Distilling Philip Meaden

Part 1: Malting, Mashing and Fermentation Part 2: Distillation of Malt Spirit Part 3: Distillation of Grain Spirit Part 4: Distilled Beverages other than Scotch Whisky Part 5: Flavour and Maturation

Part 6: Cooperage
Part 7: Blending and Packaging

Part 1: Malting, Mashing and Fermentation

Malting and Cooking Distillation

Mashing

Maturation

Fermentation

Blending and Packaging

Malting of Barley
Storage of dried barley (~12% moisture) with cooling

Steeping (to allow water uptake and to initiate germination)

Germination

Kilning

Germination of Barley
For malt whisky production full modification (essentially the breakdown of the endosperm) is necessary to maximise fermentable extract For grain whisky production amylolytic enzyme activity must be maximised since it provides the only source of enzymes in mashing

Kilning
Distilling malt is only lightly kilned to maximize preservation of enzyme activity; green (unkilned) malt may be used in some grain distilleries
Peat smoke provides an important source of rich flavour (especially phenols, cresols and xylenols) lightly peated malt contains 1 to 5 ppm total phenols heavily peated malt contains 15 to 50 ppm total phenols

SO2 may be used in indirectly-fired (or gas-fired) kilns to prevent nitrosamine formation during peating

Mashing for Malt Distilling

All of the cereal used is malted barley
A batch process using infusion mashing is generally used; lauter tuns gaining in popularity Filtration is used to remove suspended solids from the wort (cloudy worts increase yeast growth and lead to higher levels of lipids) No wort boiling (as in brewing) so there is secondary conversion of carbohydrate after mashing

Mashing For Grain Distilling

Typically uses 10 to 15% malted barley with the balance from cooked wheat or maize
Cooked grain is mixed with water during filling of the mash tun to prevent an excessive rise in temperature Mashing temperature is maintained at ~62 C to maximize amylolytic enzyme activity prevent loss of amylolytic enzyme activity

Desirable Characteristics of Distillers Yeast

High ethanol yield
Tolerance to ethanol and heat Rapid fermentation (of glucose, maltose and maltotriose) Production of the correct balance of flavour compounds

High viability during storage (at 3 to 5 C)

Yeast Supply
Primary yeast is a distilling strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae propagated aerobically supplied as compressed (~26% dry weight), creamed (~18% dry weight) or dried (~95% dry weight)
Secondary yeast (if used) is spent brewers yeast (usually compressed) ale or lager strain a source of additional flavours

Microbiological Quality of Distillers Yeast

High viability (>95%)
Total bacteria <106 g-1 compressed yeast, <0.6 106 g-1 cream yeast Lactic acid bacteria <30,000 g-1 compressed yeast, <20,000 g-1 cream yeast Wild yeasts and moulds <10,000 g-1 compressed yeast, <6,000 g-1 cream yeast (1 g compressed yeast 0.8-1.2 1010 cells) (1 g cream yeast 0.6-0.8 1010 cells)

Preparing for Fermentation

Yeast batch tank

Mash tun

Acid washing

Wort cooling

Washback

Addition of yeast: 5 106 to 2 107 cells ml-1 Setting temperature: typically 16 to 18 C

Washbacks (Fermentation Vessels)

Volumes in the range 30,000 to 250,000 litres
Traditionally constructed from wood (pine, larch), still in widespread use in malt distilleries wood is a good insulator, so setting temperature is important In grain distilleries, typically constructed from aluminium or steel

temperature control can be used

CO2 recovery is possible cleaning is more efficient

Cleaning and Sterilization

Yeast batch tanks: frequent cleaning with caustic soda or hypochlorite, followed by steam sterilization, is necessary
Washback: cleaned with caustic soda, and steam sterilized Wash still charger: cleaning is less frequent, and may be carried out during shutdown periods only

The Fermentation Process

Fermentation time: minimum of 45 hours, typically 50 to 70 hours, can be as long as 110 hours
Larger washbacks use stirring to maintain even distribution of yeast and temperature to prevent buildup of solids and CO2 Yeast growth: typically 10- to 30-fold increase in cell number Temperature during fermentation reaches 34 or 35 C, but may go higher

Sugar Utilization during Fermentation

Carbohydrate (g/litre) Glucose Maltose Maltotriose

60 50 40 30 20 10 0

10

20 30 Fermentation time (h)

40

Changes in Specific Gravity and Ethanol Concentration During Fermentation

1.06 1.05 1.04 1.03 1.02 1.01 1 0.99 Specific gravity Ethanol concentration (%, v/v) 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Ethanol

Specific gravity

10

20

30

40

50

Fermentation time (h)

Changes in Specific Gravity and Temperature During Fermentation

1.06 1.05 1.04 1.03 1.02 1.01 1 0.99 Specific gravity Temperature (C) 34 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 50

Temperature

Specific gravity

10

20

30

40

Fermentation time (h)

Changes in Specific Gravity and pH During Fermentation

1.06 1.05 1.04 1.03 1.02 1.01 1 0.99 Specific gravity pH 5.5 5 pH 4.5 4 3.5 0 10 20 30 40 50 Fermentation time (h)

Specific gravity

Growth of Lactobacilli during Fermentation

600 500 400 300 200 100 0 0 10 20 30 40 Fermentation time (h)
Dolan, TCS (1976) Journal of the Institute of Brewing 82,177

Number of lactobacilli per ml (/106) Light infection Heavy infection

Effects of Bacterial Spoilage

Reduced ethanol yield
Unwanted by-products: acrolein (glycerol -hydroxypropionaldehyde acrolein) off-flavours nitrous gases

Quality Checks on Fermented Wort (Wash)

Final gravity
Ethanol concentration (typically 8-9%, v/v) pH and acidity (pH 3.7 to 4.0, 0.15 to 0.30% lactic acid)

Analysis of residual starch and sugars

Analysis of congeners

ethyl acetate, n-propanol, iso-butanol, iso-amyl alcohol