General Product Knowledge Flashcards
What is vodka commonly made from?
Grains (sorghum, rye, rice, wheat)
fruits (grapes, apples, etc.)
vegetables (corn, potatoes, etc.)
Where did vodka originate from?
Exact history is unknown, though it most likely originates somewhere in the region of Polan or Russia between the 14th and 16th centuries
Most Vodka is roughly 60% water
What countries exist in the Vodka Belt?
Scandinavia (except Denmark), Russia, The Baltics, Belarus, Ukraine, and central and Eastern Poland
What does vodka taste like?
It has a neutral taste
What are the categories of vodka?
Neutral - completely devoid of specific aroma
Flavors - made with the addition of fruit flavor
What are some common vodka brands?
Absolut
Belvedere*
Chopin*
Ciroc*
Effen
Finlandia
Gordon’s
Grey Goose*
Hanger 1
Ketel One
New Amsterdam
Pinnacle
Seagram’s
Skyy
Smirnoff
Solichnaya (Stoli)
Three Olives
Tito’s
Van Gogh
What does Gin consist of?
High-proof neutral spirits distilled or redistilled with juniper berries and other aromatics
It is a product of precise quality control and secret, complex recipes.
Where does Gin originally come from?
Holland, where it is called genever
What are the Gin categories?
London Dry
Plymouth
Old Tom
Genever
New Style
What does a London dry consist of?
High-proof (45% ABV) gin with strong characteristics of juniper and citrus
It’s aggressive and crisp
It is considered a benchmark for all gins
What are some common Brands of London Dry gin?
Bombay Sapphire (London Dry)*
Boodles (London Dry)
St. George (New Style)
Beefeater (London Dry)
Tanqueray (London Dry)*
Gordons (London Dry)
What does Plymouth consist of?
Citrus forward gin.
Gentle in flavor and with an ABV of 45%
What are some common Brands of Plymouth?
Plymouth* - produced by the Black Friaris Destillery
What does Old Tom consist of?
Fuller, sweeter, and heavier-bodied cousin to London dry.
It has a juniper-forward flavor
What are some common Branks of Old Tom?
Hayman’s Old Tom
Ransom Old Tom
What does Genever consist of?
It is distilled from a malted wine base and then redistilled with botanicals
It is sweeter and richer than any other style of gin
It is the granddaddy of all gin
Who created Genever?
The Dutch
What are some common brands of Genever
Bols
Filliers
Old Duff
Rutte
Zuidam
What does New Style consist of?
AKA “New Western” or “American”.
It is any style of botanical distillate that doesn’t fall under the traditional gin categories
What are some common brands of New Style gin?
Hendricks*
What is the world’s most varied spirit?
Rum
How is rum generally made?
It is made by fermenting fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, cane sugar, or can sugar by-products, then distilling and aging the spirit in oak casks.
It is not as easily interchangeable as gin & whiskey, swapping one rum for another can drastically change the flavor profile of a cocktail
What are the characteristics of Light rum (white/silver)?
Has nearly no color and a light flavor.
Filtered multiple times to remove any impurities and is not aged very long.
What are the characteristics of Gold rum (amber rum)?
Aged in wooden casks for some period of time which gives the spirit its signature color and sweeter, richer flavor
What are the characteristics of Black rum (dark rum)?
Aged the longest giving it it’s dark color and deep, smoky-sweet flavor
What are the characteristics of Spiced rum?
typically aged for the same length of time as black rum but has added spices and caramel coloring to give it a signature sweet spice taste
What are the categories that Rum has?
Spanish
English
Jamaican
French
What is Spanish rum distilled from?
Molasses
What are some Spanish-style rum-producing countries?
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador
What are some Spanish-style rum brands?
Bacardi
Castillo (Puerto Rico)
Ronrico (Puerto Rico)
What is English rum distilled from?
Demerara sugar
What are some English-style rum-producing countries?
Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago, Virgin Islands, Antigua, St. Lucia, British Guyana (Demerara), Mauritius
What are some Enligh-style rum brands
10 Cane (Trinidad)
Captain Morgan (Jamaica)
Cruzan (St. Croix)
Sailor Jerry (Virgin Islands)
What is Jamaican rum distilled from?
Molasses but is more robust and heavier bodied than Spanish-Rum.
Complex.
What are some Jamaican-style rum brands?
Appleton Estate
Myers
What is French rum distilled from?
Fresh pressed sugarcane juice, better known as rhum agricole
What are some French-style producing countries?
Marinique, Guadaloupe, Maire Galante, Haiti, French Guyana, Reunion, and Mauritius
What are some French-style rum brands?
Appleton Estate (Jamaican)
Kracken (Caribbean)
Malibu (Coconut)
Myers (Jamaican)
Parrot Bay (coconut)
Pyrat (Caribbean)
What is rhum agricole distilled from?
Directly from pressed sugar cane
Where does Rhum Agricole usually come from?
French-speaking Caribbean countries
What does Rhum Agricole taste like?
It has a very earthy, vegetal taste.
It has a higher proof than its rum cousin
What are some common brands of Rhum Agricole?
Chamarel VSOP
Clement Rhum
Depaz Blue Cane Rhum Agricole
Habitation Saint-Etienne Blanc Agricole
Habitation Saint-Etienne Rhum Eleve Sous Bois
Neisson Rhum Agricole
New Dawn Rum La Palma
Reizinho
Rhum J.M. Gold
What is Brazil’s national spirit?
Cachaca
What is Cachaca distilled from?
It is distilled from sugar cane which lends it a more floral, grassy, herbaceous flavor profile than its rum counterparts.
Is Cachaca aged?
Not often aged
To qualify as aged at least 50% of the spirit must be aged at least 1 year; white cachaca may be aged to soften up for up to 1 year; dark cachaca can be aged 3+ years.
What are some common brands of Cachaca?
Agua Luca Cachaca
Cupacacha
Leblon
Novo Fogo Gold
Novo Fogo Silver
Pirassununga 51
Pitu Brazillian
Ypioca
What is tequila made from
Blue Agave (Blue Weber agave)
Where is Tequila produced?
It can only be produced in the Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacan, Guanajuato, and Tamaulipas
What are some factors that contribute to the quality of Tequila?
The soil, location, the time at which the agave is harvested (typically 10-12 years), how it is processed, and the yeast used in fermentation
In summary: the quality is based on how the agave is handled.
What does highland agave create?
It creates a sharp, fresh, grassy tequila
What does lowland agave create?
It creates a broader and fuller-bodied Tequila
How long is Blanco/Plata/platinum/white Tequila aged?
- No aging is required.
How long is Reposado tequila aged?
Matures in oak barrels for a minimum of 2 months to a maximum of one year
How long is Anejo tequila aged?
Matures in oak barrels for a minimum of 1 year to a maximum of 3 years