Liquor
What is Rum and how is it made?
Rum is made by distilling fermented sugar and water. When sugar cane juice or other sugar-based liquids are allowed to rest, a natural process of fermentation occurs where sugars are converted by yeast into alcohols, at approximately the strength of wines. This sugar comes from the sugar cane and is fermented from one of the following raw materials: 1) Fresh Cane juice, which is fermented immediately after being crushed. This raw sugar cane liquid contains 18 – 24 percent sugar in solution. Rums made from fresh sugar cane juice include Cachacas from Brazil. 2) Molasses -- a by product of the crystalline sugar making process. Molasses is over 50% sugar and is used in most of the rums produced in the world. 3) Cane Syrup – also called sugar cane honey or sweet table-grade molasses. Cane syrup may contain more than 90% sugar.
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The ABCs of Brazil's National Spirit, Cachaça
What is Cachaca? How do you say it? How do you use it? And is it a Rum or not? As the fastest growing spirit in the United States, more and more Americans are discovering Cachaça, the national spirit of Brazil. Unique only to Brazil, Cachaça is pronounced ka-SHA-sa, with the emphasis on the ‘SHA.' Like Hefeweizen, Fahrvergnugen, and Pinot Grigio, Cachaça is a foreign word easy to mispronounce - at least initially. Cachaça's cocktail sidekick, the Caipirinha, is the national cocktail of Brazil (pronounced kai-pur-EEN-ya, with the emphasis on the third syllable).
What is Gin?
Gin and its Lowlands cousin Genever (Jenever in Belgium) are white spirits made from a grain mash of barley, corn or rye, that are flavored with juniper berries, which have a piney sweet/sharp taste and smell, and so-called botanicals (herbs, spices, roots, pits, peels, and other plant substances added for more complex flavor). Some commonly used botanicals besides juniper are: almonds, angelica, aniseed, caraway seed, cardamom pods, cassia, cinnamon, citrus peel (lemon, orange, and bitter orange), coriander seed, cubeb berries, cumin seed, fennel seed, ginger root, iris root, licorice root, nutmeg, paradise grain, savory, star anise, and violet root. Probably anything else you can imagine has been used as well. Gin and Genever makers have their own secret combination of botanicals, the number of which can range from as few as four to as many as 15 and some even more. Gin ranges from 80 – 94 proof. Gin is not aged.
Irish whiskey must come from and mature in Ireland. It is made from barley (malted and unmalted, unlike Scotch which is from malted only) as well as corn, rye, wheat and oats. The malted barley in Irish whiskey is dried in enclosed kilns and not over peat fires like scotch, so they are not smoky tasting and smelling like scotch. They are triple-distilled for extra smoothness and aged in casks for a minimum of 3 (however, many are usually 7 to 8) years. The barrels used to age Irish whiskey often have been previously used to age bourbon, sherry or rum, which contribute unique nuances to the whiskey. Some Irish whiskey brands are: Jameson, Bushmills, Powers and Redbreast and Tullamore Dew.
American Whiskey consist of Bourbon whiskey, Tennessee Whiskey, Rye whiskey and American Blended whiskey.
Bourbon Whiskey – Bourbon received its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky, although bourbon can be distilled anywhere in the United States. Bourbon must have a mashbill (the grain formula) of at least 51% corn, with other grain spirit comprising the rest, distilled at less than 160 proof, and be produced in the United States. When bourbon is placed into barrels for aging, it must be at least 80 proof but not higher than 125 proof. Bourbon must be aged a minimum of two years in new, charred oak barrels, although most straight whiskeys are aged for at least four years. No blending or additives (except water to reduce to bottling proof) is allowed.
This whiskey is produced in Canada and made primarily of corn or wheat and supplemented with rye, barley, or barley malt. Canadian whiskey is aged in used oak barrels for a minimum of 3 years although most are aged 4-6 years. Almost all Canadian Whiskey is a blend of various ages. Canadian whisky is the lightest example from the major whisky distilling countries. Well known Canadian whiskey brands are: Crown Royal, Canadian Club and Seagrams VO.
The whisky (no “e”) must come from and matured in Scotland. Scotch has a distinct smoky flavor that comes from the use of peat fires to dry the malt. Scotch will be labeled as “single malt” or “blended”. The age statement on a blended Scotch will be that of the youngest whisky in the blend.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky – is produced by a single distillery and has not been blended with whisky from any other distillery. The ingredients used come from one of the few specific regions designated for Scoch production. The whisky must be distilled and matured for at least three years in Scotland in order to be named Scotch whisky. Some Single malt Scotch brands are: Balvenie, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Aberlour and Laphroaig.
Tequila is exclusively a product of Mexico, and principally from its state of Jalisco and a few small, designated regions of the states of Guanajuato, Tamalpais, Michoacan, and Nayarit. It is a spirit made from the Blue agave plant. The Blue Agave plant is a dramatically beautiful plant of blue coloring, similar in look to a giant aloe. It can reach a height of six feet and although it looks like a Cactus, it is in fact a member of the Lily family.