac - the most famous area of production Tenarze Haut Armagnac

Each of these areas is controlled by separate appellation regulations. Although the term "bas" means lower in French, the best armagnacs are principally produced in Bas Armagnac. Ageing After distillation the Armagnac is set to age in oak casks called pieces. Most of these 400 litre casks are made from wood from the forests of Gascony or the Limousin

area and are kept in cellars where the temperature and humidity levels are important factors for the ageing. The brandies remain in new oak casks until all the oak's extractable substances have been absorbed (from six months to two years). They are then transferred to older barrels to pursue their slow maturation. As the woody flavours gradually become more refined they gain aromas of vanilla and prune, and rancio appears with its characteristic aromas of dried fruits and the degree of alcohol diminishes progressively as the alcohol evaporates (the angel's share). The brandy turns a beautiful amber, then mahogany colour. Blending When the cellarmaster deems the ageing period to be sufficient, he begins blending. This process is called "coupage" and its aim is to assemble various eaux-de-vie of different origins and ages in a harmonious blend. A mixture of distilled water and Armagnac, called petites eaux , is gradually added to the blend in order to reduce the alcoholic strength (minimum 40 percent by volume.) The region contains 40,000 acres (160 km) of grape-producing vines. The production of Armagnac differs in several ways from that of Cognac and it is the oldest eau de vie dating back tothe 12th century. Armagnac is only distilled once and at a lower temperature than Cognac, meaning that the formerretains more of the fruit character, whereas Cognac's second distillation results in a lower balance. Armagnacs areaged for nearly the same period as Cognac, which has a significant impact on the grape once it has been distilled. Armagnac is aged in limousine oak casks giving them nice and delicate colour, as well as an intricate flavor more complex than the Cognac one. Aging Requirements for Armagnac are: Three Stars (over 2 years old) V.S.O.P. (over 5 years old) X.O. (over 6 years old) vintage (correspond exclusively to the year of the crop indicated on the label

Rum
The origin of the rum is not known. It could be a contraction of a Latin word saccarum meaning sugar or sweetness. Rum is a derivation of the mala brum meaning sugar drink, a word that could have arrived via the Dutch travelers. Others think that it is from the word Rumbuliom which is derived from rheu (stem). Since the market demanded sugar, more people were needed to produce sugar cane, which by then was planted on every island in the Caribbean. Caribbean is the true home of Rum. The main areas of production are Jamaica, Trinidad, Cuba and Barbados. As the sugar refineries demanded more and more cane, the distillers decided to make from the by-product of sugar molasses. THE PROCESS

The sugarcane is crushed between roller mills to produce bagasse; it is a puree of cane and sugar. It is crushed again to extract the leftover juice.

This juice is then concentrated into a syrup by boiling. The syrup is put into a centrifugal machine which crystallizes the sugar. This is the sugar that is used at homes at a domestic level. The by-product of sugar is a dark liquid called molasses.

it is from this dark sticky solution that rums are fermented and distilled. Before fermentation, this thick molasses will be diluted with water and clarified. The yeast used in fermentation will be either natural or a secret strain of cultured yeast. Fermentation: There are two types of fermentation used quick and slow. It is the type of fermentation that will decide the style of rum the distiller wants to produce. (a) Quick fermentation This take about two days or less. White and light flavoured rums are produced by this method. (b) Slow fermentation This may last up to 12 days. Dark and heavy flavoured rum are produced by this method. Dunder is the residue from the previous distillation. It may be added to the slow fermentation process to impart a certain flavour. The liquid or the wash known as final molasses will have an alcoholic strength of about 7% by volume after fermentation.

Distillation: To produce light flavoured rums, it is distilled in patent still. It will have 91% alcohol by volume. For dark rum production, it is distilled in pot still. The alcoholic strength will be 86% by volume. This rum will be rich in flavor and aroma.

Maturing: (a) If Light rum is matured in uncharred oak cask for one year, it will be sold as white rum. If it is matured in charred oak casks for three years with the addition of little caramel, it is sold as gold rum. (b) For dark rum, the aroma and flavor becomes prominent if it is matured in an oak cask. More colour will be added through caramel Before bottling, rums are reduced to a potable strength of around 40% by the addition of demineralised water. STYLES OF RUM White and light flavoured rums These are may be termed as white, silver, gold or amber. The brand that is mainly associated with is Bacardi. White or silver describe clear-coloured rums. Gold or amber rums are deeper coloured, older, sweeter and more flavorsome. They are served as long cooling drinks with mixers such as cola, lemonade and fruit juices or as prime ingredients for cocktails. Dark rums These are heavy, pungent, flavorsome rums. It is mainly produced in Martinique, Haiti, Barbados There was an Admiral in the Navy known as Old Grog because of the dirty coat. He mixed three water rum and it was very unpopular. It was called grog a name still used to describe a spirit served with an addition of water. BRAND NAMES Dark Rum Capt. Morgan Appleton Mount Gay Woods Lambs Navy White Rums Bacardi Ron Rico Rhum St James Barilla Dry Cane

Gin
The credit for the discovery of Gin goes to a Dutch professor of chemistry Franciscus de le Boc (1614-72). He recogonised the properties of the oil of the juniper berry. First production of this gin was started in early 17th century in Holland, it was assumed to have medical value and cure diseases like kidney problem. It is derived from a French word Genever. It was sold as a medicine under the name of Genievre. English contracted the word Gin. In 1689 when the Dutch William Orange came to English throne, He openly encouraged the distillation and consumption of Gin to combat the import of wine from France. Then onwards gin became the national drink of England. Professional distillers were encouraged to enter the business in 3 centers of production; London, Bristol and Plymouth. THE PROCESS

Gin can be made from any spirit that has alcohol volume of 96%. Gin is distilled from the fermented mash of molasses or grain. It is always flavored with some botanicals like cassia bark, fennel, almonds, orange peel, orris, angelica root, liquorice, coriander seeds etc. The spirit is distilled/refined. The spirit is diluting by added pure water to reach an alcoholic percentage of 45%, pumped into stills; normally copper still and flavoring agents are added. Botanicals are added in 3 ways:

1. The traditional and the best way involve the distillation of the pure spirit with the flavouring agents. It is done in a pot still and the flavour of the botanicals used is always a secret recipe. 2. The distillate of the botanicals can be added in concentrated form to the spirit. 3. Gin flavouring can be added to neutral spirit. It is heated using a steam coil, to remove ingredients, botanicals. Then it is brought to the required alcoholic level 37.5% to meet Europe community regulation. Then water is added. Rye is the main cereal used in production of Genever Gin and other Dutch Gin. Maize is used in Gin production in UK. TWO TYPE OF GIN DISTILLATION IS Distilled Gin Compound Gin TYPES OF GIN London Dry Gin: - Made in London, unsweetened, classic gin is now made else where under license and marketed under brand names as Booths, Beefeaters. Plymouth Gin; - This pungent, aromatic gin is made by the Devonshire firm of Coater and Co, in Plymouth. Because of its naval connections it is the standard gin used in making of a pink gin. Old Tom Gin: - Made in Scotland mainly for the export market, sweetened with addition of sugar syrup. Dutch Gin: - Also known as Holland or Schiedam, it is often sold in stone jars. Some grain flavours are retained as the original spirit is not rectified. It is made from barley and rye and double distilled in pot still. Steinhaeger: - A German gin made in Westphaila. It has a distinct personality and is usually drunk for Schnapps, neat with ice. Sloe Gin: - This is made by steeping sloe in basic gin and includes addition of sugar syrup, bitters and almonds. Fruit Gin: - These are usually artificially flavored with orange, lemon or other appropriate essence. BRAND NAMES Beefeaters Bellows Bombay sapphire Gordons Booths House of lords Gilbeys Boodles

Vodka
Vodka was originated in the 12th century in eastern Europe. It is the national drink of Russia and Poland and it could have originated from either of the 2 countries then. In technical terms, Vodka is a pure spirit that has been diluted with water and filtered before bottling. This spirit can be made from anything that contains starch primarily it can be made from grains, maize, potato and sugar beat. THE PROCESS 1. It starts with the liquid from the fermented mash which can be made from anything that has starch. 2. The mash is then heated. Since alcohol evaporates at a lower temperature, distillers carefully monitor the temperature to boil of just the alcohol Pot Still Method (E.g.: Smirnoff Black , Ketel One) and Patent still method (E.g.: Absolut Vodka) 3. The 1st distillation is called low wines. It contains impurities known as congeners. It may also contain fusel fuels. Their elimination is the key to a good Vodka 4. The 1st distillate is further purified. It can be distilled again to remove congeners and produce purer spirit. Some distilleries distill up to 6 times 5. The final stage for any Vodka is filtration process. After the distillation process, it is diluted with water and then filtered. Filtration is a secret. Hence, in most distilleries filtration rooms are not open to public. 6. Early filtration process was to rest the vodka while the solid particles settle to the bottom. Years later, coagulants such as milk or solidified eggs were used. 7. The finest qualities of vodka are filtered through activated layers of charcoal or fine sand. This ensures absolute purity. Some distillers also filter through quartz sand (Altai Distillery) or through diamonds (Suhoi Distillery). Most of the vodka is naturally flavourless. 8. The specialty of vodka is that is that it is ready to drink the moment it has been filtered. Unlike wine and other spirits that are aged to acquire the character of the wood, Vodka is recognized for the absence of such flavours. FLAVOURED VODKA STARKA Has hints of brandy, honey, vanilla, port, leaves of several types, apples and pear. ZUBROVKA its aromatic with a green tinge has a slightly nutty flavour. A long blade of grass floats inside each bottle.

PERTSOVKA Infusion of red, white, black pepper, aged for a month in wood or metal cask. Brown colour.

SKYY CITRUS Lemon Flavour SVEDKA Raspberry flavour OKHOTNICHYA herbal aroma, infusion of sugar, ginger, cloves red and black pepper, juniper, coffee BRAND NAMES Name Finlandia Luksusowa Nordoff Saratov Smirnoff Country Finland Poland Ireland Ireland Russian

Tequila
Tequila is made by distilling the fermented juice of Agave plant in Mexico. It is the favourite alcoholic drink made up of Agave plant called tequiliana weber (blue variety), it resembles cactus. It must be bottled in the region from which the spirit is distilled. The Agave is not harvested before it is 10-12 years old. The sour juice after fermentation is called pulque. This is distilled in pot stills and produces a raw, rough and fiery drink called Mezcal. The second distillation refines the product, which is then aged in casks or wax-lined vats for varying periods before being bottled for sale. Tequila is graded according to the level of Agave it contains and length of aging. There are 2 levels, either 100% Agave or mixed (mixto). Mixto is made by fermenting and then distilling a mix of Agave and other sugar, usually cane sugar. By Mexican law, all 100% Agave or aged tequila must be bottled in Mexico. Around 1870 there were dozens of tequila distillers in Mexico. It is believed that the word tequila means lava hill in the Tequila tribes native tongue, since the town is located near dormant volcano. Some time later, perhaps a few hundred years or so, folks in Mexico began to acknowledge that the finest Agave was produced around the town of tequila. This resulted in the name of the town being increasingly used as name of spirit. During the prohibition era in the USA between 1919 and 1933 huge quantities of tequila was smuggled into USA from Mexico. It is somewhere in this era that is that Margarita cocktail was made. Tequila is accompanied by salt and wedge of lime. THE PROCESS Blue Agave: The process of tequila begins when a blue agave plant is ripe, usually 8 to 12 years after it is planted. Leaves are chopped away from its core by a "jimador" who assesses the plants ripeness. If the plant is harvested too soon, there won't be enough sugars to do the job. The jimador's task is a crucial one; once he decides that the plant is ready for jima (the process of removing the long leaf of the plant), he wields a special long knife known as a "coa" to clear the core.

The cores or pias (Spanish for pineapple) weight an average of 40 to 70 pounds, and can weight up to 200 pounds. The pia will be visible when all the leaves (pencas) have been cleared. Pias are hauled to the distillery where they are cut in half or chopped and put to roast.

Starches turn to sugar as the pias are roasted in furnaces called "hornos". Modern distilleries use huge steam ovens to increase output and save on energy. Roughly speaking, seven kilos (15 lb.) of agave pia are needed to produce one liter (one quart U.S.) of tequila. Fermentation: The cooked pias are then shredded, their juices pressed out and placed in fermenting tanks or vats. Some distilleries use the traditional method to produce tequila. In this method artesian tequila the cores are crushed with a stone wheel at a grinding mill called "tahona" and the fibers are dumped into the wooden vat to enhance fermentation and to provide extra flavor. Once the juices are in the vats yeast is added. Every distiller keeps its own yeast as a closely guarded secret. During fermenting, the yeast acts upon the sugars of the agave plant converting them into alcohol.

Distillation: Juices ferment for 30 to 48 hours then they are distilled twice in traditional copper stills or more modern ones made of stainless steel or in continuous distillation towers. The first distillation produces a low-grade alcohol and the second a fiery colorless liquid that is later blended before being bottled. Alcohol content may be between 70 and 110 Proof. At this moment the liquor is no longer mezcal but tequila. All types of tequila start with this colorless distilled spirit. Each type will be called depending on its aging.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TEQUILA AND MEZCAL Just as Cognac is a special type of brandy produced from specific grapes grown in a select region of France not all brandy has the distinction of being Cognac. In like manner, all liquors

distilled from any agave plant are "mezcal", but only those made from the blue agave are branded as Tequila, all the others are mezcal. STYLES OF TEQUILA Blanco (silver): - it is the original style. It is clear with little or no aging. It is usually bottled immediately after distillation. Blanco can be 100% agave in mixto. It is used primarily for mixing. Gold: - it is un-aged Blanco that has been coloured or flavoured with additives. The gold colour does not come typically from added caramel. Reposado (Rested): - tequila is aged in wooden casks for a period of atleast 2 months and no more than 11 months. Aeio (old): - aged in wooden barrels for legal minimal of one year.

Colour examples of tequila BRAND NAMES o o o o o Don Emilio Sauza Jos Cuervo Montezuma Olmeca

MYTHS ABOUT TEQUILA Tequila comes from the distillation of pulque. Pulque comes from the fermentation of the sugary sap aguamiel obtained from the maguey or Century Plant (which is botanically related to the agave plant). Pulque has nothing to do with tequila. Tequila and mezcal are made from a cactus. WRONG. Cactus plants grow in the desert and are of a different genus than the agave. There is no known liquor obtained from the cactus. The worm is part of the tequila or mezcal process. This is a nice legend, but not true at all. The worm is placed in some mezcal bottles as a marketing gig. However the maguey grows worms that are a delicacy in Mexico fetching astronomical prices at luxury restaurants. The best known are Gusanos de Maguey and Chinicuiles.

Tequila has medicinal properties. There is no scientific evidence about any medicinal properties of either the agave plant, mescal or tequila. IMPORTANT TERMS Adobe Ovens: Used to slow cook the aguamiel in small batches. Agave: Member of the lily family, not a cactus as commonly thought.

Aguamiel: (honey water) The quartered steamed crushed, pia's and water mixture that is fermented and then distilled to make tequila. Aejo: (aged) Gold tequila aged a minimum 1 YEAR by law which makes for a smooth savory flavor which should be enjoyed like a single malt scotch. Autoclave: Industrial kilns used in the boiling stage to cook large amounts of aguamiel. production. Blue Agave: The best member of agave family for fine tequila

Gold: Tequilas that are aged and or see wood. Tasting smooth, vibrant and herbaceous. used is blue agave. Jimador: Workers who tend the growing agave plants on a daily basis. Mezcal: Beverage produced of less than 51% of extracted sugars Pia: (pineapple) heart of the agave plant

Reposado: (rested) Tequila aged 3 - 6 months in wood barrels which mellows the taste giving hints of vanilla, spice and pepper. Silver: Tequila not influenced by wood or aging.

Tequila: Beverage produced of more than 51% blue agave and grown in Jalisco region of Mexico.

Liqueur
To French any after-dinner drink is a liqueur brandy. To the British, specifically a sweetish drink created from ready made spirit base into which is infused, macerated or redistilled flavoring agents such as roots, barks, flowers, fruits or seeds. The term Liqueur is also used in United States, though Americans more commonly call it cordial. In Britain, a cordial is flavored syrup with little or no alcoholic content. LIQUEURS, the general term applied to perfumed or flavoured potable spirits, sweetened by the addition of sugar. The term "liqueur" is also used for certain wines and unsweetened spirits of very superior quality, or remarkable for their bouquet, such as tokay or fine old brandy or whisky. The basis of all the "liqueurs" proper consists of (a) relatively strong alcohol or spirit, which must be as pure and neutral as possible; (b) sugar or syrup; and (c) flavouring matters. METHOD OF PREPARATION - Cold Percolation: Process used in the manufacture of liqueurs, in which the spirit base, cold, hot or in vapor form is passed through the container filled with natural flavoring agents, which in this case maybe herbs. This process may have to repeat for weeks or months to achieve the desired level of extraction. Maceration: The steeping of fruit in alcohol in the production of liqueurs. This process may take as long as a year. Maceration refers to the steeping of the aromatic/flavoring agent which has usually been bruised in water or alcohol for a period of time in order to extract an essence from it. This essence, then, is added to the base as the flavoring agent. Infusion: The infusion method for fruit liqueurs is generally done by placing both, fresh fruit and dry fruit in a cask containing brandy. The fruit steeps from 6-8 months during which time the brandy absorbs the color, aroma and taste of the selected fruit. Straining then draws off the brandy and sugar syrup is added. The fruit may still have some brandy in it, so it is distilled to extract the last drop of flavor and this too, is added to the mixture. It is sometimes aged for up to a year in a vat or crock. METHOD OF PREPARATION - Hot Distillation: a raw material in liquid form has to undergo fermentation-here is where the alcohol is created. Now, it is ready for distillation, which is the removal of the alcohol. A "Still" is an apparatus used in the separation of the alcohol by means of evaporation. The evaporation point of alcohol is around 173 Fahrenheit while the evaporation point for water is 212 Fahrenheit. Bringing the temperature in the Still up above 173 keeping it below 212, will evaporate only the alcohol. These alcoholic vapors are removed as they rise up the Still and are then passed through a condenser where they will "condensate" turning back into liquid form. This collected liquid is the Distilled Spirit. Some examples of fermented products that are distilled: wine distilled becomes brandy; cider distilled becomes Calvados or Applejack.

BRANDS WITH PREDOMINANT NAMES: Advocaat: Dutch egg-and-brandy liqueur. Mistaken for avocado drink. Occasionally flavored with cinnamon. Flavors such as mocha and chocolate are available in Germany. Amaretto (g): After-dinner liqueur with almond flavour made from Italy from apricot kernels. It is sometimes called Amaretto di Amore (p). Anis: The term broadly used to cover all aniseed-flavored drinks. In Spain, where the local Absinthe replacement is known as Ojen (g), the term anis specifically means liqueur in syrup type. Anisette: French name for a sweet, aniseed-flavored liqueur. The most famous producer is Marie Brizard. Apricot Brandy (g): Products labeled as apricot brandy are made by the infusion of the fruit in a spirit base. Offered by most of the major distillers in Europe, it is not a brandy, it is a liqueur. A true apricot brandy is not based on anything, it is distilled from the fruit. Apry (p): An apricot liqueur of excellent quality made by the French liqueur house Marie Brizard. Aurum (p): An unusual golden-colored liqueur of herbs and fruit with a tang of orange peel, based on brandy, produced in Italy. The Aurum distillery company also produces other liqueurs. B and B (p): Bndictine and brandy liqueur. Although Bndictine is based on cognac, it is sometimes taken with brandy. Baileys Irish Cream (p): It is made in Dublin (Ireland). The manufacturers try to sell it especially during the time of Christmas. Baileys is a blend of Irish whiskey and cream flavoured with cocoa, bottled at 17% ABV Crme de banane (g): Bananas macerated in spirit or artificial flavoring is udes. An excellent banana liqueur is made from Canary Islands from local fruit. The bottle is shaped like a bunch of bananas. Bndictine (p): Sometimes described as the worlds oldest liqueur because it was formulated in 1510. 27 herbs, plants and peels go into Bndictine. It is extracted by steeping and maceration. Bndictine is made by a secret formulae , production takes 3 years and 4 years of aging. Crme de cassis (g): Blackcurrant liqueur from Dijon area in France Made by maceration of blackcurrant in spirit. Crme de cacao (g): Chocolate liqueur produced in colorless and brown spirit sometimes flavored with vanilla. It is sometimes through a layer of cream. Calvados (g): A specialty of Normandy, one of the worlds finest of apple distillates. The finest calvados comes from the appellation contrle region known as Pay dAuge and is doubledistilled in a pot still before being aged for atleast 1 year.

Chartreuse (p): Of the most famous liqueurs, this is the most sophisticated. It has 130 herbs and spices which are infused, macerated and distilled, aged in cask, watched over by monks. It is the oldest liqueur which is produced by monks. Chocolate Suisse (p): Sweet chocolate liqueur is made sometimes with additional flavoring of coffee, mint, nuts or fruits. This confection even contains floating chocolate pieces. Cointreau (p): one of the most popular branded liqueurs of all, Cointreau is a variety of curacao. This means it is a brandy based spirit that has been flavoured with the rind of bitter oranges. When it was launched in 1849 by the Cointreau brothers it was sold under the brand name triple sec white curacao but so many other proprietary curacaos began to be sold as triple sec that the family decided to give it their own name instead. The center of operations as well as a distillery are located in the French Town of Angers in the Loire valley, although Cointreau is also made in the Americas. A variety of different bottling is available at different strengths, including a cream version but the best loved Cointreau is one that comes in a square dark brown bottle. Despite its spirit strength Cointreau tastes deliciously mild. It has a powerful fume of fresh oranges. The oranges used are a blend of bitter green varieties from the Caribbean and sweeter types from the south of France. Curaao (g): First invented by the Dutch, curacao was a white rum based liqueur flavoured with the peel of bitter green oranges found by the settlers on the Caribbean island of the same name. despite its specific name the liqueur has never been subject to anything like appellation regulations. It is made by different companies in a number of countries where brandy is used as the starter spirit instead. Another name for it is triple sec. the most famous example being Cointreau the bitterness of the oranges which are green because they are not ripe and not because they ate some exotic variety balances the sweetness. It comes in a range of colours in addition to the clear version. Drambuie (p): The most famous whisky liqueur flavored with honey. Galliano (p): It was invented in 1869 by a Tuscan inventor. The recipe is a guarded secret but it is said to be based on 30 herbs, roots, berries and flowers. Among the flavours is the strong presence of anise and there is a scent of vanilla as well. Galliano is used increasingly in mixed drinks. It comes in a distinctively tall bottle that stands well on a cocktail bar. Grand Marnier (p): Is another of the worlds most popular orange flavoured liqueurs. The original product is a little younger than Cointreau but the style is different. The house that owns it was founded in 1827 and Louis Marnier first founded the liqueur in 1880. Grand Marnier is a highly refined, mellow, full strength spirit that has a warm amber colour and an intense scent of ripe oranges. Kirsch (g): Based in brandy, its the most famous fruit liqueur in France, Germany and Switzerland. Kmmel (g): Liqueur made with caraway, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, orris and other herbs. Maraschino (g): Cherry liqueur originating from Dalmatia. Crme de Menthe: Sweet liqueur flavored with various types of mint. The green version looks more interesting though the white version is just the same. Used extensively in cocktails.

Parfait Amour (g): Flavored with flower petals and a sweet citrus base, more specifically orange, flower of cinnamon and peach stones. Pastis (g): Its a liquorice tasting liqueur. Popular in Province. Poire Williams or Williamine (g): Pear flavour with brandy. It has a fine orchard bouquet and the most fragrant bottle plantations is said to be in Switzerland. Kahla: The only liqueur to have been founded in Mexico Kahla is dark brown coffee flavoured essence. It is compared to Tia Maria but it is slightly thicker in texture and less sweet than Tia Maria. It included spices like vanilla and nutmeg. The spirit base of the drink is white cane rum. Prunelle: French name for sloe berry, which is made into an eau-de-vie and a liqueur in Alsace and the Loire. Crme de rose (g): delicate rose-petal liqueur made with vanilla and sometimes citrus oils. Sambuca (g): Coffee flavored liqueur and prepared by extraction method. Southern Comfort (p): One of the American liqueurs. In addition to the peach, it has a hint of oranges and herbs. It is dry and strong. Based on whisky. Strega (p): Italian liqueur, sweet and spicy made from more than 70 herbs. Useful in cocktail. Tia Maria (p): Jamaicas contribution to the world of liqueurs, Tia Maria has turned into one of the best loved products. Its a deep brown coffee flavoured drink based on a recipe around 3 centuries old. It is based on good, dark Jamaican rum of atleast 5 year old and flavoured with the beans of coffee variety Blue Mountain. Local spices like vanilla are also added. Crme de Vanille: The beans are occasionally used in mixed drinks; its a smooth and rich liqueur.

Other Spirits Bitters: The term bitter refers to any spirit which is flavoured with bitter herbs or roots, which generally have medicinal properties. They range from products which can be drunk in whole measures like any other spirit, to those that are bitter that they are only added in drops to season another drink. The other unquestionably effective medicinal role of bitters is an aid to digestion. Bitters are made all over the world. The most famous of all is Angostura. It is an infusion of gentian roots and herbs on a strong rum base. It is named after a town in Venezuela although today it is made exclusively in Trinidad. Other bitters are Campari from Italy that is a bright red aperitif; Fernet Branca is also made in Italy. Frances bitter is Amer Picon and Hungarys bitter is known by Unicum. Absinthe: Absinthe was invented in the eighteenth century by Dr Ordinaire, a French physician and pharmacist who had taken up residence in Couvet, Switzerland. His drink had a base of brandy and flavouring of herbs, anise and woodworm. It is a very potent drink, being usually bottled for sale at 68% alcohol by volume. It is drunk neat. The combination of strong alcohol and woodworm was lethal and had a devastating effect on mental health. Due to this, it was banned in Switzerland in 1907, in USA in 1912. other countries followed soon. However, it is still made legally and commercially Spain by Pernod family who acquired the recipe in 1797. For aa even more stronger version, there is another product in Bulgaria that is bottled at shocking 90% alcohol by volume. Calvados: Calvados takes its name from El Calvador, a ship on the coast of Normandy in France. Since 1946 the region of production has been defined. The pot still method of double distillation is used. It is already known that pot still leaves more congenerics flavouring agents with the final product. The apples are mashed into a pulp and the juice is fermented into cider. The cider is distilled and only the best or the middle part is kept. This is distilled for the second time and once more only the middle part is retained; the rest goes back for redistillation. A raw fiery young Calvados is aged for 3-6 years. It is carefully blended before sales. Calvados is a digestif and served instead of brandy sometimes. In northern France, it is sometimes drunk during a meal between the fish and meat course. About 48 varieties of apples are used, graded from tart to sweet. Fine examples of calvados are Busnel, Pre Magloire, Boulard, Dauphin and Gilbert. Pastis: Pastis is a generic name for aniseed or liquorice-flavoured aperitifs made in the style of absinth but without high alcohol content or the woodworm flavouring. Most of these drinks are colourless, but they turn milky when water is added through the precipitation of the volatile oils. In other words the water brings the oils out of the solution into suspension. The amount of water added depends on personal preference but is usually between three and five parts of water to one part of pastis. These drinks are particularly popular in bordering countries of Mediterranean. In France, they are also known as Pastis de Marseilles, with Ricard and Pernod being the most favoured brands. Other countries make their own styles Spain makes Ojen, Greece makes Ouzo and Mastikha, Turkey Raki and Italy Anesone. The non-alcoholic brands are Balncard and Pacific made by Pernod Company.

Ouzo: Alcoholic drink of exclusively Greek origin. In earlier times, ouzo was prepared from the distillation taken from the liquid resulting from the fermentation of grape skins (common name in Greek: souma) by double distillation, with the addition of various aromatics. Ouzo today is generally manufactured by mixing pure alcohol, water and anethol, with the addition sometimes of small quantities of other essential oils. The clouding of today's product is exclusively and solely to the separation of the anethol, which often, and commonly on the cold days of the year, is precipitated even without the addition of water in the form of very fine crystals, particularly in those products which have a relatively low alcohol content or are relatively rich in anethol. Thus, the harmfulness of ouzo is due solely to the quantity of alcohol in it, which usually ranges from 40 to 45%. Aquavit, Akvavit and Schnapps: Aquavit is a spirit native to Scandinavian countries. It is distilled from grain or potatoes and flavoured with caraway, cumin, dill, fennel and bitter oranges. In Germany it is known as Schnapps, in Denmak schnaps and in Norway and Sweden snaps the word means to grab or to snach. Aquavit is served well chilled in a small glass taken straight from the freezer and is drunk in one gulp. Traditionally, aquavit or schnapps is served to accompany the Scandinavian smorgasbord as it cuts through the oiliness of the fish dish on the presentation. Popular brands are Aalborg (Denmark), Linie (Norway), O.P.Anderson (Sweden) and Bommerlnder (Germany). In Germany, hard drinkers always take schnapps before settling into a session of beer drinking. They claim its warms the stomach for the beer which follows.

Silvovitz/Slivovitz: Distinctive style of good-quality plum brandy made in various countries of central Europe and the Balkan, and was regarded as the nationa spirit of the former Yugoslavia. Sadly it was not strong enough to hold the country together. Silvovitzis made from the large sweet Pozega plum of Bosnia, and the trees are not cropping for this purpose until they are matured 20 years old. Part fo the kernel is used, producing a characteristically dry almond bitterness and oilness which some drinkers find unpleasant, but which on the tougues of Central European connoisseurs is likely tp prompt cries of Na Zdorove or Mazeltov. A further characteristic of Slivovitz, which distinguishes it from the equally admirable plum brandies of the Eau-de-vie country, it is the method of aging. Slivovitz is aged in wood, hence its yellowish color with a tinge of brown. Grappa: Its a coarse country spirit. Grappa is the name used in Italy and California for a brandy distilled from the skins, pips and stalks of grapes, sometimes known as pomace. Young grappa is very fiery, but it mellows a little with age and is sometimes matured in wood. Its character is very dry and woody. A sometimes finer version is made in France where it is called Marc. The same type of spirit is made in Spain as Aguardiente, in Portugal as bagaceira, in Germany as tresterschnappa, and under a variety of names in order countries throughout the world. Arrack: Arrack is a raw spirit, a distillate of fermented palm tree sap to which rice and molasses is sometimes added. It is often also made from dates, rice, grape juice, sugar cane and milk. Although the distillation of arrack or arak is still disputed, it claims that it might have been made in India around 800 B.C. Mescal/Mezcal: It is one of Mexicos popular drinks. It is a pale yellow spirit made from the juice of agave plant, like tequila. Mescal is often sold with a pickled white agave worm inside the bottle. It is intended to be eaten as the last of the drink is poured out. Indigestion of this worm shows great heroism in those people who were already brave enough to swallow it. Eau de vie: It is a French term for a colorless fruit brandy that is prepared via fermentation and double-distillation. A typical scenario would involve growing the appropriate fruit, harvesting when ripe, and fermenting the whole, crushed fruit prior to distillation. Unlike their cognac cousins, eau de vie are not typically aged in wooden casks, hence they remain clear. Instead, the young, ripe fruits or berries are fermented, distilled, and bottled rapidly to preserve the freshness and aroma of the parent fruit. While this is the general process for creating eau de vie, some variants exist and some distillers choose to age their products before bottling.

BAR
Competencies
Describe the different types of bar in todays world. List the factors that need to be considered while making a layout of a bar. Draw the hierarchy of a bar in a 5* hotel. Enlist the equipment used in the bar. Enlist the equipment and ingredients that a standard bar should have for preparing cocktails. Write a note on the operations of draught beer. BAR LAYOUT While designing the layout of a bar, the following points should be taken into consideration. (A) Bar and Counter Display: Two bars can never be the same. The dcor depends on the age and character of the hotel. Sometimes stand alone bar decors may depend on the owners personal interest and taste. Customers always expect for the traditional comfort feeling of the olden days. Having a mirror at the background of display adds to the eye appeal.

Some bars cannot afford to decorate their bar in a lavishly. Hence, the same effect is achieved by arranging bottles with different coloured labels. The labels should be facing outwards. All the notices can be pinned up on the

notice board and can be made as an attractive feature of the room with a little artistic style. (B) Area and Size: Area required per person is 15 sq ft. The bar counter area should be 15-20% the total area of the bar. (C) Legal Requirements: The most challenging factor in the bar-layout is the legal requirements of the state. It is necessary to obtain the complete information from the excise authorities or from an architect skilled in barlayout. (D) Location: In a hotel, the bar should be located at an ideal place. It should be as close to entrance as possible. It should have a cheerful and attractive interior. It should not be flashy and gaudy. (E) Working Convenience: A supply of fast moving drinks should be placed nearest to the main serving points. The glasses should also be handy. A sufficient quantity of clean drying cloths should always be at hand. (F) Advertising Value: The drink that needs to be sold quickly or up sold should be placed in the most prominent place. Only the minimum advertising content should be put up. The price list can be put up in public rooms as per the managements decision. It becomes easy for the customer to visit a bar regular if it is designed properly and well maintained. (G) Bar Controls: the part of the customer should have an attractive finish, since it is the central object in the room. A variety of material is available; the choice will depend on the character of the bar. The factors to be considered while selecting are: Resistance to dampness Should have an attractive design Easy to clean Examples are: Polished or waxed wood, Plastics, Vitreous panel, Anodized aluminium, etc.

The height and the width of the counters have become a standard now. A long counter, at a height of 3ft 9 in from the floor is desirable for quick service. This height is low enough to allow the resting of elbows, high enough to avoid unnecessary breakages. The counter should be as plain as possible for easy cleaning. (H) The Under-Counter: This is the most important area for a barman. Hence, it should be designed and arranged for maximum convenience. Sufficient shelves should be available for storing bottled drinks in the cabinets. All the beer pulls and engines should be placed in groups according to the number of draught beer that is to be sold. A very long counter in a large public bar having similar range of beers would be fitted with two groups.

(I) Lighting: Lighting plays an important role in the atmosphere of the bar and its layout. In most of the cases reflections from the wall and the ceiling give soft and perfectly adequate illumination. Behind the bar counter, lights that point downward in opaque shades. It gives sufficient light to work with without blinding the eye. In case flowers are used it should be natural flowers and not artificial. They have to be arranged neatly and should be placed where it cannot be knocked off easily. One attractive arrangement is better than having many smaller arrangements. (J) Bar Equipment: Knowing the fact that bar will be in constant view of the customer, it needs to be equipped with good quality tools and equipment. Equipment selected should be good in appearance and easy to clean. For this reason preference is given to stainless steel variety. All the equipment in bar must placed in an area where it can be handled easily. The barman should move the least to fetch any equipment.

(K) The Serving Space: The width of the serving space depends entirely on the number of staff in the bar and the type of trade. TYPES OF BAR A bar is a business that serves drinks, especially alcoholic beverages such as beer, liquor, and mixed drinks, for consumption on the premises. The term "bar" is derived from the specialized counter on which drinks are served and is a synecdoche applied to the whole of the drinking establishment. The "back bar" or "gantry" is a set of shelves of glasses and bottles behind that counter. In some bars, the gantry is elaborately decorated with woodwork, etched glass, mirrors, and lights. There are many types of bars, which can be categorized according to the types of entertainment provided at the bar and by their clientele. Cigar Bars: A cigar bar is an establishment that caters to patrons who smoke cigars. While some cigar bars permit the smoking of cigarettes, the classic cigar bar focuses strictly on cigars. Many of the upscale cigar bars create a gentleman's club ambiance with fine interiors. Coffee Bars: It is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on providing coffee and tea as well as light snacks. This differs from a caf, which is an informal restaurant. Sports bar: Sports bars, where sports fans watch games on large-screen televisions. The main intention is sell alcohol while providing entertainment in the form of sports on large screen. The concept of up selling works every well as the guests are ready to pay to cheer their sports personalities/team. Country bars: Bars that offer country Music and serves beer primarily. It is mostly located in the outskirts of a city or town where the clientele is usually cowboys. Lounges: a public waiting area provided with seating as in a hotel. A place for sitting, waiting, smoking, drinking etc., especially a large public room, as in a hotel, theater, or air terminal, often with adjoining washrooms. Pubs: It is an establishment which serves alcoholic drinks especially beer for consumption on the premises, usually in a comfortable setting. Pubs originated in English-speaking countries, particularly in the United Kingdom and Ireland and are now found globally.

Bikers Bar: Biker bars, which are bars frequented by motorcycle enthusiasts, and in some regions, motorcycle gang members; Taverns: A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and, more than likely, also be served food, though not licensed to accommodate guests for staying purpose. The word derives from the Latin taberna and the Greek taverna, whose original meaning was a shed or workshop. Juice Bar: A juice bar is an establishment which primarily serves prepared juice beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar or coffeehouse. Wine bars: By early 2000, wine bars became very popular and started popping up in many countries. Wine bars are now the rival for local hangouts such as coffee shops and local bars. The wine bar phenomenon offers the taste before you buy philosophy. Wine is offered by the glass or in sample size portions. Many of these bars are furnished with nooks and booths encased in rich colors and plush surroundings in hopes their guests will linger. The laid-back environment lends itself to a good socializing setting with a less crowded feel. Modern wine bars have begun to incorporate a larger variety of food choices. Traditionally associated with cheeses and desserts, wine bars are looking to combine wine with appetizer-sized gourmet selections to enhance the palate. The concept brings the tastes of fancy restaurants to a dressed down setting. Izakaya: An izakaya is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. The name "izakaya" is a compound word consisting of "i (to remain) and "sakaya" (sake shop), showing that izakaya originate from sake shops. EQUIPMENT IN BAR Basic set of tools: When setting up a bar, there will be a lot of equipment that will be required. The following is a list of basic bar equipment that a bar should have to make most drinks. A list of additional equipment will also be required to make the operations easy. Bottle opener Corkscrew Can opener Measuring cups and spoon set Bar spoon with long handle and muddler on the end Juice squeezer Electric blender Cutting board and a sharp knife

Ice bucket with an ice tong Mixing glass Shaker and strainer Bottle sealers Towels Boxes/jars to store garnishes in Glassware

The following equipment should be purchased regularly. Cocktail napkins and coasters Swizzle sticks Straws, both long and short ones Cocktail picks Sugar and salt (for coating rim of glasses)

Additional equipment Ice crusher, preferably electric Wooden muddler Ice pick or chipper Vegetable peeler or a twist cutter for fruit peels Ice scoop Funnel Nutmeg grater

UNDEBAR AND BACKBAR EQUIPMENT All under bar equipment must meet local health department requirements which typically follow the sanitation standards set by National Sanitation Foundation. The major pieces of under bar equipment has stainless and sanitize. Stainless steel stands up to the harshest chemicals yet looks good and can be polished to an attractive sheen. EQUIPMENT FOR MIXING DRINKS Each of the stations is outfitted with the following equipment: Ice Chest, Ice bin Containers for bottles bottle wells and speed rails Handgun for dispensing soft drink mixes Mixer and blender on recessed shelf Glasses overhead, on the back bar, drain boards, almost anywhere there is room

The centerpiece of any pouring station is an ice chest or ice bin with or without bottle wells, usually with a speed rail attached to the front. DISPENSING BEVERAGES At each station of the bars the cobra gun that dispenses the carbonated mixes. Nicknamed the handgun and six-shooter, this instrument consists of a head with a nozzle and push buttons that deliver plain water and carbonated mixes (one per button) such as club soda, tonic water, and soft drinks. Behind the equipment are a bulk supply of concentrated syrups and a tank of carbon dioxide under pressure.

AUTOMATED POURING SYSTEMS At many bars today, pouring is all automated, not just for the soda system but also beer, juices and liquor. A number of electronic dispensing systems are on the market that pour preset amounts and count each drink. BAR SINKS AND GLASS WASHERS Equipment for washing (both glasses and hands) is usually specified in detail in local health codes. It typically includes these items, A three or four compartment sink Drain boards Special glass-washing brushes Hand sink with towel rack (attached to blender station) Waste dump A three-compartment sink with drain boards is usually a single piece of equipment placed near a bartender station or between to stations. One compartment is for washing, one for rinsing, and one for sanitizing (killing bacteria with a chemical solution). An alternative to washing glasses by hand that is gaining popularity is the automatic glass washer. This machine is a type of small dish washer that fits neatly under the under bar or back

bar. It washes and rinses glasses with tap water, provides a final hightemperature rinse to sanitize them, and blow-dries them. ICE AND ICE MACHINES A cocktail bar could not operate at all without ice, so a plentiful supply is essential. Every bar operations has an icemaker (ice machine); some have more than one. If the bar is large enough, the ice maker can be part of the under bar or back bar; if not, it must be installed elsewhere and the ice brought in manually. ESSENTIALS FOR DRAFT-BEER SERVICE A draft-beer serving system consists of a keg or half-keg of beer, the beer box where the keg is stored, the standard or tap (faucet), the line between the keg and the standard, and a CO2 tank connected to the keg with another line. The beer box, also called a tap box, is a refrigerator designed especially to hold a keg or half-keg of beer at the proper serving temperature of 36 to 38 Fahrenheit. Generally, it is located right below the standard, which is mounted on the bar top, so that the line between keg and standard is as short as possible. If more than one brand of draft beer is served, each brand has its own system-keg, line, and standard-either in its own beer box or sharing a box with another brand.

STAFFING IN A BAR BAR MANAGER

BAR CAPTAIN (Matre dhtel)

WINE BUTLER (Sommelier)

WAITER (Commis de rang)

LOUNGE STAFF (Chef de sale)

COCKTAIL BAR STAFF

TRAINEE (Debarrasseur)

BAR MANAGER The bar manager is responsible for ordering, receiving, preparing and serving of all beverage items to guests and staff where it may be required and the maintenance of satisfactory standards of safety, hygiene, service and customer relations. Specific responsibilities may include: Bar, Liquor and tobacco sales area Glassware equipment and utensils Stock of alcoholic beverages, tobacco, food supplies sold in bar Bar floats and takings Permanent and temporary bar staff Enforcement of licensing, hygiene and safety regulation

Key factors may include: Bar labour and other costs in percentage and cash terms Liquor sales in percentage and cash term Gross profit in percentage and cash term Revenue targets and average spend per head figures Specific customers satisfaction levels

THE SOMMELIER Sommeliers are specialists in wine service charged with assisting guests in making choices and then ensuring correct service. Alternative terms for a sommelier are wine waiter, wine butler, wine captain, wine steward or, in large units where they have responsibilities of other units they are called cellar masters. In short, the sommelier is responsible for the satisfactory service of all wine and other drinks to guests and staffing including the service of special function meals and buffet service. Special responsibilities may include Selecting and ordering of wines and spirits Organising the cellar layout and maintenance of cellar Setting up and maintaining control systems for beverage inventory and inventory tracking Sales tracking Training Cellar, dispense bars Furniture and equipment Staff organising including the engagement and organising of payment of casual staff Hygiene standards in all the above areas Key targets may include o Labour cost in percentage and cash term o Liquor sales in percentage and cash term o Revenue targets and average speed per head figures o Specific customer satisfaction levels

COCKTAILS
Competencies
List the various types of cocktails that are available. Describe how cocktails are classified. Write the ingredients of a cocktail. List the points to be considered while making cocktails. List the various methods of preparing a cocktail. Write a brief history about each classic cocktail originated.

"Betsy Flanagan, widow, opened in 1779 an inn near Yorktown where the American and French soldiers met and had a drink. Nearby lived an Englishman who had some excellent chickens. Betsy Flanagan could not stand the neighbors, and promised her hotel guests roast chicken, with chickens coming from nightly raids. One evening, she ordered the officers to the living room, where they were served a grand meal of Stolen Chickens. When the meal was over, Betsy ordered the guests to the bar, where she proudly pointed at the tail-feathers, now used for decorating the bottles. This was a positive surprise, and the officers gave three cheers then they began drinking, and continued until early morning. Lets have some more cocktail one of them said, and a French officer enthusiastically shouted Vive le Cocktail!!!
CLASSIFICATION OF COCKTAILS Iced mixed drinks can be roughly divided into four groups. Following is a short selection of the few standard drinks in each group. Aperitifs: these must stimulate the appetite. They must, therefore, be appealing to the eye and have an immediate effect. Broadly speaking, these drinks are usually made from wines mixed with spirits, e.g. dry martini, sweet martini, sweet manhattans, dry manhattans, bamboo, dubonnet, rob roy etc Cocktails: this is the largest group of all, and consists of all short, shaken mixed drinks. They should contain spirit base, colouring and flavouring ingredients and may be a fruit juice or other modifying agent. Most common ones are sidecar, white lady, Bronx, pink lady, Bacardi, Alexandra etc Long drinks: these are served in tall tumblers such as High Balls, horse neck, john Collins, gin fizz, pimms cup etc Stimulants: this is primarily to cure hang over, e.g. flips, noggs, champagne cocktail, pousse caf etc Digestif: It is usually drunk at the end of a meal. Bitter or carminative herbs are generally added to the alcohol, and it is believed that such digestifs aid digestion, hence the name (which is borrowed from French). Fernet Branca, and Italian herb liqueur, is a popular digestif. TYPES OF COCKTAILS o Blended cocktails: Made using liquidizer o Champagne cocktails: It has the addition of orange juice. E.g.: Bucks Fizz o Cobblers: Wine and spirit based, served with straws and decorated with fruit o Collins: Hot weather drinks, spirit based, served with plenty of ice o Coolers: Hot weather drinks, spirit based, served with plenty of ice and usually containing the peel of the fruit cut into a spiral

o Crustas: May be made with any spirit, the most popular being brandy, edge of the glass decorated with powdered sugar and crushed ice placed in glass o Cups: Hot weather, wine-based drinks o Daisies: Made with any spirit; usually served in tankards or wine glasses filled with crushed ice o Egg noggs: Traditional Christmas drink; rum or brandy and milk based, served in tumblers o Fixes: Short drink made by pouring any spirit over crushed ice; decorated with fruit and served with short straws o Fizzes: Hot weather drinks, spirit based,, always shaken and then topped with soda; must be drunk immediately o Flips: Similar to Egg Nogs, containing egg yolk but no milk. It is a spirit, wine or sherry based o Frappes: Served on crushed ice o Highball: American; a simple drink that is quickly prepared with spirit in a mixer o Juleps: American; containing mint with Claret, Madeira or bourbon whiskey base o Pick-me-ups: To aid digestion o Pousse Caf: Layered mix of liqueurs and/or spirits using differences in the specific densities of drink to create layers heaviest at the bottom, lightest at the top o Smashes: Smaller version of Julep o Sours: Always made with fresh juices to sharpen the flavour of the drink o Swizzles: They take they name from the stick used to stir the drink; sizzling creates a frost on the outside of the glass o Toddies: Refreshers that may be served hot or cold; contain lemon, cinnamon and nutmeg PARTS OF COCKTAIL/INGREDIENTS OF A COCKTAIL The Base: This is the fundamental and distinguishing ingredient of the cocktail and usually comprises more than 50% of the entire volume of the cocktail. The base must consist of a spirit like whisky, gin, brandy. A combination of various liqueurs or aromatic wines as a base has also come to be called as cocktail. Normally the cocktail base will consist of single liquor and this one particular will have the dominating flavour. This also determines the type of cocktail. Hence we have gin-based cocktails, whisky based cocktails, and rum based cocktails. The Modifying Agent: It is an ingredient in combination with the base which characterizes the cocktail and without this ingredient the base no matter how vigorously shaken or chilled, it will still remain separate chilled liquor without combining with others. Its function is to smooth down the

biting sharpness of the liquor and at the same time to add character to its flavour; however, it should not have a dominating flavour. The modifying agents can further be divided into 1. Aromates: includes aromatic such as French and Italian Vermouths, bitters of various types, e.g. Angostura Bitters. Bitter It is a generic name for highly flavored pungent and bitter liquor compounds which are prepared from fruits, bark, roots, or leaves of various trees and plants. 2. Fruit Juices: all fruit juices which are used such as orange, lemon, pineapple, tomato etc with or without sugar. 3. Miscellaneous smoothing agent: These include all types of sugar syrups, cream, eggs, milk etc. Additional Flavouring agents: These include all the various cordials and liqueurs. Sometimes the ingredients which are used as a modifying agent in one cocktail may be used for flavoring and colouring in another. POINTS TO NOTE WHILE MAKING COCKTAILS Ice should always be clean and clear Do not overfill the cocktail shaker Effervescent (carbonated) drinks should NEVER be shaken To avoid spillage, do not fill glasses to the brim When egg yolk or egg white is the ingredient, first break the egg into separate containers Serve cocktails in chilled glasses To shake, use short and snappy actions Always place ice in the shaker or mixing glass first, followed by nonalcoholic and then alcoholic beverages To stir, stir briskly until blend is cold As a general rule a mixing glass is used for those cocktails based on liqueur or wines Shakers are used for cocktails which might include fruit juices, cream, sugar and similar ingredients When egg white or egg yolk is an ingredient, then the Boston shaker should always be used Always add the garnish after the cocktail has been made and add it to the glass Always measure out ingredients. Inaccurate amounts spoil the balance of the blend and the taste Never use the same ice twice

COCKTAIL GARNISHES It is far more elegant not to overdress a cocktail otherwise they will turn into a fruit salad with an attached drink!! The garnishes should have colour, flavour and visual interest. Garnishes can be of various types. Frosting: Frosting glasses with salt, sugar or cocoa is a simple but effective touch. It is extremely quick and easy and needs no decoration. For drinks such as Margarita, salt rim cannot be ignored and is normally done with lime juice. For sweet drinks sugar frosting makes an appealing festive look. This looks good for drinks such as Brandy Crustas. Dark brown frosting of cocoa powder can be applied to a drink that has cream and flavoured with chocolate. Example: Brandy Alexander. Citrus Fruits: Edible garnishes should reflect the various contents of the cocktail. Citrus fruits are widely used because it has an appetizing look and can be cut in advance and refrigerated. Slices can be balanced on the rim of a highball glass. Lime is the most important fruit for any bartender. Oranges are used not just for garnishing orange flavoured drinks but old-time mixtures of vermouth and spirit, such as Negroni. Kumquats are bitter little citrus fruits, which are eaten with skin on. It is cut into half and put on a garnish stick for a cocktail that has a bitter orange flavour taste to it.

Kumquats Soft Fruits: Fresh soft fruits such as strawberries, cherries, peaches, apricots, blackcurrants and redcurrants make good splashes of colours and add a delicious flavour although these fruits are mainly available in summer. However the endless supply of tropical fruits is available all year long, such as mangoes, pineapple, star fruit, papaya, physalis and various types of melons offer numerous ideas and combinations for garnish. Physalis is a favorite garnish for modern cocktails.

Physalis

Other garnishes: Not all garnishes have to be fruit based. A block of chocolate can be grated over a drink or scraped into chocolate curls. Ground cinnamon makes an appropriate garnish for mulled wine or punch. Nutmeg goes well with egg-nogs. To some cocktails, green olives are a must such as Martini. Gibson uses pearl onion. Plain vodka can be spiced up with chillipeppers. For Bloody Mary is cherry tomatoes can be added while celery stick serves the purpose of a swizzle stick. Forming an integral part of few cocktails is a sprig of fresh mint leaves.