12.6 Alcoholic Beverages Alcoholic beverages have been known since antiquity. These are judged in terms of flavour and stimulant effect and hardly at all as sources of calories. However, the calorific value of alcohol in 7 Keal/g and excess of alcohol consumed could add to the total calorie intake of a person. In the case of distilled liquors (whisky, brandy, gin and rum), the calorific value is only due to alcohol and consumption of 100 ml of these beverages would yield about 230 Keal of energy. Beer_and wine _ contain some riutrients present in the original malted barley and the fruit juice used in their preparation and naturally their energy value would be higher than that of distilled liquors; 350 ml of beer gives about 150 Kcal and 100 ml of wine about 80 Keal. Alcohol is absorbed without prior digestion but the body has limited capacity to oxidize it. That is the reason why alcoholic beverages are to be sipped instead of gulping them. As a drug the effects of alcohol vary from mild stimulation, when small amounts are consumed, to loss of co-ordination and even death when large amounts are consumed. here are three main classes of alcoholic beverages—wines, malted beverages (beer), and distilled liquors. Different starting materials and different methods are used in their manufacture, But fere is one common characteristic in all of them, namely, they are made by the process of fermentation. The essential step in all the fermentation processes is the conversion of glucose into alcohol by-yeast. ‘The enzymes present in yeast catalyze the breakdown of glucose. a Yeast enzymes \ Cg, ——— > 20, OH + 2C0, 12.6.1 Wines Wine is the oldest of the alcoholic beverages made by the fermentation of grape juice. Wine, strictly speaking, is a product of the grape-vine, but often includes all fermented liquors obtained from different fruit juices (fruit wines). Wines differ greatly in their character, because grapes grown in ferent regions differ in their composition, particularly with respect to their volatile components which contribute to flavour and bouquet and in the method used for wine making. There are different varieties of wines and in many cases they are named by reference to their place of origin, e.g., hampsgne is produced a ie dtc of pamasene i a Most of the wines “ produced in the world are natural and still (without excess of carbon dioxide). Sparkling wines, such_ as champagne, contain excess of carbon dioxide due to the secondary fermentation that occurs after otiling. The carbon dioxide generated is stored within the liquid under its own pressure and gives the ‘Winlé@ “Sparkle” Some wines like port and sherry are fortified wines and differ from natural wines in.” that some alcohol (grape ‘added to them before the completion o} ion, Vermouth is_ Scanned with CamScannerJ duritig fermentation. 146 Foods: Facts and Principles at various slages also a fortified wine prepared by the addition of spice mixtures or their extracts Wines also differ in their colours. The colour of wine may be white or red. However, the colour does not depend on the colour of the grapes from which it is made: in fact, white wines may easily be ‘made from black (dark blue) grapes by using only the juice, In making red wines both juice and skin are used; the pigment giving colour to the grapes lies just under the skin and is extracted from il during fermentation. Researchers are examining the potential benefits of components in red wine such as flavonoids and other antioxidants in reducing heart disease risk. Some of these components may be found in other foods such as grapes of red grape juice. Wine y be cither “dry” or sweet depending upon the extent to which the fermentation has taken place. If fermentation has taken place until all the sugars are used up, the resulting wine will be dry; whereas if it is stopped while some sugar remains, it Will be sweet. Yeast cannot tolerate an alcohol content greater than 16 per cent, Most of the natura wines contain 8-10 per cent alcohol. Fortified wines contain about 20 per cent alcohol, which is sufficiently high to Kill the micro-organism that attack natural wines. Wines containing less than 14 Per cent alcohol are table wines while those which contain more are dessert wines. : In the manufacture of wine, grapes are picked at the proper time when the sugar and acid Contents are in the right proportion. The composition of the grapes varies according to the climatic conditions prevailing during their cultivation and thus the quality of wine varies from onc year (0 another. Therefore, there is the practice of “vintage dating” the wine with the year of the crop fram which itis made. Immediately after picking, in the case of red wines, the grapes are crushed and the Juice together with the skin, pulp and seeds are transferred to the fermenters. After fermentation #* completed, the fermented juice is pressed out. In the case of white wines, pressing takes place before fermentation. “Wild” yeast and other micro-organisms are present on the skin of the grapes and these pass into the juicy pulp (known as “must") when the fruit is crushed. These are destroyed by adding sulphur dioxide (or potassium metabisulphite) in the required quantity. If the sugar content is lows sucrose is added to the desired strength and the pH is adjusted to 3.2-3.4 by the addition of tartarie acid .Next, the “must” is inoculated with a pure culture of actively growing yeast (Saccharomyces ellipsoideus). The temperature and duration of fermentation depend upon whether dry or sweet wine 'S required. Fermentation usually lasts 4 to 10 days. When fermentation is complete, the clear wine is syphoned from the yeast sediment into barrels (raking) and the wine allowed to age. During this period secondary fermentation takes place and the wine also loses its raw and harsh flavour and mellows down. During this period of maturation clarification takes place in the natural way. It can also be achieved by finning and filtration. Next, the wine is bottled and allowed to mature; the time of this maturation extends to a number of yea's depending upon the quality desired. Wines are also made from juices of other fruits and berries. Cider is fermented apple juice. The method of fermentation with fruit juices other than of grapes is almost similar to that of preparation of grape wine. 12.6.2 Beer Beer, next to wine, is the oldest alcoholic beverage to have been made. There are evidences to show that fermented beverage from barley existed in the Indus Valley civilization about 5,000 years ago and in China, Egypt and other cultures even earlier. The first brewery in India was stared in 1860, and in 2005 there were 56 breweries and the beer production was about 121,6 million hectolitres, which is TN Scanned with CamScannerBeverages 147 very insignificant compared with a world production of 120 billion hectolitres. it is projected that world consumption will be 180 billion litres in 2001-2010, The chief beer producing countries in the world are USA, Germany, USSR, UK and Japan (The term “beer” ii normally applied to a beverage made by the fermentation_of barley malt, “ale” Jager” and “porter” are also used for beer, the difference between” them being the method of prodiiction, The materials use f beer are barley mali, cereal adjunct, hops, water and yeas. The principal operations involved in the production of beer are ‘naling, mashing and Termentation. LL The starting material for the production of beer is barley malt. (For malting of barley see subsection 15.10.4.) Starchy materials that are cheaper than malt are used as “adjuncts” to replace some malt, The ‘most commonly used cereal adjunct is maize in the form of grits or flakes. Other adjuncts suitable for brewing are broken rice, wheat, raw barley, tapioca, starch and sorghum. Such adjuncts should not impede the fermentation process or have an undesirable effect on the quality of the product. The entire starch of the adjunct is to be converted into sugar. Thus, the percentage of adjunct that can be added is restricted by the amount of enzymes in the malt. The introduction of microbial enzymes has increased the flexibility of varying adjunct proportion, as these enzymes supplement malt enzymes. They also feduce the cost of raw material and maintain the quality of beer. Liquid syrup adjuncts can also be used, but they are yet to enter the brewing field in India. ; Hop (Humulus Iupulus) is a vine native to Europe and Wester Asia. During the carly 1970s, hop growing had been introduced to Kashmir and successfully cultivated. Varieties grown in Kashmir have satisfactory brewing quality regarding bitterness but are low in flavour. From about the 15th Century, beer is being flavoured with hop. The part used in brewing is the female “cone” consisting of a cluster of pale, yellowish green bracts and bracteoles enclosing the flowers and later the fruits. Hop Contains essential oils and resins which impart the characteristic bitter flavour and pleasant aroma to beer. I also destroys the enzymes and helps sterilize the brew before fermentation. Suitability of water for brewing is of great importance in beer making. Water should be hard; if soft, salts are added to get the required hardness. If the water is too hard, it may have to be boiled to Femove most of the temporary hardness. The yeast used depends upon the type of beer to be manufactured. For the production of ale, “top fermentation” systems are used with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In top fermentation, the Yeast is carried to the top of the fermentating vats by rapidly evolving bubbles of carbon dioxide, For Production of lager, the “bottom fermentation” system is employed with Saccharomyces- carlsbergensis. During fermentation, the yeast settles at the bottom of the vats. In the manufacture of beer, the malt is “mashed”, ic. the ground maltis-steeped in hot water in_ vessels called mash in. Two mashing methods are generally employed: infusion-mashing, followed in India, and decoction mashing. In infusion mashing. ROT Water at 65.5°C is mixed with ground malt to the consistency of porridge. Cereal adjuncts (gelatinized) are added to the malt grit. Sugar syrups, if desired, are also added at this stage. The period of infusion is about 2 hours and the temperature is maintained at 65.5°C. During this period, malt amylases degrade starch in aqueous solution to produce Sugars approximately in the following ratios: 7-10 per cent monosaccharides, 48-55 per cent disaccharides, 12-15 per cent trisaccharides and 20-30 per cent dextrin. By regulating the mashing conditions, the proportion of various earbohydrates can be varied to suit the requirement of the beer to be brewed. When stecping is complete, the extract, known as “wort” is filtered off through barley husks which settle on the perforated false bottom of the mash tun. Scanned with CamScanner148, Foods: Facts and Principles ‘The wort is then boiled with hops. This boiling destroys the malt enzymes and sterilizes the Wort. The essential oil and bitter substances of hops are extracted and the proteins are coagulated, The coagulation of protein assists in clarifying the beer. The liquor is filtered through spent hops which retain the precipitated materials. The liquor, when cold, is seeded with yeast and allowed to ferment for a few days during which time sugars are converted into alcohol. When the fermentation is complete, the beer is allowed to stand for I or 2 days when yeast settles down. ‘After fermentation, the beer is run off to storage tanks for maturing when secondary fermentation takes place and the flavour and bouquet of beer develop. The maturing process varies from only afew days for mild beer to several months for strong beer. Next, the beer is pasteurized ot sterile filtered and bottled or canned, with the introduction of carbon dioxide under pressure. Variation inthe quality of beer, such as the strength of alcohol, colour and extractives, depends upon the quality of malt, malt adjuncts used, mashing method, amount of hops added and the condition of fermentation. Beer, ale, porter and stout are beverages produced by top fermentation, while lager beer is a product of bottom fermentation. Ale is made like lager but is usually stronger in” character and contains a higher" alechol content: Porter is a heavier and darker drink made with longer dried, roasted, or caramelized malt with less hops. Stout is like porter except that it has heavier malt flavour and is much darker than any other malt drink. It has a stronger hop taste than porter. The alcohol content of various beers varies from 2.5 to 7 g per cent, Beers produced in India contain 4-5 per cent alcohol and have a calorific value of about 30 Keal per 100 ml. Japanese beer, which is made entirely from rice. Whole grain rice is soaked until it is quite Soft apd th “The steamed rice is partially dried by spreading on straw mats. It is then inoculated with a yeast-like mould and after 30-14 days, the completely fermented material is filtered This fluid is placed in barrels to setle. After a few days, the clear liquid is withdrawn and pasteurized giving Sak. It contains about 17 per cent or more alcohol by volume. 12.6.3 Distilled Spirits Distilled spirits are made by distilling fermented liquors. Whisky is made by the fermentation and _ distillation of fermented cereal grains, brandy from wine and rum from fermented molasses. Gin is a Di distilled spirit flavoured with juniper (Junipertis communis) berries or 501 ‘aromatics. Distilled” liquors astaly have 40 per Icohol and thus have excellent keeping qualities. Usually, gistilled “quors.other than gin, are allowed to mature before consumption, e.g., whisky is matured in wooden ‘asks for $-15 years to become smooth and mellow, ‘An essential stage in making, jon. The liquid obtained by fermentation from different materials contains dilute alcohol and is concentrated by distillation. Originally, distillation was carried out in a pot stil. To obtain a concentrated alcoholic liquor, the distillation in a pot still has to be repeated a number of times. To overcome this disadvantage, continuous distillation stills have been developed. In spite of this development, pot still distillation is still used for making the finest whiskys, brandies and other renowned spirits. Pot still allows many of the volatile components which contribute characteristic and subtle flavours to the drink to pass over with the alcohol during distillation, The best of brandies, cognac, is inade by distilling twice in a pot still, For the preparation of gin and vodka, and for fortification of any other beverage with alcohol, a colourless and tasteless spirit is required and this can be obtained by distillation in a continuous stil. Dilute alcohol from any source when distilled in a continuous still can give 95 per cent alcohol. Such Scanned with CamScannerBeverages 149 alcohol is very pure and has only the odour and flavour characteristic of alcohol. Such alcohol is known as neutral spirit (silent spirit). Whisky is made using different cereals. Scotch malt whisky, the original whisky, is made from malted barley and Scotch grain whisky from barley malt and other unmalted cereal grains, US whiskys are generally made from rye (straight rye whisky) and maize (straight maize whisky). Canadian whisky is made from maize, wheat, rye or barley. Irish whisky is made from malted barley alone or with a mixture of unmalted barley, wheat, rye and oats, In the manufacturing process, the grain is converted into beer except for the omission of hops and is distilled to obtain a distillate containing 80 per cent alcohol by volume. Iti then difuted with water and stored in charred barrels. After the desired period of aging, the whisky is adjusted to the required alcohol strength and bottled. The characteristic flavour of Scotch whisky is said to be due to the fumes from the peat used for firing malt kilns and the characteristics of the water used. Brandy can be made from any fruit. Generally, “brandy” refers only to the distillate from grape wine. Grape wine obtained from selected grapes is completely fermented using pure cultures of yeast and distilled. The brandy obtained is stored in oak casks and is allowed to age in a damp storage building for as long as 20 years. Rum is an alcoholic beverage distilled directly from fermented sugarcane products, such as sugarcane juice, syrup or molasses. The rum obtained by distillation is stored in either charted, plain or reused barrels or vats. Rum readily improves in character and flavour with aging. After aging, the strength of alcohol is adjusted to 40 per cent and bottled. Gin is produced by diluting neutral spirit with distilled water so that the alcohol content is 60 per cent. This is distilled in a pot still in the head of which are placed juniper berries and other aromatics. During distillation, the alcohol water vapour extracts the flavouring principles. The distillate is then reduced to the required alcohol strength by the addition of water and bottled. No aging is required for gin; in fact, it may be harmful as the essential oils in gin may decompose with time. For arrack and feni sce Subsections 18.3.1 and 18.3.2. Vodka is a distilled liquor without any identifying characteristics except that of dilute alcohol. It is free from all traces of colour and flavour. Vodka is made by diluting neutral spirit obtained from wheat or other cereal grains or potato. Liqueurs are products obtained by steeping herbs, fruits, flowers or plants in neutral or distilled spirits and distilling the resulting produce. To the distillate, sugar is added to the extent of 2.5 per cent. As a rule, liqueurs are sweet, and caramel colour or other colouring may be added. Liqueurs like Benedictine, Drambuie, Creme-de-menthe are obtained this way. The recipes of most liqueurs are closely guarded secrets. | | Scanned with CamScanner