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The United States Sommelier Association, Inc. ™

BEVERAGE & CIGAR GUIDE

Distilled Spirits

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Production of distilled spirits 3Knowing and understanding distilled spirits 5randy & Cognacyuthial & Liqueurs

Product Knowledge

Table of Contents

Knowing and understanding B 7Knowing and understanding Canadian Whisk10Knowing and understanding American Whiskey13Knowing and understanding Scotch Whiskey 16Knowing and understanding Irish Whiskey 21Knowing and understanding Vodka 23Knowing and understanding Tequila 25Knowing and understanding Rum 28Knowing and understanding Gin 31Knowing and understanding Vermo34Knowing and understanding Cord35Glossary of distilled spirits terms 38Bottle, Barrels & Liquid Measurement 40Knowing and understanding Beer 41Knowing and understanding Coffee 48Knowing and understanding Tea 60Knowing and understanding Cigars 64

Product Knowledge

spiit are of two basic types.re grapes, sugarcane,

History Pot

The earliest stills were composed of aeated closed container, a condensertularlyly holthe water, taking advantage of the fact that alcohol boils at a lowerohol-containing liquid in a cowman made upseries of vaporization chambers stacked on top of one another. By the early 19

vaporized, considerable hears muel used in distilling spiritseeree types of

Production of Distilled Spirits

The raw materials used for making a distilledr

1. Those containing a high concentration of natural sugars aagave, molasses and processed sugar.2. Commonly used starchy materials include corn, rye, rice, barley, wheat andpotatoes

of Stills

hand a receptacle to receive thecondensate. These evolved into the postill, which is still in use, particfor making malt whiskeys and somegins and brandies. It consists essentialin separating the alcocontained in the wash fromtemperature than water, at about 80°C. Distillation comprises two stages accomplished in twostills varying by their capacity and by their shape.

The next refinement was heating alcacentury large scale continuous stills, very similar to those used today wereoperating in France and Aeneas Coffey designed such a still, which consisted of two columns in series.Since distillation requires that the liquid portion of a fermentation mixture beust be applied to the process. The f has always th most readily available at that particular time and place. Peat, coals and wood wthe fuels used historically. The high steam requirement for continuous still operation inhibitedthe development of rectifying columns for production until after the Industrial.Aside from specific product categories such as whiskey, brandy or vodka, another method forclassifying, distilled spirits is as aged or unaged. Vodka, bin, neutral spirits, and somrum and brandy are all unaged. Whiskies, cognacs and other products must be aged for specificperiods. A law in wooden barrels usually mandates (the minimums is usually mandated by law)in wooden barrels in order to develop specific characteristics of taste, color and aroma.Most commonly, the barrels used for aging distilled spirits are made of oak, with various expertserican Oak vs. French Oak. White oak is one of the few woods thattouting the benefits of Amcan hold liquids while still allowing the process of breathing through the wood’s pores. The poresize is such that small molecules such as water move through the wood more easily than largermolecules such as alcohol. Temperature and humidity cause these breathing process differencesbetween the liquid and the air in the warehouse. Some spirits are aged in new barrels and others 3