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Bar Book
Table of Contents
Introduction…...................................................................................................3
DeGroff’s Five Bartender Commandments.........................................................3
Introduction to Beer.…………………………………………………………………………………......6
The Brewing Process.........................................................................................6
Beer Types and Styles.......................................................................................8
Storing and Pouring........................................................................................11
Beer Spec Sheets.............................................................................................14
Introduction to Wine.......................................................................................32
Wine Presentation...........................................................................................46
Introduction to Spirits.....................................................................................47
Glossary of Terms...........................................................................................59
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Introduction: Understanding Wine, Beer and Spirits
Why is it important to understand what we serve behind our bar? The simple answer is it’s your job, of course. However, the Joe’s answer lies in our guest-obsessed mission and our passion for our craft. We are the guides of our guests’ experiences. We want every guest that walks through our doors to become a regular. For this to happen, we need to marry our passion and energy with the knowledge of our products. As a bartender, you should know the differences between an IPA and a lager, a Malbec and a Merlot, and Hendrick’s and Bombay Sapphire gins. The more knowledge you have, the more credible you are. This all starts with understanding each and every item you pour. Time to learn and have some fun! What it Takes to be a Joe’s Bartender…At Joe’s, our bar sets the tone for our guest experience. It’s the place where our guests come to relax, have fun, catch up with old friends, watch a game, etc. Our bartenders are at the front line of a great time. They are the facilitators of memories. A Joe’s bartender is a master salesperson, a magician and a chameleon all rolled into one. They are many things to many different types of guests. But, most of all, they are an ambassador of our brand. What does it take to be a Joe’s bartender? Let’s get some insight from a true master of their craft: Dale DeGroff.
Dale DeGroff’s Five Bartender Commandments:
Who is Dale DeGroff and why is he so important in the bartending world? Dale DeGroff is famed with having reinvented the wheel of classic cocktail making back in the late 80’s. He took the bartending profession and helped elevate it to a celebrity-like status in which bartenders can now be known as mixologists. For all of those bartenders out there who hate muddling and don’t understand why
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people are running to the local farmers’ market to pick up in-season fresh ingredients for their cocktails, you have DeGroff to thank.
Dale DeGroff aka King Cocktail is famously associated with New York’s Rainbow Room where he pioneered a gourmet approach to cocktail making. This approach meant using a variety of fresh ingredients and then muddling and mixing them into mixed cocktails.
Here is Mr. DeGroff’s sage wisdom:
Set the Tone
“The rapport between a bartender and guest is set by the bartender.”
It’s really up to the bartender if the guest is to have an enjoyable time at the bar or not. Under no circumstances should the bartender ever be rude to the guest, even if the guest is rude. Bartenders work in the industry of providing service to all of their guests, even the difficult ones. If a guest comes into the bar and is rude, it is up to the bartender to turn that rude guest around into a happy one. It is also the bartender’s job to make great, tasty drinks and (if needed) show their guests how to have a good time at the bar.
Be Observant
“Good bartenders need to sharpen their powers of observation and develop their ability to listen.”
Sometimes when a guest comes into the bar, they are looking for social interaction with the bartender. Sometimes when a guest comes into the bar, they just want to be left alone to enjoy their cocktail. There are no etiquette bar rules that say a bartender must chat with all of their guests because not all guests may want to chat with the bartender. It’s the responsibility of the bartender to “feel out” their guests. When deciding on how to interact with a guest, it’s always a good idea for the bartender to observe and listen rather than just speak aimlessly. When the bartender does less talking and more listening, they will be able to determine exactly what kind of mood their guest is in and whether they want to talk or be left alone.
Know Your Recipes
“You’re the chef of the bar and have the same responsibility to guests as the chef de cuisine has to diners.”
A bartender doesn’t necessarily have to know the recipe for every single cocktail ever created, but they should have a strong repertoire of drink recipes that consist of several classic and popular drinks. For example, knowing how much dry vermouth to add to a Martini or whether to stir or shake a Manhattan: these are fundamental basics every bartender should have before working behind any bar. Granted, bartenders have to start out somewhere when beginning their careers behind the bar. This is why it is perfectly okay for the newcomers to the craft to look up recipes using a reputable cocktail recipe guidebook or even ask the guest how they would like their drink prepared. When in doubt, a bartender should always ask the guest rather than pretend to know how they want their drinks. The one time a bartender assumes how a drink should be made without consulting the guest first will be the time where they will have to remake the drink and will disappoint the guest in the process.
As a side note, I strongly believe that ten percent of bartending is the drinks.
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The other ninety percent is the bartender’s personality. Anyone can memorize and learn to make drinks, but it takes a special someone to keep the customers coming back for more, night after night. So just keep that in mind.
Perfect Your Craft
“A bartender is most definitely on stage, so expect to be scrutinized down to your fingernails.”
When a person is working behind the bar, they are on stage and the guests are their audience. Some people feel like in order to be a good bartender, they have to have flair. Flair is associated with the ability to flip bottles and light things on fire while preparing a guest’s drink. Not necessarily so. Bartending should never be reduced to a circus act. What it ultimately comes down to is the guest’s overall enjoyment of their experience at that bar. Guests want to enjoy a tasty beverage and enjoy the conversation with their bartender. They want to see that their bartender is confident in knowing how to use the tools appropriately behind the bar to make their drinks in a reasonable amount of time. If a guest asks the bartender specific questions about the spirits stocked behind the bar, the guest will rightfully expect the bartender to have some sort of knowledge about the spirit. The more knowledge and confidence a bartender has about the bar tools, drink preparation and the spirits stocked behind the bar, the happier their guests will be overall.
Exude Gravitas
“A bartender’s skill and cleverness in being many things to many people is one of the most compelling and challenging aspects of the job.”
Bartenders don’t just make drinks for their guests. There are many different “hats” a bartender must wear while working behind the bar. Bartenders have to be a wealth of knowledge for their guests when asked about current events, sporting events, where to eat and go out. Bartenders also have to play the recess monitor when trying to keep the peace at the bar between other rowdy guests. Bartenders are the therapists that must listen to their guests when they want to talk. Bartenders must make sure to deal with even the most difficult situations in a professional manner such as when having to cut a guest off from alcohol.
If a bartender ever finds themselves straying away from any of the above five commandments, this would be a sign of bartender burnout and a surefire way to signal for a career change.
Making It Your Own:After reading Mr. DeGroff’s take, would you add anything? Let’s hear what you have to say...
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Introduction to Beer
Get to know BeerThere's more than one type, and more than one style. We’ll get started by learning about the different varieties of your favorite beverage.
What is beer anyway?Quite simply, beer is a beverage made with malted cereal grains (which could include barley, wheat, rye, corn or rice), hops and water that is fermented by adding yeast. Yeast eats sugar, divides (then multiplies), and produces carbon dioxide and ethanol (alcohol).Alcohol levels can range from 2% Alcohol by Volume (ABV) to a whopping 15% ABV for Barley Wines. Of course, this description really doesn’t do beer justice, does it? Beer is actually quite a complex drink that can take on thousands of interpretations. And for most of us, trying to categorize beer can sometimes be difficult.
The Brewing Process
1. WaterPure water is essential to good beer – and brewers pay scrupulous attention to the source and purification of their brewing water. The water used in brewing is purified to rigidly set standards. If it doesn’t have the proper calcium or acidic content for maximum activity of the enzymes in the mash, it must be brought up to that standard.
2. MaltWorld famous Canadian barley is used to make brewers' malt. To make malt, grain is first allowed to germinate. It’s then dried in a kiln or often roasted. This germination process creates enzymes that convert the grain’s starch into sugar. Depending on how long the roasting process takes, the malt will darken in color. This is what influences the color and flavor of the beer.
3. MashingNow malt is added to heated, purified water and, through a carefully controlled time and temperature process, the malt enzymes break down the starch to sugar, and the complex proteins of the malt break down to simpler nitrogen compounds. The mashing takes place in a large round tank called a "mash mier" or "mash tun", and requires careful temperature control.
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Depending on the type of beer desired, the malt is then supplemented by starch from other cereals such as corn, wheat or rice.
4. LauteringThe mash is transferred to a straining or "lautering" vessel, usually cylindrical, with a slotted false bottom two to five cm above the true bottom. The liquid extract drains through the false bottom and is run off to the brew kettle. This extract, a sugar solution called "wort", is not yet beer. Water is "sparged" or sprayed through the grains to wash out as much of the extract as possible. The "spent grains" are removed and sold for cattle feed.
5. Boiling & HoppingBoiling takes place in a huge cauldronlike brew kettle that holds up to 1,000 hectoliters under carefully controlled conditions. The process to obtain the desired extract from the hops usually takes about two hours. The hop resins contribute flavor, aroma and bitterness to the brew. Once the hops have flavored the brew, they are removed. Sometimes, highly fermentable syrup may be added to the kettle. Undesirable protein substances that have survived the journey from the mash mixer are coagulated, leaving the wort clear.
6. Hop Separation & CoolingAfter the beer has taken on the flavor of the hops, the wort then goes to the hot wort tank. It’s then cooled, usually in an apparatus called a plate cooler. As the wort and a coolant flow past each other on opposite sides of stainless steel plates, the temperature of the wort drops from boiling to about 50°F to 60°F (a drop of more than 150°F) in a few seconds.
7. FermentationThis is where all the magic happens – where the yeast (those living, singlecell fungi) break down the sugar in the wort to carbon dioxide and alcohol. It’s also where a lot of the vital flavor occurs. In all modern breweries, elaborate precautions are taken to ensure that the yeast remains pure and unchanged. Through the use of pure yeast culture plants, a particular beer flavor can be maintained year after year. During fermentation, which lasts about seven to 10 days, the yeast multiplies until a creamy, frothy head appears on top of the brew. When the fermentation is over, the yeast is removed. At last, we have beer!
8. CellarsFor one to three weeks, the beer is stored cold and then filtered once or twice before it’s ready for bottling or "racking" into kegs.
9. PackagingIn the bottle-shop, machines can fill up to 1,200 bottles per minute. A "crowning" machine integrated with the filler, places caps on the bottles. Emerging from the pasteurizer, the bottles are inspected, labeled, placed in boxes, stacked on pallets and carried by a lifttruck to the warehousing areas to await shipment. The bottle shop also may store the canning lines where beer is packaged in cans for shipment. Packaged beer may be heat pasteurized or microfiltered, providing a shelflife of up to six months when properly stored. Draught beer, since it is normally sold and consumed within a few weeks, may not go through this process. The draught beer is
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placed in sterilized kegs, ready for shipment.
10. Product QualityBeer production is one of the most closely supervised and controlled manufacturing processes in Canada. Apart from brewing company expenditures on research and quality control designed to achieve the highest standards of uniformity and purity in the product, the production of beer is also subject to regular inspection and review by federal and provincial health departments. Substances used in the brewing process are approved by Health Canada.
Beer Types and Styles Beer Types
AlesBrewed with top fermenting yeast at cellar temperature, ales are fullerbodied, with nuances of fruit or spice and a pleasantly hoppy finish. Generally robust and complex with a variety of fruit and malt aromas, ales come in many varieties. They could include Bitters, Milds, Abbey Ales, Pale Ales, Nut Browns, etc.Ales are often darker than lagers, ranging from rich gold to reddish amber. Top fermenting and more hops in the wort gives these beers a distinctive fruitfulness, acidity and pleasantly bitter seasoning. Ales have a more assertive, individual personality than lager, though their alcoholic strength is the same.
LagersLager originates from the German word lagern, which means 'to store'. It refers to the method of storing the beer for several months in near freezing temperatures. Crisp and refreshing with a smooth finish from longer aging, lagers are the world's most popular beer (this includes pilsners).A lager, which can range from sweet to bitter and pale to black, is usually used to describe bottomfermented brews of Dutch, German, and Czech styles. Most, however, are a pale to medium color, have high carbonation, and a medium to high hop flavor.
Stouts & PortersThere’s very little distinction between a Porter and a Stout, but they do have their differences.Porter is a dark, almost black, fruitydry, top fermenting style. A porter is brewed with a combination of roasted malt to impart flavor, color and aroma.
Stout is also a black, roast brew made by top fermentation. The Porter gets its name because it was a seen as a beer for porters and other blue-collar workers.
The stout, not as sweet to the taste, features a rich, creamy head and is flavored and colored by barley. Stouts often use a portion of unmalted roasted barley to develop a dark, slightly astringent, coffeelike character.
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MaltsGenerally dark and sweeter in flavor, malts contain hints of caramel, toffee, and nuts. They can be light to full bodied.
Beer StylesIn addition to type, a beer's character can be described by its style. Listed below are some of the many different styles of beer carried at the Beer Store.
AmberA very versatile beer, Amber beers are full bodied malt aromas with hints of caramel, these beers could be either lager or ale.
Barley WineA Barley Wine is a strong, top-fermenting ale, with a typical alcohol content of between 8% and 13% by volume. Use of the word wine is due to its alcoholic strength similar to a wine; but since it is made from grain and not fruit, it is a beer.
BlondeBlonde ales are very pale in color and tend to be clear, crisp, and dry, with lowtomedium bitterness and aroma from hops and some sweetness from malt.
BockBock beer is stronger than your typical lager and has a more robust malt character. In the Medieval days, German monasteries would brew strong beers, such as this one, for sustenance during their Lenten fasts. Bocks are rich and malty, with a slight hint of hops bitterness.
BrownDark amber or brown in color, brown ales have evidences of caramel and chocolate flavors and may have a slight citrus accent or be strong, malty or nutty, depending on the area of brewing. Their higher level of malt makes them earthier and less bitter. It's a very old style beer, whose history dates back to unhopped ales. In the 18th century, brown ales were lightly hopped and brewed from 100 percent brown malt -- which is how they got their distinctive color, but today the term brown ale incorporates many different kinds of brews.
CreamA very mild golden style of ale with a touch of sweetness.
DarkDark ale is a British type beer, combining hops, yeast and a blend of malts. It's a medium chestnut brown color, with a delicate fruity smell and robust, malty character.
Double India Pale Ale (Double IPAs)Double IPAs are also called "Imperial" IPAs. These beers have even more hops added to them than traditional IPAs, sometimes double to triple the amount. To balance the strong hoppy taste, more malt is also added which
makes this beer a strong one. Due to its doubling up on hops and malts, this brew has strong, fruity, hoppy notes and deep malty undertones.
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FruitMost fruit beers are ales, however they typically do not carry an ale character. In order to allow for the fruit flavor to come through nicely, the malt’s flavor is not dominant and there is a low bitterness level to the beer.
GoldenFirst developed in the UK, Golden ales are straw colored with a slight hint of citrus and vanilla. The beer can sometimes contain spicier flavors.
HoneyA full-bodied beer with a creamy texture and copper color, honey beers are slightly sweet with hints of caramel.India Pale Ale (IPA)During the 1700s, when English troops lived in India the typical pale ale brew most Englishmen drank would spoil before the ship reached the Indian shores. In order to prolong the beers shelf life, brewers added more hops (a natural preservative), and hence the origin of a now very popular beer. IPAs exhibit a strong hoppy flavor, with a slightly bitter taste.
LightExtremely light in color and mild in flavor, light beer has fewer calories and/or lower alcohol content.
LimeTypically light in flavor with a refreshing lime taste. The intensity of the lime can differ from very subtle to strong.
Pale AlePale ale is one of the world’s most popular beer styles. It was invented thanks to innovation in brewing technology where a method was discovered to gently roast the barley. It’s made with the use of pale malt and has a fruity, coppercolored style. Originated in England, pale ales from the U.K. have strong malty woody flavors. In the U.S., the hops are boosted during brewing, making it a spicy beer. Pale ales are robust beers that can be enjoyed with strongly spiced foods.
Pilsner
Pilsner is one of the youngest beer styles in the world; it's a clean and simple pale lager and one of the more popular beer varieties. It was originally brewed in Plzen, Czechoslovakia in 1842 using the regions distinctive Noble Saaz hopsMade with neutral and hard water, pilsners tend to be golden in color with a dry, crisp, and pleasurably bitter flavor. Pilsners stand out from other lagers due to their more distinctive hop taste.
RedRed ales can either be red or
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light brown in color. They are moderate to heavy in flavor and contain hints of caramel that are offset by the predominant hop characteristic of the beer.
StrongThis is a broad grouping that can describe any beer over 7% ABV. Strong beers are typically dark in color. Some are almost black. Different styles can include old ales, double IPAs, and barley wines.WheatWheat beer is reminiscent of the first brewed beers. They're a mixture of barley and wheat grains, have a low to nonexistent hops presence, cloudy appearance, and often prominent yeast flavor. The yeast used is a specialized ale yeast used only in wheat beers and contributes much of the aroma and flavor of the brew.
Light and easy to drink with very little aftertaste, wheat provides a soft character to beer. The flavor ranges greatly depending on wheat styles, but they’re typically light in flavor, making them great summer beers.
Storing & PouringFollow these tips to keep your beer as fresh and tasty as possible. Give it the same care as you'd give any other perishable food.
Storing your BeerStore beer upright in a cool place with a temperature of approximately 13°C.Shelf life is about three months. Quality is affected by both temperature and light. When the bottles are stored horizontally, it can create a yeast ring inside the bottle that will not settle. Store your beer upright the yeast will settle to the bottom and allow for a clean, yeastfree pour. Store beer away from light. Choose a dim or dark location for beer storage, as ultraviolet light soon spoils beer, causing it to be "light struck" and to go "skunked". (Green and brown bottles help beer from becoming light struck, which risks giving the brew a skunky taste.)Keep draught beer refrigerated at all times to maintain freshness. Finish within two to three weeks with a home draught set up.Drink opened beer and don't even try storing it. The carbonation will evaporate and you'll have flat beer even if it's only the next day. If you can't drink it, use it in the kitchen or elsewhere.
From the Bottle to the GlassThe ideal serving temperature is between 4° and 5°C. Beer tastes best in glasses made for beer alone. That's because milk, tea, coffee, and even the soap used to clean the glasses, leaves a residue that diminishes a beer's head.
Cleaning TipsDip beer glass in clear water, then turn upside-down to drain. If the glass has traces of lipstick, soap, grease or oil, the film of water will break up into streaks or drops. If the glass is clean, you'll see a perfect film of clear water cover the entire surface.Serve beer in a wet glass that's been washed in a mild, soapfree detergent and rinsed several times in warm water. To prime your glass for a rich head, rinse it in pure, cold water just before
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you pour.
The Fine Art of PouringThe perfect glass of beer boasts a rich head of foam. Not only does it look great, and provide a natural cap for the beer's carbonation, you get a smoother, cleaner taste.How to pour your perfect glass:When you pour the beer, put the neck of the bottle over the edge of the cool, wet glass, tilting the bottle to a high angle. Pour the beer into the glass until you've created a fine, densely textured head. At that point, lower the bottom of the bottle to reduce the flow until foam nears the top of the glass. Leave just enough space for the foam to rise to the lip of the glass. Cheers!
Knowing What You Sell:List the beer type, followed by the style of all of our beers…
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Saison VosA Belgian style Saison (or Farmhouse Ale) brewed with German Pils malt and hopped with East Kent Goldings. Fermented with a special proprietary yeast which imparts its dry, spicy character. Golden orange in color.
14.5 OG | 32 IBUs | 6.9% ABV
On tap @: Phoenixville & Pottstown
Current Availability:
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REMARKABLY SESSIONABLE Not to be boastful, but we honestly believe all other ales pale in comparison to ours. Dry hopped with an abundance of distinctive Simcoe hops, this straw colored pale ale is more drinkable than bitter, more aromatic than aggressive. Philly Pale, as it’s better known, is crisp, hoppy, and bursting with citrus.
KNOW YOUR YARDSSTYLE Pale AleABV 4.6% / IBU 37 / PLATO 11FORMATS 12oz bottles, draftAVAILABILITY Year-roundSIGNIFICANT INGREDIENTS Simcoe hopsAWARDS Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly 2012 Best Local Beer; named “One of the best pale ales in the country” by the New York Times; Winner for Best Light Bodied Beer and Listener’s Choice at WIP’s 2011 Beer Brawl.
PAIRINGS Philly Pale's vibrant floral and citrus aroma and soft malt character complement lighter fare including salads with citrus-based vinaigrettes, cured or poached salmon, and fresh, sliced Jersey
tomatoes. But it is equally as good with a hot dog and peanuts at the ballpark. YEAR INTRODUCED 2000
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Prima Pils German Pilsner Prima! It’s a German exclamation of joy. It’s a recognition of accomplishment. It’s what escaped from our lips the first time we sampled this mighty pilsner recipe. With heaps of whole flower European hops and fine German malts, we achieved the bracing herbal bite and smooth malt flavor that we sought. Prima... an exclamation of Victory! Prost!
Composition
Malt: Imported 2 row German maltsHops: Whole flower German and Czech hops ABV: 5.3%
Flavor
Heaps of hops are hiding under the full, frothy head of this elegant Pils. All German malt subtleties linger beneath a long dry finish of this classy quencher.
Food Pairings
Seafood, burgers and pizza
Serving Suggestion
Serve chilled in a tall pilsner glass.
Availability
Available year-round in 12 oz. bottles and on draft.
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Yuengling Lager
An Iconic American Lager famous for its rich amber color and medium-bodied flavor – with roasted caramel malt for a subtle sweetness and a combination of cluster and cascade hops, this true original delivers a well-balanced taste with very distinct character. Born from a historic recipe that was resurrected in 1987, Yuengling® Traditional Lager is a true classic.
EST. CALORIES: 140 ABV: 4.5%
Enjoy with grilled meats, fried and hot and spicy food.
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60 Minute IPA
ABV: 6.0
IBU: 60
Availability: Year Round
Original Release Date: 02/2003
60 Minute IPA is continuously hopped more than 60 hop additions over a 60minute boil. (Getting a vibe of where the name came from?)
60 Minute is brewed with a slew of great Northwest hops. A powerful but balanced East Coast IPA with a lot of citrusy hop character, it's the session beer for hardcore enthusiasts!
Every Beer Has A Story...
In our Quick Sip Clip video below, Sam Calagione talks about the 60 Minute IPA. For some perspective, he compares this beer to its predecessor, 90 Minute IPA, and its big brother, 120 Minute IPA.
Sam stepped out of the brewery for the taping of this Quick Sip Clip and comes to us from the place where it all started: Dogfish Head, Maine.
Cheers!
Tasting Notes:
Really hoppy, citrusy, grassy
Food Pairing Recommendations:
Spicy foods, pesto, grilled salmon, soy based dishes, pizza, vintage cheddar
Glassware Recommendation:
IPA glass
Wine Comparable:
Busty Chardonnay
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Allagash White
Our interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer. Brewed with a generous portion of wheat and spiced with coriander and Curaçao orange peel, this beer is fruity, refreshing and slightly cloudy in appearance.
Description: Belgium Style Wheat
ABV: 5.0%Profile: Light, Crisp, Fruity, Spicy
Serving Temperature: 38°-50°FAvailability: Year Round
Package: 12oz bottle, 5.17 gallon keg and 15.5 gallon kegIdeal Within: Six months
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Bell's Two Hearted Ale
Bell's Two Hearted Ale is defined by its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale.
Alcohol by Volume: 7.0% Original Gravity: 1.064Shelf Life: 6 monthsDates Available: Year RoundAvailable Packages: Bottle (6-packs),
16 oz. cans (4-pcks) and draft
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Lagunitas IPA was our first seasonal way back in 1995. The recipe was formulated with malt and hops working together to balance it all out on your ‘buds so you can knock back more than one without wearing yourself out. Big on the aroma with a hoppy-sweet finish that’ll leave you wantin’ another sip.
UNLIMITED RELEASEABV: 6.2%Sold as: 6pks, 12pks, 22oz Bombers & KegsNet contents: Ounces and ounces of Malt, Hops, Yeast and water.
Ruthlessly Delicious... ...Homicidally Hopped for Drinking Enjoyment
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Bud Light “Here We Go” Introduced: 1982
Beer Category/Style: Premium light/American-style light lager
Taste Profile: Bud Light is a light-bodied lager with a fresh, clean and subtle hop aroma, delicate malt sweetness and crisp finish for ultimate refreshment.
Ingredients/Brewing: Bud Light is brewed using a blend of premium aroma hop varieties, both American-grown and imported, and a combination of barley malts and rice. Its superior drinkability and refreshing flavor makes it the world’s favorite light beer. Bud Light contains 4.2 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).
Interesting Fact: Bud Light is the best-selling beer in the U.S.
Signature Partnerships and Programs: Official beer sponsor of the NFL and UFC, Bud Light Hotel World-Renowned Super Bowl Advertiser, Bud Light Music First and Only in March
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At Miller Brewing Company, we put quality above all else. We’re proud of the care that goes into the production of all of our beers and have been brewing great-tasting beers with the highest-quality ingredients since 1855. From the purity of the water we use to the highest-quality hops and malted barley, our brewmasters go to great lengths to ensure the quality and consistency of our beers. They use a very special brewing process to give Miller Lite more taste at only 96 calories per 12 oz.
(Average analysis (12 fl oz): 96 cals, 3.2g carbs, <1g protein, 0.0g fat)
Miller Lite is a fine Pilsner brewed with the finest ingredients. As a matter of fact, Miller Lite is so fine, it’s been recognized by The 2014 Great American Beer Festival®, the largest beer competition in the world. Our flavor beat 31 other entrants, large and craft, to bring home the Gold Medal for American-Style Lager. For more on the festival.
FOLLOW THE ORIGINAL
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Introduced: 1366
Beer Category/Style: Classic Belgian lager
Stella Artoischaracter.
Stella Artoisgrains and the years.
Stella Artoisthe Belgian Pouring Ritual. In Belgium, every beer has its own unique glass designed to highlight the brand’s special flavor, and ensure that the head foams perfectly and the aroma is preserved. Stella Artois’dishes such as curries. The bitterness also helps cut through cream sauces in pastas and contrasts the creaminess of flavorful semi-soft cheeses such as Havarti, Morbier and artisanal cheddars.
Stella Artoisfor “star.” The beer was so well received that it became available throughout the year. A protected historical site, the modern
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About Corona ExtraCorona Extra was introduced in the United States in 1981, and became the fastest growing imported beer in U.S. history. Corona Extra has been brewed and bottled in Mexico since 1925. Corona Extra is the #1 selling imported beer in the U.S. and the #5 selling beer overall.
Corona delivers a unique fun, sun and positive, carefree state of mind. It is a brand that doesn't take itself too seriously or try too hard to impress. It is defined by a laid back image originally created by Corona consumers when it first became available in the U.S. and which remains the Brand's foundation today.
Product ProfileCorona's refreshing, smooth taste offers the perfect balance between heavier European imports and lighter domestic beer. The aroma is fruity-honey with a touch of malt and the flavor is crisp and well-balanced between hops and malt, toward the malt side. Corona’s superior taste profile is due to the fact that our brewers take great care to use only the best ingredients available. Corona is made with the finest quality blend of filtered water, malted barley, hops, corn and yeast.
3.6% alcohol by weight, 4.6% alcohol by volume, 0 grams of fat, 148 calories per 12-oz. bottle.
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HEINEKEN LAGER
Heineken Lager is brewed according to the original four-ingredient recipe that first earned its international reputation as a premium beer in 1886.
Consisting of just water, barley, hops, and yeast, Heineken Lager is a pure European pilsner. Bright golden in color and malty, yet mildly bitter in taste, it was designed by its namesake, Gerard Adriaan Heineken, to be the consummate “Gentleman’s Beer” in his Dutch homeland. In pursuit of his commitment to quality, Gerard established the very first in-brewery laboratory, where he and Dr. H. Elion perfected the beer’s unique flavor by isolating the “A-yeast” strain that would become its signature ingredient.
Country of origin: Netherlands
Introduced: 1873
ABV: 5%
Color: 7 EBC
Style: Pale lager
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IBU Scale: 23
The Chimay Red Cap The Chimay Red Cap, or "Première", in 750 ml bottles, is the oldest of the Chimays. This Trappist beer possesses a beautiful coppery colour that makes it particularly attractive. Topped with a creamy head, it gives off a slight fruity apricot smell from the fermentation. The aroma felt in the mouth is a balance confirming the fruit nuances revealed to the sense of smell. This traditional Belgian beer is best savoured at cellar temperature (10 12°C).
A little history The Chimay "Première" was the first beer brewed at the Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey by the Trappist fathers in 1862.
Its current recipe was crafted by Father Théodore when he recreated the brewery after World War II. He was directly inspired by the original recipes from the beginnings of the brewery.
Features Taste : Silky with a light bitter touch Type of foam : Firm and unctuous Alcohol content : 7% alcohol by volume Shelf life : to be enjoyed within the year
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90 Minute IPA
ABV: 9.0
IBU: 90
Availability: Year Round
Original Release Date: 04/2001
Esquire Magazine calls our 90 Minute IPA "perhaps the best IPA in America." An imperial IPA best savored from a snifter, 90 Minute has a great malt backbone that stands up to the extreme hopping rate.
90 Minute IPA was the first beer we continuously hopped, allowing for a pungent -- but not crushing -- hop flavor.
Since introducing the world to the continuous-hopping method with our 90 Minute IPA, we've since released the continuously hopped 60 Minute IPA, 120 Minute IPA and even a 75 Minute IPA (a cask-conditioned blend of 60 and 90 Minute IPAs).
In addition to the continuous hopping, 90 Minute IPA is also dry hopped with our 'Me So Hoppy' device during conditioning (check it out in the video below).
Tasting Notes: Brandied fruitcake, raisiny, citrusy
Food Pairing Recommendations: Pork chops, beef, grilled fish, frites, focaccia, split pea soup, Stilton cheese & escargot
Glassware Recommendation: IPA glass
Wine Comparable: Sauvignon Blanc
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Introduction to WineIn Europe, the finest wines are known primarily by geographic appellation(although this is changing; witness the occasional French and Italian varietals).Elsewhere, however—as in America, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand—most wines are labeled by their varietal names; even, sometimes, by grapecombinations (CabernetShiraz, for example). To a large extent, this isbecause in the United States, the process of sorting out which grapes growbest in which appellations is ongoing, and Americans were first introduced to fine wine by varietal name. In Europe, with a longer history for matching grape types to soil and climate, the research is more conclusive: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, for instance, are the major grapes of Burgundy. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot are the red grapes of Bordeaux. Syrah dominates northern Rhône reds. Barolo and Barbaresco are both made of Nebbiolo, but the different appellations produce different styles of wine. In Tuscany, Sangiovese provides the backbone of Chianti. A different clone of Sangiovese is used for Brunello di Montalcino. As a result, Europeans are used to wines with regional names.
In time, the New World's appellation system may well evolve into one more like Europe's. Already California appellations such as Carneros and Santa Maria Valley are becoming synonymous with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Oregon's Willamette Valley is known for Pinot Noir and Australia's Hunter Valley for Shiraz; back in California, Rutherford, Oakville and the Stags Leap District are all associated with Cabernet-based red table wines. Wineries with vested financial interests in these appellations and the marketing clout to emphasize the distinctive features of the wines grown in these areas will determine how the appellation system evolves and whether specific wine styles emerge. The appellations themselves will also determine which grapes excel and deserve special recognition.
In order to appreciate wine, it's essential to understand the characteristics different grapes offer and how those characteristics should be expressed in wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel are all red grapes, but as wines their personalities are quite different. Even when grown in different appellations and vinified using different techniques, a varietal wine always displays certain qualities, which are inherent in the grape's personality. Muscat should always be spicy, Sauvignon Blanc a touch herbal. Zinfandel is zesty, with pepper and wild berry flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon is marked by plum, currant and black cherry flavors and firm tannins. Understanding what a grape should be as a wine is fundamental, and knowing what a grape can achieve at its greatest is the essence of fine wine appreciation.
ALBARIÑO (White) (al-baa-ree-nyo)
Albariño accounts for 90% of all plantings in the Rίas Baixas (ree-ahs-buy-shuss) region of Spain. This wine tends to be of high quality and unique flavor. Albariño has been compared to Riesling for its minerality and bracing acidity; to Viognier, because of its fleshiness and peach/apricot character; and to Pinot Gris for its floral bouquet. When grown in highly acidic, granitic earth, Albariño yields a more mineral-driven and structured wine. In sandy soil, however, the Albariño grape gives a softer, rounder wine.
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A small, green, thick-skinned variety, the grape resists fungal disease in the particularly damp climate of Rίas Baixas. Albariño is a low yielding variety and expensive to cultivate. It is also one of the few Spanish white grape varieties produced as a varietal wine on its own and designated on labels. Most often fermented in stainless steel for early drinking, Albariño is a versatile grape. It responds well to malolactic or barrel fermentation and maturation to create wines of wonderful complexity and aging ability.
While Rίas Baixas is the birthplace of Albariño, it is also extensively grown in the Vinho Verde region of Portugal and can be found to a lesser extent in both Australia and the United States of America.
BARBERA (Red) [barBEHRuh]
Most successful in Italy's Piedmont region, the Barbera grape makes such wines as Barbera d'Asti, Barbera di Monferato and Barbera di Alba. Its wines are characterized by a high level of acidity (meaning brightness and crispness), deep ruby color, and fullness of body. Exhibiting low tannin levels, its flavors are berrylike. Plantings have declined sharply in the United States. A few wineries still produce it as a varietal wine, but those numbers too are dwindling. Its main attribute as a blending wine is its ability to maintain a naturally high acidity even in hot climates. The wine has more potential than is currently realized and may stage a modest comeback as Italianstyle wines gain popularity.
BRUNELLO (Red) [brooNEHLoh]
This strain of Sangiovese is the only grape permitted for Brunello di Montalcino – the rare, costly Tuscan red that, at its best, is loaded with luscious black and red fruits and chewy tannins.
CABERNET FRANC (Red) [caberNAY FRANK]
Increasingly popular as both a standalone varietal and blending grape, Cabernet Franc is used primarily for blending in Bordeaux. It can, however, rise to great heights in quality, as seen in the grand wine ChevalBlanc. In France's Loire Valley it's also made into a lighter wine called Chinon. It is well established in Italy, particularly the northeast, where it is sometimes called Cabernet Frank or Bordo. California has grown it for more than 30 years, and Argentina, Long Island, Washington state and New Zealand are picking it up.
As a varietal wine, it usually benefits from small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and can be as intense and fullbodied as either of those wines. It often strays away from currant and berry notes into stalky green flavors that become more pronounced with age. Given its newness in the United States, Cabernet Franc may just need time to get more attention and rise in quality.
Much blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, it may be a Cabernet Sauvignon mutation adapted to cooler, damper conditions. Typically it’s a light to mediumbodied wine with more immediate fruit than Cabernet Sauvignon and some of the herbaceous odors evident in unripe Cabernet Sauvignon.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Red) [caberNAY SOvinyon]
The undisputed king of red wines, Cabernet is a remarkably steady and consistent performer throughout much of France. While it grows well in many appellations, in specific appellations it is capable of rendering wines of uncommon depth, richness, concentration and longevity. Bordeaux has
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used the grape since the 18th century, always blending it with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and sometimes a bit of Petite Verdot. The Bordeaux model is built around not only the desire to craft complex wines, but also the need to ensure that different grape varieties ripen at different intervals or to give a wine color, tannin or backbone.
Elsewhere in the world—and it is found almost everywhere in the world—Cabernet Sauvignon is as likely to be bottled on its own as in a blend. It mixes with Sangiovese in Tuscany, Syrah in Australia and Provence, and Merlot and Cabernet Franc in South Africa, but flies solo in some of Italy's superTuscans. In the United States, it's unlikely any region will surpass Napa Valley's high-quality Cabernets and Cabernet blends. Through most of the grape's history in California (which dates to the 1800s), the best Cabernets have been 100 percent Cabernet. Since the late 1970s, many vintners have turned to the Bordeaux model and blended smaller portions of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot into their Cabernets. The case for blending is still under review, but clearly there are successes. On the other hand, many U.S. producers are shifting back to higher percentages of Cabernet, having found that blending doesn't add complexity and that Cabernet on its own has a stronger character.
At its best, unblended Cabernet produces wines of great intensity and depth of flavor. Its classic flavors are currant, plum, black cherry and spice. It can also be marked by herb, olive, mint, tobacco, cedar and anise, and ripe, jammy notes. In warmer areas, it can be supple and elegant; in cooler areas, it can be marked by pronounced vegetal, bell pepper, oregano and tar flavors (a late ripener, it can't always be relied on in cool areas, which is why Germany, for example, has never succumbed to the lure). It can also be very tannic if that is a feature of the desired style. The best Cabernets start out dark purpleruby in color, with firm acidity, a full body, great intensity, concentrated flavors, and firm tannins.
Cabernet has an affinity for oak and usually spends 15 to 30 months in new or used French or American barrels, a process that, when properly executed imparts a woody, toasty cedar or vanilla flavor to the wine, while slowly oxidizing it and softening the tannins. Microclimates are a major factor in the weight and intensity of the Cabernets. Winemakers also influence the style, as they can extract high levels of tannin and heavily oak their wines.
CARIGNAN (Red) [karinYAN]
Carignan can also be known as Carignane (California) and Cirnano (Italy). Once a major blending grape for jug wines, Carignan's popularity has diminished. It still appears in some blends, and old vineyards are sought after for the intensity of their grapes. But the likelihood is that other grapes with even more intensity and flavor will replace it in the future.
CARMENERE (Red) [carmenYEHR]
Also known as Grande Vidure, this grape was once widely planted in Bordeaux, but is now associated primarily with Chile. Carmenere, along with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, was imported to Chile around 1850. According to Chilean vintners, Carmenere has been mislabeled for so long that many growers and the Chilean government now consider it Merlot.
CHARBONO (Red) [SHARbono]
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Found mainly in California (and possibly actually Dolcetto), this grape has dwindled in acreage. Its stature as a wine was supported mainly by InglenookNapa Valley, which bottled a Charbono on a regular basis. Occasionally it made for interesting drinking, and it aged well. More often it was lean and tannic, a better story than bottle of wine. A few wineries still produce it, but none with any success.
CHARDONNAY (White) [shardunNAY]
As Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of reds, so is Chardonnay the king of white wines, for it makes consistently excellent, rich and complex whites. This is an amazingly versatile grape that grows well in a variety of locations throughout the world. In Burgundy, it is used for the exquisite whites, such as Montrachet, Meursault and PouillyFuissè, and true Chablis; in Champagne it turns into Blanc de Blancs. Among the many other countries that have caught Chardonnay fever, Australia is especially strong.
Chardonnay was introduced to California in the 1930s but didn't become popular until the 1970s. Areas such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Monterey, Russian River, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria Valley, all closer to cooler maritime influences, are now producing wines far superior to those made a decade ago.
Though there is a Mâconnais village called Chardonnay, no one agrees on the grape's origin—it may even be Middle Eastern.
When well made, Chardonnay offers bold, ripe, rich and intense fruit flavors of apple, fig, melon, pear, peach, pineapple, lemon and grapefruit, along with spice, honey, butter, butterscotch, and hazelnut flavors. Winemakers build more complexity into this easytomanipulate wine using common vinification techniques: barrel fermentation, sur lie aging during which the wine is left on its natural sediment, and malolactic fermentation (a process which converts tart malic acid to softer lactic acid). No other white table wine benefits as much from oak aging or barrel fermentation. Chardonnay grapes have a fairly neutral flavor, and because they are usually crushed or pressed and not fermented with their skins the way red wines are, whatever flavors emerge from the grape are extracted almost instantly after crushing. Red wines that soak with their skins for days or weeks through fermentation extract their flavors quite differently.
Many American and Australian Chardonnays are very showy, well oaked and appealing on release. However, they also lack the richness, depth and concentration to age and have in fact evolved rather quickly, often losing their intensity and concentration within a year or two. Many vintners, having studied and recognized this, are now sharply reducing crop yields, holding tonnage down to 2 to 3 tons per acre in the belief that this will lead to greater concentration. The only downside to this strategy is that lower crop loads lead to significantly less wine to sell, and therefore higher prices as well.
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Chardonnay's popularity has also led to a huge market of ordinary wines, so there's a broad range of quality to choose from in this varietal. There are a substantial number of domestic Chardonnays, which can range from simple and offdry to more complex and sophisticated. The producer's name on the wine, and often its price, are indicators of the level of quality.
CHENIN BLANC (White) [SHEN'N BLAHNK]
This native of the Loire Valley has two personalities: at home it's the basis of such famous, long-lived whites as Vouvray and Anjou, Quarts de Chaume and Saumur, but on other soils it becomes just a very good blending grape. It is South Africa's mostplanted grape, though there it’s called Steen, and both there and in California it is currently used primarily as a blending grape for generic table wines. Chenin Blanc should perform better in California, and someday it may. It can yield a pleasant enough wine, with subtle melon, peach, spice and citrus notes. The great Loire whites vary from dry and fresh to sweet, depending on the vintage and the producer. In South Africa, Chenin Blanc is even used for fortified wines and spirits.
DOLCETTO (Red) [doleCHETto]
Almost exclusive to northwest Piedmont, Dolcetto produces soft, round, fruity wines fragrant with licorice and almonds that should be drunk within about three years. It's used as a safety net for producers of Nebbiolo and Barbera wines, which take much longer to age. There are seven DOCs: Acqui, Alba, Asti, Dinao d'Alba, Dogliani, Langhe Monregalesi and Ovada.
FUMÉ BLANC (White) [FOOmay BLAHNK] see Sauvignon Blanc
GAMAY (Red) [gaMAY]
Beaujolais makes its famous, fruity reds exclusively from one of the many Gamays available, the Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. Low in alcohol and relatively high in acidity, the wines are meant to be drunk soon after bottling; the ultimate example of this is Beaujolais Nouveau, whipped onto shelves everywhere almost overnight. It is also grown in the Loire, but makes no remarkable wines. The Swiss grow it widely, for blending with Pinot Noir; they often chaptalize the wines.
California, meanwhile, grows a variety called Gamay Beaujolais, a highyield clone of Pinot Noir that makes undistinguished wines in most places where it's grown. In the United States the grape is used primarily for blending, and acreage is declining, as those serious about Pinot Noir are using superior clones and planting in cooler areas.
GEWÜRZTRAMINER (White) [gehVERTStrahmeener]
Gewürztraminer can yield magnificent wines, as is best demonstrated in Alsace, France, where it is made in a variety of styles from dry to offdry to sweet. The grape needs a cool climate that allows it to get ripe. It's a temperamental grape to grow and vinify, as its potent spiciness can be overbearing when unchecked. At its best, it produces a floral and refreshing wine with crisp acidity that pairs well with spicy dishes. When left for late harvest, it's uncommonly rich and complex, a tremendous dessert wine.
It is also popular in eastern Europe, New Zealand and the Pacific Northwest.
GRENACHE (Red) [grehNAHSH]
Drought- and heatresistant, Grenache yields a fruity, spicy, mediumbodied wine with supple tannins. The second most widely planted grape
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in the world, Grenache is widespread in the southern Rhône. It is blended to produce ChâteauneufduPape (although there are some pure varietals) and used on its own for the rosés of Tavel and Lirac. It is also used in France's sweet Banyuls wine. Important in Spain, where it's known as Garnacha Tinta, it is especially noteworthy in Rioja and Priorato. Grenache used to be popular in Australia, but has now been surpassed by Syrah; a few Barossa Valley producers are making wines similar to ChâteauneufduPape. In California it's a workhorse blending grape, though occasionally an old vineyard is found and its grapes made into a varietal wine, which at its best can be good.
Also, Grenache Blanc, known in Spain as Garnacha Blanca, is bottled in the Southern Rhône. It's used for blending in France's Rousillon and the Languedoc, and in various Spanish whites, including Rioja.
GRÜNER VELTLINER (White) [GROOner VELTlinner]
The most widely planted grape in Austria, it can be found to a lesser extent in some other parts of eastern Europe. It achieves its qualitative pinnacle in the Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal regions along the Danube River west of Vienna. Grüner, as it's called for short, shows distinct white pepper, tobacco, lentil and citrus flavors and aromas, along with high acidity, making it an excellent partner for food. Grüner is singularly unique in its flavor profile, and though it rarely has the finesse and breeding of the best Austrian Rieslings (though it can come close when grown on granite soils), it is similar in body and texture.
MALBEC (Red) [MAHLbeck]
Once important in Bordeaux and the Loire in various blends, this notveryhardy grape has been steadily replaced by Merlot and the two Cabernets. However, Argentina is markedly successful with this varietal. In the United States Malbec is a blending grape only, and an insignificant one at that, but a few wineries use it, the most obvious reason being that it's considered part of the Bordeauxblend recipe.
MARSANNE (White) [mahrSANN]
Marsanne is popular in the Rhône (along with Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Viognier). Australia, especially in Victoria, has some of the world's oldest vineyards. At its best, Marsanne can be a fullbodied, moderately intense wine with spice, pear and citrus notes.
MERLOT (Red) [murLO]
Merlot is the red wine success of the 1990s: its popularity has soared along with its acreage, and it seems wine lovers can't drink enough of it. It dominates Bordeaux, except for the Médoc and Graves. Though it is mainly used for the Bordeaux blend, it can stand alone. In St.-Emilion and Pomerol, especially, it produces noteworthy wines, culminating in Château Pétrus. In Italy it's everywhere, though most of the Merlot is light, unremarkable stuff. But Ornellaia and Fattoria de Ama are strong exceptions to that rule. Despite its popularity, its quality ranges only from good to very good most of the time, though there are a few stellar producers found around the world.
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Several styles have emerged. One is a Cabernetstyle Merlot, which includes a high percentage (up to 25 percent) of Cabernet, similar currant and cherry flavors and firm tannins. A second style is less reliant on Cabernet, softer, suppler, mediumweight, less tannic and features more herb, cherry and chocolate flavors. A third style is a very light and simple wine; this type's sales are fueling Merlot's overall growth.
Like Cabernet, Merlot can benefit from some blending, as Cabernet can give it backbone, color and tannic strength. It also marries well with oak. Merlot is relatively new in California, dating to the early 1970s, and is a difficult grape to grow, as it sets and ripens unevenly. Many critics believe Washington state has a slight quality edge with this wine. As a wine, Merlot's aging potential is fair too good. It may be softer with age, but often the fruit flavors fade and the herbal flavors dominate.
There is also an unrelated Merlot Blanc.
MOURVÈDRE (Red) [moreVAYdruh]
As long as the weather is warm, Mourvèdre likes a wide variety of soils. It's popular across the south of France, especially in Provence and the CôtesduRhône, and is often used in Châteauneuf-duPape; Languedoc makes it as a varietal. Spain uses it in many areas, including Valencia. In the United States it's a minor factor now, pursued by a few wineries that specialize in Rhônestyle wines. The wine can be pleasing, with mediumweight, spicy cherry and berry flavors and moderate tannins. It ages well. Around the world, Mourvedre can also be called Monastrell and Mataró.
MUSCAT (White) [MUSSkat]
Known as Muscat, Muscat Blanc and Muscat Canelli, it is marked by strong spice and floral notes and can be used in blending, its primary function in California. Moscato in Italy, Moscatel in Iberia: This grape can turn into anything from the lowalcohol, sweet and frothy Asti Spumante and Muscat de Canelli to bonedry wines like Muscat d'Alsace. It also produces fortified wine such as Beaumes de Venise.
NEBBIOLO (Red) [NEHbeeohlow]
The great grape of Northern Italy, which excels there in Barolo and Barbaresco – both strong, ageable wines. Mainly unsuccessful elsewhere, Nebbiolo also now has a small foothold in California. So far the wines are light and uncomplicated, bearing no resemblance to the Italian types.
PETITE SIRAH (Red) [pehTEET sihRAH]
Known for its dark hue and firm tannins, Petite Sirah has often been used as a blending wine to provide color and structure, particularly to Zinfandel. On its own, Petite Sirah can also make intense, peppery, age-worthy wines, but few experts consider it as complex as Syrah itself.
There has been much confusion over the years about Petite Sirah's origins. For a long time, the grape was thought to be completely unrelated to Syrah, despite its name. Petite Sirah was believed to actually be Durif, a minor red grape variety first grown in southern France in the late 1800s. However, recent DNA research shows Petite Sirah and Syrah are related after all. A study done at the University of California at Davis determined not only that 90 percent of the Petite Sirah found in California is indeed Durif, but also that Durif is a cross between Peloursin and Syrah.
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Just to make things more confusing, in France, growers refer to different variants of Syrah as Petite and Grosse, which has to do with the yield of the vines.
PINOT BLANC (White) [PEEno BLAHNK]
Often referred to as a poor man's Chardonnay because of its similar flavor and texture profile, Pinot Blanc is used in Champagne, Burgundy, Alsace, Germany, Italy and California and can make a terrific wine. When well made, it is intense, concentrated and complex, with ripe pear, spice, citrus and honey notes. It can age, but it’s best early on while its fruit shines through.
PINOT GRIS or PINOT GRIGIO (White) [PEEno GREE or GREEzho]
Known as Pinot Grigio in Italy, where it is mainly found in the northeast, producing quite a lot of undistinguished dry white wine and Collio's excellent whites. As Pinot Gris, it used to be grown in Burgundy and the Loire, though it has been supplanted, but it comes into its own in Alsace—where it's known as Tokay. Southern Germany plants it as Ruländer. When good, this varietal is soft, gently perfumed and has more color than most whites.
PINOT NOIR (Red) [PEEno NWAH]
Pinot Noir, the great grape of Burgundy, is a touchy variety. The best examples offer the classic black cherry, spice, raspberry and currant flavors, and an aroma that can resemble wilted roses, along with earth, tar, herb and cola notes. It can also be rather
ordinary, light, simple, herbal, vegetal and occasionally weedy. It can even be downright funky, with pungent barnyard aromas. In fact, Pinot Noir is the most fickle of all grapes to grow: It reacts strongly to environmental changes such as heat and cold spells, and is notoriously fussy to work with once picked, since its thin skins are easily bruised and broken, setting the juice free. Even after fermentation, Pinot Noir can hide its weaknesses and strengths, making it a most difficult wine to evaluate out of barrel. In the bottle, too, it is often a chameleon, showing poorly one day, brilliantly the next.
Pinot Noir can certainly be tannic, especially when it is fermented with some of its stems, a practice that many vintners around the world believe contributes to the wine's backbone and longevity. Pinot Noir can also be long-lived, but predicting with any precision which wines or vintages will age is often the ultimate challenge in forecasting.
Pinot Noir is the classic grape of Burgundy and also of Champagne, where it is pressed immediately after picking in order to yield white juice. It is just about the only red grown in Alsace. In California and Oregon, it took off in the late 1980s and is has become a huge success. Once producers stopped vinifying it as if it were Cabernet, planted vineyards in cooler climates and paid closer attention to tonnage, quality increased substantially. It's fair to say that California and Oregon have a legitimate claim to producing world-class Pinot Noir.
RIESLING (White) [REESling]
One of the world's greatest white wine grapes, the Riesling vine's hardy wood makes it extremely resistant
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to frost. The variety excels in cooler climates, where its tendency to ripen slowly makes it an excellent source for sweet wines made from grapes attacked by the noble rot Botrytis cinerea, which withers the grapes' skin and concentrates their natural sugar levels.
Riesling is best known for producing the wines of Germany's MoselSaarRuwer, Pfalz, Rheinhessen and Rheingau wines, but it also achieves brilliance in Alsace and Austria. While the sweet German Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese wines, along with Alsace's famed Selection de Grains Nobles, are often celebrated for their high sugar levels and ability to age almost endlessly, they are rare and expensive.
More commonly, Riesling produces dry or just offdry versions. Its high acidity and distinctive floral, citrus, peach and mineral accents have won dry Riesling many fans. The variety pairs well with food and has an uncanny knack for transmitting the elements of its vineyard source (what the French call terroir).
The wines from Germany's Mosel region are perhaps the purest expression of the grape, offering lime, piecrust, apple, slate and honeysuckle characteristics on a lightbodied and racy frame. Germany's Rheinhessen, Rheingau and Pfalz regions produce wines of similar characteristics, but with increasing body and spice.
In Alsace, Riesling is most often made in a dry style, full-bodied and with a distinct petrol aroma. In Austria, Riesling plays second fiddle to Grüner Veltliner in terms of quantity, but, when grown on favored sites, it offers wines with great focus and clarity allied to the grape's typically racy frame.
In other regions, Riesling struggles to maintain its share of vineyard plantings, but it can be found (often under synonyms such as White Riesling, Rhine Riesling or Johannisberg Riesling) in California, Oregon, Washington, New York's Finger Lakes region, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America and Canada.
SANGIOVESE (Red) [sangeeoVEHSeh]
Sangiovese is best known for providing the backbone for many superb Italian red wines from Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino, as well as the so-called superTuscan blends. Sangiovese is distinctive for its supple texture and medium to full-bodied spice, raspberry, cherry and anise flavors. When blended with a grape such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese gives the resulting wine a smoother texture and lightens up the tannins.
One of Sangiovese’s more modern incarnations is in the so-called "Super Tuscans". These wines allow winemakers more freedom to blend indigenous Italian grapes (principally Sangiovese) with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah.
It is somewhat surprising that Sangiovese wasn't more popular in California given the strong role Italian immigrants have played in the state's winemaking heritage, but now the grape appears to have a bright future in the state, both as a standalone varietal wine and for use in blends with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and maybe even Zinfandel. Expect sweeping stylistic changes as winemakers learn more about how the grape performs in different locales as well as how it marries with different grapes.
SAUVIGNON BLANC (White) [SOvinyon BLAHNK]
Another white with a notable aroma, Sauvignon Blanc is often described as "grassy" or "musky." The pure varietal is found mainly in the Loire, at
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Sancerre and PouillyFumé. As part of a blend, the grape is all over Bordeaux, in PessacLéognan, Graves and the Médoc whites; it also shows up in Sauternes. New Zealand has had striking success with Sauvignon Blanc, producing its own perfumed, fruity style that spread across North America and then back to France.
In the United States, Robert Mondavi rescued the varietal in the 1970s by labeling it Fumé Blanc, and he and others have enjoyed success with it. The key to success seems to be in taming its overt varietal intensity, which at its extreme leads to pungent grassy, vegetal and herbaceous flavors. Many winemakers treat it like a sort of poor man's Chardonnay, employing barrel fermentation, sur lie aging and malolactic fermentation. Its popularity comes as well from the fact that it is a prodigious producer and a highly profitable wine to make. It can be crisp and refreshing, matches well with foods, costs less to produce and grow than Chardonnay and sells for less. It also gets less respect from vintners than perhaps it should. Its popularity ebbs and flows, at times appearing to challenge Chardonnay and at other times appearing to be a cash-flow afterthought. But even at its best, it does not achieve the kind of richness, depth or complexity Chardonnay does, and in the end that alone may be the defining difference.
Sauvignon Blanc grows well in a variety of appellations. It marries well with oak and Sémillon, and many vintners are adding a touch of Chardonnay for extra body. The wine drinks best in its youth, but sometimes will benefit from shortterm cellaring. As a lateharvest wine, it's often fantastic, capable of yielding amazingly complex and richly flavored wines.
SÉMILLON (White) [SEMihyon]
On its own or in a blend, this white can age. With Sauvignon Blanc, its traditional partner, this is the foundation of Sauternes and most of the great dry whites found in Graves and Pessac-Léognan; these are rich, honeyed wines. Sémillon is one of the grapes susceptible to Botrytis cinerea. Australia's Hunter Valley uses it by itself to make a fullbodied white that used to be known as Hunger Riesling, Chablis or White Burgundy. In South Africa it used to be so prevalent that it was just called "wine grape," but it has declined drastically in importance there.
In the United States, Sémillon enjoys modest success as a varietal wine in California and Washington, but it continues to lose ground in acreage in California. It can make a wonderful lateharvest wine, and those wineries that focus on it can make well-balanced wines with complex fig, pear, tobacco and honey notes. When blended into Sauvignon Blanc, it adds body, flavor and texture. When Sauvignon Blanc is added to Sémillon, the latter gains grassy herbal notes.
SYRAH or SHIRAZ (Red) [sihRAH or shihRAHZ]
Coming from Hermitage and CôteRôtie in France and Penfolds Grange in Australia—the epitome of Syrah is a majestic red that can age for half a century. The grape seems to grow well in a number of areas and is capable of rendering rich, complex and distinctive wines, with
pronounced pepper, spice, black cherry, tar, leather and roasted nut flavors, a smooth, supple texture and smooth tannins. In southern France it finds its way into various blends, as in ChâteauneufduPape and LanguedocRoussillon. Known as Shiraz in Australia, it was long used for bread-and-butter blends, but an increasing number of high-quality bottlings are being made, especially from old vines in the Barossa Valley.
In the United States, Syrah's rise in quality is most impressive. It appears to have the earlydrinking appeal of Pinot Noir and Zinfandel and few of the eccentricities
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of Merlot, and may well prove far easier to grow and vinify than any other red wines aside from Cabernet.
TEMPRANILLO (Red) [temprahNEEyo]
Spain's major contribution to red wine, Tempranillo is indigenous to the country and is rarely grown elsewhere. It is the dominant grape in the red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero, two of Spain's most important wine regions.
In Rioja, Tempranillo is often blended with Garnacha, Mazuelo and a few other minor grapes. When made in a traditional style, Tempranillo can be garnethued, with flavors of tea, brown sugar and vanilla. When made in a more modern style, it can display aromas and flavors of plums, tobacco and cassis, along with very dark color and substantial tannins. Whatever the style, Riojas tend to be mediumbodied wines, offering more acidity than tannin.
In Ribera del Duero, wines are also divided along traditional and modern styles, and show similarities to Rioja. The more modern styled Riberas, however, can be quite powerful, offering a density and tannic structure similar to that of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tempranillo is known variously throughout Spain as Cencibel, Tinto del Pais, Tinto Fino, Ull de Llebre and Ojo. It's also grown along the Douro River in Portugal under the monikers Tinta Roriz (used in the making of Port) and Tinta Aragonez.
TREBBIANO or UGNI BLANC (White) [trehbeeAHno or OOnee BLAHNK]
This is Trebbiano in Italy and Ugni Blanc in France. It is tremendously prolific; low in alcohol but high in acidity, it is found in almost any basic white Italian wine. It is so ingrained in Italian winemaking that it is actually a sanctioned ingredient of the blend used for (red) Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Most current Tuscan producers do not add it to their wines, however.
The French, who also often call this grape St.Émilion, used it for Cognac and Armagnac brandy; Ugni Blanc grapevines outnumbered Chardonnay by five to one in France during the 1980s.
VIOGNIER (White) [veeohNYAY]
Viognier, the rare white grape of France's Rhône Valley, is one of the most difficult grapes to grow, but fans of the floral, spicy white wine are thrilled by its prospects in the south of France and the new world. So far, most of the Viogners produced in the United States are rather one-dimensional, with an abundance of spiciness, but less complexity than they should have. Still, there are a few bright spots.
It is used in Condrieu's rare whites and sometimes blended with reds in the Northern Rhône. There are also a variety of bottlings available from southern France, most of them somewhat light.
ZINFANDEL (Red) [ZIHNfandell]
The origins of this tremendously versatile and popular
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grape are not known for certain, although it is thought to have come from Southern Italy as a cousin of Primitivo. It is the most widely planted red grape in California (though Australia has also played around with the grape). Much of it is vinified into white Zinfandel, a blushcolored, slightly sweet wine. Real Zinfandel, the red wine, is the quintessential California wine. It has been used for blending with other grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. It has been made in a claret style, with berry and cherry flavors, mild tannins and pretty oak shadings. It has been made into a full-bodied, ultra-ripe, intensely flavored and firmly tannic wine designed to age. And it has been made into late-harvest and Portstyle wines that feature very ripe, raisiny flavors, alcohol above 15 percent, and chewy tannins.
Zinfandel's popularity among consumers fluctuates. Styles aimed more for the mainstream and less for extremes emphasize the grape's zesty, spicy pepper, raspberry, cherry, wild berry and plum flavors, and its complex range of tar, earth and leather notes. Zinfandel lends itself to blending.
Zinfandel is a challenging grape to grow: its berry size varies significantly within a bunch, which leads to uneven ripening. Because of that, Zinfandel often needs to hang on the vine longer to ripen as many berries as possible. Closer attention to viticulture and an appreciation for older vines, which tend to produce smaller crops of uniformly higher quality, account for better-balanced wines.
—Excerpted from James Laube's book "California Wine," with some additions by James Molesworth
Knowing What You Sell:
List all the wines that we carry whose primary grape varietal is listed below.
Albariño:____________________________________________________________________
Chardonnay:_________________________________________________________________
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Pinot Grigio:__________________________________________________________________
Riesling:_____________________________________________________________________
Sauvignon Blanc:_____________________________________________________________
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Cabernet Sauvignon:__________________________________________________________
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Malbec:______________________________________________________________________
Merlot:______________________________________________________________________
Petite Sirah:__________________________________________________________________1058
Pinot Noir:___________________________________________________________________
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Sangiovese:__________________________________________________________________
Shiraz:_______________________________________________________________________
Zinfandel:____________________________________________________________________
NOTES:____________________________________________________________________
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Wine PresentationWine service is a step-by-step ritual that bartenders and servers need to perfect.
1. Once you have guided the guest through their selection of a bottle of our wine, you should return to the table set up for success: You have a folded linen napkin (serviette) draped over the wrist of your non-lead arm, the label of the bottle is positioned in your hand so it will be easily displayed to the guest, and your hinged wine key is accessible to your lead hand. Of course, you have already placed the necessary polished glassware in front and on the right of each guest that will be enjoying the wine.
2. Upon arriving back to your guests, you should present the bottle of wine to the left of the guest who ordered it, if possible. Hold the wine by the neck with the label facing the guest, resting the back of the bottle against the folded linen on your opposite wrist and in an inclined position.
3. Announce the vintage, name of the wine and grape varietal to the guest to insure that you have brought them the correct wine.
4. Once the guest confirms, open the bottle by cutting along the foil underneath the top cuff of the neck with the blade on your wine key. You’ll want to keep the label facing the guest throughout the entire process, so maneuver the blade around the neck without spinning the bottle.
5. Next, remove the cork and place it in front of the guest. Place it on something clean (a bread plate, a beverage napkin), not the table.
6. Holding the bottle so that the label faces the guest, pour approximately a one-ounce taste for the guest who ordered the bottle.
7. After allowing the guest to taste the wine and give you approval on the bottle, pour the wine for the rest of the guests at the table beginning with the ladies, followed by the gentlemen and ending with the person that ordered the wine.
8. Finish by setting down the bottle of wine in front of the person who ordered it with the label facing them.
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Introduction to Spirits
A distilled spirit, also called distilled liquor, is an alcoholic beverage (such as brandy, whisky, rum, or arrack) that is obtained by distillation from wine or other fermented fruit or plant juice, or from a starchy material (such as various grains) that has first been brewed. The alcoholic content of distilled liquor is higher than that of beer or wine.The production of distilled spirits is based upon fermentation, the natural process of decomposition of organic materials containing carbohydrates. It occurs in nature whenever the two necessary ingredients, carbohydrate and yeast, are available. Yeast is a vegetative microorganism that lives and multiplies in media containing carbohydrates—particularly simple sugars. It has been found throughout the world, including frozen areas and deserts.
Distilled spirits are all alcoholic beverages in which the concentration of ethyl alcohol has been increased above that of the original fermented mixture by a method called distillation. The principle of alcoholic distillation is based upon the different boiling points of alcohol (78.5 °C, or 173.3 °F) and water (100 °C, or 212 °F). If a liquid containing ethyl alcohol is heated to a temperature above 78.5 °C but below 100 °C and the vapor coming off the liquid is condensed, The condensate will have a higher alcohol concentration, or strength.
Bourbon & American Whiskey Bourbon & American Whiskey's roots go back to the late 1700s, when westbound British, Irish and Scottish settlers started making whiskey in Kentucky.
In 1964, the US Congress established federal regulations for producing the spirit. All American whiskeys are distilled from a fermented mash (mixture) of cereal grain and water without any coloring or flavoring additives. Unlike Scotch or cognac, American whiskey must by law be aged in new, charred oak barrels and no more than 160-proof (80% alcohol by volume). In order to be classified as "straight" whiskey, it must be aged for at least two years and unblended. American whiskey's entail: rye, rye malt, malt, wheat, bourbon, corn, and Tennessee whiskey, which is a special classification of Bourbon.
Bourbon must be made from a mash that is at least 51% corn. The rest of the mash is made up of rye, wheat and/or malted barley. While most bourbon today is still made in Kentucky, it can legally be made anywhere in the United States. The spirit’s beautiful amber color comes from the wood that it's aged in for at least two years while the alcohol by volume climbs to a minimum of 40% (80-proof) before bottling.
Over the last ten years, bourbon has seen a rapid rise in popularity around the world. Demand has grown so much that distillers are having trouble keeping up. What’s driving sales are premium, small-batch bourbons, including Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek, Russell’s Reserve and Michter’s. Whether you’re in Louisville, New York or even Melbourne, Australia, you won’t have to look hard to find a bottle of
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good bourbon.
Here’s a shot of spelling with your glass of bourbon: Whisky from Scotland, Canada and Japan is spelled without an “e.” Whiskey from Ireland and the United States is usually spelled with an “e.”
HOW TO DRINK BOURBON & AMERICAN WHISKEY:
Purists drink bourbon straight, but it’s often served in a rocks glass with a few ice cubes and a splash of water, in what industry legend and Jim Beam’s grandson Booker Noe called “Kentucky iced tea.” Like most whiskies, bourbon works well with club soda and ginger ale. The spirit is also the base for many classic American cocktails, including the Mint Julep, Old Fashioned, Presbyterian, Horse’s Neck, Ward Eight and BrownDerby.
Brandy Brandy (from brandywine, derived from Dutch brandewijn, "gebrande wijn" "burned wine") is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70– 120 US proof) and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks, some are colored with caramel coloring to imitate the effect of aging, and some brandies are produced using a combination of both aging and coloring. In a broader sense, the term "brandy" also denotes liquors obtained from distillation of pomace (pomace brandy) or mash or wine of any other fruit (fruit brandy). These products are also named eaux-de-vie.
Varieties of wine brandy can be found across the winemaking world. Among the most renowned are Cognac and Armagnac from Southwestern France.
CachaçaCachaça is just beginning to make its mark worldwide. However, this New World spirit is hardly new. In 1532, the Portuguese moved sugar production to Brazil and distillation of the plant into cachaça began shortly thereafter. Today, cachaça is the most popular spirit in Brazil with thousands of brands in existence that range from the cheap and plentiful to the rare bottlings that cost hundreds of dollars. Just like whiskey and beer, many cachaça brands are part of a craft movement that is gaining momentum. Only few brands were exported historically, but even small- production, artisanal cachaça can be found on the world’s shelves today.
Cachaça is made from cane juice pressed straight out of raw sugarcane stalks. The fresh juice is fermented and then distilled into the beloved Brazilian beverage. Some rums, usually labeled as Rhum Agricole, are made in the same way, earning cachaça the name “Brazilian rum” in certain places. The major difference between cachaça and common rum is in the juice: most rum is distilled from sugarcane juice that has been processed into molasses, which has a higher sugar content. This makes cachaça have a more grassy, herbaceous flavor than its relative.
Cachaça will be colored white if un-aged and golden if aged. Whether aged for three or fifteen years, the darker color usually implies premium quality, but flavor and color varies widely depending on the type of wood used and the time spent barrel aging.
HOW TO DRINK CACHAÇA:
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White-colored cachaça is usually used as a mixer or in cachaça-based cocktails, the most famous of which is the Caipirinha. Golden or dark cachaça is best enjoyed straight.
Canadian Whisky Our neighbors to the north boast a long history of distilling, which was started by Scottish immigrants. The big break for Canadian brands was America’s Civil War, which, of course, hampered production of bourbon and rye in the US and created a huge demand for Canadian whiskey in the States.
Contrary to popular belief, Prohibition wasn’t a huge boon for Canadian distillers, according to Don Livermore, master blender at Ontario’s Corby Distilleries. Even though the dry period made many bootleggers rich, it was a tough period for Canada’s legitimate distillers—so tough that liquor salesman Harry Hatch was able to buy four of the country’s five biggest distilleries for bargain-basement prices.
For years, if you asked for rye whiskey in a bar or a liquor store, you most likely would be given a glass of Canadian whisky. While Canadian distillers do use rye, they also use a number of other grains. Canadian whisky is usually not straight rye whiskey. (However, over the last few years, Canadians have been increasingly bottling straight rye to satisfy America’s thirst.) Unlike the complex rules for making
bourbon or Scotch, there is just one law for Canadian whisky distillers to follow: Their whisky must be fermented, distilled and aged in Canada.
Canadians also ferment, distill and age each grain separately. Only at the very end are the different whiskies combined. (For bourbon, the different grains are fermented, distilled and aged together.)
Here’s a shot of spelling with your glass of Irish whiskey. Whisky from Scotland, Canada and Japan is spelled without an “e.” Whiskey from Ireland and the United States is usually spelled with an “e.”
HOW TO DRINK CANADIAN WHISKEY:
Canadian whisky can be enjoyed straight, neat or on the rocks. Club soda and ginger ale are also common mixers, and it can stand in for other types of whiskey in cocktails.
Cognac Sip a glass of cognac and you’ll understand why the French say it’s made from l’eau de vie (the water of life). The velvety spirit is the most famous variety of brandy and is named for the area in France where it must be produced.
The area around the town of Cognac, France, is divided into six grape-growing regions. The most expensive fruit comes from Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne and Borderies. Once picked, the grapes are fermented and then distilled twice in copper pot stills, which produce a colorless alcohol called eau-de-vie. The spirit is then aged in oak barrels. Most cognacs are a blend of different eaux-de-vie of varying ages and qualities.
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Cognacs are classified into a few general categories: VS, or very special, must be aged at least two years; VSOP, or very superior old pale, must be aged at least four years; and XO, or extra-old, must be aged at least six years.
HOW TO DRINK COGNAC:
Sip aged cognacs neat, with perhaps a drop or two of water. Younger cognacs are perfect for mixing and are the base of many classic cocktails, including the Sidecar, the Between the Sheets and even the original Mint Julep. The spirit may also be simply added to a flute of Champagne or a glass of ginger ale, or enjoyed with a splash of soda water.
Gin Gin has been the drink of choice for statesmen, soldiers, WASPs and even the working class. It has a colorful and dramatic history, which rivals that of any other alcohol. And that’s not to mention the fact that the spirit is once again in vogue and a favorite of mixologists around the world.
While the origins of the clear liquor are somewhat debatable, several hundred years ago, someone, most likely in Holland or Belgium, began to infuse alcohol with juniper berries and a variety of other botanicals. (This spirit was arguably the first flavored vodka.) Gin is still made this way today, and each brand has its own recipe and techniques for infusion. While all gin has some juniper flavor, the other botanicals can include a wide array of herbs, vegetables, flowers, fruits, spices and even tea.
While gin is now a good seller, it was wildly popular in England in the 18th century. By 1720, an estimated 25 percent of all London households produced or sold gin. Fast-forward to the dark days of Prohibition, and gin was once again highly sought-after. The spirit could be made easily and quickly, even in a bathtub. The botanicals also helped to make rough alcohol somewhat more palatable.
Much of the gin sold today, including Beefeater, is the so-called “London dry” style. But there are actually several other varieties, including Plymouth and old Tom, as well as the malty Dutch gin cousin genever, which has just recently been reintroduced to the American market.
HOW TO DRINK GIN:
It’s hard to imagine the world of mixology without gin. The spirit is essential for numerous classics. While there are just too many gin drinks to list here, we did have to include at least one reference to the Martini and the Gin & Tonic. Gin’s complex flavor also works very well with citrus and, of course, with both dry and sweet vermouths.
Irish Whiskey Derived from a Gaelic term meaning “water of life,” Irish whiskey is one of the oldest distilled beverages in the world. (Irish monks may have actually taught the Scots the art of
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distillation.) It’s also one of the most popular spirits on Earth. Over the last couple years, Irish distillers have had trouble keeping up with rapidly increasing demand.
A key reason for these robust sales is Irish whiskey’s signature smoothness and sweetness, which makes it incredibly easy to drink. This unique flavor profile is due to two major factors: The whiskey is usually distilled three times, and the barley is rarely dried over burning peat. (Most Scotch is distilled twice and the malt is often peated, giving a smoky flavor.)
While Scotland is home to almost a hundred distilleries, Ireland has only a handful. But they produce a number of different brands and types of whiskey.
Here’s a shot of spelling with your glass of Irish whiskey. Whisky from Scotland, Canada and Japan is spelled without an “e.” Whiskey from Ireland and the United States is usually spelled with an “e.”
HOW TO DRINK IRISH WHISKEY:
Irish whiskey can be drunk straight, neat or on the rocks. Club soda and ginger ale are also common mixers. Irish whiskey can also be added to coffee, as in the classic sweet-and-creamy Irish Coffee.
Liqueur The most varied and versatile category of spirits is arguably liqueurs, which includes everything from Baileys Irish Cream and Cointreau to Campari and Jägermeister.
In the U.S., the term “liqueur” is synonymous with cordials and is derived from the Latin liquefacere, meaning to liquefy. It refers to the early Middle Ages monastic practice of extracting the essence of botanicals, which were added to
base spirits and believed to have medicinal properties.
Even though these concoctions all taste completely different, their basic recipe is fairly similar: alcohol and sugar (according to US law, a liqueur must contain at least 2.5 percent sugar by weight), plus spices, herbs, flowers, fruit, nuts, cream, or other flavorings. Many brands boast long histories, and a number of recipes are still secret.
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Though some liqueurs are sipped neat or on the rocks (or poured as shots), they’re more commonly mixed with other types of spirits in cocktails.
Mezcal There are few spirits as misunderstood as mezcal. For one, you should never buy a bottle of the liquor if it contains a worm— those mezcals are for tourists and contain cheap alcohol. But fortunately, there’s now a growing selection of fine mezcals available in America from a range of producers.
Mezcal, like its cousin tequila, is made from agave, which, contrary to popular belief, is not a cactus but is actually part of the asparagales botanical order, making it a relative of the yucca plant and Joshua tree. While tequila can only be made in the Tequila region and from just blue Weber agave, mezcal is usually produced in Oaxaca (it can legally come from anywhere in Mexico) and can be made from many types of agave, some of which only grow wild. Historically, producers used whatever agave they found locally.
The other big difference between the two types of Mexican liquor is that mezcal distillers traditionally slow roast the agave by burying it in pits with hot rocks, which infuses the final product with its signature smokiness. (Tequila’s agave is generally baked in stone ovens or autoclaves.)
HOW TO DRINK MEZCAL:
Many of the truly artisanal small-batch mezcals should be sipped neat like an aged tequila or Islay Scotch. You can also use the spirit in a range of complex cocktails.
Pisco Pisco is a brandy that is the national spirit of both Peru and Chile, and fierce debate over who has appellation of origin rights continues to this day. Although Peru claims pisco must come from Peru to be labeled as pisco, the world’s largest importers allow the Chilean version to be called pisco as well.
At least one thing is certain: pisco originated in the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru, which contained Peru, Chile, and much of South America at the time. In the 1500s, the Spanish planted grapevines in both Peru and Chile, creating a nascent wine industry. Many of the grapes were fermented into wine and then distilled into the type of brandy now called pisco. The word translates into “bird," “river”, "valley" and “clay pot”, but when translated to mean “liquor”, it likely derived from the port town of Pisco, Peru, that once exported viticultural products.
Pisco is most often made from muscat grapes distilled in copper pot stills, but a limited number of other grape varieties and production methods can be used. Depending on the ingredients and distillation method, the color will vary from clear to amber. Usually, pisco is bottled at distillation strength and then classified into four categories. Pisco Puro (pure pisco) is made from a single variety of nonaromatic grape. Pisco Aromático (aromatic pisco) is made from a single variety of aromatic grape such as Muscat. Pisco Mosto Verde (green must pisco) is made from partially fermented grapes. Lastly, Pisco Acholado (multivarietal pisco) is blended from multiple grape varieties.
HOW TO DRINK PISCO:
Use Pisco puro or acholado if you want to make a Pisco Sour. Pisco can also be enjoyed neat, with a slice of citrus fruit, or blended with soda or another mixer.
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Rum Rum lovers around the world owe a great debt to a simple plant: sugar cane. Hundreds of years ago, there was a sugar craze in Europe, and colonies were established around the Caribbean to make the sweet commodity. But the production of sugar creates a lot of byproduct—namely, molasses. There wasn’t much use for the thick, sticky, sweet substance until it was discovered that molasses could be fermented and then distilled. The alcohol quickly became popular with pirates, sailors and America’s founders.
Rum also became a key element in the infamous “slavery triangle.” The Brits shipped molasses to New England, where it was transformed into rum, proceeds from the sales of which purchased slaves in West Africa, who were subsequently taken to the sugar cane plantations in the Caribbean and South America.
While the rules for rum production vary greatly from country to country, there are two main types: light and dark. The color of the spirit is primarily determined by the amount of time it has spent aging in oak barrels. The longer it’s been aged, the more color and flavor it picks up from the wood. Some experts say that the Caribbean’s high heat and humidity help speed up the alcohol’s maturation. No matter the color, most rum is still made from molasses, but some brands do use fresh sugar cane juice.
HOW TO DRINK RUM:
While rum can be sipped neat or on the rocks, many famous cocktails use the spirit as a base, including the Mojito, the Piña Colada, the Dark ‘n Stormy, the Daiquiri and the Mai Tai, not to mention the simple Rum and Coke.
Rye Whiskey Bourbon and Scotch may be best-sellers, but the drink of choice for many whiskey connoisseurs is increasingly often a glass of rye.
Up until recently, this historic American spirit was fading into obscurity. Liquor stores and bars usually stocked just a few old, dusty bottles. But there has been a miraculous rebirth of the rye category, and drinkers now prize its big, spicy and brash flavors. Distillers are now struggling to keep up with demand.
Rye has a lot in common with that other American whiskey, bourbon, and the two spirits are usually produced in the same Kentucky distilleries using similar methods. Both are typically made from corn and rye, but the ratio of ingredients is very different. Rye whiskey is made from at least 51%—you guessed it —rye, while bourbon is made from at least 51% corn. The higher percentage of corn makes bourbon sweeter and smoother. (You can easily taste the difference if you make one Manhattan with bourbon and another with rye.) Both spirits are also aged in new, charred, American-oak barrels.
To make things more complicated, Canadian whisky is sometimes also called rye. The distillers to our north use the same grains, but the finished product is usually a smooth blend instead of a
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straight whiskey.
Here’s a shot of spelling with your glass of rye. Whisky from Scotland, Canada and Japan is spelled without an “e.” Whiskey from Ireland and the United States is usually spelled with an “e.”
HOW TO DRINK RYE WHISKEY:
You can’t make a proper Old Fashioned, Sazerac or Manhattan without rye. The spirit also can be paired with club soda or ginger ale, or drunk straight, neat or on the rocks.
Scotch Sorry, Sean Connery: Scotland’s greatest export will always be whisky. The country’s residents have been distilling for hundreds of years, and the alcohol is some of the most highly sought-after in the world.
It’s also one of the most highly regulated spirits in the world. There are just less than 100 distilleries operating in Scotland, and they all must abide by the Scotch Whisky Association’s rules. The alcohol has to be made entirely in Scotland and aged there in oak casks for at least three years and one day.
Most of the casks are used bourbon barrels made of American oak. Some distilleries also age whisky in old sherry, wine and even rum casks. The final product has to be a minimum of 80 proof. After malting, the barley used for many Scotches, especially those made on the island of Islay, is dried using smoke from burning peat. This gives the finished whisky a pronounced smoky flavor.
There are two major categories of Scotch: single malts and blends. What’s the difference? Single malts, like The Glenlivet or The Macallan, are made from 100 percent
malted barley and are the product of just one distillery. A blended Scotch, like Johnnie Walker or Chivas Regal, is a combination of single malts from many different distilleries and aged grain whisky. (This smooth whisky is produced in a column still and can be made from any kind of grain, rather than just malted barley.)
Not that long ago, the only Scotches you could buy in the US were blends. That began to change in the late 1970s, when Americans started to buy less whisky and more vodka. As a result, the blenders also began buying less whisky. In an attempt to spur sales, the distillers began bottling their single malts and marketing them directly to drinkers. Single malts have become so popular that many distilleries are now running around the clock and have stopped selling to blenders altogether.
Here’s a shot of spelling with your glass of Scotch. Whisky from Scotland, Canada and Japan is spelled without an “e.” Whiskey from Ireland and the United States is usually spelled with an “e.”
HOW TO DRINK SCOTCH:
To appreciate Scotch in all its peaty glory, it should be sipped straight, but don’t be afraid to add a bit of bottled water. That may sound like sacrilege, but it helps to open up the whisky’s flavors and aromas, and it’s actually how most experts and master distillers prefer to taste the spirit. For
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younger or more full- flavored whiskies, feel free to add ice or club soda. Scotch also goes well with ginger ale or in cocktails like the Rob Roy, Blood and Sand and Rusty Nail.
Tequila Contrary to popular belief, tequila is not cactus juice. The spirit is distilled from blue Weber agave. (And for the record, it should never come with a worm in the bottle.)
Just like Champagne or cognac, tequila can only be made in a specific region: the Mexican state of Jalisco and some surrounding areas. The area’s volcanic soil is perfect for growing agave. The forbidding plant, which has sharp thorns and long, thick leaves, takes between eight and 12 years to reach maturity before it can be harvested.
The heart of the plant, which can weigh well over 100 pounds, is peeled, roasted and crushed, and its sweet juice is then fermented and distilled. (While premium tequila is made from pure agave, cheaper tequila called mixto is distilled from both agave and other sugars.) Tequila is usually distilled twice.
There are four main tequila categories: Blanco (also called silver, plata or platinum) is aged for less than two months and is clear; reposado is aged between two and 12 months and is golden- colored; añejo is aged between one and three years and is a whisky-like brown; and extra-añejo, a new category introduced by the Tequila Regulatory Council in 2006, is aged more than three years. Tequila, like most Scotches, is typically aged in used bourbon casks.
HOW TO DRINK TEQUILA:
Blanco tequila is perfect for shots and works nicely in cocktails like the Margarita, the Paloma and the Bloody Maria. Reposado, añejo and extra-añejo tequilas can be sipped like whiskies or can be used to create a decadent cocktail.
Vermouth & Apéritif Wines The world would be a lot less interesting without vermouth. You wouldn’t be able to make a Dry Martini, a Manhattan or countless other classic and modern cocktails.
So what exactly is vermouth, anyway? It’s a fortified wine—wine spiked with distilled alcohol to raise the proof—that’s flavored with herbs and spices, often including wormwood. (The name comes from Wermut, the German word for wormwood.) While every brand has its own special recipe, there are two main varieties of vermouth: sweet, which is reddish-brown in color, sweetened with sugar and sometimes called Italian vermouth; and dry, which is straw-colored, typically more bitter and sometimes called French vermouth. Interestingly, nearly all vermouth actually starts as white wine: The color of sweet vermouth comes from the botanicals used, plus caramelized sugar. Both versions, according to legendary mixologist and Liquor.com advisory board member Dale DeGroff, became widely available by the end of the 19th century.
Vermouth is, by far, the most prevalent apéritif wine in the world, but many other wines are used as apéritifs depending on the location and cuisine being served. Apéritifs are served at the
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beginning of a meal, like a beverage appetizer. The word evolved from the Latin verb aperture, meaning "to open." Usually dry, bittersweet, and herbal fortified wines or liqueurs are used as apéritifs, but dry wines, sherry, and even cocktails qualify.
Thanks to the resurgence of cocktails, we’ve seen the selection of vermouth explode in liquor stores and at bars. Most brands are still made in France and Italy, but several American upstarts have gotten into the vermouth game in recent years. Do a taste test to find the ones that you like best. No matter what type or brand you buy, we suggest getting a small bottle and refrigerating it. If your vermouth or apéritif wine has been open for more than three months, you should replace it.
HOW TO DRINK VERMOUTH & APERITIF WINES:
While vermouth & other fortified wines can be sipped on the rocks as a light apéritif, it also works in a wide range ofcocktails.
Vodka Vodka is a chameleon and blends seamlessly with just about anything. This is no accident: While there are no universal rules for producing the spirit, the final product is supposed to be colorless, odorless and tasteless. With that said, vodka isn’t completely neutral, and a number of distillers actually leave in a good amount of flavor. (The best way to taste these subtle differences is to drink vodka neat at room temperature.)
Traditionally, vodka was made from potatoes, corn or grains, but it is now made from a range of exotic bases including grapes, maple syrup and even soybeans. Unlike Scotches and cognacs, which are made in pot stills, vodka is usually produced in a high- volume, continuous column still. After distillation, the spirit is filtered to remove any remaining impurities. Coal is a traditional filter, but brands today use a range of materials, even including diamonds. Vodka isn’t aged and can be bottled and sold immediately after production. What’s also helping to drive sales in America is the wide range of flavored vodkas now on the market.
While the spirit may be clear, its history isn’t. No one is sure where it was first made. Each vodka-producing country, of course, claims to be the inventor. What we do know is that people began drinking vodka in America as early as the beginning of the 20th century. Sales of the spirit were low until after World War II, when Americans began to shift away from Scotch and bourbon. This movement was helped by Smirnoff’s aggressive marketing in the ‘50s and ‘60s and later by the introduction of the Swedish Absolut and the super-premium Grey Goose. Today, vodka is the most popular spirit in America and outsells rum, tequila and gin combined.
HOW TO DRINK VODKA:
Vodka can be drunk straight when chilled, but it also works well in an array of famous cocktails such as the Martini, Vesper, Screwdriver, Bloody Mary and Greyhound.
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Glossary of TermsAppellation – In the European Union, a legally defined and listed on a wine label that indicates the origin of the wine, sometimes called appellation of origin.
Balance – A standard that wine experts use to judge wine quality; the relationship of four components (acidity, sweetness, tannin, and alcohol) to each other.
Body – A wine descriptor that explains how heavy a wine feels in your mouth (often related to the alcohol content). Wines are often described as light-bodied, medium-bodied, or full bodied.
Bouquet – A wine descriptor that refers to how a (typically well-aged) wine smells.
Chaptalize – To add sugar to grape juice during the fermentation process of wine, usually to increase alcohol content.
Depth – A standard that wine experts use to judge wine quality; indicates a wine that gives the impression of having many layers (rather than being “flat” tasting).
Dry – A wine descriptor that refers to a wine that is not sweet. Wines can be classified as dry, off-dry (or semi-sweet), or sweet.
Malolactic fermentation – (also known as malolactic conversion or MLF) is a process in winemaking in which tart-tasting malic acid, naturally present in grape must, is converted to softer-tasting lactic acid. Malolactic fermentation often occurs shortly after the end of the primary fermentation,
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but can sometimes run concurrently with it. The fermentation reaction is undertaken by lactic acid bacteria (LAB).
Sur lie – It literally translates from French as 'on lees'. 'Sur lie' wines are bottled directly from the lees (dead or residual yeast) without racking (a process for filtering the wine). In the case of great Chardonnay, such as Montrachet, this adds a toasty, nutty "hazelnut" quality and additional depth and complexity, especially on the finish. Chemically this can alter the oak flavour molecules increasing the integration, and making the oak seem less obtrusive to the palate. This is desirable because oak tannins are a polyphenolic acid, and can be harsh.
Sediment – Refers to solids (tannin and other matter) that develop in some red wines over time.
Tannic – A wine descriptor that refers to a firm, red wine that leaves a dry feel in the palate.
Tannin – A substance in grape skins that contributes to how a red wine tastes.
Terrior – is a French word that refers to the combination of immutable factors – such as topsoil, subsoil, climate (sun, rain, wind, and so on), the slope of the hill, and altitude – that a particular vineyard site has. Chances are that no two vineyards in the entire world have precisely the same combination of these factors. So, terrior is the unique combination of natural factors that a particular vineyard site has.
Typicity – A standard that wine experts use to judge wine quality; refers to whether a particular wine is true to its type (for the specific grape variety).
Varietal – A wine that is named after the principal (or sole) grape variety used to produce the wine.
Vintage – The year in which the grapes for a specific wine were grown and harvested.
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