Distilled spirits

 Rum

Definition

Rum is a distilled spirit manufactured from the end products of sugarcane, which includes molasses and juice. There is no precise cut in antiquity on rum, but there are numerous hypotheses on where and how it was manufactured. In the present day, rum majorly comes from the Caribbean islands and Latin America. Where it is asserted that farm slaves first found fermenting molasses could produce alcohol (WPZOOM, 2005). Just like other alcoholic drinks, rum is manufactured using natural aging techniques, fermentation, and distillation. Rum taste varies with regard to its place of manufacture. Its alcoholic percentage and color difference between its brands.

The different rum grades and variations include; light rum, also called white rum. It is normally used for mixing drinks and has a light flavor. Dark rum; it comprises of brown, black, and red colors. It has been in place for a very long period. It has a sweet and stronger taste in relation to the other rum. Golden rum; it is aged in drums manufactured of white oak. It looks amber in color and it is stronger compared to light rum. Spiced rum; it has added flavor and its dark in color (WPZOOM, 2005). It is also made up of pepper, cinnamon, aniseed, and various flavors like banana, coconut, and citrus fruits. Premium rum; high-quality raw materials manufacture it. It is the most expensive, has several tastes and aroma with regards to the other rum varieties.

History

The manufacturing of rum can be traced back to the West Indies and it was first documented in Barbados in 1650. In this early year’s rum was called ‘rum bullion’ or ‘kill- devil’ before the name was changed to rum in 1667. Rum founded in the transatlantic slave trade, where slaves were procured in Africa the shipped to the Caribbean island and Latin America in exchange for molasses that were shipped to New England, and rum was then shipped back to Africa as an exchange commodity for additional slaves (WPZOOM, 2005). British trades and sailors had a constant supply of rum throughout the 18th century up to 1970. At times rum was mixed with molasses to produce blackstrap or fused with cider to get stonewall.

Ingredients

Rum ingredients include sugarcane molasses, water, and yeast. Sugarcane molasses is the primary raw material. Yeast and water are added to help catalyze the fermentation process. At the same time, the use of yeast helps create different aromas and tastes.

Method of preparation

The process of manufacturing rum starts with the fermentation of molasses. Fermentation is done to lower the sugar ratio of the molasses. High sugar levels can bare yeast from generating ethanol. Water is added to help make it more controllable when yeast is added. The general concentration starts up point should be lower than twenty-five percent weigh sugar. Once fermentation is complete, ethanol is generated (WPZOOM, 2005). Distillation is then conducted to help separate water, ethanol, and methanol. It is done through the use of a good thermocouple and precise thermometer to provide accurate temperature readings to aid in collecting water, ethanol, and methanol at their needed temperatures.

Vodka  

Definition

Vodka is a colorless and pure distilled alcoholic drink with no specific taste or aroma from its various diversities, and it comes from Russia and Poland. Vodka is made up primarily of ethanol and water, with some small features of flavorings and impurities (Westling, 2018). Vodka is manufactured basically by distilling ethanol from fermented cereal grains. Fermented potatoes, sugar, and fruits are used in the present day to make vodka.

History

Production of vodka began in Russia in the fourteenth century. During this period, vodka was manufactured by distilling grapes, and it was perceived as a spirited wine, as it was a fusion of wine and English spirit. The first genuine Russian vodka recipe was discovered in 1430 by Isidore, a monk. The fresh recipe produced a bread wine with little alcohol concentration and christened burning wine. Vodka production can also be traced to Poland around the 1400s (Westling, 2018). In Poland, vodka was majorly used for medicinal value, but in around 1500s, a polish scholar found out that vodka could also be used to enhance lust and fertility. The fresh discovery of vodka use revolutionized the societal notion of vodka, and it was largely recognized as a casual drink and not for its medical value. Manufacturing of vodka can also be traced back to Sweden in the fifteenth century (Westling, 2018). By eighteenth-century production of vodka in Sweden grew. The Swedish vodka was manufactured by fermenting potatoes.

Ingredients

Vodka ingredients include fermented grains, yeast, and water. The fermented grains include; rice, wheat, rye, sorghum, and corn. Fruits, molasses, soybeans, sugar beets, and potatoes can also be used in vodka manufacture (Jonathan, 2016).

Method of preparation

The grains are first fermented to remove their normal sugars. Yeast is added to the residual liquid to facilitate sugar fermentation. After the fermentation is complete, the resultant liquid is distilled several times to eliminate impurities (Jonathan, 2016). In the distillation course, the liquid is subjected to heating to its boiling point and alcohol vapor is collected. The collected alcohol vapor is condensed to become vodka alcohol.

Tequila

Definition

Tequila is a distilled alcoholic drink manufactured from the blue agave plant, majorly found in the region around the town of tequila in the Mexican state of Jalisco. The blue agave resembles cactus in its appearance, but it’s a kind of amaryllis.

History

Tequila was first manufactured in the sixteenth century, close to the tequila city, but was not officially recognized until 1666. Pulque was the first name of tequila, an alcoholic drink made out of fermenting agave plant called Pulque (Tyler, 2016). Pulque drink was liked and consumed by indigenous Columbians in Mexico before their interaction with the Europeans. When the Spanish occupying power ran out of their favorite brandy drink, they did distill agave and got the American original distilled alcohol that would be called tequila. Pulque resulted to be a liked drink, which as a fermented, milky in color, yeasty, and agave juice beverage, the people had the technical knowledge to distill (Tyler, 2016). North Americans’ passion with tequila rose as an outcome of prohibition and the attained benefits of World War II when the European manufactured brandy become scares in supply. In 1944, the Mexican regime declared that tequila could only be manufactured in Jalisco, Mexico.

Ingredients

Tequila ingredients include; blue agave juice, yeast, and water.

Method of preparation

After harvesting the blue agave, the heat is removed and efficiently steam-cooked in a brick oven for days. It will result in loosening and softening of pine as its starch changes to sugar. The cooked pine is cut to smaller shreds like pieces, and then crushed to get aguamiel, or juice, which is then emptied into a heated timber container. Fermentation of nectar then begins for several weeks; distillation then occurs three times or twice. Yeast got in the herb leaves is used to facilitate the fermentation process (Tyler, 2016). Water is added to help complete the process of fermentation. The added water is then distilled to produce tequila spirit.

Gin

Definition  

Gin is a colorless, flavored, and distilled to light yellow alcohol manufactured from sanitized spirits normally got from juniper berry and grain mash as primary raw materials and flavor. The Netherlands gin is often fully bodied and malty-flavored, characterized by the unique botanical additive. Several people around the globe consume gin (Bossart, 2018). It is also manufactured by several firms using different techniques, but with juniper taste as a reference point.

History

The roots of gin date back to the thirteenth century. Gin was first founded in the Netherlands and it was a crude alcoholic drink with regards to its modern evolution. The first gin was manufactured by purifying malt wine to about fifty percent above its alcoholic volume.  With such alcoholic content, it was not drinkable, and therefore, it was regulated by spices and herbs. Gin also provided some medicinal value after juniper berries were added (Bossart, 2018). Gin may have whiskey or vodka taste, depending on how its distillation is done. Initially, gin was mostly procured by pharmacists for its medicinal value and could be prescribed to people with kidney infections, gallstones, and gout. The British army first founded gin; the English troops met the drink while in a battle in Antwerp, while providing support to the Dutch army against the Spanish. The soldiers took the drink before going to war to help calm them down.

English manufactures started producing their type of Jenever, and christened it ‘gin’. It gradually became popular before attaining landmark successes when William of orange, a governor of Dutch, took the leadership mantle in the magnificent revolution and shared his passion for the drink. Jenever is still found to date in Europe.

Ingredients

Gin ingredients include; juniper barriers, angelica roots, coriander seeds, fruits like lemon, water,

Method of preparation

Malt wine is fermented, and water is added then later distilled with spiced botanicals to help give it the aroma it needs (Bossart, 2018). Double gin is produced by purifying the first gin with additional botanicals.

Whiskey

Definition

Whiskey is a kind of a purified alcoholic drink manufactured from various fermented grains. Whiskey is naturally aged in timber casks, basically made of well-cooked white oak. Whiskey is a seriously governed spirit globally with various categories and kinds (Goldfarb, 2017). The difference in whiskey is caused by the difference in aging in the timber drums, distillation, and fermentation techniques.

History

It is asserted that whiskey first originated from Greece in the third century when spirits were purified to manufacture perfumes. The first purification of whiskey as a drink was done in the thirteenth century in Italy. Whiskey later grew to a liked drink in Scotland. The merger of Scotland and England in 1707 brought about lots of taxes. In 1725 tax on whiskey was imposed, and most whiskey production firms in Scotland closed down or resorted to illegal production of whiskey (Goldfarb, 2017). With the intense pressure from the regime in whiskey tax implementation, most producers resorted to hiding their products in caskets, altar, and anywhere to dodge the taxmen (Goldfarb, 2017). During this period majority of whiskey consumed in Scotland was homemade and trade was conducted under cover of darkness.

Whiskey was used as a currency of trade in America in the American Revolution. As a result of less civilization during this revolution period, most people resorted to using whiskey as a trade tool. In 1791, there was a whiskey rebellion in America when the sitting regime tried to levy taxes on whiskey.

Ingredients

Whiskey ingredients include; corn, water, wheat, yeast, barley, and rye.

Method of preparation

Whiskey production starts with the fermentation of cereal grains, and yeast may be added to speed up the fermentation process (Goldfarb, 2017). Water will be added to the last stage of whiskey production. Whiskey will then be purified after it has fully fermented in wooden drums to age and attain its strength.

References

Bossart, C. (2018). The complete and slightly insanehistory of gin in England . Vinepair.

Goldfarb, A. (2017). An Illustrated History of American Whiskey. First we feast .

Jonathan. (2016). What’s the Difference Between Rum, Vodka, and Whiskey? The bottle blog .

Tyler, G. (2016). A Brief History of Tequila. PROOF .

Westling, M. E. (2018). The History of Vodka. Proof .

WPZOOM. (2005). Art of Drink. Exploring the world of drink at a time.