Alcoholic Daily

Brandy Alexander – making of

mehonk — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:15:47 +0000

Brandy Alexander – making of
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How To Make The Bourbon Brandy Eggnog

mehonk — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:15:33 +0000

How To Make The Bourbon Brandy Eggnog
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The Wine Making Process

mehonk — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:00:36 +0000

Wine making has been around for thousands of years. In its basic form, wine making is a natural process that requires very little human intervention. Mother Nature provides everything that is needed to make wine; it is up to humans to embellish, improve, or totally obliterate what nature has provided, to which anyone with extensive wine tasting experience can attest.

There are five basic components or steps to making wine: harvesting, crushing and pressing, fermentation, clarification, and aging and bottling. Undoubtedly, one can find endless deviations and variations along the way. In fact, it is the variants and little deviations at any point in the process that make life interesting. They also make each wine unique and ultimately contribute to the greatness or ignominy of any particular wine. The steps for making white wine and red wine are essentially the same, with one exception. The making of fortified or sparkling wines is also another matter; both require additional human intervention to succeed and at this time, will not be part of this discussion.

The Harvest

Harvesting or picking is certainly the first step in the actual wine making process. Without fruit there would be no wine, and no fruit other than grapes can produce annually a reliable amount of sugar to yield sufficient alcohol to preserve the resulting beverage, nor have other fruits the requisite acids, esters and tannins to make natural, stable wine on a consistent basis. For this reason and a host more, most winemakers acknowledge that wine is made in the vineyard, at least figuratively. In order to make fine wine, grapes must be harvested at the precise time, preferably when physiologically ripe. A combination of science and old-fashioned tasting usually go into determining when to harvest, with consultants, winemakers, vineyard managers, and proprietors all having their say. Harvesting can be done mechanically or by hand. However, many estates prefer to hand harvest, as mechanical harvesters can often be too tough on the grapes and the vineyard. Once the grapes arrive at the winery, reputable winemakers will sort the grape bunches, culling out rotten or under ripe fruit before crushing.

Crushing and Pressing

Crushing the whole clusters of fresh ripe grapes is traditionally the next step in the wine making process. Today, mechanical crushers perform the time-honored tradition of stomping or trodding the grapes into what is commonly referred to as must. For thousands of years, it was men and women who performed the harvest dance in barrels and presses that began grape juice’s magical transformation from concentrated sunlight and water held together in clusters of fruit to the most healthful and mystical of all beverages – wine. As with anything in life, change involves something lost and something gained. By using mechanical presses, much of the romance and ritual has departed this stage of wine making, but one need not lament too long due to the immense sanitary gain that mechanical pressing brings to wine making. Mechanical pressing has also improved the quality and longevity of wine, while reducing the winemaker’s need for preservatives. Having said all this, it is important to note that not all wine begins life in a crusher. Sometimes, winemakers choose to allow fermentation to begin inside uncrushed whole grape clusters, allowing the natural weight of the grapes and the onset of fermentation to burst the skins of the grapes before pressing the uncrushed clusters.

Up until crushing and pressing the steps for making white wine and red wine are essentially the same. However, if a winemaker is to make white wine, he or she will quickly press the must after crushing in order to separate the juice from the skins, seeds, and solids. By doing so unwanted color (which comes from the skin of the grape, not the juice) and tannins cannot leach into the white wine. Essentially, white wine is allowed very little skin contact, while red wine is left in contact with its skins to garner color, flavor, and additional tannins during fermentation, which of course is the next step.

Fermentation

Fermentation is indeed the magic at play in the making of wine. If left to its own devices must or juice will begin fermenting naturally within 6-12 hours with the aid of wild yeasts in the air. In very clean, well-established wineries and vineyards this natural fermentation is a welcome phenomena. However, for a variety of reasons, many winemakers prefer to intervene at this stage by inoculating the natural must. This means they will kill the wild and sometimes unpredictable natural yeasts and then introduce a strain of yeast of personal choosing in order to more readily predict the end result. Regardless of the chosen path, once fermentation begins, it normally continues until all of the sugar is converted to alcohol and a dry wine is produced. Fermentation can require anywhere from ten days to a month or more. The resulting level of alcohol in a wine will vary from one locale to the next, due to the total sugar content of the must. An alcohol level of 10% in cool climates versus a high of 15% in warmer areas is considered normal. Sweet wine is produced when the fermentation process stops before all of the sugar has been converted into alcohol. This is usually a conscious, intentional decision on the part of the winemaker.

Clarification

Once fermentation is completed, the clarification process begins. Winemakers have the option of racking or siphoning their wines from one tank or barrel to the next in the hope of leaving the precipitates and solids called pomace in the bottom of the fermenting tank. Filtering and fining may also be done at this stage. Filtration can be done with everything from a course filter that catches only large solids to a sterile filter pad that strips wine of all life. Fining occurs when substances are added to a wine to clarify them. Often, winemakers will add egg whites, clay, or other compounds to wine that will help precipitate dead yeast cells and other solids out of a wine. These substances adhere to the unwanted solids and force them to the bottom of the tank. The clarified wine is then racked into another vessel, where it is ready for bottling or further aging.

Aging and Bottling

The final stage of the wine making process involves the aging and bottling of wine. After clarification, the winemaker has the choice of bottling a wine immediately, which is the case for Beaujolais Nouveau, or he or she can give a wine additional aging as in the case of Grand Cru Bordeaux and great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Further aging can be done in bottle, stainless steel or ceramic tanks, large wooden ovals, or small barrels, commonly called barriques. The choices and techniques employed in this final stage of the process are nearly endless, as are the end results. However, the common result in all cases is wine. Enjoy!

Taken from : www.winemonthclub.com

Fruity Screaming Fuzzy Navel

mehonk — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:43:45 +0000

Ingredients

64 oz Orange Juice
8 oz Peach Schnapps
8 oz Absolut Vodka
4 bottles Strawberry Daiquiri Mix

Candy Apple Martini

mehonk — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:32:54 +0000

Ingredients:

1 oz. Vanilla Vodka

1 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps

1 oz. Apple Schnapps

1 oz. Cranberry Juice

Instruction:

Shake all ingredients together in a cocktail mixer with ice. Strain into an 8 oz. cocktail glass.

Video :

Taken from : vodkadrinkrecipes.org

An Overview of Tequila

mehonk — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:30:01 +0000

Tequila and mezcal are both liquors made from the fruit of the agave plant. Tequila, a particular type of mescal, is made specifically from the blue agave and can only be distilled in certain geographic areas, particularly the Mexican state of Jalisco.

Alternately, mezcal is produced all over Mexico and is made from the fruit of other species of agave.

History of Tequila

Tequila dates back about two thousand years when Indian tribes in central Mexico discovered that, if the juice of the agave plant was exposed to air, it would ferment and produce a thick, slightly alcoholic drink. The Aztecs called the fermented agave juice “octilli poliqhui.” The Spanish later called it “pulque.”

Due to its relatively low alcohol content and unsophisticated flavor, pulque wasn’t very popular among the Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th century. Early attempts to distill the pulque failed, resulting only in a harsh and bitter liquor. However, they eventually discovered that heating the agave pulp would result in a sweet juice that they called “Mezcal wine.”

In the mid-1600s, the Mexican village of Tequila began shipping out its local brand of Mezcal, which was made from the blue agave and had a better taste than other forms of Mezcal. The roots of modern-day tequila can be traced back to this village.

In the 1930s, tequila producers began infusing the tequila with additional sugars. This practice contributed to a blander but more widely accepted flavor than the traditional blue agave tequila. This version of tequila became the most widely produced until the late 1980s. Around that time, consumers began requesting higher-end spirits like single-malt Scotch. Tequila producers capitalized on this new market and began promoting 100 percent blue agave tequila. This strong-flavored tequila is widely popular.

Types of Tequila

There are two basic types of tequila: agave and mixto. Agave tequila, the highest quality tequila, is made by distilling agave juice with water. Mixtos have sugar added during the distilling process.

Under these two types, tequilas are usually broken down into four categories:

añejo (“old”) tequila : Aged in wooden barrels for at least 12 months, añejo tequila can be either 100 percent agave or a mixto, although the type of tequila affects the aging timeline. Agaves can be aged for up to four years, while mixtos should only be aged for 18 months to three years.
flavored tequila : Less intense than traditional tequila, flavored tequilas are largely popular and frequently bottled in the United States. Gold tequila, one of the most popular flavored tequilas, is a form of silver tequila infused with caramel to enhance the liquor’s color and flavor. It is usually a mixto.
reposado (“rested”) tequila: Aged in wooden tanks for at least two months, resosado tequila is the most popular tequila in Mexico. While the best brands of reposado tequila are allowed to age for three to nine months, they can be either 100 percent agave or mixto in nature.
silver tequila: This clear, unaged tequila is used for mixing and blends well into fruit-based cocktails. It can be either 100 percent agave or a mixto.

Popular brands of tequila include Jose Cuervo, Sauza and Patron tequila.

How Tequila is Made

Preparation and distillation of tequila and mezcal is a long, complicated process that proceeds as follows:

The agave plant grows for eight to ten years.
When it reaches maturity, it grows a flower stalk, which is cut off by an agave farmer.
The plant’s growth is redirected into the central stalk, causing it to swell into a large bulb that contains a juicy pulp.
The agave farmer cuts the plant at the root and removes the leaves, leaving only the bulb (called a piña for its pineapple-like shape).
At the distillery, the piñas are baked in either steam ovens (for tequila) or in underground ovens with wood charcoal (for Mezcal) to convert the starch to sugars.
After baking is complete, the piñas are then crushed and shredded to release their juices.
The juice is then fermented, bottled and shipped.

Tequila Drinks

Tequila is popular as a standalone shot, but it’s also the base for some common cocktails. Below are a few recipes for tequila drinks.

Margarita

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. tequila
1/2 oz. triple sec
1 oz. lime juice
coarse salt
lime wedge
ice.

Directions

If you’d like, rub the lime wedge around the rim of a cocktail glass and dip the rim in the salt.
Combine tequila, triple sec and limejuice in a shaker with ice.
Shake well and strain into the salted glass that is filled with ice.
Garnish with the lime wedge.

Margaritas can be served on the rocks (pour the tequila and mixers over ice in the salted glass) or frozen (blend the mixed drink with a scoop of ice and pour into a salted glass). Frozen margaritas can also be flavored with fruits such as strawberry and peach. Sugar is often substituted for salt on the rim of the glass in flavored margaritas.

Tequila Sunrise

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. tequila
4-6 oz. orange juice
1/2 oz. grenadine
cherry
ice.

Directions

Fill a highball glass with ice.
Add the tequila, then the orange juice.
Add the grenadine last and allow it to sink to the bottom of the glass, creating the “sunrise” effect. Do not stir.
Garnish with the cherry.

Taken from : www.drinkfocus.com

Vodka Drinks and Recipes

mehonk — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:24:33 +0000

Vodka is a clear and (ideally) odorless, flavorless alcohol that is popularly consumed in the U.S. and across the world. It lends itself well to mixing, making it a versatile spirit capable of carrying a variety of flavors or fortifying any number of drinks. Vodka has a long history closely tied to the frigid region of its origin.

Origins of Vodka

The Slavic people of Eastern Europe (as well as Scandinavians to the North) took alcohol very seriously. The rise of Christianity in this region can be traced to the Grand Prince of Kiev’s decision to embrace the religion, largely because of its tolerance of alcohol.

The region’s freezing temperatures complicated the import of beer and wine, both of which would freeze in transit as a result of their low alcohol content. With the introduction of the distilling process in the 1400s, Eastern Europe began to develop beverage spirits that would not freeze, all of which were generically termed “vodkas.”

Russian Vodka

Russians are proud that vodka was created in their homeland. The name itself comes from the Russian word voda, meaning “water.” Commercial vodka production began as early as the 14th Century, and the Russian ruler Ivan the Terrible established the first government-run vodka monopoly in 1540. This led to rampant moonshining.

Vodka production became integral to Russian society. Aristocrats distilled vodka on their land, and the government launched vodka-making innovations, such as charcoal filtration, at its test distilleries. In fact, by the 18th century, vodka production was the most technologically advanced industry in Russia.

Vodka by Region

The leading vodka-producing countries are:

Belarus
Russia
Ukraine.

While these regions produce all types of vodka, only the premium vodkas, those produced from wheat and rye, are sold outside these regions.

Poland, another major vodka producer, exports vodkas made from grain and potatoes. Finland produces mostly wheat vodkas, as do Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. A rising producer in recent decades is Sweden, which has grown its vodka exports substantially.

The United States and Canada produce vodkas from grains and molasses. Law dictates that U.S. vodkas are neutral spirits so they all generally taste the same, with some being smoother due to more aggressive refining processes.

Caribbean vodkas are almost all made from molasses, and most are blended and bottled in other countries.

Popular Vodka Brands

While vodkas vary in quality, flavor and country of origin, some vodka brands are synonymous with excellence. The next time you order or make a vodka cocktail, try one of the following:

Absolut® vodka
Belvedere® vodka
Finlandia® vodka
Grey Goose® vodka
Skyy® vodka
Smirnoff® vodka
Three Olives® vodka.

How to Make Vodka

Distillers produce vodka by fermenting mash made from grains such as:

beets
molasses
potatoes
rye
vegetable matter
wheat.

The sugars created by the fermented mash are then distilled. While all vodka is produced clear and colorless, vodka produced in a pot will still carry some slight aroma and delicate flavor of the type of mash that produced it. Vodka produced in pot stills also usually requires a second distillation to rid it of residual color and/or flavor.

After the distilling process, the mix is typically filtered through tanks of charcoal mixtures. This process takes out any unwanted flavors or aromas. The purified spirit, which is roughly 95 percent alcohol, gets diluted with water. Because vodka is not generally aged, it can be bottled right after the purification process.

Preparing Vodka Drinks and Cocktails

Vodka tastes best when served chilled. Keeping vodka bottles in the refrigerator or freezer is a good way to ensure this alcohol is always ready to drink. The chill enhances desirable flavors and inhibits undesirable ones. Chilling also brings out just a hint of an oily quality in the vodka.

Vodka serves as the ultimate mixing spirit. Its neutral quality enables the mixer to be the dominant flavor. Vodka also works well as a substitute for similar spirits, such as gin, in drinks like the martini. In fact, although the classic martini is made with gin, vodka martinis are also widely popular.

Russians enjoy straight vodka with food, typically caviar. However, other well-seasoned hors d’oeuvres or rich snacks are also good accompaniments. Flavored vodkas work well as aperitifs or served with coffee and desserts.

Drinking Vodka

Russians and other Eastern Europeans typically drink vodka as shots, shouting festive toasts as they gulp them down. They don’t generally mix anything with vodka but may chase it with a swig of beer or cola.

Drinking vodka in the United States did not become popular until the 1950s. By the 1970s, vodka became the most popular spirit in the nation, outselling bourbon. Vodka is a main ingredient in several popular drinks including the Bloody Mary, the Screwdriver and the odka martini.

Taken from : www.drinkfocus.com

All About Beer : An Ode to That Delicious Beverage

mehonk — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:12:50 +0000

The average beer drinker probably learned all about beer by looking at the local pub menu. It boils down to just a few decisions: domestic or imported, bottle or tap and popular brand name or microbrew.

But beer is as old as civilization itself. A search for knowledge about the origins of beer is a salute to one of the world’s most common and popular beverages. Beer has been a part of our history, from ancient Egypt to medieval monks, to (for a time) being outlawed by the U.S. Constitution. It has been part of daily life for many people, as well as a symbol of celebration, recreation, and relaxation. The local tavern has been a refuge and social universe to many.

The simple combination of barley, water, hops, and yeast produces many different styles of beer. The process has several steps, and although it is simple enough that it can be done at home with the right equipment, many people would consider brewing an art.

Beer types range from a pale, sparkling yellow to dark, rich reddish-brown. There is a place and time for each, from tossing back a cheap cold lager on a summer afternoon to sipping a sweet, syrupy Christmas brew on a cold winter night. Beer generates a sense of well-being and enhances conversation.

Although ancient, the custom of beer drinking is by no means in danger of extinction. The recent explosion of microbreweries has created a new generation of beer connoisseurs, while the less sophisticated will no doubt continue to love it blindly, but passionately.

Taken from : www.drinkfocus.com

Guinness Float

mehonk — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:43:44 +0000

Ingredients :

3 scoops Vanilla ice-cream
1 bottle Guinness stout

Mixing intruction :

Put the ice cream in first, then add the Guinness carefully. Wait for the head to go down then fill to top. Blend if you want a milkshake.

Taken from : www.webtender.com

Acapulco Twister

mehonk — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 17:42:44 +0000

Ingredients :

Ice
Juice of 1 Lemon
1 pinch Salt
1 pinch Black pepper
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1/2 oz Clamato juice
1 1/2 Bacardi Limon
4 oz Corona

Mixing intruction :

Mix the lemon, tabasco sauce, clamato juice, salt and pepper. Fill the glass with some ice, add the rum and fill with Corona beer.

Taken from : www.webtender.com