The whole process uses water
The first ingredient in whiskey is water. To make whiskey, stills require large amounts of pure, cold water. Many wineries talk about how important their water source is. Many people say they chose the location of their brewery because of the perfect nearby water source. While water may be a key part of a distillery's story and history, its impact on whiskey flavor remains controversial. Some experts say water actually has little effect on the flavor of whiskey.
Water serves two distinct purposes in whiskey production. It's an ingredient, but it's also needed for whiskey production itself. You need hot water to cook the grains as part of the mashing process, and in some distilleries it is also used to heat the stills. Cold water helps convert the alcohol vapor produced during distillation back into liquid form. Sometimes water is added to the young spirit before it is placed in the barrel to reduce its strength. Likewise, adding water before bottling can adjust the alcohol concentration. So if you have a bottle of whiskey that's 40% alcohol by volume, you're drinking 40% alcohol and 60% water. A key exception is cask-strength whiskey, which is not added with water before bottling. You can read about adding water to whiskey here.
Yeast during fermentation
Our next ingredient is yeast. No yeast, no alcohol, no alcohol, no fun! So yeast is an important ingredient. Not only does the yeast convert starch into sugar, the yeast itself also adds flavor to the whiskey. The two main types of yeast used are Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Ale's yeast, the most common. There are different strains available for each type.
Brewers can use one strain of yeast, several strains of the same type of yeast, or a mixture of yeasts. Australia's Starward, for example, uses brewer's yeast to achieve banana and tropical fruit flavors. They also use Saccharomyces cerevisiae because it makes fermentation more efficient. All over the world, winemakers use different yeast types to achieve different flavors.
Therefore, all whiskey has water and yeast as its two main ingredients. Things get interesting when we start looking at the grains used.
What is Scotch whiskey made of?
If we ask the question: what is Scotch whiskey made of, then the answer is water, yeast and barley malt. To use the name "Scotch Whiskey," the whiskey must be malted with barley. This is where our word "malt" comes from. Grain whiskey in Scotland traditionally uses corn or wheat. Wheat has become increasingly popular in Scotland since the 1980s.
So if we ask the general question "What is whiskey made of?" the answer is probably water, yeast and grains. The grain can be anything from corn, wheat, or rye (and barley malt, of course). If a distiller uses corn, it tends to produce a sweeter whiskey. Rye gives the whiskey spice and acidity, and wheat gives the whiskey a sweet, delicate flavor. This creates the unique style of rye whiskey.
What is bourbon made of?
Bourbon is made from water, yeast and grains, at least 51% of which is corn. The other 49% of the mash can be any combination of other grains. Also, can you guess what straight rye whiskey is made of? Water, yeast and at least 51% of the grain is rye.
So, what is whiskey made of?
So, after all, what is whiskey made of? Well, it depends on what kind of whiskey you make. I did warn you, it's not easy! The two key ingredients are water and yeast. The third type is some kind of grain. In Scotch whisky, this is barley malt. In bourbon, 51% must be corn. The fourth and fifth elements are time and wood. These are not ingredients in the traditional sense, but they do play a key role. You might like our article about dunnage warehouses here.
So, how is whiskey made?
Whiskey is made from fermented grains, usually barley, rye or wheat. The mash is then distilled to make the spirit. Depending on the type of whiskey being made, the distillation process may vary slightly, but the basic steps are usually the same.
After the grain mash has fermented, it's time to begin distilling. This is the process of turning fermented mash into whiskey. Distillation involves heating a liquid to a temperature that causes it to evaporate. The fermented grain mash is first heated in a still, a large copper vessel. The vapor rises up the long, tall neck of the still and begins to cool. As it cools, the vapor is collected and condensed back into liquid form.
The resulting liquid is now the new whiskey! The final stage of the process is aging the whiskey. Whiskey is stored in oak barrels for a certain period of time - usually three years or more. This aging process enhances the flavor of the whiskey and gives it its color.
Now that you understand how whiskey is made, go out and enjoy a glass of your favorite whiskey! cheers!
