What gives life into the simple cocktails' recipes? Well, as its name itself tells us: the spirit. Let's check out what these spirits are.
Vodka is originated from Russia or Poland, the origin of it is disputed. It is a distilled beverage, made from fermented grain.Vodka is the most commonly used spirit in cocktails. Thanks to its neutral flavor, it matches perfectly to all different kinds of tastes.Whiskey is originated from Ireland and Scotland. Depending on its type, it is made from barley, rye, wheat, or corn and it is aged in oak barrels. Hence is its color.
Whiskey cocktails are dark colored and have a wide range of flavors.Bourbon is an American whiskey produced by fermented corn. It is aged in oak barrels for at least 2 years!
Bourbon is frequently used in sour cocktails. Its flavor smoothly matches the taste of lemon and mint leaves.
Rum is a fermented and distilled beverage made from sugarcane by-products (such as molasses) or sugarcane syrup. It is originated from either ancient China or India.
Rum has a huge popularity in the Caribbean and Latin America. These areas produce most of this spirit in our days.
You can buy the distillate which is a clear liquid or the dark or "golden" version that was aged in oak barrels after distillation. Golden rum is usually consumed straight, while the clear, light version is used in cocktails.
Cachaca is the Brazilians' most popular distilled beverage. It is made by fermenting fresh sugarcane juice. It is always clear in color.
Both rum and Cachaca are ideal for tropical cocktail recipes thanks to their sweet flavor.
Tequila is a product of Mexico, produced by fermenting and distilling the "blue agave" plant. White tequila is stored right after distillation while the darkest type is aged in oak barrels for a minimum of three years, giving it a golden color.
The traditional way to drink tequila is to put some salt on your hand and lick it right before drinking the shot of the spirit. Then, bite into a wedge of lime. It's an unforgettable experience and lots of fun!
A large variety of cocktails involved tequila. Most of them are fruity drinks, but you can also prepare sweet tequila cocktails with Irish cream liqueur or cacao and heavy cream.
Absinthe is originated from Switzerland. It is made of wormwood and other herbs, like anise and sweet fennel. Because of its green color, it is also called the "green fairy".
Absinthe is a highly alcoholic (up to 148 proof!), distilled spirit. Due to this fact, it was thought to cause madness and was banned in the United States and most European countries. The manufacture and sale of it was reauthorized in Europe in the 1990's and in the United States only in 2007.
Gin, in contrast with the spirits above, is made from a berry not from grain. The gin that we know today is originated from Netherland. Dutch people produced it by fermenting juniper berries and adding spices to it. The result is a very popular spicy spirit.
You can buy regular gin and dry gin. The later lacks the addition of any sugar or sweetener.
Gin is suitable for sour cocktails. Just think about the Gin Tonic or the Martini. It gives a light flavoring to the drink.
You can also create simple cocktails without hard liquor. There are numerous simple cocktail recipes with wine, champagne or liqueur. The cocktail-world is not boring, that's for sure. You can experiment with all kinds of ingredients and "give them life" with various types of alcohol.
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