Different types of alcoholic beverages

The shelves at any ABC store, grocery store and even some gas stations are packed with different types of alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages are either made from fruits or grains. Each distiller has its own special formula to make their own unique alcohol beverage. Some alcoholic beverages are meant to be drunk straight while others can be mixed in a cocktail. Here are some of the different types of alcoholic beverages.

Brandy

The word brandy was coined from the Dutch word “brandewijn”. Brandewijn literally means burned wine. Brandy started off as a drink of the Mediterranean region in the seventh century. Brandy is made from fruits and can be broken down into three categories of: grape brandy, pomace brandy, and fruit brandy. Grape brandy is made from crushed grape pulp or skins; pomace brandy is made from pressed not crushed grape pulp, skins and also stems, and fruit brandy which are any and all brandy that is made from any other fruit other than grapes. Brandy is considered liquor because it has an alcohol content of about 40 to 50 percent.

Scotch

Whiskey is spelled with an ‘e’ in Ireland and without the ‘e’ in the United States. Whisky includes a wide variety of distilled spirits. There are nine basic types of whisky and each one of these types has a variation in flavors and the way they are made. Scotch whiskey comes in two categories either single malt or blended. Single malt scotch whiskey is an unblended whiskey from a single batch. Blended whiskey is a combination of multiple malts.

Rye

Rye whiskey is a distilled beverage with at least 51 percent rye grain. All the other ingredients of rye whiskey can be corn and/or malted barley. These regulations on rye whiskey only apply to whiskey in the United States. Rye whiskey that is made in Canada does not have to include rye at all. Rye whiskey is most commonly used in the cocktails known as the Old Fashioned, the Manhattan, and the Whiskey Sour.

Bourbon

Bourbon is another distilled spirit that’s content is regulated by laws. Bourbon has to be a minimum of two years old and be at least 80 proof. Not only that but bourbon also must be made from at least 51 percent corn and be aged in charred, new oak barrels.

Rum

Rum is the only alcoholic beverage that is made from a grass known as sugar cane. Rum is made by pressing the juice out of the sugar cane. Distillers will use the juice although some other just use molasses which is what is left over of refined sugar. Rum is fermented by adding yeast. Rum is made all over the world but most commonly in the Caribbean and the rum from each country tastes different.

Beer

There are around 20,000 different types of beer in the world and there are at least 180 different styles of beer. The basic process of making beer is kind of common knowledge. Yeast mixes with grain in water, the grain ferments and then you have beer. It is the type of water, yeast, and grain that creates different types of beer. Hard water will make bitter ale and soft water will make a bitter lager. Add barley to the mix and you now have a sweet taste. Add hops and you know have a bitterness to it.

Wine

Wine comes in so many varieties but it always starts out the same. Wine is created by taking a bunch of grapes that are crushed and pressed and then fermenting them. The fermentation of grapes happens all by itself by adding special yeast to the mix. The clarification of wine happens the wine is moved from one barrel to the next leaving a bit of the solid pieces behind each time it moves. Each time the wine is moved from barrel to barrel it becomes clearer and clearer. The last steps for wine are, of course the aging and bottling process. Some wines get bottled immediately and left to age in there; some are left in steel tanks or small barrels to age.

There is no shortage of different types of alcoholic beverages. There are hundreds of thousands of different types of alcoholic beverages and each one has multiple varieties within themselves. The description of different types of alcoholic beverages could literally go on for days and days.

Sources:

http://www.medindia.net/slideshow/types-of-alcohol.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholic_beverage

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