Liquors from Cereals

Whiskey, depending on the kind, is made by different processes. The raw material for Scotch single malt whiskey is barley malt which has been exposed to peat moss or coal smoke during kiln drying. Such smoked malt is mashed at 60 °C and filtered. The resulting wort is then fermented at 20-32 °C after the addition of yeast (Saccha-romyces cerevisiae). Irish whiskey is never made from smoked malt. The distillation is conducted in two steps, sometimes in simple pot stills. The harsh, raw liquor is collected in the first distillation step. The undesirable harsh components are removed in the head and tail fractions in the second distillation. 

In the production of Scotch grain whiskey the saccharified starch is distilled in continuous column stills. The character of the distillate is neutral, with less aroma than malt whiskey. In both Scotch whiskey processes, the distillates, with about 63% by volume ethanol, have to be stored/aged in order to develop their fuU aroma. This is best achieved by aging in old sherry casks or in charred casks. At the end of processing, the alcohol content is reduced to a drinkable level, about 

43% by volume. Depending on the desired flavor or current preferences, the malt whiskey might be blended with grain whiskey ( blended whiskey ). American whiskey is made from com, rye or wheat by saccharification with malt enzymes, fermentation of the wort, followed by doubledistillation in column stills and aging, usually in charred oakwood casks. The com distillate content of bourbon whiskey is at least 51% by volume and that of com whiskey is at least 80% by 

Vodka (in Russian = diminutive of water) is made of alcohol and/or grain distillate by a special process. In all cases the characteristic smoothness and flavor must be achieved. The flavor should be neutral. The extract content is 0.3g/100ml and the alcohol content is at least 37.5% by volume. Aquavit is a liquor flavored primarily with caraway or dill seed. It is made from a distillate of herbs, spices or drugs and contains at least 37.5% by volume alcohol (potato alcohol or grain distillate). It is a favorite type of liquor in the Scandinavian countries. 

Bitters are made from alcohol and hitter and aromatic plant or fruit extracts and/or their distillates, fruit saps and natural essential oils, with or without sugar, i. e. starch syrup. This group of products includes Boonekamp, hitter drops, Eng-hsh and Spanish hitters, and Angostura. The so-called Aufgesetzter is made of hlack currants and spirit or grain alcohol. 

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In one very important respect the manufacture of spiritous liquors from a grain base differs from that commencing with a fruit juice base. This difference is that the fruit juices contain preformed sugar directly available for fermentation while the cereals contain starch and proteins in a relatively insoluble form. It was stated in previous chapters that by suitable processes this insoluble starch and proteins can be converted into soluble forms which are then fermentable. The processes by which this conversion is accomplished are the subject of this chapter. 

Liquor from Wine, Fruit, Cereals and Sugar Cane... 

When the diastase of the malt has had time to act the mash is inoculated with a smaller special mash of rye and malt in which a pure culture of lactic acid bacteria (Bacillus delbruckii) is growing. The mash is now incubated for about sixteen hours at the proper temperature (ca. 50° C., 1220 F.). During this time the proteins of the grains are partially hydrolyzed and some lactic acid is formed. The liquor now contains largely sugars, resulting from the action of malt diastase on the starch, lactic acid, amino acids, and other hydrolysis products of the proteins, all in a highly assimilable form for the yeasts, and the cellulose residues from the cereals. 

Phytic acid, myo-inositol hexakis (dIhydrogen phosphate), as-l,2,3,S-tnns-4,6-cyclohexanehexol-hexaphosphate a major phosphate storage compound in plants, which is especially abundant in oil seeds, legumes and cereal grains. It is the hexaphosphate of A/yo-inositol (see), in which each OH-group of myoinositol is esterified with phosphoric acid. Calcium and magnesium salts of P.a. are known as phytin. The commercial preparation of myo-inositol involves extraction of P. a. from com (maize) steep liquor, hydrolysis of the P.a. to myo-inositol and inorganic phosphate, and crystallization of the myo-inositol from water. 

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