Questions tagged [spirits]
Alcoholic drinks produced by distillation of grains, fruit, or vegetables that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. See also "Liquor."
52
questions
2
votes
3answers
93 views
Do cognacs "imported from France" have added sugar?
Wikipedia says:
Some brandies have caramel colour and sugar added to simulate the appearance of barrel aging.
I wonder how one might know which ones do and do not have added sugar? Would buying only ...
1
vote
2answers
34 views
Campari or Aperol - the sweeter one?
Campari or Aperol - which is sweeter or maybe less bitter than the other one?
1
vote
2answers
136 views
What spirit goes best with lasagna?
My mom's favorite dinner is lasagna with salad, garlic bread, and cheese cake. I make this for her every twice a year; her birthday and Mother's day. What spirit goes best with this dinner?
2
votes
1answer
164 views
Do they sell powdered alcohol as a premix drink?
In the past there have been attempts to launch alcohol powder as a premix for human consumption (ie. rum flavored powder, all you need is a coke to transform in into a cuba libre).
Does anyone know if ...
3
votes
1answer
222 views
Can I re-use a spirits measure cup for different spirits?
I have a stainless steel jigger measuring cup for UK spirits measures, like this image:
The alcohol does not seem to 'stick' to the jig cup, so is it okay to use the cup to, say, measure a gin drink ...
1
vote
2answers
117 views
How to choose spirits?
I'm almost 20 years old and a 2nd year UG student. After going to college, occasionally I tried a bit of Vodka (Smirnoff, Magic Moments), Whiskey (Red Label, Signature, etc.), Rum (Old Monk), etc.
As ...
2
votes
2answers
1k views
What happens if you mix coffee with tequila?
I was wondering whether or not coffee can be mixed with tequila.
If yes, in which quantities or how?
What would be the result, would it taste good?
Normally I get two very different results after ...
3
votes
1answer
208 views
Why aren’t people in Ohio allowed to order a bottle of scotch?
If you check websites like Drizly, it seems that people in Ohio aren’t allowed to order a bottle of scotch. Why is that?
Edit: The delivery services I’m referring to (e.g. Drizly) are a delivery ...
2
votes
2answers
53 views
What's name of the cognac in the below Armenian photo?
Can anyone please name this type of cognac?
I drank this once and then found this old photo. I believe it to be Armenian.
4
votes
1answer
180 views
Is it normal for Black Haus Blackberry Schnapps to taste like acetone?
I have consumed very little alcohol in the last 20 or so years, so my taste-buds and tolerance are like a young person.
Someone gave me a bottle of Black Haus. It has a nice blackberry flavor, but ...
6
votes
1answer
226 views
Is it possible to identify this bottle and its contents?
My brother-in-law received this bottle while in a soccer recruit tryout in Yugoslavia(?) around 6ths year 2000. We haven't been able to identify it by anything on the label. It was opened, I think it ...
1
vote
4answers
292 views
Where to buy Absinthe
I have heard a lot about this legendary beverage and I know it was forbidden in the market for a while because of some rumors, anyway, I want to give it a try but I have never seen it in any store.
It ...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
WSET Level 2 Exam
I'm studying for the WSET Level 2 and I will be taking it in a couple of weeks. Any advice on what I should study? I've already made tons of flash cards and I'm going through them regularly.
4
votes
1answer
121 views
Bad spirits experience - cannot drink that specific type anymore
One time, I had a bad experience with vodka; I drank a very excessive amount in one night.
As a result, I can no longer drink vodka or even smell it with out getting queasy / sick. This was several ...
6
votes
3answers
657 views
Can drinking 45ml of spirit (40%) per day affect your health?
Based on this question How much actual alcohol is safe to drink per day? we can see
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests no more than 4 drinks per day, and no more than 7 ...
3
votes
3answers
100 views
Maturation process in casks
I’m curious about the cleaning process of casks before a distillery transfers its whisky to mature/age. To use one of the popular names, just as an example, before Macallan transfers its whisky into a ...
1
vote
2answers
189 views
Are there alcohol free spirits and how would they taste like?
There are alcohol free beer and wine, so are there any alcohol free spirits? I know that dealcoholization would make the beer or wine lose its flavor and for spirits the loss would be even larger ...
2
votes
1answer
421 views
Any recommendations on plum-based spirits?
Would anyone have recommendations on plum-based spirits? I've had the seasonal R. Jelinek Slivovitz Plum Brandy but that stuff is unpleasant and potent in large amounts, and I rarely see any kind of ...
3
votes
2answers
234 views
Is it possible to have a non-alcoholic Gin?
Is it possible to have a non-alcoholic gin? Tastes like gin but without the alcohol. Tonic on its own just isn't the same, but as the years go by I feel the need to minimise the 'volume' in my glass....
5
votes
1answer
1k views
Are there any maple syrup based spirits or other alcholic products?
I've done a cursory search for maple syrup based spirits and have not found any. It appears there are liqueurs with a whiskey base and maple syrup in them but maple syrup is not the base.
I'm ...
7
votes
2answers
29k views
What is the difference between Cognac, Brandy, Bourbon, Scotch and Whiskey?
All these taste and look pretty similar. What is the difference between them?
2
votes
0answers
158 views
Paw Paw 'Brandy' with slight blue cast
I'm working on recipe development for a Paw Paw 'brandy' and have had a slight blue cast to the product. Can anyone weigh in on the outcome? Thank you
-2
votes
4answers
230 views
Cheapest Gin in the UK?
Just visiting the good old UK, and discover that gin is so expensive - what and where can I buy a cheap gin in the UK, are there any online stores? Yes I have looked but to no avail. Thanks guys.....
3
votes
2answers
187 views
Will alcohol boost body fat?
I am drinking Rum, Brandy and Whisky regularly. Sometimes beer.
In those which boosts body fat? Which is good for obesity prone body?
2
votes
2answers
66 views
Winterhighlight "Feuerzangenbowle" without headache?
I would like to take this answer to an other question as an opportunity to ask about an other speciality we Germans like to take in winter. It is about burning sugar with high-proof spirits. The ...
3
votes
1answer
57 views
Extracting oils and flavours before fermentation
Distillation of ethereal oils is made with different pressures and temperatures than distillation of alcohol. So when distilling spirits out of mash directly most of the tastes get lost. I wonder if ...
4
votes
1answer
78 views
If buying a distillery, what would you focus on?
As I receive many offers of Latin American spirits and do not have any experience in marketing those (high quality) products I think to buy into an existing distillery with skilled personnel, to use ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
How much Old Monk is famous in other countries?
I believe that this Rum from India is not limited to India but also having fans from around the world. Is this available in other countries? If it is, what is usage rate?
6
votes
1answer
200 views
Are there any spirits that never should be combined in a cocktail or drink?
Many drinks and cocktails are a mixture of different spirits with or without additional tastes introduced by juices, concentrates and/or other ingredients that create their special taste.
My ...
6
votes
1answer
88 views
Are there other spirits and/or wines in the world that use the Sherry production method?
The method to produce Sherry and the respective Brandies, called Solera, uses several layers of barrels (frequently four layers). From the lowest layer they take the annual amount they want to sell ...
4
votes
3answers
333 views
Best way to consume Mezcal?
About Mezcal I know that Mezcal is a drink made from 100% agave and so a more pure drink than Tequila. Rather bad Mezcal will include a "worm" which is a larva of two different kind of insects, as I ...
12
votes
6answers
8k views
How should I drink limoncello?
I was given some decent Limoncello from Italy as a gift, 30% proof, brand name 'Villa Massa' from Sorrento.
I had a tiny sip of it and it is quite smooth, not too sharp and rather nice.
However I'm ...
4
votes
1answer
16k views
Drinking vodka through a straw - stronger or not?
Question: If I drink my vodka through a straw will it have a stronger effect. There is a question here that sort of addresses my query, but does it apply to spirits as well?
6
votes
1answer
182 views
Are there broad stylistic differences between Scotch and Irish whiskey?
This isn't a question about typical production: I know that Scotch is often peated while Irish rarely is and that Irish is usually triple-distilled whereas Scotch is usually double-distilled. That's ...
0
votes
1answer
2k views
What effect does brandy have on blood pressure?
I've heard that Brandy can have an impact on blood pressure, but mixed responses of lower or higher feelings in the human body. What exactly does it do? Does the direction of the effects change over ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
Why are spirits typically 40% ABV?
I live in France. I've found that at least cheaper (supermarket) spirits are almost always exactly 40% ABV. You can find stronger if you buy more niche or expensive alcohols like Chartreuse, but the ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
How much of a spirit's flavour comes from the original fermentation?
It's my understanding that distillation produces alcohol to a very high percentage, over 90%. Obviously this doesn't leave a lot of room for flavour compounds. And indeed a lot of white spirit, such ...
5
votes
2answers
242 views
Do you recognize these foreign bottles?
Among the spirits my grandfather left behind, these four bottles caught my attention. Are they interesting or rare?
Liqueur Stregga
Tokay
Anisette
Starka
5
votes
2answers
1k views
What are the exact risks of drinking alcohol in a too high concentration?
It is frequently mentioned that drinks of very high ABV should not be drunk neat because of their harmful effects. Examples of such claims can be found e.g. here: What is the strongest drink in the ...
4
votes
5answers
2k views
What are some affordable brands of good Scotch? [closed]
I've just recently begun drinking Scotch, and I find it absolutely delicious. However, most brands I see in the store are quite expensive. So far the best Scotch I've tried is Aberlour single malt, ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
What's Martini (the brand)?
I'm a total novice, so excuses for what is likely a ridiculously stupid question. I know that a MARTINI is a drink (like a gin martini, vodka martini) but there is also a bottled drink called "...
3
votes
1answer
2k views
Why does my slice/wedge of lime go up and down in my glass of Gin and Tonic?
I was sitting watching my G&T which had a slice of lime in it, when I noticed that the lime sank to the bottom of the glass, and then rose to the top again, it then continued to repeat this cycle ...
3
votes
2answers
152 views
Spirits over 50%. Taste v effect
I like a gin or 2, but tend to stick to the 37.5% stuff opposed to the stronger stuff. I don't get any extra taste, just fall over quicker! I understand that for some of the better whiskeys a little ...
12
votes
3answers
71k views
Tequila worms - to eat or not to eat - that is the question?
So, with a bottle of Tequila in hand, a glass, and oooppss - it's the last shot and the worm falls out! Now - do you consume it? Or - just throw it? But what type of worm is it and are they ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
Mixing very strong alcohol for cocktails
Having discovered a trove of ridiculously alcoholic spirits. In what quantities should I mix them? If I slip and pour a little too much in this could cause a major problem! Let's say I am using ...
21
votes
10answers
18k views
What is the strongest drink in the world?
Assuming that it is available through 'normal' outlets - shops, supermarkets, off licenses etc... (in other words legal) What (per unit) is the strongest alcoholic drink in the world? Beers, wines ...
7
votes
4answers
2k views
What fruit spirit is in St. Germain?
I love St. Germain, and it's become a staple at my house... but it is so damn expensive. I'd like to make a homemade version using elderflower cordial for a fraction of the price.
St. Germain lists ...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
What spirits are made in Cuba?
A family member will soon be travelling to Cuba and has offered to bring me back some alcohol.
The obvious choice is Rum, but considering it's easy enough to get Cuban rum in Canada, I'd like to know ...
8
votes
2answers
1k views
Any experience making fig liqueur?
I've successfully made a black raspberry liqueur, and am doing a similar process now with fresh figs. Has anybody done that? What have your experiences been?
Recipe:
1.5 cups vodka (I'm using Tito's)...
7
votes
10answers
2k views
Does anyone here still use bitters as medicine? Which ones do you use and for what ailments?
Bitters are known to have medicinal qualities.
I've never used them beyond making killer cocktails... But, I've noticed that orange bitters, in particular, will imbue me with an added vigor or gusto, ...
