<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

> In a whiskey still, there will be three main fractions.  The lightest
> faction will be primarily grain alcohol (ethanol).  The middle fraction
> will be water.  The bottom fraction will be a mixture of proteins,
> complex carbohydrates, sugars, etc.  It is the bottom fraction which has
> almost all of the flavor.  THE GOAL OF THE DISTILLATION PROCESS IS TO
> REMOVE WATER.  This means PARTIALLY distilling the liquid to concentrate
> the flavors, and then ADDING BACK the alcohol.  The product is then
> filtered, aged, and bottled.
>
> I think it is entirely likely that if a whiskey was made with rye and/or
> barley, it contains gluten.  A whiskey made only with corn would be
> gluten-free.  The trouble is that often the raw materials are a trade
> secret.

Can I point out to this list that Scotch Whisky is NOT made
this way.  I've been researching it on the Web (the other
form of research was done years ago:-).  There is a Scotch
Whisky Web page which has details of the double
distillation process used to produce the pure alcohol which
is then diluted with WATER and put into used sherry casks,
which give the flavour.  I have it on the best authority
that NO wort is ever returned to the distillate but you
don't have to believe me - go there and find out yourselves.

http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/frame.htm

With vinegar distillation, there is no purpose in adding
the original material back to the distillate as it is
contaminated with variouas matter and would give an
unpleasing turbid result.  Water will be used in this case
simply because it is cheap and available. In principle,
vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid - this may even
be a byproduct of oil, where the distillation process is to
remove the wanted component (acetic acid) from other non
edible by products.

I hope this will help with some of the confusion.

Regards

David

David J Walland
University of Bristol Radiation Protection Adviser
[log in to unmask]
Tel +44 (0)117 928 8323
Fax +44 (0)117 929 1209

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