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103-460: "Degrees Lovibond" or "°L" scale is a measure of the colour of a substance, usually beer, whiskey , or sugar solutions. The determination of the degrees Lovibond takes place by comparing the colour of the substance to a series of amber to brown glass slides, usually by a colorimeter . The scale was devised by Joseph Williams Lovibond . The Standard Reference Method (SRM) and European Brewery Convention (EBC) methods have largely replaced it, with

206-411: A mashtun , a large vat containing hot water, and is agitated for approximately thirty minutes or more. The water is then drained from the mashtun, which is subsequently refilled with hot water. This procedure is typically repeated between one and three times. Once complete, the resulting liquid, known as wort , which contains the extracted sugars, is separated from the mash, cooled, and transferred to

309-857: A pale lager with an IBU of 30, because the pale lager has a lower flavour intensity. After around 100 IBU, hop utilization is so poor that the number ceases to be meaningful in regard to taste, although continued hop additions will increase bitterness. Light lagers without much bitterness will generally have 8–20 IBU, while an India pale ale may have 60–100 IBU or more. For high throughput applications (as in quality control labs of large breweries for example), automated systems are available. Simple systems work with adjustment data blocks for each kind of beer, while high-end systems are matrix-independent and give accurate results for alcohol strength, extract content, pH, colour, turbidity, CO 2 and O 2 without any product-specific calibration. Latest innovations are packaged beverage analyzers, that measure directly out of

412-450: A pycnometer or oscillating U-tube electronic meter. Water has a SG of 1.000, absolute alcohol has a SG of 0.789. Other density scales are discussed below. The density of the wort depends on the sugar content in the wort: the more sugar the higher the density. The fermented beer will have some residual sugar which will raise the SG, the alcohol content will lower the SG. The difference between

515-608: A Tennessee whiskey is that it must be filtered through sugar maple charcoal before aging, known as the Lincoln County Process . (Benjamin Prichard's, which is not so filtered, was grandfathered in when the requirement was introduced in 2017.) The rest of the distillation process of Tennessee Whiskey is identical to bourbon whiskey . Whiskey sold as "Tennessee whiskey" is defined as bourbon under NAFTA and at least one other international trade agreement, and

618-477: A cask of beer was originally used to indicate that the contents were stronger than legal small beer limits, and were subject to a tax of ten ( Roman numeral X) shillings per barrel tax. Later, brewers added additional (superfluous numeral) X marks to signify progressively stronger beers: "the present quack-like denominations of XX [twenty, but often pronounced "double (letter) X"] and XXX [thirty, often pronounced "treble (letter) X"], which appear, unnecessarily, on

721-420: A controlled temperature range, typically between 10 and 37.8 °C (50 and 100 °F) which is optimal for yeast activity. Distillers ensure consistency by using the same yeast strain to achieve uniformity in the final whiskey product. Fermentation continues for two days or longer until the alcohol content of the liquid reaches between 5% and 10%. Once fermentation is complete, and the yeast ceases to be active,

824-497: A great liking for Scotch whisky, and in 1506 the town of Dundee purchased a large amount of whisky from the Guild of Barber-Surgeons, which held the monopoly on production at the time. The distillation process was still in its infancy; whisky itself was not allowed to age, and as a result tasted very raw and brutal compared to today's versions. Renaissance -era whisky was also very potent and not diluted. Over time whisky evolved into

927-443: A liquid form known as the distilled spirit . This distilled spirit is meticulously monitored during its extraction. The initial and final portions of the distillate are deemed undesirable and are therefore redirected back into the still. Only the middle portion, considered the most desirable, is collected in the spirits receiver . At this stage, the distilled spirit is clear and has an ethanol content ranging from 70% to 80% ABV. It

1030-410: A mean average error less than 0.02°P) can be made using the following formula: where the specific gravity is to be measured at a temperature of T = 20 °C. The equivalent relation giving SG at 20 °C for a given °P is: Winemakers, as well as the sugar and juice industry, typically use degrees Brix. British and continental European beer brewers generally use degrees Plato. American brewers use

1133-588: A mixture of degrees Balling, degrees Plato and specific gravity. Home wine, mead, cider, and beer makers typically use specific gravity. In some countries, alcohol by volume is referred to as degrees Gay-Lussac (after the French chemist Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac ). France, Spain and the United Kingdom use the system to determine alcohol content. Belgium, Norway, and Sweden use a modified table to calculate taxes on alcoholic beverages. The Saint Andrew's Cross

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1236-638: A much smoother drink. In 1707, the Acts of Union merged England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain , and thereafter taxes on distilled spirits rose dramatically. Following parliament's divisive malt tax of 1725, most of Scotland's distillation was either shut down or forced underground. Scotch whisky was hidden under altars, in coffins, and in any available space to avoid the governmental excisemen or revenuers. Scottish distillers, operating out of homemade stills, took to distilling whisky at night when

1339-420: A quantity of beer and distill off a spirit that contains all of the alcohol that was in the beer. The alcohol content of the spirit can then be measured using a hydrometer and tables of density of alcohol and water mixtures. A second accurate method is the ebulliometer method, which uses the difference between the boiling temperature of pure water and the boiling temperature of the beer being tested. In practice

1442-576: A rarity value, but are not "older" and not necessarily "better" than a more recent whisky that matured in wood for a similar time. After a decade or two, additional aging in a barrel does not necessarily improve a whisky, and excessive aging will even affect it negatively. The minimum aging period required for whisky varies by country. In the United States, the minimum aging requirement is typically 2 years, while in Scotland, Ireland, and Canada, it

1545-459: A standard barrel of 36 imperial gallons of the wort weighed 26 pounds more than a barrel of pure water. The actual measurement was by saccharometer (i.e. hydrometer) correcting for temperature by a calibration scale or else by a special brewer's slide rule . An average strength first running of 1864 would be 30 pounds or 1.083 OG. Two common scales used for measuring the amount of sugars in wort and must are: The oldest scale, Balling (°Balling),

1648-441: A vapour enriched to 40–60% alcohol, a column still can achieve a vapour alcohol content of 95.6%; an azeotropic mixture of alcohol and water. Whiskies do not mature in the bottle, only in the cask , so the "age" of a whisky is only the time between distillation and bottling. This reflects how much the cask has interacted with the whisky, changing its chemical makeup and taste. Whiskies that have been bottled for many years may have

1751-517: A view to accurately measure the various values in brewing. Data can be exchanged in formats such as BeerXML to allow for accurate replication of recipes at remote sites or the adaptation of recipes to account for variations in locally available water, mash ingredients, hops etc. Whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash . Various grains (which may be malted ) are used for different varieties, including barley , corn , rye , and wheat . Whisky

1854-502: A w/w basis) has been added. Use of Tabarie's principle lets us calculate the true extract of a beer with apparent extract m {\displaystyle m} as where P {\displaystyle P} is a function that converts SG to °P (see Plato ) and P − 1 {\displaystyle P^{-1}} (see Plato ) its inverse and ρ EtOH ( A w ) {\displaystyle \rho _{\text{EtOH}}(A_{w})}

1957-399: A wort is largely dependent on the sugar content of the wort. During alcohol fermentation , yeast converts sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol. By monitoring the decline in SG over time the brewer obtains information about the health and progress of the fermentation and determines that it is complete when gravity stops declining. If the fermentation is finished, the specific gravity is called

2060-462: Is See the Plato article for details. TE is denoted by the symbol n {\displaystyle n} . This is the number of grams of extract remaining in 100 grams (3.5 oz) of beer at the completion of fermentation. Knowing the amount of extract in 100 grams (3.5 oz) of wort before fermentation and the number of grams of extract in 100 grams (3.5 oz) of beer at its completion,

2163-416: Is (20 °C/20 °C) meaning that the density is measured at 20 °C (68 °F) and referenced to the density of water at 20 °C (68 °F) (i.e. 0.998203 g/cm or 0.0360624 lb/cu in). Mathematically This formula gives the true specific gravity i.e. based on densities. Brewers cannot (unless using a U-tube meter ) measure density directly and so must use a hydrometer, whose stem

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2266-733: Is a bitterness scale in which lower values are generally "less bitter" and higher values "more bitter". The scale and method are defined by the European Brewery Convention , and the numerical value should be the same as of the International Bittering Units scale (IBU), defined in co-operation with the American Society of Brewing Chemists . However, the exact process of determining EBU and IBU values differs slightly, which may in theory result with slightly smaller values for EBU than IBU. IBU

2369-551: Is a synonym for original gravity. The OE is often referred to as the "size" of the beer and is, in Germany, often printed on the label as Stammwürze  [ de ] or sometimes just as a percent. In the Czech Republic, for example, people speak of "10 degree beers", "12 degree beers" and so on. Gravity measurements are used to determine the size of the beer, its alcoholic strength, and how much of

2472-418: Is added and the iso-alpha acids shift to the organic layer out of the aqueous wort. This new solution is then placed in a spectrophotometer and the absorbance is read at 275 nm. At this wavelength, the iso-alpha acids have their highest absorbance which allows for the calculation of the concentration of these bittering molecules. This technique was adopted at the same time as another method based on measuring

2575-524: Is additionally designated as straight , e.g., straight rye whiskey . A whiskey that fulfils all above requirements but derives from less than 51% of any one specific grain can be called simply a straight whiskey without naming a grain. US regulations recognize other whiskey categories, including: Another important labelling in the marketplace is Tennessee whiskey , which includes brands such as Jack Daniel's , George Dickel , Collier and McKeel , and Benjamin Prichard's . The main difference defining

2678-971: Is an anglicisation of the Classical Gaelic word uisce (or uisge ) meaning "water" (now written as uisce in Modern Irish , and uisge in Scottish Gaelic ). This Gaelic word shares its ultimate origins with Germanic water and Slavic voda of the same meaning. Distilled alcohol was known in Latin as aqua vitae ("water of life"). This was translated into Middle Irish as uisce betha[d] , which became uisce beatha ( Irish pronunciation: [ˈɪʃcə ˈbʲahə] ) in Irish and uisge beatha [ˈɯʃkʲə ˈbɛhə] in Scottish Gaelic. Early forms of

2781-449: Is an alternate equation which provides more accurate estimates at higher alcohol percentages (it is typically used for beers above 6 or 7%). A B V = 133 ( O G − F G ) / F G {\displaystyle ABV=133(OG-FG)/FG} where OG is the original gravity, or the specific gravity before fermentation and FG is the final gravity or SG after fermentation. "Original Extract" (OE)

2884-507: Is bathed in air, or pycnometer weighings which are also done in air. Hydrometer readings and the ratio of pycnometer weights are influenced by air (see article Specific Gravity for details) and are called "apparent" readings. True readings are easily obtained from apparent readings by However, the ASBC table uses apparent specific gravities, so many electronic density meters will produce the correct °P numbers automatically. The original gravity

2987-435: Is by measuring the density of the liquid, often performed using a hydrometer , and converting the density measurement to extract, the mass fraction of sugars in the wort or beer. Hydrometers can be calibrated with a number of scales. A common scale is that of specific gravity (SG), that is to say the density of a liquid relative to the density of pure water (at a standard temperature). Specific gravity can also be measured by

3090-440: Is commonly known as a pot still , consisting of a single heated chamber and a vessel to collect purified alcohol. Column stills are frequently used in the production of grain whisky and are the most commonly used type of still in the production of bourbon and other American whiskeys. Column stills behave like a series of single pot stills, formed in a long vertical tube. Whereas a single pot still charged with wine might yield

3193-483: Is fine for those who wish to go to the trouble to compute TE (whose real value lies in determining attenuation) which is only a small fraction of brewers. Others want a simpler, quicker route to determining alcoholic strength. This lies in Tabarie's Principle which states that the depression of specific gravity in beer to which ethanol is added is the same as the depression of water to which an equal amount of alcohol (on

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3296-611: Is generally 3 years. While aging in wooden casks, especially American oak and French oak casks, whisky undergoes six processes that contribute to its colour and final flavour: extraction , evaporation , oxidation , concentration , filtration , and colouration . Extraction in particular results in whisky acquiring a number of compounds, including aldehydes and acids such as vanillin , vanillic acid , and syringaldehyde . The casks used for aging bourbon whiskey are required to be new (and charred ); after being used for this purpose, these casks are typically exported for use in

3399-418: Is not determined by the perceived bitterness of the taste of the beer. For example, the bittering effect of hops is less noticeable in beers with roasted malts or strong flavours, so a higher proportion of hops would be required in strong flavoured beers to achieve the same perceived bitterness as in moderately flavoured beers. For example, an imperial stout may have an IBU of 50, but will taste less bitter than

3502-453: Is often done as part of a distillation in which the alcohol is collected for quantitative analysis but can also be done by evaporation in a water bath. If the residue is made back up to the original volume of beer which was subject to the evaporation process, the specific gravity of that reconstituted beer measured and converted to Plato using the tables and formulas in the Plato article then the TE

3605-500: Is provided by compounds such as humulones , or alpha acids from hops used during brewing. During the brewing process, humulone undergoes isomerization to form both cis - and trans - isohumulone which are responsible for the bitter taste of the beer. Hops also contain lupulones , or beta acids; these beta acids are not considered in the initial bittering of the wort as much as their alpha acid counterparts since they do not isomerize through boiling, and therefore do not dissolve in

3708-521: Is roughly equivalent to 12   °P. By considering the original gravity, the brewer or vintner obtains an indication as to the probable ultimate alcoholic content of their product. The OE (Original Extract) is often referred to as the "size" of the beer and is, in Europe, often printed on the label as Stammwürze or sometimes just as a percent. In the Czech Republic, for example, common descriptions are "10 degree beers", "12 degree beers" which refers to

3811-638: Is similarly required to meet the legal definition of bourbon under Canadian law. Australian whiskies have won global whisky awards and medals, including the World Whiskies Awards and Jim Murray's Whisky Bible "Liquid Gold Awards". By Canadian law, Canadian whiskies must be produced and aged in Canada, be distilled from a fermented mash of cereal grain, be aged in wood barrels with a capacity limit of 700 litres (185 US gal; 154 imp gal) for not less than three years, and "possess

3914-665: Is simply called whisky within Scotland. Elsewhere and in the regulations of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) that govern its production, it is commonly called Scotch whisky or simply Scotch (especially in North America). It is possible that distillation was practised by the Babylonians in Mesopotamia in the 2nd millennium BC , with perfumes and aromatics being distilled, but this

4017-615: Is subject to uncertain and disputed interpretations of evidence. The earliest certain chemical distillations were by Greeks in Alexandria in the 1st century AD, but these were not distillations of alcohol. The medieval Arabs adopted the distillation technique of the Alexandrian Greeks, and written records in Arabic begin in the 9th century, but again these were not distillations of alcohol. Distilling technology passed from

4120-413: Is the density of an aqueous ethanol solution of strength A w {\displaystyle A_{w}} by weight at 20 °C. Inserting this into the alcohol formula the result, after rearrangement, is Which can be solved, albeit iteratively, for A w {\displaystyle A_{w}} as a function of OE and AE. It is again possible to come up with a relationship of

4223-636: Is the number of cubic centimetres of ethanol in 100 cc (6 cu in) of beer. Because ABV depends on multiplicative factors (one of which depends on the original extract and one on the final) as well as the difference between OE and AE it is impossible to come up with a formula of the form where k {\displaystyle k} is a simple constant. Because of the near linear relationship between extract and (SG − 1) (see specific gravity ) in particular because p ≈ 1000 ( SG − 1 ) / 4 {\displaystyle p\approx 1000({\text{SG}}-1)/4}

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4326-477: Is the specific gravity measured before fermentation. From it the analyst can compute the original extract which is the mass (grams) of sugar in 100 grams (3.5 oz) of wort (°P) by use of the Plato scale . The symbol p {\displaystyle p} will denote OE in the formulas which follow. The final gravity is the specific gravity measured at the completion of fermentation. The apparent extract, denoted m {\displaystyle m} ,

4429-527: Is the °P obtained by inserting the FG into the formulas or tables in the Plato scale article. The use of "apparent" here is not to be confused with the use of that term to describe specific gravity readings which have not been corrected for the effects of air. The amount of extract which was not converted to yeast biomass, carbon dioxide or ethanol can be estimated by removing the alcohol from beer which has been degassed and clarified by filtration or other means. This

4532-462: Is typically aged in wooden casks , which are typically made of charred white oak . Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port , rum or sherry are also sometimes used. Whisky is a strictly regulated spirit worldwide with many classes and types. The typical unifying characteristics of the different classes and types are the fermentation of grains, distillation , and aging in wooden barrels. The word whisky (or whiskey )

4635-498: Is typically diluted before being transferred to casks for maturation, though some distilleries sell it as is at 'cask strength'. A still for making whisky is usually made of copper , since it removes sulfur -based compounds from the alcohol that would make it unpleasant to drink. Modern stills are made of stainless steel with copper innards (piping, for example, will be lined with copper along with copper plate inlays along still walls). The simplest standard distillation apparatus

4738-509: Is typically followed by the two additional stages of bottling and marketing. To initiate whisky production, grains are processed to convert their starches into fermentable sugars, which can then be subjected to fermentation and distillation. This process involves malting , milling and mashing the grains. Malt production begins with the soaking of grains in water tanks for a period of three days. The soaked grains are then transferred to large containers where germination occurs, initiating

4841-505: Is used on some beers, and was traditionally a mark of beer strength, with more exes indicating a higher alcoholic content. Some sources suggest that the origin of the mark was in the breweries of medieval monasteries , where the cross served as a guarantee of quality for beers of increasing strength. Another explanation for the saltire marks may be rooted in the duty taxes of alcoholic beverages beginning in England in 1643. The mark on

4944-528: The Annals of Clonmacnoise , which attributes the death of a chieftain in 1405 to "taking a surfeit of aqua vitae" at Christmas. In Scotland, the first evidence of whisky production comes from an entry in the Exchequer Rolls for 1495 where malt is sent "To Friar John Cor , by order of the king, to make aquavitae", enough to make about 500 bottles. James IV of Scotland (r. 1488–1513) reportedly had

5047-514: The Isle of Islay , where there are nine distilleries providing a major source of employment. In many places, the industry is closely linked to tourism , with many distilleries also functioning as attractions worth £30 million GVA each year. In 2011, 70% of Canadian whisky was exported, with about 60% going to the US, and the rest mostly to Europe and Asia. 15 million cases of Canadian whisky were sold in

5150-506: The Prohibition era in the United States lasting from 1920 to 1933, all alcohol sales were banned in the country. The federal government made an exemption for whisky prescribed by a doctor and sold through licensed pharmacies, such as Walgreens. Although specific methods may vary among distilleries, whisky production broadly comprises four primary stages: grain preparation, fermentation , distillation, and maturation (aging). This process

5253-490: The United States , while whisky is used in all other whisky-producing countries. In the US, the usage has not always been consistent. From the late eighteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, American writers used both spellings interchangeably until the introduction of newspaper style guides. Since the 1960s, American writers have increasingly used whiskey as the accepted spelling for aged grain spirits made in

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5356-406: The context of fermenting alcoholic beverages , refers to the specific gravity (abbreviated SG), or relative density compared to water, of the wort or must at various stages in the fermentation. The concept is used in the brewing and wine-making industries. Specific gravity is measured by a hydrometer , refractometer , pycnometer or oscillating U-tube electronic meter. The density of

5459-422: The variety of hop should be considered when targeting a specific amount of bitterness in the beer. To maximize bitterness, hops with large alpha acid concentrations should be used. Such varieties include Chinook, Galena, Horizon, Tomahawk, and Warrior hops, and these contain alpha acid concentrations up to 16% by mass. Since the bitterness is not influenced by beta acids, beta acids are not considered when selecting

5562-507: The washbacks , or fermenting vats. During fermentation, a specific strain of yeast , Saccharomyces cerevisiae (commonly known as "brewer's yeast"), is introduced to the sugary wort, which provides the necessary nutrients for its asexual reproduction . The yeast metabolizes the sugars, producing alcohol , carbon dioxide , and congeners , which can influence the flavor profile of the whisky, either enhancing or suppressing desirable characteristics. The fermenting vats are maintained within

5665-617: The "Brewing" or "Gravity points" are the thousandths of SG above 1: The amount of extract in degrees Plato are thus approximately given by the points divided by 4: As an example, a wort of SG 1.050 would be said to have 1000(1.050 − 1) = 50 points, and contain 50/4 = 12.5 °P of extract. This is simply the linear approximation to the true relationship between SG and °P. However, the above approximation has increasingly larger error for increasing values of specific gravity and deviates e.g. by 0.67°P when SG = 1.080. A much more accurate (mean average error less than 0.02°P) conversion can be made using

5768-525: The ABV formula is written as If the value given above for f p m {\displaystyle f_{pm}} corresponds to an OE of 12   °P which is 0.4187, and 1.010 can be taken as a typical FG then this simplifies to With typical values of 1.050 and 1.010 for, respectively, OG and FG this simplified formula gives an ABV of 5.31% as opposed to 5.23% for the more accurate formula. Formulas for alcohol similar to this last simple one abound in

5871-569: The Plato scale. Essentially the Balling, Brix, and Plato scales are all the same scale, with improvements in accuracy and reliability in the newer versions, since they are all based on mass fraction of sucrose ; the tables for the three scales differ mainly in their precision and in the temperature at which the measurements are to be made. A rough conversion between specific gravity, SG, and either degrees Brix, Plato or Balling can be made by dividing

5974-426: The SG of the wort before fermentation and the SG of the beer after fermentation gives an indication of how much sugar was converted to alcohol and CO 2 by the yeast. A basic formula to calculate beer strength based on the difference between the original and final SG is: A B V = 131.25 ( O G − F G ) {\displaystyle ABV=131.25(OG-FG)} The formula below

6077-496: The SRM giving results approximately equal to the °L. The Standard Reference Method or SRM is a system modern brewers use to measure colour intensity, roughly darkness, of a beer or wort . The method involves the use of a spectrophotometer or photometer to measure the attenuation of light of a particular wavelength, 430  nanometres (blue), as it passes through a sample contained in a cuvette of standardised dimensions located in

6180-468: The US and whisky for aged grain spirits made outside the US. However, some prominent American brands, such as George Dickel , Maker's Mark , and Old Forester (all made by different companies), use the whisky spelling on their labels, and the Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits , the legal regulations for spirit in the US, also use the whisky spelling throughout. Whisky made in Scotland

6283-604: The US in 2011. Whisky or whisky-like products are produced in most grain-growing areas. They differ in base product, alcoholic content, and quality. Malts and grains are combined in various ways: American whiskey is distilled from a fermented mash of cereal grain . It must have the taste, aroma, and other characteristics commonly attributed to whiskey. Some types of whiskey listed in the United States federal regulations are: These types of American whiskey must be distilled to no more than 80% alcohol by volume , and barrelled at no more than 125 proof . Only water may be added to

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6386-415: The United States is partly a result of rum runners illegally importing it into the country during the period of American Prohibition . Denmark began producing whisky early in 1974. The first Danish single malt to go on sale was Lille Gadegård from Bornholm, in 2005. Lille Gadegård is a winery as well, and uses its own wine casks to mature whisky. The second Danish distilled single malt whisky for sale

6489-454: The [I]BU method for beer brewed with fresh hops, the IAAs of beer brewed with old or poorly stored hops, and with certain special hop extracts, can be significantly lower than the [I]BU figure. Additionally, HPLC , mass spectrometry , and fluorescence spectroscopy can be employed to measure the amount of iso-alpha acids in a beer. The European Bitterness Units scale, often abbreviated as EBU,

6592-464: The aging of other whiskies elsewhere. Distillers will sometimes age their whiskey in barrels previously used to age other spirits, such as port , rum or sherry , to impart particular flavours. The size of the barrel also has an effect on the flavour development of the whisky, smaller barrels will contribute more to the whisky due to the higher wood surface to whisky ratio. During maturation, up to 45 litres or 12 US gallons of whisky may evaporate from

6695-490: The alcohol content depends not only on the diminution of extract ( p − n ) {\displaystyle (p-n)} but also on the multiplicative factor f p n {\displaystyle f_{pn}} which depends on the OE. De Clerck tabulated Ballings values for f p n {\displaystyle f_{pn}} but they can be calculated simply from p This formula

6798-443: The alcohol level of the distillation. The minimum bottling proof is 40% ABV. To be exported under one of the "Canadian Whisky" designations, a whisky cannot contain more than 9.09% imported spirits. Canadian whiskies are available throughout the world and are a culturally significant export. Well known brands include Crown Royal , Canadian Club , Seagram's , and Wiser's among others. The historic popularity of Canadian whisky in

6901-466: The amount alcohol (in grams) formed during the fermentation can be determined. The formula follows, attributed to Balling where f p n = 1 ( 2.0665 − 1.0665 p / 100 ) {\displaystyle f_{pn}={1 \over (2.0665-1.0665p/100)}} gives the number of grams of alcohol per 100 grams (3.5 oz) of beer i.e. the ABW. Note that

7004-415: The aroma, taste and character generally attributed to Canadian whisky". The terms "Canadian Whisky", "Rye Whisky", and "Canadian Rye Whisky" are legally indistinguishable in Canada and do not require any specific grain in their production and are often blends of two or more grains. Canadian whiskies may contain caramel and flavouring in addition to the distilled mash spirits, and there is no maximum limit on

7107-432: The available sugar the yeast were able to consume (a given strain can be expected, under proper conditions, to ferment a wort of a particular composition to within a range of attenuation; that is, they should be able to consume a known percentage of the extract). Historically gravity was measured and recorded in brewer's pounds (also known as just "pounds"). If a wort was said to be "26 lbs. gravity per barrel" it meant that

7210-465: The background or personal preferences of the writer (like the difference between color and colour ; or recognize and recognise ), and the other is that the spelling should depend on the style or origin of the spirit being described. There is general agreement that when quoting the proper name printed on a label, one should not alter its spelling. The spelling whiskey is common in Ireland and

7313-409: The beer, but rather the amount of iso-alpha acids. There are several methods to measure IBU. The most common and widely used way is through spectrophotometry . In this process, hops are boiled in wort to promote isomerization. Since the iso-alpha acids are slightly hydrophobic , a reduction of the pH by adding acid increases the hydrophobicity of the iso-alpha acids. At this point, an organic solution

7416-406: The brewing literature and are very popular among home brewers. Formulas such as this one make it possible to mark hydrometers with "potential alcohol" scales based on the assumption that the FG will be close to 1 which is more likely to be the case in wine making than in brewing and it is to vintners that these are usually sold. The drop in extract during the fermentation divided by the OE represents

7519-470: The cask over a 4 year period. This portion is called the angel's share by distillers. Most whiskies are sold at or near an alcoholic strength of 40% abv , which is the statutory minimum in some countries – although the strength can vary, and cask-strength whisky may have as much as twice that alcohol percentage. Enthusiasts often prefer cask strength whisky for its concentrated flavors and customizable dilution experience. The UK exports more whisky than

7622-472: The casks and in the accounts of the strong-ale brewers". In mid-19th century England, the use of letter "X" and other ones had evolved into a standardized grading system for the strength of beer. Today, it is used as a trademark by a number of brewers in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the United States. Bitterness scales attempt to rate the relative bitterness of beer. The bitterness of beer

7725-468: The concentration (in milligrams per litre; parts per million w/v ) of isomerized α acids (IAA) in a beer, causing some confusion among small-scale brewers. The American Society of Brewing Chemists , in the introduction to its methods on measuring bitterness, points out some differences between the results of the two methods: While the results of the IAA methods are practically identical to those obtained by

7828-606: The darkness hid the smoke from the stills. For this reason, the drink became known as moonshine . At one point, it was estimated that over half of Scotland's whisky output was illegal. In America, whisky was used as currency during the American Revolution ; George Washington operated a large distillery at Mount Vernon . Given the distances and primitive transportation network of colonial America, farmers often found it easier and more profitable to convert corn to whisky and transport it to market in that form. It also

7931-416: The distiller, and each choice affects the flavor profile of the final product in distinct ways. Following the transfer of the wash, the still is heated to a temperature sufficient to evaporate the alcohol while remaining low enough to prevent the evaporation of water. Alcohol vapour ascends through the still and is directed to the condenser, which consists of copper tubes or plates, where it condenses back into

8034-458: The final gravity (abbreviated FG). For example, for a typical strength beer, original gravity (abbreviated OG) could be 1.050 and FG could be 1.010. Several different scales have been used for measuring the original gravity. For historical reasons, the brewing industry largely uses the Plato scale (°P), which is essentially the same as the Brix scale used by the wine industry. For example, OG 1.050

8137-409: The final gravity of a strong beer might be lower than that of a session beer because of the greater amount of alcohol present. Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a sample (of any substance) to the density of water. The ratio depends on the temperature and pressure of both the sample and water. The pressure is always considered (in brewing) to be 1 standard atmosphere (1,013.25 hPa) and

8240-490: The final product; the addition of colouring or flavouring is prohibited. These whiskeys must be aged in new charred-oak containers, except for corn whiskey, which does not have to be aged. If it is aged, it must be in uncharred oak barrels or in used barrels. Corn whiskey is usually unaged and sold as a legal version of moonshine . There is no minimum aging period required for a spirit to legally be called whiskey. If one of these whiskey types reaches two years aging or beyond, it

8343-458: The following formula: where the specific gravity is to be measured at a temperature of T = 20 °C. The equivalent relation giving SG at 20 °C for a given °P is: Points can be used in the ADF and RDF formulas. Thus a beer with OG 1.050 which fermented to 1.010 would be said to have attenuated 100 × (50 − 10)/50 = 80%. Points can also be used in the SG versions of the alcohol formulas. It

8446-420: The form De Clerk also tabulates values for f p m = 0.39661 + 0.001709 p + 0.000010788 p 2 {\displaystyle f_{pm}=0.39661+0.001709p+0.000010788p^{2}} . Most brewers and consumers are used to having alcohol content reported by volume (ABV) rather than weight. Interconversion is simple but the specific gravity of the beer must be known: This

8549-413: The grains are transferred to a dressing machine, which separates the sprouts from the seeds. The grains are then conveyed to a mill for grinding. The extraction of sugars to be converted into alcohol is achieved through a process known as mashing. During mashing, the diastase enzyme is activated, which facilitates the conversion of starches and dextrins into sugars. The ground malt is introduced into

8652-473: The gravity in Plato of the wort before the fermentation. The difference between the original gravity of the wort and the final gravity of the beer is an indication of how much sugar has been turned into alcohol. The bigger the difference, the greater the amount of alcohol present and hence the stronger the beer. This is why strong beers are sometimes referred to as high gravity beers, and "session" or "small" beers are called low gravity beers, even though in theory

8755-421: The light path of the instrument. The EBC also measures beer and wort colour, as well as quantifying turbidity (also known as haze) in beer. The strength of beer is measured by its alcohol content by volume expressed as a percentage, that is to say, the number of millilitres of absolute alcohol (ethanol) in 100 mL of beer. The most accurate method of determining the strength of a beer would be to take

8858-505: The medieval Arabs to the medieval Latins, with the earliest records in Latin in the early 12th century. The earliest records of the distillation of alcohol are in Italy in the 13th century, where alcohol was distilled from wine. An early description of the technique was given by Ramon Llull (1232–1315). Its use spread through medieval monasteries , largely for medicinal purposes, such as

8961-408: The metabolic process that converts starches into sugars. This process is subsequently halted by drying the grains with hot air, a procedure also known as kilning , at the end of which the product is malt . In the production of Scotch whisky, the air used for kilning is heated by burning peat bricks in a furnace, imparting the characteristic smoky flavour to the malt. Following the malting process,

9064-404: The most common method used to estimate the strength of a beer is to measure the amount of sugars or "extract" in the wort before fermentation and then again once the fermentation is completed, and to use these two data points in an empirical formula which estimates the alcohol content or strength of the beer. The most common method of (indirectly) measuring the amount of extract in the wort or beer

9167-405: The new Coffey still. The new distillation method was scoffed at by some Irish distillers, who clung to their traditional pot stills . Many Irish contended that the new product was, in fact, not whisky at all. By the 1880s, the French brandy industry was devastated by the phylloxera pest that ruined much of the grape crop; as a result, whisky became the primary liquor in many markets. During

9270-515: The package (glass bottle, PET bottle or can) and give several parameters in one measuring cycle without any sample preparation (no degassing, no filtering, no temperature conditioning). Oxidative deterioration of beer can be measured by way of chemiluminescence or by electron spin resonance . Automated systems exist to determine the lag time of beer related to the antioxidant capacity to resist oxidative spoilage of flavours. Software tools are available to brewers to formulate and adapt recipes with

9373-439: The percentage of sugar which has been consumed. The real degree of attenuation (RDF) is based on TE and the apparent degree of fermentation (ADF) is based on AE Because of the near linear relationship between (SG − 1) and °P specific gravities can be used in the ADF formula as shown. The relationship between SG and °P can be roughly approximated using the rule-of-thumb conversion equation "brewer's points divided by four", where

9476-488: The rest of the world combined. In 2022, whisky exports from Scotland were valued at £6.25 billion, making up a quarter of all UK food and drink export revenues. In 2012, the US was the largest market for Scotch whisky (£655 million), followed by France (£535 million). It is also one of the UK's overall top five manufacturing export earners and it supports around 42,000 jobs. Principal whisky producing areas include Speyside and

9579-415: The resulting liquid is referred to as wash or distiller's beer . Even though the wash is alcoholic it is still organic, which makes it susceptible to contamination by microorganisms that cause rot. Consequently, it is promptly transferred to the still for boiling to mitigate this risk. The decision to transfer either the entire wash or only the most liquid portion into the still is at the discretion of

9682-405: The temperature is usually 20 °C (68 °F) for both sample and water but in some parts of the world different temperatures may be used and there are hydrometers sold calibrated to, for example, 16 °C (60 °F). It is important, where any conversion to °P is involved, that the proper pair of temperatures be used for the conversion table or formula being employed. The current ASBC table

9785-537: The thousandths of SG above 1 (which is often referred to as gravity points) by 4. So a specific gravity of 1.048 has 48 gravity points, and 48 divided by 4 would be approximately 12 degrees Plato, Balling or Brix. This conversion is an approximation of the relationship between specific gravity and mass fraction in °P by the linear equation: However, the above approximation gives an increasingly larger error for increasing values of specific gravity, deviating e.g. by 0.67°P when SG = 1.080. A much more accurate conversion (with

9888-542: The treatment of colic and smallpox . The practice of distillation spread to Ireland and Scotland no later than the 15th century, as did the common European practice of distilling " aqua vitae ", spirit alcohol, primarily for medicinal purposes. The practice of medicinal distillation eventually passed from a monastic setting to the secular via professional medical practitioners of the time, The Guild of Barber Surgeons . The earliest mention of whiskey in Ireland comes from

9991-410: The variety of hop. Also, the amount of time that the hops are boiled affects the bitterness of the beer. Since heat is needed to isomerize alpha acids, applying heat for longer amounts of time increases the conversion to the isomerized form. The International Bitterness Units scale, or IBU, is used to approximately quantify the bitterness of beer. This scale is not measured on the perceived bitterness of

10094-476: The word in English included uskebeaghe (1581), usquebaugh (1610), usquebath (1621), and usquebae (1715). Much is made of the word's two spellings: whisky and whiskey . There are two schools of thought on the issue. One is that the spelling difference is simply a matter of regional language convention for the spelling of a word, indicating that the spelling varies depending on the intended audience or

10197-426: The wort. However, beta acids can undergo oxidation and slowly contribute to the bitterness of the beer. This bitterness is harsher than the bitterness of the alpha acids, and can be undesirable. The oxidation occurs over time through fermentation, storage, and aging. At the same time, isomerized alpha acids undergo degradation which reduces the bitterness. Since the quantities of alpha and beta acids range among hops,

10300-731: Was Edition No.1 from the Braunstein microbrewery and distillery. It was distilled in 2007, using water from the Greenlandic ice sheet, and entered the market in March 2010. Another distillery is Stauning Whisky , based in Jutland . Nyborg Destilleri, from the island Funen ( Fyn ) in the center of Denmark, produces organic whisky and other organic spirits. The distillery was established in 2009, and in 2020 they launched their first 10 year old whisky. Stammw%C3%BCrze Gravity , in

10403-583: Was a highly coveted trade good, and when an additional excise tax was levied against it in 1791, the Whiskey Rebellion erupted. The drinking of Scotch whisky was introduced to India in the nineteenth century. The first distillery in India was built by Edward Dyer at Kasauli in the late 1820s. The operation was soon shifted to nearby Solan (close to the British summer capital Shimla ), as there

10506-560: Was an abundant supply of fresh spring water there. In 1823, the UK passed the Excise Act, legalizing distillation (for a fee), and this put a practical end to the large-scale production of Scottish moonshine. In 1831, Aeneas Coffey patented the Coffey still , allowing for a cheaper and more efficient distillation of whisky. In 1850, Andrew Usher began producing a blended whisky that mixed traditional pot still whisky with that from

10609-406: Was developed in 1843 by Bohemian scientist Karl Joseph Napoleon Balling (1805-1868) and Simon Ack. In the 1850s, German engineer-mathematician Adolf Ferdinand Wenceslaus Brix (1798-1870) corrected some of the calculation errors in the Balling scale and introduced the Brix scale. In the early 1900s German chemist Fritz Plato (1858-1938) and his collaborators made further improvements, introducing

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