Land of Chefs: 2011

Beverage Product Knowledge

COGNAC: (France)

HISTORY:

Some seventy miles north of Bordeaux in western France lay the Charente and Charente-Maritime department. In Roman times the people of the Charente mastered the art of the viticulture and extraction of salt from seawater, so that by the Middle Ages the Dutch, Norvegians and English traders were shipping weath, salt and wine from Charentes to the rest of Europe. The wine itself was highly acidic and light bodied which mean it did not travel well. Sometime in the mid-sixteenth century the wine was boiled downto strenghthen it.

Brandewijn, a Dutch word meaning “burn wine”, was regarded as a wine concentrate to be drunk dilated with water.By the end of the eighteenth century, the superiority of older’s brandies was recognized because of the quality of the wines in barrels that had made the long sea voyages to the colonies. Unfortunately in 1880 phylloxera completely destroyed the vineyards and cognac has only regaigned a substantial share of the word’s brandy market in the past thirty years.

DEFINITION:

Cognac is the result of the double distillation of whites wine from Charentes, Charentes Maritimes, a small of the Dordogne, and the bottom of Les Deux- Sèvres. (delimited the 1^st May 1909)

THE VINEYARD:

The area permitted to make cognac has been legally definited since 1909. It is classified into six regions of descending quality:

- Grande Champagne

- Petite Champagne

- Borderie

- Fins Bois

- Bons Bois

- Bois Ordinaires

PRODUCTION OF COGNAC:

- The base wine: Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc, Colombard

- The still

- First distillation: it takes around three hours for the wine to boild. The resulting milky liquid, know as Brouillis, is 26-32 % alcohol.

- Second distillation (call Bonne Chauffe): the Brouillis are then returned to the still and reheated. Only the heart is saved and the head and the tail are either discarded or re-processed.

- Ageing: the infants’ cognacs are matured in Limousins or Tronçais oak casks.

- Blending: the cellar master is responsible for producing a consistent style of cognac that can be immediatly identified as the product of a particular house.

- Bottling: distilled water is used to reduce the cognac to the required strenght; it is then filtered, rested and bottled.

STYLES OF COGNAC:

- VS: Very Superior (Three Star)

- VSOP: Very Superior Old Pale

- Vintage

- Early Landed

- Lated Bottled

- Luxury Cognac: these cognacs carry prestigious names such as Vieille Réserve, XO,

- Fine Champagne : this term may be used for cognac blended from brandies produced in the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne areas.

ARMAGNAC: (France)

HISTORY:

The Armagnac region has long been knowfor its fine brandy; the first written reference to it was in 1411, about two century before any mention of cognac. For the purposes of brandy production it is divided into three sub-regions:

- Bas-Armagnac: the area to the west of Auch has predominantly sandy soil and the

finest brandies are produced here.

- Ténarèze : the central area has clay soil which results in light early maturi brandies

- Haut-Armagnac: the south-eastern area, which has the highest proportion of chalky

soil, produces the lowest quality brandy.

DEFINITION:

Armagnac is the result of the distillation of white wines from the Gers in Gascogne.

PRODUCTION OF ARMAGNAC:

Although the grape variety are the same like the Cognac.There is little similarity between Armagnac and Cognac in methods of productions, maturation or final product.The wine is distilled while on the lees so that more flavour passes into the spirit. Armagnac is only distilled once, in a form of continious copper still. The infant spirit is matured in Molezun oak.

STYLE OF ARMAGNAC:

- Three stars: it’s a three years old brandy.

- VO and VSOP: it’s a four years wood maturation.

- Extra, Napoléon,and XO: have spent at least five years in wood cask.

- Hors d’age: used for brandies over twenty five years old.

CALVADOS: (France)

DEFINITION:

A brandy made from a mash of cider apples. Only apple brandy produced in the definited areas of the provinces of Brittany, Normandy, and Maine is entitled to the name “Calvados”. In the heart of this large definited area is the Pays d’Auge, and apple brandy from there can bear the appelation “Calvados du Pays d’Auge”.

PRODUCTION OF CALVADOS:

The fermented mash of apples is double distilled in a pot still and then matured in oak casks for up to twenty fives years, picking up colour and flavour from the wood.

GIN: (UK; Holland...)

HISTORY:

The spirit originated in Holland over 300 years ago when a doctor (Franciscus de la Boe) successfully combined the juniper berry and alcohol to produce a cheap remedy for kidney complaints. The word “gin” is a corruption of the French word for juniper (genièvre).

DEFINITION:

The gin is a flavoured spirit obtained by the distillation and rectification of grain, usually malted barley rye or maize and flavoured with juniper berries, coriander seeds, orange and lemon peel, herbs and spices

There are two great categories of gin:

- The Dutch Gin

- The London Dry Gin

There are two method of distillation: either the rising alcohol fumes are conducted directly over fresh juniper berries and other herbs to absorb their aroma and flavour (Bombay Sapphire) or juniper berries and other botanicals are mixed with a grain mash and they are distilled together. Gin is stored in a glass, earthenware, or stainless steel, but does not mature in these containers. The storage time serves only to harmonise the product.

POPULAR GIN:

- Beefeater gin: 1820, James Burrough, Chelsea, is the only produced in London. It is very similar to Plymouth gin.

- Bombay Sapphire: 1950, Alan Subin, famous for is delicates aromas, is usually seen as better gin because it’s expensive and come in a fancy bottle. Being light flavoured, makes it perfect for a Martini Cocktail.

- Gordon’s gin: 1769, Alexander Gordon’s, this is the only gin for the English market. Gordon’s is produced all over the world and the strength of the alcohol changes with every country/market, depending on taxes and favours.

- Tanqueray gin: beginning of 18^th century by a French family, has got a stronger lemon flavour.

VODKA: (Polland; Russia; France; USA...)

HISTORY:

The Vodka was born in the region of Dantzig in Poland in the sixtheenth century. The word means literally “little water”. Before it was distilled from grape, grain or potato. The potions were frequently highly flavoured and aromatic. Russia and Poland are still considered the classic natives lands of vodka, but the US, the largest marketer of vodka in the world, has taken the lead in the production. There are now over 200 different brands on sale in the USA.

DEFINITION:

But now, vodka, like gin, is distilled from a base of grain (barley, wheat, rye…) and is highly rectified, but no flavourings of any kind are added. Indeed, the fitness vodkas are filtered trought activated charcoal and even fine quartz sand to ensure absolute purity. Some vodkas are then flavoured with buffalo grass, lemon, pepper, vanilla….Polish vodka for instance is always made from rye.

STYLES OF VODKA:

- Neutral vodka: this is distilled from grain or sometimes molasses, then rectified, diluted to the required strength and filtered through activated charcoal. The source of the water and the choice of grain can have an effect on the quality.

- Gold: this has been cask maturated, sometimes as long as ten years.

- Green: this is made by stepping Zubrowka grass in Polish vodka and has a delicate aromatic bouquet.

- Other flavourings: lemon, orange, mandarin, red berries, pepper, vanilla …

POPULAR VODKA :

- Absolut vodka: 1879, Sweden, is distilled from grains grown in the field of southern Sweden. Different flavours can be find: premium (blue), pepper (black-red), currant (purple), citron (yellow), mandarin (orange), red: 50% alcohol (red), and vanilla (white).

- Stolychnaya: launched in the 1950’s, the export vodka knows as well as “Stoly” is made of winter wheat and glacial water. The name comes from the Russian word “Stolitsa” meaning “Capital City”.

- Smirnoff: created by Pierre Smirnoff in 1877, for the imperial court. Red (n°21), Blue (n°57), 50% of alcohol, Black (to honoured the return of the Smirnoff family in Russia.)

TEQUILA: (Mexique)

DEFINITION:

Tequila is the result of the double distillation of the heart of the blue-green agaves from the state of Jalisco or Oaxaca.

PRODUCTION:

Tequila is made from the heart of the blue-green Agave tequilana weber; know as maguey or blue mezcal in Mexico. The heart is roughly chopped and steam cooked in ovens for seven hours. After cooling the hearts are washed, shreddedand pressed between rolled to extract all the juice. Sugar and yeast are added to the juice, which is then fermemted for two or three days in tanks, before adouble distillationin a pot still. It is matured for a minimum of three years.

Tequila is only produce around the village of Tequila and around the area of Tepatitlan

STYLES OF TEQUILA:

- White or Silver: this tequila has been allowed to mature in vats that are wax lined and therefor remains coloured.

- Gold or Anejo (aged): this tequila is matured in white oak vats which give it a golden hue and mellow taste.

MEZCAL:

Mezcal is an agaves-distilled wine that doesn’t come from the designated area of Jalisco. It’s only single distilled.

POPULAR TEQUILA:

- Jose Cuervo Gold: Jose Antonio Cuervo is the father of modern tequila. He was the first person to be awarded the concession to commercially produce tequila in 1795. Cuervo is the most popular brand of tequila. The blanco version of Cuervo tequila is not longer available in this country due to a horrific agaves crop failure in 2001. The Cuervo house also produces premium tequila called Cuervo 1800.

- Camino white

RUM: (West Indies;...)

HISTORY:

Sugar cane was introduced into the West Indies by Columbus and its cultivation spread rapidly through the Caribbean. By the seventeenth century cane was being distilled to produce a cheap spirit that served as a stimulant, disinfectant ant all-purpose medicinal aid. The name of rum was probably originally used to describe the product of the British West Indies. This “Kill-Devil” as it was known, was developed into the drink we know today.

DEFINITION:

Rum is the result after fermentation, of the distillation of cane sugar (agricultural process) juice or molasses from the sugar factory (industrial process).

PRODUCTION:

To make the spirit, the sugar is stripped of its leaves and crushed, and the juice produced from this process collected in vaccum pans, where the water of the juice is evapored, to leave behind syrup (molasses) which is eventually granulate. The molasses is again reboiled producing a lower grade of sugar, and the extract of this second processing is used for the distillation of rum. Its is first mixed with water and fermenting agents. This “wash” is fermented out and distilled, strain and needs maturation for three years minimum before to be sold.

All rums are clear once they condense after distillation, and they only take on colour as a result of ageing in cask, or through the addition of caramel to make darker rum.

CACHACA:

Also know as “caxaca”, “caxa”, or “chacha”, the spirit made from sugar cane and Brazilian “ron” (rum) is in contrast to white rum, which is usually obtained from molasses distilled directly from the juice of sugar cane. Prior to the distillation, the juice ferments in a copper or wood container over three weeks and then boiled down three times to concentrate. Caipirinah: “drink of farmer” (caipira: farmer).

LIQUEURS:

DEFINITION:

All liqueurs consist of a base spirit blended with a flavouring agent and a sweetener. Herbs are the traditionnal flavouring.

- The spirit base: to produce a fine liqueur the alcohol used must be as pure as possible.

- The flavouring agent: herbs; flowers; fruits; barks; roots; seeds.

- Sweetener: sugar syrup or honey.

PRODUCTION:

- Extraction: the flavouring agent must be extracted from the natural substance.There are four methods: * pressure: with mechanical presses.

* maceration: soaked in cold spirit.

* infusion: soaked in warm spirit.

* percolation:the spirit is bubbled through with the flavouring agent.

- Distillation: The natural products are steeped in the alcohol until it is well impregnated with flavour, then it is distilled to protect the delicates essences.

- Compounding: once the ingredients have bee assembled, it is the function of the compound to blend them in strict sequence to produce a desired flavour.

- Maturing

- Bottling

GLOSSARY OF LIQUEURS:

- Advocaat: Dutch liqueur made from egg yolks and grapa brandy; 30° proof; used in mixed drinks.

- Amaretto: Italian liqueur with an almond-apricot base; 28%; sixteenth century.

- Bailey’s: Irish liqueur made from Irish whiskey; cream and chocolat; 16%; 1974.

- Archers: peach flavoured liqueur; 23%; UK.

- Bénédictine: one of the oldest liqueur in the world; 40%; 1510; Fécamp in Normandy.

- Chartreuse: 130 herbs and spices; 1607; near Grenoble in France; Green:96°proof; Yellow:75°proof.

- Coconut Liqueur: white rum flavoured with essences from macerated coconuts; Malibu: 24%.

- Cointreau: French triple-sec curaçao; orange flavour;40%; Angers.

- Crème de cassis: Dijon in France; 15%.

- Drambuie: 1745, the oldest of the whisky liqueurs; its basis is Scotch whisky and heather honey. The name Drambuie is from the Gaelic “An Dram buidheach” meaning “the drink that satisfies”, 40%.

- Galliano: golden yellow herb (vanillia; anise) liqueur from Milan in Italy; 35%.

- Glaya: Scottish whisky; herb and spice liqueur; 35%.

- Grand Marnier: French curaçao invented in 1881 with a cognac base and wild tropical oranges; 40%; Neauphle-le-Chateau near Paris.

- Fernet Branca: Italian bitter liqueur invented in 1845; Milan.

- Frangelico: 1891, Italy, hazelnut liqueur, 26%

- Kahlua: Mexican coffee liqueur; 26.5%.

- Kümmel: made in Holland since 1575; it is flavoured with caraway seeds.

- Midori: Japanese musk melon liqueur produce by Santory; lime green in colour; 20%.

- Sambuca: a highly alcoholic Italian liqueur made from an infusion of witch elderbush and liquorice; served with three coffee beans floating in the glass; 40%.

- Sloe gin: a deep-red liqueur made by stepping sloe berries in gin; 26%.

- Southern Comfort: american liqueur; bourbon-based with an orange-peach flavour;40%. Saint-Louis; Missouri.

- Tia Maria: Jamaïcan liqueur based on a rum flavoured with Blue Mountain coffee extract (most expensive coffee in the world) and spices; made since 300 years; 20.5%.

WHISK(E)Y:

HISTORY:

The earliest record of spirit being distilled in the British Isle is the barley based on pot ale of the Irish religious establishments, during the 11^th or 12^th century. This recipe crossed quickly via Islay and the Campbelton peninsula to Scottland. The Scots quickly developed a taste for the product and literature abounds with references to Uisge Beatha, Gaelic for “water of life”. The first written reference to whisky dates from 1494, when Scottish Exchequor rolls record the sale of eight bowls (6.577kg) of malt to Friard John Cor , herewith to make “aqua-vitae” (water of life).

Both whisky (the Scottish and Canadian spelling) and whiskey (the Irish and American spelling) are grain-based alcohol. The difference between the types of whisk(e)y from the four main countries that produce it results from the kind of grains used and how it is processed, different methods of distillation, and different ageing methods, and different kind of blend.

DEFINITION: (scotch whisky)

Whisky is the result, after fermentation (with water and yeast), of the distillation of grains (barley, rye, corn). There are 2 different types of whiskies:

- The blend: which is a whisky made of different whiskies, from different grains and different distilleries. In one blend, between 15 and 40 whiskies can be mixed. Ex: J&B, Chivas Regal …

- The pure malt: it’s a whisky only made of malted barley, distillate twice in a pot still. There are 2 type of pure malt:

* the single malt: is the unblended product of one distillery. Ex: Talisker, Lagavulin,

Glenffidich….

* the vatted malt: result of a blend of pure malt from different distilleries.

PRODUCTION OF A MALT WHISKY:

There are 5 main stages of producing a malt whisky: conversion, extraction, fermentation, distillation and maturation.

- Conversion: barley is malted by soaking in water for about 48 hours. It is then spread out on a concrete floor, where the warmth and moisture cause it to germinate. The barley secrete an enzyme which makes the barley starch soluble, and capable of producing sugar which can be converted to alcohol. Germination is stopped by drying the green malt in a kiln over a peat fire, and it is this smoke that adds to the flavour and character of the final whisky.

- Extraction: the dried malt is then ground in a rough powder called grist. The grist is then put into a mash tun with boiling water, and churned violently, allowed the enzymes to react, and extract the sugar. The resulting liquid is known as” the wort”.

- Fermentation: the wort goes into the wash tun, a large wooden drum with still paddles, and cultured yeast are added. This yeast attack the sugar and after 3 days of violent mixing, the liquid is converted to a crude form of alcohol (about 4%) called green wine, or more commonly “the mash”.

- Distillation: the liquid is then put into the wash still, and gently heated to a point where the alcohol vaporise up the neck of the still, and the remaining liquid (mostly water) remains in the still. The whisky still in a raw form is now around 30-40% alcohol. The liquid is placed through another still, and it is at this point where the skill and the experience of the still man takes over. The liquid can be described as in 3 parts (the fore shot, the heart, the feints). Only the heart is the desirable potable spirit, so as the liquid pump through the still, the still man will decide when to accept the heart. The other parts and not wasted, as they returned to the still to be re-distilled into another batch or are used in the production of generic blended whisky. It is very important that the level of quality is correct, and that is why the still man is such an important job, and often one which is held by the same person for over 40 years.

- Maturation: the spirit is reduced to 68.5% alcohol and piped into wooden casks (usually sherry or American oak casks). The minimum legal period of maturation is 3 years, but a period of 5 years is advisable. Highland malts are at their best between 15 and 20 years old, after which there is a danger of a slimey texture developing from prolonged contact with the wood.

MALT WHISKY REGIONS:

- Highland: tend to be light bodied, but full flavoured malts are produced north to the line drawn from Greenock on the west coast to Dundee on the east, and many of the single malts come from this prestigious region. The distilleries concentrated around the river Spey in the Glenlivet area produces superior malt and the nearby Dufftown distilleries makes smooth, peaty malt whiskies.

- Lowland: these are produced south of the Highland line and the majority of them are used for blending with Highland malts.

- Campbeltown: the Mulls of Kintyre is the original home of whisky. However, the number of distilleries in this region was in decline until recently. The whisky style is that of a heavy, smoke spirit, which makes it not very suitable in blending.

- Islay: the whiskies from the isle of Islay are noticeably individual, being very strong and pungent. Most blends have a little Islay whisky in them to provide extra depth of flavour.

US WHISKEY:

- Bourbons: bourbons has been tracked back to Bourbon County, Kentucky. In 1789 a Baptist minister, the reverend Elija Craig, set up a still beside a limestone creek in the Blue Grass County and distilled corn to produce his “Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey”. Like all modern spirits, bourbon has to satisfy certain criterion before it can be called bourbon. Firstly it has to be made with at least 51% corn spirits, although most distillers use more. Also, it has to have maturated a minimum of two years in white oak barrels that have been charred to some degree. During the bottling process nothing can be added to the spirit to change or enhance the colour, the flavour or sweetness of the bourbon. Finally it has to come from the state of Kentucky, USA, to be labelled bourbon. There are three different types kind of bourbon: * single barrel: bottled from a single barrel.

* small batch: bottled from a batch of about 20 barrels.

* common brand: bottled from a batch as large as 200 barrels.

- Rye whiskey: the word rye can be only used if the spirit is distilled from a mash of not less than 51% rye. Most rye whiskey come from Pennsylvania and Maryland.

- Corn whiskey: spirit distilled from a minimum of 80% corn mash is known as corn whiskey.

- Sour Mash: sour mash is a non alcoholic and acid juice knows has “spent beer”. it’ drained off the first fermentation and add to the next vessel of mash to be fermented. This process is used in the making of Tennessee Whiskey: Jack Daniel’s.

CANADIAN WHISKY:

Although Canadian whisky is usually called “rye” the main grain used is corn with some wheat and rye. The law requires oak maturation for a minimum of 3 years. Canadian whisky are light bodied and well suited to mixed drinks.

IRISH WHISKEY:

Made from 50% malted barley, 30% barley, and a mix of rye and wheat. It distilled three times and ageing for a minimum of 3 years in oak, sherry, rum barrel. Generally, distilleries leave the whiskey in the barrel between 5 and 12 years before to sell it. All the Irish whiskeys are blend. The only Irish whiskey single malt is the Bushmills Malt 10 yars old.

	SCOTCH			IRISH	AMERICAN			CANADIAN
	Single Malt	Pure Malt	Blended	Irish	Whiskey	Bourbon	Rye	Rye Whisky
Method of Distillation	Still (double distillation)		Still (continuation)	Still (triple distillation)	Still (continuation)			Still (continuation)
Cereal	100% malted barley (one distillery)	100% malted barley (several distillery)	malt whisky and grains (rye,not malted barley,corn)	barley and malted barley	corn, malted barley and rye	min 51% of corn + malted barley	min 51% of rye + malted barley	corn,malted barley and malted rye.
Ageing	min 3 years	min 3 years	min 3 years	min 3 years	2 years	min 2 years	2 years	between 4 and 12 years

VERMOUTHS:

HISTORY:

Vermouth is an aromatised wine. Its name is derived from the German “wermut”. This herb was added to wine as early as AD 78 for medicinal purposes, but there were further advantages in that it could mask the flavour of sour wine and act as a preservative. The best vermouths were produced on both the French an Italian sides of the Alps, for it was in the foothills of the mountains that many of the herbs and flowers which are used for flavouring were originally found. The industrial production of vermouth was developed during the 17^th century in the Piemont in Italia.

DEFINITION:

Wine based aperitif made from white wine, neutral alcohol (96%), sugar and an infusion of macerated aromatics plants (coriander, gentian, absinth, ginger, camomile, cloves…).

STYLE OF VERMOUTHS:

- Red: caramel and sugar are added to make sweet red vermouth: Martini Rosso.

- Bianco: vermouth of medium sweetness is usually a golden colour: Martini Bianco.

- Dry: the colour varies from water-white to light gold: Martini Dry.

- Rosé: vermouth made with a base of rosé wine flavoured with herbs and spices has a bitter-sweet flavour: Martini Rosé.

SPECIFICITY:

Chambéry vermouth: a particularly fine example of dry vermouth is made in the foothills of the Alps at Savoie. It was granted Appelation d’Origine Controlée status in 1932. herbs found only in the Chambéry region are used as flavouring and pure sugar is used as the sweetening agent.

ANISEED SPIRITS:

DEFINITION:

Alcohol based aperitif made from neutral alcohol, essences extracted from star anis, and aromatic plants.

TYPES OF ANISEED SPIRITS:

- Coloured aniseed spirits: light in aniseed, a lot of aromatics plants: Pastis, Ricard, Pernod…

- Non-coloured: a lot of aniseed, and light in aromatics plants: Cristal, Sambuca, Raki…

PRODUCTION:

- France: Pastis

- Liban: Arak

- Greece: Ouzo

- Turkey: Raki

- Italia: Sambuca

- Tunisia: Nukka

- Holland: Kummel

BITTERS:

DEFINITION:

Alcohol based aperitif made from neutral alcohol, and essences extracted from bitter substances like coriander, cinnamon, and bitter oranges.

TYPES OF BITTERS:

- Light bitters: red colour, obtain from the “cochenille” (powder obtains from the wings of a specie of ladybird): Campari: 25%, 1860, Milan, Italia, Gaspare Campari.

- Tar bitters: dark colour obtained with caramel: Fernet Branca, Amer Picon: 21%, can be drink mixed with soda or a beer.

- Non alcoholic bitters: San Pellegrino bitter.

- Aromatic bitters: used in cocktails, pastry, kitchen: Angostura bitter: 44,7%, 1824, Trinidad, created by J.G.B. Siegert in the town of Angostura (Venezuela).

BEERS:

HISTORY:

About 6000 years ago the ancient Egyptians were adept at brewing beer and virtually every civilisation since had produced an alcoholic beverage from fermented cereals. Germanic tribes were brewing in the first century AD and in Roman Britain ale remained the national beverage despite the introduction of wine by the invaders. The introduction of hops to fifteenth-century Britain meant that brewers were able to stop their beer going sour. The three largest present-day brewing nations are the USA, Germany, and the UK.

DEFINITION:

Beer (4% to 17%) is a term of an alcoholic, natural sparkling drink made by the fermentation of solution derived from cereals and other starchy grains. The ingredients to produce beer are the malted barley, hops (for the aromatisation: bitterness), yeast and pure water.

STYLES OF BEERS:

Ales: top fermented beers: ales are fermented quickly between 15°C and 25°C and are highly alcoholic:

- Barley wine: a dark fruity beer with a very high alcoholic content.

- Bitter: copper-coloured draught ale particularly favoured in Britain. It is bitter because of the high proportion of hops used in the production.

- Brown: dark brown sweet beer.

- Mild: a faintly sweet beer that is slightly weaker and darker than bitter.

- Stout: a very dark beer made with a high production of malt and hops. The world’s most famous stout is Guinness.

Lagers: bottom fermented beers: lagers are fermented slowly between 6°C and 11°C and are low in alcohol.

- Bock: a strong beer of German origin. In the USA these are usually darker and sweeter beers. Belgian bock is much less alcoholic.

- Doppelbock: extra strong beer specially popular in Germany.

- Dortmunder: a blonde beer with a dry lightly-hopped flavour.

- Munchener: a dark brown malty beer.

- Milsner: a pale gold beer that originated in Pilsen, Bohemia in 1842. The town is now in the Czech Republic. This is the most imitated of all beer styles.

COFFEE:

HISTORY:

Coffee was first discovered in Eastern Africa in an area we know today as Ethiopia. A popular legend refers to a goat herder by the name of Kaldy, who observed his goat acting unusually frisky after eating berries from a bush. Curious about this phenomenon, Kaldy tried to eat the berries himself. He found that these berries gave him a renewed energy. The news of this energy laden quickly spread through the region.

Monks hearing this amazing fruit dried the berries so that they could be transported to distant monasteries. They reconstituted these berries in water, ate the fruit and drank the liquid to provide stimulation for a more awakened time for prayer.

Coffee first arrived on the European continent by means of Venetians trade merchants. Once in Europe this new beverage fell under harsh criticism from the Catholic church. Many felt the pope should ban coffee, calling it the drink of the devil. To their surprise, the pope, already a coffee drinker, blessed coffee declaring it a truly Christian beverage.

DEFINITION:

Coffee is the world’s famous beverage after water, with over 400 billions cup consumed annually. Coffee is a seed of a cherry from a tree, which grows from sea level to approximately 6000 feet (1800 metres), in a narrow subtropical belt around the world. The three major growing regions are:

- Latin America and the Caribbean islands

- Africa and the Arabian Peninsula

- Indonesia

The most expensive coffee in the world is the Blue Mountain from Jamaica.

PRODUCTION:

The coffee plant first produces delicate clusters of white blossom, resembling jasmine in shape and scent. These blossoms last only a few day. Small green coffee cherries then begin to appear and ripen to yellow, red, and finally almost black, within six to nine months.

Once the coffee cherries are picked, they are transported for processing. The fruit is then removed from the seed by one or two methods. The natural or dry process, where the cherries are dried in the sun or in dryers and the fruit is then separated from the bean by processing them trough a mechanical husker. Or, by a superior soaking method know as the wet process, which produces beans which are referred to as washed beans. The green beans are then dried, sized, sorted, graded and selected, usually all by hand. The beans are then bagged and are ready for shipment to local roasters around the world. After quality coffee beans are obtained, the most important phase of the production of gourmet coffee begins the roasting and the blending.

- Roasting: specialty coffees are generally roasted in small batches. The two most common roasting methods are:

° drum-roasting: drum-type roasting machine roast the coffee beans as they tumble in a rotating drum that is heated by gas or wood. When the desired roast is achieved, the beans are poured into a cooling hopper to keep them from overcooking.

° the hot air roaster, also known as a fluid-bed roasted, roasts the coffee beans as they tumble on a current of hot air. Most green coffee is roasted approximately 400 degrees. The roasting process causes the coffee beans to swell and increase 50%, while at the same time greatly reducing their weight.

- Blending: with more than 100 coffee-growing regions in the world, each producing beans with distinctive characteristics, proper blending is essential to the balance of flavours necessary to create superior espresso. A single coffee bean will generally not possess the complexity necessary for great espresso. Many espresso blends will contain three to seven different types of beans. The experienced roaster, with his knowledge of each bean, artfully combines them to create the desired blend of flavours. The roaster’s blending knowledge is usually a closely guarded secret.

TYPE OF COFFEE:

Around 60 species of coffee are growing around the world. The most famous and commercially significant species are:

- Coffea Arabica: Arabica beans grow best at altitudes over 3000 feet. This species produces superior quality coffees, which possess the greatest flavour and aromatic characteristics. They typically contain half the caffeine of the Robusta beans. Arabica production represents 80% of the world’s coffee trade.

- Coffea Robusta (or Canephora): robusta beans are usually grown at lower elevations. Robusta trees are easiers to grow, produce higher yields, and more disease resistant than the Arabica species. Robusta beans usually possess a woody, astringent flavour. They are used when a lower price or additional caffeine is desired. A small percentage is typically added to many Italian espresso blends for the additional crema and complexity they contribute.

RECIPIES:

- Espresso: 7 grams of freshly grinded coffee, hot water (91°-93°C), a recent innovation in the way to prepare coffee, obtained it’s origin in 1822, with the innovation of the first crude espresso machine in France. The Italians perfected this wonderful machine and where the first to manufactured it.

- Cappuchino: 1/3 espresso (1 shot), 1/3 steamed milk, and 1/3 foamed milk.

- Latte: 1/3 espresso (1 shot), 2/3 steamed milk.

- Macchiato: 1 shot of espresso top with foamed milk.

- Americano: 1 shot of espresso in a cup of hot water.

- Romano: 1 shot of espresso with a twist of lemon peel.

Sake:

Definition:

Sake (also saké and saki in English) is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made from rice. In Japanese, the word sake may also loosely refer to other types of alcoholic beverage. The word nihonshu (literally, "Japan alcoholic beverage") is used to distinguish true sake from other beverages.

Sake is also commonly referred to in English as "rice wine", but the characterization implied is not accurate. Wine is made from the single fermentation of plant juices. Sake is produced by multiple fermentation of rice, which is more similar to how beer is produced. Also, outside Japan there exist other beverages known as "rice wine" that are significantly different from nihonshu.

Sake is produced by the multiple parallel fermentation of polished rice.

Serving sake:

Japan sake is served cold, warm or hot, depending on the preference of the drinker, the quality of the sake and the season. Sake is one of the few alcoholic beverages that is regularly consumed hot. Typically, hot sake is consumed in winter and cold sake is consumed in summer. As heating serves to mask the undesirable flavors of lower-quality sake, it is said that the practice became popular during World War II to mask the rough flavor of low-quality sake resulting from scarcity of quality ingredients.

Sake is served in shallow cups, called choko. Usually sake is poured into the choko from ceramic flasks called tokkuri. Other, more ceremonial cups, used most commonly at weddings and other special occasions, are called sakazuki. Drinking from someone else's sake cup is considered a sign of friendship, or to honour someone of lower status.

Aside from being served straight, sake can be used as a mixer for cocktails.

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