How much do you know about beer, wine, and distilled liquor?
1) What grain is beer most commonly brewed from?
A) Corn
B) Wheat
C) Barley
D) Oats
E) Hops
2) After wine is bottled, what happens to its quality over time?
A) It begins to deteriorate from the moment it’s bottled.
B) It will get better for a while, but then begin to deteriorate.
C) It will get better for a while, and then stay the same.
D) It continues to improve the older it gets.
E) The quality will not change much until after you open the bottle.
3) After distilled liquor is bottled, what happens to its quality over time?
A) It begins to deteriorate from the moment it’s bottled.
B) It will get better for a while, but then begin to deteriorate.
C) It will get better for a while, and then stay the same.
D) It continues to improve the older it gets.
E) The quality will not change much until after you open the bottle.
4) According to U.K. law until 1980, what did it mean for liquor to be “proof”?
A) It was at least 40% alcohol by volume.
B) It was at least 50% alcohol by volume.
C) It was exactly 50% alcohol by volume.
D) If you soaked gunpowder in it, the powder would still burn.
E) A British sailor, after drinking an eighth of an imperial pint, would be too drunk to correctly pronounce the words “The Queen, God Bless Her”.
5) According to U.S. law, what liquor can be sold as “bottled-in-bond”?
A) Liquor distilled in a single distillery in a single season, aged at least four years in a federal warehouse, bottled at exactly 50% alcohol by volume.
B) Liquor distilled, aged, and bottled in a U.S. penitentiary as part of a federally recognized work program for prisoners.
C) Liquor aged in new oak barrels held together by steel bonds.
D) Liquor sourced, distilled, aged, and bottled in Bond County, Illinois.
E) Liquor whose manufacture is financed by the sale of special government bonds, with interest paid to bondholders from the profits earned when the liquor is sold.
6) According to U.K. law, what whisky can be sold as “single malt”?
A) Whisky drawn from a single barrel which has not been blended with whisky from any other barrel.
B) Whisky that is distilled only a single time.
C) Whisky distilled in a single distillery from a mash of 100% malted barley.
D) Whisky that has not had any water added to it after distillation.
E) All of the above.
7) What is the difference between American whiskey and Scotch whisky?
A) One is spelled with an “e” and the other is not.
B) Scotch whisky is made predominantly from barley, while American whisky is usually predominantly corn or rye.
C) American whiskey is aged in new oak casks, while Scotch can be aged in reused casks.
D) Scotch must be aged at least three years, while there is no minimum aging period for American whiskey.
E) All of the above.
8) According to U.S. law, what kind of mash must be used for whiskey to be sold as “bourbon”?
A) A mash of at least 51% corn.
B) A mash of at least 71% corn.
C) A mash of at least 90% corn.
D) A mash that is 100% corn.
E) Sour mash, the precise proportion of corn is not important.
9) According to U.S. law, what kind of mash must be used for whiskey to be sold as “rye whiskey”?
A) A mash of at least 51% rye.
B) A mash of at least 71% rye.
C) A mash of at least 90% rye.
D) A mash that is 100% rye.
E) A mash that contains caraway, the precise proportion of rye is not important.
10) According to U.S. law, what kind of whiskey can be sold as “straight whiskey”?
A) Whiskey that has not been aged in oak, so it is colorless.
B) Whiskey distilled to no more than 80% alcohol by volume, and aged at no more than 62.5% for at least two years, with no additional sources of color or flavoring.
C) Whiskey sold directly to bartenders who sign an agreement not to use it in cocktails.
D) Whiskey that is transported directly for sale after bottling.
E) This originally meant whiskey made by Christians in good standing with the church. The U.S. Supreme Court later ruled this law unconstitutional.
11) What is “malted” grain?
A) Grain soaked in water so that it germinates.
B) Grain soaked in chocolate-flavored or other flavored water.
C) Grain soaked in milk instead of water.
D) Grain soaked in water sweetened with a naturally produced sugar.
E) Grain soaked in water thickened with starch.
12) What is unique about gin?
A) It is distilled exclusively from potatoes.
B) It is distilled exclusively from corn.
C) It is distilled exclusively from wheat.
D) It is distilled exclusively from barley.
E) It is flavored with juniper berries.
13) What is unique about rum?
A) It is distilled from sugarcane or sugarcane byproducts.
B) It is distilled from papaya or mango.
C) It is distilled from dates or figs.
D) It is distilled from coconut.
E) It is flavored with a spice blend whose formula is known only by the manufacturer.
14) What is unique about vodka?
A) It is distilled exclusively from potatoes.
B) It is distilled exclusively from corn.
C) It is distilled exclusively from wheat.
D) It is distilled exclusively from barley.
E) It is distilled to such a high degree that the nature of the mash is difficult to determine.
15) What is fermentation?
A) The process by which yeast or other organisms consume sugar and produce alcohol.
B) Filtering mash to remove impurities.
C) Aging liquor in barrels or vats.
D) Warming liquor to a temperature where alcohol begins to evaporate but water does not. The alcohol fumes are then trapped and condensed.
E) Cooling liquor to a temperature where water begins to freeze but alcohol does not. The ice crystals are then removed and discarded.
16) What is distillation?
A) The process by which yeast or other organisms consume sugar and produce alcohol.
B) Filtering mash to remove impurities.
C) Aging liquor in barrels or vats.
D) Warming liquor to a temperature where alcohol begins to evaporate but water does not. The alcohol fumes are then trapped and condensed.
E) Cooling liquor to a temperature where water begins to freeze but alcohol does not. The ice crystals are then removed and discarded.
17) What is “sour mash”?
A) Mash that has not yet had yeast added to it.
B) Mash made with very little corn.
C) Mash made with new yeast.
D) Mash made with yeast from a previous batch of mash.
E) Mash flavored with hops or juniper berries.
18) What is the difference between beer and wine?
A) Wine has a higher percentage of alcohol than beer.
B) Beer must be carbonated, but wine cannot be carbonated.
C) Beer is made from fermented grain, wine is made from fermented fruit.
D) Beer must be made with hops, wine cannot contain hops.
E) Wine is cooked to get rid of any bubbles and increase the percentage of alcohol.
19) What does it mean for a beer to be an “ice”?
A) It was fermented at sub-freezing temperatures.
B) It was aged in barrels in a refrigerated barrel-house.
C) It has been kept on ice continuously from the moment it was fermented to the moment it is served.
D) It has been cooled to a temperature where water begins to freeze but alcohol does not. The ice crystals are then removed and discarded.
E) It doesn’t really mean anything, it’s just a branding gimmick.
20) What is the difference between tequila and mezcal?
A) Mezcal is any fortified or distilled tequila.
B) Mezcal is aged for a minimum of 12 years, tequila can be younger.
C) Mezcal is a brand name for a particular kind of tequila.
D) Tequila is made from blue agave, but mezcal can be made from other kinds of agave.
E) There is no difference between mezcal and tequila. They are just called by different names in different parts of Mexico.
21) What is the difference between fortified wine and brandy?
A) Brandy is a brand name for a particular kind of fortified wine.
B) Brandy is fortified wine made in the Brandy region of France according to local traditions.
C) Brandy is made from distilled grain liquor, fortified wine is made from distilled fruit liquor.
D) Brandy is made by distilling wine, fortified wine is made by adding distilled spirits to wine.
E) Brandy is aged for a minimum of 12 years, fortified wine can be younger.
22) What is the difference between brandy and cognac?
A) Cognac is a brand name for a particular kind of brandy.
B) Cognac is brandy made in the Cognac region of France according to local traditions.
C) Cognac is made from distilled grain liquor, brandy is made from distilled fruit liquor.
D) Cognac is made by distilling wine, brandy is made by adding distilled spirits to wine.
E) Cognac is any fortified or distilled brandy.
23) What makes “malt liquor” different than other beers sold in the U.S.?
A) It has sugar or starch added during fermentation to yield more alcohol.
B) It is fortified with distilled spirits.
C) It is made from 100% malted grain.
D) It is warmed to a temperature where alcohol begins to evaporate but water does not. The alcohol fumes are then trapped and condensed.
E) It is cooled to a temperature where water begins to freeze but alcohol does not. The ice crystals are then removed and discarded.
24) What is unique about Canadian whisky?
A) It is fermented at sub-freezing temperatures.
B) It is made from 100% rye mash.
C) It is made from grain malted with maple sugar.
D) It is aged in the wood of coniferous trees.
E) There is nothing unique about it. Canadian law does not restrict what can be sold as “Canadian whisky”.
25) According to Mexican law, what kind of tequila can be sold as “oro”?
A) Only the highest quality tequila.
B) Tequila aged at least 12 years.
C) Tequila aged in white oak barrels held together by gold bonds.
D) Unaged or young tequila that has coloring added to it to make it look older.
E) It doesn’t really mean anything, it’s just a branding gimmick.
26) How do you make cherry brandy?
A) You take brandy and put cherries in it.
B) You ferment, but do not distill, cherries
C) You ferment and distill cherries
D) You distill cherries without fermenting them.
E) You can’t, brandy can only be made from grapes.
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