| Brown Spirits | “Oak-Aged Mastery, Timeless Smoothness” “Precision-Crafted Warmth in Every Sip” “Rich Heritage Meets Modern Refinement” | “Whisky who? It’s always a DollarShot moment!” “Step aside, whiskey—here comes the DollarShot.” “Every shot is a DollarShot.” |
At DollarShot Distillery Canada Limited, our Brown Spirits are the result of rigorous research and development, leveraging high-purity raw materials and precision engineering at every stage of production. Below is a technical overview of our processes and ingredient specifications—designed for distillation scientists, master blenders, and QA/QC professionals.
1. Raw Material Selection & Characterization
- Malted Barley Profiles: We source two-row winter barley (≥ 380 DP) and heritage six-row barley (≥ 450 DP), each characterized by moisture content < 5% and Kjeldahl protein < 11%. Peated malt fractions (< 3 PPM phenol content) are incorporated to introduce targeted phenolic precursors. All malts undergo near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to confirm starch, protein, and β-glucan levels before mashing.
- Sugarcane Molasses (Rum Only): Molasses batches are graded for sucrose (> 50 °Bx), invert sugar ratio, and heavy-metal content (< 0.1 mg/kg Pb, Cd). Each batch receives HPLC analysis for glycerol and dextran percentages to optimize fermentation kinetics.
2. Enzymatic Mash Optimization
- Programmable Mash Regimes: Multi-step infusion mashes are executed in automated mash tuns. Typical schedules:
- 52 °C (protein rest, 25 min)
- 62 °C (β-amylase rest, 30 min)
- 72 °C (α-amylase rest, 20 min)
- 78 °C (mash-out, 10 min)
Enzyme dosages (glucoamylase, pullulanase) are adjusted to achieve fermentable extract > 85 % of theoretical.
3. Yeast Propagation & Fermentation Control
- Proprietary Yeast Strains: We maintain banked strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae selected for high ester yield (isoamyl acetate ≥ 120 mg/L) and low higher-alcohol formation (< 200 mg/L total fusels). Yeast is propagated in step-fed 1,000 L seed fermenters under aseptic conditions.
- Fermentation Monitoring: Stainless-steel fermenters (5,000 L) are jacketed for tight temperature control (± 0.5 °C), with continuous monitoring of °Plato (Anton Paar densitometer) and pH (Mettler-Toledo probe). Fermentations run to ≤ 1.5 °Plato residual, minimizing unwanted diacetyl formation.
4. Precision Distillation & Fractionation
- Hybrid Still Architecture:
- Whisky: Dual-column still (12 theoretical plates) with reflux ratio ~25:1. Automated distillate collection triggers at head temperature 60–65 °C and ABV 78–81 %.
- Rum: Copper pot stills (2,000 L) feed a short rectification column (6 plates) to preserve congeners. Spirit cuts are controlled by differential torque-feedback on condensers.
- Inline Analytical Controls: Real-time GC-FID sampling measures key volatiles (acetaldehyde < 50 mg/L, methanol < 10 mg/L). Heads and tails are automatically diverted via PLC-driven valves.
5. Ultra-Refined Filtration & Polishing
- Crossflow Microfiltration: 0.45 µm membranes remove yeast and turbidity without stripping desirable esters.
- Nano-Filtration: Proprietary 0.02 µm ceramic membranes eliminate trace sulfur volatiles while retaining target phenolics (gallic acid, vanillin).
- Depth Filtration: Sequential activated-carbon (30 kg/m³) and diatomaceous-earth polishing ensures sub-NTU turbidity and consistent color (30–45 EBC).
6. Controlled Cooperage & Maturation
- Cask Engineering: First-fill American oak (Quercus alba) char level 3 (5 mm char layer), and European oak (Quercus robur) ex-sherry casks char level 2. Moisture-equilibrated (60 % RH) wood yields optimal extraction of ellagitannins (10–15 g/L) and hemicellulose.
- Micro-Oxygenation: Weekly O₂ pulses (0.15 mg/L) via stainless-steel spargers accelerate polymerization of tannins, monitored by dissolved oxygen probes and CIELAB colorimetric shifts.
- Environmental Control: Warehouses at 20 ± 2 °C and 60 ± 5 % RH limit angel’s share to < 2 % annually.
7. Blending & Quality Assurance
- Sensory-Guided Assemblage: GC-MS and GC-olfactometry profiles guide barrel-lot selection. Triangular sensory tests (ISO 8589) validate final blend consistency.
- Analytical Release Criteria: Final ABV (± 0.1 %), pH (3.8–4.2), total acidity (< 0.3 g/L), methanol (< 10 mg/L), and heavy metals (Pb, Cd < 0.05 mg/L).
- Traceability & Documentation: Each batch is documented in our LIMS, with GS1-compliant QR codes linking to mill certificates, mash logs, distillation run sheets, cask inventories, and sensory evaluation records.
| Product | Packaging Formats | ABV | Colour | Taste | Finish |
| Luxury Rare Reserve Whisky | 750 ml bottle (12 per case) | 40% | Deep amber | Rich vanilla, toasted oak, dried fruit | Long, warming caramel |
| Premium Whisky | 750 / 375 / 180 / 90 ml bottles (12/24/48/96 per case) | 40% | Golden straw | Honeyed grain, light malt, subtle spice | Clean, crisp cereal |
| Original Dark Rum | 750 / 375 / 180 / 90 ml bottles (12/24/48/96 per case) | 42% | Mahogany brown | Molasses, toasted oak, raisin | Smooth toffee, warm sugar |
| Spiced Rum | 750 / 375 / 180 / 90 ml bottles (12/24/48/96 per case) | 42% | Amber gold | Cinnamon, clove, citrus peel | Lingering warm spice |
| Dark Chocolate Rum | 750 / 375 / 180 / 90 ml bottles (12/24/48/96 per case) | 42% | Ruby mahogany | Cocoa nib, espresso, dark cherry | Velvety chocolate |
| Premium Ginger Rum | 750 / 375 / 180 / 90 ml bottles (12/24/48/96 per case) | 42% | Pale amber | Fresh ginger, lemon zest, baking spice | Dry, peppery warmth |