The wort is drained, cooled, and run into large vats called washbacks for
fermentation. (The spent grains, called draff, left in the mash tun are fed
to the local animal population; a diet responsible for more than a fair
share of prize-winning Aberdeen Angus cattle in Speyside.) In the creation
of craft beer, this wort is brought to a rolling boil, unlike the wort for
malt whisky, and in beer, hops are added to the wort. The hops contribute
two major taste elements- bitterness and aromatic flavor. The bitterness is
derived from the alpha acids of this perennial herb, and balances the
natural sweetness of the barley malt. Aromatic varieties of hops are added
later in the brewing process, and are valued for their flowery, herbal, and
spicy bouquets.
The Process
Grain content,
Malting, Grinding, Steeping, Mashing, Filtering, Fermenting,
Distilling, Ageing.
