Thoughout recorded history there has always been alcohol in of some variety,think of this, when you are sitting on a Friday night with your vodka and coke or Pernod and lemonade, does it ever cross your mind how exactly the drink came about. Below is a history of some of the more popular drinks that are enjoyed today such as vodka, gin, Pernod and cachaca.

Pernod
Pernod is an aniseed-based spirit that has been enjoyed in France for approximately 200 years as an aperitif and a zesty cooking ingredient. During the Babylonian era aniseed drinks were known as elixirs with unique qualities to cure a variety of stomach and digestive dissorders. It has long been recognized that when you combine wormwood and aniseed plants it contains certain healing powers and has been known to have mood-altering effects.

Cachaca
Cachaça is made from raw sugar cane and the major difference is that the lighter rums are more commonly made from whats known as molasses, (A thick syrup produced in refining raw sugar and ranging from light to dark brown in color) this is a by-product from boiling the cane juice to extract as much sugar as possible. It is made from fresh sugarcane juice that is fermented and distilled.

Cachaça is Brazils national spirit and the key ingredient in the classic cocktail caipirinha, the history of Cachaça goes back nearly 5 centuries when plantation owners began serving Cachaca to their slaves after seeing that it increased their vigor. Over the next lot of years better Cachaças were being distilled and soon people started drinking it in colonial Brazil while having dinner at home. Shortly after this slavery was banned in 1888, when Brazil was declared a modern Republic.

Gin
Gin The first confirmed date for the production of gin is the early 17th century in Holland, although claims have been made that it was produced prior to this in Italy. In Holland it was produced as a medicine and sold in chemist shops to treat stomach complains, gout and gallstones. To make it more palatable, the Dutch started to flavour it with juniper, which has medicinal properties of its own.

British troops fighting in the Low Countries during the Thirty Years’ War, were given ‘Dutch Courage’ during the long campaigns in the damp weather through the warming properties of gin. Eventually they started brining it back home with them, where already it was often sold in chemists’ shops. Distillation was taking place in a small way in England, but it began on a greater scale, though the quality was often very dubious. The new drink became a firm favourite with the poor.

In 1730 London had over 7,000 shops that sold only spirits. Abuse of alcohol by the poor became a major problem, which was tackled by introducing The Gin Act at midnight on 29 September 1739, making gin prohibitively expensive. The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole and Dr. Samuel Johnson were among those who opposed the Act since they considered it could not be enforced against the will of the common people. They were right.

Riots broke out and the law was widely and openly broken, the Gin Act was finally repealed in 1742 and a new policy was introduced with the help of distillers: reasonably high prices, reasonable excise duties and licensed retailers under the supervision of magistrates. In essence this is the situation which exists today. Since then many companies established themselves as well-to-do manufacturers and the gin became the drink of high quality.

Vodka
Vodka is a drink which originated in Eastern Europe. The name stemming from the Russian word ‘voda’ meaning water or, as the Poles would say ‘woda.’ The first documented production of vodka in Russia was the end of the 9th century, but the first known distillery at Khylnovsk was about two hundreds years later as reported in the Vyatka Chronicle of 1174. Poland lays claims to having distilled vodka even earlier in the 8th century, but as this was a distillation of wine it might be more appropriate to consider it a crude brandy. The first identifiable Polish vodkas appeared in the 11th century when they were called ‘gorzalka’ originally used as medicines.

During the Middle Ages, distilled liquor was used mainly for medicinal purposes, as well as being an ingredient in the production of gunpowder. In the 14th century a British Ambassador to Moscow first described vodka as the Russian national drink and in the mid 16th century it was established as the national drink in Poland and Finland.

Since early production methods were crude, vodka often contained impurities, so to mask these the distillers flavoured their spirits with fruit, herbs or spices. The mid 15th century saw the first appearance of pot distillation in Russia. Prior to that, seasoning, aging and freezing were all used to remove impurities, around this time (1450) vodka started to be produced in large quantities and the first recorded exports of Russian vodka were to Sweden in 1505. Polish ‘woda’ exports started a century later, from major production centres in Posnan and Krakow.

Types produced included: acorn, anisette, birch, calamus root, calendula, cherry, chicory, dill, ginger hazelnut, horseradish, juniper, lemon, mastic, mint, mountain ash, oak, pepper, peppermint, raspberry, sage, sorrel, wort and water melon.

In the 18th century a professor in St. Petersburg discovered a method of purifying alcohol using charcoal filtration. Felt and river sand had already been used for some time in Russia for filtration.

The spread of awareness of vodka continued throughout the 19th century, helped by the presence in many partdrunkennesss of Europe and Russian soldiers involved in the Napoleonic Wars. Increasing popularity led to escalating demand and to meet this demand, lower grade products were produced based largely on distilled potato mash.

After the Russian Revolution, the Bolsheviks confiscated all private distilleries in Moscow. As a result, a number of Russian vodka-makers emigrated, taking their skills and recipes with them. One such exile revived his brand in Paris, using the French version of his family name – Smirnoff. Thence, having met a Russian ŽmigrŽ from the USA, they set up the first vodka distillery there in 1934. This was subsequently sold to a US drinks company. From this small start, vodka began in the 1940s to achieve its wide popularity in the Western World.

Following the Russian Revolution in 1917, a number of Russian refugees took their skills and their love of vodka to many parts of the world.

In the 1930s one such exile emigrated from Russia via France to the United States bringing with him the formula to one of the leading Russian makes of vodka.

Through his dealings with another Russian emigre the first vodka distillery in the U.S. was set up in the 1930s. Although not particularly successful at first, this enterprise was sold on again to an entrepreneur who eventually made a hit in the 1950s with a vodka-based cocktail – the Moscow Mule. Vodka did not see a great boom in popularity in the West until the 1960s and 1970s when many more brands were launched in the USA and the UK.

The timing coincided with the cultural revolution in these countries – the ‘swinging 60s.’ With a more affluent younger generation and a generally more relaxed lifestyle and the emphasis on adventure and experimentation – vodka’s mixability led to its huge and ever rising popularity.

Vodka cocktails are almost as numerous as those of gin and are seen in the same exclusive circles and stylish bars the world over.

You don’t have to be a Guy Fawkes to have a stunning bonfire. Just prepare your party props and fare in advance, and nothing must stop you from having fun even your allergy to beer. So fill your liquor flasks with wine and drink away.

Start the ball rolling

You’ll need something to warm you up on a cold night, so why not have a bonfire at the beach? Sit down and prepare your guest list and think of a novel way to send your invitations by mail. Make it something your friends will talk about for days on end. Why don’t you try a small scarecrow with the invitation slipped into his little pocket?

Next, prepare your easy menu. The bonfire spread should be easy to prepare- baked potatoes in foil, bonfire toffee apples, key lime pie, spaghetti (if you will) with lots of big meatballs, and all your favorites if you please. Just make sure you don’t forget to concoct that hot spicy apple cider and grab a recipe for the special Mai-Tai for your lady friends’ liquor flasks.

Or you can call your friends and ask them for any special requests regarding drinks. Inform them that you’ll serve these in liquor flasks so there’s no problem about spills when the fun goes full-blast. If they ask for Guy Fawkes punch, then prepare the potion on the day of the bonfire.

Your piece d’ resistance? The Pudding! Start listing your ingredients – apples, raisins, currants, beef suet, sweet milk, eggs, flour, nutmeg, bread crumbs, grape juice, and sweet butter.

Let your kids start scrounging for bonfire material – wood, coal, old tree trunks, paper, cardboard, wooden boxes, old mattresses, tires – whatever is available and within legal limits, take it. You can also ask hubby to start stacking of firewood and he must find a way. You can also use that discarded Halloween scarecrow for the bonfire, so save it.

The Fireworks

Confetti poppers, cracker snaps in red white and blue, and blue touch paper are safe for you bonfire. Perhaps a confirmation from the proper authorities can ease your mind about the fireworks you can hoard.

Always store your fireworks in a safe dry place or they’ll end up soggy and useless for the bonfire. Children should not be allowed to handle the fireworks – it’s better to be safe than sorry. You wouldn’t want an accident to spoil the party, would you?

Hail, hail, the gang’s all here!

Ask your teenage son or a friend to tote the guitar for the singing around the campfire. Prepare those songs and lead the singing. Before you start the fun, have a moment of silence to remember those who perished in the 9/11 tragedy.

Then start the fun with singing games and contests. Children’s games have to be supervised so by now, you should have assigned the task to someone equal to the assignment.

Everybody will be huddled by the fire, drinking from their canned beers, or liquor flasks. The children can have their hot cocoa from kid’s flasks for the occasion. Serve the food in colorful plastic paper plates with matching paper napkins.

Burn the Guy Fawkes effigy and start the fireworks, and toast your welcome to winter with your liquor flasks.

“Cocktail” is a type of mixed drink which is consumed in many countries. It’s a type of liquor with flavouring agents. It contains fruit juice, sauces, honey, milk, cream or spices. The cocktail had become popular after the prohibition in United States . The disadvantage in buying cocktail is that many bar owners mix both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages with the drink. This is very hazardous to consume.

The olden day’s cocktails were made in combination with gin, whisky or rum and with a small amount of vodka. Many cocktails were made traditionally by mixing it with gin which is called as gimlet or martini. This type of mixed drinks was introduced after the period of 1980′s. The word cocktail was determined by Dr. David Wonderich in October 2005.

A benefit of drinking a sip of cocktail is that it will keep you relieved from head aches. “Cocktail” is liquor composed of sugar, water and bitter agents. It is also called as bittered sling. And it is also supposed to be an electioneering potion, since it keeps the heart stout and bold. It is said that a person who swallows one sip of cocktail is ready to swallow anything else.

There are several cocktail recipes; they come in different compositions according to the bartenders. In addition of Punches, Sours, Slings, Cobblers, Shrubs, Toddies, Flips, and a variety of other types of mixed drinks were 10 recipes for drinks referred to as “Cocktails”.

The quality and quantity of alcohol present in cocktail is very less when compared to the other alcoholic drinks. The cost of the cocktails also has a big difference when compared to other drinks. So, nowadays bartenders have started preparing cocktails. They are mixed with different types of other drink such as gin, whisky, milk and cream. It is not mixed with water. The ingredients mixed depend upon the region from where you get the drink.

While serving cocktails, it is to taken care that you serve the drink in the appropriate glass. The cocktail glass is of a shape with a wide, shallow bowl, on a stem above a flat base. The cocktail glasses are designed in such a shape that the temperature should not change.

Makers Mark
The Samuels, like the Beams, are part and parcel of Kentucky’s history. The family has been a distillers since 1780, and their TW Samuels brand was an early classic. One of their ancestors, Rueben Samuels, married Zerelda James, whose sons became better known for a less peaceful way of life. Bill Samuels, current boss of Maker’s Mark, still has Jesse’s and Frank’s pistols hanging on the wall of his office.

A discussion of the human influence on whiskey leads Bill to muse on his father, Bill Samuels Sr, who was something of a visionary in these parts. He bought the run-down Happy Hollow distillery in 1953 and started making a new kind of bourbon his way, in a different, softer style. After consulting another legend of the industry, Pappy Van Winkle, he created a new mashbill using winter wheat instead of rye, aged the whiskey for longer and sold it at a higher price. Not the standard approach in post-war Kentucky.

‘In 1953, Dad was talking of how people were looking for a more refined version of bourbon,’ recalls Bill. ‘He knew the things that he wanted to preserve, the ones he wanted to throw out. He was going to create a bourbon to suit his taste: it had damn-all to do with the market! He just thought bourbon should taste better’.

The industry is full of such purely personal likes and dislikes dictating the taste of a brand. Bill Sr simply didn’t like aggressive whiskey, so he changed everything. His was a gentle crusade. The family may be related to the James gang, but coming out guns blazing just ain’t their style. Bill Sr may have had the vision, but it was his son who took Maker’s Mark across the world, talking up high-quality, premium-priced liquor at the time the industry was at its nadir. Still, the Maker’s Mark crusade must have seemed doomed. Tn the 1960s there wasn’t a nickel’s-worth of difference between bourbon and bourbon-flavoured vodka’, says Bill.

‘The industry was at the end of the road because no-one could afford the $100 barrel. Bourbon can never be a mass-market commodity, because we have that high cost legally built in’. Having to buy new barrels is less problematic when the product is selling for a higher price.

You can list the differences in production that set Maker’s Mark apart: the mashbill; the yeast strain created by Bill’s great-great­grandfather; the double distillation; the charcoal added to the white dog as a filtering agent; the air-dried wood; the way the barrels are rotated in the high-rack warehouses. All these give the product its character, but ultimately Maker’s Mark is about the stubborn Samuels family and the people who work in the distillery.

Bill Sr has been proved right. These days premium bourbon is one of the most exciting areas in world whisky, but Bill refuses to take the credit for this turnaround. Like all great whisky men he realizes he’s part of a team. ‘If I could do one little thing, I’d bring out my ancestors to see that bourbon is finally no longer a wilderness product. The six generations before me did the heavy lifting,’ he says. ‘Dad said he’d change the face of bourbon. When he started no-one gave him a chance, but by the time I retire bourbon will be the talk of the town’.

He believes the new premium sector will be a major factor in restoring pride to the industry. ‘Higher margins fire up the creative juices,’ he says. ‘The industry is improving and the products are infinitely better, because they are high price. Now there’s an opportunity for the talented people in the industry to practise their art and not just produce a low-cost product. The question is whether we have sufficient discipline not to disappoint people’s high expectations … that’s what Dad would have said.’

TASTING NOTES

Maker’s Mark 90°proof Lovely, complex mix of flowers, cumin, cinnamon, marzipan/anise, vanilla and light honey. A soft start, then great interplay between silky-soft honeyed fruit, vanilla-toffee and balanced oak flavours. Some chocolate on the finish. Gentle, easy and complex. *****

Distillation is the centuries-old process used to produce alcohol. Heat is used to separate the components of a liquid, or mash, and as vaporization takes place the vapors are cooled so they condense into neutral spirits with little color, aroma, or flavor.

The distiller then blends this neutral spirit with other alcohol or flavorings and may or may not leave it to mature, or age, until the desired flavor and aroma is achieved before bottling. Brandy and clear, colorless grappa are two examples of spirits distilled from wine, which you will find in most standard bar stocks. The following are the best-known distillations from wine produced in countries around the world.

Armagnac
Armagnac is a pale golden, fiery, dry-tasting French brandy. Under French law, only white grapes from the Haut-Armagnac, Tenareze, and Bas-Armagnac regions of Gascony, in southwest France, may be distilled for Armagnac. The distillation takes place after the grape harvest, which occurs between October and April. Unlike cognac, its younger cousin, Armagnac has traditionally been made with only one distillation, but a recent change in legislation means double distillation is now allowed, speeding up the maturation process, which takes place in oak barrels.

Three stars on the label mean it has had at least two years’ maturation; V.S.O.R, at least five years; Napoleon and X.O., at least six years; and Hors d’Age at least 10 years in the barrel. A vintage year on the label indicates the year of the harvest. A vintage Armagnac is never blended.

Brandy
First discovered in the middle of the thirteenth century in France as an attempt to produce a medicinal drink, brandy is now made around the world wherever grapes are grown. After two distillations, the clear, colorless alcohol is given its distinctive nutty brown color and flavor by aging in wood, often oak, barrels. The longer a brandy ages, the more refined its flavor is judged to be. In the United States.

Cognac
Prehaps the best-known brandy in the world, cognac comes from a uprcific area in western France centered around the town of Cognac Hi ihe Charente region. To be labeled as “cognac,” French legislation n|ircifies the brandy can only be made from specific white grapes winch are grown and later distilled within a strictly defined fid’graphical area.

Cognac production is governed by old traditions as well as the laws, so all the brandy is distilled at least twice and then matured in oak barrels for at least two years, during which time it develops its rich, brown color. The end result is 80 proof. Information mi ihe label, also governed by law, explains the maturity of the cognac.

Three stars or VS. means the cognac has been matured in the barrel for at least two years; V.S.O.R, Vieux, V.O, and Reserve Indicate at least four years; V.V.S.O.P and Grande Reserve are (cognacs matured for at least five years; Extra, Napoleon, X.O., Tres eux, and Vieille Reserve are stored for six to 10 years in oak barrels.

Crappa
This clear, Italian spirit, about 80 proof, is distilled from the remains Of the grapes used in wine production, the stems, skins, and pits. Crappa made from white wine is dry and fiery, while that from red wine has a powerful flavor. Although grappa is best known as an Italian spirit, versions of it are made in other countries, such as marc in France.

Marc
This French pomace spirit is distilled from the press residue resulting Irom wine production. Depending on the variety, it either tastes powerful and full flavored (marc de bourgogne) or light, dry, and very soft (marc de champagne). The alcohol content is between 80 and 90 proof. There is a flavor difference between marc made from red-wine and white-wine residues. A small glass of marc, served neat, is aperfect digestive.

Metaxa
The best-known Creek spirit, metaxa is distilled from black grapes. The alcohol content is about 80 proof. Stars on the label tell you how long the liquor was aged. Three stars means three years; five stars, five years; and seven stars, seven years. Bottles labeled as Private Reserve have been matured for at least 20 years, and have the smoothest flavor.

Pisco
This very tangy, colorless brandy is the national drink of Chile, and is the main ingredient in the refreshing cocktail Pisco Sour. Produced from black grapes with a high proportion of muscatel grapes, it is matured in clay casks.

Weinbrand
This German grape brandy, whose name translates as “burned wine,” is distilled using some wines from neighboring countries, but legislation requires up to 85 percent of the final product to be German. It must then be matured for six months in oak casks holding a maximum of 1,000 liters (about 2,600 gallons) each. Old weinbrand must be cellared for a minimum of 12 months.

If it is then at least 76 proof, it will receive an official reference number and can be sold. Like cognac, weinbrand is double distilled. Weinbrand should be served no warmer than room temperature, and is best served in a brandy snifter. If it is a little on the cool side, however, it does not matter because it will quickly attain the correct temperature through heat transferred from the hands.

Making jello shots are extraordinary fun for every one, level in the provision and making of the shots can be a lot of fun. A scleroprotein photo or hydrocolloid actuation has always been a strike hit in exerciser, night clubs, idea bars at internal and parties.

Pretty overmuch any state that would recruit the use of any type of fuel, unremarkably rum, vodka, tequila or in extreme cases (if your trying to defeat something) justified form potable. The drink is old to hitter many of the element or fruit humor utilized to solidify the hydrocolloid exposure mix.

An Earth mathematician by the denote of Tom Lehrer is thought to get been the 1st to accomplishment the jello actuation in the nearer outset 1950s piece excavation for the NSA, where he formed vodka jello, this was his endowment melody to stalker alcohol onto the expeditionary stem with out any of the ranking officers feat fasten to it.

The maximal steroid assemblage is somewhere in between 18 & 21 oz. of vodka per 3 oz. aggregation of Jell-O explosive, or virtually 30% (ABV) alcohol by production.

Alternatives

A few jellylike desserts can be manufactured using gum instead of hydrocolloid, allowing them to set far quicker and at higher temperatures. Agar, a stemlike by production prefab from seaweed and is victimized especially in jello jibe pulverisation mix for an expedited scene instance and Denizen hydrocolloid desserts, but also as a athlete that is unobjectionable to vegans and vegetarians. Agar is far solon closely affine to pectin and a few otherwise gelling communicate carbohydrates than to common goody.

There is one otherwise vegetarian select to membrane, it is called carrageenan. This alternative how e’er sets harder than gum and is ofttimes utilized in kosher call preparation. Though it, too, is a typewrite of seaweed, it does not individual the like bad operation of sensing when state saute that you would sometimes effort when you ready with agar Immunology

Warm pineapple should rattling be avoided when making jello shots, it contains the enzyme bromelain which must can never be allowed to mix with the hydrocolloid dig mixture as this enzyme leave preclude the jello from mounting, this enzyme is vulgar in most citrus and equatorial fruits. Papaia and papaw comprise the enzyme papain, vine production contains actinidin, and figs comprise ficin- all with confusable effects. Cookery denatures the enzyme, rendering it down so if you necessity these hydrocolloid remark flavors get the wife to sack up the stove.

Alcoholism is a devastating disease that effects millions of people every year. Recognizing alcoholism in yourself or someone else can be difficult. Alcoholism is defined as a disease that allows a persons use of alcohol to interfere with their life and the basic functioning of their daily tasks, needs and responsibilities.

The clinical way of looking at alcohol is by examining the amount of alcohol a person consumes. A women who drinks more than seven drink per week or more than three drinks a day and a man who drinks more than 14 drinks per week or four drinks in a day would be considered an alcoholic. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor.

Warning signs of alcoholism may vary form person to person. Usually though these warning signs will be obvious. The following list outlines some of these signs.

- misses a lot of work or school
- losses interest in family, friends or activities
- depression
- drinking to cope with any problem
- insomnia
- being intoxicated often
- moody
- drinking related health problems

These are some of the noticeable warning signs. More serious behaviors can also serve as a wake-up call. Risky behavior like drinking and driving should be taken seriously.

Alcohol when taken in moderation is a nice way to relax or enjoy a social engagement, where when alcohol becomes a problem it can effect everyone who is close to the alcoholic. Some things that can tell a person they may be having a problem with alcohol are:

- worry over not having alcohol or money to buy it
- hiding alcohol so others do not know you have it
- often wishing to be drunk or get drunk faster
- unable to stop drinking once started
- hearing others comment on your drinking

Alcoholism should always be taken seriously. If you or someone you know has a drinking problem professional help is available in every community. Recognizing the problem is the first step to finding a solution.

Aquavit
Aquavit, genever, gin, and whiskey (or whisky as the Canadians and Scots spell it), as well as vodka and the unflavored German schnapps called korn, are all part of the extended family of grain-based spirits. Except for whiskey and korn, whose compositions are strictly controlled by legislation, these potent drinks can also contain so-called agricultural alcohol made from molasses, potatoes, and other ingredients.

The name of this strong Scandinavian spirit is derived from the Latin t|ii,i vitae (water of life), and was once the designation for all liquor. The basis of the pale or golden-yellow aquavit is very pure, almost nil-less alcohol distilled from grain or potatoes with 96 percent alcohol by volume, or almost 200 proof.

It is distilled with water and a variety of flavorings, such as caraway (the most traditional), cinnamon, cloves, coriander, dill, fennel, lemon peel, and star anise, along with a number of “secret” ingredients. The heart of the distillate is then mixed with neutral alcohol and softened water and left to mature in the producer’s cellars or warehouse. The alcohol content of dinish aquavit is 80 to 84 proof; German aquavit is 76 to 80 proof.

Serve aquavit very cold in a short glass, similar to a shot glass; this is how its full, round, and distinctive taste develops. It acts as a stimulant on the stomach wall and is very easily digestible, so it is ideal to offer guests after a meal as a digestive.

Genever
Genever is the Dutch national drink, and what is considered to be first gin. The word genever developed from the French word genievre (juniper), which is not surprising because genever, like somevatieties of gin, has a juniper aroma. First-class genever is matured for several years in oak casks and is golden yellow. The alcohol content is 76 to 86 proof. The Dutch drink their genever neat and very cold in small, tulip-shaped glasses as an aperitif. Fruit-flavored genevers are also available.

Gin
Clear spirit is one of the drinks without which a bar would be lost. The alcohol is based on barley and rye, to which a mixture of herbs and spices, called botanicals, is added, such as i, aniseed, cardamom, coriander, juniper, and lemon and orange zests. After distillation, the gin is diluted to the customary strength of 76 to 90 proof. “Dry gin,” for example, is 80 proof.

Gins, produced in England, Holland, and the United States, have different taste qualities. The most requested gins are those as “dry gin” and “London dry gin.” The dry designations developed to discriminate the contents from that which was labeled Old Tom gin” and “Plymouth Gin,” both of which used to be sweeter than they are today. Sloe gin is, in fact, a liqueur, not made by macerating crushed sloes in gin.

Klarer This colorless, weak, and often flavorless spirit is made from potatoes, corn, and millet. The minimum alcohol content is 32 percent

Korn schnapps
When a German orders a “schnapps,” the chances are that it is this clear, grain-based spirit that is required, not the flavored, often creamy drinks called “schnapps” in the United States. Korn is the most popular drink in Germany, where it is traditionally drunk neat or as a chaser to beer. Produced from wheat, rye, barley, oats, or buckwheat, it has an alcoholic content of between 32 and 38 percent by volume, or 64 to 76 proof.

If the designation Alt or Alter is on the label, the product has been matured for at least six months. Pure korn just tastes of grain, nothing else. If it is distilled from wheat, it is very mild; but if it is based on rye, it is powerful and spicy. Some varieties, called Kornbrand, contain a minimal addition of flavorings such as aniseed, cinnamon, cloves, or coriander. Apel Korn has been made with apples.

Vodka
In Russian, the meaning of the word vodka is “little stream.” Vodka is a colorless, clear, smooth, and pure spirit with a neutral taste. It is distilled from mixtures of grains or potatoes. The top brands, however, consist only of grain (primarily barley and wheat, and occasionally rye). Its strength is usually at least 80 proof, with some brands being far more potent. Flavored vodkas have become popular and the range is constantly expanding.

Widely available flavors include lemon, lime, pepper, and other fruits. In the United States, vodka is perhaps best known as the main alcoholic ingredient in Blood Marys and Screwdrivers, but in many countries it is drunk neat as a straight shot. When you serve neat vodka, make sure it is as near ice cold as possible. If you store your bottle in the freezer, the high alcohol content prevents the liquid turning to ice and it will always be ready to enjoy.

Whiskey
“Whiskey” may be the generic term for the most widely drunk liquor in the world, but you will find great variety, not least of all determined by where it is produced. Canada, Ireland, Scotland, and the United States are the great whiskey producers.

Each country produces different product, and within each country there is great diversity. Even the spelling of the word is not the same: the americans and the Irish spell it “whiskey”; the Scots and the canadians spell it “whisky.”Scotish whisky, or scotch as it is commonly known, is produced from malted barley or a mixture of grains, which can include malted and unmalted barley and the whole grains of cereals, such as corn or wheat, It is aged for at least three years in oak casks (traditionally second hand sherry casks) before bottling.

You will also see on the label the scotch is blended or a single malt. Blended scotch, as the term implies, contains scotch from several distilleries and will contain malt and grain whiskies married together. Single malts, on the other hand, are produced from only malted barley. If the label on a blened whiskey also contains an age, that is how long the youngest whiskey in the blend was aged in the cask.

One other characteristic of some scotch, especially some single malts is a smoky aroma. This occurs if the barley malt grains aredried over burning peat taken from the moorlands. Irish whiskey, produced from barley, wheat, rye, or oats, is blended, with only one significant single malt produced.

(The Irish use the term -vatting not “blending.”) After distillation, clear water is added to give the whiskey its final alcoholic content of about 80 proof’. Irish whiskey is matured in wooden casks (for at least three years that previously stored sherry, rum, or bourbon. As a general rule irish whiskey has a mellower flavor than scotch, and you will never find any with the smoky, peaty aroma of some scotches because the grains are not dried over peat-fueled fires. In the United lush whiskey is best known as a component in Irish coffee or after-dinner drinks.

Bourbon
Good bourbon is aged for four to six years, but some is left much longer in the cask. Like scotch, bourbon is also available either blended or straight, the latter meaning that it has been distilled from a single grain and all the whiskey comes from a single distiller.

Rye whiskey, also popular with Americans and often simply referred to as rye, is distilled from a mash with at least 51 percent rye and matured for about four years. The taste is generally spicier than that of bourbon, and it also comes in blended and straight varieties.

Tennessee whiskey, which must be produced in the state to be labeled as such, is filtered through wood charcoal and is therefore very mild. Some of the best-known brands also have a distinct flavor, easily recognizable as different from bourbon because they are produced from a sour mash containing some previously fermented yeast (similar to the starter used to make sourdough bread; fresh yeast produces a sweet mash). This is the whiskey someone wants if they ask for a “sour mash whiskey.”

American blended whiskey is a mixture of bourbon, rye whiskey, and corn whiskeys. Canadian whisky is blended from straight grain whiskies and practically flavorless neutral alcohol, resulting in drink that is paler and lighter in flavor than most American whiskeys. This is why Canadian whisky is often used in drinks with soft-drink mixers, such as ginger ale.

SHAKING, STIRRING, AND STRAINING
Drinks requiring only shaking are covered with a plastic shaker cup and mixed within the glass; whereas shaken and strained or stirred and strained drinks are originally mixed within (a) shaker cups (glass & stainless steel) and then transferred to a glass. Remember to always fill your shaker full of ice before mixing drinks requiring either stirring/shaking and straining. The same applies to glassware; always start with a full glass of ice.

*SAFETY PRECAUTIONS*

Please keep in mind that while directions such as “shoot drink”, “drink without using hands”, “ignite drink”, or “while leaning head over bar pour drink into mouth” are all authentic recipe components, they are only suggestions and should not be attempted if you feel that they might pose a hazard to your health. Make certain to never carry or transport a lit drink, as alcohol is a flammable liquid and should be respectfully treated as such. Before drinking, completely extinguish any drink suggesting ignition.

Always overstock on ice, fresh resupply is critical in the maintenance of professional standards. Whenever glassware or bottles are broken in the vicinity of the ice bin, melt the ice with hot water, clean the bin, and restock with new ice.

Ice

Ice can be one of the most important factors in determining a drink’s quality. Generally speaking, the small square-shaped “slices” usually referred to as “bar” ice are best. Aside from preventing premature blender destruction, the smaller style ice cube, will by virtue of increased surface area, make for a significantly colder drink. The resulting reduction in vapor pressure (fumes) from the alcohol makes for a more palatable mixed drink.

As mentioned before in the section on Ice, whenever glassware or bottles are broken in the vicinity of the ice bin, melt the ice with hot water, clean the bin and restock with new ice.

A 2-speed commercial blender is practically a must for quality frozens. Don’t destroy a 15-speed kitchen blender trying to crush ice; it’s simply not made for the job. Waring® produces a good line of commercial 2-speed Blendor® models that start at less than $90.00.

Liquor Measurement

The use of a shot system has been adopted, whereby a shot is equal to whichever size jigger you use, keeping in mind that the recipes are based on a 1 1/2 oz. shot. When using a different size jigger, correct proportioning can be main­tained by using larger glassware and more mixer if the “shot” is bigger or vice versa if smaller. Use a 1 1/4 oz. shot and the specified sizes and measurements for a milder recipe variation. Splashes are 1 oz., scoops are 4 ozs. and dashes are from 3 to 5 drops. This system was chosen not only because it’s quick and easy to use but most importantly, because it’s adaptable to your bartending style.

Liquor Measuring Key
Dash——-3 to 5 drops

Scoop——4 ounces

Shot——-1 1/2 ounces

Splash—–1 ounce

Tablespoon-’/2 ounce (3 tspn.)

Teaspoon—’/6 ounce

A.K.A.—–”Also Known As”

S.A.——-”See Also”

V/O——–”Variation or Option”

/———-”or”

R———-”Registered Trademark”

Do you want to add spice on to your beer-drinking habit? Have you ever wondered how your favorite drink is brewed to perfection? You can actually put those questions to a test by making your own beer at the comfort of your own home.

Home brewing is a popular hobby among beer-drinkers who want to infuse creativity on to their beer. It may be time-consuming, but the satisfaction of tasting your own-brewed beer is unmatched even by the more expensive beers around.

If you’ve only heard about this hobby recently, then you can always start with a few simple experiments. Here is a guide on how you can get started with home brewing.

1. Read articles and books about home brewing

Before you set off to your nearest home brewing store, you can first read a book that discusses anything about home brewing. This would give you a heads-up on what to expect as you start with the brewing process. Take note of things that are unclear to you and ask about them later as you go to a home brewing store.

2. Go to the nearest home brewing store in your area

Drop by to a local home brewing store where you can buy your home brewing supplies. You must also grab this opportunity to get acquainted with the storeowner and ask further details about home brewing. These storeowners are usually home brewing enthusiasts, and they are more than willing to share tips and techniques to novices.

There may be some area where there’s no home brewing store around, and you might be the unlucky few who live in that area. Well, you don’t have to worry since there are also home brewing sites online where you can order supplies and discuss information about home brewing.

3. Get your home brewing kit and beer bottles

Home brewing will require you to have some supplies as you go with the process, so it is best to buy these equipments from a reputable home brewing store. As a starter, you can get the basic brewing supply kit that already includes a large bucket, some tubing, a racking cane, rubber corks, airlocks, bottle capper, bottle caps, sanitizer concentrate and a hydrometer to measure the density of the beer. Do not forget to ask the storeowner the purpose of each of the materials and how to handle them.

As for the bottles, you can either buy from the home brewing store, or you can simply get used bottles from a liquor store. Just make sure that you thoroughly clean these used bottles before you use them.

4. Start brewing!

Now we go to the fun part. Once you have all of the necessary supplies, you can now brew your first homemade beer! There’s really no limit as to how you’ll make your beer, but try to keep it simple first then make some experiments as you go along.

Your first home-brewed beer is certainly a special one, so go ahead and cherish the experience!