Portal:Liquor

Distilled beverages at a bar The Liquor Portal Liquor shelves at a hotel

Introduction

A cocktail glass

Swan necked copper pot stills in the Glenfiddich distillery

Liquor (/ˈlɪkər/ LIK-ər) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit, distilled beverage, 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 common 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 a flavored liquor 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...)

Selected article -

Royal Stag, also known as Seagram's Royal Stag, is an Indian whisky launched in 1995. It is available in many countries across the world in various pack sizes. It is Pernod Ricard's best selling brand by volume. It is a blend of grain spirits and imported Scotch malts. It is commonly available in 1 L, 750 mL, 375 mL and 180 mL bottles and also available in 90 mL and 60 mL bottles. The brand is named after a species of deer famous for its antlers, that is also featured in its logo. It is produced in several company-owned as well as bottler-owned distilleries. It was the first whisky brand launched in India that did not use any artificial flavours.

Pernod Ricard has identified Royal Stag along with Seagram's Imperial Blue, Seagram's Blenders Pride, Chivas Regal and Seagram's 100 Pipers as the company's five core brands to build its spirits business in India. Royal Stag sold 12.3 million cases in 2011, toppling Absolut Vodka, to become Pernod Ricard's biggest selling brand in its global portfolio of alcoholic beverages. Royal Stag sold 18 million cases in 2016. (Full article...)

List of selected articles

Selected biography -

Samuel Bronfman, (February 27, 1889 – July 10, 1971) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He founded Distillers Corporation Limited, and is a member of the Canadian Bronfman family. (Full article...)

List of selected biographies
Eva Ekeblad 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) Popcorn Sutton Dale DeGroff

General articles -

Image 1
Eisbock beer (12% alcohol) created via freeze distillation of doppelbock beer. Barrels of beer were originally left outdoors to partially freeze, then the ice removed.

Freeze distillation is a misnomer, because it is not distillation but rather a process of enriching a solution by partially freezing it and removing frozen material that is poorer in the dissolved material than is the liquid portion left behind. Such enrichment parallels enrichment by true distillation, where the evaporated and re-condensed portion is richer than the liquid portion left behind.

Ethanol and liquid water are completely miscible, but ethanol is practically insoluble in water ice. That means almost pure water ice can be precipitated from a lean ethanol-water mixture by cooling it sufficiently. The precipitation of water ice from the mixture enriches ethanol in the remaining liquid phase. The two phases can then be separated by filtration or decanting. The temperature at which water ice starts to precipitate depends on the ethanol concentration. Consequently, at a given temperature and ethanol concentration, the freezing process will reach an equilibrium at a specific ratio of water ice and enriched ethanol solution with a specific ethanol concentration. The temperatures and mixing ratios of these phase equilibria can be read from the phase diagram of ethanol and water. The maximum enrichment of ethanol in the liquid phase is reached at the eutectic point of ethanol and water, approximately 92.4 weight-% ethanol at -123 °C. (Full article...)
Image 2

A French Connection is a cocktail made with equal parts Cognac and Amaretto liqueur. The cocktail is named for the Gene Hackman film of the same name. (Full article...)
Image 3

A Negroni is an Italian cocktail, made of one part gin, one part vermouth rosso (red, semi-sweet) and one part Campari, garnished with orange peel. It is considered an apéritif.

A traditionally made Negroni is stirred, not shaken; it is built over ice in an old-fashioned or rocks glass and garnished with a slice of orange. Outside of Italy, orange peel is often used in place of an orange slice. (Full article...)
Image 4

A pisco sour is an alcoholic cocktail of Peruvian origin that is typical of Peruvian cuisine and Chilean cuisine. The drink's name comes from pisco, which is its base liquor, and the cocktail term sour, about sour citrus juice and sweetener components. The Peruvian pisco sour uses Peruvian pisco as the base liquor and adds freshly squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, ice, egg white, and Angostura bitters. The Chilean version is similar, but uses Chilean pisco and Pica lime, and excludes the bitters and egg white. Other variants of the cocktail include those created with fruits like pineapple or plants such as coca leaves.

Although the preparation of pisco-based mixed beverages possibly dates back to the 1700s, historians and drink experts agree that the cocktail as it is known today was invented in the early 1920s in Lima, the capital of Peru, by the American bartender Victor Vaughen Morris. Morris left the United States in 1903 to work in Cerro de Pasco, a city in central Peru. In 1916, he opened Morris' Bar in Lima, and his saloon quickly became a popular spot for the Peruvian upper class and English-speaking foreigners. The oldest known mentions of the pisco sour are found in newspaper and magazine advertisements, dating to the early 1920s, for Morris and his bar published in Peru and Chile. The pisco sour underwent several changes until Mario Bruiget, a Peruvian bartender working at Morris' Bar, created the modern Peruvian recipe for the cocktail in the latter part of the 1920s by adding Angostura bitters and egg whites to the mix. (Full article...)
Image 5
A tequila sunrise demonstrating its resemblance to a sunrise, in a stemware rather than the usual collins glass

The tequila sunrise is a cocktail made of tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup. The drink is served unmixed in a tall glass. The modern drink originates from Sausalito, California, in the early 1970s after an earlier iteration created in the 1930s in Phoenix, Arizona. The cocktail is named for its appearance when served—with gradations of color resembling a sunrise. (Full article...)
Image 6
A martini cocktail

A cocktail is a mixed drink typically made with a distilled liquor (such as arrack, brandy, cachaça, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, or whiskey) as its base ingredient that is then mixed with other ingredients or garnishments. Sweetened liqueurs, wine, or beer may also serve as the base or be added. If beer is one of the ingredients, the drink is called a beer cocktail.

Cocktails often also contain one or more types of juice, fruit, honey, milk or cream, spices, or other flavorings. Cocktails may vary in their ingredients from bartender to bartender, and from region to region. Two creations may have the same name but taste very different because of differences in how the drinks are prepared. (Full article...)
Image 7

The hanky panky is a cocktail made from gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca. It is a variation on the sweet martini, or Martinez, made distinctive by the Fernet-Branca, a bitter Italian digestivo. It was created by Ada "Coley" Coleman, head bartender at the Savoy Hotel, London. (Full article...)
Image 8

The New York sour is an IBA official cocktail. Largely similar to the whiskey sour, the New York sour adds a float of dry red wine to the drink. (Full article...)
Image 9

The Zombie is a Tiki cocktail made of fruit juices, liqueurs, and various rums. It first appeared in late 1934, invented by Donn Beach at his Hollywood Don the Beachcomber restaurant. It was popularized on the East coast soon afterwards at the 1939 New York World's Fair. (Full article...)
Image 10
Stinger cocktail served over ice in a rocks glass

A stinger is a duo cocktail made by adding crème de menthe to brandy (although recipes vary). The cocktail's origins can be traced to the United States in the 1890s, and the beverage remained widely popular in America until the 1970s. It was seen as a drink of the upper class, and has had a somewhat wide cultural impact. (Full article...)
Image 11

The golden dream is an IBA official cocktail made with Galliano and Cointreau. It is classed as an "after dinner" drink.

The golden dream was popular during the 60s and 70s and originated at the Old King Bar in Miami, mixed by Raimundo Alvarez. (Full article...)
Image 12
A modern DIY pot still

Moonshine is high-proof liquor, generally whiskey, traditionally made, or at least distributed, illegally. Its clandestine distribution is known as bootlegging. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the nighttime, thereby avoiding detection. In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial distilleries have adopted the term for its outlaw cachet and begun producing their own legally sanctioned, novelty "moonshine," including many flavored varieties, that in some sense continue its tradition, generally having a similar method and/or location of production. (Full article...)
Image 13
Two kinds of Arrack from Sri Lanka

Arrack is a distilled alcoholic drink typically produced in India, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, made from the fermented sap of coconut flowers or sugarcane, and also with grain (e.g. red rice) or fruit depending upon the country of origin. It is sometimes spelled arak, or simply referred to as 'rack or 'rak. It is not to be confused with the anise-flavored distilled spirit called arak or araq.

There are two primary styles of Arrack that are very different from one another: Batavia Arrack is often clear in color but has a flavor profile more similar to dark rum, with a distinctive "funk" or "hogo" imparted to it from fermented red rice. Ceylon Arrack, by contrast, is a more refined and subtle spirit. It has hints of Cognac and rum character and a wealth of delicate floral notes. Both styles are also made "in house" by local citizenry and can be more akin to moonshine in their presentation. (Full article...)
Image 14
A rượu đế still

Rượu đế is a distilled liquor from Vietnam, made of either glutinous or non-glutinous rice. It was formerly made illegally and is thus similar to moonshine. It is most typical of the Mekong Delta region of southwestern Vietnam (its equivalent in northern Vietnam is called rượu quốc lủi). Its strength varies, but is typically 40 percent alcohol by volume. It is usually clear, and a bit cloudy in appearance. (Full article...)
Image 15
Casino

The Casino is an IBA official cocktail made with gin, maraschino liqueur, orange bitters and fresh lemon juice.

This version of the Casino Cocktail first appears in 1909, in The Reminder (3rd edition) by Jacob A. Didier. (Full article...)
Image 16
Bottles at a factory in Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca

Mezcal (/mɛˈskæl/, American Spanish: [mesˈkal] (listen)), sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. The word mezcal comes from Nahuatl mexcalli [meʃˈkalːi], which means "oven-cooked agave", from metl [met͡ɬ] and ixcalli [iʃˈkalːi]. Traditionally the word "mezcal" has been used generally in Mexico for all agave spirits and it continues to be used for many agave spirits whether these spirits have been legally certified as "mezcal" or not, and it is also considered a drink of artisan origin.

Agaves or magueys are endemic to the Americas and found globally as ornamental plants. More than 70% of mezcal is made in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, but is now produced and commercialized throughout Mexico for the national and international market. (Full article...)
Image 17

The old fashioned is a cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters and water, adding whiskey (typically rye or bourbon), 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...)
Image 18
A Russian spring punch cocktail

The Russian spring punch is a highball cocktail of vodka and liqueur, per IBA specified ingredients. The International Bartenders Association lists the beverage in its New Era Drinks category.

The Russian spring punch was created in London, England by Dick Bradsell in the 1980s. He claims not to remember which bar he was working at at the time, but tells the story of how he created the recipe for personal friends wishing to hold a cocktail party while minimizing the amount of money they had to spend on alcohol. Participants were provided with the vodka, cassis, sugar syrup and lemon juice, and were asked to bring their own sparkling wine. It is named for the russian vodka, and the Tom Collins, which is a spring drink. (Full article...)
Image 19
A classic 2:1 Manhattan, made with a whisky, sweet vermouth, bitters and a cherry

A Manhattan is a cocktail made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters. While rye is the traditional whiskey of choice, other commonly used whiskies include Canadian whisky, bourbon, blended whiskey, and Tennessee whiskey. The cocktail is usually stirred then strained into a cocktail glass and garnished traditionally with a maraschino cherry. A Manhattan may also be served on the rocks in a lowball glass.

The whiskey-based Manhattan is one of five cocktails named for a New York City borough. It is closely related to the Brooklyn cocktail, which uses dry vermouth and Maraschino liqueur in place of the Manhattan's sweet vermouth, and Amer Picon in place of the Manhattan's angostura bitters. (Full article...)
Image 20
A Hemingway Special or Hemingway Daiquiri and its component ingredients

A Hemingway special is an all day cocktail based on the Floridita daiquiri and is recognised by the IBA. It is made with rum, lime juice, maraschino liqueur, and grapefruit juice and served in a double cocktail glass. (Full article...)
Image 21
A selection of alcoholic drinks: red wine, malt whisky, lager, sparkling wine, lager, cherry liqueur and red wine

An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, strong drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The consumption of alcoholic drinks, often referred to as "drinking", plays an important social role in many cultures. Most countries have laws regulating the production, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages, and the temperance movement advocates against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Regulations may require the labeling of the percentage alcohol content (as ABV or proof) and the use of a warning label. Some countries ban such activities entirely, but alcoholic drinks are legal in most parts of the world. The global alcoholic drink industry exceeded $1 trillion in 2018.

Alcohol is a depressant, which in low doses causes euphoria, reduces anxiety, and increases sociability. In higher doses, it causes drunkenness, stupor, unconsciousness, or death. Long-term use can lead to an alcohol use disorder, an increased risk of developing several types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and physical dependence. As reported by WHO, alcohol is the highest risk-group carcinogen, and no quantity of its consumption can be considered safe. (Full article...)
Image 22

The aviation is a cocktail made with gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette and lemon juice. Some recipes omit the crème de violette. It is served straight up, in a cocktail glass. (Full article...)
Image 23
Tsipouro

Tsipouro (Greek: τσίπουρο, romanized: tsípouro) is an un-aged brandy from Greece and in particular Thessaly, Epirus, Macedonia, and the island of Crete (where Cretans call it tsikoudia). Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing 40–45% alcohol by volume and is produced from either the pomace (the residue of the wine press) or from the wine after the grapes and juice have been separated. It comes in two types, pure and anise-flavoured, and is usually not aged in barrels, although barrel aged versions do exist. (Full article...)
Image 24
A typical fernet con coca from Argentina and Uruguay

Fernet con coca (Spanish pronunciation: [feɾˈne(ð) koŋ ˈkoka], "Fernet and Coke"), also known as fernando, its diminutive fernandito (Spanish pronunciation: [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, like Uruguay. (Full article...)
Image 25

A champagne cocktail is an alcoholic cocktail made with sugar, Angostura bitters, Champagne, brandy, and a maraschino cherry as a garnish. It is one of the IBA official cocktails.

A recipe for the cocktail appears as early as "Professor" Jerry Thomas' Bon Vivant's Companion (1862), which omits the brandy or cognac and is considered to be the "classic" American version. Harry Johnson was one of the bartenders who revived the model by adding other fruit to the mix. (Full article...)

Did you know -

... that one-sixth of all liquor establishments in Bombay were attacked in the 1921 Prince of Wales riots?
... 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"?
... that WNJU, a Spanish-language television station serving New York City, was the first in the United States to air a hard-liquor advertisement?
... 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?

Good article -

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

Lemon drop

A lemon drop is a vodka-based cocktail that has a lemony, sweet and sour flavor, prepared using lemon juice, triple sec and simple syrup. It has been described as a variant of, or as "a take on", the Vodka Martini, but is in actual fact a closer to a White Lady variant. It is typically prepared and served straight up – chilled with ice and strained.

The drink was invented sometime in the 1970s by Norman Jay Hobday, the founder and proprietor of Henry Africa's bar in San Francisco, California. Some variations of the drink exist, such as blueberry and raspberry lemon drops. It is served at some bars and restaurants in the United States, and in such establishments in other areas of the world. (Full article...)

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

Selected image -

Mai Tai

The Mai Tai is an alcoholic cocktail based on rum, Curaçao liqueur, and lime juice, associated with Polynesian-style settings.

Related portals

Topics

– Whisky –

– Cocktails –

– Producers –

– Glassware –

– Governance –

General images -

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

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

Garnishes

Various cocktail garnishes

Image 1Lemon slice (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 2Carrot, celery, lemon, and olives (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 3Cocktail olive (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 4Raspberry (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 5Pineapple wedge (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 6A whiskey sour, served in a coupe glass, is garnished with a spiral of lemon peel and two maraschino cherries on a cocktail pick, along with drops of bitters swirled into the foam (from egg white) atop the drink. (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 7Orange, mint, and lime (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 8Lime twist (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 9Maraschino cherry (from Cocktail garnish)
Image 10Shrimp (from Cocktail garnish)

List articles

Producers

Stub articles

The following stub articles can be expanded.

Bartending stubs
Distilled drink stubs
Mixed drink stubs
Whisky stubs

Related WikiProjects

WikiProject Agriculture
WikiProject Beer
WikiProject Food and Drink
WikiProject Spirits (semi-active)
Wikiproject Wine (semi-active)

WikiProject Bartending (Inactive)
WikiProject Breakfast (inactive)
Wikiproject Bacon (inactive)

Associated Wikimedia

Distilled beverages

The following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:

Commons
Free media repository
Wikibooks
Free textbooks and manuals
Wikidata
Free knowledge base
Wikinews
Free-content news
Wikiquote
Collection of quotations
Wikisource
Free-content library
Wikiversity
Free learning tools
Wikivoyage
Free travel guide
Wiktionary
Dictionary and thesaurus

Distilleries