These are the fascinating similarities between whiskey and beer | The State
Believe it or not two of the alcoholic drinks most consumed in the world: Beer and whiskeyThey have more in common than you might think. The first and most important thing is that inputs in production of both drinks are the same: malt, yeast and Water. Also exist two main factors that separate them: the moment of consumption and the distillation process. The truth is that it is about two popular drinks that in a way they have a close and exciting relationshipas they share ingredients, manufacturing process and passion. Although most fascinating of all, is that despite some wonderful coincidences, each one preserves intact their personality, differences and virtues Which is your favorite?
Let’s start with Beer, is an alcoholic beverage, not distilled, of bitter taste, which is manufactured with sprouted barley grains or other cereals whose starch is fermented in yeast water and is often flavored with hop, among other plants. his elaboration process is distinguished by a key step which is the malting: the barley grains are germinated, dried and roasted until reaching the Colour and smell desired. It is worth mentioning that this is the moment in which starches are transform into sugars and are available for generate alcohol, then the must is prepared using the ground and maceration of the ingredients, we proceed to filtered out and the cooking, and the last step is fermentation. For his part whiskey, is an alcoholic beverage obtained by the distillation of fermented malt of various cereals such as barley, wheat, rye and corn, and is characterized by its posterior aging in wooden barrels, traditionally from White Oak. There are variants that are marketed with an alcoholic content between 40 and 62% by volume. The term whiskey or whiskey derives from Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha and from Irish Gaelic uisce beathadh, what does it mean “Water of life.” In a way up to this point we could say that the whiskey making and Beer it’s similar, however worth it analyze the differences.
To begin with, it is worth mentioning that historically there is not much relationship between both drinks: Beer comes from Babylon and Egypt, while whiskey began to develop early 700 in Ireland and the beer already it happened long before.
In fact various specialists believe that the core of the relationship between both drinks is found in the British islands where is tradition drink both varieties. For some connoisseurs the second greatest similarity, is in the barrel work; in such a way that there are whiskeys that are aged in barrels that were used for age beer and vice versa, there are beers especially craft variants that are aged in bourbon barrels. However there are some data that make us understand much more clearly the differences between each, find out which are the main ones:
Differences between beer and whiskey:
- Alcohol content: Eleven ounces of beer (325 ml) contain 5% alcohol, in comparison with 40ml whiskey that contain 40% alcohol (Depending on the variant they can contain much more).
- Beer is associated with medicinal benefits (in moderate amounts) thanks to its content in a protective compound for the heart, flavonoids. It is valued for being moisturizing thanks to its high water content, it’s diuretic for his potassium content, antioxidant for its content in vitamins, cardiovascular for its content in vitamin B6, a good preventive of bone diseases for its content in hops and minerals, and last but not least a cell regenerating for its content in folic acid.
- Whiskey is similar to a beer that has been distilled and does not contain hops.
- He whiskey and Beer They are made of starchy grains, such as wheat, barley, rye, millet, and oats. Some more specific examples: malt whiskey it is only made with barley and is distilled in a single distillery, while the bourbon or American whiskey it is 51% corn, plus other ingredients and grains.
- The whiskey has a light color when distilled and before being stored in wooden barrels for him aging process, this is the step in which you acquire your characteristic brown color.
- One of the main defects in whiskey manufacture and to which manufacturers of cheap brands resort, is to add caramel or molasses, with the aim of providing that brown color artificially.
- Beer is a fermented drink of low alcohol content, which is distinguished by its content in other beneficial compounds for health, as is the case with antioxidants, calcium, potassium, biotin, and B vitamins.
- Other big difference between bothof course it is the price. Although there are beers of different quality which will depend on their elaboration process and country of origin, they will never be an extremely expensive product. While whiskey is a different drink that has all kinds of qualities according to its elaboration and that can be accessible up to practically impossible to pay.
- In the case of scotch whiskeys, barley wort is known as “Wort” and it is fermented with yeast for a couple of days or more until it is ready to enter the famous copper stills.
- At whiskey world the master distillers play a fundamental role, they are the master of the alembics and have the important task of being left alone with the best part of the precious liquid. During this first distillate the wort is heated in alembics up to 78 ºC. At this temperature the alcohol boils and the steam rises through the condenser. After this process, the liquid goes to another alembic for a second distillate that will give rise to the liquid that passes to the final phase: aging.
- In fact the aging process It is one of the main elements that differentiate whiskey from classic beer. For example: for a whiskey to be considered Scocht, the liquid that comes out of the distilled process must age in oak barrel during a minimum period of 3 years. The type of wood (sometimes barrels that have aged Jerez or wine previously are used) will also have a notable effect the aroma and final palate of whiskey.
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