Bittered wines and Cocktail Bitters Flashcards
(152 cards)
1
Q
What does amer mean?
A
The French word for bitter.
2
Q
What is an aromatized wine?
A
Wine based beverages that are flavored with aromatic botanicals.
3
Q
What are aromatized wines and vermouth classified as in the US?
A
Aperitif wines.
4
Q
What are the requirements for aperitif wines in the US?
A
Must be based on grape wine.
Fortified with brandy/other alcohol to minimum 15% ABV
Flavored with herbs and other natural aromatic flavoring materials
Produced without addition of juice, concentrated juices, sugar, and/or caramel colorings.
5
Q
Are aromatized wines sweetened?
A
Nearly all aromatized wines are sweetened.
6
Q
What are some examples of plants used in spirits with bitter tastes?
A
Cinchona bark/quinine
Bitter orange
Gentian
Rhubarb
Artichoke
7
Q
What are the five leading brands of bittered spirits?
A
Aperol
Campari
Fernet Branca
Jägermeister
Ramazzotti
8
Q
What additives are allowed in bitter spirits?
A
Sweeteners
Flavoring
Artificial coloring
9
Q
When are modern aromatized wines usually consumed?
A
As an aperitif or digestif.
10
Q
How are botanical flavors added to a wine?
A
Either macerating the botanicals in the wine or using the botanicals to make flavored spirits that are then blended with the wine. Tinctures are more common.
11
Q
What is gentian?
A
A flowering plant that grows in Europe’s mountainous regions. Several used in the production of flavored wines, spirits and other beverages.
12
Q
How is an aromatized wine made?
A
Wine is blended with the tincture or distillate and fortified with distilled alcohol (usually a neutral spirit.
13
Q
What do botanicals with carminative properties do?
A
Lessen gastric discomfort after rich meals.
14
Q
What botanicals are known for the carminative properties?
A
Angelica, aniseed, basil, caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, ginger, hops, nutmeg, parsley and sage.
15
Q
How are bitter spirits produced?
A
The bitter tincture is blended with other flavorings made from a neutral spirit.
16
Q
What was Cinchona bark originally used for?
A
Medicinal purposes - particularly the quinine used to treat malaria.
17
Q
What type of base wines are typically used for aromatized wines?
A
White wines with a low aroma intensity and relatively high acidity. Some use wines with more flavor for particular types of aromatized wines.
18
Q
Are aromatized wines rested or aged?
A
All are rested for at least a few weeks. It normally is in inert vessels. Some are matured in oak.
19
Q
How should aromatized wines be stored?
A
They do not have the same shelf life as spirits. If opened, should be used within a few weeks and stored in the refrigerator.
20
Q
How must bitter taste be extracted?
A
Maceration or percolation. The chemicals that taste bitter have very high boiling points and would be left in a still.
21
Q
What is a mistelle?
A
The product of alcohol added to unfermented grape juice
22
Q
What are the requirements for aromatized wines in the EU?
A
Must have a wine base of 75% before enhancement.
May have added grape must
Flavored with natural flavorings
Generally sweetened, possibly colored with caramel
Have an alcoholic strength of 14.5-22%
23
Q
What are the requirements for extra-dry aromatized wines in the EU?
A
A minimum alcohol strength of 15%
Sugar content of less than 30 g/L
24
Q
What are the requirements for dry aromatized wines in the EU?
A
A minimum ABV of 16%
Sugar content less than 50 g/L
25
What are the requirements for semi-dry aromatized wines in the EU?
Sugar content between 50 and 90 g/L
26
What are the requirements for semi-sweet aromatized wines in the EU?
Sugar content between 90 and 130 g/L
27
What are the requirements for sweet aromatized wines in the EU?
Sugar content more than 130 g/L
28
What is the principal purpose of fortification of aromatized wines?
To ensure that the aromatized wines stay stable until consumed.
29
Why is sugar often needed in aromatized wines?
To balance the bitterness of botanicals used in flavoring the wine.
30
What other category of beverage could aromatized wines technically be classified as?
Fortified wines
31
What are the main categories of aromatized wines?
Vermouth
Vini amari/chinati
Quinquina
Americano
32
What are some examples of Vini Amari?
Chinato d'Erbetti
Barolo Chinato
Cardamaro
33
What is Chinato d'Erbetti?
A Vini Amari originally from Piedmont, Italy. Now made outside of Italy as well.
34
What is Chinato?
An aromatized wine flavored with quinine/Cinchona bark.
35
What is Barolo Chinato?
A version of Chinato d'Erbetti made using Barolo DOCG wine flavored with bitter herbs and other botanicals. Created in the late 19th century.
36
What are some leading brands of Barolo Chinato?
Cappellano Barolo Chinato
Cocchi Barolo Chinato
G.D. Vajra
Roagna
37
What bittering agent is used in Barolo Chinato?
Calisaya bark - a species of Cinchona bark and a source of quinine.
38
What is Chinato d'Erbetti?
A Vini Amari originally from Piedmont, Italy. Now made outside of Italy as well.
39
How is Barolo Chinato produced?
Using a range of production techniques, some infuse directly into the wine, other create an infusion (botanicals and distilled base spirit) that is later blended into the wine.
40
How is Barolo Chinato served?
As an aperitivo, digestivo, or dessert wine. Excellent accompaniment to chocolate.
41
Who is Giuseppe Cappellano?
An Italian pharmacist in Serralunga d'Alba in the late 19th century often cited as an original producer of Barolo Chinato, along with the house of Giulio Cocchi
42
What is an Americano aromatized wine?
An aromatized, fortified wine flavored with Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) and gentian.
43
What color is Americano?
Either yellow or red.
44
What is Cocchi Americano?
An Americano aromatized wine produced in Piedmont.
45
What is Contratto Americano?
A former producer of Vermouth di Torino, now currently produces Contratto Americano Rosso as well as many other alcoholic beverages.
46
What is Contratto Americano based on and flavored with?
White wine made from the Cortese grape, botanicals steeped in brandy, caramelized sugar, and over 30 ingredients including mint, ginger, hibiscus flower, nettle, wormwood, lemon peel, licorice, angelica, and bitter orange peel.
47
What is Quinquina?
Aromatized, fortified wines flavored with Quinine aka cinchona bark (also known as quina, kina, or china - the Italian pronunciation)
48
How is Quinquina made?
Cinchona bark is chipped or powdered and macerated into the wine. Sugar and other botanicals, as well as fortifying spirits, may be added.
49
Where does Cinchona bark usually come from?
Peru or India.
50
What is Lillet Blanc?
The reformulation of Kina Lillet. Less bitter, less sweet. Not appreciated by some consumers.
51
What is Kina Lillet?
The original Lillet from Bordeaux, made from white Bordeaux wine with locally sourced fruits and herbs. Reformulated in 1986.
52
What are some different versions of Lillet?
Lillet Blanc
Lillet Rouge
Lillet Rosé
Réserve Jean de Lillet Blanc (based on Sauternes)
Réserve Jean de Lillet Rouge.
53
Who were Pallade and Simon Violet?
The inventors of Byrrh.
54
What is Lillet?
A mild Quinquina created in Bordeaux.
55
What is Dubonnet?
A Quinquina created in Paris in 1846 as Quinquina Dubonnet. Now produced by Heaven Hill Distilleries in Kentucky. Originally rouge, the blanc version was made later, primarily for the American market.
56
What is Bonal Gentiane Quina?
A French Quinquina based on mistelle (grape juice fortified before fermentation begins or just after the start). Infused with gentian root, conchona, and a variety of herbs found in the local Chartreuse Mountains. Balanced flavor that is sweet, bitter, and noticeably woody.
57
What is Byrrh Rare Assemblage?
A high end version of Byrrh introduced in 1999. Aged for a minimum of ten years in small oak barrels. Mahogany hue, intense aromas of candied red fruit, and flavors of vanilla, coffee and spice.
58
What is Byrrh?
A Quinquina originally produced in Roussillon in France. Combines a mistelle with dry red wines, and soaked with cinchona bark. Now made by Pernod Ricard.
59
How is Byrrh made?
A mistelle made using a variety of grapes (mainly Carignan and Grenache), mixed with dry red Roussillon wines. Dried, crushed cinchona bark and other botanicals are added and it is aged 3 years in foudres (large wooden barrels).
60
What is considered the closest contemporary product to the original Kina Lillet?
Cocchi Americano (white version)
61
What is used in the production of the red version of Cocchi Americano?
Wine produced from a blend of Brachetto and Malvasia grapes, with cinchona bark, citrus peel, spices, rose petal, ginger, and other botanicals.
62
What is the white version of Cocchi Americano made using?
Moscato d'Asti, flavored with cinchona bark, citrus peel, spices, and other botanicals.
63
What are Vini Amari?
Bittered wines.
64
What are spirit amari?
Bittered spirits, generally classified as either aperitifs or digestifs.
65
What are digestif spirit amari?
Bittered spirits often served in more concentrated forms to enhance digestion after a meal. Usually contain botanicals with carminative properties.
66
What is Clarea?
A white-wine-based beverage made with honey and spices. Dates to the 1500s, originally made in Naples.
67
What is Zurracapote?
Also called Zurra. Similar to sangria, a Spanish red-wine-based beverage made with fruit macerated with sugar, cinnamon, fruit juice, and sometimes brandy.
68
What is Kalte Ente?
A sweetened drink made with white wine, sparkling wine and lemon, traditionally made in Germany with Riesling and sparkling wine.
69
What is Maiwein?
An aromatized wine drink flawored with Asperula odorata (sweet woodruff). Other ingredients may include strawberries, brandy, sparkling wine, and sugar. Traditionally served on May Day in Germany (and throughout the spring).
70
What is Cardamaro?
A vini amari produced in Pidemont based on Moscato wine and flavored with cardoon and blessed thistle. These botanicals were used in the Middle Ages and Renaissance to combat disease, including the black plague.
71
Describe Cardamaro.
Based on a sweet wine and is milder, mellower, and less intensely bitter than other Vini Amari. Nutty, oxidized, and aldehydic character similar to Sherry.
72
What is St. Raphael?
A French quinquina created in 1830 flavored with quinine extract, bitter oranges, cocoa, vanilla, and other ingredients. Both amber and rouge versions produced.
73
What is the history behind St. Raphael?
A French physician known as Dr. Juppet reportedly became nearly blind while working on his quiquina based elixir. Invoked St. Raphael who supposedly restored his sight.
74
Describe St. Raphael.
Balanced sweetness and bitterness characterized by red fruits with a hint of chocolate.
75
How is St. Raphael generally served?
On the rocks with a twist of lemon as an aperitif.
76
What is Fernet Branca?
A spirit amari invented in Milan in 1845.
77
What is fernet?
A type of herbal-based bitter made in Italy and other countries (eg Mexico)
78
Where is Fernet Branca particularly popular?
San Francisco and Argentina.
79
What beverage was consumed legally in San Francisco during prohibition on the grounds of being medicinal?
Fernet Branca.
80
What is Fernet-Vallet?
A Fernet produced in Mexico.
81
What ingredients are likely to be found in good fernet?
Most likely: Myrrh, Saffron
Others: linden, galanga, peppermint oil, sage, bay leaves, gentian root, St. John's wort, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and bitter orange.
82
What is Cynar?
An amaro made with artichokes, first produced in Italy in 1949.
83
What is Zucca?
Am Italian amaro created in 1845 using rhubarb, gentian, cardamom, and vanilla, as well as spices and botanicals advised by Chinese herbal medicine.
84
What beverage was awarded a contract to supply the royal house of Italy with Amaro due to its appreciation by King Vittorio Emmanuel?
Zucca.
85
Describe Zucca.
Bittersweet, smoky flavor profile, often served neat as an aperitivo or over ice with soda.
86
What is Campari?
An amaro with an intense bitter-orange flavor invented in Italy in 1860, one of the earliest Italian amari to become popular outside of Europe.
87
What is Averna?
A Sicilian Amaro, one of the best-selling brands since the 1970s.
88
When was Averna founded?
1868.
89
According to company lore, where did the recipe for Averna come from?
The head of the nearby Capuchin Abbey. Cannot be verified since the last monk there died in 1904.
90
Describe Averna.
Smooth, rich, brown amari with flavors of licorice, cola, sassafras, chocolate, and citrus.
91
What is in Averna?
Besides the bitter herbs and roots characteristic of Italian Amari, it also has Sicilian oranges and lemons.
92
Who owns Averna?
Campari.
93
What amaro is used in the Black Manhattan?
Averna.
94
What is Amaro Nonino?
An Italian amaro based on grape brandy and local herbs from the Carnia Mountains.
95
What is special about Amaro Nonino Quintessentia?
It is based on Nonino single-variety grape brandy, uses local products whenever possible, is aged for five years in oak barrels of Nevers, Limousin, and ex-sherry origin. Has a smoothness not always seen in other amari.
96
What is Ramazzotti?
One of the oldest amari in Italy from Milan, based on a proprietary blend of 33 herbs, roots and other botanicals.
97
What is Amaro Montenegro?
An Italian amaro first created in Bologna in 1885. Named in honor of Princess Elena of Montenegro, who became second queen of Italy after marrying Victor Emmaanuel III. Slightly sweet, less bitter.
98
Who were Silvio and Luigi Barbieri?
The inventors of Aperol.
99
What is infused into Aperol during production?
Cinchona, rhubarb, and gentian.
100
How does Aperol differ from Campari?
It is less bitter and considerably lower in alcohol.
101
Who owns Aperol now?
Campari.
102
When did the Aperol Spritz start to be heavily marketed and popularized?
2003.
103
What was the Spritz Veneziano?
The pre-cursor to the Aperol Spritz, a Spritz (wine with sparkling water) with bitters added.
104
When and where where was Aperol created?
In 1919 in Padua, Italy.
105
What is Chartreuse?
A French amer first produced in Grenoble in 1737.
106
Which amer is produced by Carthusian monks?
Chartreuse.
107
What is Une Tarragone?
A liqueur produced by the Carthusian monks in Tarragona Spain after they were expelled from France and the Chartreuse distillery was nationalized.
108
Where is Chartreuse currently produced?
Voiron, France.
109
What is VEP Chartreuse?
A chartreuse that is aged longer than the yellow and green versions and packaged in a reproduction of the bottles used in 1840. Each is individually numbered, sealed with wax, and preserved in a wooden box.
110
What is Suze?
A bright yellow French amer created in Paris in 1889, now produced by Pernod Ricard.
111
What amer was featured in a collage by Picasso?
Suze.
112
What is in Suze?
Wild gentian root harvested from the mountains of the Jura and Auvergne regions of France, as well as vanilla, dried wildflowers, fennel, bitter oranges, and honey.
113
What is Salers?
A French amer produced in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region since 1855.
114
How is Salers made?
Hand picked gentian root is steeped in neutral spirits. It is later distilled and flavored with other botanicals before being aged in French oak.
115
Describe Salers.
Natural, light straw-yellow color with aromas of citrus peel, mint and vanilla. Slightly sweet, somewhat bitter, refreshing and complex.
116
What is a white negroni?
A cocktail made with gin, white/blanc aromatized wine, and Salers.
117
What is Bénédictine?
A French amer produced in Fécamp in Normandy, France.
118
What is the legend around Bénédictine?
Alexandre Le Grand alleged that he discovered the 350 year old recipe created by a monk for a secret elixir. There is debate as to whether this is true or a marketing scheme.
119
What is Bénédictine based on?
Cognac.
120
On what French amer is D.O.M. (Deo Optimo Maximo - To God, most good, most great)?
Bénédictine
121
What is B&B (Bénédictine and Brandy)?
A less sweet and less intensely herbal version of Bénédictine.
122
What drink features Bénédictine?
The Vieux Carré, invented in New Orleans.
123
What is in the Vieux Carré?
Bénédictine, rye whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth.
124
What is Picon?
A French amer with a distinctly bitter orange flavor developed in 1837.
125
What is Picon Punch?
A cocktail popular in the Basque regions of Spain, featuring Picon, grenadine, and soda water served over ice with a twist of lemon.
126
What are the EU requirements for Sangria?
A red-wine-based beverage with citrus fruit and spices, sometimes with brandy, served over ice. As of 2014 must be product of Spain or Portugal. If not, must be labeled with place of origin, followed by Sangria (eg German Sangria).
127
What is Cremovo?
An egg based aromatized wine made with marsala. Produced exclusively in Sicily, where it may also be called Marsala all'Uovo.
128
What is the Brooklyn?
A variation on the Manhattan that features Picon, rye, dry vermouth, and maraschino liqueur.
129
What is in the Liberal Cocktail?
Picon, sweet vermouth, orange bitters.
130
What is the top-selling bittered spirit in the world?
Jägermeister
131
What style of liqueur similar to Jägermeister is produced in Central Europe?
Kräuterlikör.
132
Who was Curt Mast?
The original distiller of Jägermeister.
133
Who was Saint Hubertus?
The patron saint of hunters, whose story is reflected in the label on Jägermeister.
134
What is Zwack Unicum?
A Hungarian bitter liqueur created using over 40 different botanicals and aged 6 months in oak barrels.
135
Who was Dr. Jozsef Zwack?
The inventor of Unicum.
136
What is Becherovka?
A Czech bittered spirit, currently produced by Pernod Ricard..
137
What spirit is produced in Karlovy Vary?
Becherovka.
138
Who was Josef Vitus Becher?
The inventor of Becherovka.
139
What is the Drogikamr room?
A room where the secret formula for Becherovka is kept, where only two people are allowed access.
140
What is the Beton?
A cocktail made using Becherovka, invented to be served in the Czech Pavilion at the 1967 World Expo in Montreal.
141
What is Gammel Dansk Bitter Dram?
A Danish bittered spirit created in 1964. It uses rowanberry bitters as well as 28 other botanicals.
142
Describe Gammel Dansk Bitter Dram.
Copper-colored, moderately bitter, and quite spicy. Flavors of Rowanberry, anise, gentian, ginger, and cinnamon.
143
Describe Becherovka.
Bittersweet with spicy flavors of ginger, cinnamon and clove.
144
What is Margerum Amaro?
A California Amaro made in Santa Barbara. .
145
When and where were Peychaud's Bitters invented?
New Orleans in 1830.
146
Who was Antoine Amédée?
The Haitian Creole inventor of Peychaud's Bitters.
147
What were coquetiers?
Dainty eggcups originally used to serve Peychaud's Bitters - may be a possible explanation for the origin of the term "cocktail"
148
What cocktail includes Peychaud's bitters as an integral part?
The Sazerac.
149
What are Fee Brothers Bitters?
An American bitters product originally started by brothers in a saloon. They come in over a dozen flavors.
150
What are Regan's #6 Orange Bitters?
Created in 1990, based on formerly very common bitters, to make pre-prohibition era cocktails.
151
When and where were Angostura Bitters invented?
1824 in Venezuela.
152
Where did Angostura bitters move to?
Port of Spain in Trinidad.
