Cordial & Liqueur

Question 1

Cordials Origin of name

Answer 1

Latin word for meaning “heart” earliest cordials were administrated to the sick to stimulate the heart and lighten the spirit

Question 2

Liqueur Origin of Name

Answer 2

Latin “liquefacere” meaning dissolve or to melt. Some sort of flavoring and sugar is dissolved or melted into the spirit.

Question 3

Rosolio

Answer 3

Very first liqueur to be created in Italy in the middle ages. Obtained from an infusion of rose petals( or other flowers) in grape alcohol.

Question 4

Catherine de Medici (1519-1589)

Answer 4

Along with her Court, brought the use of liqueurs to France from native Tuscany upon marriage to Henry II the French king in 1547

Question 5

Liqueur

Answer 5

• Flavored with fruit, herbs, nuts, spices, flowers or cream and bottled with added sugar
• lower alcohol content (15-30% ABV),some like Green Chartreuse contain as much as 55% ABV

Question 6

Manufacturing Process

Answer 6

The quality of liqueur depends on three main factors:

1. Quality of flavoring ingredients, herbs, flowers, peels, seeds, kernels, barks, roots and fruits.
2. The flavors extraction technique
3. Quality and dosage of the base- spirit

Question 7

Two main ways in producing liqueurs

Answer 7

1. Hot Technique
   - distillation: flavoring agents are soaked in hydro-alcoholic solution 50% ABV
   - percolation: similar to 150 gal coffee pots, heated 112F continuously sprayed over flavoring agent
2. Cold Technique
   - maceration: extraction of taste/flavors and color by smoking herbs and seeds in cold alcohol, few days to weeks
   - infusion: crushed fruits or fresh peel are steeped in a water and alcohol solution hydro alcoholic or natural alcohol

Question 8

1. Hot Technique

Answer 8

• distillation: flavoring agents are soaked in hydro-alcoholic solution 50% ABV
• percolation: heated 112F continuously sprayed over flavoring agent, used to draw color and flavor typically from leaves and seeds

Question 9

2. Cold Technique

Answer 9

• maceration: extraction of taste/flavors and color by smoking herbs and seeds in cold alcohol, few days to weeks
• infusion: crushed fruits or fresh peel are steeped in a water and alcohol solution hydro alcoholic or natural alcohol

Question 10

Hot technique is used to separate volatile, aromatic components from raw materials (often dry botanicals) ; the result is called

Answer 10

Esprit or Alcolate

Question 11

Extract

Answer 11

Resulting liquid after maceration or infusion

Cold Technique

Question 12

Amaro

Answer 12

• means Bitter in Italian
• quintessential Italian bitter herbal liqueur, the perfect digestive at the end to any self-respecting meal

Manufacturing Process
1. Selections from Botanicals (herbs and spices)
2. Grinding and pressing
3-4. Infusion and filtering or maceration and consequently distillation
5. Extract is obtained (very bitter dark mixture). Filtration is required
6. Mixing of the extract with sugar, water and caramel
7. Quality control (laboratory analysis)

Question 13

Fernet

Answer 13

• Italian type of amaro, drinkable bitter developed in 1840’s.
• Generally made with 30-50 herbs. Usually including myrrh, cape aloe, and especially saffron
• 39-45% ABV
• Aloe Ferox provides the distinguishable bitter taste to Fernet.

Question 14

Tincture

Answer 14

In medicine a tincture is an alcoholic extract.

1. botanicals are put in a jar and pure neutral alcohol is added
2. The jar is left to stand (each botanical extraction is different) usually 3-4weeks, shaken occasionally

Question 15

Aromatic Bitters vs Tinctures

Answer 15

1. Bitters contain sugar in the recipe

2. Tincture is usually obtained from extraction of a single botanical in high proof neutral alcohol without added sugar