tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post5912354106156468732..comments2024-01-31T11:12:05.462+02:00Comments on Whisky Science: Sugars in whiskyTeemu Strengellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16883970632607009000noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-5736013419292501182021-01-19T12:22:53.191+02:002021-01-19T12:22:53.191+02:00I have been a huge fan of you blog for years and r...I have been a huge fan of you blog for years and refer to it a lot as part of my work. I know you stopped writing a few years ago, but did you ever consider getting this published? I would love to own a hard copy.SChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08278115729244106041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-40980062274040615452020-11-08T19:49:01.549+02:002020-11-08T19:49:01.549+02:00Very well researched article - fascinating.Very well researched article - fascinating.TopWhiskieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05033934189214991154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-82779536983145194752019-07-31T22:22:56.807+03:002019-07-31T22:22:56.807+03:00I'm just about to prepare a series of 15 lectu...I'm just about to prepare a series of 15 lectures on flavour of alcoholic beverages...Two lectures will be devoted to whisky...This blog is a Treasure Island of Information!!! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15231590838584942480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-51268990717808389282018-08-24T08:18:59.236+03:002018-08-24T08:18:59.236+03:00Teemu I am whisky drinker, collector and host tast...Teemu I am whisky drinker, collector and host tastings of my own. I am desperately trying to find hard science regarding what happens when we pour the whisky into a glass.<br /><br />I am trying to (in scientific terms) describe the effects on flavor<br /><br />1) when whisky is exposed to oxygen; if there is any oxidation that occurs<br /><br />2) what happens when alcohol evaporates; does that change anything in the composition or flavor<br /><br />But I am unable to find any information on these matters. Could you point me in the right direction and/or would you have any articles on this matter? frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16527921566054015723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-32131134296536165822018-08-24T08:15:18.579+03:002018-08-24T08:15:18.579+03:00This is an AMAZING post. I learned so much. Please...This is an AMAZING post. I learned so much. Please continue posting wow!frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16527921566054015723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-4106461167139143922018-06-08T21:33:08.530+03:002018-06-08T21:33:08.530+03:00Teemu, a LOT of esters are created in the still es...Teemu, a LOT of esters are created in the still especially under reflux. Look into Arroyo's papers on Jamaican rum. They are stunning. <br /><br />Have a bit of Rum Fire or Wray Overproof for an ester bomb.<br /><br />I have toyed with this myself by adding raw lactic, butyric, and propionic acid directly to the still and the results are promising. The smells before though aren't so pleasing. Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14634537146306259690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-36134110904599531582018-03-31T12:05:21.394+03:002018-03-31T12:05:21.394+03:00nice writingnice writingCara Membuat NPK Organik Cairhttps://goo.gl/KUVWF4noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-70693397495496918362017-08-24T03:22:22.378+03:002017-08-24T03:22:22.378+03:00Thank you for article. Assumptions about the natu...Thank you for article. Assumptions about the nature of Jerez and Montilla-Moriles casks abound. To think the lauded 19th century and early to mid 20th century single malts were often aged in pajarete barrels. Pajarete and PX are kin to drinking liquid raisins. Both seem to pass on a certain residual barrel sweetness to single malts. I know cellulose contributes, but I still taste an inherent sweetness diff from cellulose. Maybe I pick up on the nuances bcs I am experienced with the full gamut of sherry. Either way, seems hypocritical for the whisky industry to not admit how revered malts of yesteryear were aged in "sweetened barrels" (PX or pajarete) not "dry wood" barrels. Would like your input. 360degreeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02156889144754638955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-15048280726269719412017-05-30T11:14:25.495+03:002017-05-30T11:14:25.495+03:00Wery good article!!!Wery good article!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-50719303520296218682017-05-11T22:12:17.263+03:002017-05-11T22:12:17.263+03:00This is an interesting discussion to have, Teemu.
...This is an interesting discussion to have, Teemu.<br /><br />Another confusing wrench to throw in is that most Bourbon is made using sour-mash method. This would make it very high in volatile acidity (specifically lactic + acetic). Again this would mean the conditions for esters forming are more ideal, both because of the low pH in both the boiler and columns, and also because of the amount of ester precursors is very high for the same reason.Miles D. Harrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04261483543459343902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-5634783658868333562017-04-22T12:56:47.786+03:002017-04-22T12:56:47.786+03:00I would not presume i know enough so i can enlight...I would not presume i know enough so i can enlighten you already! Much learning to be Done before i can do that ;) im planning a little experiment myself for the relationship between ABV and wood interaction speeds :) Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04703940746121697774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-83669917584290274382017-04-21T20:09:27.836+03:002017-04-21T20:09:27.836+03:00The heat (and probably copper) accelerates the est...The heat (and probably copper) accelerates the ester formation. How much, I don't know, would be great to see some numbers (not too hard to do, looking at you Heriot-Watt). You are probably right about the bulk happening in the cask.Teemu Strengellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16883970632607009000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-14880270135782122172017-03-16T05:20:55.011+02:002017-03-16T05:20:55.011+02:00Love this site! Makes learning about wine fun. Tha...Love this site! Makes learning about wine fun. Thanks for sharing!<br />Athaliahttp://www.wineandsweet.com/best-wine-cooler-reviews/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-25913847882890150722017-03-07T07:27:11.423+02:002017-03-07T07:27:11.423+02:00To reply very late, I was under the impression tha...To reply very late, I was under the impression that distillation simply concentrated alcohol and acids which then gradually reacted into esters with time, as opposed to the bulk of esterification being during distillation.Miles D. Harrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04261483543459343902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-75080446507904466992017-02-12T21:28:15.064+02:002017-02-12T21:28:15.064+02:00Wow, updatedWow, updatedAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10594105272277255787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-56051531838142488002017-02-09T19:13:33.863+02:002017-02-09T19:13:33.863+02:00The distillers cutting below 70abv probably look f...The distillers cutting below 70abv probably look for more robust oily peaty style, not floral fruity. As you point out, it might be a way to compensate the relatively fast distilling speed and/or low reflux. The heads fraction is recycled to the next batch anyway so the spirit loss is not important.Teemu Strengellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16883970632607009000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-11511460556173007722017-02-07T13:19:10.782+02:002017-02-07T13:19:10.782+02:00Huge thanks for Your reply. The information provid...Huge thanks for Your reply. The information provided is very helpful.<br /><br />Considering malt mixing everything is clear. I've made several mashes with pilsner malt. I also make experiments with belgian Castle Malting Whisky malt (30-35 ppm phenols) and Whisky Light (5-10 ppm phenols). These peated malts can be purchased here. Results seem to be almost authentic. Analysis for main congeners can be found here https://yadi.sk/i/c5jL4fLA3DKMvp<br /><br />Considering the first question. The lower abv ("end of cut and start of feints") is quite clear. But the higher abv ("end of heads and start of cut") is somewhat uncelear. I can hardly understand the start of middle cut at 70 abv and even at 68 abv. In my own distillation practice with a simple direct-flow condenser, heads end at 80-79 abv. I usually take heads about 5% of low-wines total volume. One thing to be mentioned - in home distillations we always aim to get heads at a very low distillation speed (as low as 100 ml per hour) to get heads "sharper". So, my assumptions are:<br />1. The construction of traditional pot stills provides extremely low reflux, so the spirit strengthening is very low. So, we get the end of heads at 75-70 abv.<br />2. The distillation speed is very high - much higher than I have in my practice. So, again, the reflux with high speed is very low - we get a lot of congeners that lower the spirit content. Again, if the distillation speed at heads stage is high (15-30 minutes total, according to Whisky: Technology, Production and Marketing ed. I. Russell) we "loose" a lot of good spirit with heads and lower the middle cut. In this case the heads appear in a new made spirit in significant quantity. But maybe this is not a problem, because they will evaporate during cask maturation.<br /><br />One more thing. I suppose that the middle cut usually is about 25-30% from low-wines volume. If we collect middle cut in the range 68-63 abv - this will be much less than 25% and the good spirit yield will be awfully low.<br /><br />My reasoning may be faulty. Can You explain Your vision of this question?<br /><br />Thanks in advance.<br /><br />With great respect, Dmitry.<br /><br /> Dmitry Dezortsevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08981436767387284176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-46646825937436655322017-02-06T17:39:52.384+02:002017-02-06T17:39:52.384+02:001. The middle cut refers to the ABV of the spirit ...1. The middle cut refers to the ABV of the spirit cut. The bigger abv is the "end of heads and start of cut" and the lower abv is the "end of cut and start of feints".<br /><br />2. I never heard of a malt mix for whisky (apart from some rare experiments). Scotch malt whisky is made practically always from distilling malt, which is very pale malt (for high alcohol yield). Some of it is peated, but the aim is to keep that pale, too. Compared to brewers, the distillers prefer smaller grain (more enzymes) and low protein. http://whiskyscience.blogspot.fi/2015/03/scottish-whisky-mash-bill.htmlTeemu Strengellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16883970632607009000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-54817271422503374952017-02-03T15:09:14.392+02:002017-02-03T15:09:14.392+02:00Hi. Couldn't find any other way to contact You...Hi. Couldn't find any other way to contact You, so decided to post a comment to the newest post in Your blog. First of all - huge thanks for Your great articles. I'm a whisky making enthusiast and I found a lot of interesting and valuable technological details.<br /><br />So, I have 2 questions:<br />1. In the "Peat" article You published a table. The third column is named "MIDDLE CUT ABV". Should the figures be understood as a final ABV of newly made whisky right after the second distillation or as a "body" cut point where a specific figure means abv of a distillate in a flow running out of condenser in transition to tails?<br /><br />2. There is one more question on which I can't find almost any information. I've read that a whisky mash is always made of a blend of different malts. So, like in beer, there is always a base malt with addition of special malts. Do You have any information on malt blending and use of special malts. What special malts are used - cara, melanoid, munich etc.? What percentages of them are common for whisky mash blends?<br /><br />Beforehand grateful for the answer.<br /><br />With great respect, Dmitry.<br />p.s. my email is jazzminos(dog)google-dot-com.Dmitry Dezortsevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08981436767387284176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-62454456589043770202017-01-23T23:48:36.208+02:002017-01-23T23:48:36.208+02:00Good post.Good post.Tony M.http://entryleveljobscam.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-61211971838796560672017-01-18T20:20:06.665+02:002017-01-18T20:20:06.665+02:00You know I won't mind. Go on, enlighten us ;)You know I won't mind. Go on, enlighten us ;)Teemu Strengellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16883970632607009000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-1812873764621017662017-01-18T20:18:46.839+02:002017-01-18T20:18:46.839+02:00Probably due to distillation regimes (pot still/co...Probably due to distillation regimes (pot still/column still). Scottish pot still distillation allows (and creates) more esters into the new make. Also more higher alcohols and probably acids, too. And alcohol+acid=>ester. Not that much of a maturation thing in the first place.<br />http://whiskyscience.blogspot.fi/2011/03/pot-still-distillation.html<br />http://whiskyscience.blogspot.fi/2013/08/history-of-column-still.htmlTeemu Strengellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16883970632607009000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-4375810145458865592017-01-18T13:42:33.929+02:002017-01-18T13:42:33.929+02:00Thanks for this.
The study by Savchuk is really i...Thanks for this.<br /><br />The study by Savchuk is really intriguing: Despite the fact that bourbon is aged in a much warmer climate, the older Scotches have a much higher ester count. Why is this? Would the higher temperatures of Kentucky not compensate for their shorter aging time and cause a bit of catch-up chemistry wise?Miles D. Harrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04261483543459343902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-85858588978721810852016-12-12T17:39:19.245+02:002016-12-12T17:39:19.245+02:00True. Certainly not pint of caramel per gallon, al...True. Certainly not pint of caramel per gallon, although that is what mr Valaer wrote;) Pint per barrel adds up with the 0.15% nicely, so I changed that. Thanks.Teemu Strengellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16883970632607009000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6589381127632649854.post-18701448396663157132016-12-12T05:18:24.695+02:002016-12-12T05:18:24.695+02:00Great stuff, glad to see you writing again!
&quo...Great stuff, glad to see you writing again! <br /><br />"According to Valaer in 1940 there was a legal maximum of one pint of liquid caramel per gallon of whisky permitted by the British Customs and Excise Regulations (0.15% or about 1.5 g/l)." I think there might have been a transcription error, as a pint per gallon is 12.5% (16 oz / 128 oz) which seems a bit loony. Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04493042951317284351noreply@blogger.com