GLOSSARY BEVERAGE

A

·         Absinthe

Banned for many years because of its supposed (and disproven) hallucinogenic qualities, absinthe is back on the market. It is a green not-too-sweet liqueur with a high alcohol content that turns cloudy when mixed with water. See recipes with Absinthe

·         Absinthe Substitutes

When absinthe was illegal, licorice-flavored substitutes made without the wormwood were produced. Still sold, examples include Pernod (French) and Herbsaint (American). (See Pastis.) See recipes with Absinthe

·         Ale

A type of beer, top-fermented with malt and hops (meaning that the mashed grains float on top of the liquid during fermentation) at warm temperatures.

·         Allspice Liqueur

Also called pimento dram (pimento is another name for allspice), this Jamaican rum-based product is used in some Caribbean-style drinks. See recipes with Allspice liqueur

·         Amaretto

Italian almond-flavored liqueur distilled from bitter and/or sweet almonds. See recipes with Amaretto

·         Amaro

"Bitter" in Italian, a variety of digestif liqueur with bitter herbal flavors. See recipes with Amaro

·         Amer Picon

A French apéritif wine with bitter orange flavor, it is currently not distributed in the United States. Torani Amer, a domestic product made in California, is an excellent substitute. See recipes with Amer Picon or Torani Amer

·         Anisette

A very sweet anise-flavored liqueur. Its flavor has similarities with star anise, fennel, and licorice. See recipes with Anisette

·         Apéritif

A liquor, often made from fortified and flavored wine, served before a meal as an appetite stimulant. (Apéritif comes from the Latin aperire, which means "to open."") Like digestifs, which are their opposite because they are served after a meal, they can also be ingredients in mixed drinks. Examples are Dubonnet, Lillet, and vermouth. See recipes with Vermouth.  

·         Aperol

An Italian apéritif, with a discernable bitter orange flavor. See recipes with Aperol

·         Apple Brandy

A liquor distilled from fermented apples and barrel aged. See recipes with Apple Brandy

·         Applejack

American apple brandy, originally distilled from frozen apple juice, a process called jacking. See recipes with Applejack

·         Apricot Brandy

A naturally or artificially apricot-flavored liqueur that must contain brandy. See recipes with Apricot liqueur

·         Apricot Liqueur

An apricot-flavored liqueur that does not contain brandy.

·         Aquavit

A clear to light yellow distilled Scandinavian spirit flavored with herbs and caraway and other spices. See recipes with Aquavit

·         Armagnac

Gascony, a region in southwest France, is the home of this brandy made from white grapes and aged in oak. See recipes with Armagnac

B

·         Batavia Arrack

Similar to rum, a liquor distilled from sugar cane and rice, native to Indonesia. Other Asian countries make arrack from palm sugar and coconut flowers. Arak is an anise-flavored liquor drunk in eastern Mediterranean countries.

·         Beer

Brewed from grain (often malted—sprouted and dried—but not always) and flavored by hops, this beverage is often drunk by itself, but makes a good mixer in the right cocktail.

·         Bénédictine

Legend says that the original recipe for this sweet French liqueur with strong herbal flavors comes from a Benedictine monastery. The DOM on the label stands for Deo Optimo Maximo, which in Latin means "To God, most good, most great." See recipes with Benedictine

·         Black Raspberry Liqueur

Often French, deep red or purple in color, and intensely tasting of raspberries and other intriguing spices. See recipes with Black raspberry liqueur

·         Bourbon Whiskey

A uniquely American spirit is distilled from a mash of grains that must contain at least 51 percent corn (and can also include malted barley, rye, or corn). Bourbon is aged in new, charred barrels for at least two years before bottling. See recipes with Bourbon

·         Brandy

Many countries, including France, Spain, and America, make this alcoholic liquor distilled from fermented grapes (although there are brandies made from other fruits, such as apples and apricots). See recipes with Brandy

C

·         Cachaça

Brazilian liquor made from sugar cane and similar to rum, it is the base liquor of a Caipirinha. See recipes with Cachaca

·         Calvados

Apple brandy specifically from a region in Normandy, France. See recipes with Calvados

·         Campari

A high-alcohol Italian apéritif with bitter and herbal flavors. See recipes with Campari

·         Canadian Whisky

Whisky produced in Canada is usually light-bodied, with a smooth taste, and made from a blend of whiskies distilled from multiple grains. See recipes with Canadian whisky

·         Cava

A Spanish sparkling wine.

·         Chartreuse

Richly flavored with herbs, this French liqueur is made by Carthusian monks from over 130 herbs. There are two colors, green (which gets its natural hue from chlorophyll) and yellow (which is lower proof, milder, and less sweet).

·         Cherry Brandy

Red, cherry-flavored brandy made from black cherries. See recipes with Cherry brandy

·         Cider

Filtered apple juice when allowed to ferment and develop alcohol content is called hard cider. See recipes with Apple cider

·         Claret

A term for Bordeaux-style red wine. See recipes with Red wine

·         Cocchi Americano

An aromatized white wine from Asti, Italy, that often serves as a substitute for Lillet and can be enjoyed like dry vermouth. See recipes with Cocchi Americano

·         Coffee Liqueur

A highly flavored, sweet liquor flavored with coffee and sometimes chocolate, traditionally consumed after dinner in a mixed cocktail or in coffee. See recipes with Coffee liqueur

·         Cognac

Brandy produced in Cognac, France. For a brandy to bear the name Cognac, it must be made from specified grapes, twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. See recipes with Cognac

·         Cointreau

An orange liqueur in the clear-colored, triple sec-style. See recipes with Cointreau or triple sec

·         Cream of Coconut

A thick, sweetened coconut puree used to make Piña Coladas and other tropical drinks. See recipes with Cream of coconut

·         Crème de Cacao

Chocolate liqueur available dark (brown-colored) and white (clear). See recipes with Dark crème de cacao

·         Crème de Cassis

Black currant liqueur. See recipes with Crème de Cassis

·         Crème de Menthe

Mint-flavored liqueur, sold in two colors: green and white (clear).

·         Crème de Mure

Blackberry liqueur.

·         Crème de Noyaux

Brandy-based almond liqueur. See recipes with Crème de noyaux

·         Crème de Violette

A pale purple liqueur with a floral violet flavor and aroma. See recipes with Crème de violette

·         Crème Yvette

A proprietary liqueur made from parma violet petals with blackberries, red raspberries, wild strawberries and cassis, honey, orange peel and vanilla.

·         Curaçao

A citrus-flavored liqueur made with the peel of the orange-like laraha fruit, a product of the island of Curaçao. It is sold in three colors: blue, white (clear), and orange. See recipes with Curacao

·         Cynar

Italian digestif made from artichokes and herbs. See recipes with Cynar

D

·         Digestif

A liquor containing herbs and other ingredients with traditional medicinal properties, drunk after dinner to aid digestion, but increasingly used as a cocktail ingredient. (See Amaro).

·         Drambuie

A Scotch whisky liqueur. See recipes with Drambuie

·         Dubonnet

An example of aquinquina (quinine-flavored) apéritif, originally developed to fight malaria. Sold in Rouge (red) and Blanc (clear pale yellow) varieties. See recipes with Dubonnet

F

·         Falernum

A spicy Caribbean syrup, it is sold in a nonalcoholic version, but many bartenders prefer John D. Taylor‘s Velvet Falernum liqueur. See recipes with Falernum

·         Fernet

A kind of amaro, Fernet-Branca and Luxardo Fernet are just two brands of many. See recipes with Fernet-Branca

·         Fortified Wine

Spirits (usually brandy) were added to wine to help preserve it on long ship voyages. Examples include madeira, marsala, port, sherry, and vermouth.

G

·         Galliano

A very sweet bright yellow Italian liqueur made from over 30 herbs and spices, but with a distinct vanilla flavor. Named for a hero of the First Italo-Ethiopian War of the late nineteenth century. See recipes with Galliano

·         Genever

Also called genièvre, is a type of gin made in Holland that is the origin of today‘s liquor. There are two styles, young and old, which have nothing to do with age, but rather with how they are made. Jonge (young) is clear and almost neutral in flavor, like vodka. Oude (old) is made from malted grains and aged in barrels, like whiskey. In this book, genever refers to the oude style. See recipes with Genever

·         Gin

A clear spirit made from a mash of cereal grain and flavored with botanicals (mainly juniper). London dry gin in made in a style traditionally popular in that city; Plymouth gin is similar, but must be made in Plymouth, England. See recipes with Gin

·         Grand Marnier

Cognac-based French liqueur flavored with bitter Seville oranges.

·         Grappa

An Italian brandy distilled from grape pomace (the remains from pressing grapes), and not from grape juice.

H

·         Hazelnut Liqueur

A noisette (hazelnut) and herb-flavored liqueur. See recipes with Hazelnut liqueur

I

·         Irish Cream

Thick-bodied cream-based liqueur flavored with Irish whiskey. Store in the refrigerator after opening. See recipes with Irish cream liqueur

·         Irish Whiskey

Distilled and aged on the island of Ireland, the spirits must be distilled to an alcohol by volume level of less than 94.8% from a yeast-fermented mash of cereal grains and aged for at least three years in wooden casks of a capacity not exceeding 700 litres (185 US gal).

L

·         Licor 43

Also known as Cuarenta y Tres, this bright yellow Spanish liqueur has citrus and vanilla flavors derived from its forty-three ingredients. See recipes with Licor 43

·         Lillet

A French apéritif based on Bordeaux wine and citrus liqueur, sold in both Rouge (red) and Blanc (white) versions. See recipes with Lillet Blanc

·         Limoncello

An Italian lemon liqueur, traditionally made in Southern Italy from lemon peels steeped in grain neutral spirits and sweetened with sugar. See recipes with Limoncello

M

·         Madeira

A Portuguese fortified wine from the island of Madeira. Mandarine Napoléon A tangerine-flavored liqueur. See recipes with Madeira

·         Maraschino

A clear Italian liqueur made from marasca cherries, bearing no resemblance to American maraschino flavoring or cherries. See recipes with Maraschino

·         Mezcal

A relative of tequila, made from maguey plants, primarily near Oaxaca, Mexico. See recipes with Mezcal

P

·         Pastis

A French licorice-flavored absinthe substitute, it turns cloudy when mixed with water. See recipes with Pastis

·         Pimm’s No. 1

Created in the 1840s by James Pimm, this well-known liqueur is produced from dry gin, liqueur, fruit juices and spice. First served in Pimm's Oyster Bar in London, it became immensely popular throughout the British Empire and is currently the traditional drink of Wimbledon. Medium bodied with a taste of quinine, citrus fruit and exotic spice, it is usually enjoyed with lemon soda or ginger ale. See recipes with Pimm's No. 1

·         Pisco

A colorless brandy made in Chile and Peru, with some argument as to which country can claim it as its own. See recipes with Pisco

·         Port

Originally a fortified wine from Portugal, but now made in other wine-producing countries. It is available in the following styles: white (made from white grapes), ruby (aged under four years in casks), tawny (a blend of white and ruby), late-bottle vintage (aged four to six years, then bottled, which stops the aging), and vintage (highest quality port aged for two years in the cask, then bottled, where it continues to age). For cocktails, ruby or tawny port are good choices.

·         Punt e Mes

An Italian apéritif similar to sweet vermouth, but more bitter. See recipes with Punt e Mes

R

·         Rum

Distilled from sugar products (either molasses, sugarcane juice, or a syrup made from reduced sugarcane juice), the three main styles are light, medium, and dark. Also sold are spiced or flavored rum, aged rum, and high-proof rum. See recipes with Light Rum

·         Rye

A whiskey that must include at least 51 percent rye in its mash. See recipes with Rye Whiskey

S

·         Sake

A brew (not quite a wine and not quite a beer) made from fermented rice. Traditionally made in Japan, there are also domestic sakes. See recipes with Sake

·         Sambuca

Made from elderberries and anise, an Italian liqueur usually served as an after-dinner drink with three espresso beans added to the glass. See recipes with Sambuca

·         Schnapps

A light-bodied, very sweet liqueur that comes in a wide variety of flavors.

·         Scotch

The common name for Scottish whisky (spelled without an "e") from malted barley that has been dried over smoldering peat. Blended whisky is created from a combination of whiskies from different barrels. Single malt whisky is the product of a single distillery and aged for at least three years in charred oak barrels (many of which are imported from America after being used to age bourbon). The flavor of the Scotch is often dictated by the distiller‘s location—Islay and Skye produce the smoky whiskies called for in some cocktails. See recipes with Scotch

·         Sherry

Spanish fortified wine made in Andalucía. Varieties encompass fino (the driest flavor), manzanilla (richer than fino, but still dry), amontillado (half-dry, with nutty flavor notes), oloroso (sweet and full- bodied), cream (also sweet and heavy-bodied), and Pedro Ximénez (very sweet and rich). Use the sherry indicated in the recipe, because, as you can see, the flavors range enormously.

·         Sloe Gin

A red liqueur made from sloe plums, but only the best versions have a gin base. See recipes with Sloe gin

T

·         Tequila

Mexican liquor distilled in the Jalisco region from blue agave, sold in four distinct styles: blanco, oro, reposado (blanco aged in oak barrels for up to one year), and añejo (aged in oak for over one year). See recipes with Tequila

·         Triple Sec

A colorless orange liqueur made in the curaçao style. See recipes with Triple Sec

·         Tuaca

Originally Italian, and now produced in Kentucky, a liqueur with predominant citrus and vanilla notes. See recipes with Tuaca

V

·         Vanilla Liqueur

A liqueur where the vanilla flavor is dominant without citrus or spice notes. See recipes with Vanilla liqueur

·         Vermouth

A fortified wine-based apéritif aromatized with over fifty herbs and spices, in red (sweet) and white (dry) styles. See recipes with Vermouth

·         Vodka

A colorless, virtually flavorless spirit distilled from grain, potatoes, or buffalo grass. Flavored vodkas, with flavors ranging from lemon to chile pepper, are also available. See recipes with Vodka

W

·         Whisk(e)y

A spirit distilled from cereal grains (mainly barley, corn, or rye, alone or in combination with oats and wheat), and often aged in oak barrels. (See Bourbon, Irish Whiskey, Rye, Scotch, and White Whiskey.) See recipes with Whiskey

·         White Whiskey

Also called white lightning, a colorless unaged whiskey distilled from corn that was the traditional homemade liquor of the South. See recipes with White whiskey

·         Wine

The fermented juice of grapes or other fruits.

The Old Mr. Boston Bartender's Guide Established in 1935

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