Esters: A reading list to understanding them better

[Single Malt Yinzer]

I will add to this list but here are some key ones to help you understand what esters are, their importance in flavor development, and how to increase their production in the fermenting, distilling, and aging processes.

In short an ester is a molecule of alcohol "fused" with a fatty acid. Esters can create complex flavor profiles and can be detected at very low levels - a few PPM (parts per million). They can also introduce flavors of constituent materials that are not actually present (bananas, cherries, cloves, etc). They are generally products of enzymatic activity and therefor their production can be encouraged or discouraged by changing the conditions and materials used in the fermenting, distilling, and aging processes.

https://www.gastrograph.com/blogs/gastr ... ation.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://aem.asm.org/content/74/2/454.full" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://draymans.com/ester-production-in-yeast/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://www.professorbeer.com/articles/esters.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow
http://sourbeerblog.com/understanding-esterification/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow <- Contains chart of acids and esters they form
https://ucanr.edu/repositoryfiles/Oberh ... -92483.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow <- Wine based, but show a chart of Ester formation over time
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script= ... 1000200012" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow <- Esters are in the highest concentrations in the heads, much less in the hearts, non in the tails.
https://sciencebrewer.wordpress.com/2013/04/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow <- Chart showing how to enhance or decrease ester formation
http://cocktailwonk.com/2015/04/from-al ... aging.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow