Alcoholic Beverage : SPIRIT

 

 

 Alcoholic Beverage : SPIRITS

The word alcohol is derived from the Arabic word “Al Khol,” which originally meant pulverized anatomy and then came to mean any product crushed to a powder. The Arabic word “Al Khol” also referred to a black cosmetic (khol) produced by a process similar to distillation. Alcohol was considered an elixir (a magic liquid that is believed to cure illnesses) of life until all kinds of herbs and plants were introduced at the end of the 15th century.

An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is the principal alcohol found in all alcoholic beverages. An alcoholic beverage is a potable liquid generally which has 2% to 75% strength of ethyl alcohol, or any portable liquid having a minimum of 0.5% of ethyl alcohol by volume. Alcohol is a psychoactive drug that has a depressant effect, making the body and mind work more slowly and calmly than usual. Alcohol can be addictive, and the state of addiction to alcohol is known as alcoholism. 

Alcoholic beverages are an important part of social events; some of civilization have its ritual and cultural value as well though there are legal barriers. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption. In particular, such laws specify the minimum age at which a person may legally buy or drink them. This minimum age varies between 16 and 25 years, depending upon the country and the type of drink. Most nations set it at 18 years of age. 

Alcohol can be obtained from the fermentation process by applying yeast, and can be purified through the distillation process.

1.1 Types of Alcoholic Beverages 

1.2 Spirit

A spirit is an alcoholic beverage that has been purified and concentrated by a heating and cooling process i.e., distillation of a fermented liquid of grain mash, fruit juice, or sugarcane juice.  Unsweetened, distilled alcoholic beverages that have an alcohol content of at least 20% alcohol by volume are called spirits. Spirits are produced by the distillation of a fermented base product.  Common examples of Spirits are: Whisky, Rum, Vodka, Brandy, Tequila, etc.

Pure Spirits are colourless, odourless, and tasteless, but they can be enhanced into different forms of distilled alcoholic beverages. Distilling concentrates the alcohol and eliminates some of the congeners. Spirits can be added to wines to create fortified wines, such as port and sherry. 

Characteristics of Spirit

• Obtain from the distillation process.  
• Contain high alcohol strength compared to fermented beverages. 
• Pure spirits are always neutral.
• Spirit can be modified or infused on a need basis.  
• It can be stored longer period due to high alcohol content.   
• The taste and aroma of the spirit depend on the ingredients used in it and the aging. 
• The spirits can be paired and mixed with other beverages as well.

  1.3. Types of Spirits

          

1.4.  Distillation

 The distillation is the process of obtaining clear and pure liquid alcohol by the evaporation and condensation of the fermented liquid mash by applying heat. Fermented liquid is heated and boiled; as alcohol is volatile (heat sensitive), it vaporises at a lower temperature than water (ethanol at 78.5˚C and methanol at 66°C), then reconverted into concentrated liquid form by cooling the vapours (i.e., condensed). This process helps us to separate the water (vaporizes at 100˚C) and alcohol. All the potable spirits are distilled from the alcoholic wash, which contains 7 to 7% alcohol. Distillation also allows methanol to be separated from ethanol if necessary or required. 

Liquid of higher alcohol percentage is achieved by repeated distillations, which are diluted with the addition of pure water to get the required strength.  The still is used to separate the alcohol from water. Still is an apparatus (tools or other equipment needed for a particular task) to use to distill spirits of fermented mash of various cereals, fruits, and plants. There are two main methods still used for the distillation of spirits:

1.4.1. Pot Still

 The Pot still is the earliest still for the distillation process, which consists of a closed vessel with a long tube (known as a condenser) made of copper originally. It is the original and traditional form of Still, where a closed vessel (container) is heated from below at least 173 Fahrenheit

(78.5˚Celsius). At this temperature, the alcohol changes from a liquid to a gas and rises, and most of the water remains behind cause water doesn’t vaporize until it reaches the boiling point of 212 Fahrenheit (100˚ Celsius). and distilled spirit is collected in a receiving chamber, which passes through a downward pipe through the cold water. It is a laborious and time-consuming process. Cooper is the best material for making still. They still have to be loaded up, boiled off, cleaned, and recharged for every run.

1.4.2.  The Continuous or Coffey Still 

In 1826, Robert Stein invented the Continuous Still in Scotland. It is known as continuous still as it does not require distillation batch by batch. Later on, this process was improved by Irishman Aeneas Coffey in 1831 and is still used to make most mass-produced whiskey today. 

This is the latest method of producing spirits commonly used for commercial production. It is also known as a Patent still and a Columnar still. It had two columns, the “analyser” and “rectifier” columns. The steam will rise up in the analyzer column and meet the hot wash, which was sprayed down. The rising alcohol vapours proceeded to the adjacent (rectifier) column, where they condensed on coming in contact with the cold wash. This process is continuous still, gradually freeing the alcohol; only one distillation is required to produce an acceptable product. The spirit produced is much stronger compared to the Pot still method. A very pure spirit is produced by this still method, as impurities are extracted. By the law, no maturing period is required for this process. Generally, spirits are aged for a time in oak barrels before bottling.  At bottling time, enough water is added to the spirit to reduce it to the desired proof.

1.4.3.  Characteristics of Distillation

• Ingredients like molasses, cereals, or juices used in fermentation shape the final flavor of distilled beverages. 

• Alcohol distilled with hsigher proof may have less flavor; lower proof may have richer flavor.

• Congener (Flavor compound or byproduct of fermentation) levels impact the spirit’s taste, body, and aroma.

• Cask type (wood, new/used/toasted) and maturation time affect color and flavor of distilled alcoholic beverage.

• Distilled beverage with longer aging is  more smoother than less aged.

• Blending ensures consistent quality by mixing spirits of different grades.

• All potable spirits are distilled from an alcoholic wash (7–12% ABV).