Top 5 alcoholic beverage chemists

1) Dmitri Mendeleev
Wrote the dissertation 'On combining alcohol and water'. He discovered that 38% was the perfect strength, giving the most homogeneous mixture. Mendeleev formulated new state standards for the production of vodka. 40% was the vodka standard because spirits were taxed on their strength, resulting in easier calculation.

2) Aeneas Coffey
In 1809 Coffey became surveyor of excise in Ireland, in charge of opreations against illicit distilling. In 1810 Coffey was severly beaten by moonshining countrymen when he tried to close down illegal stills. In 1821 Coffey patented the Coffey still. In 1835 he founded Aeneas Coffey & Sons, the firm still exists under the name John Dore & Co Ltd.

3) Louis Pasteur
Discovered that fermentation is caused by microorganisms while he was trying to sort out the problems of a fermentation process of a distillery. He also discovered that not all yeast is the same, and that not all yeast makes fine beer.

4) Angelo Mariani
Invented Vin Mariani in 1863, bordeaux wine with cocaine and became a wealthy man. Vin Mariani is not commercially available anymore.

5) Chemgeek (Eric W.)
For further information please visit: http://homebrewandchemistry.blogspot.com/