Arag is made from distilled Koumiss. It ends up as clear and as strong as vodka. History Notes The Soviets tried (and failed) to stamp out the practice of making Arag.
Brandy is an alcohol made from fermented fruit, distilled in such a way as to still retain some of the taste of the fruit. Brandy must be aged a minimum of two years; they are usually aged 3 to 7 years in oak casks. Brandies made in France are called in France “eau de vie”,…
Gin is basically flavoured vodka. Its base, a neutral grain alcohol is made from rye, or corn, and malted barley. For Gins in the category of London Dry, a ratio of 3 corn to 1 barley is considered good. The mash is distilled to around 90% alcohol, then reduced to 60% alcohol, then distilled again,…
Grain Alcohol is pure alcohol that has been made from fermented grains. In North America, it is often made from corn, but it doesn’t really matter what grain is used, as none of the grain’s characteristics are going to come through in the finished product. Grain Alcohol is a clear liquid, with no colour, no…
Mezcal is a spirit alcohol made in Mexico from agave plant hearts, known as “piñas.” In North America, owing to NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), a product cannot be called Mezcal unless it is made in Mexico. Tequila is a type of Mezcal, though most Mezcals tend to have a smokier taste, because instead…
We mostly think of using Rums for desserts (think Rum balls and Rum cake) and drinks (think punches, and Rum and coke), but in the Caribbean, it is often used in savoury dishes. Most Rum is made from either molasses or sugar-cane juice. Dominican Rum is considered superior to Jamaican Rum. Nowadays, though, Rum is…
Shochu is a clear, distilled Japanese beverage with an alcohol content of about 25 to 42%. It can be made from short-grain Japanese rice, barley, sweet potatoes or buckwheat. Some novelty ones are based on brown sugar, foxtail millet, pumpkin, green pepper, chestnuts, shiso leaf or even milk. About 53% is made, though, from barley,…
Spirits are alcohol that is generally about 40% alcohol. They are produced by first fermenting something to produce the alcohol, then distilling the alcohol to concentrate the alcohol content. Spirits can’t be produced by fermentation alone, because fermentation can only get up to a maximum of 16 or 17 % alcohol. The word “spirits” is…
Vodka is a clear form of spirit alcohol traditionally made and drunk throughout Eastern Europe. It has no colour, and is not aged. Vodka can be made from a mash of beets, grain, or potatoes. In Russia and Poland the best vodka is considered to be made from rye; in Sweden and the Baltic States,…
Whiskey is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash. Grains used can include barley, rye, wheat, and corn. It is distilled, then aged (usually) in wooden casks. There are entire compendiums, schools and guilds dedicated to each of the varieties of whiskey. If you don’t have whiskey in the house regularly but need it…
