CERTIFIED DISTILLING PRODUCTION
SPECIALIST EXAM QUESTION AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
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
Rationale: Mashing activates enzymes that break down starches into
sugars yeast can ferment._
2. Which enzyme breaks starch into maltose during mashing?
A. Protease
B. Lipase
C. Amylase
D. Cellulase
Rationale: Amylase (alpha and beta) hydrolyzes starch into fermentable
sugars._
3. What grain is the primary base for bourbon mash?
A. Barley
B. Wheat
C. Rye
D. Corn
Rationale: By law, bourbon mash bills must be at least 51% corn._
4. During fermentation, yeast primarily produces:
A. Lactic acid and CO₂
, B. Ethanol and CO₂
C. Acetic acid and water
D. Methanol and oxygen
Rationale: Fermentation converts sugars mainly into ethanol and carbon
dioxide._
5. Which yeast strain is most common in distilling?
A. Brettanomyces
B. Wild yeast
C. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
D. Lactobacillus
Rationale: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is preferred for consistent
fermentation and alcohol tolerance._
6. What is the primary function of a pot still?
A. Continuous distillation
B. Filtration
C. Batch distillation with flavor retention
D. Carbonation
Rationale: Pot stills operate in batches and preserve more congeners._
7. In a column still, what allows repeated vapor-liquid equilibrium stages?
A. Condenser
B. Lyne arm
C. Plates or trays
D. Mash tun
Rationale: Plates provide multiple theoretical distillation stages._
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
Rationale: Heads contain low-boiling, undesired compounds like
methanol._
9. Which fraction is typically retained for product quality?
A. Heads
, B. Foreshots
C. Hearts
D. Tails
Rationale: Hearts have the desirable ethanol and flavor compounds._
10.What is the usual boiling point of ethanol?
A. 60°C
B. 70°C
C. 78.3°C
D. 90°C
Rationale: Ethanol boils at about 78.3°C at standard pressure._
(Continue similarly through 100…)
11.What raw material is used for rum?
A. Barley
B. Wheat
C. Molasses or sugarcane juice
D. Corn
Rationale: Rum is distilled from sugarcane derivatives._
12.Gin’s primary flavor comes from:
A. Vanilla
B. Citrus only
C. Juniper berries
D. Oak
Rationale: Juniper defines gin’s character._
13.What term describes distillate before aging?
A. Barrel proof
B. New make spirit
C. Matured spirit
D. Finished product
Rationale: New make refers to freshly distilled, unaged spirit._
14.What causes angel’s share?
A. Fermentation
B. Evaporation from barrels
SPECIALIST EXAM QUESTION AND
CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED
ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A
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
Rationale: Mashing activates enzymes that break down starches into
sugars yeast can ferment._
2. Which enzyme breaks starch into maltose during mashing?
A. Protease
B. Lipase
C. Amylase
D. Cellulase
Rationale: Amylase (alpha and beta) hydrolyzes starch into fermentable
sugars._
3. What grain is the primary base for bourbon mash?
A. Barley
B. Wheat
C. Rye
D. Corn
Rationale: By law, bourbon mash bills must be at least 51% corn._
4. During fermentation, yeast primarily produces:
A. Lactic acid and CO₂
, B. Ethanol and CO₂
C. Acetic acid and water
D. Methanol and oxygen
Rationale: Fermentation converts sugars mainly into ethanol and carbon
dioxide._
5. Which yeast strain is most common in distilling?
A. Brettanomyces
B. Wild yeast
C. Saccharomyces cerevisiae
D. Lactobacillus
Rationale: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is preferred for consistent
fermentation and alcohol tolerance._
6. What is the primary function of a pot still?
A. Continuous distillation
B. Filtration
C. Batch distillation with flavor retention
D. Carbonation
Rationale: Pot stills operate in batches and preserve more congeners._
7. In a column still, what allows repeated vapor-liquid equilibrium stages?
A. Condenser
B. Lyne arm
C. Plates or trays
D. Mash tun
Rationale: Plates provide multiple theoretical distillation stages._
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
Rationale: Heads contain low-boiling, undesired compounds like
methanol._
9. Which fraction is typically retained for product quality?
A. Heads
, B. Foreshots
C. Hearts
D. Tails
Rationale: Hearts have the desirable ethanol and flavor compounds._
10.What is the usual boiling point of ethanol?
A. 60°C
B. 70°C
C. 78.3°C
D. 90°C
Rationale: Ethanol boils at about 78.3°C at standard pressure._
(Continue similarly through 100…)
11.What raw material is used for rum?
A. Barley
B. Wheat
C. Molasses or sugarcane juice
D. Corn
Rationale: Rum is distilled from sugarcane derivatives._
12.Gin’s primary flavor comes from:
A. Vanilla
B. Citrus only
C. Juniper berries
D. Oak
Rationale: Juniper defines gin’s character._
13.What term describes distillate before aging?
A. Barrel proof
B. New make spirit
C. Matured spirit
D. Finished product
Rationale: New make refers to freshly distilled, unaged spirit._
14.What causes angel’s share?
A. Fermentation
B. Evaporation from barrels
