ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Classification of Alcoholic Beverages:

I. Spirits are drinks obtained by distillation, after fermentation from vegetables,
grains, fruits, plants and other substances which are sugar or starch bound.

Kinds of Spirits:

1. Whisky is a general name for liquors of not less than 80% proof, distilled from
mash or grain.

a. Scotch is made from malted barley and aged in oak barrels. Scotch whisky has
a distinctive flavor which has been successfully duplicated elsewhere. This is due
to several factors, namely: the malted barley itself, the practice of drying the
malted barley and the water used.
b. Irish is a fine whisky that comes from Ireland. It is made in the same way as
Scotch Whisky except that it does not have the smoky flavor.
c. Canadian is a distinctive product of Canada, flavored from corn and barley.
d. Japanese a product of Japan, made in the same way as Scotch Whisky.

2. Gin is a grain mash distillate, re-distilled with such aromatics as junior barley,
coriander seeds and angelica roots. While there are many types of gin, the most
popular is London Dry Gin. Other types are Holland Old Tom and Shoe Gin.

3. Rum this is produced in most tropical countries because it is distilled from sugar
cane and molasses, a by-product of manufactured sugar. Rums usually derive their
names from their places of origin, and each has its own distinctive flavor.

Three Main Types of Rum:
1. Light bodied dry flavored rums from Puerto Rico
2. Heavy bodied sweet flavored rums from Jamaica
3. Medium-bodied rums from the Virgin Islands

4. Vodka is a natural spirit distilled from potatoes and filtered through charcoal.
To be classified as Vodka, the drink must not have any aroma nor color and
taste.

5. Brandy is distilled from fermented juice of ripe grapes or other fruits. When
used alone, the word Brandy implies a grape product. However, brandy may be
made from other fruits and designated as peach brandy, apricot brandy, etc.

6. Tequila distilled from the fermented sap of the maguey plant from Mexico.

II. Liqueur an infusion of fruit, sugar, syrup or other flavors to brandy or other spirits.
These give the drink its characteristic taste. Among the popular liqueurs are:

1. Advocaat made in Holland from fresh egg yolks, sugar and brandy.
2. Anisette a clear liqueur made from anise seed and flavored with bitter almonds.
3. Aquavit - clear liqueur flavored with caraway seeds from Scandinavian countries.
4. Benedictine a liqueur made by the Benedictine monks out of a secret formula reputed
to be a combination of herbs, spices and fine brandy.
5. Chartreuse cordial made by the Chartreusian order of monks. Its color is a
combination of yellow and green and is made out of a combination of many ingredients
such as spices, herbs and roots.
6. Cherry brandy flavored with black cherries.
7. Cointreau a brandy produced out of triple sec and orange Curacao.
8. Crme de Cacao is made from cacao beans, spices and vanilla. It comes in two colors
white and brown.
9. Crme de Menthe the peppermint liqueur made from fresh mint and brandy.
10. Caracas Triple Sec made from the peel of bitter orange grown in the West Indies;
enriched with spices, rum and sugar.
11. Drambui a liqueur made from old Scotch, honey orange, herbs and spices.
12. Grand Marnier made from Champagne, cognac and orange Curacao.
13. Kahlua Mexican liqueur made from coffee beans, vanilla and brandy.
14. Kirshwasser liqueur made from wild black cherries.
15. Per nod made from licorice and anise.
16. Southern Comfort a high proof liqueur made in the US out of a secret formula.

III. Beer a beverage produced out of the fermentation of cereal grain flavored with
hops.

IV. Wine is a naturally fermented juice of fresh ripe grapes. Wine is usually fermented
from grapes. If the source is not from grapes, the fruit from which it is fermented
must be specified. Ex. Kasoy wine, coconut wine.
Uses of Wine:
1. As a complement to a meal.
2. To enhance the flavor of cooked foods.
3. To highlight a celebration.
4. Some serve as medicine.
5. Ideal for cold weather as it heats up the body temperature.
Types of Wines:
1. Still or Natural Wines referred to as table wines. They come in three colors red,
white and rose.

2. Aromatic Wines made the same way as the natural wines, but during fermentation,
aromatics are added. Ex. Vermouth, Campari, Bonnet, etc.

3. Fortified Wines these are called fortified because the wines are made stronger or
fortified by adding sugar in order to increase their sugar content (as in the case of port
wine) or by adding alcohol to increase their alcoholic content ( as in the case of
sherries).

4. Sparkling Wines these are considered the king of all beverages. The most popular ones
are champagnes. They are made sparkling through a second fermentation inside the
bottle.
The Aperitif
At a dinner party, serve special guests with aperitif a before dinner drink. There are many
choices, but a dry or medium dry cherry or a dry Madeira which is light in color and nutty in
flavor makes a good aperitif. Vermouth is also one of the best choices. A light dry white table
wine makes a pleasing aperitif. One of them is a well chilled Sylvanar from Alsace. Cocktails are
often drunk before a meal but should not really be served if wine is planned with the food, as
they blunt the palate before a meal.


Dessert Wines
If a separate wine will be served with a dessert like fruits and nuts, it is advisable to have a
sweet wine, such as Sauternes or sometimes a sparkling wine.
Coffee with brandy and liqueurs will make a happy ending to a meal.
Talking About Wine Taste
Here are some terms that describe wine taste.
1. Sweet taste is likened to a solution of water mixed with a teaspoon of sugar.
2. Tart taste is likened to a solution of lemon juice and water.
3. Bitter taste is likened to a solution of weak coffee.
4. Salty taste is likened to a solution of salt and water.

All tastes are either sweet, tart, bitter, salty or a combination of these. Lemonade is best
described as sweet tart taste.

Sweet wines are those which have a taste similar to a solution of sugar. The opposite of
sweet in wine terminology is dry. Dry means the absence of sweetness.

Tart wines are those that have an agreeable degree of sourness which is caused by acids
like the tartness of orange juice.

Bitterness is the quality in wines that makes the mouth pucker. It is created by the
tanning of the skin. Red wines are slightly bitter, but white wines have a pleasant taste
and usually not bitter.

Evaluation of Wine
1. Color
Three colors of Wines:
a. Red called rouge when may range anywhere from purple to dark red to burgundy.
b. White called bianc in varying clarity depending in the grape variety and the aging
process.
c. Pink called rose, ranging from pink, salmon and light rose tone.

2. Appearance the appearance is judged by looking at the wine through the light. A
brilliant wine reflects light and also sparkles. It is free from floating particles. On the
other hand, a dull wine has floating particles and looks slightly cloudy. A cloudy wine
does not reflect light.

3. Body of the Wine through the body of the wine, one can measure its wateriness.
The body is usually measured by twirling it around the glass and seeing how long it takes
to bring down the wine that rise on the glass.

Full bodied wines are heavy, robust and not watery. The wines also break into legs as
they come down the sides of the glass.
Light bodied wines are not heavy. These wines do not cling to the sides of the glass
when twirled around.

Reference:
Food Service and Bartending
By: Amelia S. Roldan