Category Archives: Alcohol

Alcohol, Cocktail, Gender, Glassware

Glassware and Gender

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I’ve been a bartender for a long time.  Of the myriad of jobs I’ve had in my lifetime, bartending is the most fulfilling.  I spend my day making wishes come true.  For some, I’m a pharmacist who fills a prescription.  For others, I help them decide on the cocktail, wine, or beer that breaks the ice during an uncomfortable moment.  I dispense joy to the masses.  Requests are made and I do my best to grant every request.  On occasion, I do get a request that is both annoying and humorous at the same time.  A gentleman will order a cocktail, but ask that it not be served in a girl glass. 

Generally, this request gets an inward chuckle.  Sometimes, I’ll ask what exactly a “girl” glass is because I’m curious to hear the responses.  When it’s really busy, I’ll comment that glasses don’t have gender.  This is usually followed by a confused look.  This is my intention.  I want the perpetrator to think about what he just said.  The usual responses run the gamut: You know what I mean. I just want a man’s glass. What does gender mean?  It’s pretty amusing.  Sadly, since I’m in the business of customer service, I have to honor the request, but I do like to make people feel uncomfortable when they are clearly being ridiculous.  I also hope that it’s a learning experience for the person making the request.

The point that I’m trying to make is that there is no such thing as a girl glass or a boy glass.  Glassware is genderless.  Like speakers, pencils, keys, Venetian blinds, and so many other things that we use in our daily lives, glasses are just that—glasses. 

Glassware has a specific purpose.  We use it mostly for drinking and everyone in the modern world who drinks anything probably uses a glass of some sort sometime: boys, girls, men, women, priests, nuns, doctors, nurses, soldiers, teachers, mayors, bartenders and even writers.  We use glassware in our daily lives just as we use detergent or toothpaste.  Not once have I ever thought to myself, I can’t brush my teeth with that girly toothpaste or wash my dishes with that female dish detergent.  It just never happens. In an effort to prove my point about glassware; let’s look at a few examples. 

The Cocktail Glass is the iconic glass used to drink a Martini.  Most people don’t know that it’s not called a Martini Glass.  It was developed before the Martini was ever invented.  Its design suits cocktails that are served “up”.  The idea behind the design was that the lengthy stem and separated bowl allowed the cocktail to stay cold.  You’re meant to hold the glass by the stem.

The Coupe was initially the preferred vessel for drinking Champagne.  Legend has it that the coupe was molded from Marie Antoinette’s left breast, and that she wanted her court to toast to her health by drinking from a glass shaped like her bosom.  As fascinating as this sounds, the coupe appeared in 1693, long before her reign as queen.  It was one of the first glasses invented specifically for drinking Champagne. 

The history of the Snifter is cloudy, however, the name dates back to 1844.  It is derived from a Scottish and northern English word which is an obsolete verb meaning to snift, snivel which came into use in the mid-14th century.  By 1937, the meaning shifted to the large bulbous stemmed glass used to drink Cognac.

So far, with the exception of Marie Antoinette’s breast, I haven’t mentioned gender.  That’s because while women were not ever prohibited from entering taverns, saloons, or bars, their presence was rare. During the colonial era, women did spend time in taverns while dining or traveling with family or friends.  Entertainment was also held in taverns during this time because they had rooms big enough to host large groups of people.  Women often attended these events and also owned taverns during the colonial period.

During the Victorian era, the idea of a ladies’ entrance and a ladies’ waiting room was born.  This was an effort to appeal to a particular segment of Victorian society.  In the old west, many bars and saloons had a separate entrance for women.  This permitted them to enter inconspicuously while avoiding the scrutiny of those who frowned upon women who frequented these establishments.  It also allowed women to avoid the ire of their male counterparts.  At this time, the main area of the saloon or bar was designed with men in mind: spittoons, moustache towels, and foot-rails.  For the most part, women living in this period in history wanted to socialize, but not at the expense of being in areas where they were clearly not welcomed.

With this bit of history, it should be quite clear that not one piece of glassware that was described above or any piece of common bar glassware used anywhere was ever designed with a specific gender in mind.  The engineering was always functional.  Wine glasses are designed to help you experience the aromas of the liquid in the glass.  The long stem design is similar to the Cocktail glass.  It keeps the liquid in the bowl from experiencing drastic temperature changes caused by a hand holding the bowl rather than the stem.  The tall slender design of a pilsner glass reveals the color and carbonation of the beer, while the broad top helps maintain the beer’s head.  Neither beer nor beer-head have gender. 

If you’re uncomfortable with the way a glass looks or the way you imagine people perceive you holding a specific type of glass, I suspect that the problem is not the glass at all.  Try holding the glass properly, closing your eyes, and enjoying the moment.  Chances are that if you ordered your favorite drink, no matter what glass it’s served in, you’ll enjoy it—every single time.

Alcohol, Bartender, Gin, Liquor

Gin 101

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Gin


IN THE WORLD OF spirits, there are two types of people: those who love gin and those who hate gin. The people who love gin are clearly refined in nature and are no doubt generous contributors to society. Those who hate gin probably had a bad experience with some cheap, no name gin while in college and the results have scarred them for life. It’s happened to the best of us. I had a horrible experience with gin when I was a sophomore in college. I hated gin for years afterwards. There is hope though. I’ve recovered and evolved into a third category of people who believe that gin is one of the most versatile liquors ever to be invented. If you don’t believe me, this article’s intent is to convince you that this is, indeed, a fact.

Gin’s definition is quite simple. It is a distilled spirit that derives its predominant flavor from juniper berries and must be at least 37.5% ABV (75 Proof). For those of you who believe in the benefits added to the cocktail lexicon by flavored vodkas, it is often said that gin is the first flavored vodka. This is true since the first gins were made by distilling vodka with juniper.

So, what is juniper? Juniper is a member of the obnoxiously ancient cypress family. They first appeared on the terrestrial landscape during the Triassic Period, over 250 million years ago. At that time in Earth’s history, most of the land masses were grouped together into a single continent known as Pangea. This fact helps explain why a single species, Juniperus Communis, is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. Because juniper has been around for so long, several sub-species have evolved. The one most commonly used to make gin is called J. Communis Communis, a small shrub that can live for up to 200 years. They are dioecious, meaning that each shrub is either male or female. Pollen from the male can travel on the wind for miles to reach a female. Once pollinated, it takes two to three years to mature.

The earliest reference to the use of juniper with alcohol dates to the year 130 A.D. when the Turkish-born Greek physician Claudius Galenus wrote that juniper berries cleanse the liver and kidneys and they evidently thin any thick and viscous juices, and for this reason they are mixed in health medicines. Clearly, this was not gin, but it is evidence that alcohol and juniper have been a pair for at least a millennium. Jenever, the Dutch word for gin, is the earliest known form of gin. Created by Dutch physicians, it was a mix of juniper berries and a crudely distilled spirit that made medicines more palatable. The first documented reference to Jenever was in the early 1600’s.

The two most common methods for making gin are by distillation or by infusion. Distillation is used most often for commercially produced gin. Most commercial distilleries use column stills to make their gin. This is because column stills produce distillates more quickly and they can run continuously. Pot stills are also used, but usually for high-end or small-batch production. Infusion, often called the compound method, became popular during several tumultuous times in human history–most notably, Prohibition. Distillers found themselves steeping juniper and other ingredients in cheaply distilled spirits using any containers they could find. The term bathtub gin arose during this time as bathtubs provided a convenient and large vessel for any enterprising person who had the resources to procure the ingredients for homemade gin. Since alcoholic beverages of any kind were illegal during Prohibition, the chances of finding well-made gin produced from quality ingredients was probably very, very low. These days, it’s perfectly legal to buy a bottle of your favorite high proof vodka or moonshine and infuse it with juniper and other botanicals to make your own gin.

Speaking of botanicals, the list of botanicals used to enhance the flavor of gin is long. Here is a non-exhaustive list: orange peel, lemon peel, lime peel, grapefruit peel, anise, angelica root, angelica seeds, orris root, licorice root, cinnamon, almond, cubeb, dragon eye (longan), saffron, baobab, frankincense, coriander, grains of paradise, nutmeg, cassia bark, lavender, cardamom, caraway seeds, pink peppercorns, green peppercorns, vanilla, and hibiscus. There is no end to the combinations that can be used.

Gin is divided into several categories or styles. London Dry gin is probably what most people today think of when they think about gin. It has a legal definition. It must be distilled to at least 70% ABV, must not contain any artificial ingredients, cannot have any flavors or colorings added after the distillation process and can only include a minute amount of sugar at the end if required. The use of the name London these days does not imply geographical origin as it once did. It can be made anywhere if the requirements are met. Typical examples of this style are brands such as Beefeater, Tanqueray, and Bombay.

By contrast, Plymouth gin is geographically protected. It can only be produced in Plymouth, Devon. These days, there is only one producer responsible for making it—Coates & Co. (Plymouth) LTD. The flavor profile is similar to London Dry, though slightly sweeter and containing a different blend of botanicals with an emphasis on earthy roots and fruit-forward flavors.

Old Tom gin is an even sweeter version of London Dry. Historically, it is considered the parent of London Dry. It is sweetened to distinguish it from Plymouth and London Dry styles. Many Old Tom gins also contain citrus notes. Until recently, this style was not available outside of the United Kingdom. Today, many American distillers are producing this style, which is ideal for mixing many of the classic cocktails of the past, most notably the Tom Collins, whose original recipe called for Old Tom Gin. Examples of this gin available today are Ransom Old Tom, Barr Hill Tom Cat, and Hayman Old Tom.

For the adventurous among us, Jenever, the precursor to modern gin, is a blend of two or more distillates: the first is a whiskey-like triple distillate made from wheat, rye, and corn. The second is a juniper-infused spirit. The third, if used, is a malt wine re-distilled together with various botanicals. If whiskey and gin were to marry, this would be their lovechild. The only example I’ve seen is Genevieve. It is delicious!!

Leave it to the craft distillers in the United States to force the creation of this last category: New American Gin. It is used to describe all the new gins that have begun to push the boundaries of what was once considered gin. It is the accepted title for gins that do not fall under any of the other traditional labels. There are many outstanding examples including: Hendrick’s, Bar Hill, The Botanist, Green Hat, and Brian’s Belle Isle Gin.

What can you do with gin? A lot, in fact. During the Golden Age of Cocktails, quite a few of the so-called classics were made with gin. These classics still grace the pages of many cocktail bar menus around the world. Cocktails like The Martini, The Negroni, Tom Collins, Aviation Cocktail, Gimlet, Gibson, Hanky Panky, Singapore Sling, Vesper, Pegu Club, The Bijou, Silver Bronx, London Fog, Corpse Reviver #2, The Martinez, and The Last Word have become legendary because of their amazing balance, flavor and strength–qualities attributed to gin. The genius of The Last Word can be seen in its many, many derivatives: The Final Word, Fernetaboutit, Paper Plane, Naked and Famous, and Pete’s Word. Each of these cocktails is magical and owes a debt to a gin cocktail from a time when Vaudeville was still king.

My top five gins come from everywhere. I like them because of their flexibility and flavor. When I create cocktails that use gin, these are my top choices:

The Botanist – It’s made using 22 botanicals indigenous to the Island of Islay (Scotland). It sports some really cool, yet complex tropical notes.

Ransom Old Tom—It’s a historically accurate revival of the gin that was in fashion during the mid-1850’s, the Golden Age of American cocktails. It has aromatic juniper and forest notes. It’s very rich and silky with malt flavors punctuated by citrus, coriander, and teak. It’s made in Oregon, aged for 6-12 months in French oak barrels and all the botanicals are certified organic.

Death’s Door—Distilled from winter wheat that is native to Washington Island, Wisconsin. It’s made using only three botanicals: juniper, fennel, and coriander. The best Hanky Panky can be made using this bold distillate.

Citadelle Reserve—One of the first barrel-aged gins on the market. It’s distilled using yuzu, genepy, and cornflower. Citadelle uses a Solera aging system, a very unusual choice for gin. It’s aged for six months and is a product of France.

Green Hat—Produced using only grains, this small batch gin is pot-distilled in Washington, D. C.

One last note: Sloe Gin is not gin. It is a gin-based liqueur made using berries from the Blackthorn bush (sloe berries). It is a very sweet, thick liquid used as a mixer in cocktails and is generally low in alcohol.

So, that’s gin in a nutshell. I hope this little primer clears up any misconceptions you may have had about this amazing alcoholic concoction. I love gin and am happy to make gin cocktails for those who want to take the leap to the Dark Side. Ask your local bartender about his/her favorite classic gin cocktail to make. If they are worth their mettle, they’ll have several cocktails on the ready. Order one and prepare to be amazed.

Alcohol, Cocktail, Gin, Liquor

Drink Dissection: Tom Collins

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tomcollins

I LOVE THE mysterious drinks — the ones that you think you know everything about, but in actuality you know very little.  The Tom Collins is one of those mysterious drinks everyone thinks they know, but when it comes down to it, all they really know is that it tastes pretty good.  But, what else should we know?  Let’s do a little digging.

First, the Tom Collins is one of many drinks from a class of drinks known as Collinses.  A Collins, by definition, is a tall sours that is related to a fizz.  A sours is a drink made with lemon juice, sugar, and liquor.  The ingredients must be mixed in a shaker and then poured into a glass.  A fizz is a sours made using the same ingredients with the addition of soda water.  It is also shaken.  This is what gives it the fizz characteristic.  A Collins has the same ingredients as a fizz, but the ingredients are stirred in the glass rather than shaken.  It’s then garnished with a lemon wedge and a cherry.  Specifically, a Tom Collins is lemon juice, sugar, gin and soda stirred in a tall glass, known as a Collins glass, and garnished with a lemon wedge and a cherry.

The history of the Tom Collins dates back to the early nineteenth century.  It was once thought that it was created by a bartender named John Collins who purportedly worked at Limmer’s Hotel in London.  This turns out not to be true since there is no evidence that anyone named John Collins ever tended bar at Limmer’s.  What is known is that the recipe for a drink called a John Collins first appeared in Haney’s Steward & Barkeeper’s Manual in 1869.  In 1876, the Collins was introduced as a category of drinks in Jerry Thomas’ Bar-tender’s Guide.  I have a copy of the 1867 edition of Jerry Thomas’ Bar-tender’s Guide.  It lists a drink called a Gin Punch.  The ingredients are a pint of old gin, a gill of maraschino, the juice of two lemons, four ounces of syrup, and one quart of German seltzer water.  Obviously, this was intended to be served to more than one person, but it’s also obviously a Collins.  For the gill impaired, a gill is a unit of measurement equal to a one-quarter of a pint or 118.2937 ml.

You’re probably confused by the name John Collins.  This is understandable.  The original name of the drink was, in fact, John Collins.  However, over time it became Tom Collins.  The reason for this isn’t known, but it has been suggested that connoisseurs of this fine beverage preferred the name Tom Collins for their favorite cocktail and over time the name change was accepted by all.  What I believe happened is that one of the key ingredients in one of the original recipes was the catalyst for the name change.  That ingredient was Old Tom Gin, a lightly sweetened gin that was popular in 18th-century England.  It’s rarely seen today, but it is often referred to as the missing link in the evolution of gin.  It’s slightly sweeter than London Dry Gin, but slightly drier than Holland Gin.  I believe that Old Tom Gin was popular enough during the late 1800’s that, for some, it made sense to call a John Collins a Tom Collins since Old Tom Gin was what gave the cocktail its kick.  It is also thought that the word of mouth passing of the name of this popular drink somehow caused the name change.  Similar to the way the story gets changed as a rumor passes from person to person.  This is all speculation of course, but it is also very plausible.

As with all popular cocktails, the Tom Collins has evolved over time.  The first recipe for a Tom Collins that I could find was the one that I listed above.  It appeared in print in 1867 and was not called a Tom Collins.  By 1876, Jerry Thomas had introduced the Collins class of drinks and included among his recipes a Tom Collins Gin cocktail.  This cocktail was made by combining five or six dashes of gum syrup, the juice of a small lemon, a large wine-glass of gin and two or three lumps of ice into a large bar-glass.  The cocktail was shaken and then topped with soda water.

By 1878, the Tom Collins was being served everywhere.  Its popularity was unmatched and the recipe began to evolve again.  I found a recipe from 1891 that actually calls for Old Tom Gin.  It also lists a bar-spoonful of sugar rather than gum syrup and a drink of Old Tom Gin as opposed to a large wine-glass of gin.  I’m not sure what those measurements mean, but my guess is that they are both far larger than a shot.

These days, a Tom Collins consists of two ounces of dry gin, two ounces of lemon juice, one teaspoon of simple syrup, soda water, a slice of lemon and one cherry.  To make it, fill a Collins glass with ice, add gin, lemon juice and simple syrup.  Top with soda water and stir.  Use the slice of lemon and the cherry as a garnish.  It’s very simple to make and very refreshing on a hot summer day.

So, there you have it — the Tom Collins dissected.  Things are so much simpler when you break them down scientifically.  It should be noted that these days, if you order a John Collins, you will get a Collins cocktail made with bourbon rather than gin.  This is hardly the same cocktail that you would have received in 1869, but as we’ve seen, things do change over time.  As usual, when enjoying any of the Collins class of cocktails, please drink responsibly.

Alcohol, Bourbon, Cocktail, Liquor, Whiskey

Drink Dissection: The Manhattan

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manhattan

OVER THE YEARS, I’ve had several conversations that revolved around a cocktail known as the Manhattan.  Most of those conversations began with the same question:  Why can’t I find someone who makes a good Manhattan?  The simplest answer is that most of today’s bartenders don’t know or understand what it takes to make a good Manhattan.  I know of two places where I can go to get a good one, but if I go anywhere else I don’t order them.  The bartenders at those two places have a healthy respect for all things related to cocktails.  Since a Manhattan is considered a classic, you’d think that bartenders would take the time to find out what a Manhattan is and learn how to make one, but that rarely occurs.  The impetus behind these posts has always been for me to find the facts for myself and then pass them on to those who are interested.

So, what is a Manhattan?  It’s a cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters.  The most common whiskeys used are blended whiskey, bourbon, Canadian whiskey, rye, and Tennessee whiskey.  The proportions of whiskey to vermouth vary from 1:1 for a very sweet Manhattan to 4:1 for a very dry one.  It is most common to stir the ingredients with ice and then strain them into a martini glass.  The most common garnish is a Maraschino cherry.  It is not uncommon to serve a Manhattan on the rocks or to garnish it with a twist of lemon.  The Manhattan was the first of many cocktails that blended vermouth with a spirit and is the precursor to the king of all cocktails — the Martini.

The origins of the Manhattan aren’t clear.  One story is that it originated at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the 1870’s.  The claim is that Dr. Iain Marshall invented it for a banquet hosted by Jennie Jerome to celebrate the election of Samuel J. Tilden as governor.  Sadly, this story holds very little weight because during the time of this supposed banquet, Jenny Jerome was in France and was pregnant.  She later gave birth to one of history’s most celebrated figures — Winston Churchill.  Another story suggests that a bartender named William Black created the drink at a saloon on Bowery in the Manhattan area.  Although Black did exist and evidence of the saloon also exists, there is no evidence that the cocktail was invented there.

What is clear is that in 1873, the Galveston Daily News reported that the New York Club had a peculiar cocktail made with brandy and several different kinds of bitters.  It was shaken rather than stirred.  It also reported that Amaranth Club had a cocktail made with seltzer and the Manhattan club had invented another.  This is by no means proof that the Manhattan Club invention is the Manhattan, but there is no proof that it isn’t.  What’s odd is that if this is the Manhattan, then this is almost 10 years before cocktails made with vermouth were generally accepted.  It wasn’t until 1884 that the Manhattan even appeared in bartenders guides.

Let’s look at a couple of recipes.  In 1884, the following recipe appeared in How to Mix Drinks–Bar Keeper’s Handbook.  It’s the same recipe used at the Manhattan Club and was by far the most popular during the first twenty years of the cocktails existence.

Manhattan (circa 1884)

Two or three dashes of Peruvian bitters, 1/2 teaspoon of gum syrup, 1 1/2 ounces of whiskey, 1 1/2 ounces of vermouth.

Fill the glass three-quarters full of fine shaved ice, mix well with a spoon, strain in fancy cocktail glass and serve.

It should be noted that Peruvian bitters was an advertiser in the bar manual where this recipe appears.  Other bitters such as Angostura and Peychaud’s also advertised in bar manuals.  This suggests that you may choose your favorite brand.  Since gum syrup is difficult to obtain these days, it can be left out without affecting the quality of the finished product.  You may also notice that there is no mention of a garnish for this recipe.

Manhattan (today)

3/4 ounce of sweet vermouth, 2 1/2 ounces of blended whiskey, dash of Angostura bitters, 1 Maraschino cherry, 1 twist of orange peel.

Combine vermouth, whiskey, bitter and ice in a mixing glass.  Stir gently, Place the cherry in a chilled cocktail glass and strain the whiskey over the cherry.  Rub the cut edge of the orange peel over the rim of the glass and twist it over the drink to release the oils, but don’t drop it into the drink.

This modern version of the Manhattan is the most commonly accepted version today.  Like all cocktails, the quality of the ingredients ensures the quality of the finished product.  Italian vermouth is always a good choice although Vya is an excellent alternative.  Woodford Reserve is an excellent whiskey and a great way to enhance this recipe.  I am a fan of orange bitters. I’ve actually made my own, which I proudly use when I make a Manhattan at home.  The introduction of this flavor to the mix turns an ordinary Manhattan into a delicious drink worth savoring.  Another way to make your Manhattan stand out is to use brandy-infused cherries.  Trust me, there is no better way to finish a Manhattan than by biting into one these tasty treats.

For those who enjoy something slightly sweeter, try the following recipe:

French Manhattan

2 ounces of Woodford Reserve, one ounce of Chambord, dash of bitters.

Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a cherry.

The obvious twist is that Chambord is substituted for vermouth.  It’s a neat alternative to the original and a refreshing way to end a long day.

So, there you have it, the Manhattan demystified.  Once you’ve discovered where drinks come from and understand their place in history, it’s much easier to make them and enjoy them.  I know quite a few bartenders who still don’t know how to make this time honored and delicious cocktail.  They don’t take the time to find the recipes and try them out.  Experimentation is the best way to perfect your craft.  Tasting your experiments helps give you an appreciation for the cocktail’s place in history.  It also gives you a reference when someone asks for a specific variation on the Manhattan theme.  As always, when enjoying pre-Prohibition, modern or French Manhattans, please drink responsibly.

Alcohol, Sake

Sake (Part II)

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sake_2

IN PART I, I talked about the method for making sake.  This time, as promised, I’d like to talk about some of the different types of sake.  Like other types of alcoholic beverages, sake has a classification system and like most classification systems, it is very complicated and very confusing.  I’ll try to cover some of the basics in an attempt to make your sake experience more enjoyable.

Let’s start with the best.   Any sake classified as junmaishu is pure rice sake.  The only ingredients that can be used to make this type of sake are rice, water, and Aspergillus orryzae, the mold used to convert the starch in rice into sugar.  The production of this type of sake has been compared to beer brewed under the regulations governed by the Bavarian Purity Law.  Under this law, beer can only be brewed using water, barley, and hops.  The law was later amended to include yeast.  Sake that is not classified as junmaishu has pure distilled alcohol and other ingredients added to it during production.  One other restriction is that the rice used for junmaishu must be milled to 70%.  That means that 30% of the rice must be polished away.  This is to ensure a certain degree of smoothness in the final product.  Junmaishu is heavier and fuller in flavor than other types of sake, but is much easier to pair with foods than lighter sakes.  This type of sake is probably not for the unadventurous among us.

Honfozo is sake that has a very small amount of pure distilled alcohol added to the final stage of its production.  The amount of alcohol that is added is strictly limited to 120 liters per metric ton of rice used in the brewing process.  Adding alcohol is not done just to increase the yield, but to lighten the flavor as well.  This makes it a little more drinkable because adding alcohol at the precise interval during production tends to bring out the more flavorful and fragrant components of the finished product.  Like jumaishu, honfozo must be made using rice that is milled to 70% of its original size.

Next, I’d like to confuse you by introducing ginjoshu.   This type of sake is made with rice that is milled to at least 60%.  It should be noted that this is only a minimum requirement.  Within this classification, there is a subclass known as diaginjoshu.  The grains of rice in this subclass are milled to at least 50% of its original size.  There are pure rice sakes within this class and subclass as well.  They are known as junmai ginjo and junmai daiginjo respectively.  Tokubesu is a term that literally means special in Japanese.  When you see this term, it refers to the fact that something special has been done to the sake during production.  It may have a higher milling percentage or there may have been a special non-standard method used during the sakes production.  Sometimes, this information is on the label and at other times it is not.

Are you confused yet?  I’m not, so let’s continue.  Namazake is unpasteurized sake.  This type of sake tends to be a lot fresher than pasteurized sake.  Namazake must be kept refrigerated because it can spoil.  Most other sake is pasteurized twice: once before it is brewed and again before it is bottled.  Of course there is an exception called namachozo, which is only pasteurized once just before it is bottled.    Like namazake, namachozo should also be refrigerated after opening to keep it from spoiling.

Sake is sometimes aged in cedar casks called taru.  In the centuries before sake was bottled, all sake was stored this way.  This type of sake takes on some of the flavors of the wood while it’s stored in the cask.  These days, this practice is considered a tribute to the origins of sake.  There are also sakes that are unfiltered.  Most sake is either clear or slightly amber in color.  Sake that is cloudy in appearance is filtered through large-holed or very coarse mesh filters to allow some of the white material left from brewing to remain in the finished product.  This type of sake is called nigorizake.   Before sake is bottled, pure water is added to reduce the alcohol content from 20 percent down to 16 percent.  Sake that doesn’t have water added is called genshu.  This type of sake is rather harsh and is sometimes served on the rocks to reduce its bite.

I know that this is a lot of information.  Unfortunately, it only covers some of the basics.  The best way to find out what you might like is to try some sake yourself.  As an exercise, I sampled my favorite sake at dinner recently to give you a sense of how much fun it can be and to give you some hints on what to look for when choosing sake.  It is helpful to look at the labels on the bottle.  I like cold unfiltered sake.  This is conveniently served in 375 milliliter bottles, so you can actually see the label.  This particular sake is called Sho Chiku Bai.  It’s nigorizake, which means that it’s unfiltered.  The alcohol content is 15% by volume.  That means that pure distilled water was added to it before it was bottled.  On the back label, it says that it’s best served at room temperature, chilled, or on the rocks.  It’s not recommended to be served warm or heated.  It’s sweet with complex flavors, a rich body and mild aroma.  I’m also told to refrigerate it after opening because there are no preservatives added.  The label also says that this particular sake pairs well with spicy foods.  That’s a good thing since I had spicy tuna that night.  I’ve found that I like cold sake as opposed to warm sake.  Warm sake tends to be less flavorful and bitter to me.  Everyone is different, so I suggest trying a few to determine what you like.  Sometimes the label has information about where the sake maker is from, where the rice was grown, and the location of the sake brewery.  This is interesting to me and helpful to the connoisseur.

So there you have it — sake unfiltered, twice.  This simplified description of some of the more commonly used sake terms hardly scratches the surface, but it does give you a spring board from which to begin your own personal sake experience.

Alcohol, Sake

Sake (Part I)

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sake

I LOVE SUSHI.  That means that I find myself at Japanese style restaurants quite often.  Being the experimental type, I’m always up for trying new things.  Recently, I’ve discovered Sake.  I’d had it in the past, but I wasn’t really impressed by it.  After doing a little research, I found that the reason that I didn’t like it was because I was probably drinking inferior quality sake.  This peaked my curiosity, so I began looking at sake in a different light.  That lead me to discover that there is a lot more to sake then the cute little containers from which it’s served.

As usual, I like to start at the beginning.  Let’s look at what sake is not.  Many people refer to sake as rice wine.  Sake is not wine.  Wine is made from fruit.  Sake is made with rice — a grain.  However, sake is also not beer as some experts claim.  It is made with a grain, like beer, but sake is not carbonated and has a higher alcohol content than beer, so it shouldn’t be classified as beer either.  That leaves us with one conclusion — sake is sake.

Now that we know what it is and is not, how is it made?  As I revealed earlier, sake is made from rice.  The rice used to make sake differs from the rice that is eaten at mealtime.  The most important difference is the concentration of starches in the center.  The starch is surrounded by minerals, fats, and proteins that are detrimental to the sake-making process.  In order to remove these unwanted materials, the rice is milled or polished.  The rice use to be polished using a mortar and pestle which was hardly efficient.  These days, modern polishing machines using the latest hardware and software are used to remove the undesired materials from the rice.  The powder left behind after the polishing is complete is not discarded.  It is used to make live-stock feed, crackers, and pickles.  It’s also used to make low grade alcoholic beverages.

After the polishing step is completed, the rice is washed and soaked.  Washing the rice removes the remaining talc-like powder that remains after the polishing process.  Soaking the rice prepares it for the next step — steaming.  This is done by pumping steam directly into large vats.  After the rice is sufficiently steamed, it is allowed to cool.

Once the rice is cooled, the most delicate and complex phase of sake making takes place.  A type of mold, known as Aspergillus orryzae, is cultivated onto the steamed rice.  This is done because a starch molecule is a long chain that cannot be fermented unless it is broken down into smaller chains.  The mold breaks the long chains down into smaller molecules, actually sugars, that can be processed by yeast cells.  During this forty-to-sixty hour process, regulating temperature is crucial.  Temperature determines how dry, sweet, light, or rich the finished product will be.  The actual process gives off heat, so regulating temperature is vital, yet difficult.  Automation is used for mass-produced sake, but for the higher grade sakes, manual methods are still employed.

At this stage, we still don’t have sake, but we’re getting close.  The rice mixed with mold and yeast are transferred to a large vat where rice and water are added.  This step is repeated at least three times and is done over a four day period.  After the fourth day, the rice, water, and yeast are left to ferment from eighteen to thirty-two days.  Here, another crucial decision must be made — when should the fermentation process be stopped?  Allowing fermentation to continue too long usually leads to sake with odd undesirable flavors.

Next, the mixture is pressed through mesh in order to separate the sake from the solid remains for the fermented rice.  This use to be done by placing cotton bags full of the fermented rice into wooden boxes.  Then the bags are pressed, pushing the sake through holes in the bottom of the boxes.  These days, sake is pressed using modern machinery.  Another method that is used for some higher grade sakes is to fill bags with fermented rice and then suspending them so that the sake drips from the bags.  The yields from this process are much lower, but the sake that is produced using this method are much higher in quality.  At this point, the sake is allowed to sit for about ten days to allow residual chemical reactions to complete and sediments to settle.  Then it is filtered.  This removes unwanted flavor elements as well as sakes natural amber color.  In some cases, high grade sakes are not filtered.  These sakes are said to be more interesting and appealing.

The last step is pasteurization.  This allows sake to be stored without refrigeration.  Interestingly, it was discovered that heating sake briefly deactivated the enzymes and killed any remaining bacteria in the sake long before Louis Pasteur was credited with the technique.

So, there you have it — sake unfiltered.  This brief description of how sake is made hardly does justice to the complex set of processes involved in its production.  It does, however, give you an idea of how it is done.  Next, I’d like to look at some of the different types of sake and maybe even get into the descriptions of actual sake that I’ve sampled.

 

Alcohol, liqueur

Paris Green

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Chartreuse

WHEN I WAS in ninth grade, I read a book called The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury.  It’s a collection of really cool science fiction short stories, one of which is called The Fox and The Forest.  It’s about a couple who travels back in time to escape from what they consider a horrible existence as scientists working on weapons for the war that their future civilization is fighting.  It was a very interesting tale, but as a ninth grader, I was confused by the very last sentence in the story:  She pointed to the closet, where there were 67 bottles of chartreuse, cognac, creme de cacao, absinthe, vermouth, tequila, 106 cartons of Turkish cigarettes and 198 yellow boxes of fifty-cent pure Havana-filler cigars…  I didn’t know what chartreuse was, so I asked my English teacher, Mrs. Crawley, to explain it to me.  She told me that chartreuse was a color that was a combination of green and yellow sometimes called Paris Green.  At the time, that explanation made absolutely no sense to me at all.  When I recently read the story again, I understood the sentence, but I didn’t understand why my English teacher didn’t tell me what chartreuse really was.  I find it hard to believe that she didn’t know that it was more than just a color.  But what if she didn’t know?  I can now answer the question for her and she can enjoy this new-found knowledge while she’s enjoying her retirement.

So, what is chartreuse?  Chartreuse is a French liqueur composed of distilled alcohol flavored with 130 herbal extracts.  The name is derived from the Grande Chartreuse Monastery where it was originally produced.  There are several types of Chartreuse, the two most common being Green Chartreuse and Yellow Chartreuse.  Green Chartreuse is 110 proof while the sweeter and milder Yellow Chartreuse is 80 proof.  Chartreuse has a very distinct characteristic flavor.  It’s sweet, but turns both pungent and spicy.  Although the flavor is complex, anise is easily discernible as one of the key ingredients.  There are several cocktails that include Chartreuse as an ingredient.  A Chartini is three parts gin and one part Green Chartreuse.  The Trois Roses de Grenoble is four parts Yellow Chartreuse two parts whiskey, and one part gin.  My favorite of all the Chartreuse cocktails is The Bijou.  It’s equal parts Chartreuse, gin and sweet vermouth with a couple of dashes of orange bitters.   It is mesmerizing.

The history of Chartreuse dates to 1605 when Francois Hannibal d’ Estrees presented the monks at the Chartreuse monastery with an ancient manuscript titled An Elixir of Long Life.  The recipe described in the manuscript was so complex that only bits and pieces of it were understood for quite some time.  What was known gave the monks the idea to use it for medicinal purposes only.  In 1737, an exhaustive study of the manuscript was undertaken by Frere Jerome Maubec.  He succeeded in unraveling the secrets of the manuscript and the Chartreuse Elixir was produced for the first time and distributed as a medicine.  Today, this original formula is still produced by the Chartreuse monks and is known as Elixir Vegetal de la Grand-Chartreuse.  It’s made from plants, herbs and other botanicals and is 71% alcohol by volume or 142 proof.

The elixir was so tasty that it was more often consumed as a beverage than as a medicine.  Recognizing this, the monks adapted the recipe to make a milder beverage.  In 1764, what is known as Green Chartreuse was introduced.  Upon its release, it became remarkably popular and its availability was no longer restricted to the area surrounding La Grande Chartreuse.

During the French Revolution, members of all religious orders were ordered to leave the country.  The monks of Chartreuse fled in 1793.  In 1810, Emperor Napoleon ordered all secret recipes of medicines to be sent to the Ministry of the Interior.  The current recipe holder, Monsieur Liotard, submitted the secret manuscript.  It was returned to him marked Refused.  Apparently, it was so complex that the Ministry deemed it unusable.  The original manuscript changed hands several times during the revolution, but was eventually returned to the Chartreuse monks.

In 1838, the sweeter and milder Yellow Chartreuse was developed.  After that, nothing exciting took place until 1903 when the monks were once again expelled from France.  They fled to Spain where they built a new distillery in Tarragona and continued to produce their liqueurs.  By 1929, the monks had regained possession of the Chartreuse trademark and had resumed production of Chartreuse in France.  Then an avalanche destroyed their distillery in 1935, so a new one was built in Voiron.

Today, only two monks are entrusted by the Order with the secret of producing Chartreuse.  They are the only people who know the ingredients and know how to prepare the ingredients for incorporation into the base wine alcohol.  What is known is that there are 130 herbs, plants, roots, leaves, and other bits of vegetation that are soaked in alcohol for an unknown length of time, then distilled and mixed with distilled honey and sugar syrup and aged in large oak casks.  A small portion of this liquor is selected for special treatment.  It is aged for an extra length of time and after the chief distiller declares it ready for bottling, it is packaged and marketed as V. E. P. Chartreuse (Viellissement Exceptionnellement Prolonge).  It’s actually packaged in one liter reproductions of bottles used in 1840.  Each of these bottles is numbered, sealed with wax, and packaged in a carefully fitted wooden box.

So, there you have it Mrs. Crawley — Chartreuse: numbered, waxed, and packaged.  Yes, I know that Chartreuse is a color, but it’s also a delicious beverage made from a super secret recipe.  I hope that you knew that, but if not, I hope that I get an A on this essay.  Just remember that Chartreuse is best served neat.  It can also be enjoyed chilled, but do not shake it in ice to chill it.  Instead pour it into a metal shaker and place the shaker in ice to allow the properties of transference to chill the chartreuse so that it doesn’t get diluted.  And even though you’re retired, please drink responsibly.  Chartreuse may be delicious, but it does pack a significant punch.

Alcohol, Legends, liqueur, Liquor, Myths, Wine

Urban Legends

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THERE AREN’T MANY things more amusing to me than urban legends.  I’m always fascinated by the things people will believe without ever verifying the facts or challenging the common sense that we were all born with.  We’ve all heard an urban legend before.  Even Santa Claus himself is part of urban lore.  There is one legend in particular that always makes me laugh.  It states that the modern image of Santa that we are all familiar with was created by the Coca-Cola Company.  This hardly makes sense to me, but there are many who believe it.  The image of the Santa that we know is a hybrid, descended from St. Nicholas, whose outward appearance and history were created and shaped by many people over the course of many, many years until he morphed into the familiar jolly old fat man in a red and white costume who lives at the North Pole and delivers gifts to little girls and boys on Christmas eve.  It should make perfect sense that what we know as Santa Claus existed long before Coco-Cola began adorning their cans with his image.

What does this have to do with bartending?  I’m glad you asked.  A friend suggested that I look at some urban legends related to drinking.  You’ve probably heard some of these stories yourself and you’ve probably thought that, taken with a grain of salt, they must be true.  Let’s have a look at a few to find out what is fact and what is fiction.

The first one is probably the most often quoted urban legend with respect to alcohol.  The story goes that one of the ingredients in Jägermeister  is deer blood.  This rumor usually traces back to two facts.  The first is that the label of a Jägermeister bottle has a picture of a stag on the front of it.  The second is that Jägermeister is German for a phrase that loosely translates to master hunter.  Combine this with the fact that Jägermeister boasts having one or two secret spices in the recipe and you could understand how this rumor spread to every corner of the globe.

Jägermeister is made with 56 herbs, roots, and spices.  These ingredients are ground and reduced to macerates by being steeped in cold water and alcohol for approximately three days.  The resulting extract is filtered and then stored in oak barrels for at least a year before being bottled.  If blood were one of the secret ingredients, the brewing process could not be easily or accurately reproduced because it would break down, rendering each batch unusable.  If that isn’t enough to convince you that there is no blood in Jägermeister, keep in mind that there is no way on Earth that the U. S. Department of Agriculture would sanction the sale of a product that has deer blood in it.

Sulfites are another misrepresented entity in the bartending world.  It’s rumored that the sulfites in American-made red wine cause headaches/hangovers.  They are cited as the reason that when Americans drink American wines, they tend to drink white wines because they have no sulfites in them.  This is amusing on many levels.  First, there is no documented medical or scientific study to suggest that sulfites cause headaches/hangovers.  Second, red wines contain lower levels of sulfites than white wines.  Third, although it is not required to be listed on the labels, many imported wines contain higher sulfite levels than domestic wines.

Here are some other facts.  Europeans have been making wine for hundreds of years.  They invented the art of using additives to improve wine.  They spent hundreds of years studying the effects of sulfur in wine.  Most notably, they discovered that you can’t make good wine without using sulfur.  Combine that with the fact that we, Americans, learned everything we know about wine making from European wine makers and we, like them, have endeavored to improve upon their work.  The bottom line is that ALL wine contains sulfites.  Our bodies even produce sulfites on a daily basis.  If you eat shellfish, guacamole, sushi, pizza, or cheese, then you’re consuming more sulfites than are found in most wines.

So, unless you are actually allergic to sulfites, you probably don’t have to worry about them being in your wine.  Why European wines don’t cause headache/hangovers is an easy question to answer.  Most Americans visiting Europe do so on vacation.  This equates to a more relaxed atmosphere free of the daily stresses of their normal lives.  Consuming wine under these conditions as opposed to drinking under the stress of kids, pets, and the daily grind probably makes all the difference in the world.  Just a theory, but you are welcome to put it to the test the next time you’re in Europe.  When you’re back at home, try consuming those wines again.  The results of your experiment should be interesting.

The last urban legend I’d like to tackle this week is the use of copper pennies to defeat the breathalyzer test.  I’ve heard this one a million times and I know that it doesn’t work, but there are so many out there who believe that it will get them out of a DUI.  The rumor is that the high copper content of pennies helps negate the results of a breathalyzer test.  Two things make this urban legend false.  The first is that since 1982, pennies have been made of 97.5% zinc with only a coating of copper.  The second is that no matter how many coins you put in your mouth, it will not hinder the chemical reaction that the breathalyzer is designed to measure: the reaction between the amount of alcohol on the breath and the contents of the magic vial inside the breathalyzer device.  Stuffing too many pennies in your mouth may keep you from being able to use the breathalyzer properly, but eventually, the police officer is going to make you spit them out.  Before you ask, burping doesn’t hinder the test either.  You can burp to your heart’s content, but it will not help.  Neither will Certs, Tic Tacs, ice, mustard, celery, peanut butter, raw potatoes, salted peanuts, Diet Coke, or candy made from ginger.

So, there you have it — a few urban legends debunked.  This  post was not an attempt to make fun of anyone.  It was meant to get at the truth about some of the more common urban myths related to alcohol.  I hope that you’ll walk away feeling more enlightened about the ways of the world.  I also hope that you’ll pass this information along to those who aren’t as enlightened as we are.

Alcohol, Liquor, Tequila

Tequila

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tequila

NOT LONG AGO, I did a series of articles on American-made liquors.  It was an interesting exercise because it gave me a chance to sample some really cool liquors that I wouldn’t have taken the time to try otherwise.  Recently, someone pointed out that I didn’t talk about American made tequila.  There was a reason for that omission.

Tequila is a Blue Agave-based distillate made primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, located about 40 miles northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the Jalisco, both located in Mexico.  For the Blue Agave impaired, this particular agave plant grows in high altitude in sandy soil.  It is known by several other names, including maguey, mezcal, and tequila agave.  Tequila is produced by removing the heart of the blue agave when it is twelve years old.  At this point, the plant can weigh as much as 200 pounds.  The red volcanic soil that surrounds Jalisco and Guadalajara are well suited for growing this particular plant.

The reason that I didn’t cover American-made tequila is that Mexico has claimed exclusive international rights to the word tequila and threatens legal action against tequila manufacturers in other countries.  This suggested that a search for American-made tequila might be in vane.

Although the Aztecs were the first to produce a fermented agave-based beverage, Tequila as we know it first appeared in the sixteenth century near what is now known as the city of Tequila.  During this time, the Spanish had begun to explore this particular region.  As their supply of brandy began to dwindle, they began to distill an agave-based spirit.  Historians would later declare this to be the first distillate produced in North America.  It wasn’t until the late 19th century that tequila was exported to the United States.

The tequila that we enjoy today is most often about 40% alcohol by volume, although there are some that can be as high as 55% ABV.  These are usually diluted with water to reduce its harshness.  Some of the high-end brands are distilled to 40% ABV or 80 proof without the addition of water as a diluting agent.

There are two basic types of tequila: those made from 100% agave and those labeled as mixtos.  Mixtos tequilas use no less than 51% agave with other sugars used to make up the remainder.  Glucose and fructose are the most commonly used sugars.  There are five categories for bottled tequila: Blanco or plata, Joven or oro, Reposado, Anejo, and extra Anejo.  Blanco refers to a clear un-aged spirit that is bottled immediately after distillation.  At most, it is aged for two months in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels.  Joven is a blend of silver tequila with Reposado and/or Anejo and/or extra Anejo tequila.   Reposado is aged for at least two month, but less than a year in oak barrels.  Anejo must be aged for a minimum of one year, but less than three years in oak barrels, while Extra Anejo is aged for at least three years in oak barrels.  This last category was established in 2006.

For those tequilas that are aged in oak barrels, there are certain guidelines that must be followed.  The oak barrels should come from the U. S., France or Canada and should be white oak.  In some instances, the oak is charred in order to impart a smoky flavor.  Barrels used to age other liquors such as Scotch, whiskey and wine are often sought in order to give the finished product a distinct flavor.

One of my favorite tequila stories involves doing shots of tequila that contained worms.  I recall being in a bar in San Diego where you could down a shot of tequila with a worm in it in order to receive a t-shirt touting your glorious deed.  Contrary to popular belief, tequila does not come with a worm in it.  There are certain mezcals that are sold that way, but this was apparently a marketing stunt perpetrated in the 1940’s that continues to this very day.  In actuality, the worm is the larvae of a moth, Hypopta agavis, which actually lives on the agave plant.  Finding one of these larvae on the plant during processing is a sign of infestation, which signals a lower quality product.  So, avoid these products at all costs.

Quite a few of us have experienced the tequila shot.  The rim of the shot glass is usually salted and there is generally a slice of lime to accompany your shot.  To consume the shot, you first lick the salt, then gulp the shot of tequila and suck the slice of lime.  You would be ridiculed in Mexico for doing this because in that part of that world, tequila is generally enjoyed straight.  My favorite way to enjoy tequila is in my favorite margarita.  For those who have not seen this recipe before, it appears at the top of my cocktail favorites list.  It’s called the St. Rita.  To make it, pour two parts Tequila Blanco, one part St. Germain liqueur, and 3/4 part freshly squeezed lime juice in a shaker.  Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously.  Strain the contents into a rocks glass filled with ice.  Garnish with a lime and enjoy.  This is another great cocktail for the summer months and a perfect way to enjoy your favorite tequila.

So, there you have it — tequila un-shot.  Some of my worst nights as a pre-twenty-five year old were spent trying to figure out why tequila was not my friend.  These days, I’m happy to be able to say that I survived those years mostly unscathed and with a brand new appreciation for this once evil liquid.  As always, when enjoying your favorite blue agave-based distilled spirit, please drink responsibly.

Alcohol, liqueur

Vermouth: Bar Nemesis?

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vya-3-packIF YOU LOOK up the word malign in any standard English dictionary, you’ll find the following definition: to speak harmful untruths about; speak evil of; slander; defame.  If I was in charge of choosing the descriptive pictures that accompany some words in the dictionary, I’d place a picture of a bottle of vermouth next to the word malign.  Nothing on Earth has been more maligned than vermouth, except maybe Wes Craven’s movie The People Under the Stairs.  With a renewed interest in classic cocktails, I thought that it would be a good idea to take a look at the most disparaged bottle on the bar so that we can understand what it is and why it is an integral part of some of the best known classic cocktails.

Vermouth is a fortified wine to which botanicals are added.  The name vermouth is derived from the German word wermut or the Anglo-Saxon word wermod which both mean wormwood.  Wormwood was known by ancient civilizations in Rome, Greece, and Egypt for its medicinal powers.  Since wormwood is extremely bitter, sugar and spices were combined with it to make it more palatable.  During the late 18th century an Italian named Antonio Carpano began fortifying cheap wine with a distilled spirit, most notably brandy, in an attempt to not only improve its flavor, but to extend the life of the wine.  He would then add wormwood and other spices such as cloves, juniper, nutmeg, citrus peel, coriander, ginger, sage, chamomile, cinnamon and hops.  It is thought that he was inspired by a German wine flavored with wormwood and this is probably why he called his creation vermouth.

There are several different types of vermouth, ranging from the dry vermouth used in martinis, to the very sweet vermouth that is consumed as an aperitif.  As early as the 1830’s, vermouth began to appear in the U. S.  During that time, dry vermouth was referred to as French while sweet vermouth was called Italian.  This distinction was based on their country of origin, but these days those terms are no longer in vogue.  It is known that by 1853, the French company Noilly Prat was shipping its dry white vermouth to places like New Orleans and San Francisco.  This should not be surprising since both cities were heavily populated with citizens of French decent.  By the 1860’s, sweet red vermouth from Italy had made significant inroads in New York.

Before long, people started to take notice of this vino vermouth.  This led to experimentation by the bar-men of the day in New York City and culminated with the creation of the Vermouth Cocktail — a very simple drink consisting of two ounces of sweet vermouth with a piece of lemon peel and a few cubes of ice served in a stemmed tulip-shaped glass.  Like many of the cocktails of that era that included ingredients containing herbs and spices, the Vermouth Cocktail was quite often prescribed as a remedy for hangovers.  It was also preferred by those who did not like to start the day with a hangover because the low alcohol content of the drink made its consumption less painful the next morning.

The creation of the Vermouth Cocktail came at a time when an interesting transition for bartenders and their clientele was beginning to occur.  Bar patrons’ palates began to mature and  their tastes began to move away from cocktails that were made simply by pouring liquor over ice and adding a few dashes of bitters to it.  Sometime around the mid-1860’s, someone began blending sweet vermouth with brandy, rye, whiskey and gin.  These new concoctions were complex and flavorful with less of an impact on one’s ability to leave the bar under one’s own power after consuming a few of them.  The first of these amazing cocktails was the Manhattan which paved the way for the Martinez and the king of all cocktails — the Martini.

So why has something so important to the creation of three of the most important classic cocktails become so reviled?  That’s a good question.  One theory is that not only is vermouth misunderstood, but also mistreated.  Since vermouth is a wine, it should probably be treated as such.  Once opened, it will oxidize in a relatively short time.  That means that its flavor will change in short order.  Consequently, if you’re not there when the bottle is opened, you’re probably not going to get the vermouth when it’s at its best.  To remedy this, once opened, do not throw away the cap.  Air causes oxidation, so putting a pour spout on the bottle will not help your cause.  Next, when not in use, store it in the refrigerator.  It’s probably also a good idea to chill it before you open it for the first time.  Chilling it will slow the oxidation process.  Also, tasting the vermouth when you open it for the first time gives you a sense of its flavor profile giving you a point of reference that allows you to determine when it may be time to replace it.

Another thing to keep in mind is quality.  When vermouth was created, it was as a way to salvage really bad wine.  These days, that is not the case.  Artisan vermouth producers such as Vya are making well-crafted products that are not only great for making cocktails, but good enough that many chefs have begun to replace white wine with dry vermouth for cooking.  These same chefs are even pairing vermouth with meals as either an aperitif or digestif.

So, there you have it — vermouth un-vilified.  As vermouth begins to reemerge on bars and become more appreciated as a legitimate ingredient in cocktails and as a aperitif and digestif, I hope that more of you take the opportunity to experience this red-headed stepchild of the cocktail world.  If you’re feeling daring this weekend, stop by your local liquor outlet and purchase a small bottle of sweet vermouth.  It can be enjoyed just as you’d enjoy a glass of port or sherry and it’s very good.  Maybe you’re preparing a meal that calls for white wine as an ingredient.  Why not substitute that ingredient with dry vermouth?  Martini & Rossi has been around for well over 150 years and has a great reputation, while new comers like Vya are breaking new ground with their high-quality artisan creations.  As always, whether you’re enjoying a cocktail that blends your favorite liquor with vermouth or you’re trying it as an aperitif or digestif, please drink responsibly.