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Scotch Whiskey
The whisky (no “e”) must come from and matured in Scotland. Scotch has a distinct smoky flavor that comes from the use of peat fires to dry the malt. Scotch will be labeled as “single malt” or “blended”. The age statement on a blended Scotch will be that of the youngest whisky in the blend.
Single Malt Scotch Whisky – is produced by a single distillery and has not been blended with whisky from any other distillery. The ingredients used come from one of the few specific regions designated for Scoch production. The whisky must be distilled and matured for at least three years in Scotland in order to be named Scotch whisky. Some Single malt Scotch brands are: Balvenie, Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Aberlour and Laphroaig.
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Malbec
Malbec – Red (MAHL-beck)
About:
Malbec is a red grape that tends to produce wines with an inky dark color. It is one of the grapes allowed in the production of Bordeaux wines of France but is used very little in those wines today. In France it is the main grape in the appellation of Cahors, where it is called Côt. Malbec has grown successfully in Argentina and makes up a large portion of the red wine produced in that area. The climate and soil in Argentina seem to bring out the best in the Malbec grape.
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Basics of Lagers
Beer styles are divided into the two main groups of Ales and Lagers. While there are many differences between the two, the most important distinction is the flavor. Generally ales have more fruity, robust flavors than lagers while lagers can be more crisp and subtle. Ales are often referred to as being "top fermented" by the way they stay on top of the beer during primary fermentation and Lagers are referred to as "bottom fermented" because lager yeast tends to settle to the bottom and ferment.
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Tequila 101
Tequila is exclusively a product of Mexico, and principally from its state of Jalisco and a few small, designated regions of the states of Guanajuato, Tamalpais, Michoacan, and Nayarit. It is a spirit made from the Blue agave plant. The Blue Agave plant is a dramatically beautiful plant of blue coloring, similar in look to a giant aloe. It can reach a height of six feet and although it looks like a Cactus, it is in fact a member of the Lily family.
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Basics of Ales
Beer styles are divided into the two main groups of Ales and Lagers. While there are many differences between the two, the most important distinction is the flavor. Generally ales have more fruity, robust flavors than lagers while lagers can be more crisp and subtle. Ales are often referred to as being "top fermented" by the way they stay on top of the beer during primary fermentation and Lagers are referred to as "bottom fermented" because lager yeast tends to settle to the bottom and ferment.
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Spanish Wine 101
Spain is one of the world’s largest wine producing regions. The country has the largest area of vine cultivation in the European Union and the world followed by France and Italy. It is the third largest producer of wine after Italy and France. Spain’s geographical position, its climatic differences and its wide variety of soil types makes it a privileged place for producing wines with very different characteristics.
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Gin 101
What is Gin?
Gin and its Lowlands cousin Genever (Jenever in Belgium) are white spirits made from a grain mash of barley, corn or rye, that are flavored with juniper berries, which have a piney sweet/sharp taste and smell, and so-called botanicals (herbs, spices, roots, pits, peels, and other plant substances added for more complex flavor). Some commonly used botanicals besides juniper are: almonds, angelica, aniseed, caraway seed, cardamom pods, cassia, cinnamon, citrus peel (lemon, orange, and bitter orange), coriander seed, cubeb berries, cumin seed, fennel seed, ginger root, iris root, licorice root, nutmeg, paradise grain, savory, star anise, and violet root. Probably anything else you can imagine has been used as well. Gin and Genever makers have their own secret combination of botanicals, the number of which can range from as few as four to as many as 15 and some even more. Gin ranges from 80 – 94 proof. Gin is not aged.
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Spanish Wine Varietals
Spain grows a large variety of grapes. Many Spanish wines label their wines using the region name and will not show the grape varietal. So we will give some of the prominent growing areas the following grapes are grown, in order for you learn what grapes could be in a bottle from that region. The following are some of the more prominent regional grapes found in Spanish wine.
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Organic Wine
This information provided by Paul Dolan and Parducci wineries
A rapidly growing number of ecologically aware consumers who value taste and quality are enthusiastically purchasing wines from vineyards and wineries that are certified Biodynamic, certified organic and utilize certified sustainable farming and business practices. What do these terms mean?
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Chardonnay
Chardonnay- [shar-dun-NAY]
About:
Chardonnay is a dry style white wine. The Chardonnay grape is the most widely planted white wine grape in the world. Many times chardonnay is aged in oak barrels for a period of time before bottling, which will soften the wine and impart an oaky, buttery flavor in the wine depending on how long it is aged and if the barrels are new oak or slightly used. Some producers make unoaked versions of the wine where the wine is stainless steel fermented or aged in older oak barrels which impart very little oak character making the wine have more crisp acidity. Some producers may also put Chardonnay through a process called malolactic fermentation, a process which converts the tart malic acid to lactic acid, making the wine softer.
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Riesling
Riesling (Reessling)
About:
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is indigenous to Germany and, because of its ability to withstand cold weather, is one of the few quality grapes that can be grown there and other regions with similarly marginal climates. The grape can make entirely different wines when grown in other areas of the world. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines.
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Pinot Grigio
First of all, Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are the same grape. Pinot Grigio is the name used in Italy where it translates as “gray pinot” and in France “gray pinot” is Pinot Gris. This comes from the color of the grape which has a grayish/brownish pink skin. This white grape is thought to be a mutant clone of the red pinot noir grape. The word “pinot” means “pine cone” in French and is believed to be used because the grapes grow in small pine cone shaped clusters. The grape originated in France and is known there as Pinot Gris. However, it thrives in the Alsace region of France where it is called Tokay. In the United States you will see the wines labeled as either Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris. With the popularity of the term Pinot Grigio, this is the primary name used. However, when produced in Oregon it will be called Pinot Gris most of the time.
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Types of Sparkling Wine
“Sparkling wine” is the term used to combine all types of Champagne like wines into one category. In general, people looking for a sparkling wine will automatically refer to this as Champagne. They will ask, “Where is the Champagne section?” Then freak out on the price when you take them to the French Champagne section. In order to legally be called Champagne, it has to come from the Champagne region of France. Sparkling wines outside of this region have various names. So, let’s look at some of the main options in the Sparkling wine category:
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Sake Brewing Process
The content below was provided by Sake One. For more details on Sake One products go to http://www.sakeone.com
Saké is brewed from rice (no other grain) with water, yeast and koji being the only other ingredients. What makes it very unique in the realm of beverage are two things:
Koji: Aspergillus Oryzae – a mold that is applied to the rice grains.
Multiple Parallel Fermentation: Saccharification and fermentation taking place at the same time.
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Vermouth
Vermouth is a liquor made from fortified white wine, with a number of different herbs added for flavor. The word vermouth comes from the German word “wermuth”,(in German the “W” sounds like a “V”) which means wormwood. Wormwood was originally the primary ingredient in vermouth until it was found to be poisonous. Vermouth is made from a combination of herbs, spices, flowers, and seeds.
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German Wine 101
The German wine regions are some of the most northerly in the world. The main wine-producing climate lies below the 50th parallel, which runs through the regions Rheingau and Mosel. Above this line the climate becomes less conducive to wine production, but there are still some vineyards above this line. Most of Germany’s vineyards are planted on slopes or steep hills topped by protective forests that check the wind, and almost always near a sun-reflecting river – primarily the Rhine and its tributaries.
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Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon [cab-er-NAY SO-vin-yon]
About:
Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of Red wines and is one of the world’s most recognized red grape varieties and is grown in almost every wine producing country. The varietal does much better in warmer weather areas and not as good in areas with early winters. The grape is believed to be a cross between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon originated in Bordeaux France. In this area Cabernet is many times blended with one or more of the approved grapes which are: Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Malbec. Many vintners around the world try to make wines in a Bordeaux style and blend a portion of these grapes into their Cabernet Sauvignon as well. Cabernet Sauvignon is also bottled as entirely Cabernet as well without blending other grapes. In Australia Cabernet is blended sometimes with Shiraz.
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Irish Whiskey
Irish whiskey must come from and mature in Ireland. It is made from barley (malted and unmalted, unlike Scotch which is from malted only) as well as corn, rye, wheat and oats. The malted barley in Irish whiskey is dried in enclosed kilns and not over peat fires like scotch, so they are not smoky tasting and smelling like scotch. They are triple-distilled for extra smoothness and aged in casks for a minimum of 3 (however, many are usually 7 to 8) years. The barrels used to age Irish whiskey often have been previously used to age bourbon, sherry or rum, which contribute unique nuances to the whiskey. Some Irish whiskey brands are: Jameson, Bushmills, Powers and Redbreast and Tullamore Dew.
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American Whiskey
American Whiskey consist of Bourbon whiskey, Tennessee Whiskey, Rye whiskey and American Blended whiskey.
Bourbon Whiskey – Bourbon received its name from Bourbon County, Kentucky, although bourbon can be distilled anywhere in the United States. Bourbon must have a mashbill (the grain formula) of at least 51% corn, with other grain spirit comprising the rest, distilled at less than 160 proof, and be produced in the United States. When bourbon is placed into barrels for aging, it must be at least 80 proof but not higher than 125 proof. Bourbon must be aged a minimum of two years in new, charred oak barrels, although most straight whiskeys are aged for at least four years. No blending or additives (except water to reduce to bottling proof) is allowed.
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Cachaca
The following content provided by Leblon …
The ABCs of Brazil's National Spirit, Cachaça
What is Cachaca? How do you say it? How do you use it? And is it a Rum or not? As the fastest growing spirit in the United States, more and more Americans are discovering Cachaça, the national spirit of Brazil. Unique only to Brazil, Cachaça is pronounced ka-SHA-sa, with the emphasis on the ‘SHA.' Like Hefeweizen, Fahrvergnugen, and Pinot Grigio, Cachaça is a foreign word easy to mispronounce - at least initially. Cachaça's cocktail sidekick, the Caipirinha, is the national cocktail of Brazil (pronounced kai-pur-EEN-ya, with the emphasis on the third syllable).
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German Wine Laws
Ripeness Categories:
German Wines are categorized by the degree of ripeness measured in natural grape sugar upon harvest. These ripeness categories are determined by the sugar content in the grapes, which is measured in degree Oechsle. The Oechsle requirements for the respective categories vary by growing region. Riper grapes have more sugar but more importantly more extract and flavor in the grape, hence a more expressive wine. The higher the ripeness of the grapes used for the wine, the higher up in the pyramid the wine will be categorized.
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Merlot
MERLOT (murr-LOW or MARE-low)
About:
Merlot is a red grape varietal that produces wines with a dark ruby color, medium body and flavors of berry, plum, and currant. Merlot can be a stand-alone grape varietal producing 100% Merlot wines. It is also used many times as a blending grape comprising only a percentage of the overall makeup of a wine. The Merlot grape is relatively large in relation to their pips and thickness of the skins, making them a bit less tannic and easier to drink. When Merlot is blended with more tannic varieties like cabernet, it softens the overall makeup of the wine.
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American India Pale Ale
American India pale ale (IPA)
History/About:
An American version of the English style India Pale Ale using all American ingredients: Yeast, malt, water.
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Zinfandel
Some may be confused to learn that Zinfandel is a dry red wine. Many know Zinfandel as White Zinfandel, the pink sweet wine that some may have entered into the wine world drinking. White Zinfandel and Red Zinfandel actually come from the same grape. The Zinfandel grape is a red grape varietal. As with most red grape varietals, when pressed the juice comes out clear in color and then in order to develop color and tannin the juice is left in contact with the skins for a period of time. To make white zinfandel the skins are pulled early when the juice is a blush color and then goes through the wine making process and made in a way where it retains some of the grapes residual sugar making the wine sweet. Red Zinfandel (labeled just Zinfandel) is produced leaving the skin in contact with the juice longer giving it a darker red color and more dry taste.
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Canadian Whiskey
This whiskey is produced in Canada and made primarily of corn or wheat and supplemented with rye, barley, or barley malt. Canadian whiskey is aged in used oak barrels for a minimum of 3 years although most are aged 4-6 years. Almost all Canadian Whiskey is a blend of various ages. Canadian whisky is the lightest example from the major whisky distilling countries. Well known Canadian whiskey brands are: Crown Royal, Canadian Club and Seagrams VO.