Search

Climate change poses a significant threat to economic development and necessitates immediate action to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates the feasibility of hydrogen systems as a comprehensive solution for decarbonizing the distillery industry, a sector often deemed "hard-to-treat" from service perspective. Through a qualitative case study of a whiskey distillery in Scotland, insights from senior management at both the distillery and the hydrogen system provider reveal the potential of hydrogen to not only serve as an energy source but also to address broader sustainability challenges within the food and agriculture sector. While advantages are evident, the study also identifies challenges related to infrastructure, cost, and the need for shifts in government policy, user attitudes, and investor perspectives. This research serves as a precursor to broader sectoral studies aimed at developing pathways toward net-zero emissions, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to unlock the full potential of hydrogen as a transformative solution for achieving a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an analysis of the legal provisions for the production of whisky in the EU and in Switzerland. It examines whether the requirements for 'maturation' and the prohibition of 'flavouring' are distinctive enough and compatible with innovative processes in this field. Recent technological advancements and scientific knowledge have encouraged a reimagining of traditional whisky production. The law can be understood in a way that allows some flexibility when it comes to prohibited flavoring of whisky. This contrasts with the permitted maturation process, which is more clearly defined. However, there is little explicit guidance on restricting practices that are not allowed during the production of whisky. This analysis contemplates the extent to which novel techniques may align with the established legal standards, and openly explores whether these regulations serve as rigid constraints or as adaptable frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of the content featured in Volume 18 of the European Food and Feed Law Review. Topics include legal challenges in whisky production, the rationality requirements for science-based opinions in regulatory procedures, and food waste prevention in Poland. It also announces the upcoming 17th European Food and Feed Law Conference in Brussels, Belgium, addressing key themes such as the Green Deal, sustainability versus food safety, and packaging law.

Was there legitimate public interest justification for regulating whiskey with the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906? High and Coppin (Bus Hist Rev 62:286–309, 1988) provide evidence for a public choice interpretation of the application of the act to the whiskey industry. However, the existence of public choice factors does not preclude the simultaneous existence of genuine public interest rationales. The public interest justification was that rectifiers, who flavored neutral spirits to replicate straight whiskey, commonly adulterated whiskey with poisonous ingredients. We examine these claims using alcohol consumption data, chemical tests of whiskey, trade book recipes, and reported deaths and poisonings from whiskey. We find that poisons were infrequently used in rectified whiskey and that the poisons used were overwhelmingly either not fully understood to be dangerous at that time or were demanded in underground markets. The historical evidence bolsters the public choice interpretation of High and Coppin (1988). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dilution of whiskey with water can lead to the formation of unwanted haze which is exacerbated at lower temperatures. This phenomenon is well known in the whiskey industry, and it is normal practice to use cold filtration to produce a clear product as well as improve product stability. However, to date, there has been no quantitative characterisation or understanding of the size and concentration of the colloidal particles as a function of whiskey dilution, temperature, and maturation. This report utilises light scattering techniques to characterise the formation of colloids in bourbon whiskeys of different aging periods. Higher water dilution decreased the size of the colloidal particulates and increased their stability. Aged samples (> 36 months) were found to be more stable, having a higher concentration of colloids at lower dilutions. This work demonstrates that dynamic light scattering can be useful for quality control in the spirits industry. © 2022 The Institute of Brewing & Distilling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) on the extraction of volatile compounds from toasted oak wood chips immersed in various aqueous ethanol solutions (5%, 12%, 50%, and 70% vol/vol) was determined by Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) after ultrasound‐assisted extraction. PEF treatment showed the highest impact in the 5% solution, increasing vanillin, syringaldehyde, oak lactone (cis‐ and trans‐), and furfural by 75%, 371%, 13%, and 50%, respectively. PEF was also tested on Agiorgitiko red wine and on malt and wine distillates. In wine distillate, 4‐vinylguaiacol was also detected. For red wine, a PEF of 1.2 kV/cm increased the efficiency of extraction of wood aroma compounds from 5% to 200%. Differences in the extracted volatile compound concentrations between the control and PEF‐treated samples were also observed in the malt and wine distillates. The sensory evaluation showed that the PEF‐treated malt was similar to an aged whiskey, having nuances of toasted oak. Practical applications: This work was done as a preliminary investigation for our on‐going research into the application of PEF technique for the extraction of aromatic compounds from oak wood, and the acceleration of both wine and malt distillate aging. The findings suggest that PEF could be introduced in wine, brandy, and whiskey industry as a novel technology for the acceleration of the aging process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers a historical account of how the general store transformed Montana Territory from 1850 to 1885. Information is provided about the operations of merchant John Owen's trading post in the Bitterroot Valley and its role as a social, financial and economic hub, transition of merchants like William A. Clark from mining camps into wholesale mercantile distribution, and expansion into banking and other enterprises such as Bonner & Welch Co., and rise of whiskey trade.

Abstract: This is the first sensory study to evaluate the effects of ethanol concentration on flavor perception of distilled spirits. Dilution series of two rums (R1 and R2) were evaluated to gain insight into the effects of ethanol concentration on the flavor perception of distilled spirits. Rums were diluted 1:2 (v/v) either with pure water to a final alcohol by volume (ABV) of 20% (R1‐W and R2‐W) or with an aqueous 40% ABV solution (R1‐E and R2‐E). The later dilution accounted for the flavor dilution effect while keeping the ethanol concentration the same as the original liquors. Descriptive sensory analysis was conducted on both dilution series and the original rums. Twenty‐three attributes were evaluated consisting of eight aroma, four aroma‐by‐mouth, four mouthfeel, two taste, and five aftertaste terms. Results revealed 18 significant attributes for the R1 series. With the exception of silky mouthfeel, all attributes were rated highest in R1 and lowest in R1‐E. The R2 series contained sixteen significant attributes, all of which were rated higher in R2 compared with R2‐E. The flavor profiles of the original rums and those diluted with water were very similar, with the diluted rums generally having slightly lower attribute intensities. In contrast, the rums diluted with 40% ABV had significantly different flavor profiles than the original rums. Results indicate that diluting spirits with water may reduce the odor suppression effects of ethanol or enhance flavor release which appears to counteract the flavor dilution effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel process has been developed for the selective removal of protein from pot ale with recovered protein holding potential as a value-added by-product for the whisky industry. The purpose of this work was to assess the effect of deproteination on pot ale physicochemical characterisation and anaerobic digestion (AD) treatment. Pot ales were taken from five malt whisky distilleries and tested untreated, after centrifugation/filtration and after deproteination at laboratory or pilot scale. At laboratory scale, the deproteination process removed around 20% of total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) from untreated pot ale and at least 30% dissolved copper from centrifuged pot ale. Biochemical methane potential of untreated, filtered and deproteinated pot ale obtained at pilot scale has been determined using two types of inocula from different source. Average methane yield values of 554 ± 67, 586 ± 24 and 501 ± 23 Nl CH 4 kg −1 VS were obtained for untreated, filtered and deproteinated pot ale respectively. A significant difference in methane yield was only observed for untreated pot ale using the two types of inocula. Specifically, when using a non-adapted inoculum untreated pot ale biogas yield was significant lower suggesting inhibition of the AD process. As no significant differences were found for treated pot ale (filtered and deproteinated) with the two inocula it suggests, deproteination may have a positive effect on AD start-up. The results present a clear case for continuation of this work and evaluating the effect on continuous AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on scotch whisky industry which are recognizable by their brand identity and design of labels. Topics discussed include the amalgamation of Grand Metropolitan Guinness and Distillers Co. Ltd., the rebranding of Johnnie Walker and partnership of Compass Box with design house Stranger and Stranger.