Portal:Liquor

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The Liquor Portal

Introduction

Liquor (/ˈlɪkər/ LIK-ər) or distilled beverage is an alcoholic drink produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include spirit, spirituous liquor or hard liquor. The distillation process concentrates the liquid to increase its alcohol by volume. As liquors contain significantly more alcohol (ethanol) than other alcoholic drinks, they are considered "harder." In North America, the term hard liquor is sometimes used to distinguish distilled alcoholic drinks from non-distilled ones, whereas the term spirits is more commonly used in the UK. Some examples of liquors include vodka, rum, gin, and tequila. Liquors are often aged in barrels, such as for the production of brandy and whiskey, or are infused with flavorings to form flavored liquors, such as absinthe.

While the word liquor ordinarily refers to distilled alcoholic spirits rather than beverages produced by fermentation alone, it can sometimes be used more broadly to refer to any alcoholic beverage (or even non-alcoholic products of distillation or various other liquids). (Full article...)

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A glass of whisky

Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.

Whisky is a strictly regulated spirit worldwide with many classes and types. The typical unifying characteristics of the different classes and types are the fermentation of grains, distillation, and aging in wooden barrels. (Full article...)

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Eva Ekeblad

Eva Ekeblad (née De la Gardie; 10 July 1724 – 15 May 1786) was a Swedish agriculturist and salon hostess. She discovered a method to make alcohol and flour from potatoes, significantly reducing Sweden's incidence of famine. She became the first female member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. (Full article...)

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Jack Daniel James C. Crow Isaac Wolfe Bernheim Elijah Craig Bronfman family Roustam Tariko Hiram Walker Harry C. Hatch William Gooderham Sr. Lewis Rosenstiel John Philip Wiser John Walker (grocer) Samuel Bronfman Popcorn Sutton Dale DeGroff

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Image 1

A typical fernet con coca from Argentina, and also spread to adjacent areas in Southern South America

Fernet con coca (Spanish: [feɾˈne(ð) koŋ ˈkoka], "Fernet and Coke"), also known as fernando, its diminutive fernandito (Spanish: [feɾnanˈdito]), or several other nicknames, is a long drink of Argentine origin consisting of the Italian amaro liqueur fernet and cola, served over ice. Although typically made with Fernet-Branca and Coca-Cola, several amaro brands have appeared in Argentina since its popularization, as well as ready-to-drink versions.

The cocktail first became popular among the youth of the college town of Córdoba, in the 1980s and—impulsed by an advertising campaign led by Fratelli Branca—its consumption grew in popularity during the following decades to become widespread throughout the country, surpassed only by that of beer and wine. It is now considered a cultural icon of Argentina and is especially associated with its home province of Córdoba, where the drink is most consumed. The popularity of fernet con coca is such that Argentina consumes more than 75% of all fernet produced globally. The cocktail can also be found in some of its bordering countries, such as Uruguay. (Full article...)
Image 2

The Last Word is a gin-based cocktail originating at the Detroit Athletic Club in the 1910s, shortly before the start of Prohibition. After a long period of obscurity, it enjoyed a renewed popularity in the cocktail renaissance of the early 2000s after being discovered by bartender Murray Stenson of the Zig Zag Café in Seattle. (Full article...)
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The Tipperary is an IBA official cocktail made with Irish whiskey, sweet red Vermouth, green Chartreuse, and Angostura bitters. (Full article...)
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White lady (also known as a Delilah, or Chelsea sidecar) is a classic cocktail that is made with gin, Cointreau or triple sec, fresh lemon juice and an optional egg white. It belongs to the sidecar family, made with gin in place of brandy. The cocktail sometimes also includes additional ingredients, for example egg white, sugar, cream, or creme de menthe.

The classic concoction is most commonly served in a martini cocktail glass. When an egg white is added a champagne coupe is preferable; the silky foam clings more pleasingly to the curved glass. (Full article...)
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The Singapore sling is a gin-based sling cocktail from Singapore. This long drink was developed in 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon (traditional Chinese: 嚴崇文; simplified Chinese: 严崇文; pinyin: Yán Chóngwén; Wade–Giles: Yen Ch'ung-wen), a bartender at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel, Singapore. It was initially called the gin sling. (Full article...)
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The Mai Tai (/ˈmaɪ ˈtaɪ/ MYE TYE) is a cocktail made of rum, Curaçao liqueur, orgeat syrup, and lime juice. It is one of the characteristic cocktails in Tiki culture. (Full article...)
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Canchanchara

The Canchanchara is an IBA official cocktail made with Cuban aguardiente, honey, and fresh lime juice. (Full article...)
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Rectified spirit made in Poland by Polmos

Rectified spirit, also known as neutral spirits, rectified alcohol or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, is highly concentrated ethanol that has been purified by means of repeated distillation in a process called rectification. In some countries, denatured alcohol or denatured rectified spirit may commonly be available as "rectified spirit", because in some countries (though not necessarily the same) the retail sale of rectified alcohol in its non-denatured form is prohibited.

The purity of rectified spirit has a practical limit of 97.2% ABV (95.6% by mass) when produced using conventional distillation processes, as a mixture of ethanol and water becomes a minimum-boiling azeotrope at this concentration. However, rectified spirit is typically distilled in continuous multi-column stills at 96–96.5% ABV and diluted as necessary. Ethanol is a commonly used medical alcohol — spiritus fortis is a medical term for ethanol solutions with 95% ABV. (Full article...)
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Rakija, rakia, rachiu, rakı or rakiya (/ˈrɑːkiə, ˈræ-, rəˈkiːə/), is the collective term for fruit spirits (or fruit brandy) popular in the Balkans. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50–80%). (Full article...)
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A martini with an olive garnish

The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive and/or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages. A common variation, the vodka martini, uses vodka instead of gin for the cocktail's base spirit. (Full article...)
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The old fashioned is a cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters and water, adding whiskey (typically rye or bourbon) or sometimes brandy, and garnishing with an orange slice or zest and a cocktail cherry. It is traditionally served with ice in an old fashioned glass (also known as a rocks glass).

Developed during the 19th century and given its name in the 1880s, it is an IBA Official Cocktail. It is also one of six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury's The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. (Full article...)
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The Bramble is a cocktail created by Dick Bradsell in 1980s London, England. Best described as a spring cocktail, the Bramble brings together dry gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup, crème de mûre, and crushed ice. Bradsell also suggests finishing off the cocktail with some fresh red fruits (such as blackberries, cranberries) and a slice of lemon.

If crème de mûre is unavailable, many bartenders will substitute creme de cassis for it. (Full article...)
Image 13

A margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Some margarita recipes include simple syrup as well and are often served with salt on the rim of the glass. Margaritas can be served either shaken with ice (on the rocks), without ice (straight up), or blended with ice (frozen margarita). Most bars serve margaritas in a stepped-diameter variant of a cocktail glass or champagne coupe called a margarita glass. The margarita is one of the world's most popular cocktails and the most popular tequila-based cocktail. (Full article...)
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The espresso martini, also known as a vodka espresso, is a cold caffeinated alcoholic drink made with espresso, coffee liqueur, and vodka. It is not a true martini as it contains neither gin nor vermouth, but is one of many drinks that incorporate the term martini into their names. (Full article...)
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A mint julep served in the traditional silver cup

Mint julep is an alcoholic cocktail, consisting primarily of bourbon, sugar, water, crushed or shaved ice, and fresh mint. As a bourbon-based cocktail, it is associated with the American South and the cuisine of the Southern United States in general, in particular as a symbol of the Kentucky Derby. (Full article...)
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Arak with water and ice

Arak or araq (Arabic: ﻋﺮﻕ), is a distilled Levantine spirit of the anise drinks family. It is translucent and unsweetened. (Full article...)
Image 17

Bottles at a factory in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca

Mezcal (/mɛˈskæl/, Latin American Spanish: [mesˈkal] ), sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave.

Agaves or magueys are endemic to the Americas and found globally as ornamental plants. Native fermented drinks from maguey plant, such as pulque, existed before the arrival of the Spanish, but the origin of mezcal is tied to the introduction of Filipino-type stills to New Spain by Filipino migrants via the Manila galleons in the late 1500s and early 1600s. These stills were initially used to make vino de coco, but they were quickly adopted by the indigenous peoples of the Pacific coastal regions of Mexico and applied to the distillation of agave to make mezcal. (Full article...)
Image 18
Traditional distillation of tsikoudia

Tsikoudia (Greek: τσικουδιά, romanized: tsikoudiá, literally "terebinth") is an alcoholic beverage, a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Cretan origin that contains 40% to 65% alcohol by volume. Tsikoudia is made by distilling of pomace, what remains of grapes pressed in winemaking. In the eastern part of Crete, tsikoudia is often informally called raki (Greek: ρακή, romanized: rakí), a name originating from the Turkish 'raki', derived from the 17th-century Arabic 'arak', meaning 'distilled'.

The pomace ferments for about six weeks in a tightly sealed barrel, and is then distilled. It is similar to tsipouro from mainland Greece, and is part of a family of Mediterranean grape-based distilled spirits, including Spanish: orujo, Italian: grappa, French: marc, Georgian: chacha, Portuguese: bagaceira, Bulgarian: ракия, romanized: rakiya, Macedonian: ракија, romanized: rakija, Turkish rakı, Albanian: rakia, Serbo-Croatian: rakija / ракија (in Istria: grappa), Romanian: tescovină, Hungarian: törköly. However, unlike the above spirits which are typically double-distilled and often include additional spices such as anise, tsikoudia undergoes a single distillation process. This method preserves more of the original grape flavor without the addition of flavorings, resulting in a lower alcohol content and a distinct flavor profile compared to its counterparts. (Full article...)
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A glass of whisky

Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from fermented grain mash. Various grains (which may be malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky is typically aged in wooden casks, which are typically made of charred white oak. Uncharred white oak casks previously used for the aging of port, rum or sherry are also sometimes used.

Whisky is a strictly regulated spirit worldwide with many classes and types. The typical unifying characteristics of the different classes and types are the fermentation of grains, distillation, and aging in wooden barrels. (Full article...)
Image 20

Yellow bird

Yellow bird is a Caribbean cocktail. (Full article...)
Image 21

A Moscow mule is a cocktail made with vodka, ginger beer and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime, and a sprig of mint. The drink, being a type of buck, is sometimes called vodka buck. It is popularly served in a copper mug, which takes on the cold temperature of the liquid.

Some public health advisories recommend copper mugs with a protective coating (such as stainless steel) on the inside and the lip, to reduce the risk of copper toxicity. (Full article...)
Image 22

A dark 'n' stormy is a highball cocktail made with dark rum (the "dark") and ginger beer (the "stormy") served over ice and garnished with a slice of lime. Lime juice and simple syrup are also frequently added. This drink is very similar to the Moscow mule except that the Dark 'n' Stormy has dark rum instead of vodka. The original Dark 'n' Stormy was made with Gosling Black Seal rum and Barritt's Ginger Beer, but after the partnership between the two failed and the companies parted ways, Gosling Brothers created its own ginger beer.

Gosling Brothers claims that the drink was invented in Bermuda just after World War I. (Full article...)
Image 23

A Barracuda cocktail

The barracuda is an alcoholic cocktail based on gold rum, Galliano liqueur, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice and topped with Prosecco, according to International Bartenders Association specified ingredients. (Full article...)
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The Ve.n.to is an IBA official cocktail made of Grappa, honey syrup, fresh lemon juice, and chamomile liqueur. (Full article...)
Image 25

A cosmopolitan garnished with a lemon twist

A cosmopolitan, or, informally, a cosmo, is a cocktail made with vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed or sweetened lime juice.

The cosmopolitan is a member of the Gimlet family of cocktails. Though often presented far differently, the cosmopolitan also bears a likeness in composition to the kamikaze shooter. (Full article...)

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... that to comply with a law that restricted liquor sales near churches, the Peninsula New York placed its cocktail lounge up a flight of stairs and down a long hallway?
... that Thomas Dickson Archibald, when speaking against increasing fines for violating liquor licenses, said "we need only go a step further and make the violation a hanging matter"?

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This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

Caesar made with 2 shots of vodka, a pinch of horseradish, a little spicy with 5 dashes of tabasco, made muddy with about 10 dashes of Worcestershire, all over ice, and filled to the top of a celery salt and spice rimmed glass with Clamato juice.

A Caesar is a cocktail created and consumed primarily in Canada. It typically contains vodka, Clamato, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, and is served with ice in a large, celery salt-rimmed glass, typically garnished with a stalk of celery and wedge of lime. What distinguishes it from a Bloody Mary is the inclusion of clam broth. The cocktail may also be contrasted with the Michelada, which has similar flavouring ingredients but uses beer instead of vodka. Festivals dedicated to the cocktail are held in many cities, with the largest in Calgary. The first liquor store dedicated to the Caesar opened on July 1, 2023 in Calgary, Alberta. (Full article...)

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Lemon drop (cocktail) The Glenlivet distillery Alcoholic beverages in Oregon Rum and Coke Black Cat Bar Stork Club 5-8 Club Gypsy Restaurant and Velvet Lounge Sip 'n Dip Lounge Lutz Tavern Christian views on alcohol Whiskey Rebellion

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Mezcal

Credit: AlejandroLinaresGarcia

A cantaro jar, made from barro negro pottery, used for serving mezcal

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General images - show new batch

The following are images from various liquor-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Some single-drink liquor bottles available in Germany (from Liquor)
Image 2Map of Europe with individual countries grouped by preferred type of alcoholic drink, based on recorded alcohol consumption per capita (age 15+) (in liters of pure alcohol) in 2016.
  Wine
  Beer
  Spirits
(from Liquor)
Image 3A mojito served in Slovakia (from List of cocktails)
Image 4A Ramos gin fizz (from List of cocktails)
Image 5A row of alcoholic beverages – in this case, spirits – in a bar (from Liquor)
Image 6A Queen Mary beer cocktail: beer, grenadine and maraschino cherries (from List of cocktails)
Image 7Mulled wine steeping (Swedish glögg) (from List of cocktails)
Image 8Abandoned 19th-century vodka distillery in Estonia (from Liquor)
Image 9A grasshopper (from List of cocktails)
Image 10Viru Valge, an Estonian vodka (from Liquor)
Image 11These flaming cocktails illustrate that some liquors will readily catch fire and burn. (from Liquor)
Image 12A display of various liquors in a supermarket (from Liquor)
Image 13An old whiskey still (from Liquor)
Image 14An illustration of brewing and distilling industry methods in England, 1858 (from Liquor)
Image 15Distillation equipment used by the 3rd century alchemist Zosimos of Panopolis, from the Byzantine Greek manuscript Parisinus graecus 2327. (from Liquor)
Image 16This fruity, blended piña colada is typical of many rum-based cocktails. (from List of cocktails)
Image 17A martini cocktail (from List of cocktails)
Image 18A B-52 (from List of cocktails)
Image 19A martini is a classic gin-based cocktail. (from List of cocktails)
Image 20A cosmopolitan (from List of cocktails)
Image 21A pisco sour (from List of cocktails)
Image 22A piña colada (from List of cocktails)