saccharification is the enzymatic reduction of complex carbohydrates into simple sugars. In the production of alcoholic beverages, ingredients that do not contain sufficient fermentable sugars undergo saccharification in order to break down their starchy components into sugars that can be consumed by the microflora responsible for fermentation. See fermentation and yeast. Raw materials are prepared by milling and/or cooking, then combined with water to create what is known as the mash, which is where enzymes convert starches into sugars. See mashing. These enzymes either derive from natural ingredients already present in the mash (primarily malted grain) or are contributed from industrial sources. See malting. The mash is then maintained at specific temperatures for various periods of time in order to control the activity of the enzymes, and finally the temperature is raised to denature the enzymes and cease their activity. Following saccharification the mash is fermented and distilled.
The manner in which the unprocessed ingredients are prepared for saccharification; the source, concentration, and type of enzymes present in the mash; and the times and temperatures at which the mash is held all influence the characteristics of the product that is fermented and ultimately distilled. Saccharification is therefore yet another aspect of the distillation process that can be controlled to produce a desired result.
Rogers, Adam. Proof: The Science of Booze. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.
By: Samuel Lloyd Kinsey