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From: Jim on 20 Aug 2006 02:25 Simon Dobbs <simondobbs(a)froglet.net> wrote: > On Sat, 19 Aug 2006 23:05:13 +0100, Jaimie Vandenbergh wrote > (in article <7i2fe29rcaop6jjn403up3aq42ak3ueqv2(a)newsposting.sessile.org>): > > > Many of them > > are phenolic > > but which, and from what are they derived? Guess I ought to look up some > texts on whiskey production. For what it's worth: Scotch whisky is made from malted barley. 'Malting' is the process by which the barley is spread out on a big floor, then dampened enough to start germination. After about three days it is dried, and this is the key part in determining how phenolic the whisky is. If it's dried using a peat fired process then you get a smokey, peaty whisky at the end. If you don't, you don't. Simply adding peat to the wash seems to have no effect, or at least no effects that you'd actually desire. This dried barley is then dumped into a 'wash' (big tub), has hot water and yeast added and is stirred. This produces a weakly alchoholic liquid that's about 8%, tastes horrible and is very good for curing constipation or so I'm told. This beer is put into the first of the stills, the 'wash still'. This first distillation produces a liquid called 'low wines' and is in the 20-25% area. This is then placed into the second still (the 'spirit' still) and it is distilled again. The stillman then has to take the 'middle cut'. This is the portion of the distillate that's actually desirable. The first stuff off is methanol, so you don't want that. This then becomes ethanol and it's this that you're after. This in turn becomes water towards the end of the run. The three parts are called different names depending on local custom but tend to be called 'foreshots', 'middle cut' and 'feints'. The feints are sometimes added back into the wash still for a second run. The physical residue is called 'draff' and makes a good cattle feed but doesn't contain any alchohol. Distillery tour guides often claim it makes 'happy coos' but they're lying or badly informed. The percentage of the run that's the middle cut varies depending on distillery and is one of the many factors that determines a whisky's character. The other main factors are the shape of the spirit still and the angle of the 'lyne arm' (the arm that runs from the still to the condenser). This mainly has an effect on reflux, either promoting or preventing greater contact between the alchohol and the copper of the still. After the middle cut has been taken it has to spend at least three years in an oak barrel on Scottish soil before it can be legally called 'Scotch'. Jim -- Find me at http://www.ursaminorbeta.co.uk AIM/iChatAV: JCAndrew2 Skype: greyarea
From: Bella Jones on 20 Aug 2006 03:00 Gareth Slee <gax.slee(a)ntlworld.com> wrote: > I've always had Apple users down as intelligent and slightly eccentric. > All my experiences here confirm those suspicions :-) > > Got me thinking about what the preferred tipple would be for a crowd > like that? > I'll start the ball rolling. > > Mine's Gin... My list is not edifying, seeing as I gave up drinking four years ago - anniversary coming soon. Um, Instant coffee (Gave up real coffee at home due to horrible mood swings), Tesco tea, water, fruit juice. Party drinks: Lime & soda, coke, um, water. I'm a cheap date. Oh, and, half and half cranberry juice and ginger ale is a good one. -- bellajonez at yahoo dot co dot uk
From: Bella Jones on 20 Aug 2006 03:02 Jim <jim(a)magrathea.plus.com> wrote: > Simon Dobbs <simondobbs(a)froglet.net> wrote: > [...] > > In the case of Lagavulin it really does smell very strongly of iodine. I > suspect that comes (in part) from some seaweed influence, not just the > peat used in the malting process. Many people simply can't get over the > medicinal smells, and I'd have to admit that Lagavulin is somewhat of an > acquired taste. I really liked Lagavulin, and other seaweedy ones I tried. Sigh. Ou sont les drinking sessions d'antan? -- bellajonez at yahoo dot co dot uk
From: Debbie Wilson on 20 Aug 2006 03:56 Gareth Slee <gax.slee(a)ntlworld.com> wrote: > Got me thinking about what the preferred tipple would be for a crowd > like that? > I'll start the ball rolling. Got to put a vote in for real ales, which we both enjoy, and 'real' cider too. None of your Magners or Sirrus stuff. In the absence of either, gin :-) Deb. -- http://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield
From: Tim Gowen on 20 Aug 2006 04:04
Water Tea Fuller's Honey Dew, Kronenberg Blanc, Corona Adnams bitter Tim -- Tim Gowen |