WSET LEVEL 2 SPIRITS EXAM QUESTIONS WITH
PRECISELY SOLVED ANSWERS.
1) What is the aim of processing the raw material? -- Answer ✔✔ To create a sugary
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
liquid
_
2) What happens during alcoholic fermentation? -- Answer ✔✔ Yeast eats sugars to
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
create alcohol, congeners and carbon dioxide
_ _ _ _ _
3) What system is used in the USA to express alcohol content? -- Answer ✔✔
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Proof. Two degrees proof equals 1% abv
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4) What is the aim of distillation? -- Answer ✔✔ To select and concentrate parts of
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the alcoholic liquid (alcohol and congeners) and leave others behind
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5) 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 _
6) What is the most important alcohol in a spirit? -- Answer ✔✔ Ethanol
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7) What type of aromas are created by esters? -- Answer ✔✔ Fruity aromas
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8) What is the appearance of a newly made spirit? -- Answer ✔✔ Water-white and
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
colourless
9) Ethanol boils at a lower temperature than pure water. True or False? -- Answer
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
✔✔ TRUE _
, 10) What is the name of the section of the still between the pot and the head? --
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Answer ✔✔ Swan neck _ _ _
11) What is the typical heat source for a pot still? -- Answer ✔✔ Steam
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12) What is the purpose of a condenser in a pot still? -- Answer ✔✔ Converts the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
vapours back to a liquid _ _ _ _
13) In pot still distillation, what happens in the first distillation? -- Answer ✔✔ Distil
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
alcoholic liquid into low wines, discard watery waste
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
14) In pot still distillation, what is the typical abv of the low wines? -- Answer ✔✔ 25-
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
30%
15) 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
_ _ _
16) What happens to the heads and tails at the end of the second distillation? --
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Answer ✔✔ They are collected and used for the next distillation
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
17) What is the name for the portion of the second distillation that will be kept and
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
sold? -- Answer ✔✔ Heart
_ _ _ _
18) Column stills can run continuously. True or false? -- Answer ✔✔ TRUE
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
19) In a column still, where are the hearts typically taken from? -- Answer ✔✔ A plate
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ just below the top of the still
_ _ _ _ _ _
20) What is the highest abv that can be reached in a column still? -- Answer ✔✔ 96%
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
21) What intensity would you expect in a spirit taken off the still at 75%? -- Answer
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
✔✔ Pronounced
_
PRECISELY SOLVED ANSWERS.
1) What is the aim of processing the raw material? -- Answer ✔✔ To create a sugary
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
liquid
_
2) What happens during alcoholic fermentation? -- Answer ✔✔ Yeast eats sugars to
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
create alcohol, congeners and carbon dioxide
_ _ _ _ _
3) What system is used in the USA to express alcohol content? -- Answer ✔✔
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Proof. Two degrees proof equals 1% abv
_ _ _ _ _ _
4) What is the aim of distillation? -- Answer ✔✔ To select and concentrate parts of
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
the alcoholic liquid (alcohol and congeners) and leave others behind
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
5) 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 _
6) What is the most important alcohol in a spirit? -- Answer ✔✔ Ethanol
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
7) What type of aromas are created by esters? -- Answer ✔✔ Fruity aromas
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
8) What is the appearance of a newly made spirit? -- Answer ✔✔ Water-white and
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
colourless
9) Ethanol boils at a lower temperature than pure water. True or False? -- Answer
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
✔✔ TRUE _
, 10) What is the name of the section of the still between the pot and the head? --
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Answer ✔✔ Swan neck _ _ _
11) What is the typical heat source for a pot still? -- Answer ✔✔ Steam
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
12) What is the purpose of a condenser in a pot still? -- Answer ✔✔ Converts the
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
vapours back to a liquid _ _ _ _
13) In pot still distillation, what happens in the first distillation? -- Answer ✔✔ Distil
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
alcoholic liquid into low wines, discard watery waste
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
14) In pot still distillation, what is the typical abv of the low wines? -- Answer ✔✔ 25-
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
30%
15) 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
_ _ _
16) What happens to the heads and tails at the end of the second distillation? --
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Answer ✔✔ They are collected and used for the next distillation
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
17) What is the name for the portion of the second distillation that will be kept and
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
sold? -- Answer ✔✔ Heart
_ _ _ _
18) Column stills can run continuously. True or false? -- Answer ✔✔ TRUE
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
19) In a column still, where are the hearts typically taken from? -- Answer ✔✔ A plate
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ just below the top of the still
_ _ _ _ _ _
20) What is the highest abv that can be reached in a column still? -- Answer ✔✔ 96%
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
21) What intensity would you expect in a spirit taken off the still at 75%? -- Answer
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
✔✔ Pronounced
_
