Whiskey. Canadian whiskey: stamps

Whiskey is considered one of the most popular alcoholic beverages in the West, but residents of European countries like and use it no less. The fortress of this drink varies between 37-50 degrees, although it can reach 60 in certain grades. The leaders in the production of whiskey are officially considered Scotland and Ireland. There are also Canadian whiskey, American and Japanese.
The technology of production of whiskey is divided into several types:

• malt;
• single malt;
• Blended;
• bourbon;
• grain.

By taste, the different kinds of whiskey are largely different from each other. It is impossible to say that Scotch whiskey is more delicious than whiskey Canadian, it all depends on the taste preferences of this or that person. This drink is produced from various grain crops. The technology of production is rather complicated and includes several stages of preparation and the aging of the finished drink is mandatory for at least 3 years.

History of the appearance of whiskey

At this time, do not stop arguing among themselves the inhabitants of Scotland and Ireland, who was the founder of the whiskey. The only thing that is known for sure, the recipe of this drink was invented within the walls of the monastery. It was there that the distillers began to exist. Initially, monks made whiskey only for medicinal purposes. When the recipe left the walls of the monastery, the production of this drink began to deal with peasants. They sold it at a price. By the 17th century, the inhabitants of Ireland and Scotland were actively producing and consuming this alcohol no less actively. And they used everything: from nobility to ordinary peasants. The aging of the drink was not observed - it was used immediately after distillation. In order to increase his fortress, he was driven several times. The scale of production frightened the representatives of the authorities, and soon the distances to the whiskey were allowed only to the nobility and the nobility. Prohibition of the results did not give, the alcoholic drink was produced on the same scale, only already underground. Only by the beginning of the 19th century this production was somehow legalized. At the same time, high taxes and production rates were set for the production of the drink. To date, whiskey is an elite drink in many countries, not everyone can afford it. Strictly maintained all technological and production standards. The taste is different for different species, for some people like whiskey Canadian, and for someone Irish, and maybe American or Japanese.

From what and how do whiskey in Canada

Initially, the technology of production of Canadian whiskey did not differ from the Irish, from the malted barley in copper cups. Now for the manufacture of Canadian beverage special columns are used continuously. And high technologies are used with the use of two and three-column apparatuses. In the USA, for example, only one-column ones are used.

Under Canadian law, this type of alcohol should be banished from grain grown in Canada, and aged at least three years in oak barrels, which can be either new or already in use, a volume of not more than 680 liters. And the technology of production in the legislation is not registered. This can be both a distillation in copper cubes, and columns of continuous action.

Stage one: addition

The first stage of preparation of a drink is the addition. A compound is called germination of grain (barley, wheat, maize, etc.). This craft is handled by specially trained people - malt makers. The main thing here is not to miss the main point, the grain should burst, but not grow out and feed on the contents of the grain. To stop the germination process, the seeds are dried in special chambers or in attics under the influence of sunlight.
Then the grains are thoroughly cleaned and soaked. The average soak lasts 3 days. After the raw material is sufficiently impregnated with moisture, it is again dried using a special drum. The last step at the stage of addition is another drying, but this time over hot peat. Many tasters of whiskey believe that it is peat drying that gives the whiskey a special exquisite flavor.

Stage two: preparation of wort

In a room called "malt house" a must is prepared. Here the grain is again thoroughly cleaned from various wastes with the help of a special drum. The animals are fed with waste after this procedure. After that, check for the amount of moisture and the presence of various parasites that can destroy the whole future drink. If all checks are completed, the last cleaning with the help of a special screen begins. In the ground raw material, certain proportions must be observed. Otherwise, the wort will turn out to be substandard - it will either be too rare and quickly wander, or it will turn out to be too thick, which will significantly slow down the preparation and worsen the quality of the drink. The very process of fermentation takes place in a special cast-iron tank, with a capacity of about 15 tons. In this vat there are special rakes, which from time to time mix the must.

Stage three: fermentation

To ferment the wort, special containers are used, which are made of high-quality wood. Mostly it is pine. Some producers of low-quality alcohol use fermentation metal containers, which give the drink a characteristic metallic taste. In the process of fermentation, yeast is added to the wort. After the start of fermentation, this wort is already called a brag. As the formation of alcohol braga stops wandering. During this period there is a big risk of contamination of raw materials with pathogenic bacteria, after which the process will have to start anew. Therefore, the last stage of fermentation is carefully monitored by specialists.

Stage four: distillation

In the process of heating and evaporation from the brew, you can get elite alcohol, but not immediately. From the fermentation tank, the brew is placed in the distillation apparatus, during the heating process, steam forms condensate, which flows into a special container. Then the liquid from this container is evaporated again and a fragrant alcohol of about 80 degrees is obtained, but it is still far from whiskey.

The final fifth stage: exposure

Good, quality whiskey should be held in a wooden barrel for at least three years. The alcohol obtained after distillation is diluted with clean water to 65 percent, but not all manufacturers adhere to such standards. Some spirits are not diluted at all, which saves a lot of space in the cellars during the ripening of the drink and significantly worsens its quality. Thanks to the aging of the drink in wooden barrels, it acquires a pleasant golden hue and a slight fruity aroma.

After maturing, the alcoholic beverage is bottled. If the contents of one barrel enter the bottle, then this whiskey is called single malt. There is another kind, blended, when the contents of several barrels are premixed in the container, and even different holding times and strengths. Here, different manufacturers have their own technologies, which are kept secret. At the final stage, the content is diluted to a strength of at least 40 degrees, bottled and reaches the final consumer.

Types of Canadian whiskey

Canadian whiskey, as in other producing countries, varies in grades. In Canada, they are few.

Whiskey Canadian species has the following:

• Base or base whiskey;
• Fragrant or flavoring whiskey.

The first grade of Canadian whiskey is prepared using cereals, in certain distillers. It consists of barley malt, corn, but there are other options. What is interesting is that the Canadian whiskey grade is as high as 96 percent for the fortress.
The fragrant sort of whiskey produced in Canada is more mellow at a fortress of 65 percent.
The concept of "single malt whiskey" does not exist at all. He was never produced in Canada.

Popular brands of whiskey in the world

Irish whiskey (brands of the most popular varieties):

• Jameson Irish Whiskey is the traditional alcoholic drink of Ireland. Has a fragrance of wildflowers, with a fruity taste, very soft and light. Exposure is not less than 3 years.
• Old Bushmills is single malt. Has a mild pleasant taste, it is easy to drink, extract from 4 years.
• Tullamor Dew - soft and delicate taste, aging for at least 7 years. It is considered one of the best in Ireland.

Scotch whiskey (brands of the most popular varieties):

• Longmorn - sweet flavor with a peach flavor, aged 16 years.
• Glenfiddich is a single malt with a sweetish flavor.
• Lagavulin is a single malt of golden-amber color, with an exposure of not less than 16 years. Has a slight taste of pepper.

Canadian whiskey (brands of the most popular varieties):

• Black Velvet - differs fruit bouquet from citrus, grapes, pears, apples, oak shavings and mint.
• Canadian Club - this variety has an endurance of at least 7 years and at the same time a rather pleasant aftertaste.
• No less popular Canadian whiskey Crown Royal was created in honor of the arrival of the royal family, it has a pleasant aroma and a sweet aftertaste.

American whiskey (brands of the most popular varieties):

• Jim Beam is a bourbon based on corn, aged in baked barrels from inside, this gives it a special flavor.
• Jack Daniel's - is made on the basis of corn, rye and barley, has a mild taste.
• Maker's Mark - bourbon with sweetish vanilla taste, aged 8 years.
• Russell's - rye, aged 6 years, has a long aftertaste.

Japanese whiskey (brands of the most popular varieties):

• Yamazaki - single malt, aged 12 years, has a dryish taste.
• Hakushu - single malt, with good aging and sweet taste, is ideal for women.
• Yoichi is single malt, with a mild taste and a beautiful amber tint.

How to distinguish real whiskey from forgery

How to distinguish this whiskey from a fake? First of all, you need to remember that buying elite alcoholic beverages is better in specialized stores and supermarkets. Suspicious stores with a low price should already question the quality of the product. Then carefully inspect the bottle and label for damage and conformance to the original. Be sure to check the availability of excise stamps. You should also familiarize yourself with the composition, Scotch, Irish or Canadian whiskey should not contain:

• Methanol;
• Ethanol;
• Aromatizers;
• Dyes;
• And other chemistry.

After all the manipulations you need to evaluate the color of the alcohol in the bottle. A real quality drink should have a golden hue. After shaking the bottle, the drops should slowly flow down the walls. Also, you should avoid bottles with cloudy sediment and incomprehensible contents. Fake alcohol can cause serious poisoning, up to a lethal outcome.