About Liquor

Liquor or distilled beverage or spirit is a consumable liquid which is prepared by distilling ethanol with fruits, grains, and vegetables. The unfermented beverages like wine, beer and hard cider don’t belong to the league of liquor.

Normally the fermented beverages are known as hard liquor in America to distinguish from unfermented beverages.

The term spirit is mostly used to indicate distilled beverages which contains no sugar and contains at least 20% ABV. Brandy, whiskey, rum, vodka, tequila and moonshine are the popular types of liquor.

There is a class of distilled beverages which contain sugar and added flavorings and they are known as liqueurs’. But the rhyming pronunciation often creates the confusion between liquor and liqueur.

The term liquor originated from latin verb liquere which means liquid. The Oxford English Dictionary states that the term was first used in English in 1225. The OED indicates that “liquid for drinking” appeared in 14^th century. The term intoxicating drink was first used in 16^th century. The origin of the term “spirit” can be traced back to Middle East. The Middle Eastern alchemists used the fermented beverages to prepare medicines. The processes similar to distillation were performed to distill alcohol and the resultant was known as spirit.

Ingredients Used and Popular Methods of Preparation of Liquor

A beverage is turned into liquor after distillation. Normally wine, fruit juice, or starchy materials are used in fermentation of alcohol. The distilled liquor has high alcohol content than non-fermented beverages.

The spirit is distilled by fermenting it with other ingredients. Normally yeast and carbohydrates are used for fermenting the spirit. The concentration of ethyl alcohol is increased during the fermentation.

Normally two types of raw ingredients are used for distilling spirits:

Sugary ingredients: The ingredients, which are rich in natural sugars, are normally used for fermentation. Grapes, Agave tequilana, beets and sugar canes are normally used for fermenting liquors. Sugarcane and sugar derivatives like molasses, sugar and cane juice is also used for fermenting spirits.
Starchy ingredients: Normally the ingredients which are high in carbohydrates or starch are used in distillation. Any local grain starchy crops can be used for used for distillation. Mostly corn grain is used for fermenting the liquor. Rye grains, which are less effective than the corn grains are used in the fermentation of whiskey. Rice is employed for fermentation in Asian countries. Sometimes wheat is also used in fermentation of liquor, but it is only used when there is a shortage of corn. Starchy roots like potatoes are widely used for distilling liquors in Central Europe.

Types of Liquors
There are various types of liquors. Some of the most common types are:

Apple Jack: This liquor is prepared by distilling cereal.
Sake: This belongs to the league liquor recipes which are perfected after single fermentation method. It is mostly prepared using sugar fruits or rice.
Vodka: This is one of the popular liquor recipeswhere the fermented beverage is triple distilled using grains and potatoes. The vodka normally has high alcohol content and is considered to be pure form of alcohol.
Whiskey: This is also one of those popular liquor recipeswhich is perfected by fermenting the beverage with lots of elements. Usually grain wine is used in the preparation of the whiskey. The whiskey is distilled once or twice as per the requirement and aged in oak barrels.
Gin: Gin is triple distilled liquor like vodka. Unlike the vodka the wine is introduced into juniper berries before distillation.
Rum: Rum is Caribbean liquor which is prepared from molasses or sugars. It is once fermented.
Moonshine: Moonshine is sophisticated form of vodka, but it does not undergo triple distillation like vodka. Moonshine is prepared from different types of wines.
Tequila: Tequila is a Mexican drink which is prepared using blue agave plant.
Brandy: This is a type of liquor which is distilled using wine. The brandy normally contains 35-50% alcohol and is normally served as after party drink.
Horilka : This is a popular Ukrainian alcoholic beverage which normally refers to a whisky. This drink is mostly distilled using grains, potatoes, sugar beets and honey. It normally contains 20% alchohol.
Schnapps: This is a type of liquor which points towards strong alcoholic drink and contains about 32% liquor.
Pisco: Pisco is a type of colorless brandy of Spanish origin. This drink gets its name from Pisco coast of Peru.
Mezcal:This is popular Mexican liquor which is prepared from some agave species. The Tequila is a drink which resembles to Mezcal in many ways.

Popular Liquor Recipes

Milk Liquor: This is one of the most favored liquor recipeswhere milk, sugar, vanilla bean, vodka, and water and lemon juice are used in proportionate amounts.
Kahlua: Kahlua or coffee liquor is one of the most favored liquor recipesin Mexico. This drink is formulated by mixing melted Mexican coffee, sugar, vodka and water.
Russian Cocktail:Russian cocktail belongs to the league of hard liquor recipeswhere vodka, sugar, gin, chocolate liquor and ice are mixed in proportionate amounts.
Wine Liquor: As the name suggests this is one of the most favored liquor recipesconcocted using wines. This liquor concoction is perfected by combining wine, vodka, peach extract and sugar.
Whisky Cobbler: As the name suggests this is one of those liquor recipeswhich make use of hard liquor like whisky. This drink recipe is concocted using whisky, water, sugar and fruits such as grapes, peach, and cherries.

Serving Liquor

On the rocks: Normally this term is used to refer the beverages which are served over ice.
Straight/Neat: The liquor is served at room temperature without addition of any external ingredients.
Mixed: The liquor is served after mixing with water or non alcoholic beverages. Or with simple mixers such as cola, juice, club soda, and tonic.
Straight Up: The liquor is served after stirring with ice and served in stemmed glass.