Whiskey and Spirits For Dummies
Perry Luntz
Language: English
Pages: 364
ISBN: 0470117699
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
Would you like to better appreciate fine distilled spirits? Whiskey & Spirits For Dummies is your complete guide to selecting and enjoying this family of noble beverages, flavor by flavor. From whiskey, rum, and brandy to vodka, gin, and cordials, this handy reference traces the history of distilled spirits, explains how they are made, and shows you how to evaluate, serve, and savor them.
Ever wonder why the Irish spell it “whiskey” and the Scottish “whisky”? This friendly book tells you as it reveals where the first whiskeys — or “dark” spirits — originated and how they came to the United States. It also explores the origins of clear spirits and the different varieties of each. You’ll compare American and European vodkas, see how to make the new and improved all-purpose Martini, and follow the spread of flavored rums across the globe. A slew of sidebars give you fascinating tidbits of information about these spirits. You’ll also discover how to:
- Become a sophisticated taster
- Shop for the best spirits
- Select the right mixers
- Use spirits in cooking
- Make ten classic cocktails
- Choose and taste cordials and liqueurs
- Know the nutrients in one serving of each type of distilled spirit
- Present spirits to guests
- Set up tasting events at home
This thorough guide also features recipes for cooking with spirits, offering menu choices such as entrees, vegetables, and desserts that all include at least one type of spirit. Complete with an appendix of craft distillers across the United States, Whiskey & Spirits For Dummies will give you the knowledge and hands-on guidance you need to become a connoisseur of such greats as fine Scotch, Bourbon, and Cognac in no time!
Bottled for Business: The Less Gassy Guide to Entrepreneurship
France was a little more hospitable, they resumed production of the liqueur. The recipe for Benedictine was first recorded in 1510 by its creator Dom Bernardo Vincelli, a monk at the Benedictine abbey in Fècamp, France. The abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution. Seventy years after the Revolution was over, one M. LeGrand rein-troduced the liqueur commercially. An arrangement with the Benedictine order permits use of the name and the initials D.O.M. The initials stand for Deo Optimo
column. The vapors at the top of the column move into a cooled condenser tube where they turn back into liquid alcohol, spilling down the tube to an opening at the bottom of the second column in the still. If two columns are used, the second column also has heated, perforated copper or stainless steel plates that are hotter at the bottom and cooler at the top. As the alcohol enters the second column, it’s 06_117699 ch02.qxp 10/2/07 12:43 PM Page 34 Part I: Entering the Spirits World 34
using this starter and can be called sour mash whiskey. The term is not an indicator of better or lesser quality, just that the flavor and color will be the same in one bottle as in another purchased weeks or months later . 11_117699 ch06.qxp 10/2/07 12:45 PM Page 108 Part II: Whiskeys from Around the World 108 ߜ Small batch Bourbons: These small batches are a modern version of the old pot still method of making whiskey, akin to craft distilling. The term was introduced in the 1980s by the
classic naturally flavored clear spirit (gin), an unflavored (or flavored) smooth competitor (vodka), two robust Mexican spirits (Tequila and mescal), plus the New World favorite (rum). 15_117699 ch09.qxp 10/2/07 12:46 PM Page 149 Chapter 9 Getting the Goods on Gin In This Chapter ᮣ Examining the origins of gin in Europe ᮣ Noting the differences between Holland gins and London dry gins ᮣ Figuring out why gin works so well in cocktails ᮣ Deciding the best way to serve your gin What
and American gins. Holland gins are usually fuller bodied than other types. “Oude” (old) jenevres are aged for at least a year in oak barrels; “jong” (young) jenevres aren’t aged. Zuidam Dry Gin and Damrak Genever Gin, two higher-priced gins from Holland, made their first appearance in the U.S. in 2004. Zuidam is more aromatic and herbal, made with nine botanicals. Damrak, made in the traditional Dutch style, is slightly sweeter with a malt (grain-like) undertone. Gins from other countries A