Production Process

Grain spirit is a spirit produced only from cereals, including barley, maize, oat, wheat and buckwheat.  The cereals are soaked in water, then dried and crushed.  The crushed cereals are washed through hot water with the aim of extracting their sugars and the sweet liquid is then fermented using yeast before being distilled.

The distillate must retain the organoleptic characteristics of the cereals.  For a grain spirit to bear the name ‘grain brandy’ it must have been distilled at less than 95% vol..

Strength

Grain spirit sold to consumers has a minimum alcoholic strength of 35% vol., although “Korn” has a minimum strength of 32% vol.

Permitted

- The addition of caramel to adapt the colour
- The addition of sugar to ‘round off’ the taste (maximum of 10g / litre of grain spirit).
- If only one cereal is used to make the grain spirit / brandy, the name of that cereal can replace the word ‘grain’.

Not allowed

The addition of any other alcohol and the use of flavourings.