By JOHN P. BARRETT
Brown-Forman is quenching bartenders, waitstaff and consumers’ thirst for knowledge. With an increase in popularity
of the classic cocktail, Beverage University allows bar, restaurant and beverage connoisseurs an opportunity to learn more
about the products they are serving and drinking. The spirited lessons are taught
by John Barrett, officially titled On-Premise Brand Development Manager, but better known as the whiskey professor since he
travels the midwest conducting educational training and tasting sessions for Beverage University.
The alcohol beverage industry’s distributor partners as well as the beverage managers, bartenders and waitstaff
at on-premise accounts crave ways to sell more spirits. “The folks who work in bars and restaurants are interested in
knowing more about the products they serve so they can share that knowledge with their customers,” said Barrett. “And, I guess you could say I’m something of a spiritual advisor. I don’t tell people what to serve or what to drink, but rather what they are
serving and drinking.” They can quench their thirst with Beverage University,
Brown-Forman’s spirited educational program, led by the Whiskey Professor. Bringing
Beverage University to the market place helps to interact and build relationships with key accounts while educating those
in the food and beverage industry about the products they serve.
Having earned a master’s degree in fermentation sciences from the University of California at Davis, Barrett
loves sharing his knowledge of spirits. He teaches the classes with spirited
conversation and flavors lessons with interactive exercises and visual aids. During
a typical Beverage University class he will discuss the distilling and aging of all types of whiskeys, bourbons and scotches. Touring the world of whiskeys, students sample and learn about Canadian Mist and Irish
Whiskey, Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Woodford Reserve and Old Forester Kentucky Bourbons and Jack Daniel’s
fine family of Tennessee Whiskies.
Regardless of location, Barrett discusses the basic characteristics of each area's spirit, passing around jars filled
with corn, rye, barely malt and water to illustrate the similarities and differences of the whiskeys of the world. Holding up a jar of pea-size sugar maple charcoal, Barrett explains how Jack Daniel’s whiskey seeps
drop-by-
drop through 10 feet of charcoal before aging
and it’s this charcoal-mellowing process that sets Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey apart from Woodford Reserve Bourbon. He shows students how Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch differs from Irish whiskey due
to the use of peat as a fuel source in Scotland. A piece of barrel stave from
a barrel once used for aging helps his students understand how the spirit picks up its color and flavor from the barrel.
He can also tailor the class to concentrate on the Jack Daniel’s Family of Brands – Jack Daniel’s
Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel – or to do
a competitive tasting of Finlandia Vodka with it’s major competition. Students
will leave the classroom recognized for their new knowledge of spirits with an honorary B.S. degree -- Beverage Specialist.
In conducting Beverage University classes the professor considers that hosting a class is just one component of a larger
market opportunity. The consumer is of utmost importance in planning market visits. Consumer oriented presentations, tastings and promotions receive a high priority as
events are planned. Professor Barrett’s visits often include a variety
of activities (trade presentations, consumer tastings, media interviews, dinners, promotions).
While his classes are generally attended by culinary school students, waitstaff, bar staff, beverage distributors and
spirit connoisseurs, Barrett says anyone can benefit from a Beverage University lesson.
“These days people are drinking a more quality spirit, rather than quantity,” said Barrett. “Consumers want to know what spirits are best served for specific occasions and those in the beverage
service industry are discovering they need to be more knowledgeable about the spirits they’re pouring. Bartenders know that sharing that knowledge can bring higher tips from their customers.”
So
what sort of grades would the whiskey professor give his students?
“Definitely an A for attendance. Students always ask for extra credit and I’ve never had anyone skip a class,” Barrett reports.
Next Class:
WHISKEY 101
WHISKEY 101
Whiskey makers around the world have their own
special touches or secrets when making their spirits, but the basic recipe using individual grains or combinations of the
grains barley, corn, rye and wheat and the basic process (mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation) are similar. This text will describe whiskey making in the United States and how the process differs
from other whiskies of the world.
A Whiskey Maker’s Resources
Barley
The heart of the recipe for whisk(e)y around
the world calls for the fermentation of cereal grains as its foundation. The
type of grain used in the production of whisk(e)y depends upon the historical, evolutionary, climatic conditions within the
region where the distillation is to occur. The length of the growing season,
temperature and the soil conditions of the region have determined in large measure the types of grains to be used for production. Single malt Scotch whiskies are made exclusively with malted barley and most European
whiskies contain no rye. Some Irish whiskies are distilled from a single grain,
barley, in both malted and non-malted form. Corn, rye (or sometimes wheat) and
malted barley are the basic ingredients used in the United States and Canada, but not in the rest of the world. The use of malted barley in the distillation process is of importance in whisk(e)y production because the
malting process stimulates the barley to produce saccharifying enzymes that will break down the grain’s indigenous starches
to fermentable sugars.
Barley used in the distillation of whiskies
throughout the world may come from many different countries, but the basic steps for malting are similar in nature in all
malting houses. In the United States all of the barley used for distilling purposes
is 6-row barley which is grown in North Dakota, South Dakota, and western Minnesota, with the primary growing
area being the Red River valley. 2-row, or western type barley, is grown primarily
in Montana, Oregon and Idaho. 2-row barley has a higher extract than 6-row
barley
but is lower in enzyme activity and makes 6-row the preferred
type for distilling in the United States. Bourbons
and Tennessee whiskies are made using 6-row barley with higher enzyme activity due to the addition of other starch sources
such as corn, rye or wheat. Most Irish and single malt Scotch whiskies are made
using 2-row barley with the higher starch content since other grains are not used and the enzyme activity is not as important. Barley used in Scotland is mainly grown in Scotland and some smaller distillers in
Scotland make a point of using barley from local farmers for good publicity.
After harvesting, the barley is stored for a minimum
of four weeks, allowing the kernels a dormancy period prior to processing. Before the barley begins the process that turns it into malt, the kernels are graded
according to size. The largest kernels are graded A and the smallest kernels
graded D. It is important that the kernels used for distilling be of similar
size to insure even growing rates during malting. After separation, the barley
is ready for its three-step malting process – steeping, germinating and kilning.
Steeping: During
steeping, the barley’s moisture content is increased from its original 12 percent up to 46 percent, which forces the
onset of germination and the production of sugar producing enzymes. Frequent
water replacement and aeration during the steeping process provides oxygen and removes carbon dioxide to further stimulate
respiration.
Germinating: Following
the 24-hour steeping process, the barley is transferred into germination compartments.
A constant 62 °F. airflow is forced through these compartments, saturating the barley
with moisture and increasing the germination rate. The barley must be turned,
or mixed, regularly to eliminate heat that will build up during rapid germination as the rootlet begins to form and grow between
the husk and the starchy endosperm of the kernel. The goal of the germination
process is to create enzymes to break down the barley’s starches and convert them into fermentable sugars. The germination phase takes approximately four days.
Kilning: Upon
completion of germination, the barley (now referred to as green malt) is transferred into kilns for drying. The kilning procedure dries the malt with the use of heated air.
The average kilning temperature begins at 125 °F. and slowly increases to 185 °F. as the moisture in the malt kernels decreases and the enzymes become more heat stable. Following the kilning process where the moisture content is lowered to less than 4.5 percent, the malt
is stored for at least 3 weeks before being blended with other ingredients. Malt
used for Scotch whisky is subjected to a measured amount of peat smoke during kilning, giving the whisky its smokey character.
Corn
Corn is the grain of choice for whiskey making
in the United States, because it supplies an inexpensive source of starch that adds a subtle sweetness and smooth flavor without
disturbing alcohol levels. Bourbons and Tennessee whiskies must, by law, contain
at least 51 percent corn and only the highest grade of corn is used in the production of whiskey. Once delivered to the plant, the corn is cleaned and milled into a grit form for processing. Until recently corn was imported and used in Ireland and Scotland to produce the soft, grain whisky used
for blending, but it has been replaced in large part by more cost effective wheat and in some cases unmalted barley of British
origin.
Rye
If corn provides the whiskey’s sweetness,
rye will help bulk up the flavor and deliver the product’s spice. Only
the highest grade, plump rye is used in whiskey production. Like corn and barley
malt, rye is milled prior to its introduction into the process and may be used in malted or unmalted form according to the
distiller’s preference.
A Whiskey Maker’s Process
Just as water is crucial for all living things,
it is also the most crucial liquid for whiskey production. Clear, potable, colorless
and odorless water is vital to the whiskey maker’s process of mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation. Water also contributes calcium to help control pH and improve yeast growth during
fermentation. Therefore, starting with iron-free, limestone water that is rich
in calcium produces the highest quality whiskey. The water must be completely
free of iron. The presence of iron would turn the whiskey to a black color instead
of the pleasing gold hue that develops during maturation.
Mashing
Mash is created by mixing the milled corn and
water together. Cooking the mash allows the starches to become soluble for break
down into fermentable sugars. The temperature is brought up to a cooking temperature
at or near a boil and then reduced to a conversion temperature of about 150 0F. and the barley malt is added. Rye is added to the mash mixture during cooling at about 180 0F. Malt enzymes then convert starches from all of the grains into sugar.
When the mash’s starch is converted into sugar, the mixture is ready for fermentation. Irish and Scotch distillers separate the grains from the liquid, called “wort,” prior to fermentation
because of their use of the pot still distillation process where grains would burn on to the heating surfaces if present in
this batch processing operation.
Federal regulations require that a portion of
the fermented mash must be used as a “set-back” for the production of Bourbon.
This has been termed the “sour” mash production method. Cooled,
screened liquid is recovered from the base of the whiskey separation column and is reintroduced into the next day’s
mash. Similar to the method of making sourdough bread, this “sour”
mash production method is practiced by bourbon and Tennessee whiskey makers to maintain a consistency in their whiskey from
day to day.
Fermentation
There are two stages in the fermentation process: aerobic and anaerobic phases. During
the aerobic phase, yeast uses the air for its own growth. This process takes
about 12 hours and produces carbon dioxide and water. As the air is used up by
the yeast, the anaerobic phase begins. This is where the “magic”
of whiskey making takes place as the yeast converts the sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide in equal quantities. During
the fermentation traces of other flavor and aroma compounds are also produced by yeast.
These compounds, called congeners, are natural products of fermentation including higher alcohols, esters, aldehydes,
acids and tannins. The amounts of these congeners carried over into the whiskey
during the distillation have a great effect on the character of the final whiskey produced.
Because heat is generated during fermentation
phases, the temperature is controlled at less than 85 °F. for the three to five day period for
survival of the yeast. Distillers call the fermented mash distiller’s beer.
Distillation
In the US, the distiller’s beer may be transferred
into the beer well, a holding tank, and on to a pre-heater before introduction into the distillation column. Alcohol, with
a boiling temperature of about 173 0F. and other flavor compounds have lower boiling temperatures than water, allowing
separation based upon heat. Therefore, obtaining the proper temperature is important in the distillation process. The higher
the heat, the greater the volume of neutral spirits. The lower the heat, the
greater the amount of true bourbon flavor that is carried through distillation. The
temperature is varied between 176 0F. and 196 0F., according to the distiller’s preference. The condensed vapor is known as low wine, with an alcohol content of 90 to 130 proof. The low wine is redistilled to about 130 to 140 proof for bourbon utilizing a second
distillation column or a doubler where the alcoholic strength may be increased without removing much of the heavier component
of the spirit. The flow rate through a column still, the temperature of distillation
and the design of the still will determine the style of whiskey to be made The new whiskey is now ready to go into the new,
charred oak barrel for maturing.
Irish and Scotch distillers prefer the traditional
pot still distillation for making their malt whisk(e)y, but the principle of concentrating the alcohol remains the same. Pot still distillation is more of a batch process where each succeeding pot still
increases the strength of the distillate. The positioning angle and height of
the arm will determine how much of the distillate runs back into the still (the reflux) for redistillation with more reflux
leading to a lighter, more delicate spirit. Most Scotches and Irish whiskey age in seasoned barrels.
Tennessee Whiskey
The production of Tennessee whiskey involves an
extra step to the bourbon whisky process -- charcoal mellowing. Charcoal mellowing
allows the whiskey to seep through 10 feet of sugar maple charcoal. Drop by drop,
the whiskey takes about ten days to travel to the bottom of the charcoal. When
it reaches the bottom it is changed, as the mellowing removes some of the heavier flavor compounds from the whiskey that give
bourbon its distinctive character, providing a smoother product before maturation begins.
Maturation
Bourbons and Tennessee whiskies must, by law,
be aged in new, charred American oak barrels. Other distillers of whisk(e)y throughout
the world buy these seasoned casks for additional fillings. The character of
the whisk(e)y resulting from re-using these barrels will depend on how long bourbon was in them and the number of additional
fillings. During aging, the whiskey expands and contracts, working in and out of the barrel wood, according to the changing
seasons and temperatures. The hotter, more extreme temperatures will mature Tennessee
and Kentucky whiskies much more rapidly than those distilled in Canada, Ireland and Scotland.
Scotch and Irish whiskeys may have more earthy and briny characteristics due to more open, earthen floor warehousing
practices and influences of the sea. In any case, over time, the whiskey
picks up all of its color and much of its distinctive flavor and bouquet from the barrel and maturation conditions.
Many
distilleries throughout the world are producing whiskies that have been aged in casks that have previously been conditioned
with fortified wines. The whiskies will be aged in these casks only, or may be
finished in seasoned sherry, Madeira or port wood after maturing in bourbon barrels.
The character of the fortified wine can be detected in the spirit after aging whereas it is difficult to detect a bourbon
character in whiskies that re-use barrels previously containing this whiskey.
After aging in the warehouse, the barrels are
removed, emptied and filtered to remove any sediments that have formed on the bottom of the barrel. Bourbon must be barreled between 80 and 125 proof. If needed,
the whiskey is reduced to a lower proof by the addition of demineralized water. Before
bottling, the proof is checked again and adjusted to final strength.
During each aging year, a small portion of whiskey
is lost through evaporation. This is referred to as the “Angel’s
share”. We think that they also deserve the privilege of experiencing the
pleasures derived from this, the “water of life”.
