CERTIFIED SPECIALIST OF
SPIRITS PRACTICE EXAM
Question 1: During alcoholic fermentation, what is the principal role of yeast?
Choices:
1) Convert sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide 2) Convert ethanol into acetic acid 3) Extract tannin from oak 4) Concentrate alcohol by evaporation
Correct Answer: Convert sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide
Explanation: Yeast metabolizes fermentable sugars, producing ethanol and carbon dioxide as primary products of alcoholic fermentation.Page 1
Question 2: Why is distillation able to increase the alcoholic strength of a fermented liquid?
Choices:
1) Ethanol is denser than water 2) Ethanol is more volatile than water 3) Water chemically binds to the still 4) Yeast continues fermenting during distillation
Correct Answer: Ethanol is more volatile than water
Explanation: Ethanol is more volatile than water, so the vapor formed during heating is richer in ethanol than the original fermented liquid.
Question 3: What is the main function of a condenser in a distillation system?
Choices:
1) To ferment the wash 2) To convert vapor back into liquid 3) To char oak barrels 4) To remove congeners with charcoal
Correct Answer: To convert vapor back into liquid
Explanation: The condenser cools alcoholic vapor leaving the still so that it condenses back into liquid distillate.Page 2
Question 4: Compared with repeated pot distillation, a continuous column still is especially suited to which goal?
Choices:
1) Producing spirit continuously at relatively high strength 2) Creating only heavily peated spirit 3) Aging spirit during distillation 4) Preventing any separation of fractions
Correct Answer: Producing spirit continuously at relatively high strength
Explanation: A column still can operate continuously and e�ciently produce high-strength distillate while separating fractions through multiple plates or stages.
Question 5: In pot distillation, why are the heads and tails commonly separated
from the heart cut?
Choices:
1) They contain no alcohol 2) They contain compounds that may be undesirable in the �nal spirit 3) They are always legally prohibited from redistillation 4) They are the only fractions that contain water Correct Answer: They contain compounds that may be undesirable in the �nal spirit Explanation: Heads and tails contain di�erent volatile and less-volatile compounds; distillers manage these cuts to shape quality, aroma, and �avor.Page 3