In principle distilled beverages could be produced from any plant-based source of starch or sugar. Traditionally in American distilling, corn is the medium of choice. Corn is relatively inexpensive and abundant. Most American vodka and whiskey is corn-based. Here at Capstone Spirits we experimented with a variety of grain types and discovered a number of advantages with using rice as our primary grain bill. We do not want to malign corn – indeed bourbon would not be bourbon if not for corn. However, in our principle products of vodka and gin, we think rice results in a smoother and more refined taste profile. A lot of people associate rice with Asia, however, the United States is a major producer of rice and, in fact, the rice we use in our products is grown in California.
Most rice on the market is sold as “polished” rice. This means that the outer germ of the grain is ground off, leaving only the inner starchy core. For distilling that’s just perfect. The outer germ of a grain is where most of the protein and fiber is located, which is desirable for direct consumption – whole grains are healthier overall. For producing distilled beverages, the protein and fiber just get in the way. The fiber is just cellulose which is great for your lower intestine but for distilling is of no value – there is no starch there to get turned into glucose (sugar) for the yeast to eat and make ethanol. The protein is even worse. Proteins are made up of amino acids and of the twenty types found in nature, two of them contain Sulphur. Where there is Sulphur around there is the opportunity for the formation of compounds containing Sulphur. Some of most stinky and ill-tasting compounds known to science contain Sulphur, so it is best if there is as little of it around as possible when making a beverage.
Here at Capstone Spirits we like to say: “Rice is nice – We like rice.”