The Spirit World

What all goes into making of spirits that can make swirl and twirl with just a gulp down your throat. A cursory glance into a world full of fermentation and distillation.

Gin – The trademark for gin being a gin is the use and flavour of Juniper berry. Gin is similar to Vodka but it manifests ataste of its own.Different flavours emerge due to the use of various botanical and spices. Cinnamon, citrus peel, nuts are added to the gin recipes. It has been a base spirit for manycocktails as well. It contains 40% ABV.

[Gin and tonic- A famous cocktail made of gin and tonic water (a carbonated soft drink or soda), the type of gin varying with each cocktail]

Absinthe-Purported to contain hallucinogenic properties, absinthe is an anise flavoured green spirit. It is made of anise, fennel and wormwood plant. Various other recipes also add herbs and flowers to the mix. It is supposed to be twice as alcoholic as gin or vodka with an alcohol content of 45-74% by volume. It is highly alcoholic drink andthe alcohol content with each brand varies. A unique style or way is followed to prepare it for drinking.

Vodka- A distilled, colourless spirit is usually made from fermented cereal grains and potatoes.It was initially used as a medicine in the medieval period.Poland was the origin and then it found a fan base in Russia. Usually it is tasteless but the flavour profiles may vary with brands. Surprisingly, some benefits of vodka include: Relief from stress, Keeps skin supple and smooth, Promotes healthy growth of hair.As far as getting tipsy is concerned, the exact count of shots cannot be specified. You may get down after one or you may not even after the fourth one.

WINE-Broadly, there prevailsfive categories of wine-red wine, white wine, rose wine,sparkling wine and fortified wine.A good sniff is probably a prerequisite for developing a palate for the taste of wine.Since grapes form for the key ingredient to make a wine, a lot depends on the variety of the grapes. The weather at the time of making it, the medium of storage , and the skills of a wine maker influence the taste of a wine.Great taste of a wine is usually attributed to the aging process. However, this does not hold true for all the wines and some are better drunk young. Wines can get you high if they are drunk quickly, accompanied with a high alcohol content.

Whisky - The key ingredients used for making whisky are- water, yeast and grain. The type of grain differs ( barley, rye ,corn, wheat)with the kind of whisky that is into making. Malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation and maturation is a five step process, traditionally used to make a whisky. Before finally being developed into a ‘whiskey’ the prepared mixture is aged in wooden caskets made of charred white oak for some years and over the time it acquires unique flavour and characteristics. A whiskyisprimarily categorized as grain whiskey or a malt whiskey. The usual alcohol content remains 40% ABV.

It only gets deeper and deeper, as you dig. Reading can be a hectic task but performing a practical would definitely be more fun. Having known your drink better may help you enjoy it even more.