ABV
Stands for “alcohol by volume” and shows the total percentage
within the drink that is accounted for by pure ethyl alcohol. All
alcoholic products must, by law, give this information.
Aging
The storage of the distilled alcohol in wooded casks, most
often oak. Over months or years, the wood reacts with the alcohol, imparting to it a distinctive color,
aroma, and flavor.
Alcohol content
Refers to the amount of alcohol present in wine.
It is usually expressed as a numerical percentage of the volume or can also be
written as proof (for spirits).
Appelation
Refers to the name or official geographic origin of wine. It is part of the system of
classification of wines.
Appelation Contrôlée
Is a phrase on French wine label which means that the wine comes from the controlled area named and meets its
strict legal standards.
Appearance
Refers to the visual properties including size, shape, color, texture, gloss,
transparency, cloudiness, and so on.
Aperitif
Drink that are served before meals.
An alcoholic drink taken before a meal as an appetizer.
Aroma
Refers to smell of fragrance of a young wine.
The odor of a wine imported by grapes from which it is made.
Balance
Is the combination and relationship of physical components (fruit, acid, tannin, alcohol, etc.) and to a lesser extent the
intangible element such as breed, character and finesse.
Bar Back
An assistant or apprentice bartender, who does the
bartender’s scut work, including tapping beer kegs, running ice,
replacing glassware, preparing and stocking garnishes, restocking
shelves and so on.
Blind tasting
Is a system of evaluating alcoholic beverages without the knowledge of the
producer, country of origin, and other pertinent information.
Bottom fermentation
Is a process that refers to beers produced by the use of a type of yeast (lager
yeast), which generally converts sugar to alcohol and carbon dioxide at lower temperatures at the tank’s bottom.
Bouquet
Refers to the smell of fragrance of a mature wine.
Complex and interesting odor of a mature wine.
Caffeine
Is a crystalline, bitter-tasting, but odorless alkaloid present in coffee, tea, and soft
drinks; a stimulant.
Call brand
Brand of liquor specified by customer ordering drink.
Brands frequently called for by name.
Chaser Refers to the mixer served either with the spirit or on the side of the spirit in
a separate glass, bottle or carafe.
A mild drink (as beer) taken after a hard liquor.
Cocktail Cocktail is a well-iced mixed drink
made up of base liquor, a modifying ingredient as a modifier, and a
special flavoring or coloring agents. It is usually an apperitiff taken at leisure before a meal to wet the appetite; it is
also reputedly aids digestion.
Coffee
Is a dark brown aromatic drink made by brewing in water the roasted and ground
bean-like seeds of a tall tropical evergreen shrub (Coffea) of the Madder
family.
Cold method
Is the method used to produce liqueurs when the flavoring ingredients are sensitive to heat. Examples of this
method are infusion, maceration, and percolation.
Congeners
Acids, aldehydes, esters, ketones, phenols, and tannins that are byproducts
of fermentation, distillation, and aging. These “impurities” may contribute to the character and flavor of the spirit, but they cause undesirable effects in some people,
notably increasing the intensity of hangover.
Continuous still / Column still / Patent still
Also called Coffey still, after the inventor, Aenas Coffey. A type of
still for whiskey distillation that allows for continuous high-volume production, as opposed to the pot still, which must be emptied and “recharged” one batch at a time.
Decant (dee kant)
To pour wine from a bottle to another bottle or carafe in such a way that the sediment remains in
the bottle.
Dégorgement
Refers to the removal of dead yeast from second fermentation in bottle; also
disgorgement.
Double / Single
This refers to the number of jigger or shots of drinks / spirit poured
and served into the serving glass.
Dry wines
Unsweetened tastes or absence of sugar. Almost all of the sugar has been
converted into alcohol during fermentation causing the wine to lack
sweetness.
FinishRefers to the sensation left in the mouth
after tasting the wine.
A finish can be short or long, depending on the quality and age of wine. A very long
finish or “persistence” can be an indication that a wine has aged well.
Flambé
As a verb, flambé means to drench with liquor and ignite.
The word may also be used as a noun, synonymously with flaming
drink.
Flavor
Refers to a complex group of sensations comprising olfactory, taste, and other chemical sensations such as irritation
and chemical heat.
Fortification
Is the addition of distilled spirits to a wine either to stop fermentation and leave some residual sugars or to give some better keeping properties or to make
wine stronger.
Free-pour
To pour liquor for a drink without using a measure, estimating amounts by counting or other
method.
Garbage
A bit of fruit or vegetable added to a drink primarily for the sake of
appearance. It does not significantly enhance the flavor of
the drink.
Generic
Are liqueurs without a protected name, recipe or bottle shape. They are produced cheaply and are priced
competitively.
Head
Refers to the thick, rich, creamy collar of gas bubbles that clings to the top of a
glass of beer; also foam.
Hot method
Is the method used to produce liqueurs by extracting flavors from ingredients such
as seeds and flowers by heat. An example of this method is distillation.
Jockey box
Underbar cocktail-station unit, typically containing ice bin, speed rail, bottle wells, and cold plate for
a postmix system.
Liqueurs
Are alcoholic beverages made by mixing or redistilling various spirits with certain
flavoring materials.
Methode Champenoise
Means a traditional method of making sparkling wine, particularly Champagne, wherein fermented wine is bottled with
yeast cells and sugar to induce a secondary fermentation. When
fermentation is complete, the wine is aged, and the yeast sediment is
removed.
Muddle To mash and stir;
One muddles such things as mint leaves and other solids in order to make a suspension or a paste with fluid. A special pestle-like wooden
muddler can be used, but spoon will do.
Mull
To heat and spice a drink. Traditionally, the heating was
done by inserting a hot poker into the drink; today, mulled drinks are
usually heated on a stove.
Neat
Drink served directly poured from the bottle into the serving glass. Served without ice; not chilled.
Percolation
Is a process, which involves re-circulating the beverage spirits through a percolator,
which contains the raw materials.
Proof
A measure of alcoholic content of spirit each degree of the proof
being ½ of the alcohol by volume of standard strength on quality or
alcoholic content.
Proprietary
Are mostly imported, expensive liqueurs with a distinctive recipe, bottle shape,
and brand name.
Rémuage
Refers to the rotation of inverted bottles to get dead yeast into the bottle neck; also
riddling.
Shutting off (a drunk)
Professional bartenders call refusing to serve an intoxicated patron “shutting him off.” Also
called “cutting off.”
Solera System
Is the Spanish system of progressively blending Sherries in tiers of small casks-to blend Sherries of the same type but
varying ages (young and old).
Straight-up
A spirit poured over ice, chilled or stirred, then strained into the
serving glass. The drink is chilled with ice but served without ice.
Tannin
Is the astringent, mouth-puckering compound that comes from the skin,
seeds and stalks of grapes. It is mostly present in red wines as these parts of the grape are largely excluded in white
and rose winemaking.
Taste buds
Refer to the collection of modified epithelia cells, residing in a papilla on the tongue or soft palate, responsive to taste stimuli
and making synaptic contact with primary efferent taste nerves.
Top fermentation
Is a term that refers to the use of a type of yeast that generally will convert sugar to
alcohol and carbon dioxide at temperatures between 15.4 0C – 20.9 0C
(60 0F – 70 0F).
Twist
Peel of lemon or orange or lime, cut thinly without the white part of the fruit and twisted in the center
on top of the drink normally dropped into the drink.
Vintage
Refers to the annual grape harvest and the wine made from it. The year frequently appears on wine label. Certain wines,
such as Port and Champagne, are blends of various years and bear vintage dates only when the wine comes from a
single outstanding crop.
Zest
A small thin piece of citrus peel with pith as possible. The essential oil
is squeezed on top of the drink, the peel is discarded. Thin outer skin of a lemon or orange containing
flavorful oils.
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