alcohol term paper

7/31/2019 Alcohol Term Paper

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Introduction

The use of Alcohol as drink is an age old story in India and it appears thatthe technique for fermentation and distillation was available even in Vedic

Times. It was then called Somarasa and was used not only for its

invigorating effect but also in worship. To date, not only has the

consumption of alcohol been continued but it is an integral part of the

ayurveda system of medicine.

Alcohol is one of the commonly consumed intoxicating substances in India.

It has traditionally been drunk in tribal societies, although it has won

increasing Social acceptance among other groups, urban males being theprime example. It is easily available and widely used, especially at festivals

such as Deepawali and Holi. At the Moment the use of Alcohol is infrequent

among women who also tend to resist the habit among male family

members.

Between 15 and 20 percent of Indian People Consume Alcohol and, over

the past twenty years, the number of drinkers has increased from one in

300 to one in 20. According to The Hindustan Times, it is estimated that of

these, 5 percent can be classified as alcoholics or alcohol Dependent. ThisTranslated into about five million people addicted to alcohol.

Of what is actually consumed, the Intake of Indian Made Foreign

Liquor(IMFL) is growing at a considerable rate of 15 percent a year. Again,

The Hindustan Times says that 65 percent of the Indian Liquor Market is

controlled by Whiskey manufacturers. The State of Kerala stands first in

per capita consumption of liquor at 8.3 liters followed by Punjab - 7.9 Liters.


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INDIAN LIQUOR BRANDS

The Varieties of Alcohol Manufactured for Consumption in India are:

1. Beer

2. Country Liquor

3. Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL)

4. Wines

Indian Liquor Brands have registered significant growth in recent years some of the top Indian Alcohol Brands showing an increase of as much as

50% in Sales (2006-2010). United Breweries registered an increase of

nearly 20 percent in Sale in the year 2006-2007.

Background

Beer began to be exported to India in the early days of the British Empire,

including porter and India Pale Ale, also known as IPA.

The first brewery in India was set up in Kasauli, in the Himalaya Mountains,

near Shimla, in the late 1820s by the Englishman Edward Dyer. Dyer's

brewery produced Asia's first beer, called Lion. The brewery was soon

shifted to nearby Solan (close to the British summer capital Shimla), as

there was an abundant supply of fresh spring water there. The Kasauli

brewery site was converted to a distillery which Mohan Meakin Ltd. still

operates. Dyer set up more breweries at Shimla, Murree, Rawalpindi and

Mandalay.


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Another entrepreneur, H G Meakin, moved to India and bought the old

Shimla and Solan Breweries from Edward Dyer and added more at

Ranikhet, Dalhousie, Chakrata, Darjeeling and Kirkee. In 1937,

when Burma was separated from India, the company was restructured with

its Indian assets as Dyer Meakin Breweries, a public company onthe London Stock Exchange. Following independence, in 1949 N.N. Mohan

took over management of the company and the name was changed to

Mohan Meakin Ltd. The company continues to produce beer across India

to this day and Lion is still available in northern India. Lion was changed

from an IPA to a lager in the 1960s, when due to East European influence,

most brewers in India switched from brewing Ales to brewing lagers. Today

no brewer in India makes India Pale Ale. All Indian beers are either lagers

(4.8% alcohol such as Australian lager) or strong lagers (15 % alcohol -such as Australian Max super strong beer). In various parts of north-

eastern India, traditional rice beer is quite popular. Several festivals feature

this nutritious, quite intoxicating, drink as part of the celebrations. The rice

is fermented in vats that are sometimes buried underground. Elephants are

known to attack villages, with the primary agenda of drinking from these

vats. Following one such raid in north-eastern India, a police officer in

Dumka was quoted in the press as saying: "Tribals who love rice beer brew

the liquor at home. Elephants too are fond of this beer. Often it is found

that, attracted by the strong smell of the liquor, wild elephants tear down

the tribal houses where the brew is stored."

Viticulture was believed to have been introduced to India by Persian traders

sometime in the 4th millennia BC. Historians believe that these early

plantings were used mostly for table grapes or grape juice rather than the

production of an alcoholic beverage. During the Vedic period of the 2nd

and 1st millennia, the Aryans tribes of the region were known for their

indulgence of intoxicating drink and it seems probable that wine was a

present beverage. The religious text of the Vedas mentions at least one

alcoholic drink that may have been wine related-sura which seems to have

been a type ofrice wine that was fermented with honey. The first known

mentioning of grape-based wines was in the late 4th century BC writings


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of Chanakya who was the chief minister of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya.

In his writings, Chanakya condemns the use of alcohol while chronicling the

emperor and his court's frequent indulgence of a style of grape wine known

as Madhu.

In the centuries that would follow, wine became the privileged drink of

the Kshatriya or noble class while the lower caste typically drank alcohol

made from wheat, barley and millet. Under the rule of the Muslim Mughal

Empire, alcohol was prohibited in accordance to Islamic dietary laws.

However there are written reports about at least one Mughal

ruler, Jahangir, who was fond of brandy wine. In the 16th century,

Portuguese colonists at Goa introduced port-style wine and the production

of fortified wines soon spread to other regions. Under British rule during

the Victorian era, viticulture and winemaking was strongly encouraged as a

domestic source for the British colonists. Vineyards were planted

extensively through the Baramati, Kashmir and Surat regions. In 1883 at

the Calcutta International Exhibition, Indian wines were showcased to a

favorable reception. The Indian wine industry was reaching a peak by the

time the phylloxera epidemic made its way to country and devastated its

vineyards.

It was a long road for the Indian wine industry to recover from thedevastation at the end of the 19th century. Unfavorable religious and public

opinion on alcohol developed and culminated in the 1950s when many of

India's states prohibited alcohol. Vineyards were either uprooted or

encouraged to convert to table grape and raisin production. Some areas,

like Goa, continued to produce wine but the product was normally

very sweet and highly alcoholic. The turning part of the modern Indian wine

industry occurred in early 1980s with the founding of Chateau Indage in the

state ofMaharashtra. With the assistance ofFrench winemakers, Chateau

Indage began to import Vitis vinifera grape varieties like Cabernet

Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot blanc, Pinot noir and Ugni blanc and started

making still and sparkling wines. Other wineries soon followed as the

emergence of India's growing middle class fueled the growth and

development of the Indian wine industry.


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LITERATURE REVIEW

Highlights of Indian Alcohol Industry

The Indian alcoholic drinks market generated total revenues of $13.9 billion

in 2009, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5% forthe period spanning 2005-2009.

The Indian beer market generated total revenues of $4 billion in 2009,

representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.3% for the

period spanning 2005-2009.

The Indian wine market generated total revenues of $254.2 million in 2009,representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.4% for the

period spanning 2005-2009.

Potential of Liquor Market in India

It is Indias Potential for Whiskey it accounts for about 60 percent of theIndian Made Foreign liquor (IMFL) market and other spirits such as Rum

and Vodka that is attracting MNCs to India. They reckon that India is a big

and growing market with a weakness for spirits, especially whiskey.


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This is not surprising considering that in the wake of the reforms, as the

social transformation gathered momentum and global consumption

patterns get increasingly assimilated, the countrys moral fabric is

loosening. Drinking liquor has rapidly Gained acceptance and is no more

taboo even among the conservative middle class but whose attitudeshave changed with improved standard of living. Liquor Companies have

been quick to latch on to this trend. Groupe Pernod Ricard, the worlds fifth

largest producer of alcoholic beverages, will be introducing new brands for

the growing middle-class market. In fact, the youth, women and middle-

class overlapping segments are being targeted by the liquor companies

looking for growth.

A good example of this potential is the per capita beer consumption placed

at half-a-liter for India, in contrast to the Czech Republics consumption of

half a liter a day. It is also hardly comparable to the very high levels of per

capita beer consumption in developed and some of the developing

countries. But the emerging trends are interesting. Strong Beer(alcohol

content in excess of 5 percent), a category non-existent in developed

countries, has been growing at about 15 percent in India for the last few

years, and already accounts for 55 percent of beer consumption. This trend

is slated to continue. Thus, there is Significant latent demand and vast

scope for growth in liquor consumption, both in the urban and prosperousrural areas, once the regulatory environment is relaxed.

A little noticed factor pertains to the gradual, but pronounced, shift of liquor

consumers to the organized sector. The Indian market has traditionally

been inclined towards the unorganized sector, which accounts for two-third

of the liquor consumption in India.

However, maturing tastes and preferences are making the Indian Liquor

market more brand-led. This should promote growth in the organizedsector.


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Market Metrics

In a country that still frowns on drinking, about 220 million cases of beer

and branded liquor were sold last year and annual sales of alcoholicbeverages are growing by about 20 percent annually.

More than half of India's 1.1 billion population is below the age of 25 years

and incomes are rising, but strict government controls on advertising,

manufacturing capacities, distribution, retail and pricing pose a big

challenge to firms seeking growth.

An upwardly mobile young population with a propensity to spend isguzzling booze like never before. Consumption of beer has jumped 51%

from 70 million cases in 2002 to 105 million cases in 2006 while

consumption of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) grew 53% to 115 million

cases during the period.

Branded Market Spirits in India is 119 million cases out of which whiskey

accounts for 55%, Rum 27%, Brandy 14%, Gin 3% and Vodka 1%. Northand West India consumes more of Whiskey and South, more of Brandy and

Rum. The UB Group (35%) has a market share of 35% + 13% = 48% after

merger of spirits division of Shaw Wallace (13%). The key MNCs operating

in India include Diageo, Seagram and Bacardi. About 80% of Whiskey is

Sold at Below Rs. 200 per bottle and 1% above Rs. 600. The Indian Liquor

Market is growing at a rate of about 11% annually. India has quietly

emerged as the largest international whisky market, toppling the US by

volume. Industry data for '05-06 suggests that Indian whiskies, non-

matured alcohols mostly made from molasses, and hence not considered

whisky by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), reported depletions of

about 60m cases (9-litre each). In comparison, the US recorded combined

sales of Bourbon, American and Scotch whiskies at 48-50m cases, putting

it one notch below India.


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Indian whiskies account for 98% of domestic whisky consumption, reporting

8-10% growth annually, which makes it one among the fastest growing

whisky markets anywhere in the world.

About 115 million cases of Country Liquor are Sold in the country and the

growth rate is 0.5%. The Country Liquor market is highly regulated, sold

generally as a commodity, often Dominated by Cartels, traders get

disproportionate share of MRP. CL companies predominantly are state

Centric. E.G. Saraya and Radico in UP, GM Brewey & Vasant Dada in

Maharashtra, IFB Agro in West Bengal, Som Distillers and Kedia in MP,

Glenn in Haryana etc. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu haveabolished RS based CL in favor of Cheap ENA based IMFL. UP(19.5),

Maharashtra(19.3), Karnataka(13.6), Punjab(10.2) & Haryana(9.4)

Consume 63% of the Total CL.

The Indian Beer Market is 93 million cases and has grown at 5.54% p.a

over 2003-2005. Several parts of India are showing much higher Growth

Rates. Five States, Andhra Pradesh(18.3), Maharashtra(16.2), TamilNadu(9.0), Karnataka(9.0) & Rajasthan(5.6) account for 63% of total beer

consumption and top ten states for 85%. Indian Beer Industry due to

merger and acquisitions is dominated by two top players (i.e. UB and SAB

Miller together have a Market Share of 75%) and provide attractive profit

margins due to the consolidated nature of the Industry. Lower Taxes on

beer, falling distribution margin and prices have contributed to the surge in

the consumption of beer in India.

Indians Love their Booze, but beer, it seems, leaves them cold. TheCountry ranks top globally in consumption of whiskey, but its somewhere

near the bottom in beer drinking. So why is just about everyone in the

brewing industry scrambling to get a piece of the market?


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Pretty small is putting it mildly. Although India boasts the Worlds Second

most Populous Nation, when it comes to beer it barely figures on the map-

leaving plenty of upsides for brewers who can get in early. Annual Per

Capita Consumption is very low estimated at 0.8.

Major Players in the Industry

The fast growth in the domestic alcohol market has caught the attention of

a number of domestic and international firms. That has already drawn the

likes of top drinks maker Diageo, Pernod Ricard, LVMH's Moet Hennessey

and SABMiller, with Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc and Danish brewerCarlsberg also firming up entry plans. Liquor major Seagram has most

recently entered the locally produced wine segment, while the nascent

industry has also seen an increase in private equity interest this year. In the

beer business, leading names such as Anheuser-Busch and InBev, to

name just two, could be potential entrants, what with several breweries

under construction in the northern States. On the spirits side, Diageo, the

largest drinks company in the world, has already inked a joint venture with

Radico Khaitan for a new line of products. In time, choice, it seems, will bethe buzzword for the Indian consumer.

United Spirits is a good play on the Indian consumption theme, more so

after the consolidation has bestowed on it significant size and scale. But

the stock's sharp run-up in the homestretch to the completion of the

restructuring exercise warns to adopt a cautious stance. An entry into the

stock on dips from the current level can be made.

The complexion of the liquor business in India changed with the UB Groupfinally acquiring the spirits businesses of both Shaw Wallace and

Herbertsons. These two outfits, along with a few more, have been folded

into McDowell's to form United Spirits, which will control about 50 per cent

of the total spirits market. Apart from giving the business scale, the

acquisition also provides the UB Group combine with enough headway to


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change it cost structure, be it in rationalizing facilities, phasing out tail-end

brands or optimizing advertising expenses.

The UB Group is keen on taking a "re-look" at its manufacturing activities

as part of the group's plan to become a global leader in spirit business.According to the President & Chief Financial Officer of the UB Group, Ravi

Nedungadi, "We have an aggressive plan in the spirits business. In fact, $1

billion have been earmarked for overseas acquisition." He indicated that

the group was considering the possibility of acquiring a scotch whisky-

making unit in Scotland. Similarly, it was on the lookout for vineyards in

South Africa and Australia.

Investors can consider buying into Radico Khaitan in small lots. Thecompany has made significant strides over the past few years and has a 12

percent market share. Radico Khaitan had stated that I the year (2006-07)

and(2007-08) they expects the topline to grow by 25 percent in turnover,

and the bottom line by 20-25 percent. At the moment the company has no

active plans for manufacturing wine in India; "the wine market is not large, it

is only half-a-million cases or 5 percent of the total liquor market which is

100 million cases. In 3-5 years, Radico is to become an Indian company

with a very strong global presence.

Other Major Wine Competitors in India are:

1. Vintage Wines

2. Grover Vineyards

3. Renaissance Wines

4. Indie Wines

5. Sankalo Wines

6. Vivivola Wines


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Manufacturing Process:

Beer:

Ingredients:

The watermust be pure, with no trace of bacteria. This is vital, because it

allows the other ingredients to release all their flavour. 95% of breweries

have their own spring or natural well.

Barley is a cereal that offers a key advantage: it can be preserved for a

long time after harvesting. In order for barley to be used in the making of

beer, it must first be malted. It is malted barley that gives beer its

characteristic colour and taste.

A number of other cereals are used in the brewing of certain types of beer:

oats, corn and wheat.

Hops or "green gold" come from a climbing plant with male and female

flowers; only the female flowers are used. There are various varieties,

ranging from very bitter to aromatic. Hops grew naturally in our regions in

ancient times, and this plant has been used by brewers since time

immemorial. It could be replaced by mixtures of aromatic herbs, in

particular rosemary and thyme, which had the same preserving effect as

hops but of course gave the resulting beverage a quite different flavour.

Yes, it is hops that give beer its characteristic bitterness, and this plant

became so successful that in the 18th century all varieties of beer

contained hops.


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Yeasts transform the sugars in the must into alcohol and carbon dioxide.

The type of yeast used varies according to the type of beer. There was a

time when man had no control over yeasts in beer. Louis Pasteur was able

to explain their role in the brewing process, and yeast culture was

developed thanks to the work of the Danish scientist Hansen. Nowadaysthere are two main varieties of yeasts that are used in brewing:

saccharomyces cerevisiae and saccharomyces carlsbergensis (bottom-

fermenting).

Certain other products are used in the making of beer, in particular spices:

coriander, ginger, cloves, sage, fennel, mustard seeds, aniseed, cinnamon,

etc.

Process:

Malting: the conversion of barley grain into malt

The purpose of this process is to encourage the barley grains to germinate

so that they can be used in the making of beer. This involves immersing the

grains in water then leaving them to germinate for about five days before

arresting the germination process using hot air to dry them at around 65C

(kilning). This interruption is necessary to retain some sugar for the brewing

process. The malts will develop a different flavour and colour depending on

the duration and temperature of kilning. These differences will be reflected

in the qualities of the different beers. Germination causes the secretion of

enzymes which, when the malt is dissolved in water, will convert the starch

into sugars and the proteins into amino acids.

Brewing: the production of must

The malt grains are first crushed (grinding) so that they will dissolve readily


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in water. Hot water is then added to this grinding process (35-50C). The

temperature of the water is gradually increased to 75C. At this

temperature, the enzymes start to work and convert the starches into

sugars and the proteins into amino acids (which, of course, are essential

for the yeast). This mixture produces a very hot sweet tea-like juice. It isthen naturally filtered (the first filtration) through the husks of the crushed

barley grains at the bottom of the vat. This produces a liquid, the "must".

The dry residue, which is referred to as the "draff", is generally used as

cattle feed. Hot water is usually added two or three times, then the mixture

is filtered to extract as much sugar as possible. The filtered must is then

transferred to boiling vats, where the hops are added (110 to 300

grams/hector liter). Sugar can be added at this stage. Depending on the

type and quantity of sugar, a hundred different varieties of beer can beobtained. The heating process sterilizes the must by killing off the

enzymes. The must is then cooled to allow the yeast to germinate.

Fermentation: the addition of yeast

Fermentation is achieved by adding yeast to the cooled must. This converts

the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process is what mainly

determines the taste of the beer. Belgium is the only country that uses

three main types of fermentation, according to the type of yeast and the

fermentation temperature:

Bottom fermentation produces beer of the Pils type (from the Czech city of

Pilzen). The process takes between 6 and 10 days. It is called bottom

fermenting because at the end of the fermentation process the yeasts settle

at the bottom of the vat. This process involves the use of active yeasts of

the saccharomyces carlsbergensis type between 8 and 10C.

Top fermenting, or traditional fermenting, takes no more than 5 days and is

carried out with yeasts of the S. cerevisiae type, which are active between

15 and 25C. It is called top fermenting because the yeasts work on the

surface of the must and forms a thick, foamy layer.

Spontaneous fermentation (used to produce Lambic and Gueuze) is

specific to the Brussels area. It involves around a hundred microorganisms

(yeasts, bacteria, etc.) which are characteristic of the atmosphere of the

valley of the river Senne. After boiling, the lukewarm mixture is pumped into


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open vats in the brewery loft. It is left there all night to cool and to allow the

wild yeasts and bacteria to germinate the must. No more yeast is added by

the brewer. The product obtained is called Lambic.

The final stage: the personal touchMany brewers add different substances to give their beer a characteristic

flavour. However, the composition of these substances is one of the many

aspects of brewing that are protected by trade secrecy. However, we do

know that they can include real fruit, fruit syrup, spices, different types of

sugars, honey, etc.

Once the must has fermented, the beer still has to mature. Depending on

the type of beer, this maturation or secondary fermentation process can

last anywhere between one week and several months (and even 3 yearsfor Cantillon Gueuze). The aim of this process is give the beer time to

mature and to clear by letting the yeast settle, to saturate it with carbon

dioxide and to give it more flavour. The beer is then filtered, except in the

case of beers that undergo secondary fermentation in the bottle, as is the

case with Trappist beers, to allow the flavour to continue to mature.

Beer Manufacturing Process Flowchart:


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Whiskey:

Ingredients:


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The barley is at the base of all the process. The quality of the barley has a greatinfluence on the quality of the end product.The barley being used for the production of whisky is carefully selected. It is afterall the basic ingredient which will determine the quality of the whisky which will besold years later. This selection was traditionally the job of the manager of thedistillery.Most of the distilleries nowadays buy their malt in a malting plant (for economicreasons), this selection is done less and less by the distillery managers, but wellby the persons in charge at the malting plant. However, the maltings must respectprecise requirements from the distilleries, in order to let them produce their whiskyproperly, and on the same way year after year.

Wateris another of the most important ingredients in the making process ofwhisky.The quality of the whisky depends on the quality and purity of the water. Water inScotland is famous for its great purity. The difference in taste between the whiskycoming from various distilleries is partly due to the quality of water used.Water in the Highlands is often peaty, which gives it a brownish colour.Substances, deriving from peat, are carried by the rivers which water is used tomake whisky, and contribute often to the original taste of scotch whisky.

But water is certainly not the only determining factor in the taste of a malt whisky.The manufacturing process is of course very important in the final taste of whisky.Water is used in several steps during the distillation process. First of all, it ismixed to the grinded malt in order to produce the wort. It is also used for coolingthe alcohol leaving the still. Last but not least, water is used to reduce the alcoholat bottling.

Yeast (brewer's yeast, often mixed with culture yeast) will start the

fermentation process. The role of yeast is capital. The choice of the yeast is

part of manufacturing secret of the distilleries.


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Process:

The making process of whisky takes at least 3 years. If a grain (malted or

not) spirit did not stay for at least 3 years in an oak cask, it does notdeserve the name of whisky. Even worse, it does not have legally the right

to be marketed under the name of whisky.

To deserve the name of Scotch, the whisky has to stay for this minimum of

3 years on the Scottish ground.

Generally, the whiskies marketed as single malt aged for a minimum of 8 to

10 years.

Whisky, just like any other alcohol, is the result of natural chemical

alterations of sugar. To produce alcohol, we first need to produce sugar.Sugar is potentially present in barley, which grows easily under the Scottish

latitudes. Many alcohols are made from grapes, but the climate of Scotland

is not suited for this kind of culture. But the manufacturing process remains

very similar to the one used in production of alcohol based on other raw

material.

1. Malting: Malt is the result of the malting process. The barley is made

wet and spread on the malting floor to allow the germination process

to start. A succession of chemical reactions change the starch

contained in the barley in sugar. Later sugar will change into spirit.

The malting art consist of finding the right moment to stop the

germination process: not too late but not too early.

According to the season, malting takes between 8 and 21 days.Constant attention has to be given to the process. Barley has to be

turned over regularly to ensure a constant moisture and temperature

and to control the germination of the barley grains.

The end of the germination is triggered by drying the germinating

barley over a fire (kiln). This oven is often heated by peat. The smoke


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of the peat fire in the kiln is determining is the taste of many a whisky.

Germination is stopped by drying the grains above an oven (kiln).

The kiln on the picture is the one of Laphroaig. A kiln was often fed

with peat. It is the smoke of the peat fire which gives some whiskies

their particular flavour.The art of some distilleries is in the correct proportioning of peat used

to dry the malt. Springbank for instance produces 3 different malts:

Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn (which will be available from

2006). One of the main differences between those 3 products is the

proportion of peat used for drying the malt. There are also some other

differences in the distillation process in the case of

Springbank. Bruichladdich also produces 3 different whiskies with

different peat levels: Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore (thetwo latter's are recent productions, and will not be marketed before

several years)

2. Grinding: When the malt is dry, it is grinded to make a kind of coarse

flour which will be used in the next operations. This flour is

called grist. Malt grinding is done with a malt mill in the distillery itself.

3. Brewing: The grist will be mixed with hot water in the mash tun.

Generally one volume of grist is mixed up with 4 volumes of water. Inthis operation, 3 successive waters are used, at a temperature

between 63 and 95%. A mash tun can contain up to 25000 litres and

has a double bottom with thin perforations to let the wort (sugared

liquid resulting of the brewing operation) flow out, retaining bigger

parts which will be sold as cattle food. In order to facilitate the

process, mash tuns have rotating blades. The waste is called draff.

The first operation, taking about 1 hour, will change the starch in

fermenting sugars. The mix of water and grist looks like a kind of

traditional porridge.

This sugared juice is called wort. The remainders will be brewed 3 to

4 times, in order to get a maximum of wort. The quality of the wort is

controlled by the excise men, because it determines the amount of

spirit which will finally be produced. This is the base of the taxation of

the distillery.
http://www.whisky-distilleries.info/Lexique_EN.shtml#Kilnhttp://www.whisky-distilleries.info/Distilleries/Springbank_EN.shtmlhttp://www.whisky-distilleries.info/Distilleries/Bruichladdich_EN.shtmlhttp://www.whisky-distilleries.info/Lexique_EN.shtml#Kilnhttp://www.whisky-distilleries.info/Distilleries/Springbank_EN.shtmlhttp://www.whisky-distilleries.info/Distilleries/Bruichladdich_EN.shtml


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4. Fermentation: In order to start the fermentation of the wort, yeast is

added. The action of the yeast on the sugar of the wort will produce

alcohol and carbon dioxide. The wort starts bubbling, which will

sometimes result in strong vibrations of the wash back, despite its

impressive size. Traditional wash backs are made of Oregonpinewood or scottish larch. However, more and more stainless steel

wash backs are used nowadays, because they are easier to

maintain. As result of the fermentation of the wort, a kind of beer with

a percentage of approximately 8%. Till now, there are no substantial

differences in the process of making whisky, and the making of beer.

From now the difference between the process will become obvious.

Beer will be perfumed with hops, while whisky will be distilled without

alterations.

5. Distillation: The distillation is the process used to separate alcohol

from water and other substances contained in the wash. This is a

classical operation, and it is the base of each spirit round the world. It

is used in perfumery too. Distillation is made in stills. The principle is

very easy: water evaporates at 100% while alcohol does from 80%.

Alcohol will thus be transformed into vapour and raises into the still

before water itself begins evaporating.

The distillation process occurs in two stages in two still with different

capacity and shape.

The first distillation occurs in the wash still whose capacity can be

between 25 and 30.000 litres and transforms the wash in "low wine",

at about 21 % of alcohol. If the stills were originally heated with a

naked fire, generally from coal or gas, the current stills are heated by

a serpentine within the still, where the vapour is circulating.

The alcohol vapours are cooled outside the still by condensers. The

traditional condensers were serpentines immerged in a great open

wooden back, containing cold water.

Currently, most of the distilleries use vertical tubular condensers,

because the output is better. Waste of the first distillation is called


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"pot ale" or "burnt ale", and is transformed to feed cattle too.

The low wines resulting from this first distillation are kept in the "low

wine receiver and will be used as ground for the second distillation.

The second distillation occurs in a spirit still which is generallysmaller than the wash still, as there is less liquid to process. During

the second distillation, only the "distillation heart", the part which has

between 63 and 72% of alcohol will be casked. The heads and tails,

also called feints, will go to the feint receiver, and reused mixed with

the low wines of the next distillation.

To separate the feints from the distillation heart, a spirit safe is used.

This spirit safe (was) used for the determination of the quantity of

alcohol produced, to calculate the taxes due by the distillery.

6. Aging: The distillation process is unique for each distillery using pot

stills. (Distilleries using Lomond stills - there are very few of them left

now - can produce several types of whisky.)

This means that all the whiskies produced by a certain distillery are

treated on the same way, with the same malt, the same stills on the

same way by the same people... So, why can they be so different

from each other? The answer to this question is in the aging process,

the casks used, the nature of the warehouse, the taste of the air (itseems that a whisky aged in casks stored in warehouses close to the

sea have a different taste from a whisky aged on some other place).

Glenmorangie Cellar 13 is a good example of that phenomenon.

If the surrounding air has a (little) influence on the taste of whisky,

one must realize that many distilleries bring their casks to some

central place near Edinburgh for their aging.

In other words, the influence of the air on the taste of whisky; myth or

reality?

There is one thing for sure however, and that is that the role of quality

of the barley, the making process, and the nature and quality of the

casks where it was aged is very important. According to some

specialists, this could be good for 95% of the final quality of a malt


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whisky. To have the right to bear the name of whisky, a grain spirit

(malted or not) must be aged at least for 3 years in a oak cask. Unlike

Cognac which is stored in new casks, the Scottish always use

second hand casks.

7. The Kind of Casks: The oak casks are classified by capacity, and

the following casks exist:

A gallon is 4.546 litres The capacity of the casks is approximated.

PIN 4,5 gallons

FIRKIN 9 gallons

KILDERKIN 16 gallons

BARREL 36 gallons

HOGSHEAD 54 gallons

PUNCHEON 72 gallons

BUTT 108 gallons

The information about the capacities of the various casks comes from

the Campbeltown museum. The shape of the casks is mainly due to

historic reasons, related to storage problems on ships. Sherry wascarried on Spanish gallions, and the slender shape of the butts was

the best for storing on this kind of ships, while the Portuguese Port

was stored in a more bulbous cask, which was easier to carry on

Portuguese merchant ships.

8. The Finishes : Often whisky is aged for a while in bourbon casks,

and finishes his aging period in some kind of other cask, in order to

give is some new fragrances, before bottling. Generally it stays for 6

to 12 months in another kind of cask. This explains the "wood finish"

mention on some bottling's. For instance, the 18 yo Glenmorangie

finishes its maturation in next casks, which is rather uncommon in

Scotland.


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A whisky cask is always a second hand cask. It generally contained

bourbon (american whiskey made from corn - (maize). Sherry is also

very popular in the whisky industry. Other casks are used too, like

Port, Madeira and more rarely Claret (French red wine) or rum, etc...

Glenmorangie is specialized in "wood finishes" and some of them arevery expensive, probably because of the rarity of the casks.

However, there is a question about this wood finishes. If the aim is to

give some new and pleasant fragrances to the whisky, everybody

knows (at least in the whisky industry circles) that this method is used

sometimes to hide some distillation errors. Often, the casks are

warmed up before transferring the whisky, in order to accelerate the

fragrance transfer. Such practices are not acceptable, because the

consumer has no way to know about this.

9. Bottling: Bottling is the last step before putting the whisky on the

market.

Unlike wine, whisky does not mature anymore in the bottle. So a 12

years old whisky stays a 12 years old even 12 years later, and does

not become a 24 years old one....

When bottling, some residues are left in the whisky. The effect of thisis that whisky looks "cloudy", and this is not always appreciated by

the consumer. That's why distilleries found out the "chill filtering",

which removes all this residues. The problem with chill filtering is that

it also removes parts of the fragrances and of the taste.

With the current revival of single malt, more and more bottlers (in

dependant or official) bottle their whiskies without chill filtering. And

this makes single malt lovers very happy.

During bottling, the alcohol percentage is reduced. This is the otheroperation where the quality of water has a great influence on the

taste of whisky. The minimum percentage of alcohol for whisky is

40%. Most of the bottles are marketed at this percentage, because

the excise rights are calculated on the alcohol proportion in the bottle.

The excise rights are particularly high in Great Britain, but in other


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countries they are lower. That's why on the international market,

whiskies are frequently bottled at 43%.

For some technical reasons, the ideal percentage for bottling without

chill filtering seems to be 46%. Most of the non chill filtered whiskies

are marketed at 46%.

Often whisky is not diluted when bottled. That's called cask strength

bottling.

Generally, the casks are mixed before bottling, to get a more

standardized product, just like great wines. When the whisky comes

from just one cask, it is called "single cask".

Most of the distilleries do not bottle their own whiskies, but let this

happen at specialized plants. Even if they do not bottle themselves,

the responsibility of the bottling stays from the distillery. This is called

"official bottling".

Whiskey Manufacturing Process Flowchart:


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WINES:

Ingredients:

Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced through the partial or total

fermentation of grapes. Other fruits and plants, such as berries, apples,

cherries, dandelions, elder-berries, palm, and rice can also be fermented.The theory that wine was discovered by accident is most likely correct

because wine grapes contain all the necessary ingredients for wine,

including pulp, juice, and seeds that possess all the acids, sugars, tannins,

minerals, and vitamins that are found in wine. As a natural process, the

frosty-looking skin of the grape, called "bloom," catches the airborne yeast

and enzymes that ferment the juice of the grape into wine.

As mentioned above, the wine grape itself contains all the necessary

ingredients for wine: pulp, juice, sugars, acids, tannins, and minerals.

However, some manufacturers add yeast to increase strength and cane or

beet sugar to increase alcoholic content. During fermentation, winemakers

also usually add sulfur dioxide to control the growth of wild yeasts.


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Process:

Harvesting and crushing grapes

Vineyardists inspect sample clusters of wine grapes with a refractometer to

determine if the grapes are ready to be picked. The refractometer is a

small, hand-held device (the size of a miniature telescope) that allows the

vineyardist to accurately check the amount of sugar in the grapes.

If the grapes are ready for picking, a mechanical harvester (usually asuction picker) gathers and funnels the grapes into a field hopper, or mobile

storage container. Some mechanical harvesters have grape crushers

mounted on the machinery, allowing vineyard workers to gather grapes and

press them at the same time. The result is that vineyards can deliver newly

crushed grapes, called must, to wineries, eliminating the need for crushing

at the winery. This also prevents oxidization of the juice through tears or

splits in the grapes' skins.

Mechanical harvesters, or, in some cases, robots, are now used in most

medium to large vineyards, thereby eliminating the need for hand-picking.

First used in California vineyards in 1968, mechanical harvesters have

significantly decreased the time it takes to gather grapes. The harvesters

have also allowed grapes to be gathered at night when they are cool, fresh,

and ripe.

The field hoppers are transported to the winery where they are unloaded

into a crusher-stemmer machine. Some crusher-stemmer machines are

hydraulic while others are driven by air pressure.

The grapes are crushed and the stems are removed, leaving liquid that

must flow.


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Once at the winery, the grapes are crushed if necessary, and the must is

fermented, settled, clarified, and filtered. After filtering, the wine is aged in

stainless steel tanks or wooden vats. White and rose wines may age for a

year to four years, or far less than a year. Red wines may age for seven to

ten years. Most large wineries age their wine in large temperature-

controlled stainless steel tanks that are above ground, while smaller

wineries may still store their wine in wooden barrels in damp wine cellars.

Fermenting the must

For white wine, all the grape skins are separated from the "must" by filters

or centrifuges before the must undergoes fermentation. For red wine, the

whole crushed grape, including the skin, goes into the fermentation tank or

vat. (The pigment in the grape skins give red wine its color. The amount of

time the skins are left in the tank or vat determines how dark or light thecolor will be. For rose, the skins only stay in the tank or vat for a short time

before they are filtered out.)

During the fermentation process, wild yeast are fed into the tank or vat to

turn the sugar in the must into alcohol. To add strength, varying degrees of

yeast may be added. In addition, cane or beet sugar may be added to

increase the alcoholic content. Adding sugar is call chaptalization. Usually

chaptalization is done because the grapes have not received enough sun

prior to harvesting. The winemaker will use a handheld hydrometer to

measure the sugar content in the tank or vat. The wine must ferments in


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the tank or vat for approximately seven to fourteen days, depending on the

type of wine being produced.

Ageing the wine

After crushing and fermentation, wine needs to be stored, filtered, and

properly aged. In some instances, the wine must also be blended with other

alcohol. Many wineries still store wine in damp, subterranean wine cellars

to keep the wine cool, but larger wineries now store wine above ground in

epoxylined and stainless steel tanks. The tanks are temperature-controlled

by water that circulates inside the lining of the tank shell. Other similar

tanks are used instead of the old redwood and concrete vats when wine is

temporarily stored during the settling process.

After fermentation, certain wines (mainly red wine) will be crushed again

and pumped into another fermentation tank where the wine will ferment

again for approximately three to seven days. This is done not only to

extend the wine's shelf life but also to ensure clarity and color stability.

The wine is then pumped into settling ("racking") tanks or vats. The wine

will remain in the tank for one to two months. Typically, racking is done at

50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 16 degrees Celsius) for red wine, and

32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius) for white wine.

After the initial settling (racking) process, certain wines are pumped into

another settling tank or vat where the wine remains for another two to threemonths. During settling the weighty unwanted debris (remaining stem

pieces, etc.) settle to the bottom of the tank and are eliminated when the

wine is pumped into another tank. The settling process creates smoother

wine. Additional settling may be necessary for certain wines.


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After the settling process, the wine passes through a number of filters or

centrifuges where the wine is stored at low temperatures or where clarifying

substances trickle through the wine.

After various filtering processes, the wine is aged in stainless steel tanksor wooden vats. White and rose wines may age for a year to four years, or

far less than a year. Red wines may age for seven to ten years. Most large

wineries age their wine in large temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks

that are above ground, while smaller wineries may still store their wine in

wooden barrels in damp wine cellars.

The wine is then filtered one last time to remove unwanted sediment.

The wine is now ready to be bottled, corked, sealed, crated, labeled, and

shipped to distributors.

Packaging

Most medium- to large-sized wineries I now use automated bottlingmachines, and most moderately priced and expensive wine bottles havecorks made of a special oak. The corks are covered with a peel-

off aluminum foilor plastic seal. Cheaper wines have an aluminum screw-

off cap or plastic stopper. The corks and screw caps keep the air from

spoiling the wine. Wine is usually shipped in wooden crates, though

cheaper wines may be packaged in cardboard.

Quality Control

All facets of wine production must be carefully controlled to create a quality

wine. Such variables as the speed with which harvested grapes are

crushed; the temperature and timing during both fermentation and ageing;


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the percent of sugar and acid in the harvested grapes; and the amount of

sulfur dioxide added during fermentation all have a tremendous impact on

the quality of the finished wine.

Wine Manufacturing Process Flowchart:

alcohol term paper

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