Flavoured Spirits & Liqueurs

Question 1

Vermouth. Spirit or Wine?

Answer 1

Wine.

Fortified to 20% ABV, which a spirit does not make.

Question 2

Name the botantical that Vermouth must contain?

Answer 2

Wormwood

Question 3

Red Vermouth… where does the red come from?

Answer 3

Caramel colouring

Question 4

Gin… go on, name the major botanicals. All 5 of them.

Answer 4

Citrus peel (lemon, orange but not lime)
Coriander
Orris (Flag Iris) root
Angelica
Juniper

Question 5

If natural flavours are used in a spiced rum, why does that probably preclude them having been added through re-distillation?

Answer 5

Re-distillation would almost certainly affect the flavours and especially the colour. Maceration is more probable.

Question 6

In Eastern Europe, the traditional home of vodka, which (4) flavourings are common?

Answer 6

Honey
Fruits
Spices
Bison Grass

Question 7

Traditional vodka gains its flavours through which process?

Answer 7

Maceration

Question 8

A premium flavoured vodka will have been redistilled after maceration. True or False

Answer 8

True this.

Question 9

Which is the only botanical that must be in Gin?

Answer 9

Juniper

Quite how much is an increasingly moot point. In theory, it must be dominant in either flavour or quantity.

Question 10

The best Gins are re-distilled. True or False?

Answer 10

True dis. Obvs. It costs money to re-distill.

Question 11

In terms of Gin production, what is the major difference between the EU and US requirements?

Answer 11

The EU requires Gin to be made using an entirely neutral spirit.
The US allows the use of other distilled spirits or have the Gin distilled directly from a fermented alcoholic liquid.

Question 12

Prior to bottling, what is gin typically stored in?

Answer 12

Inert vessels

Question 13

Your gin has a pale lemon colour… why might that be?

Answer 13

Oak maturation

Question 14

The three approaches to re-distilling gin. Dilute the spirit and…

Answer 14

1. Add botanicals, allow to macerate, distill
2. Add botanicals but use a Carterhead Still
3. Distill some or all the botanicals separately and blend afterwards

Question 15

What is a Carterhead still?

Answer 15

A container somewhere between the top of the column/pot still and the condenser that houses the botanicals, through which the alcoholic vapours pass.

Question 16

Using Carterhead does what to the style of the gin?

Answer 16

It lightens the style - a sort of maceration ‘Lite’

Question 17

Name the two Aniseed spirits you need to know at L2

Answer 17

Pastis

Absinthe

Question 18

From which country does Pastis and Absinthe come from?

Answer 18

France

Question 19

Name the chemical in suspension that is linked to the distinct flavour of Absinthe and Pastis

Fishnet stocking?

Answer 19

Anethole

A-Net-Hole

Question 20

Name the (3) botanicals from which anethole is extracted

Answer 20

Fennel
Aniseed
Star Anise

Question 21

Name another couple of Anethole botanicals (not aniseed, star anise or fennel)

Answer 21

Wormwood

Liquorice

Question 22

Louching…
Not a drooling square-eyed teenager on the couch.
What is it?

Answer 22

The clouding effect in a drink when water causes anethole to come out of suspension

Question 23

1. How are aniseed spirits usually coloured?

2. Are these typically aged, if so, how?

Answer 23

1. With natural or artificial colours

2. Nope. Not aged. Ha!

Question 24

What anethole botanicals must be used in pastis?

Answer 24

The standard Aniseed, Star Anise and Fennel
…plus…
Liquorice

Question 25

Pastis. | Must or Must Not be sweetened?

Answer 25

It *must* be sweetened to ‘medium’ or ‘sweet’ | Unlike Absinthe

Question 26

Absinthe. | Must or Must Not be sweetened?

Answer 26

It must *not* be sweetened. | Unlike Pastis

Question 27

Pastis is normally coloured... what?

Answer 27

Yellow, Green or Green Brown

Question 28

The production of Absinthe is heavily regulated with legal definitions. True or False?

Answer 28

Bollocks. Sadly, perhaps. | There are no guarantees.

Question 29

Name the two key differences between Absinthe and Pastis

Answer 29

1. Absinthe is not sweetened before bottling. Pastis is. | 2. Absinthe must also use Wormwood. Pastis must use liquorice

Question 30

Wormwood imparts what flavours into Absinthe?

Answer 30

Floral and Bitterness

Question 31

Absinth is bottled at 1. high ABV and heavily diluted in the glass 2. low ABV and modestly diluted in the glass

Answer 31

1. | 70% ABV is not uncommon, but it is typically heavily diluted down to wine strength.

Question 32

Name (3) botanicals used for Bitters spirit

Answer 32

Quinine Gentian Bitter Orange (oh, and (f)artichokes, but it’s not a L2 learning outcome)

Question 33

The bitterness of Bitters is balanced with what?

Answer 33

Sugar (obviously) Sour would also work Just sayin’. You don’t need to know this.

Question 34

Can bitterness be smelled?

Answer 34

Nope. Only tasted

Question 35

Name the three categories of Bitters | AC-D(C)

Answer 35

Apertif Cocktail Digestif

Question 36

How does an American “Distilled” gin differ in production from an EU “Distilled” gin?

Answer 36

In the US, *all* the flavours must have come from re-distillation In the EU, flavours can be added *after* distillation

Question 37

London Gin... must be made in London or at least the UK. | True or False

Answer 37

No truth to that at all. | It can be made anywhere.

Question 38

London Dry Gin and American Distilled Gin have something in common...

Answer 38

All flavours must be derived *only* from re-distillation.

Question 39

Old Tom gin. What’s it all about?

Answer 39

Basically, expect a sweetened product

Question 40

All liqueurs share a common feature. Name it.

Answer 40

Sweetness. | The degree of sweetness varies from country to country.

Question 41

What is the minimum bottling strength of a liqeuer?

Answer 41

No such thing as a min. ABV

Question 42

All liqueurs must be made from a neutral base spirit. | True or False?

Answer 42

Not true. Most are. | Notable exceptions: Grand Marnier (cognac) and Drambuie (scotch)

Question 43

What is it about cream liqueurs that needs complex techniques to avoid?

Answer 43

Going lumpy

Question 44

Name the (5) main flavouring types of liqueurs

Answer 44

``` Herb Fruit Seed Nut & Kernal Cream, ```

Question 45

Re-distilling Gin achieves what to the flavours?

Answer 45

A purer and more precise fruit character

Question 46

Name the two cocktails that require Bourbon (discounting Sazerac) They different Sours... name them too

Answer 46

``` Old Fashioned has Angostura Bitters Whiskey Sour (which can also be Rye) has Lemon ```