Types of alcohol

  

Types of alcohol: 

an overview

·         There are numerous varieties of alcohol that can be divided into several groups. Distilled spirits include base liquors and liqueurs, as well as wine and beer, which are either distilled spirits or fermented alcohol. Each section will provide the names of the liquors, prominent brands, and samples of the best cocktails produced with each one. Among the several types of alcohol are:

·         Beer

·         Base liquors (gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, rum, brandy)

·         Liqueurs (amaretto, Kahlua, Campari, Baileys, and more)

·         Wines and fortified wines (vermouth, sherry, marsala)

 

6 basic alcoholic beverage names

A liquor, often known as a spirit, is a distilled alcoholic beverage. Gin, vodka, whiskey, tequila, rum, and brandy are the six base liquors in this category. Liquors, which are distilled spirits flavoured with sugar, fruits, herbs, or spices, are also included. Liqueurs are usually made with lower proof alcohol. Here's more information on the six basic forms of alcohol:

Gin

·         Gin is a distilled spirit with a flavour derived from juniper berries.

·         Popular brand names: Tanqueray Gin, London Dry Gin, Old Tom Gin.

·         Top cocktails: Martini, Tom Collins.

Vodka

·         Vodka is a clear, flavourless distilled spirit from Europe.

·         Popular brand names: Tito’s Vodka, Skyy Vodka, Absolut Vodka.

·         Top cocktails: Moscow Mule, Bloody Mary.

Whiskey

Whiskey is a grain mash-based distilled liquor. Whiskey comes in a variety of flavours and locales. The following are some popular designs. 

Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, Scotch Whisky, Canadian Whisky, Japanese Whisky, Tennessee Whiskey and Irish Whiskey. 

There are also flavoured whiskies, like Peanut Butter Whiskey and Fireball Whisky.

·         Popular brand names: Maker’s Mark (Bourbon), Woodford Reserve (Bourbon), Jameson (Irish Whiskey), Crown Royal (Canadian Whisky), Jack Daniels (Tennessee Whiskey), Skrewball (Peanut Butter Whiskey)

·         Top cocktails: Whiskey Sour, Old Fashioned.

·, Scotch Cocktails, Crown Royal Cocktails, Fireball Drinks, and Peanut Butter Whiskey Cocktails

Tequila

·         Tequila is a distilled Mexican alcohol made from the blue agave plant, often known as agave tequiliana. Tequila is a sort of mezcal. Mezcal is a category of liquor created from any variety of agave. Blanco, reposado, and aejo are three types of tequila.

·         Popular brand names: Patrón Silver Tequila, Jose Cuervo Tequila

·         Top cocktails: Margarita, Paloma.

Rum

·         Rum is a distilled spirit made from the molasses or juice of sugarcane. White rum, golden rum, dark rum, and aged rum are examples of rum styles. Cachaça (the rum used in the popular Caipirinha) is a Brazilian rum. Because of the additional sugar and low alcohol content, coconut rum is classified as a coconut liqueur.

·         Popular brand names: Bacardi Rum, Capitan Morgan Rum, Goslings Black Seal Rum, Malibu Coconut Rum (considered a coconut liqueur)

·         Top cocktails: Mojito, Daiquiri.

Brandy

·         Brandy is a distilled spirit created from wine or other fruits such as apples or apricots. Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, Spanish Brandy (Brandy de Jerez), American Brandy, and Pisco are all popular styles.

·         Popular brand names: Hennessy Cognac, Rémy Martin Cognac

·         Top cocktails: Sidecar, Brandy Alexander.

Liqueur Names

Liqueurs are alcoholic beverages produced by combining distilled spirits with botanical ingredients. In order to be classified as a liqueur in the United States, alcohol must be blended with plant products and sweeteners to a concentration of at least 2.5 percent by weight. Here are some examples of popular liqueur names:

Absinthe

Absinthe is a green anise-flavoured spirit prepared by combining alcohol with botanicals such as wormwood, anise, fennel, and other herbs during the distillation process.

Amaretto

Amaretto is an Italian liqueur with an almond flavour that was first introduced in 1851.

Amaro

Amaro, often known as amari, is a bitter herbal liquor from Italy (amaro means bitter in Italian). Averna, Nonino, Cynar, Fernet Branca, Campari, and Aperol are some of the most popular amari.

Aperol

Aperol is a citrus-flavoured sweet Italian liqueur (amaro).

Benedictine 

Benedictine is a French herbal liqueur prepared from 27 herbs, flowers, berries, and spices.

Cappelletti

Cappelletti is a sweet Italian red bitter that tastes like a lighter version of Campari.

Campari

Campari is a popular bright red Italian amaro with a bitter flavour that was first introduced in the 1860s.

Chambord 

Chambord is a French liqueur created from black raspberries. Despite the vintage appearance of the bottle, the company was founded in the 1980s.

Chartreuse 

Chartreuse is a French herbal liqueur prepared by monks with a combination of 130 plants since 1737.

Crème liqueurs

Crème liqueurs are liqueurs that have been heavily sweetened to the point of becoming sticky. Crème de Cacao (chocolate), Crème de Cassis (black currant), Crème de Menthe (mint), Crème de Mûre (blackberry), and Crème de Noyaux are some of the varieties available (almond).

Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua, Tia Maria)

Kahlua is a popular coffee liqueur prepared with rum, sugar, vanilla bean, and coffee in Veracruz, Mexico. The product and the brand name have become inextricably linked. Tia Maria and Sheridan's are two other popular coffee liqueur brands.

Drambuie 

Drambuie is a Scotch liqueur that tastes sweet and has flavours of honey, spices, and herbs.

Jagermeister

Jägermeister was created in 1934 and is a German digestif liqueur produced with 56 different herbs and botanicals. It's rich and syrupy, with strong anise undertones.

Galliano 

Galliano L’Autentico is a bright yellow, sweet herbal Italian liqueur.

Hpnotiq

Hpnotiq (pronounced “Hypnotic”) is a sky blue liqueur flavoured with passionfruit and mango, invented in 2001.

Irish Cream (Baileys)

The liqueur Irish Cream is created from Irish whiskey, cream, and chocolate. Baileys Irish Cream is the most popular brand.

Licor 43 

Licor 43 is a bright yellow, vanilla-flavoured Spanish liqueur that was invented in 1946.

Limoncello 

Limoncello is a popular lemon liqueur from Italy that has a distinct lemon flavour.

Maraschino Liqueur

Maraschino liqueur is a transparent, cherry-flavoured liqueur that can be included in a number of traditional cocktails.

Midori

Midori is a green Japanese liqueur with a honeydew melon flavour that was first introduced in the 1970s.

Orange Liqueurs / Triple Sec

There are two main types of the orange liqueur: sweet and sour. Curaçao is the first orange-flavoured liqueur, created by Dutch settlers in the 19th century. Popular Blue Curacao has generated a list of Blue Drinks in this category.

Triple Sec In current cocktails, Triple Sec is the most popular category: it's a dryer kind of orange liqueur that contains Cointreau and Triple Sec.

Grand Marnier is a high-end liqueur made from a blend of Triple Sec and Cognac.

Pastis or Pernod

After absinthe was outlawed in France in 1915, the anise-flavoured liqueurs Pastis and Pernod were created.

Pimm’s

Pimm's No. 1 is a flavoured gin-based liqueur that is caramel red in colour and blended with fruit and herbs.

Schnapps

Schnapps is a distilled spirit prepared by fermenting fruit juices and base liquor together. Peppermint schnapps, cinnamon schnapps, and peach schnapps are just a few of the many varieties.

Sloe Gin

Sloe gin is a crimson liqueur prepared in the United Kingdom from gin and the sloe fruit (similar to a plum).

St Germain

St Germain is a liqueur created with elderflowers, which are the little white blossoms of an elderberry plant. It was first released in 2007.

Suze 

Suze is a bitter aperitif produced from a gentian root that was first released in 1889 in France.

Wine, beer, and sake are all examples of brewed alcoholic beverages.

Wine and beer are brewed alcohols, as opposed to distilled spirits such as base liquor and liqueurs. Here are a few examples of each:

Wine

Wine is a fermented grape juice-based alcoholic beverage. It's drunk straight or combined into beverages all throughout the world.

Red wine

·         White wine

·         Rosé wine

·         Sparkling wine like Champagne (French), Prosecco (Italian), and Cava (Spanish)

Fortified Wine

Fortified wine is a type of alcohol that adds a distilled spirit (usually brandy) to wine to stabilize it. Aromatized wine is a type of fortified wine that has added natural flavours like fruits, herbs and other botanicals. Some fortified wines are drunk straight or used in cooking. Vermouth is the most popular fortified wine used in cocktails.

Lillet

Lillet is a French aperitif, which is an aromatized wine with herbs and citrus flavours. Lillet Blanc, Lillet Rosé, and Lillet Rouge are three different sorts of Lillet prepared from different wines.

Madeira, Marsala, and Port

Madeira is a fortified wine produced in Portugal that comes in a variety of styles, from dry to sweet. Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily that comes in a variety of styles, from dry to sweet. Both can be used as an aperitif or digestif before or after supper, as well as in cooking.

Port is a sweet fortified wine from Portugal, usually served as a dessert wine.

Sherry

Sherry is a Spanish fortified wine prepared by adding grape liquor to white wine. The taste is strong, with an apple cider aroma and a dry aftertaste.

Vermouth

Vermouth is a liquor, but it's not a distilled spirit; it's a fortified wine. Many popular drinks have it as a supporting character. Dry, sweet, semi-dry, and semi-sweet are some of the styles available.

Beer

·         Beer is a fermented alcoholic beverage manufactured from cereal grains, most often barley. It's drunk straight and in cocktails all around the world.

·         Ales like Blonde Ale, Brown Ale, Pale Ale, and India Pale Ale (IPA)

·         Wheat beer

·         Lager

·         Porter

·         Stout

·         Pilsner

·         Sour Ale

Sake

Sake (pronounced sah-kay) is a Japanese rice liquor that is also known as rice wine. Like dry white wine or dry vermouth, it has a pleasant flavour with a dry finish.

Got more liquor names?

What brands of bourbon are we missing? What are your favourite alcoholic beverages to use in cocktails or to consume straight? Please let us know in the comments section.