Alcohol Chemistry

The Chemistry of Gin

The Chemistry of Gin (And Tonic!)

Infographic on the chemistry of gin. Gin comes in three main types: compound gin, where the botanicals are added without redistillation; pot-distilled gin, where botanicals are soaked in a spirit which is then redistilled; and column-distilled gin, where a highly concentrated spirit is redistilled with botanicals. Most gins are primarily flavoured by juniper berries, and these and other botanicals contribute a range of terpene compounds which give woody, piney, sweet and spicy aromas and flavours. Coriander seeds are also commonly used, with linalool a key compound. Tonic water adds a bitter flavour, due to the presence of the anti-malarial compound quinine.
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For the fifth in the ‘Alcohol Chemistry’ series, we turn to gin. As with other types of alcohol, there are a huge number of different chemical compounds present, but it’s possible to identify a range of significant chemical contributors to its aroma & flavour. Here, we take a look at those compounds and where they come from.

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The Chemistry of Whisky

The Chemistry of Whisky

Chemistry of Whisky
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Whisky is one of the world’s most popular spirits, and comes in many different classes and types. The character and flavour of these differing types vary widely; this, of course, comes down to their varying chemical composition. Here, we take a look at where some of these different compounds come from, and what they contribute.

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The Chemistry of Champagne

Infographic on the chemistry of champagne. 5 litres of carbon dioxide are released from a typical 0.75 litre bottle. The pressure in the bottle is 5-6 atmospheres. There are approximately 20 million bubbles released from a single fire of champagne. The bubbles carry flavour and aroma compounds with them, details on which are included below.
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With New Year’s Eve upcoming, a large number of people will celebrate by popping open a bottle of champagne. The bubbles in your glass may seem simple enough, but there’s actually a wealth of interesting chemistry behind them – chemistry that’s vital for the perceived taste and aroma of the wine. There’s a lot more to the bubbles than you might think, and this post picks apart some of the chemical compounds involved.

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The Chemistry of Mulled Wine

The Chemistry of Mulled Wine

Infographic on the chemistry of mulled wine, highlighting some key compounds in each of the key ingredients: ethanol in wine, limonene in orange, citric acid in lemons, sucrose in sugar, eugenol in cloves, sabinene in nutmeg and cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon.
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There are few things more warming than a mug of mulled wine in the depths of December. Exact recipes may vary, but they all include a common core of ingredients, each of which contributes something to the final flavour. This graphic examines some of the key chemicals that each ingredient adds into the mix, with more detail on each provided below.

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What Gives Beer its Bitterness & Flavour?

Infographic on the chemistry of beer. The top of the graphic identifies the major stages of beer brewing: milling, mashing, brewing, cooling, fermenting, and maturing. The rest of the graphic identifies four key components of beer flavour: alpha acids, beta acids, essential oils and esters. Alpha acids degrade during brewing and form iso-alpha acids, which contribute bitterness. Humulone is the main alpha acid in the majority of hops. Beta acids also originate from hops and add a harsher bitterness than alpha acids. Essential oils contribute the majority of hop flavour and aroma, and there are over 250 found in hops. Esters form during the reaction of alcohol with organic acids, and give fruity flavours.
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There are few things better than an ice-cold beer on a hot day. Chances are, when you crack open a beer this summer, you probably won’t be thinking much about chemistry – but it’s the particular chemicals in beer, produced in the brewing process, that give beer both its bitterness and flavour. It’s a real chemical team effort, with several important chemical families, each contributing something different but vital to the eventual taste of the beer.

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