On this episode of Distilling the West, we run you through the basics of whiskey. We talk about the difference between whiskey, bourbon, and rye along with other topics we hope you find helpful. If there's anything you think we missed, leave us a comment and we'll make sure we include it in Whiskey 201 (or is it 102? ... we'll have to figure that out.)
Vocabulary From The Episode:
- ABV: Alcohol by Volume aka the percentage of alcohol in the total solution
- Charring: Burning the inside of barrels
- Column Still: A tall metal cylinder with chambers separated by large filtering plates. The mash is continuously pumped in near the top of the still and sinks to the bottom. As it heats, the alcohols begin to evaporate and rise up through the plates with the heavier stuff being left behind in the chambers. The lower proof low wines get transferred to a doubler that is a kettle that increases the proof to high wines. This results in a more concentrated, higher proof distillate.
- Congeners: The individual alcohols produced during fermentation that each have their own unique flavor and aroma (good and bad)
- Enzymes: The substance produced that acts as a catalyst to break down starches into basic sugars that aid the fermentation process.
- Lincoln County Process: The process in which whiskey is put through a sugar maple charcoal filter before it’s put into casks. Tennessee Whiskey producers use this process to differentiate themselves.
- Pot Still: A large kettle-like pot that is heated from the bottom which brings alcohol vapor to be sent to a condenser arm of the still. This results in a heavier, more oily, congener rich distillate. Uses double distillation with a first stripping run and a second spirits run.
- Mash: The mixture of grain and water that is made to convert starches into sugars
- Mashbill: Essentially the recipe for the whiskey. The composition of grains within the mash.
- Peated: A whisky in which the malted barley is dried over a peat fire giving the malt a smoky aroma.
- Proof: A measure of the strength of alcohol. Double the Alcohol By Volume percentage and you have the alcohol’s “proof.”
- Wort: The liquid that’s extracted from the mash after the starches are converted to sugars. The wort contains the sugars that yeast converts into alcohol.
