Liqueurs

Question 1

When was the first commercial liqueur made ?

Answer 1

By Lucas Bols in 1575.

Question 2

How the EU defines a liqueur ?

Answer 2

• A spirit having a minimum sugar content of 100g/L.
• Produced by flavoring ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin or a distillate of agricultural origin or one or more spirit drinks.
• Sweetened.
• And possibly with the addition of products of agricultural origin such as cream, milk or other milk products, fruit, wine or flavored wine.

Question 3

According to Dr David Clutton in “Fermented Beverage Production”, what is the easier way to define a liqueur ?

Answer 3

Liqueur is alcohol, sugar, flavoring materials and water.

Question 4

What are the 4 methods of extracting flavoring elements ?

Answer 4

• Maceration/percolation/infusion
• Distillation
• Compounding
• Finishing/color adjusting

Question 5

Explain the method of maceration/percolation/infusion.

Answer 5

• Ingredients are steeped in the base spirit at room temperature to allow their flavors to leach out. This can take days, weeks or months.
• Some brands macerate their botanicals in smaller flavor blocks that will then blended together.
• Other brands operate a rolling process, adding them throughout the macerating period.
• Sometimes, a percolation system (in which the spirit is passed through the botanicals) is also used.

Question 6

Explain the method of Distillation.

Answer 6

• Pot still distillation is the most common method for extracting flavors.
• Steam distillation can be used for very delicate components.
• Sometimes the botanicals are distilled separately, or in mixed batches.

Question 7

Explain the method of compounding.

Answer 7

This refers to the blending in of essences and concentrates.

Question 8

Explain the method of finishing/color adjusting.

Answer 8

• Many liqueurs are married in large and old wooden casks after blending (they don’t impart any distinct oak character).
• Sweetening: normally takes place after flavoring and alcohol reducing of the spirit (as sugars are difficult to dissolve in high alcohol and can form crystals).
• Sweetening agent can be sucrose (from cane or beet): greater viscosity than liquid glucose. High fructose corn spirit also used, as CRGM, or honey.
• Coloring: tends to take place towards the end of the process. Color derived from wholly natural sources or from food coloring.

Question 9

Cream liqueurs are exceptions to the normal liqueur production. What is the recipe to produce them ?

Answer 9

1) Consists of 40% solids: 15% butterfat, 3% caseinate, 20% sugar, 2% non-fat milk solids.
2) Cream, sugar and alcohol are added to a solution of sodium caseinate.
3) Homogenisation at 55ºC and 300 bar. This process is repeated.
4) The mixture is cooled, colored and flavored.
5) To get a stable mix: fat globules in the liqueur must be reduced to a size (less than 2µm) which allows a stable emulsion which won’t separate. Small globules size also have an effect on mouthfeel and perceived sweetness (lighter “cleaner” character).

Question 10

What are the 5 kinds of liqueurs ?

Answer 10

1) Herbal liqueurs
2) Fruit liqueurs
3) Whisky liqueurs
4) Seed, Nut and Kernel liqueurs
5) Cream liqueurs