Fortification
German: Aufspriten (Spriten) Also known as: Spriten, Fortifizieren, Aufspritung
Adding neutral alcohol to a drink to raise its alcohol content or stop fermentation, as with port.
In fortification, high-strength neutral alcohol is added to a drink. This raises the alcohol content, and fermentation also stops when the yeast is inhibited by the alcohol. If sugar is still left, a sweet fortified wine results.
Well-known examples are port, sherry and madeira. The timing of the addition influences sweetness: added early, a lot of sugar is retained; added later, it gives drier styles. The process is permitted only for certain products and under fixed rules. The applicable regulations are decisive.
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