Certified Distilling Production Specialist
Exam With Actual Questions & Verified
Answers, Plus Explained
Rationales/Expert Verified For
Guaranteed 100% Pass 2026/Latest
Update/Instant Download Pdf
1. What is the primary purpose of mashing in spirit production?
A. To sterilize raw materials
B. To convert starches into fermentable sugars
C. To remove proteins
D. To increase alcohol content
Answer: B
Rationale: Mashing activates enzymes that break starches into
fermentable sugars required for yeast metabolism.
2. Which enzyme is primarily responsible for breaking starch into
maltose during mashing?
A. Protease
B. Lipase
C. Amylase
D. Cellulase
Answer: C
Rationale: Amylase enzymes (alpha and beta) hydrolyze starch
into simpler sugars such as maltose.
,3. What grain is traditionally used as the primary base for bourbon
production?
A. Barley
B. Wheat
C. Rye
D. Corn
Answer: D
Rationale: By definition, bourbon mash bills must contain at
least 51% corn.
4. During fermentation, yeast primarily converts sugars into:
A. Lactic acid and CO₂
B. Ethanol and CO₂
C. Acetic acid and water
D. Methanol and oxygen
Answer: B
Rationale: Alcoholic fermentation produces ethanol and carbon
dioxide as primary byproducts.
5. Which yeast strain is most commonly used in distilling due to its
alcohol tolerance?
A. Brettanomyces
B. Wild yeast
C. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
D. Lactobacillus
Answer: C
Rationale: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is favored for its predictable
fermentation and high ethanol tolerance.
6. What is the primary function of a pot still?
A. Continuous distillation
B. Filtration
, C. Batch distillation with flavor retention
D. Carbonation
Answer: C
Rationale: Pot stills are batch-operated and retain more
congeners, contributing to flavor complexity.
7. In a column still, what component allows repeated vapor-liquid
equilibrium stages?
A. Condenser
B. Lyne arm
C. Plates or trays
D. Mash tun
Answer: C
Rationale: Plates or trays enable multiple distillation stages
within a single column.
8. What are “heads” in distillation?
A. Final distillate fraction
B. Early fraction high in volatile compounds
C. Water-only fraction
D. Non-alcoholic residue
Answer: B
Rationale: Heads contain low-boiling compounds such as
methanol and acetaldehyde.
9. Which fraction is typically retained for product quality?
A. Heads
B. Foreshots
C. Hearts
D. Tails
Answer: C
Exam With Actual Questions & Verified
Answers, Plus Explained
Rationales/Expert Verified For
Guaranteed 100% Pass 2026/Latest
Update/Instant Download Pdf
1. What is the primary purpose of mashing in spirit production?
A. To sterilize raw materials
B. To convert starches into fermentable sugars
C. To remove proteins
D. To increase alcohol content
Answer: B
Rationale: Mashing activates enzymes that break starches into
fermentable sugars required for yeast metabolism.
2. Which enzyme is primarily responsible for breaking starch into
maltose during mashing?
A. Protease
B. Lipase
C. Amylase
D. Cellulase
Answer: C
Rationale: Amylase enzymes (alpha and beta) hydrolyze starch
into simpler sugars such as maltose.
,3. What grain is traditionally used as the primary base for bourbon
production?
A. Barley
B. Wheat
C. Rye
D. Corn
Answer: D
Rationale: By definition, bourbon mash bills must contain at
least 51% corn.
4. During fermentation, yeast primarily converts sugars into:
A. Lactic acid and CO₂
B. Ethanol and CO₂
C. Acetic acid and water
D. Methanol and oxygen
Answer: B
Rationale: Alcoholic fermentation produces ethanol and carbon
dioxide as primary byproducts.
5. Which yeast strain is most commonly used in distilling due to its
alcohol tolerance?
A. Brettanomyces
B. Wild yeast
C. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
D. Lactobacillus
Answer: C
Rationale: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is favored for its predictable
fermentation and high ethanol tolerance.
6. What is the primary function of a pot still?
A. Continuous distillation
B. Filtration
, C. Batch distillation with flavor retention
D. Carbonation
Answer: C
Rationale: Pot stills are batch-operated and retain more
congeners, contributing to flavor complexity.
7. In a column still, what component allows repeated vapor-liquid
equilibrium stages?
A. Condenser
B. Lyne arm
C. Plates or trays
D. Mash tun
Answer: C
Rationale: Plates or trays enable multiple distillation stages
within a single column.
8. What are “heads” in distillation?
A. Final distillate fraction
B. Early fraction high in volatile compounds
C. Water-only fraction
D. Non-alcoholic residue
Answer: B
Rationale: Heads contain low-boiling compounds such as
methanol and acetaldehyde.
9. Which fraction is typically retained for product quality?
A. Heads
B. Foreshots
C. Hearts
D. Tails
Answer: C
