There are three basic classifications for alcohol.
Beers
Wines
Spirits
After water and tea, beer is the most favourite drink in the world.
It's the oldest of all alcoholic beverages, and because of its popular appeal, also the most widely consumed.
When brewing beer, a liquid mixture of yeast and a malted cereal (like corn, barley, wheat, or rye) called 'wort' is made.
Alternatively, the cereal may also be allowed to sprout and then heated, mashed and soaked to convert the starches into sugar.
Fermentation of this 'wort' produces carbon dioxide and alcohol.
To limit the alcohol content in beer to between 4 and 8 percent, the fermentation process is stopped.
Usually, beer is flavoured with hops (a bitter flower), which also acts as a preservative.
Brewing varies from region to region, giving rise to several local varieties of beer.
The most prominent types of beer are the German sediment-ed lager (pale lager being the most popular), ale, cider and lambic.
In recent times, the alcohol content has been raised dramatically in beer, touching almost 14%.
When compared to beers, wines are allowed the complete fermentation process and are also aged for a much longer period (the older, the more expensive!)
Although most wine is made from different kinds of grapes, it is also common to find wines of other origins, like apple, rice, barley etc.
To make wine, the grapes or other originating materials are crushed and stored in vats. Different kinds of yeast are available for addition, based on the desired effect.
The yeast converts the sugar into alcohol through fermentation. Later, the mixture is filtered to remove all traces of solids and the wine is stored in wooden casks for ageing.
Wines contain between 10 and 20% alcohol.
Wines are identified from the places of birth with characteristics based on diverse factors, ranging from the types of grapes and climatic conditions to the kind of yeast used.
The most popular classification of wines is red (eg. Burgundy), white (sherry), rose (with a distinct pink tinge), sparkling (with added carbon dioxide) and champagne (eg. Chardonnay).
Spirits, or hard liquor, contain higher amounts of alcohol (20-65%) as against beer and wine.
They are also called distilled beverages because of the distillation process that fermented grain, vegetables or fruit has to undergo.
Beer and wine, on the other hand, are un-distilled.
The most popular varieties of spirits are gin, rum, vodka, whiskey, brandy, and tequila.
Spirits that are flavoured with added sugar or infusion of certain fruits, woods, flowers, or aromatic or flavouring agents are termed liqueurs.
There's also the range fortified wines ie wine to which a distilled beverage has been added eg. wine mixed with brandy.
There are different glasswares suited for different alcoholic beverages.
To accentuate presentation, alcohol can be served in high/lowball glasses, beer mugs, as shots, or hurricanes for tropical juices. There is also specific glassware for martinis and margaritas.
There is different stemware for wine too. Eg. Red wines require glasses with wider bowls while whites are served in narrower ones.
Alcohol may be served shaken, stirred, on the rocks (with ice) or with non-alcoholic mixers like water, juice, sparkling beverages, coffee, chocolate or other syrups.
The next time you drink you favourite alcoholic beverage, make sure you know of its interesting history.
Learn how it's meant to be enjoyed. So slowly savour, or go bottoms up!
