Additives in American Whiskey?

[der wo]

In Germany we have food control authorities. A few times also spirits were tested and the results were always horrible. They only tested small producers like farmers. By around 1/3 of the products they could prove fraud, like that fruit brandy was blended with neutral alcohol, or instead of more expensive types of fruit, they also used cheaper types, or in raspberry geist they found fermentation products, what means either the raspberries were rotten or they have added untaxed homemade alcohol, or they found harmful substances like asbestos (from contaminated filter paper).
They didn't control the big brands, I don't know why. Lobbying?


My online research capabilities in English language are not very good unfortunately. My question are:

- Were there any controls of the American big whiskey producers published? Were ever found additives like caramel or added vanillin in straight bourbon or straight rye?
- Would it be possible to distinguish added vanillin from the vanillin of the barrel? Or is it impossible to prove a fraud?
- I know that in not straight rye and perhaps not straight bourbon too it is legal to use 2.5% additives. Does someone know, which additives besides caramel in what amount are used in which product?

[T-Pee]

I'm not so concerned with additives as I am about the crap they leave in the distillation in the first place.

tp

[FreeMountainHermit]

One of our TV cooking show hosts toured a large synthetic flavoring manufacturer and asked about their customer base. Factory rep commented that the distilling industry is a huge part of their bottom line.

Not a control but I thought I would make the comment. Wonder if our ATT knows about that or would it fall under another agency's jurisdiction.

FMH.

[der wo]

I'm not so concerned with additives as I am about the crap they leave in the distillation in the first place.

FMH,
for the most spirits flavouring is legal. The interesting part is, if something is added where it's illegal too.
Perhaps a few links interesting for the membership.
Mainly about the Templeton Rye, which uses legal flavoring:
https://distilledopinion.wordpress.com/ ... s-whiskey/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://chuckcowdery.blogspot.de/2015/07 ... lying.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://thebourbontruth.tumblr.com/post/ ... t-want-you" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://recenteats.blogspot.de/2015/10/t ... -game.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[Fart Vader]

Interesting thread der wo.

The bottom line is...
If they can cheat. They will.

[okie]

No wonder my friends choose mine over store bought

der wo you rocked it!

[der wo]

If they can cheat. They will.

Probably yes. But can they? If for example artificial caramel and vanillin could be identified by a lab analysis, it would be too risky to cheat with it for a big company.
There is much information about the difference of natural vanilla and synthetic vanillin. It seems to be easy to identify the synthetic vanillin. But I don't find info about barrel-vanillin or synthetic-vanilin. Perhaps it is impossible to identify, because synthetic vanillin is produced from eugenol, guaiacol and lignin, which all three are part of natural toasted oak. It looks for me, that the process to create wood-vanillin is similar to the process to create synthetic vanillin.

In Rum much more flavouring is allowed. I found a detailed chart:
http://durhum.com/here-we-rum/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
All four tested samples contained vanillin. Between 3.51mg/l and 359mg/l.
They write about vanillin:
For vanillin: it is necessary to distinguish the syringaldehyde molecule which naturally occur during heating of the barrels (this molecule has a characteristic flavor of smoked & spicy) from artificial vanillin, present in the table.
My English is not good enough. Does this mean, they can prove, that this vanillin between 3.51 and 359mg/l is all synthetical? Or does it mean, a part of it could be synthetical?

[DAD300]

Imitation vanilla is not synthetic but from an animal source. It is easy to detect. But it is considered a GRAS (GRAS" is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic ... the application of generally available and accepted scientific data,) so you can added these products to a specified quantity.

I have been to a few commercial distilleries that have no issue admitting they add caramel, sugar, vanilla,...

I guess I'm kind of neutral on the subject as long as they don't lie about it.

[der wo]

Imitation vanilla is not synthetic but from an animal source. It is easy to detect.

How? What is the difference between vanillin from wood and vanillin from animals? The chemical formula is the same.

I have been to a few commercial distilleries that have no issue admitting they add caramel, sugar, vanilla,...

to their straight bourbon or straight rye? Or other products where you don't think, that something is added?

[der wo]

Analytical Strategies to Confirm the Generic Authenticity of Scotch Whisky
R. I. Aylott1,2,* and W. M. MacKenzie1
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... 0424.x/pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

The graph on page 7:
Vanillin / syringaldehyde is always 0.4 - 0.6
If it is higher, vanillin was added.

A range of congeners is indicative of the Scotch whisky maturation process. These congeners are normally present in Scotch whisky at consistent ratios to each other and at concentrations that increase with maturation time (representing whisky age). The ratio of vanillin/syringaldehyde is a useful diagnostic (at between 0.4 and 0.6 in the survey of bottled blended Scotch whiskies).

On page 12-14 some case studies with faked Scotchs:

The abnormal maturation congener profile was demonstrated by the relatively high concentration of vanillin, with the ratio of vanillin/syringaldehyde at 1.5 and the ratio of vanillin/vanillic acid at 9.4, whereas the maximum ratios found in the survey of bottled blended Scotch whiskies were 0.6 and 3.1, respectively (Table III). The results suggested use of noncereal alcohol and flavour additives containing proportionately high levels of vanillin compared to other maturation congeners.

In addition, there was an abnormally high vanillin concentration compared to the rest of the maturation congeners and resulting
high vanillin/syringaldehyde and vanillin/vanillic acid ratios (Table VIII). This was not consistent with normal maturation in oak casks and indicated that flavour additives containing vanillin were present.


I don't know, if fresh american white oak will result in the same vanillin / syringaldehyde ratio. And perhaps you can also add syringaldehyde to mask the added vanillin... The mafia is always one step ahead.

[der wo]

Unfortunaltely I cannot download the full text:

A Rapid Sample Screening Method for Authenticity Control of Whiskey Using Capillary Electrophoresis with Online Preconcentration
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jf202218r" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
The abstract is very promising:
The present study aimed to develop a methodology using capillary electrophoresis for the determination of sinapaldehyde, syringaldehyde, coniferaldehyde, and vanillin in whiskey samples.
For me it sounds they look not only at the proportion between vanilla and syringaldehyde, but the proportions between two other substances too.
Perhaps a research crack finds a free pdf link?

[Odin]

Der Wo, this is an amazing question you ask: additives in American Whiskey?

If someone else would have posed that question, I would have answered: "No! Really? Not possible, right?"

But you may have a case. I'll tell you why I think you do.

One of my customers wanted me to recreate an American whiskey recipe. I had to drink a whole bottle. But I came up with a recipe that didn't just include the basic grains ... but added orange peel to the aging process. Really, it was the only way in which I was able to recreate that specific taste.

And if a fruit brandy distiller had that taste, I could explain, but I can't from a grain source: how do you add what's definately orange taste and colour to your "American" whiskey? Can it be that the rules allow for such additions?

Odin.

[der wo]

And this bottle you wanted to copy was a "straight" whiskey?

TTB Approves General-Use Formulas for Certain Distilled Spirits Produced Using Harmless Coloring, Flavoring, or Blending Materials
https://www.ttb.gov/rulings/2016-3.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Sections 5.26 and 5.27 of the TTB regulations (27 CFR 5.26 and 5.27) require the submission of formulas for certain distilled spirits products, including those that contain harmless coloring, flavoring, or blending materials. Pursuant to § 5.23 of the TTB regulations (27 CFR 5.23), harmless coloring, flavoring, or blending materials that are not an essential component part of the particular distilled spirits to which added, but which are “customarily employed therein in accordance with established trade usage” may be used in certain distilled spirits products, without changing the class or type of such spirits, if the materials do not total more than 2½ percent by volume of the finished product. The determination of whether a non-essential coloring, flavoring, or blending material is customarily employed in the production of a particular distilled spirits product, in accordance with established trade usage, is made on a case-by-case basis through TTB’s review of formulas for such products.

Section 5.23 also provides that any whisky designated as “straight” may not contain any added coloring, flavoring, or blending materials. This includes “straight bourbon whisky,” “straight corn whisky,” “straight malt whisky,” “straight rye malt whisky,” “straight rye whisky,” “straight wheat whisky,” and “straight whisky.” However, “a blend of straight whiskies” or “blended straight whiskies” may contain added harmless coloring, flavoring, or blending materials.


Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, Treasury § 5.23
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012- ... ec5-23.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

There may be added to any class or type of distilled spirits, without changing the class or type thereof, (i) such harmless coloring, flavoring, or blending materials as are an essential component part of the particular class or type of distilled spirits to which added, and (ii) harmless coloring, flavoring, or blending materials such as caramel, straight malt or straight rye malt whiskies, fruit juices, sugar, infusion of oak chips when approved by the Administrator, or wine, which are not an essential component part of the particular distilled spirits to which added, but which are customarily employed therein in accordance with established trade usage, if such coloring, flavoring, or blending materials do not total more than 21⁄2 percent by volume of the finished product.

Unless the whiskey is "straight" adding fruit juices is legal, so I think also orange peel is legal.


Yesterday I tasted again the very strong flavor of the 1776 straight Rye and I started to wonder if really everything is rye, water, yeast and the barrel.
I have two thoughts:
1. Of course I don't want to be ripped and pay for additives.
2. I make decisions for my homemade spirits. When I find something interesting in a commercial product, I ask myself how they do it and what I do different. Perhaps then I try a different procedure and fail, because the interesting taste is simply faked with additives and not reachable with different cuts, toasting profiles or whatever I try.

[Odin]

I remember it was a rye ... I think. I'll have to dive in and see if I got the bottle somewhere.

Regards, Odin.

[Single Malt Yinzer]

The bottom line is...
If they can cheat. They will.

That ^^^^^

Semi tangiential to the the conversation, but shows how additives are added into spirits:
http://whiskyscience.blogspot.com/2016/ ... hisky.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[der wo]

Fantastic link! Thank you SMY!

A few for me new thoughts. For example I thought always the higher the proof the higher the extraction, because alcohol is a solvent. They claim at least for sugars the opposite. The lower the abv the higher the sugar extraction. And a few more interesting things. Off topic. Recommended reading.

And on topic a few datas from vanillin and syringaldehyde:

Calculated vanillin / syringaldehyde:

Scotch and Irish:
Glenlivet 15: 0.55
Glenmorangie 10: 0.58
Civas Regal 15: 0.48
Gordon Highlanders Scotch: 0.43
Johnnie Walker Red: 0.38
Whyte & Mackay Scotch: 0.36
Tullamore Dew: 0.44

American:
Jim Beam straight 4 yo: 0.39
Four Roses Bourbon straight: 0.41
Gentleman Jack: 0.35

So the 0.4-0.6 rule is not really proven here. At least the short aged spirits are more 0.35-0.45. What means, that they have not much vanillin. What proves that no vanillin is added perhaps. On the other hand the vanillin content of Four Roses is impressive. But it matches to the syringaldehyde content...

BTW, the ethyl esters data is interesting. I always thought American whiskies have more esters because no fores are cut, and of course you can smell their glue smell. But the data shows much more esters for long time aged Scotchs.

[Fart Vader]

Again, very interesting thread you started here der wo.
I've been reading many of the posted links. Interesting dark side indeed.

Then ...
I decided to cheat!
I took one my bottles of wheated bourbon today and added 2.5%, more or less of Canadian maple syrup to it.

Hmm, I don't think cheating may be such a bad thing after all...
That is, if you tell people about it. You know, be honest about your additives.

Now if I could just find a link to build my own mass spectrometer

[der wo]

The whole study with the vanillin numbers of several whiskies can be downloaded here:
http://documentslide.com/download/link/ ... -alcoholic" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
Application of Chromatography and Spectrometry to the Authentication of Alcoholic Beverages
It's also about Vodka, Gin, Brandy...

About vanillin and oak extract in Cognak:

In general, the ratios between the extracted main components were retained in the course of extraction. Products with different aging times are characterized by a syringaldehyde-to-vanillin ratio approximately equal to 3 ± 1. This proportion was found in the analysis of cognac samples from a wide variety of winegrowing areas, including CIS countries and France. A purposeful aromatization with vanillin or the addition of an oak extract disturbs this characteristic proportion (Table 5). Thus, for example, the aromatization of a Moskovskii cognac and a Paul Masson brandy (the United States) with vanillin reversed the above ratio.
So he claims, to add vanillin or oak extract could be detected.


WHISKEY, RUM, AND TEQUILA

The chromatograms (FFAP) of whiskey, rum, and tequila have no pronounced differences. However, Benn and Perrard [29] noted that isovaleraldehyde, isoamyl alcohol, b-damascone, phenylethanol, and vanillin exert the strongest effect on the tequila flavor. A conclusion on the authenticity of whiskey, rum, and tequila is drawn based on the determination of age markers (vanillin, syringaldehyde, and polyphenolic compounds) according to the procedures described for cognacs. The majority of whiskeys and high-priced rums (for example, three-year-old, five-year-old, and seven-year-old Havana Club rums are produced) are aged in wood casks. In the course of aging, tequila takes on a pleasant golden color (two-month-old Reposado and Anejio aged for no shorter than a year). Some malt whiskeys aged in cherry-wood casks provide the exception. Grain whiskeys differ from malt whiskeys in lower concentrations of impurity components, whereas among other whiskeys bourbon stands out because of comparatively high concentrations of phenolic compounds, which result from aging in new casks. Irish whiskey is prepared by triple distillation; in this case, the concentration level of impurities in ethanol is reduced to a minimum as compared with other whiskeys prepared by the double distillation of a mash [30, p. 443]. The data obtained by MSD GC on siloxane columns and by measuring UV absorption (280 nm) provide support to published data on the component composition of whiskey (Table 6). Vanillin, syringaldehyde, phenylethanol, and the total ethyl esters of higher C8–C12 acids (capric, caprylic, and lauric acids) were determined with reference to an internal standard (durene) added in a concentration of 1 mg/L. Malt whiskeys (nos. 1 and 2) are characterized by relatively high concentrations of both higher acid esters and phenylethanol; bourbon whiskeys (nos. 7 and stand out because of their aromatic aldehyde contents; and Irish whiskey (no. 10) exhibits low figures for phenylethanol and higher acid esters. The ratio between capric and caprylic acids (C8 : 0/C10 : 0) in whiskey is close to the ratio between these components in well known French cognacs and approximately equals 0.5 : 1 to 1 : 1. The relationship between the concentrations of polyphenolic components in whiskey and the time of aging in oak barrels is more complicated than that for cognacs. This is associated with both the composition of oak wood and the fact that aging can be performed in old, new, charred, and uncharred oak barrels. Sherry and bourbon are aged in new oak casks. Note that tens of alcohols from different distilleries are used for blending whiskeys of particular kinds. All of these factors very complexly affect the composition of oakwood products that pass into whiskey. Table 6 summarizes the results of measurements of the absorbance in the UV and visible regions for various (blend, single malt, and pure malt) whiskeys. Evidently, the shape of absorption spectra for whiskeys is identical to that for cognacs and brandies because it results from the presence of similar components.