That’s why an intimate familiarity with the different types of liquor is at the heart of learning how to become a bartender. Distilled drinks are made through a similar process to undistilled drinks, the only difference being fermentation is not the final phase. Once fermentation is done, distillation is done to separate water and other fermented substances from alcohol. Mead is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages in human history, with evidence of its consumption dating back to at least 7000 BC. It’s believed that mead originated in early hunter-gatherer societies, and ancient texts and etchings often depict it as being shared as part of religious ceremonies or rituals.
- Weissbier (weizenbier) is a category of German wheat beers similar to American wheat ales and Belgian witbiers.
- A standard drink in the US is 14 grams or .6 ounces of pure-grade alcohol.
- Mixed with lemon juice and sugar, the French 75 was first recorded in 1925 as the “75” but with slightly different ingredients.
- On the spectrum of drinks, it doesn’t get much lower sugar than the Bloody Mary.
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They have an anise flavor that not everyone loves but gives you a throwback to the older cocktails. You can use it in a cocktail but some people take a shot and drop it in a cup of red bull to mix the syrupy consistency with something lighter. The Chambord was created more recently than most of the others on this list of liquors and people like it for its raspberry flavor.
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Of course, some people will argue that cider falls into the wine category, but it doesn’t really matter. Schnapps is a distilled spirit made by fermenting fruit juices along with the base liquor. There are dozens of types including the popular peppermint schnapps, cinnamon schnapps, and peach schnapps. Undistilled spirits are taken through the fermentation process to create ethanol. Distilled spirits are put through a second process where the water is removed to increase the ABV. Liqueurs are flavored with natural or artificial sweeteners and are often used alongside base liquors to create cocktails.
The Two Main Types of Beer
The main ingredients used to make akvavit include grain mash or potatoes. Flavoring agents like charcoal, lemon and orange peel, cumin seeds, caraway, cardamom, fennel, or aniseed get added to give it a nice smell and unique taste. This aged distilled spirit has a 38 to 40% ABV and is ideal for cocktails like the caipirinha in all the bars and liquor stores. The Turkish unwritten rules about drinking Raki are always to take Raki with friends and take small sips to avoid getting too drunk too soon. Arrack gets made from ingredients like fruit, grain, and fermented juice from sugar cane or coconut flowers.
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By learning the basic characteristics of these liquors, you’ll better understand how to use them in mixed drinks. From the fizzy delight of a beer to the smooth complexity of a whiskey, the world of alcoholic beverages is a dynamic universe teeming with flavors, history, and artistry. Understanding the basics of alcohol, the different types of beverages, and the art of mixology enhances our appreciation of these beverages. Undistilled alcohol occurs through fermenting, where sugars from specific ingredients become alcohol.
Light Beers and Wine Spritzers
Arguably, the best classic cocktails get made using brandy as the base. Whiskey can be taken neat or mixed with other beverages https://sober-home.org/ to create delicious cocktails. Famous gins like the London dry gin have an Alcohol by Volume-ABV percentage between 40 and 47.
Fermented water is an ethanol-based water solution with approximately 15-17% ABV without sweet reserve. Fermented water is exclusively fermented with white sugar, yeast, and water. Fermented water is clarified after the fermentation to produce a colorless or off-white liquid with no discernible taste other than that of ethanol. Likewise, while the alcohol concentrations listed are considered typical, there is significant variability in alcohol content within each alcoholic beverage. Cider can range from 6-9% ABV (alcohol by volume), although bottles containing higher strength levels are available too. The strength of whiskey can vary widely, ranging between 40–50% abv (alcohol by volume), though some brands go up to 55%.
Knowing the ingredients of mixed drinks is crucial to know precisely how much alcohol a person consumes. Ethanol is the alcohol used in alcoholic beverages, meaning that it is the type of alcohol with the highest rates of misuse. It is also a preservative in health and beauty products and is found in lotions, creams, and paints. It is also used as an ingredient in colognes and astringent in skin cleansing products.
Most of the spirit alcohol types below can be switched out too when you’re making different recipes so knowing them all will come in handy. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat. He has a passion for fresh, seasonal ingredients and strives to create dishes that are both delicious and nutritious. His philosophy is to bring local produce to the fore and ensure his dishes are environmentally friendly. We’re a one-stop resource for new and aspiring bartenders, made by bartenders.
They’re commonly usdifferent types of alcoholed to make cocktails and shots but are occasionally consumed as an after-meal digestif or a before-meal aperitif. The two main categories of distilled beverages are spirits and liqueurs. Unlike red wines, white wines are white (or yellow) and their skins are removed before they go through the fermentation process. In its simplest sense, beer is a fermented grain juice that sits around 3-8% in ABV. Any fermented cereal grain is considered a type of beer, but wheat or barley is used in most cases. Fortunately, I say, because alcohol doesn’t have any flavor of its own.
This alcohol type is used as the main ingredient in most cleaning products due to its superb sterilization properties. Calls made to numbers made on a specific treatment provider listing or in the description of a treatment center will be routed to that specific treatment provider. Calls to the main National TASC website number will be routed to one of the following treatment providers.
Alcohol proof is one way to determine how much alcohol exists in a bottle of spirits and lets someone know the strength of the drink. To calculate https://sober-home.org/how-long-does-marijuana-stay-in-your-system-blood/ alcohol proof, double the percentage of alcohol by volume. For example, if a bottle of whiskey has a 30% volume of alcohol, it is 60 proof.
Ale is made from another form of yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This type of yeast rises to the top of the tank during fermentation, giving the alcohol an aromatic flavor profile. Lager beers are crisp and made with a special type of yeast called Saccharomyces pastorianus. During fermentation, the yeast gathers at the bottom of a tank for a few months before being ready to enjoy. Soju is a Korean spirit similar to vodka and is usually around 20% alcohol.
In general, alcohol loosens inhibitions, which can lead to poor decision-making. It’s important to be aware of how different types of alcohol can affect you personally, and to always drink responsibly. The difference between Mezcal and Tequila primarily comes down to the type of agave used, the region produced, and the distillation process.
They also drink them for social events like International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day, where people come together to make beer. Pulquerías (or pulcherías) are a type of tavern in Mexico that specialize in serving an alcoholic beverage known as pulque. Although the standard drink amounts are useful for following health guidelines, they don’t always reflect the same serving sizes. Absinthe originated in Switzerland around 1792 as an herbal remedy prescribed for stomach ailments, headaches, fever, menstrual complaints, depression, migraine headaches, and worms. Mezcal can be made from any varietal of agave plant, whereas tequila can only be produced with the blue weber agave. In other words, all tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila.
The end product is a juice the locals call Neero, one of the revered fermented beverages that’s super refreshing to drink. The main ingredients used to make Poitín include barley, potatoes, beets, whey, and molasses. This alcoholic drink originated from the Mekong, Delta area in southwest Vietnam, where people refer to it as Rượu đế.
On top of that, beer is usually flavored with additional spices (usually hops) to impart specific characteristics. I’ve listed the most common types of alcohol in the categories below. For example, within a fermented brew, water, alcohol, and some trace minerals give the liquid its flavor. By separating the alcohol from the water, the alcohol will become much more concentrated. The process for making alcohol is essential to understanding what alcohol is.
Tequila is a type of Mezcal because it gets made from the blue agave plant. With tequila, the heart of the blue agave plant is extracted and cooked inside an oven. Tequila tastes different depending on whether it has been aged or unaged.
But what sets these ales apart are the special yeast strains used during brewing, allowing for unique flavors across a variety of types. Deriving its name from its Belgian birthplace, Flemish red ale features complex fruit flavors like cherries and oranges. But there are also oaky hints in this beer, which closely resembles wine. As opposed to other pale ales, brown ale is maltier and toaster in flavor. The nutty, chocolaty notes are more prominent than fruity flavors from malt or hops.