By Derek Rogers
A liqueur is an extremely sweet alcoholic beverage that is enhanced by herbs, nuts, fruits, flowers, spices, or cream. While most liqueurs are naturally sweet, sugar is often added during the bottling process. Unlike other alcoholic beverages, liqueurs do not need to age, and often have short resting periods during production. In essence, liqueurs are redistilled spirits that have been enhanced by various flavours.
Liqueurs have a unique history that date back to ancient times. People believed that liqueurs had healing and medicinal powers. Italy was the first country to adapt liqueurs into their diet in the 13th century. Presently, liqueurs are available internationally and are served a variety of ways. Serving methods include on the rocks over ice, with coffee, mixed with cream to form a dessert, or combined with a mixer to form a cocktail. In restaurants, liqueurs are served after the main course, during dessert. In the household, liqueurs can be used to prepare a variety of meals.
Currently there are many flavoured spirits (or flavoured liquors), however; these are not the same as liqueurs because they are not infused. Most liqueurs contain 15 to 55 percent alcohol by volume, which is why they are often served in small portions. There are various categories of liqueurs, including coffee, chocolate, cream, crème, fruit, berry, flower, herbal, nut, and whiskey. Dessert wines gain their sweetness naturally and are not considered liqueurs.
You may be wondering what the difference is between liquor and liqueur. While their spellings are similar, their molecular composition is quite different. Liquor is created when the ingredients are distilled into ethyl alcohol and water. Liqueurs combine distilled liquors (i.e. rum) with the aforementioned flavours. Liquor is a term that is used quite broadly, whereas a liqueur refers to a specific product. For a beverage to be considered a liqueur, it must have 2.5 percent sugar by weight. Varieties of sweeteners are used, including cane sugar, honey, molasses, etc.
There are five major classifications of liqueurs: generics, proprietary, schnapps, anise-flavoured, and bitters. Generic liqueurs are those that can be reproduced easily and by anyone. They are not dependent on a specific resource and can be produced in various parts of the world. These are typically less expensive. Examples of generic liqueurs include Crème de Cacao and Curacao. Proprietary liqueurs are those that must be made to an exact formula in order to protect the trademark. Examples of proprietary liqueurs include Southern Comfort, Grand Mariner, and Kailua.
Schnapps are typically a white liqueur that is made from northern countries, such as Germany and Scandinavia. Schnapps drinks are typically made out of grains, potatoes, or molasses. They can be flavoured with almost anything, including mint, root beer, and watermelon. There is a thin line between differentiating schnapps from flavoured vodkas.
Liqueurs are meant to be enjoyed in moderation, drinking too much of the substance can impair your ability to operate motor vehicles and heavy machinery. While you can become sick from drinking too much liquor, your symptoms will worsen if you drink too much liqueur.
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For wine merchants & importers he recommends Alexander Hadleigh, a leading supplier of some of the worlds finest Liqueurs.
Source:www.isnare.com |
