Beverages- Distilled and Undistilled

Distilled Beverages

1. Whisky: It is distilled from fermented grain mash containing upto 50% ethyl alcohol. Following are some varieties of whisky:-

1. Malt Whisky: It is manufactured by microbial fermentation and subsequent distillation of malted barley (barley grains are soaked in water and then germinated at 17°C).
2. Grain Whisky: This whisky is manufactured by the microbial fermentation and subsequent distillation of a mixture of malted and unmalted barley with unmalted maize.
3. Scotch Whisky: Malt whisky is matured (aged) in oak casks at least for 3 years and then is blended with grain whisky. This new product is Scotch whisky.
4. Irish Whisky: This whisky is prepared from a grain-mash in which rye is predominant.
5. Arrak and Sake Whisky: This whisky is prepared from microbial fermentation of rice-grains. Since the rice is starchy, its starch is hydrolyzed by enzyme amylases derived from Aspergillus oryzae before fermentation.

2. Rum: Rum is any alcoholic distillate from fermented juice of sugarcane, sugarcane syrup, sugarcane molasses or other sugarcane by products and contains 40% alcohol. Black strap molasses containing 12-14% fermentable sugar are fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae which rises finally to 35.5°C.

Rum is usually aged in charred white oak barrels and possesses a characteristics flavors, aroma and colour. It may be used in the preparation of ice-cream, in curing of tobacco and sometimes in medicines also.

3. Gin: It is the liquor which is prepared by distillation from a fermented mesh of malt or raw grain. The finest gin is distilled from the malt or barley and rye. It requires several distillations.

4. Brandy: It is distillation product of fermented grape juice (wine) and contains 40-50% alcohol. The finest grades of brandy are made from white wines. The brown colour of brandy develops when it is stored in wooden casks.Sometimes, the brandy is coloured with caramel.

5. Vodka: It is a Russian alcoholic beverage produced by yeast fermentation of potatoes. It is allowed to age for long periods in wooden casks.Flavour and aroma are introduced into the purified alcohol during blending process.

Undistilled Beverages

Fermented undistilled alcoholic beverages are consumed all over the world. In some countries the use of particular undistilled beverages has been passed from ancient times. Some important ones are as follows:

1. Mead: This undistilled fermented alcoholic beverage is of great antiquity. It is obtained from honey and water and possesses a wine like flavour.Although, the high alcohol content and low ph (3) of wine makes them unfavorable substrates for growth of most organisms, they are subjected to microbial spoilage.

2. Kuass: It is Russian and is prepared by mixing equal parts of barley malt, rye flour adding boiling water and then inoculating with yeast for fermentation.Pippperment is added to the fermented product for flavour.

3. Sake: It is Japanese and is prepared by fermenting rice. It is yellow in colour and contains 14-24% of alcohol. No hops are used in its preparation.

4. Pulque: It is produced in Mexico and is prepared by allowing the sweet juice of agaves to undergo fermentation. Fermentation usually completes in one day.

5. Chicha: This is a common beverage of Peru and Bolivia. It is prepared from maize by yeast fermentation.

6. Hard Cidar: It is produced by the fresh apple juice fermentation.

7. Pombe: It is an alcoholic beverage prepared by allowing millet grain to sprout and undergo conversion of starch to sugars and by permitting a spontaneous fermentation of the starch water.

8. Ginger beer: This beverage is characterized by its distinctly acid nature, the ginger falvour and the presence of a small amount of alcohol.

9. Root Beer: It contains an infusion of various roots, barks and herbs, with the addition of sugar and yeast. The herbs generally used are ginger, wintergreen.