Wednesday 27 July 2011

Liqueurs & Cocktails - Overview

LIQUEURS
Definition:
            Liqueur is the mixture of spirit, flavourings, and sugar.  The minimum sugar that is present in liqueur is 2½%.
  • Spirits used such as rum, gin, whiskey, vodka, brandy.
  • Flavourings such as spices, herbs, flowers, creams, chocolates, fruits, etc.

Production of Liqueurs:
            Liqueurs can be made in 3 methods are
1.      Percolation
2.      Infusion / Maceration method
3.      Distillation method

Types of Liqueurs:
  1. Citrus Liqueurs:  (e.g.) Cointreau, Curacao, Forbidden etc.
  2.  Coffee Liqueurs: (e.g.) Kahlua, Tia Maria, Crème de mokka etc.
  3. Herbal Liqueurs: (e.g.) Sambuca, Strega, Jagarmeister, etc.
  4. Fruit Liqueurs: (e.g.) Crème de banane, Crème de cassis, etc. 
  5. Miscellaneous: (e.g.) Advocaat, Drambuie, Irish Mist etc.

COCKTAILS

Definition:
            Cocktails are made up of two distinct types of ingredients such as a base and a modifying agent / agents.
  • Base is a spirit that gives a predominant flavour than the other.
  • Modifying agent may be alcoholic and non-alcoholic. 
  • Alcoholic are: Wine, Spirit, Liqueurs, Champagne, etc. 
  • Non-alcohols: Fruit juice, soda, coconut milk, cream etc. 
  • Very rarely cocktails are made from wine, beer and champagne. 
  •  Most of the cocktails are incomplete with their garnish. 
  • Garnish should be very, very fresh.
 
METHOD OF MAKING COCKTAILS:
There are 3 methods of making cocktails.
i)    Stir
ii)   Build
iii)  Shaken / Blend

Stir:
            Base should be mixed with ice and other ingredients for a short period and strained into the serving glass.  HAWTHRONE is a strainer which is used in the stir method to straine.

Build Method:
            “START TO FINISH”

Shaken / Blend:
            This method is done with using cocktail shaker or blender.

Mixology:
            The knowledge and skills required to prepare a drink is known as Mixology.

Bar Tender:
            Who makes the cocktails in very good taste.  They are also called as Mixologist.

Soda Back:
            Soda served separately.

Twist of Lime:
            Skin of lime (Zest or rind).

Dash:
            2 – 3 drops.

Pre-mixers:
            Readymade mixers.

Simple Syrup:
            Is used for making cocktails.

Muddling:
            If the sugar is added as such the method is known as Muddling.

GIN BASED COCKTAIL:
i)    Martini:  60 ml gin, + 15 ml dry vermouth, stir, olive
ii)   Gibson: 60 ml gin, 15 ml dry vermouth, stir, cocktail
iii)  Gimlet: 60 ml gin + 30 ml lime cordial, stir, lime wheel.

 VODKA BASED COCKTAILS:
i)          Vodkatini:  60 ml Vodka + 30 ml vermouth, stir, lemon twist.
ii)        Bloody Mary: 60 ml Vodka + 2 dash of each, Worcester, tobasco sauce, lime juice, + ½ glass of tomato juice, + salt & pepper build, like wedge and cherry.
iii)       Screw Driver: 60 ml Vodka + ½ glass of orange juice, build, orange slice.

RUM BASED COCKTAILS:
i)         Daiquiri:  60 ml white rum + 15 ml lime juice + a span sugar syrup, shake, ½ lime wedge & cherry.
ii)        Egg Nogg: 45 ml + spoon of s.syrup + 1 egg, shaken, gratted nutmeg.
iii)       Between the sheets:  30 ml brandy + 30 ml white rum + 30 ml cointreau+ a dash of lemon juice, shake, none.

WHISKEY / WHISKEY BASED COCKTAIL:
i)   Manhattan:  60 ml Bourbon whisky + 30 ml sweet vermouth + a dash of angostura, stir, cherry.
ii)   Rob Roy:  60 ml Bourbon whisky + 15 ml sweet vermouth + a dash of angostura, stir, cherry.
iii)   Rusty Nail:  30 ml scotch + 30 ml drambire, build, none.

BRANDY BASED COCKTAILS:
i)    Alexander:  30 kl brandy + 30 ml crème de cacao +30 ml cream shake, grated nutmeg. 
ii)   Between the sheet:  Ssame as rum base, but brandy is used instead of rum. 
iii)  Sidecar:  60 ml brandy +15 ml cointreau + 15 ml lime juice shake, grated nutmeg.



About Wine and its origin follow the url: