Glossary of Bar Terms Flashcards
American Whiskey
a. An american spirit made from a fermented mash of grain, distilled to less than 95% abv
b. stored in oak barrels
c. bottled no less than 40% abv
d. can contain other distillates that do not meet these standards
e. brands
i. Random The Emerald, Koval Four Grain
Bourbon
a. An American spirit (does not have to be made in Kentucky) made up of at least 51% corn (typically, but not required, including rye or wheat and malted barley)
b. Distilled no higher than 80% abv
c. Aged in charred new oak barrels at no higher than 62.5%abv.
d. Bottled no less than 40%abv
e. Brands
i. Four Roses Yellow Label, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare 10 year
Straight Bourbon
A Bourbon aged a minimum of two years
Brands: Old Granddad 114, Elijah Craig 12 year, Stagg Jr.
Wheated Bourbon
A bourbon who’s secondary grain (outside of corn) is wheat
Brands: Maker’s Mark, Weller 12year, Pappy Van Winkle 23 year
Ryed Bourbon
A bourbon thats secondary grain (outside of corn) is rye.
Brands: Russell’s Reserve 10 year, Old Forrester Birthday Bourbon, Four Roses Yellow Label
Single Bourbon
A bourbon bottled exclusively from a single barrel selected from a warehouse.
Brands: Four Roses Single Barrel, Knob Creek Single Barrel
Wheat Whiskey
An American spirit made according to the same requirements as bourbon, but whose primary grain is wheat instead of corn.
Brands: Bernheim Wheat Whiskey, Parker’s Heritage 8th Edition
American Rye
An American Spirit made according to the same requirements as Bourbon, but whose primary grain is rye instead of corn.
Brands: Rittenhouse Bonded, Bulleit Rye, Thomas Handy
Tennessee Whiskey
A straight bourbon produced in the state of Tennessee. Commonly, Tennessee whiskey is filtered through 10 feet of sugar-maple charcoal.
Brands: George Dickel White Label
Canadian Whisky
A loosely regulated spirit usually distilled to higher proofs, such as 180 proof. Traditionally Canadian whisky was made with rye or wheat. Canadian whisky producers are permitted to add 9.09% of additives to their spirits (rum, brandy, caramel, coloring, syrup, coke zero….you get the idea.)
Brands: Forty Creel, Canadian Club 100% Rye
Scotch Whisky
A Scottish spirit that must meet the following legal requirements (amongst others)
- Produced at a Scottish distillery from water and malted barley to which only whole grains of other cereals may be added (meaning your malted grain must be barley, not another grain)
- Distilled below 98.8% abv, but bottled at or above 40% abv.
- Matured in Scotland in Oak casks no greater than 700 liters.
Brands: Cylenish 14year, Compass Box Oak Cross, Highland Park 12year
Single Malt Whisk(e)y
a whiskey made from malt from a single distillery. Most commonly this term is used to describe Scotch, but recently “single malts” have been produced throughout the world including, but not limited to, The United States, Japan, Taiwan, and Australia.
Brands: Cao Ila 12 Year, Springbank 10 year, Glenlivet 16 year Nadurra
Blended Malt Scotch Whiskey
A whiskey made from a blend of single malt whiskeys. This term is typically not recognized in the Scotch industry, but is know as blended malt whiskey.
Brands: Compass Box Peat Monster, Compass Box Hedonism, Sheep Dip
Blended Scotch Whiskey
A whiskey made from a blend of single malt and grain whiskeys.
Brands: Famous Grouse, Great King Street, Pig’s Nose
Malt
A grain that has been watered for germination and dried to stop growth. During germination, grains release natural enzymes that are converted to sugar when added to hot water.
Wort
The mixture of heated water and malted grains.
Yeast
A microorganism that converts malted sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Peat
Dense, partially decomposed plant matter that may be burnt in order to dry out malted grains. Peat gives off a distinct smoky flavor to the grains it dries, resulting in the term a “peated whiskey”.
Brands: Ardbeg 10 year, Laphroaig 25 year, Lagavulin 16 year
Irish Whiskey
An irish barley-based whiskey traditionally distilled three times, unlike Scotch, which is traditionally distilled twice.
Brands: Redbreast 12 year, Powers Gold, Green Spot
Japanese Whiskey
A Japanese barley-based whisky that typically blends a variety of whiskies produced from the same distillery, unlike blended Scotch, which typically uses a blend of whiskies from different distilleries.
Brands: Yamazaki 18 year, Hibiki
Moonshine
A rural American spirit typically comprised of grain and sugar, or fruit components
White Whiskey
an unaged whiskey
Brands: Death’s Door, High West OMG
Rum
A sugarcane based spirit made from fresh can juice, molasses, or other sugar production by-products
Brands: El Dorado 5 year, Pampero Anniversario, Ron Zacapa 23 year Solera
Rhum Agricole
A Martinique spirits made form pressed cane juice distilled to about 70% abv. On Martinique the distillers have adopted the AOC Martinique Rhum Agricola mark, which is similar to the AOC mark for Cognac or Champagne. Preventing other fresh pressed cane juice-based rums from calling themselves rum-agricole. Additionally, rum auricle produced in the traditional sense utilizes more airborne yeasts as opposed to indoctrinated yeasts, giving them a distinct quality and taste. No all “rum auricles” are created equal.
Brands: Rhum JM, La Favorite, Rhum Neisson
Cachaca
A Brazilian spirit made form fresh pressed can juice distilled between 38% abv and 48% abv
Brands: Velho Barrerio, Mae de Ouro
Aguardiente
A term for rural or economical spirits produced in Latin America that typically do not meet higher standards of production for more stable spirits (rum, cachaca, mezcal, etc.) In some cultures, aguardiente are commonly flavored; Colombian aguardiente for example typically are flavored with anise.
Mezcal
Originally, a term used to describe the wine produced from the agave plant. Today, mezcal is an agave based spirit with a noticeable smoked quality. Mezcal is produced most notably in Oaxaca, but legally recognized in 8 Mexican States. Mezcal however is a term used to describe all agave-based spirits in Mexico, as it has been used for centuries by producers and consumers alike.
Brands: Del Maguey, mezcal Vago
Tequila
A specific type of agave spirit made exclusively from a single species of agave (tequiliana weber, or blue weber) in one of five states in Mexico, most notably jalisco.
Brands: Siembra Azul, El Tesoro, Tequila Ocho
Mixto Tequila
A Tequila made form a minimum of 51% tequiliana weber based spirit, which is supplemented with other spirits (more tequila, rum, neutral spirits, etc.) but no other agave-based spirit.
Bacanora
An agave-based spirit made in the State of Sonora, just south of Arizona
Brands: Cielo Rojo
Sotol
A spirit similar to agave-based spirits, but made from a different plant commonly called sotol (dasylirion wheerli, or desert spoon) in the state of Chihuahua (but also make wherever sotol is grown - aka desolate fold in West Texas and elsewhere)
Brands: Ocho Cientos
Blanco Tequila
Unnamed of rested up to 4 weeks in stainless steel (also called silver or platinum)
Brands: Siembra Azul Blanco, Tequila Ocho Plata, Charbay Blanco
Joven Tequila
A blend of blanco and reposado tequila, Joven means young
Reposado Tequila
A tequila aged two months to one year, there are not regulations on barrel size, let alone that it must be in a barrel at all, just that it touches wood.
brands: Fortaleza Reposado, El Tesoro Reposado, Tequila Ocho Reposado
Anejo Tequila
A tequila aged at one to three years. Barrels cannot exceed 600 liters.
brands: siembra azul anejo, el tesoro anejo, tequila ocho anejo
Extra Anejo Tequila
a tequila aged more than three years
brands: siembra azul extra anejo, tapatío excelencia
Gold Tequila
a tequila colored with caramel to produce a gold color
