THE SWEET SPIRIT: LIQUEUR The liqueur spirits should not be confused with liquors. While liquors refer to a wide range of alcoholic beverages, liqueur is a very specific type of sweetened spirit. Many regulatory bodies have stated that liqueur must have at least 100 grams of sugar per ounce, making it a very sweet and … Read more
SOUTH KOREA’S FAMOUS ALCOHOL: SOJU Research done in 2012 found that this surprisingly unknown South Korena spirit, soju, is actually the most popular alcohol in the world by volume of consumption. It trumps every other spirit you know by more than double the sales. Its popularity is mostly due to sale in South Korea, where … Read more
WHAT IS A STOUT BEER? While the term stout used to refer to all sorts of different strong alcohols in the past, it has a more narrow definition in modern times. Nowadays when you taste a stout beer the thing that is most memorable is the rich, roasted flavor of the beverage. Contrary to what … Read more
PORTER BEERS Porter has a history that takes us back to its beginnings in England around 1722. Beers that were first called porters were actually the same thing as stout beers served in England. There were very hoppy, dark, and rich in roasted flavors. The name porter was given because of the popularity of the … Read more
BRAZIL’S FAMOUS SPIRIT, CACHACA Cachaca is a distilled spirit that is made exclusively in Brazil. It is the most popular spirit that is consumed in Brazil, but it did not find as much international popularity until more recent years when it has spread to the US. Many people drink Cachaca in a popular cocktail called … Read more
MIDDLE EASTERN ARAK Around there world there are a few strong spirits that are similar to one another, as each are anise flavored spirits. This includes Ouzo, Raki, Arak, and others. Arak is the Middle Eastern variety, which is usually eaten with small appetizers known as mezze. The reason this drink is usually taken with … Read more
SOUTH AMERICAN PISCO BRANDY Pisco is a spirit generally classified as a brandy because it is made from distilling grape wine. It is mainly produced in Chile and Peru, with Peruvian pisco being given numerous awards as one of the best liquors in the world. In its early days, Pisco was made with a wide … Read more
OUZO, THE GREEK SPIRIT One of the most well known and best loved liquors in Greece is the locally made ouzo. You can find small cafes all over the country that serve ouzo with mezedes, salty and savory bites similar to Spanish tapas. Ouzo is a very strong liquor that usually has around 40% and … Read more
GREEK METAXA WINE Metaxa is a wine that takes tradition very seriously. Every ingredient used is completely natural and organic; no chemicals are used in the process at all. For this reason there is a need for the Metaxa winery to keep a wine master. His task takes a lot of training and experience in … Read more
ORIGINAL FRENCH VERMOUTH Vermouth is a French spirit made from a distilled wine base, fortified with another neutral spirit, and aromatized with many herbal and floral flavors. It’s part of a collection of wines known as aperitif wines. These are usually served before a meal in order to open up the stomach and prepare your … Read more
SPANISH SHERRY WINES Sherry is a wine made in the far south of Spain. To be official Sherry, it must be made in this region, although there are some sherry-type wines that are made in other locations. This is a wine with a long history and a legacy that includes being fortified to withstand voyages … Read more
THE BASICS OF MEZCAL Mezcal is a Mexican spirit similar to Tequilla because of its use of agave root as a fermenting agent. The major difference between the two spirits is not only in the type of agave used but also in the process by which the drink is actually produced. Only 8 of Mexico’s … Read more