production
Backset
No legal definition
The acidic, de-alcoholised liquid recovered from the base of the beer still — also called stillage or setback — recycled into cooking and fermentation to acidify the mash.
Not a legal term
No whisky regulation in Scotland, Ireland, the United States, the EU or Japan defines this. It is a trade or marketing term, so it is only actionable if its use is actively misleading.
Worth knowing
Backset carries dissolved grain solids and minerals as well as acidity, so it contributes flavour continuity between batches. It is the mechanism by which a distillery's fermentation character becomes self-perpetuating.
Related terms
Last reviewed 2026-07-30 · All glossary terms