How to Make Whisky - Chemosmart

      Manufacture of Whisky

  

Introduction:

              Whisky is a type of distilled alcoholic beverages made from fermented grain mash. Whisky is a sticky regulated spirit worldwide with many classes and types. e.g. malted whisky, scotch whisky, etc. 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 1820s. The operation was soon shifted to near by Solan, Shimla as there was an abundant supply of fresh spring water. In 1831, Aeneas Coffey patented the Coffey still, allowing for cheaper and more efficient distillation of whisky with that from new Coffey still. 

A) Production of whisky:

           A still for making Whisky is usually made of copper, since it removes sulphur-based compounds from the alcohol that would make unpleasant to drink. Modern still are made of stainless steel with copper innards (Cu-plate inlays along still wall). The simplest standard distillation apparatus is commonly known as 'pot-still' consisting of a single heated chamber and a vessel to collect purified alcohol. 

            In this process malted barly is mashed with water and put into the above mentioned stainless steel fermenters, which are water cooled to prevent their temperature from exceeding 28°C, as lactobacillus bacterial growth starts at 30°C. The fermentation process last six days and use commercial distiller yeast. The fermented wort is the pumped into semi-conical wash still, where it undergoes slow distillation for 14 hours. This produces the spirit between 68% to 70% above. 

B) Aging:

           The whisky is aged in a mixture of new Oak and used Bourbon barrels imported from United State. The duration of barrel-ageing for single malt whisky is much lower than that of scotch whisky due to India's hotter climate. The hot weather make whisky mature faster in India than it does in Europe or the United States. 

            It has estimated that one year of barrel-ageing in India is equal to three years of aging in Scotland or Europe. The whisky is generally aged 4.5 years. Most whiskies are sold at or near an alcoholic strength of 40-42% above. 

C) Types of Whisky: 

        whisky like product are classify on the basis of alcoholic strength of 40-42% quality. 

a) Malt whisky: Made from malted            barly. 

b) Grain whisky: Made from any type of grain. 

        Malts and grain whisky are combined in various ways. 

1) Single malt whisky: Made from only one particular malted grain. 

2) Blended malt whisky: Mix of single malt whiskies from different distilleries labeled as 'pure malt'.

3) Blended whisky: Made from a mixture of different types of whisky. Most Scotch, Irish and Canadian whisky is sold as part of a blend. 

4) Cask strength or barrel proof whisky.

 5) Bourbon whisky- American whisky. 

6) Light whisky produced in the U.S.

7) Spirit whisky: Mixture of neutral spirits. 

8) Scotch whisky: Generally distilled twice or upto 20 times. (Scotland whisky). 

D) Indian Whiskys:

             India consumes almost as much whisky as the rest of the world put together. Distilled alcoholic beverages that are labelled 'Whisky' in India commonly blends based on neutral spirit that are distilled from molasses with only a small portion consisting of traditional malt whisky usually about 10 to 12%. 

             Outside India, such drink would more likely be labelled as Rum. Ninety percent of the whisky consumed in India is molasses based. Although whisky wholly distilled from malt and other grains, is also manufactured and sold. 'Amrut Distilleries' main distillery in Kambipura is the first malt whisky produced in India, was launched on 24 August 2004.