Flavored Spirits and Liqueurs Flashcards
Natural Flavor Extraction methods
Infusion/Maceration, Distillation, Steam Distillation, Vacuum Distillation, Percolation
Infusion/Maceration
Infusion with heat and Maceration without. Botanical or fruit is placed in the alcohol. If HRS is used generally diluted otherwise too much extraction.
Distillation
like in gin production
Steam Distillation
botanical is either mixed in water or suspended above it. water is boiled extracting flavors from the botanicals. This is suitable for extraction of oils because water and oil cannot mix so easy to separate
Vacuum Distillation
by introducing a vacuum, liquid boils at lower temp suitable for flavor compounds that would be damaged by high temp.
Percolation
spirit is repeatedly dripped through the chosen botanical
Cold Compounding
when nature identical flavors are used they are blended into the base spirit
Natural vs Artificial colors
generally artificial are used because natural tend to be unstable
Wormwood
linked to disease and moral decay resulting in European ban of Absinthe. Pastis filled the gap. wormwood adds a musty floral note and a bitter quality
Anethole
compound gives aniseed drinks unique character found in star anise, anise, fennel,
louching
anethole dissolves in ethanol but not well in water. so dilution results in louching
Aniseed-flavored spirits
predominant flavor of anise from star anise, anise, fennel … Base spirit is HRS flavor obtained by maceration and/or distillation, the addition of aniseed-flavored extracts, or a combination of these. Only natural flavors can be used.
Pastis
must be made using liquorice root in addition to anise. can be sweetened up to 100 g/l and must be bottled at 40%. Anethole levels between 1.5 and 2 g/l
Pastis de Marseille
same as Pastis but anethole levels must be 2 g/l and must be bottled at 45%
Absinthe production
ingredients macerated in HRS, diluted, redistilled with botanicals and spirit around 80% is collected. Green color from petite wormwood, hyssop, and/or Melissa
Thujone
terpene in wormwood that is toxic in very high doses. Levels of Thujone are regulated in the EU and USA
Ricard (Pastis)
both chinese star anise and fennel are distilled to produce an anethole essence. liquorice root is crushed, dried, and placed in a pressurized percolator. aromatic herbs from Provence such as thyme, rosemary, laurel, and savory undergo the same process. 100 g/l sugar added and caramel for color
Ouzo
Greek Pastis
Raki
from Turkey. based on raisin/grape spirit that is distilled to a max 94.5%. Raki producers consider their base spirit, or suma, to play an important role in the character of the final product. Suma, or Suma mixed with HRS is redistilled with aniseed and collected at around 79-90%
Bitters
Bittering agents: cinchon bark/quinine, angelica, gentian, bitter orange, rue, artichokes, rhubarb, bitter aloe, … either distilled to obtain and essential oil or macerted in HRS. Bitter base may be aromatized with the addition of clove, vanilla, coriander, ginger, sweet peels, etc.
Bitters Categories
Aperitifs, Digestifs, Cocktail Bitters
Aperitifs
Campari (bitter orange, rhubarb, and quinine), Cynar (based on artichoke), Aperol (like Campari but lower strength, less complex, more herbal), Suze (gentian root)
Digestifs
Sweet and overtly bitter.
Sweet Digestifs
Averna (mix of various herbs, barks, and other botanicals).
Overtly Bitter Digestifs
Fernet Branca (rhubarb, gentian, saffron, aloe, myrrh, iris, lime-tree, bitter orange, galangal, and cinnamon), Czech Republic has Carlsbad, Switzerland has Underberg, Germany has Jagermeister
Cocktail bitters
bottled at high strength which have been reduced to their essence. this is basically the manifestation of the ancient idea of an elixir.
Angostura Bitters
created in Venezuela by Johann Siegert as a medicinal drink for Simon Bolivars troops (Siegert was Surgeon General)
Peychaud Bitters
From NOLA more aromatic than Angostura with notes of cherry stone and anise
History of Liqueurs
Lucas Bols produced the first commercial Liqueur in 1575. Dutch dominance of the spice trade allowed houses such a Bols and de Kuyper to create huge range of liqueurs and flavored spirits
Sweetening
generally takes place after the spirit has been flavored and reduced in strength because sugars do not dissolve well in alcohol.
Flavoring Liqueurs
some flavorings are macerated with HRS in a pot still prior to distillation. Others are placed in a large stainless steel filter in a percolation tank creating a product called a ‘Tincture.’ Some may use the distillate other may use both i.e. Bols and Creme de Cacao. The white uses only the distillate the black uses also the tincture
Cream Liqueurs
in order to ensure emulsion stays stable 1) emulsifier is added generally sodium caseinate, and 2) homogenization or heating to 55C at very high pressure
Sweetness in Liqueurs
with a few exceptions, at least 100 g/l bottled at min 15% abv
Creme de, …
minimum sugar content of 250 g/l. Creme de Cassis minimum sugar content of 400 g/l
Creme liqueurs
should not be confused with Cream Liqueurs. Certain fruit liqueurs labelled using the word Brandy e.g. Cherry Brandy (not Brandy) made using HRS
Liqueur or Cordial in the USA
min 2.5% by weight meaning about 1/4 of the level of sugar required in the EU
Herbal Liqueurs
medicinal origins. Chartreuse, Benedictine, ..
Chartreuse
made by Carthusian monks in their monastery since 1605 all natural several years in cask
Benedictine
like Chartreuse has ecclesiastical roots is a blend of 4 distillates that are made by macerating and then distilling the botanicals.
Anise Liqueurs
Anisette, Sambuca,
Drambuie
replicates what first malt whiskies were like flavored with heather blossom, mace, coriander, cloves, nuts, cinnamon, ginger, cubeb berries, saffron, sweetened with heather honey
Curacao
liqueur traditionally made from bitter orange peel, mixed with other citrus, blossoms, leaves, and roots blended with spirit and redistilled
Triple Sec
Curacao made with sweet orange, or in the case of Cointreau, mixed with bitter orange as well
Grand Marnier
Dried bitter orange is macerated in HRS then distilled. Distillate is mixed with Cognac and other ingredients, sweetened, and left to marry prior to release.
Limoncello
Fruit Liqueur made with Lemon
Southern Comfort
peach and orange with other fruits and spices
Kummel
Caraway seed liqueur originally made by Lucas Bols in 1575. Peter the Great discovered in Amsterdam and took recipe to Russia. Today produced across the Baltic, in Holland, and in France.
Amaretto
Bitter Almond Oil
Frangelico
Hazelnuts
Nocino
Walnuts
Malibu Rum
Coconut seed
Kahlua
cane spirit, coffee, caramel, and vanilla
Tia Maria
coffee and vanilla infused with Jamaican Rum
Aquavit
spirit common in Northern Europe flavored with caraway or dill seed
