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Introduction to Liquors

What is a proof?
You may have seen on the bottles figures like 80 proof. This is a measurement of alcoholic strength in that liquor. One degree proof = one-half of 1 percent of alcohol.
Example: An 80 proof product has 40% alcohol. Whiskey, dry Gin, Vodka and Rum belong to this category.

What is Age?
Some liquors like whiskey get better on Aging. But only if the whiskey is good to begin with, it can better on aging.

Types of Liquors

Wine
Principal fruit is Grape. But apple and mango, blackbery can also be used. Fruit juice is fermented. The alcoholic content can be 14-21%. Indian wines have higher alcoholic content than French, German, Australian or American wines.

Beer
Malt beverage.
Lager Beer: Light, dry beer with about 3.6% alcohol
Ale: Has more pronounced flavor and aroma of hops. Heavier and bitter than lager beer.
Bock Beer, Porter and Stout are heavier, darker, richer and sweeter than lager and ale. They have about 6% alcohol.

Brandy
Distilled from fermented mash of grapes or other fruit and aged in oak casks. Cognac is the brandy produced in the Cognac region of France. It is known for its smoothness and heavy dry aroma. Fruit flavored brandies are produced from blackberries, peaches, apricots, cherries and ginger.

Gin
Distilled from grain. Flavor and aroma are received from Juniper berries and other herbs. Gin is aged in barrels. By law, making age claims for gin is illegal.

Rum
Distilled from the fermented juice of sugar cane, cane syrup and molasses. Aged in uncharred barrels. Dark rums have added caramel in them. Darker rums are heavy-bodied, sweeter, have pungent bouquet. Light ones are dry.

Vodka
Originally made in Russia from potatoes. But now corn and wheat are used. American vodkas are filtered through activated charcoal. Vodka is not aged. Orange, lemon, mint and grape flavored vodkas are available.

Whiskey
Distilled from mash of grains like corn, rye, barley or wheat and then aged in oak barrels.
Bourbon Whiskey is distilled from a mash grain that must contain at least 51% corn and normally aged four years in new charred oak barrels.
Scotch Whiskey is produced only in Scotland. These are blended whiskies, usually distilled from  barley. Smoky flavor is achieved by drying malted barley over peat fires.
Irish Whiskey is produced only in Ireland. Contains barley malt whiskey and grain whiskey. Malt is dried in coal-fired kilns.
Canadian whiskey is produced only in Canada. Usually distilled from rye, corn and barley.

Introduction to Drinks-Part II

Cordials or Liqueurs are liquors made by mixing or redistilling neutral spirits with fruits, lowers or various parts of plants and adding sweeteners. So, they are sweets, but highly concentrated. Here are brief descriptions of commonly used coridials or liqueurs.

Absinthe: Contains wormwood, has anise seed (licorice) flavor.

Amaretto Di Saronno: Almond flavored liqueur from Italy.

Benedictine: Contains secret herbs. Made by Benedictine monks.

Bitters: Made from roots, barks, berries and herbs. Have aromatic smell and bitter taste.
Angostura Bitters: An ancient secret recipe from Trinidad.
Abbott's aged Bitters: Made by Abbot's from Maryland.
Peychaud's Bitters: Made in New Orleans.
Orange Bitters: Made by dried peel of bitter Seville oranges.

Cremes: Has cream-like consistency because of high sugar content.
Creme de Banana: Banana flavored liqueur.
Creme de Cacao: Made from Cacao and Vanilla beans.
Creme de Cassis: Made from black currants.
Creme de Menthe: Made from Mint.
Creme de Noyaux: Made from almonds.

Curacao: Orange flavored liqueur. Made in the Caribbean from dried orange peel.

Grenadine: Made from pomergranates.

Irish Cream: Cream liqueur flavored with Irish Whiskey and chocolate.

Kahlua: Mexican Coffee liqueur with herbs and vanilla.

Maraschino: Made from cherries grown in Dalmatia (Yugoslavia).

Pepperment Schnapps: A light-bodied creme de menthe.

Pernod: A French anise-flavored liqueur.

Tia Maria: Made from a 300-year old Jamaican recipe.

Triple Sec: Colorless Curacao, but less sweet.

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