The brewing process of liquor is complex, and the distillation process in it is often summarized by winemakers with "pinching the head and removing the tail, watching the flowers and picking wine". But don't underestimate such a short sentence, it is like a martial arts secret book, which not only affects the taste of the wine, but more importantly, affects the quality of the wine.
In the distillation stage of liquor brewing, most of them use barrel distillation, that is, through distillation of liquor, gradually exchange cold and heat, vapor-liquid exchange, so that the wine vapor is concentrated, and the wine degree of the distillate is from high to low.
The earliest liquor flowing out is called "wine head", the degree is very high to 70-80 degrees, but these wines taste spicy, hurt the body of the aldehyde substances are very much, winemakers will generally give up. The wine flowing out of the middle section is called the wine body, the degree is about 50-60 degrees, the alcohol molecules are best fused with the water, and the harmful substances at this stage are the lowest, which is the highest quality part of the whole pot of wine.
The last wine left out is called the tail of the wine, the degree is below 40-50 degrees, the taste is very bad, the body is cloudy, the taste is sour and prickly, the evil smell is large, and it is often poured out by the distillery as a scrap. Although this type of wine is a low-grade wine, no one will drink it.
Therefore, when picking wine, you should pinch your head and tail. Remove the head of the wine and store it separately, which can be used as a blend of wine. The tail of the wine can also be used as a blend after selecting a suitable distillate.
The most frequently asked question for newbies is: How much is the head and tail? Why pinch your head and tail? How to deal with the wine head and tail? Distilled spirits are rarely asked, and as for tail water, no one asks at all! Because not many people know.
Why pinch your head and tail?
The wine head contains methanol, fusel oil, low-grade fatty acids, aldehydes and other content, has a certain aroma, but the miscellaneous taste is large, the dry taste is large, methanol is harmful to vision, and it must be stored separately.
The lactic acid and ester in the tail of the wine are several times higher than the content of the wine head and distilled wine, containing ethyl linoleate, ethyl oleate, ethyl ester and other high-grade fatty acid esters and more fusel oil, the wine taste is heterogeneous, bitter, and turbid, and should also be stored separately.
1. What is wine head?
Whether it is liquid fermented wine or solid fermented wine, when the sake is distilled in a distillation pot, the new wine that has just flowed out of the wine tube is picked up in a container, and the wine that comes out is called the head of the wine. The degree of the wine head is generally above 70 degrees.
2. What is distilled spirits?
The new liquor that comes out after receiving the wine is called distilled liquor. The alcohol level is generally between 50 degrees and 70 degrees. Distilled liquor is a normal drink.
3. What is a sake tail?
Wines below 50 degrees Are called tails.
4. What is tail water?
Tail water is called tail water after receiving the tail of the wine, and the water without degree is called tail water. Using this water to give the wine base a better drop than other waters.
5. How much is the head and tail?
The process of picking up the wine head separately is called pinching, and it is advisable to put 100 pounds of grain at half a pound to 1 pound. It is advisable to put 200 catties of grain at 1 kg to 1.5 kg. Due to the small amount of grain in household brewing, the pinch head is generally between 1 and 3 pairs. The extracted wine head should be stored separately or together with the end of the wine.
Tail removal is after receiving distilled wine, and the wine below 50 degrees is not called tail removal. In order to save energy, the tail is generally less than 10 degrees.
6. How to deal with the end of the wine?
Home brewing recommends distilling the wine head and tail into the next pot of sake. Winery brewing recommends that the head and tail of the wine be diluted with water about 15 degrees from the new distillation. Distilled wine is several grades better than pure grain wine! Because most of the various alcohols, aldehydes and aromas in the wine are retained in the tail of the wine. This kind of wine is called the second pot head, and it is impossible to verify whether it is a second pot head. The sake that is fired with the head and tail of the sake is the best sake base, and the wine degree is above 60 degrees.