Page 13 - Craft of Whiskey Distilling

xII | CrAFt oF WHIskEy DIstIllInG
Glossary
abv Alcohol by Volume.
Aldehyde A volatile impurity found in heads; often redistilled separating it from alcohol.
Barrel (Wooden) 53 u.S. gallons, 44 Imperial gallons or 200.6 liters.
Barrel (Beer) 31 gallons.
Beer Stripping The process of run- ning wash through a still (no head or tail cuts) to remove alcohol that will be re-distilled. A stripping run usu- ally starts at 170 proof and ends at 70 proof .
Beer Stripper A large pot still, with- out plates, used to strip wash for a second distillation.
Bubble Caps Caps sit on trays over vapor tubers in the column still (sprits still). Caps provide contact between the rising vapors and de- scending reflux crating a distillation cycle and enriching the alcohol.
CFR Code Federal Regulations; u.S. Government regulations, “Type of Definition” for example: rye whiskey must be fermented mash of not less that 51% rye and stored in a new oak container.
Charge The volume of wash to be distilled.
Condensor The apparatus, often a tube in shell, in which a vapor con- denses to liquids.
Congeners Impurities. This minor chemical gives liquor (spirits) a dis- tinctive character and flavors. It’s found in both heads and tails,
Dephlegmator A chilling apparatus (condenser) at the top of the reflux column. It is comprised of a bank of tubes with cold water running through them. This increases reflux, and the purity of the distillate.
Dextrose Basic sugar know as corn sugar. A base for distilling whiskey (moonshine).
DSP Distilled Spirits Plants; a feder- ally licensed distillery.
Double Distilling A process where the distillate is distilled twice. The first time to remove alcohol and the second distillation is make cutting the head and tail cuts.
Fractional Distillation Done in col- umn still using plates and bubble caps. The process separates spirits into different volatility.
Heads Is the first spirits off the still, contain several undesirable chemi- cal such as aldehydes. Heads are collected and then often re-distilled as distillers try remove the flavorful congeners.
Mash Is produced by mixing hot wa- ter and grains.
Mash-Lauder A process that me- chanically mixes barley and water.
Mash Tun A double jacketed tank in which hot water and grains are mixed. The tank (mash-tun) has a false bottom (a screen or slotted tubes) allowing the sweet barley water to drain. Distiller collects the barley water for fermentation. After fermentation it becomes wash that is then distilled