ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE
Introduction

Beverage

The term “Beverage” refers to all kinds of potable drinks which have thirst quenching, refreshing,
stimulating and nourishing properties. Beverages are consumed mainly to quench thirst, compensate loss of
body fluid due to perspiration, feel fresh and active, as rituals, during social gatherings and during and after
eating.

Beverages are broadly classified into following types:-

 Alcoholic Beverage  Non Alcoholic Beverage

Alcohol

 The term “Alcohol” is derived from the Arabic term “al-kohl”. Kohl is a black, very fine, staining
powder which is used cosmetically once for staining the eyelids of harem beauties.

 Alcohol is an odourless, colourless, volatile clear liquid with a burning taste. This may be “Ethyl
Alcohol (Ethanol-C2H5OH)” or “Methyl Alcohol (Methanol-CH3OH)”.

 Ethyl Alcohol is potable whereas Methyl Alcohol is fatal and used for industrial purposes only.

Alcoholic Beverage

“Alcoholic Beverage is a potable liquid containing Ethyl Alcohol of 0.5% or more (75% to 95%) in
volume, obtained by fermenting a liquid containing sugar, the strength of which can be increased by further
distillation.”

Method of Preparation of Alcohol

Alcoholic drinks are produced by the following methods:

 Fermentation  Distillation

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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

Fermentation

 Fermentation is the process in which sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide by the action
of yeast. This process is the basis for producing all types of alcoholic beverages.

 The alcohol level of fermented drinks is normally between 3-14%, depending on the amount of sugar
present in liquid.

 Once the Alcohol level reaches 14%, the yeast gets killed, thus bringing the fermentation process to a
halt.

 Examples of fermented drinks are wine, beer, cider, perry etc.

 The CO2 released during fermentation is either allowed to escape or is absorbed into the liquid to
give effervescence like sparkling wines, sparkling ciders and beers.

 The following are necessary for fermentation to take place:

 Sugar  Yeast  Temperature

In the absence of any of these, fermentation will not occur.

• and
Sugar Alcohol releases
Yeast Acts on C6H12O6 and gives 2C2H5OH CO2
• 2CO2

Fermentation Process

YEAST
C6H12O6 2C2H5OH + 2CO2 ↑ + HEAT ENERGY

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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

Sugar

 It is one of the most important material required for fermentation. Yeast acts on the sugar and
converts one molecule of sugar into two molecule of carbon dioxide.

 Some of the natural liquids have adequate sugar content which is converted into alcohol. For
example, fruit juices have natural sugars and they are fermented by action of yeast.

 The juices and corresponding alcoholic drinks obtained by fermenting them are:

 Grape Juice : Wine

 Apple Juice : Cider
 Pear Juice : Perry

 Cereals such as barley, rye, corn, rice etc. are also used to produce fermented drinks. Before
fermenting cereals, the insoluble starch in the grain is converted to soluble sugar by malting process.
The malting cereal is then brewed in hot water to extract maximum soluble sugar from the malt. It is
then cooled and allowed to ferment with addition of yeast.

 Examples of fermented drinks obtained from cereals are beer & sake. Barley is the main ingredient
in the production of beer and rice in sake.

Yeast

 It is a single celled organism, essential for fermentation. Yeast is found in huge quantities in the soil,
plants and air.
 There are two main categories of yeast :

o Natural or Ambient Yeasts are one of those that are found in air, fruits, grains, soil or being
carried onto ripe fruit, grapes and grain husks either by insects and more specifically by the
fruit fly, “Drosophila”.

o Cultured Yeasts are selected strains of yeast cultivated in a laboratory in a controlled

environment. The nature & action of these yeasts are known. Many new world wine makers,
who want to take the risk of the unpredictable action of the wild yeast, favour the usage of
cultured yeast for fermenting their products.

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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

Temperature

 Ideal temperature is necessary for the yeast to act on the sugar. Throughout the process, the
temperature of the fermenting liquid should be controlled.

 Fermentation occurs in the temperature range of 3-32⁰C (38-90⁰F). At temperature 32⁰C and below
3⁰C, the fermenting process cease as the yeast cannot function at these extreme temperatures.

 During fermentation, heat is released which not only accelerates the fermentation process but also
influence the taste of the fermented drink.

 It should be remembered that different flavours develop in the drink at different temperature.
Therefore, temperature control during fermentation is very important.

Distillation

 Distillation is the process of separating elements in a liquid by vaporization and condensation.

 This method has many applications and one of them is production of spirits.

 In the distillation process, the alcohol which is present in the fermented liquid (alcoholic wash) is
separated from water.

 Spirits are examples of distilled drinks and the plants producing the spirits are known as distilleries.
Brandy, Whisky, Gin, Vodka, Rum, Tequila are the examples of spirits which are prepared from
alcoholic wash as given in the following:

o Brandy fermented grape juice

o Gin, Whisky fermented cereal
o Rum fermented molasses
o Vodka fermented potatoes & cereal
o Tequila fermented sap Agave Tequilana Weber

Types of Stills

There are two types of stills used for distilling spirits

The Pot Still

The Patent Still
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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

The Pot Still

 The pot still method is the old method of distillation and most of the finest spirits are made by pot
distillation. The pot distillation has the shape of a huge onion and it has two parts :
a) Still
a) Condenser with spiral tube

 Distillation occurs in a pair of copper pot still with tall swan neck. The first still is called the “wash
still” which is larger than the second still, called “spirit still”.

 The Alcoholic Wash is directed to wash still, where it is heated up. When the temperature reaches
78⁰C (172⁰F), the alcohol vapour rises, pass over the neck of the still, and lead to the condenser
through the spiral pipe which is enclosed in cold water container. The condensed liquid is termed as
low wine which has alcoholic content of around 30%.

 Now the wine is sent to the spirit still for second distillation. This is carried out to get a drink of
higher alcoholic content. The first part of the distillate, called “foreshots/head (téte)” is kept aside
for further treatment for as it is pungent & impure. The central portion of the distillation, termed as
“heart (coeur)” is the best part; it has an alcoholic strength of approximately 75%, is condensed and
collected in the spirit container which is later matured in casks of various kinds.

 The final part of the distillation, called “aftershots/tails (queue)” is weak in alcohol and contain
fusel oils and impurities. It is added to the foreshots and sent back for re-distillation.

 Cognac, Malt whisky, Dutch Gin, Irish whisky, Tequila, Liqueurs and Dark Rums are pot
stilled.

(Pot Still)
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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

Advantages

 It produces spirits those are individualistic due to the presence of congeners

 Spirits with pronounced aroma are produced
 Small quantity of the wash can be distilled

Disadvantages

 It needs more time and labour

 It is costly to operate
 Still needs frequent cleaning & refilling often after each distillation

Patent Still

The Patent Still also termed as Continuous still or Coffey Still was named after Aeneas Coffey, a Dublin
excise office who patented the still in 1831. It employs the principle of distillation by steam and uses
rectification to make the end product as pure and congener free as possible. It produces a continuous flow of
high strength about 90% alcohol. I t is cheaper than the pot still to operate as it is lighter on fuel. Because its
system of operation is continuous, it doesn’t require the labour intensive tasks of emptying, cleaning and
refilling. The patent still is associated with all the light spirits such as vodka, gin, white & light rums and
grain whiskies which are later used for blending.

How It Works

 The patent still consists of two columns. One column is called the Analyser, whose role is to
separate the constituent parts. The other column is the Rectifier which raises the strength and
purifies the spirit and condenses the alcoholic vapours.

 Each column is sub-divided horizontally into chambers by perforated copper plate which have a drip
pipe leading to the chamber underneath. Both columns are pre-heated by steam and the fermented
liquid or wash enters at the top of the rectifier and gradually descends through it inside a pipe.

 By the time the wash reaches the bottom of the rectifier, it is almost at its boiling point. It is then
pumped in to the analyser where it gradually makes its way downward through perforated plates and
bubble caps.

 As it descends, it is made by currents of raw steam which has been injected under pressure into the
bottom of the analyser. On contact, the steam boils the wash and produces alcoholic vapours. These
rise and channelled by a pipe into the bottom of the rectifier. The spent wash is removed at the
bottom of the analyser.

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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

 Meanwhile inside the rectifier, the alcoholic vapours pass through a series of perforated plates. As
they rise, they meet at certain points, the cold wash been carried down the rectifier by the wash coil.

 Partial condensation takes

place- the vapours getting
cooler and the wash on its way
to the analyser, getting hotter.
When the spirit vapours reach
2/3rds of the way up in the
rectifier, they heat a cold spiral
plate or water frame and
precipitate. The first liquid to
emerge – the heads or
foreshots- is removed and sent
back to the analyser because it
is pungent and needs further
refining.

 The comparative pure spirit

which follows, is guided into a
spirit receiver. This will be
reduced in strength by
deionised water and matured for
a short time before being treated
(or flavoured as in the case of
gin) according to style.

Advantages

 It doesn’t required too much of

labour, cleaning and refilling
 More quantity is produced as
compared to pot still method
 It is cost-effective

Disadvantages

 It is not suitable for distilling

small quantity of spirits
 Aroma and other essential
elements that are required in a drink may not be achieved
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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

Classification Of Alcoholic Beverage

The alcoholic beverage can be classified as follows:

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

Fermented Brewed & Fermented Fermented & Distilled

Wine Beer Spirits Other Spririts

Cider Sake
Whisky Liqueurs

Perry Bitters
Rum

Eaux de vie
Vodka

Gin

Brandy

Tequila

Fermented Drinks
Fermentation is the process in which sugar is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide by yeast. This
process is the basis for producing all types of alcoholic beverages. Examples of fermented drinks are:

 Wine is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermented juice of freshly harvested grapes.
 Cider is an alcoholic drink obtained by fermenting the juice of cider apples.
 Perry is an alcoholic drink obtained by fermenting the juice of pear.

Brewed And Fermented Drinks

These drinks are produced by Brewing, which is the production of alcoholic drinks such as Beer by
drying, milling and steeping a starch source. The examples of brewed and fermented drinks are:

 Beer is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from cereal grains such as barely, wheat, and
rice.
 Sake is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin that is made from fermented rice.

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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

Fermented And Distilled Drinks

These kinds of drinks are produced by fermenting the liquid and then carrying out distillation, which
is a process of separating different liquids by heating and condensation (based on their boiling
point). This process is carried out to obtain spirits, and some the examples of spirits are:

 Spirits
 Whisky is a sprit suitably aged in wood, usually oak, obtained from the distillation of a
fermented mash of grain.
 Rum is a potable sprit, which is suitably aged in woo obtained from the distillation of the
fermented mash of sugarcane juice or molasses.
 Vodka is a neutral sprit distilled from potatoes or grains without character, taste or colour.
 Gin is a flavoured beverage obtained by redistilling a neutral spirit with high alcoholic strength
in the presence of juniper berries and other flavouring agents.
 Brandy is a potable spirit obtained by distilling wine and often aged in wood.
 Tequila is a distilled spirit made from fermented juice of blue green Agave plant.

 Other Spirits
These are the spirits with added flavourings.
Some examples are:

 Liqueur is a neutral spirit that has been flavoured with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices and flowers
or cream and bottled with added sugar.
 Bitters are bitter spirits flavoured with herbs, barks, roots, spices and fruits.
 Eaux-de-vie are spirits distilled from fermented mash of fruit.
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Key Terms

 Aftershots / queue: It is the last part of  Alcohlic wash: It is a fermented liquid

distillate which has impurities and fusel used in distillation.
oils.  Ambient yeast: It is a different species of
 Ageing: It is the period of storage in oak yeast found in air, soil, plants, etc.
casks or other containers to mellow and  Barrique: It is a small oak barrel of 225-L
develop character. capacity.

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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

BY-
PRAMATHADHIP KAR

 Bottom-fermented beer: It is a liquid that  Rested: It means leaving aside in cask

has been fermented by the yeasts from the
bottom of the fermented vessel.
 Condensation: It is a process of
converting vapours to liquid by cooling.
 Congeners: They are elements , acids, and
other flavouring substances obtained from
the base material during distillation.
 Cultured yeast: It is a selected strain of
yeasts cultivated in a laboratory.
 Distillate: It is the vapour or liquid
produced by diatillation.
 Effervescence: It is the formation of tiny
bubbles or foam due t the presence of CO2.
 Esters: They are volatile cpmpounds
formed when acid interact with alcohol.
They give bouquet to wines and spirits.
 Fermentation: It means conversion of
sugar to alcohol nd CO2 by yeast.
 Flocculation: It is the process hat causes
suspended particles in the liquid to gather
into masses and sink to the bottom of the
container which can be removed.
 Foreshots / téte: It is the forst part of
distillate which is pungent and impure
 Fusel oil: It is an oily liquid mixture in the
insufficiently distilled liquor.
 Malt: It is a germinated cereal.
without disturbing.
 Saccharomyces carlsbergensis: It is a
type of yeast used in the production of
‘lager’ beer. It acts from the bottom of the
fermentation vessel.
 Saccharomyces ellipsodium: It is the
main yeast strain used in winemaking.
 Tannin: It is an organic compound present
in the stalk, seeds, and skin of the grapes.
It provides an astringent taste to the wine
and increases the shelf life of the wine.
 Toasting: It is the process in which the
inside of the barrel is toated by heat
source.
 Top-fermented beer: It is a liquis that has
been fermented by the yeats from the top
of the liquid in the fermentation vessel.
 Trace minerals: They are very small
amount of inorganic solid substances that
occurs naturally in the ground.
 Vapourization: It is the process of
converting liquid into vapour by heating.
 Vat: It is a container, often wood, used for
fermentation and ageing.
 Vineyard: It is land where grape vine is
grown.
 Yeast: It is a living-celled organism usen
in the process of fermentation.

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Expected Questions
Long Questions
1. What is alcoholic beverage? explain the methods of preparatin of alcohol.
2. Expalin in detail fermentation process.
3. Explain pot distillation with neat diagram. Write the advantages and disadvantages of pot distillation.
4. Expalin coffey still method with diagram. Write the advantages and disadvantages of patenet still.
5. Neatly draw the classification chart of alcoholic beverage and explain them with example.
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ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

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PRAMATHADHIP KAR

Short Questions

1. What are the methods of making alcoholic drinks?

2. Define fermentation. What are the necessary elements for a fermentation process? Explain the role of
each element.
3. Write in brief about the types of yeast used in manufacture of alcohol.
4. What do you mean by cultivated yeast? Why do some manufacturers prefer this strain of yeast for
fermentation?
5. Define distillation. What are the methods of distilation?
6. Explain the parts of the distillate. Which part of the distillate is obtained?
7. Write down the advantages and disadvantages of different stills.

Differentiate

a) Fermentation and Distillation c) Ambient yeast and Cultured yeast

b) Pot still and Patent still d) Foreshots and Aftershots
Very Short Questions (One Liner)

a) Congeners i) Saccharomyces ellipsodium

b) Foreshots j) Fermented beverage
c) Fermentation k) Distilled beverage
d) Distillation l) Compound beverage
e) Proof m) OIML
f) Cutured yeast n) Toasting
g) Tannin o) Yeast
h) Saccharomyces carlsbergensis p) Aftershots
Fill In The Blanks

a) Ethyl alcohol evaporates at ___________ ⁰C.

b) An example of fermented drink is _______________.
c) An example of distilled drink is _________________.
d) Fermented pear juice results in _________________.
e) Rum is distiled from _______________.
f) Patent still is also known as _________________.
g) The strain of yeast cultivated in laboratory is known as ________________.
h) Natural yeast is known as _______________.
i) The first part of the distillate is called _______________.

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