Editing Brandy (section)

==Technology==
Except for a few major producers, brandy production and consumption tend to have a regional character, and thus production methods significantly vary. Wine brandy is produced from a variety of grape cultivars. A special selection of cultivars, providing distinct aroma and character, is used for high-quality brandies, while cheaper ones are made from whichever wine is available.<ref name=Oxford>{{cite book|title=The Oxford Handbook of Food Fermentations |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oKDNAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA250 |chapter=5.2. Brandy |pages=249–252 |editor=Charles W. Bamforth, Robert E. Ward |year=2014 | publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199742707}}</ref>

Brandy is made from so-called [[base wine]], which significantly differs from regular table wines. It is made from early grapes to achieve higher acid concentration and lower sugar levels. Base wine generally contains smaller amounts (up to 20&nbsp;mg/L) of [[sulphur]] than regular wines, as it creates undesired [[copper(II) sulfate]] in reaction with copper in the [[pot still]]s. The yeast sediment produced during the fermentation may or may not be kept in the wine, depending on the brandy style.<ref name=Oxford/>

Brandy is distilled from the base wine in two phases. First, a large part of water and solids is removed from the base, obtaining so-called "low wine", a concentrated wine with 28–30% ABV. In the second stage, low wine is distilled into brandy. The liquid exits the pot still in three phases, referred to as the "heads", "heart", and "tails", respectively. The first part, the "head", has an alcohol concentration of about 83% (166 US proof) and an unpleasant odour. The weak portion on the end, the "tail", is discarded along with the head, and they are generally mixed with another batch of low wine, thereby entering the distillation cycle again. The middle heart fraction, the richest in aromas and flavours, is preserved for later maturation.<ref name=Oxford/>

Distillation does not simply enhance the alcohol content of wine. The heat under which the product is distilled and the material of the still (usually copper) cause chemical reactions during distillation. This leads to the formation of numerous new [[volatile organic compound|volatile]] aroma components, changes in relative amounts of aroma components in the wine, and the [[hydrolysis]] of components such as esters.

Brandy is usually produced in [[pot still]]s ([[batch distillation]]), but the [[column still]] can also be used for [[continuous distillation]]. The distillate obtained in this manner has a higher alcohol concentration (approximately 90% ABV) and is less aromatic. The choice of the apparatus depends on the style of brandy produced.<ref name=Oxford/> [[Cognac]] and [[South African brandy]] are examples of brandy produced in batches<ref name=Oxford/> while many American brandies use [[fractional distillation]] in column stills.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}}