Alcoholic Beverage - Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate

50 Pages·2015·1.11 MB·English

1
UNIT
Alcoholic Beverage
S tructure
1.0 Introduction and definition of alcoholic beverages
1.1 Classification of alcoholic beverages
1.2 Production of alcoholic beverages
1.3 Storage Of Wines
1.4 Beers
1.5 Spirits
Learning Objectives
After studying this unit, the student will be able
• To find out introduction to alcoholic beverage
• To know the fermentation and distillation process
• To identify the wine with its styles
• To analyze Whisky, Rum, brandy, Gin and Vodka.
1.0 Introduction and definition of alcoholic beverages
The word ‘Beverage’ has been derived from the Latin word
‘bever’meaning rest from work. After work one tends to feel thirsty due to fluid
loss through perspiration and one is inclined to drink water or other potable
beverages.
68 Hotel Operations
Beverages are portable drinks, which have thirst-quenching,refreshing,
stimulating and nourishing qualities. By refreshing one means the replenishment
of fluid loss from the body due to perspiration. Stimulation results in increase of
the heartbeat and blood pressure. This is due to the intake of spirits or tea and
coffee. Nourishment is provided by the nutrients in the beverages.
Most of the beverage supply energy is in the form of sugar or alcohol.
The also provide other nutrients like mineral salts and vitamins. For example,
milk gives calcium and citrus fruits give vitamin C. Certain beverages like tea,
coffee and alcohol provides as much as k7 calories per 1 ml.
Alcoholic beverages affect the central nervous system and tranquilize it,
thus reducing tension and worries. Initially alcohol acts as a stimulant, being a
concentrated source of energy. Later on, however, it acts as a depressant.
Alcohol being a concentrated source of energy, it is absorbed directly by the
bloodstream from the stomach and therefore provides instant energy to the body
and increases the blood pressure for a short while. As mentioned above, alcohol
is a depressant, because it relieves the blood vessels of the body from tension.
Effects of alcohol remain in the body for about 24 hours.
Definition of alcoholic : Alcoholic is an odourless liquid obtained
through the fermentation of a sugar containing liquid. There are many members
of the alcoholic family, but ethyl is the one which concerns us the most as it is the
principal alcohol to be found in all alcoholic beverages.
What is an Alcoholic beverage
Any beverage containing 0.55 of alcohol by volume to 76% alcohol by
volume is considered to be an alcoholic beverage. Those with higher than 76%
alcohol are known as medicines, such as anaesthetics.

1.1 Classification of Alcoholic Beverages

Wines Beers Spirits Liquers Cocktails
-Table -Lager -Whisky - Herbs - Shaken
-Sparkling -Ales -Brandy -Fruits -Stirred
-Fortified -Rum -Citrus peels -Blender
-Aromatised -Gin -Nuts -Built Up
-Vodka -Seeds
P aper - II Food and Beverages Services - II 69

1.2 Production of alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages are produced by the following methods
• Fermentation process
• Distillation process
Fermentation : Fermentation is the process in which sugar is converted
to alcohol and carbon dioxide by yeast. This process is the basis for producing
all types of alcoholic beverages. Examples of fermentation drinks are wine, beer
and cider.
The following are necessary for fermentation to take place
1. Sugar
2. Yeast
3. Temperature
Distillation : Distillation is a process of simultaneous evaporation and
condensation of liquid or mixture of liquids to purify them.

1.3 Storage of Wines
1.3.1 Definition & history
Introduction : All the alcoholic beverages, wine is regarded as the
most complex and interesting subject of study. This is so because each country
and region uses different types of grapes for wine production.
History of wine – making
Wine is one of God’s choicest gifts to man and its history is almost a
romance. The Old Testament in the bible gives evidence of wine existing but
there is definite evidence of its use in china in 2000 B.C and in Egypt 3000 B.C
as well
We are told by sir john in his first account of Persia that during the reign
of king jamshed, viticulture flourished and it is he who is credited with the
discovery of fermentation.
Definition of wine : Wine is an alcoholic beverage obtained from thee
fermentated juice of freshly harvested grapes. It is prepared from both white
and black grapes. There are many varieties of grapes produced and not all of
them are used in the production of wine. The colour, flavour, and aroma of the
wine are largely influenced by the type of grapes used in the production.
70 Hotel Operations
1.3.2 Classification of wines
The main classifications of wine are on the basis that the grape juice is
fermented and not distilled.
1. Table/still/natural
2. Sparkling
3. Fortified
4. Aromatized
1. Table/Still/Natural : These include Red, white and rose wines, which
normally accompany a meal. The alcoholic content generally low when compare
with others (beetwin10 to 12 %.) but some German Table wines may have 8-
10% alcohol. Generally, red meat (like beef, pork and lamb) are served with
red wines, and white meat (such as Chicken or fish) with white wines.
Examples : Bordeaux wine, Burgundy wine and Tokay etc.
2. Sparkling : These wines with a bubbly & sparkling character. This is
so because of the carbon-di-oxide trapped in them and it makes fizzy, which
gives an effervescence when poured in a glass. Alcoholic content is less that
14% these wines are drunk on festive occasions and throughout a meal.
Example : Sparkling Champagne is the monarch in this category.
3. Fortified : These are fortified by the addition of alcohol( brandy has
been added) either during or after fermentation. This increase the alcoholic content
from 18% to 22%. Examples of these wines are sherry, port, Madeira and
marsala.
These wines are drunk either before or after a meal.
4. Aromatized : These wines have an addition of various aromatic
ingredients (such as herbs). The wines are also fortified but not to a great extent.
The most important of these Aromatized wines is Vermouth, which is made from
natural white wines of 2-3 years old that are blended with an extraction of
wormwood, vanilla & various other herbs and spices.
1.3.3 Production of Wines
Viticulture

Vintage
P aper - II Food and Beverages Services - II 71
Wine press

Fermentation

Racking

Finning

Filtration

Refrigeration

Sulphuring

Maturing

Wine tasting by connoisseurs

Blending

Bottling
Production of Wines
1 Viticulture
Viticulture refers to the growing of grapes. The grape plant is a creeper,
which has to be grown on sloping, rocky and chalky soil. Rocky soil is essential
to prevent the retention of water, which could rile upwards into the vines, diluting
the sugar in the grapes or even causing the grapes to burst.
After one crop, soil, which has been washed away by the rain, must be
brought back and prepared for cultivation, by ploughing. The vines too are
prepared for the next crop by pruning them and removing the long shoots. The
vineyard is sprayed at this stage (either with sulphur di-oxide gassing, or sulphur
di-oxide and water mixture spray) to protect the plants from diseases. The
sulphur di-oxide spray is repeated when grape flowers appear, and gain when
the grapes are about to ripen.
Bamboos are placed at regular intervals, with wires stretched between
them, to support the vines. These wires should not be stretched too high, as the
warmth rising from the Soil would not be able to ripen the grapes; they should
not be too low, as the blossoms would then the soil.
72 Hotel Operations
2 Vintage
Vintage refers to the plucking of grapes. This is done manually, often
using special scissors. The grapes are collected in conical cane baskets and
taken to the wine press. The grapes are then sorted and graded manually; all
rotten, damaged and raw fruit are discarded. The fruit is then shifted to the
destalking machine to remove the stalk from the grapes (as stalks contain bitter
oils)
3 Wine Press
Grapes are crushed to yield Must (fresh grape juice), by four methods
(i) Trodening
Trodening refers to the crushing of grapes by treading on them. For this,
the grapes are placed in a large, shallow tank and the people treading the grapes,
wear boots with spikes, which prevent crushing of pips(as pips contain bitter
oils).
(ii) Balloon press
The balloon press consists of an expandable balloon, which is fitter in a
tank filed with grapes and equipped with an outlet for the Must. On being filled
with air, the balloon expands, crushing the grapes against the sides of the tank
and squeezing out the juice.
(iii) Manual press
The manual press works on the principle of hydraulic pressure. As the
central disc descends, it crushes the grapes.
(iv) Electrically -operated press
This press consists of a roller with a plate fitted all around it. The grapes are
crushed between the roller and plate.
Fermentation
By the action of yeast
C H O . 2C H OH+2CO
6 12 6 Between 60-80OF 2 5 2
The process of fermentation takes about 3-4 days, and is the result of
the action of natural yeast (saccharomyces ellipsoides) on grape sugar. From
white (pale) grapes-white wine is obtained, and from red grapes, white, red and
rose wines are obtained. The skins of the grapes contain most of the pigments;
therefore if the skins are removed from the Must before fermentation, a white
P aper - II Food and Beverages Services - II 73
wine is obtained. If allowed to remain in the Must for a short time (usually a few
hours), a rose wine is obtained. If the skins are removed only after fermentation
is over, a red wine is obtained.
Nowadays, fermentation takes place in thermostatically controlled
fermentation tanks, keeping the temperature within the range of 60 to 80oF.With
the onset of vigorous fermentation, heat is produced. To prevent excessive heat
(which would inactivate the yeast and thus halt fermentation), cold water is run
through pipes embedded in the tanks; this has a cooling effect. If the temperature
is too low, hot water is run through the pipes.
Fermentation takes place on its own. However, to produce a sweet
fortified wine (a fortified wine has an alcohol percentage of 18-25%), a definite
amount of Brandy is added during fermentation. Due to this, the alcohol content
of the wine increases and yeast is inactivated.
For a dry fortified wine, Brandy is added after fermentation (when all
the sugar will have been used up the yeast), which increases the alcohol content
of the wine.
Grapes sugar may be added to wine in certain circumstances. Grapes,
which have a lot of sugar but less yeast, are used for many sweet wines. Whole
grapes that have more yeast but are less sugary used in dry wines.
v. Racking
The process of removing pulp and yeast particles from wine is called
racking. The wines are kept in Oakwood casks (with no airspace on top, as air
oxidizes wine into vinegar) for about a month, to allow the solids or less to settle
at the bottom of the cask, after which the clear wine is siphoned off into another
cask. The process is repeated 3-4 times, and so racking can take up to 3 or 4
months.
vi. Finning
Finning is done in order to remove all suspended particles in wines. It
may be done using any of the following three finning materials.
(a) Egg albumen (using stiffly beaten egg white).
(b) Icing glass derived from the bladder of a sturgeon.
(c) Blue icing glass (for the use of which special permission has to be
obtained from the Appellation d origin controlee. It is used to remove traces of
toxic copper oxide from grapes).
74 Hotel Operations
These materials have clinging power; they attract the particles in the
wine, which then settle at the bottom, after which the clear wine is siphoned off.
vii. Refrigeration
After finning, the wines are refrigerated in order to avoid bacterial attack.
viii. Filteration
Filtration is done if the wine is not clear enough. It is a very slow process
and is usually done only in the case of wines meant for the domestic market.
ix. Maturing
Once the wine is clear and free of impurities, it is filled in black or white
Oakwood casks and kept for maturing, the maturation period varying greatly
for different types of wines. Champagne, for instance, is never matured while
other wines may be matured for 3, 6 or 9 months or even for a number of years.
Champagne and other sparkling wines are bottled, gassed and ready to
consume after finning or filtration - the second fermentation takes place in the
bottle itself, using the natural sugars and yeast present in wine, in the presence of
air in the bottle. Once a bottle has been filled, i.e., the wine has been glassed,
the wine will not mature further. The wine - filled casks are kept on rocks in the
cellar to age, the period depending upon the type of wine. White wines are
usually matured for 3 to 6 months and are best consumed when young.
Maturing makes the wine mellow and smooth and removes harshness.
Oakwood is porous and allows enough air into the wine to make it mellow, but
not enough air to oxidize the wine into vinegar. The wine also acquires colour
from the Oakwood casks. Oakwood casks, on being repeatedly used, become
seasoned, and after a certain period of time, also stop imparting colour to the
wine.
Prior to maturing, the casks are subjected to the process of ‘Sulphuring’.
This consists of soraying or gassing the empty casks with Sulphur di-oxide, 15
to 20 days before filling them, and then drying them in the sun. Similarly, bottles
and corks are treated with sulphur di-oxide and placed upside down to prevent
microbial growth.
In the case of sherry, the Solar system of blending and maturing is used
which involves blending of sherry from two or more vineyards.
1.3.4 Food And Wine Harmony
Wine and Food pairing is an art of matching food dishes with wine
to enhance the dining experience.
P aper - II Food and Beverages Services - II 75
This is one of the most difficult jobs for sommeliers to match perfect
wine with a food. Most of the wine critics believe that the most basic characteristic
of pairing food and wine understands the balance between the weight, flavor,
and texture of food and wine. Rather than following set rules, for example, specific
wine goes with particular cuisine or food and white wine with white meat and
red wine with red meat.
Apart from that, traditional rules, in recent years, scientific method of
balancing food and wine is been taken into consideration and it all being
evaluated by the sensory analysis. The concept behind matching is that some
elements of food and wine reacts opposite to each other and by balancing the
elements will make the dining experience more enjoyable.
Fig 1.1 Food and Wine Pairing
1.3.5 Storage of Wines
Storage is an important task for wine that is being kept for long-term
aging. While most wine is consumed within 24 hours of purchase, fine wines are
often set aside for long-term storage. Wine is one of the few commodities that
can improve with age but it can also rapidly weaken if kept in poor conditions.
There are three direct factors effects on a wine’s condition
are light, humidity and temperature. A fourth consideration can be security for
expensive wines. Historically the storage of wine was handled by wine merchants
but since the mid-20th century consumers have been increasingly storing their
own wine in home-based wine cellars Three factors that have the most
pronounced effect on wine in storage: light, humidity and temperature.
Light
Strong, direct sunlight light can badly react on wine so keep it in the
dark store all wines away from light, especially direct sunlight and fluorescent
76 Hotel Operations
fixtures. UV rays can cause wine to be ‘light struck,’ giving them an unpleasant
smell. Darker bottles (such as light green and blue colored) are better protected.
If it not exposed to light occasionally, try to make sure it’s light from incandescent
or sodium vapor lamps.
Humidity
Some degree of humidity is required in order to keep wines
with cork enclosures from drying out. Even when wine bottles are stored on
their sides, one side of the cork is still exposed to air. If the cork begins to dry
out, it can allow oxygen to enter the bottle and possibly causing the wine to spoil
or oxidize.
Temperature
Keep the temperature constant for extended aging of wine (over 1 year),
refrigeration is a must in most parts of the world; even a below-ground cellar is
not cool enough.
Wine storage temperature should not go over 75ÚF (24°C), for longer
than brief spans of time. At 75°F, wine begins to oxidize. An ideal temperature
for storing a varied wine collection is 54°F (12.2°C).
Fig 1.2 Temperature
Wine Terminology (English &French)
1. Age : Maturing of wines and spirits in oak wood cask
2. Aperitif : Alcoholic beverage consumed before a meal as an appetizer.
3. Aroma : Taste of wine in the mouth.