Questions and Answers
What is the minimum proof at which whiskey must be bottled to be labeled as such?
What is the maximum proof at which whiskey can be distilled?
What is the minimum percentage of corn required in the mash for bourbon?
What is the term for the container in which whiskey must be aged for it to be labeled as 'straight whiskey'?
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What is the minimum age requirement for a whiskey to be labeled as 'straight whiskey'?
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What is the term for a blend of straight whiskey and cheap, unaged grain neutral spirit?
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What is the requirement for labeling a whiskey as 'bottled-in-bond'?
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What is the main difference between straight bourbon whiskey and single malt scotch whiskey?
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What is the primary purpose of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)?
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What is the minimum proof required for a distillate to be considered whiskey?
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What gives whiskey its flavors, aromas, and color?
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What is the purpose of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 27, Part 5, Paragraph 22?
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What are the two classes of whiskey identified in the standards of identity?
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What is the result of distillation above 190 proof (95% ABV)?
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What is the role of Chuck Cowdery, a whiskey writer?
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What is the name of the agency that was spun off from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)?
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What is the minimum percentage of corn required in bourbon?
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What is the primary difference between traditional bourbons and wheated bourbons?
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What is the term for the process of aging whiskey in new charred oak barrels?
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What is the main difference between bourbon and rye?
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What is the term for the whiskey that is bottled without any changes to the flavor or color?
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What is the purpose of toasting the heads of barrels?
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What is the effect of rising heat in ironclad warehouses?
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What is the result of increasing the base grain in the mashbill?
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What is the effect of aging whiskey in stone and brick warehouses?
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Why do distillers prefer north-south orientation for warehouses?
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What is the primary role of the Whiskey Team?
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What is the purpose of the Lincoln County process?
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What type of wood is used to make the charcoal at Jack Daniels and George Dickel?
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Why do distillers use steam heat in the warehouses during winter?
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What is the result of not 'breathing' the barrels enough?
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What is the purpose of 'chill filtering' whiskey?
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What is the characteristic of corn eau-de-vie?
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Where are both distilleries mentioned in the content located?
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What is the characteristic of Rye in terms of flavor?
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What happened to Rye after Prohibition?
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What is the significance of David Wondrich in the context of Rye?
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What is the historical significance of Rye?
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What is the characteristic of older Rye?
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What is the significance of the Whiskey Rebellion in the context of Rye?
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Study Notes
Standards of Identity
- The US government sets standards for whiskey in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 27, Part 5, Paragraph 22
- The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) enforces these standards and approves labeling
Defining Whiskey
- Whiskey is a distillate made from a fermented mash of grain
- Final distillation must be to less than 190 proof (95% ABV)
- Whiskey must be stored in oak containers to gain flavor, aroma, and color
- Bottled at no less than 80 proof
Defining Whiskey Classes
- Two classes of whiskey: corn whiskey and bourbon, rye, wheat, malt, and rye malt whiskeys
- Bourbon, rye, and wheat whiskeys must be:
- Distilled to less than 160 proof
- Aged in charred new oak containers
- Made from a mash of at least 51% of the main grain (e.g., corn for bourbon)
Defining Straight Whiskey
- Straight whiskey is whiskey that:
- Conforms to the standards above
- Is stored in oak containers for at least 2 years
- Labeling regulations require:
- Age statement if the youngest whiskey is under 4 years old
- No additives other than pure water
American Whiskey
- American whiskey (bourbon, rye, etc.) is:
- Distilled from a fermented grain mash of at least 51% of the main grain
- Distilled to less than 159 proof
- Aged in charred new oak barrels
- Bottled at no less than 80 proof
- Not colored, flavored, or adulterated
Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Straight bourbon whiskey is all aged whiskey from one distiller, at least 2 years old
- Bottled-in-bond bourbon is:
- At least 4 years old
- Bottled at 100 proof
- Has no additives other than pure water
- Labeled as the product of one distillery and made by one master distiller in one distilling season
Types of Whiskey
- Traditional bourbons:
- Made with corn, rye, and barley
- Spicy, fiery, powerful flavor
- Wheated bourbons:
- Made with corn, wheat, and barley
- Smoother, softer flavor
- Tennessee whiskey:
- Made with corn, rye, and barley
- Employs Lincoln County process (pre-aging charcoal "mellowing")
- Sweet, smooth flavor with big corn character
- Rye whiskey:
- Made with at least 51% rye
- Spicy, herbal, grassy flavor
Innovations in Bourbon
- Advances in:
- Corn quality
- Still chemistry
- Warehouse construction and management
- Wood management
- All made with a majority of one grain, all distilled to roughly the same proof, all aged in the same new charred oak barrels
The Mashbill
- Ratios in the mash bill affect flavor
- Increase the base grain, and bourbon becomes sweeter, while rye becomes spicier
- Tweak the small grains to change flavor profiles
Yeast
- Use of different yeast or running it at a different temperature affects esters from fermentation
- Bourbon distillers are particular about their yeasts and preserve the strains
Barrel
- Distillers are specific about the wood in their barrels
- Advances in wood science lead to changes in barrel making, such as toasting the heads
Warehouse
- Warehouse design and location affect aging
- Ironclad warehouses have good air circulation and temperature shifts
- Stone and brick warehouses have less air movement and are generally lower
- Seasonal changes bring oxygen into the barrel, creating oxidation and aldehydes
The Whiskey Team
- Distillers and warehouse managers have a lot of input on whiskey production
- They serve as the whiskey's memory, keeping traditions and ensuring quality
Tennessee Whiskey
- "Lincoln County process" involves filtering the unaged spirit through 10ft of hardwood charcoal
- Both Jack Daniel's and George Dickel do everything necessary to be labeled as "straight bourbon whiskey"
Resurgent Rye
- Rye whiskey was nearly extinct but is now gaining popularity
- Rye has a hot herbal rush and a bitter, oily flavor
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Description
This quiz covers the government standards of identity for distilled spirits, specifically whiskey, as outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations and enforced by the TTB.