The craft of whiskey distilling free ebook whether youre looking to open up a distillery, want to make your own moonshine whiskey down in the hollar, or simply like reading up on the topic of alcoholic beverages, youre going to want to know about this awesome free ebook weve uncovered. A professional guide for amateur and microdistillers. The distillation balance for the second distillation in the chart below shows the emerging quantity of new make spirit. Demystifying the whisky making process the whiskypedia. First off, youll need a base to start off with, and whiskey is by definition a grainbased spirit. Jameson is by far the bestselling irish whiskey in the world. Single malt whisky 1 the product of a single distillery, made from a grain content of 100% malted barley. The mashing and fermentation processes are similar to those used for malt whisky. The yeast that is added converts the sugars from the wort into alcohol and works perfectly at 34c, above this the yeast is killed off. From the shape of the still to the type of grain and yeast used each stage of the process helps in shaping the final flavour and character of the. Water water is another of the most important ingredients in the making process of whisky.
It is perhaps only fair then that industrious islay has long been crowned scotlands whisky island. The basic process of whisky production did not change in the previous 200 years. To confuse things further, triple distillation doesnt necessarily result in a light and smooth spirit mortlach for example is well on its way to being triple distilled x2. Malt whisky production begins when the barley is malted, by steeping the barley in water and then allowing it to get to the point of germination. It explains how whisky acquires its colour and flavours. Whisky production process of whisky making youtube. Via fermentation, fruit juices become wines and grain mashes become beers. What are the ingredients and the processes required to create a fine bottle of malt whisky. The inside of the barrels are toasted which is what imparts the caramel color to the end product. Then the guide will give a basic lay out on how to go about tasting a whiskey with room to. More on mortlachs complexities here, because of the specific nature of its process. Technology now aids production, but traditionally there are five stages to the process malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation. Differences in brewing processes by carl december 3, 20 4 comments i have made a number of presentations about brewing and home brewing and often get asked what the difference is between brewing beer and making moonshine, hepatitis bourbon, or other spirits.
During germination, the starch in the barley becomes soluble, thus preparing it for conversion into sugar. The wash stills usually have a capacity of 20,000 to 30,000 litres, while the spirit stills can only contain 10,000 to 20,000 litres of the higher concentrated low wines. The machinery and technology may have evolved, but the. The purpose of vatting is to fuse together many casks of whiskey in order to produce as consistent a quality and flavour as possible. The day of the dead is a traditional mexican holiday in which friends and family gather to celebrate their deceased loved ones with altars and offerings of food and drink. In the historical sense, these two beverages have very likely existed since before historical events were formally recorded. Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the production of whiskey mdpi.
Whisky act quite literally lays down the law about raw materials and the production process. Pdf production of grain whisky and ethanol from wheat, maize. The malting process for producing barley malt, the barley grain is put in an ideal, warm and damp environment in order to make it germinate. The grain activates the solar energy it has accumulated on the field and converts the starch into sugar. How whisky is made whisky making process johnnie walker. The grist is then passed onto the next stage to start the mashing process. Distillation is the process by which a liquid is heated to create a vapor and then condensed back into a liquid again. If you had one of our whiskey stills, you could participate in the festivities by distilling your very own spirits to share with your family and friends. Today, technology plays a crucial role in simplifying the process.
Use a hydrometer to tell when the primary fermentation is complete. The malt whisky production process begins in the malt barn. The making of scotch whisky is an ancient craft that has been developed and refined over time from a cottage industry into a precision process. An indepth discussion on hydrometers can be found in the article what is a hydrometer. For this reason, the wort is cooled to 34c before it is mixed with the yeast and enters the. Follow the whisky making process from barley to bottle. This manual is intended for the craft whiskey distiller who aims to make excellentquality malt whiskey through artisan distillation methods. Connecticut smallbatch distilleries are making awardwinning vodkas, brandies and whiskeys finding the spirit by gregory b. This whiskeytasting guide is designed to do just that. Scotch is distilled twice and in some places, three times, although this. The craft of whiskey distilling free ebook clawhammer. For hundreds of years the malt whisky industry has grown and matured. The action of a leavening stock, developed in our laboratory with special care, is crucial to obtain the particular characteristics of our products.
How to make whiskey step by step distillation how to. This whiskey tasting guide is designed to do just that. Malt whisky production begins when the barley is malted, by steeping the barley in water and then allowing it. The principals for the distillation of whisky have changed little over the last 200 years. Aug 21, 2016 water water is another of the most important ingredients in the making process of whisky. The quality of the whisky depends on the quality and purity of the water. So, you can start off with corn, rye, wheat, or barley or a blend. Use the video and aroma wheel below to assist you in finding the best descriptors for your notes. Below is a link to the hwc standard whisky tasting notes temlpate. In short malting is the method by which the starch contained in each grain of barley is converted into soluble sugars, necessary for producing alcohol at a later step. Winegrowers supplies the process for making whisky malt whisky and grain whisky. In scotch grain whisky production, maize was the tra. This is covered in detail in the distillation chapter.
The craft of whiskey distilling free ebook clawhammer supply. The pot still process by which malt whisky is made may be divided into four main stages. Chemical aspects of distilling wines into brandy james f. This alcoholic beverage production video explains the step by step process of whisky production in biotech industries using alcoholic fermentation by yeast. This post will show you how whisky is made, and explain how new make matures into a whisky.
During this process the sugars contained in the agave turn into alcohol. The machinery and technology may have evolved, but the basic process has remained the same. Barley a cereal grain, like wheat or oats is first spread out in a 30 cm deep layer on a concrete malting floor, it is then sprayed with water. Typically the distillation process in the spirit still takes up between 4 and 8 hours. Warm air is blown over it for several days until it starts to sproutgerminate. Mar 23, 2016 to confuse things further, triple distillation doesnt necessarily result in a light and smooth spirit mortlach for example is well on its way to being triple distilled x2. The fermentation process will take anywhere from 5 to 10 days, depending on the yeast, the temperature, and how much grain youre using. Originally one of the six main dublin whiskeys, jameson is now distilled at the new midleton distillery in county cork. In short malting is the method by which the starch contained in each grain of barley is converted into soluble sugars, necessary for producing alcohol at.
This flavour will then continue all the way through the whisky making process. Scottish whisky regions discover scotlands biggest export and what people would most associate with the country, lets discovery whisky. Manufacturing process of whisky linkedin slideshare. It gives detailed instructions on how to distill one barrel 53 gallons of 120proof malt whiskey.
Many things affect the final flavour and character of a whisky, from the type of grains and yeast used, to the shape of the. It has been scotlands national drink for centuries and there is always more to discover about whisky due to the fact there are 6 regions and over 100 distilleries to visit, taste test and fall in love with. Technological advancement enabled brewers to control every aspect of this process, but the fundamentals use of water, barley and yeast and the local laws managed to preserve original recipes that gave the original popularity to this fascinating drink. Comments wine sherried nutty chocolate oily feint plastic sweaty tobacco leathery honey primary taste bitter. Just three basic ingredients are needed water, barley and yeast. Many things affect the final flavour and character of a whisky, from the type of grains and yeast used, to the shape of the still, to the cask and length of time the liquid is matured in it. Scotch grain whisky is usually made from 1020% malted barley and then other unmalted cereals such as maize or wheat.
The rum process angostura pr toolkit thirst magazine. Distillation as a part of whisky making process flaviar. Connecticut smallbatch distilleries are making award. You let the barley germinate until the starch of the grain has become malt sugar. Outside of the united states, various other countries recognize certain types of american whiskey, such as bourbon and tennessee whiskey, as indigenous products of the united states that must be produced although not necessarily bottled in the united states. The manual also goes into detail about howto make head and tails cutsthe. The sugar is extracted by adding hot water, and the resulting liquid is then left to ferment, producing a beer without the addition of hops. One of the key parts in the whisky making process, distillation is where the alcohol created during fermentation is removed from the wash to form a concentrated liquid that goes on to be matured into whisky. Feb 23, 2014 this alcoholic beverage production video explains the step by step process of whisky production in biotech industries using alcoholic fermentation by yeast. Allow the mash to ferment in a relatively warm environment. Here you can find out about interesting process of its creation, both in professional brewers and in home environment.
How is whisky made and where does its flavour come from. Feedstocks, fermentation and distillation for production of heavy and light rums 243 chapter 16 feedstocks, fermentation and distillation for production of heavy and light rums j. The making of malt whisky the origins of malt whisky distilling in scotland are lost in the mists of antiquity. Well, barley malt is the single most important product. This is the stage in the whisky making process that alcohol is produced, through the addition of yeast to the wort. The production and labeling of american whiskey is governed by title 27 of the u. Highseparation stills can be operated in a manner whereby they give much less than maximum separation, which is exactly how they are very efficiently used to make whiskey.
Production of whisky trough the last five centuries went through many changes, but the fundamentals always managed to remain the same. This process has an approximated duration of 2 to 3 days for tequila 100% agave. Scotch is distilled twice and in some places, three times, although this is more commonly done in ireland. The whiskymaking process starts with a little something called malting. If the reading on the hydrometer is the same for two to three consecutive days, youre ready to begin distillation. Use it to record your impressions of the appearance, nose, palate and finish of the drams you sample at our meetings or at home. Gaelic pure scotch whisky the whisky making process. Just 25 miles in length, its rocky bays and sheltered inlets house eight active distilleries. One easy way to tell if fermentation has completed is to take a reading 1 time per day for 3 days. The process of whiskymaking is an art which has gradually evolved through centuries. Jan 24, 2012 a hydrometer measures the density of a liquid relative to water. These alcoholic liquors can be produced from various raw materials, but all have a similar process to obtain a high alcohol by volume, or abv. The congener reduction process involves volatilisation such as the loss of dimethylsulphide, adsorption onto the charred wood, and oxidation of carbonyl compounds. Islay is one of many small islands off scotlands west coast but it certainly stands out from the crowd.
The reader learns about the principles of distillation, types of stills, and the process of distillation. Kinda an important step, when your product is malt whisky, single or otherwise. Fermentation as part of whisky making process flaviar. Few products other than scotch whisky can claim such a devout following, enjoyed throughout the world. Each type of liquor is produced by the addition of various enzymes to break down the raw material. The starch in the nonmalted cereals is released by precooking and converted into fermentable sugars. A hydrometer measures the density of a liquid relative to water. All whiskey is normally aged for a period of time in barrel with the exception of corn whiskey which does not have to be aged.
Chapter 16 feedstocks, fermentation and distillation for. For example, there is now a desire for scotch whisky distilling yeasts to perform under more challenging conditions such as high gravity wort. Water encourages the barley to germinate during the malting process, and is added at the mashing stage to extract the sugars and make the wort. The congener production process involves oxidation to form acetals, esterification to form more esters, and hydrolysis to form quinones. The difference in taste between the whisky coming from various distilleries is partly due to the quality of water used. This manual describes, at the craft level, the process of making whiskey.