Grape Harvest for the elaboration of Pisco
Photo: Renzo Uccelli / Promperú
|
Non-aromatic grapes include Quebranta, Negra Criolla, Mollar and Uvina grape; and aromatic grapes include Italia, Muscat, Albilla and Torontel grapes. The equipments, machines, containers and other materials used in the production of pisco, as well as the facilities or processing area, must comply with the sanitation requirements set forth by the competent authority, in order to guarantee the quality of the product.
The fermentation process can be carried out with no, partial or complete maceration of pisco grape pomaces, controlling the temperature and the degradation process of must’s sugars.
The distillation of fermented musts must begin immediately after the fermentation is concluded, except for green must pisco.
Before its bottling and commercialization, pisco must settle for at least three months in containers made of glass, stainless steel or any other material that causes no change to its physical, chemical and organoleptic characteristics. This is made to ensure the evolution of the alcohol components and to improve the properties of the final product.
Pisco must have no color, odor or strange tastes caused by pollutants or artificial agents foreign to the raw material used.
Pisco must have no toxic metal impurities or substances that may harm the consumer.
Equipment:
Pisco must be produced by direct and discontinuous distillation, separating heads from tails to use only the central part of the product, called body or heart. Equipments must be made of copper or tin, and stainless steel pans may be used. The equipment is described below.
 Falca:
It is comprised of a pot, pan or cauldron where recently fermented must is heated. It has a long tube called “cannon” that transports the distillate, narrowing and tilting as it makes its way far from the pot and going through a cold means, generally water, that acts as coolant. At its base, it is connected to a tap or faucet that discharges distillation vinasses or residues. Optionally, a serpent coil may be submerged within the pond itself or in a second tank with continuously renewed water connected to the end of the cannon.
Still:
It is comprised of a pot, pan or cauldron where recently fermented must is heated. The vapors rise towards a capital, cachimba (crane) or sombrero de moro (cask hood) and then goes through a conduit called “swan neck” and arrives to a serpent coil or condenser covered in a coolant means, generally water.
Wine-heating still:
In addition to the parts that comprise the still, it has a container of the same capacity as the pot called “heater”, which is installed between the pot and the serpent coil. It pre-heats the must with the vapors' heat coming from the pot along the neck swan and through the serpent coil installed inside. Heat is exchanged between them before continuing to the condensation serpent coil.
Equipments with rectifier columns of any type or shape are not permitted. Similarly, no element that changes the distillation process or the color, aroma, taste and characteristics inherent to pisco may be used.
Source: Compulsory Technical Regulation |
