WSET Level 2 Spirits Exam Questions and Answers

What is the aim of processing the raw material? - Answer-To create a sugary liquid What happens during alcoholic fermentation? - Answer-Yeast eats sugars to create alcohol, congeners and carbon dioxide What system is used in the USA to express alcohol content? - Answer-Proof. Two degrees proof equals 1% abv What is the aim of distillation? - Answer-To select and concentrate parts of the alcoholic liquid (alcohol and congeners) and leave others behind What is the aim of post-distillation operations? - Answer-To ensure that when a spirit is put on sale it has the correct colour, aroma, sweetness and alcoholic strength What is the most important alcohol in a spirit? - Answer-Ethanol What type of aromas are created by esters? - Answer-Fruity aromas What is the appearance of a newly made spirit? - Answer-Water-white and colourless Ethanol boils at a lower temperature than pure water. True or False? - Answer-TRUE What is the name of the section of the still between the pot and the head? - Answer-Swan neck What is the typical heat source for a pot still? - Answer-Steam What is the purpose of a condenser in a pot still? - Answer-Converts the vapours back to a liquid In pot still distillation, what happens in the first distillation? - Answer-Distil alcoholic liquid into low wines, discard watery waste In pot still distillation, what is the typical abv of the low wines? - Answer-25-30% In pot still distillation, what happens in the second distillation? - Answer-Distil low wines with heads and tails of previous batch, separate heads, hearts and tails, discard watery waste What happens to the heads and tails at the end of the second distillation? - Answer-They are collected and used for the next distillation