LIQUEURS-BITTERS

 

LIQUEUR

 

DEFINITION

 

An alcoholic beverage produced by combining spirits with fruits, herbs and other flavouring elements and containing more than 2.5% by weight of sugar.

 

ORIGIN

 

• Latin word- LIQUIFACERE- means to dissolve or melt

 

• Liqueurs were used as medicine for stomach ailments

 

• Since these medicines were harsh tasting  so they were sweetened with honey

 

 

OTHER NAMES

 

• CORDIAL  --  SWEET (AMERICA)

 

• DIGESTIF  -- DIGESTIVE (FRANCE)

 

 

CLASSIFICATION

 

• Base spirit

 

• Type of flavouring

 

• Method of manufacturing

 

In fruit liqueurs different portions of the fruits like peel, pulps etc are used. In plant liqueurs, leaves, herbs, barks are used.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FLAVOURING

                       

 

     

 

Herbs         Fruits                Flowers                        Barks                         Roots                     Seeds

 

 

• Herbs – Basil, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage, Thistle, Thyme etc.
• Flowers – Chamomile, Lavender, Lily, Rose, Saffron etc.
• Fruits – Berries, Peaches, Oranges, Pineapple, Banana, Raisins etc.
• Barks – Angostura, Myrrh, Sandalwood, Sassafras, Cinchona etc.
• Roots – Angelica, Celery, Ginger, Liquorice, Turmeric, etc.
• Seeds – Aniseed, Pepper, Juniper Berries, Caraway, Clove, Coffee etc.

 

Brandy is the most commonly used base spirits for liqueurs, others being rum, whisky, neutral spirit etc.

 

BASE SPIRIT

                                                                       

 

 

 

Brandy             Rum                       Whisky                      Neutral Spirit                                 etc.

 

 

MANUFACTURING STYLES

 

 

 

   Infusion                        Percolation                         Distillation

 

MANUFACTURING STYLES

 

• INFUSION / MACERATION

 

• Flavourings steeped in high proof spirit (6-8 months) so that the alcohol absorbs the character of the substance
• Flavoured spirit drawn off and filtered.
• Additional spirit is added to adjust the flavour, sweetened, some are aged.

            (in case of delicate fruits like strawberries, raspberries, peaches etc)

 

• PERCOLATION

 

• Similar to coffee percolator.
• Flavouring agents in upper part.
• Spirit in lower part (pumped through the flavourings).
• This continues for weeks or even months
• Flavoured spirit is separated and filtered
• Spirit is added to adjust the flavouring
• Sweetened (in case of vanilla beans and coco pods)

 

• DISTILLATION

 

• in medium sized pot still, similar to gin still.
• flavouring agents first soaked in spirit to soften for 24-48hrs.
• Additional brandy is added and distilled
• sweetened, some are aged (specially in case of plant liqueurs)

 

BRANDS

 

LIQUEUR	COLOUR	FLAVOUR / BASE SPIRIT	COUNTRY
Abricotine	Red	Apricot / Brandy	France
Avocaat	Yellow	Egg, Sugar/Brandy	Holland
Anisette	Clear	Aniseed / Neutral Spirit	France, Spain, Italy
Arrack	Clear	Herbs, Sap of Palm Trees	India, Sri Lanka, Jamaica
Bailey’s Irish Cream	Coffee	Honey, Chocolate, Cream Whiskey	Ireland
Benedictine DOM (Deo Optimo Maiximo)	Yellow / Green	Herbs/Brandy	France
Calvados	Amber	Apple/Brandy	France
Chartreuse	Green & Yellow	Herbs/Brandy	France
Cherry Brandy	Deep Red	Cherry/Brandy	Denmark
Cointreau	Clear	Orange/Brandy	France
Crème de Cacao	Dark Brown	Chocolate, Vanilla/Rum	France
Drambuie	Golden	Heather, Honey, Herbs/Whisky	Scotland
Grand Marnier	Amber	Orange/Brandy	France
Glayva	Golden	Herbs, Spice/Whisky	Scotland
Kirsch	Clear	Cherry/Neutral Spirit	Scotland
Kahlua	Pale Chocolate	Coffee/Rum	Mexico
LIQUEUR	COLOUR	FLAVOUR / BASE SPIRIT	COUNTRY
Kummel	Clear	Carraway seeds/Neutral Spirit	East European Countries
Maraschino	Clear	Maraschino Cherry	Italy
Parfait Amour	Violet	Violet, Lemon peels, Spices	France/Holland
Sambuca	Clear	Liquorice/Neutral Spirit	Italy
Slivovitz	Clear	Plum/Brandy	East Europe
Southern Comfort	Golden	Peaches/Oranges/Whisky	United States
Strega (The Witch)	Yellow	Herbs, Barks, Fruit	Italy
Tia Maria	Brown	Coffee/Rum	Jamaica
Van der Hum	Amber	Tangerine/Brandy	South Africa

 

 

USES OF LIQUEURS

 

• After dinner drink- good for digestion
• Cocktail ingredient
• For specialty coffees
• For making desserts
• For flavouring ice creams and chocolates
• Sorbet can be made with liqueurs
• Served in liqueur glasses (30ml)

 

BITTERS

Generally spirits (and sometimes wine), flavoured and made bitter to serve as an aperitif or for flavouring cocktails.

 

POPULAR VARIETIES

 

• AMER PICON :

BLACK FRENCH BITTER.GRENADINE OR CASSIS IS USED TO MAKE IT MORE ACCEPTABLE

 

• ANGOUSTRA BITTERS :

- MOST FAMOUS

- RUM BASED - BRIGHT RED COLOURED

- GENETIAN ROOTS FLAVOURED

- INVENTED BY Dr. SEIGART

- FROM BOLIVAR

 

• BYRRH :

MADE IN FRANCE NEAR SPAIN.BASE OF RED WINE, QUININE FLAVOURED AND HERBS AND FORTIFIED WITH BRANDY.

 

• CAMPARI :

- ITALIAN APERITIF. FLAVOUR OF ORANGE (CHINOTTO) PEEL AND OTHER HERBS.

- DARK RED COLOURED

 

• FERNET BRANCA :

- ITALIAN ORIGIN

- PRIZED AS A HANGOVER CURE

 

• UNDER BERG :

- GERMAN BITTER

- SOLD IN MINIATURE BOTTLES (20ML)

 

OTHERS

 

• AMORA MONTENEGRO
• RADIS
• UNICUM
• ABBOTS
• PEYCHAUDS
• BOONE KAMP
• WELLING

 

SERVICE

 

• Served in liqueur glasses at room temperature before meal
• Mixed with soda or water and ice
• In cocktails (pink gin) or in coffee
• As stomach reviver and anti hangover