There are a couple very good DVDs available on the subject of Mixology that you may want to check out. One is from Dale DeGroff, the 'King of Cocktails'. It is called 'Mixology: Making Great Cocktails' and is available for purchase here: http://www.kingcocktail.com/Products.htm
The other is from Tony Abou-Ganim, another luminary in the world of cocktails. It is called 'Modern Mixology: Making Great Cocktails at Home Volume 1 - Mixing The Classics'. It is available for purchase here: http://www.themodernmixologist.com/index.cfm/hurl/obj=Products/Products.cfm
I'll be posting more links to nifty booze-related content in the near future, but for now, check out http://www.smallscreennetwork.com/
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
A Closer Look at Bourbon
There are lots of reasons to be proud of America. One of my favorites is Bourbon. Bourbon encompasses the great elements of American history in liquid form. Its history is tied to the history of America itself. It’s a story of the ingenuity and tenacity of immigrants, the growing pains of a fledgling country, and a fortuitous compromise.
Let’s start with the immigrants.
The ancient Scots and Irish were the true pioneers of whiskey, or ‘uisgebaugh’ as it was known in Gaelic, having produced it as far back as the late 1400’s. Those early American immigrants of Scots-Irish descent arriving throughout the 18th century were therefore well-versed in the production of whiskey and brought these skills with them. These settlers spread throughout the 13 original states and many of them produced whiskey, but by the 1790’s, problems began to develop that would have a far-reaching impact. George Washington, who was also a whiskey producer at this time, soon found himself in the midst of a dilemma. His fledgling national government had assumed the states’ Revolutionary War debt and he needed a way to finance the payment of this debt. A tax was therefore levied on all whiskey production. This greatly upset the Scots-Irish, many of whom were poor rural settlers whose only real way to produce income from the predominantly rye grain they produced was to convert it into whiskey. To make matters worse, whiskey producers were not all taxed equally and large producers were shown significant favor over smaller ones. In a young country where unfair taxation was already a sore subject, protests, violence and civil unrest followed. The ‘Whiskey Rebellion’ culminated in armed conflict in western Pennsylvania between Scots-Irish settlers and the Continental Army.
To avoid further conflict and alleviate what was a growing political problem, Washington offered the disgruntled settlers a deal. Through his friend Thomas Jefferson, then the Governor of Virginia, settlers were offered 60 acres of land in Kentucky (a western county of Virginia until 1792) if they would build a home there and grow corn. For a pioneer family, consuming or transporting to market 60 acres of corn every year wasn’t really feasible. However, turning it into whiskey was. As luck would have it, Kentucky’s limestone underpinnings resembled the geology of Scotland and as such produced the perfect spring water sources from which to produce corn whiskey. This clear distillate would eventually give rise to Bourbon.
At the time, Kentucky was divided into a few very large counties, one of which was named Bourbon in recognition of the assistance the French royal family had given America in the War of Independence - Odd Historical Irony; The Bourbons were eventually beheaded by French Revolutionaries who were inspired at least in part by the American Revolution - The corn whiskey being produced in this region was soon being sold in other areas, and was eventually shipped regularly to the port of New Orleans in barrels stamped ‘Old Bourbon’ designating its region of origin. Soon, the process of charring of the oak barrels used for shipping the whiskey was developed, which helped to remove impurities. Over time, the region and its renowned whiskey became synonymous. Other whiskey producers noticed consumers’ affinity for ‘Old Bourbon’ and began to stamp their barrels with the same designation regardless of where the whiskey was actually produced. The term ‘bourbon’ eventually came to be used to describe any corn whiskey. This practice continued until the term was finally defined by Congress in 1964.
That definition goes something like this. Bourbon must be made in the United States from a fermented mash containing at least 51% corn. Bourbon must be produced at no more than 160 proof, stored in new charred white oak barrels for a minimum of two years at a temperature of no more than 125 degrees, and bottled at no less than 80 proof.
Note: Although 99% of all Bourbon is produced in Kentucky, it is not a legal requirement.
Today, Bourbon is thriving both in the US and abroad. If you’ve been Bourbon shopping recently, you’ve probably discovered a pleasantly daunting array of options from which to choose. You may also have run into other, potentially confusing elements in this section of your favorite bottle shop. Terms like ‘straight’, ‘bottled in bond’, or ‘sour mash’ and other North American whiskies like Canadian, Tennessee, and Rye can be a bit mystifying. Allow me to attempt some clarification.
Straight: A straight whiskey must be derived from a minimum of 51% of a single grain (corn in the case of Bourbon, rye in the case of Rye whiskey, etc.) distilled to a proof of no more than 160, aged for a minimum of 2 years in new, charred white oak barrels and reduced with water to a proof of no lower than 80 at the time of bottling.
Bottled in Bond: This term has nothing to do with ensuring the quality of the whiskey. It only refers to its compliance with certain IRS excise tax regulations laid out in the Bottled in Bond Act of 1894.
Sour Mash: An element of the distillation process commonly employed in the production of Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey. Similar to the concept behind sourdough bread, a portion of the last fermentation batch is held over and added to the next one, which helps control bacterial growth.
Tennessee Whisk(e)y: Differs from Bourbon in that it is subjected to an additional step in production called the ‘Lincoln County’ process. In this process, the distillate is filtered through maple charcoal prior to barrel aging. And it’s from Tennessee.
Canadian Whisky: Must be produced in Canada (obviously), aged at least 3 years and derived from cereal grains (typically corn, rye, wheat, barley), none of which can represent more than 50% of the grain formula, or ‘mash bill’. Note the lack of an ‘e’ in the spelling of whisky, a trait common to Scotch, Japanese and Canadian whisky, as well as one of the two remaining Tennessee distilleries.
Enough talk! Time to drink some Bourbon (in moderation, of course).
Cheers!
Let’s start with the immigrants.
The ancient Scots and Irish were the true pioneers of whiskey, or ‘uisgebaugh’ as it was known in Gaelic, having produced it as far back as the late 1400’s. Those early American immigrants of Scots-Irish descent arriving throughout the 18th century were therefore well-versed in the production of whiskey and brought these skills with them. These settlers spread throughout the 13 original states and many of them produced whiskey, but by the 1790’s, problems began to develop that would have a far-reaching impact. George Washington, who was also a whiskey producer at this time, soon found himself in the midst of a dilemma. His fledgling national government had assumed the states’ Revolutionary War debt and he needed a way to finance the payment of this debt. A tax was therefore levied on all whiskey production. This greatly upset the Scots-Irish, many of whom were poor rural settlers whose only real way to produce income from the predominantly rye grain they produced was to convert it into whiskey. To make matters worse, whiskey producers were not all taxed equally and large producers were shown significant favor over smaller ones. In a young country where unfair taxation was already a sore subject, protests, violence and civil unrest followed. The ‘Whiskey Rebellion’ culminated in armed conflict in western Pennsylvania between Scots-Irish settlers and the Continental Army.
To avoid further conflict and alleviate what was a growing political problem, Washington offered the disgruntled settlers a deal. Through his friend Thomas Jefferson, then the Governor of Virginia, settlers were offered 60 acres of land in Kentucky (a western county of Virginia until 1792) if they would build a home there and grow corn. For a pioneer family, consuming or transporting to market 60 acres of corn every year wasn’t really feasible. However, turning it into whiskey was. As luck would have it, Kentucky’s limestone underpinnings resembled the geology of Scotland and as such produced the perfect spring water sources from which to produce corn whiskey. This clear distillate would eventually give rise to Bourbon.
At the time, Kentucky was divided into a few very large counties, one of which was named Bourbon in recognition of the assistance the French royal family had given America in the War of Independence - Odd Historical Irony; The Bourbons were eventually beheaded by French Revolutionaries who were inspired at least in part by the American Revolution - The corn whiskey being produced in this region was soon being sold in other areas, and was eventually shipped regularly to the port of New Orleans in barrels stamped ‘Old Bourbon’ designating its region of origin. Soon, the process of charring of the oak barrels used for shipping the whiskey was developed, which helped to remove impurities. Over time, the region and its renowned whiskey became synonymous. Other whiskey producers noticed consumers’ affinity for ‘Old Bourbon’ and began to stamp their barrels with the same designation regardless of where the whiskey was actually produced. The term ‘bourbon’ eventually came to be used to describe any corn whiskey. This practice continued until the term was finally defined by Congress in 1964.
That definition goes something like this. Bourbon must be made in the United States from a fermented mash containing at least 51% corn. Bourbon must be produced at no more than 160 proof, stored in new charred white oak barrels for a minimum of two years at a temperature of no more than 125 degrees, and bottled at no less than 80 proof.
Note: Although 99% of all Bourbon is produced in Kentucky, it is not a legal requirement.
Today, Bourbon is thriving both in the US and abroad. If you’ve been Bourbon shopping recently, you’ve probably discovered a pleasantly daunting array of options from which to choose. You may also have run into other, potentially confusing elements in this section of your favorite bottle shop. Terms like ‘straight’, ‘bottled in bond’, or ‘sour mash’ and other North American whiskies like Canadian, Tennessee, and Rye can be a bit mystifying. Allow me to attempt some clarification.
Straight: A straight whiskey must be derived from a minimum of 51% of a single grain (corn in the case of Bourbon, rye in the case of Rye whiskey, etc.) distilled to a proof of no more than 160, aged for a minimum of 2 years in new, charred white oak barrels and reduced with water to a proof of no lower than 80 at the time of bottling.
Bottled in Bond: This term has nothing to do with ensuring the quality of the whiskey. It only refers to its compliance with certain IRS excise tax regulations laid out in the Bottled in Bond Act of 1894.
Sour Mash: An element of the distillation process commonly employed in the production of Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey. Similar to the concept behind sourdough bread, a portion of the last fermentation batch is held over and added to the next one, which helps control bacterial growth.
Tennessee Whisk(e)y: Differs from Bourbon in that it is subjected to an additional step in production called the ‘Lincoln County’ process. In this process, the distillate is filtered through maple charcoal prior to barrel aging. And it’s from Tennessee.
Canadian Whisky: Must be produced in Canada (obviously), aged at least 3 years and derived from cereal grains (typically corn, rye, wheat, barley), none of which can represent more than 50% of the grain formula, or ‘mash bill’. Note the lack of an ‘e’ in the spelling of whisky, a trait common to Scotch, Japanese and Canadian whisky, as well as one of the two remaining Tennessee distilleries.
Enough talk! Time to drink some Bourbon (in moderation, of course).
Cheers!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Libation Association Group Site
In order to make this concept a bit more interactive, I've established a group site at
http://groups.google.com/group/libation-association
If you'd like to be sent an invitation to join, just leave me a note and an email address where I can send the invitation as a comment to this post.
http://groups.google.com/group/libation-association
If you'd like to be sent an invitation to join, just leave me a note and an email address where I can send the invitation as a comment to this post.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Libation Conversation
Let me just start by saying that I think wine is terrific, and for that matter so is beer. There are a nearly infinite number of wines and beers available to those inclined to pursue them, but in the end these products are what they are. Wine presents itself to the consumer as a complete thought. All the aesthetic decisions of significance have been made by the winemaker and by nature - choice of grape varietals, location of the vineyards, soil composition, climate conditions, rainfall, oak or stainless, etc. Beer presents itself in much the same way, as a complete expression of the brewmaster’s vision. And that’s great!
As much as I enjoy a great beer or a sublime glass of wine though, I prefer cocktails. I find the whole cocktail category to be endlessly fascinating, mostly because with a cocktail I get to determine what goes into it and therefore what it tastes like. I’m also deeply intrigued by what is a mind-scramblingly large number of cocktail ingredient options. To begin with, decisions must be made regarding the base spirit or spirits to be used. What’s it going to be - vodka, flavored vodka, gin, rum, tequila, brandy, whisky (or whiskey)? Maybe something more exotic, like Cachaça, Soju or Pisco? Once that decision gets made, things begin to get really interesting which begs the question; what does it take to produce a great cocktail, anyway?
Let’s look at that first step again – The Base Spirit. Spirits and cocktails share the same basic relationship as silk purses and sows’ ears. It’s very close to impossible to create a truly great cocktail from a sub-par base spirit, and the more exposed the base (in a classic gin martini, for example), the more critical the quality. Does this mean that you must spend a fortune on your spirits in order to achieve your lofty cocktail aspirations? Not necessarily. Although obscenely priced options certainly exist and most are well worth the price, there are some terrific spirits out there that can be had for a downright reasonable sum. Experiment with different spirits and different brands within a single spirits category. Listen to your palate. Try several brands side by side, ideally in a blind tasting format (i.e. have someone else pour them and hide the identities of the bottles from you – a local bar, a slow night and a patient bartender would work well for this). Whatever you do, spring for the brand name stuff. With a few exceptions, it is worth the extra money, and there is some sinister stuff lurking in the bargain versions that will seal the fate of your cocktail before you’ve even begun. Life really is too short for that sort of thing.
Okay, so you’ve chosen your base. Now what are you going to do with it? Luckily this isn’t a decision you have to make alone. There is a nearly inexhaustible supply of cocktail books available to lend direction to your cocktailian pursuits. Some are better than others. Dale DeGroff, one of the most respected figures in the world of cocktails, puts it this way – “With real estate, it’s location, location, location. With cocktails, it’s recipe, recipe, recipe.” The quality of the cocktail recipe, along with the cocktail maker’s accurate execution of it, is the most important single factor in the creation of a great cocktail. So, how do you know? Well, for starters, a great cocktail almost never has a lewd or overly kitschy name. Beyond that, do your homework. Even cursory research into this aspect of cocktail preparation can yield some fascinating results, many of which have their roots in the very beginnings of the cocktail itself. Jerry Thomas, one of the most influential figures in the history of cocktails, wrote the first-ever cocktail book, Jerry Thomas’ Bartender’s Guide or How to Mix Drinks, in 1862. Many of the recipes in this book spawned the great classic cocktails we know today, along with the ones we don’t know, but should. (FYI - Speaking of Jerry Thomas, the recently published book, Imbibe, by cocktail guru David Wondrich, dissects Thomas’s masterpiece in fascinating detail.)
So now you have your delicious bottle of hooch and your spiffy cocktail book. At this point you may notice lots of references in the book to things like simple syrup (or possibly more exotic syrups like orgeat or falernum), orange bitters or other specialty bitters, fresh juices, fresh herbs & garnishes. You’ll most likely run into some funky liqueurs & cordials like crème de noyaux, Cherry Heering, elderflower liqueur or maraschino liqueur (a delicious liquid that is definitely not to be confused with grenadine or the neon goo that maraschino cherries float in). Some of these classic cocktail ingredients are harder to find than others, so dig around. Most can be obtained online if they are unavailable locally, but give your local retailer a chance. Many are willing to at least consider bringing in a new product if that product is requested by a customer, and several of them have a very good selection of these kinds of ‘left of center’ products in stock already. When it comes to cocktail ingredients, the curious soul is richly rewarded.
You won’t find many, if any, references to mixes (sour mix, etc) in a classic cocktail book and that’s a good thing. With one or two notable and very respectable exceptions, mixes tend to be made from artificial flavorings, colorings and lots of high fructose corn syrup. They are formulated for ease of use and they are certainly easy to use. But just as great soup doesn’t come from a pouch, great cocktails don’t come from mixes. Fresh ingredients, freshly squeezed juices, quality sodas & tonics and fresh garnishes are critical to the creation of a truly great cocktail.
There are a few tools of the trade that with a little practice can enhance the quality of your cocktail output as well. If possible, get a hold of a muddler, a hand citrus juicer, a Boston shaker, a Hawthorne strainer (for shaken drinks), a Julep strainer (for stirred drinks), a long bar spoon, a twist knife and a grater (for grating fresh nutmeg or citrus peels). We could talk about glassware, ice, and a hundred other cocktail-related topics while we’re at it but I’ll save those for future columns.
Cheers!
As much as I enjoy a great beer or a sublime glass of wine though, I prefer cocktails. I find the whole cocktail category to be endlessly fascinating, mostly because with a cocktail I get to determine what goes into it and therefore what it tastes like. I’m also deeply intrigued by what is a mind-scramblingly large number of cocktail ingredient options. To begin with, decisions must be made regarding the base spirit or spirits to be used. What’s it going to be - vodka, flavored vodka, gin, rum, tequila, brandy, whisky (or whiskey)? Maybe something more exotic, like Cachaça, Soju or Pisco? Once that decision gets made, things begin to get really interesting which begs the question; what does it take to produce a great cocktail, anyway?
Let’s look at that first step again – The Base Spirit. Spirits and cocktails share the same basic relationship as silk purses and sows’ ears. It’s very close to impossible to create a truly great cocktail from a sub-par base spirit, and the more exposed the base (in a classic gin martini, for example), the more critical the quality. Does this mean that you must spend a fortune on your spirits in order to achieve your lofty cocktail aspirations? Not necessarily. Although obscenely priced options certainly exist and most are well worth the price, there are some terrific spirits out there that can be had for a downright reasonable sum. Experiment with different spirits and different brands within a single spirits category. Listen to your palate. Try several brands side by side, ideally in a blind tasting format (i.e. have someone else pour them and hide the identities of the bottles from you – a local bar, a slow night and a patient bartender would work well for this). Whatever you do, spring for the brand name stuff. With a few exceptions, it is worth the extra money, and there is some sinister stuff lurking in the bargain versions that will seal the fate of your cocktail before you’ve even begun. Life really is too short for that sort of thing.
Okay, so you’ve chosen your base. Now what are you going to do with it? Luckily this isn’t a decision you have to make alone. There is a nearly inexhaustible supply of cocktail books available to lend direction to your cocktailian pursuits. Some are better than others. Dale DeGroff, one of the most respected figures in the world of cocktails, puts it this way – “With real estate, it’s location, location, location. With cocktails, it’s recipe, recipe, recipe.” The quality of the cocktail recipe, along with the cocktail maker’s accurate execution of it, is the most important single factor in the creation of a great cocktail. So, how do you know? Well, for starters, a great cocktail almost never has a lewd or overly kitschy name. Beyond that, do your homework. Even cursory research into this aspect of cocktail preparation can yield some fascinating results, many of which have their roots in the very beginnings of the cocktail itself. Jerry Thomas, one of the most influential figures in the history of cocktails, wrote the first-ever cocktail book, Jerry Thomas’ Bartender’s Guide or How to Mix Drinks, in 1862. Many of the recipes in this book spawned the great classic cocktails we know today, along with the ones we don’t know, but should. (FYI - Speaking of Jerry Thomas, the recently published book, Imbibe, by cocktail guru David Wondrich, dissects Thomas’s masterpiece in fascinating detail.)
So now you have your delicious bottle of hooch and your spiffy cocktail book. At this point you may notice lots of references in the book to things like simple syrup (or possibly more exotic syrups like orgeat or falernum), orange bitters or other specialty bitters, fresh juices, fresh herbs & garnishes. You’ll most likely run into some funky liqueurs & cordials like crème de noyaux, Cherry Heering, elderflower liqueur or maraschino liqueur (a delicious liquid that is definitely not to be confused with grenadine or the neon goo that maraschino cherries float in). Some of these classic cocktail ingredients are harder to find than others, so dig around. Most can be obtained online if they are unavailable locally, but give your local retailer a chance. Many are willing to at least consider bringing in a new product if that product is requested by a customer, and several of them have a very good selection of these kinds of ‘left of center’ products in stock already. When it comes to cocktail ingredients, the curious soul is richly rewarded.
You won’t find many, if any, references to mixes (sour mix, etc) in a classic cocktail book and that’s a good thing. With one or two notable and very respectable exceptions, mixes tend to be made from artificial flavorings, colorings and lots of high fructose corn syrup. They are formulated for ease of use and they are certainly easy to use. But just as great soup doesn’t come from a pouch, great cocktails don’t come from mixes. Fresh ingredients, freshly squeezed juices, quality sodas & tonics and fresh garnishes are critical to the creation of a truly great cocktail.
There are a few tools of the trade that with a little practice can enhance the quality of your cocktail output as well. If possible, get a hold of a muddler, a hand citrus juicer, a Boston shaker, a Hawthorne strainer (for shaken drinks), a Julep strainer (for stirred drinks), a long bar spoon, a twist knife and a grater (for grating fresh nutmeg or citrus peels). We could talk about glassware, ice, and a hundred other cocktail-related topics while we’re at it but I’ll save those for future columns.
Cheers!
Libation Conversation
Welcome to Libation Association (www.libationassociation.blogspot.com), a place where bartenders, spirits nerds (in whose number I proudly count myself) and cocktail enthusiasts come together, share ideas, get answers, and generally geek out about booze.
Visit soon and often.
Cheers!
Visit soon and often.
Cheers!
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