Beer, Wine and Spirits Stack Exchange
Beer, Wine and Spirits Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [spirits]

Alcoholic drinks produced by distillation of grains, fruit, or vegetables that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. See also "Liquor."

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What is the strongest drink in the world?

Assuming that it is available through 'normal' outlets - shops, supermarkets, off licenses etc... (in other words legal) What (per unit) is the strongest alcoholic drink in the world? Beers, wines and spirits included.
dougal 5.0.0
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Does hard liquor keep forever?

I drink mixed drinks infrequently, so it takes me a while to go through a bottle of rum, whisky, or vodka. Thus far I haven't noticed a problem with, say, a two-year-old (opened) bottle of any of these, but on the other hand, if they were degrading…
Monica Cellio
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How should I drink limoncello?

I was given some decent Limoncello from Italy as a gift, 30% proof, brand name 'Villa Massa' from Sorrento. I had a tiny sip of it and it is quite smooth, not too sharp and rather nice. However I'm not sure if I should continue drink it neat or…
Greg Trevellick
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Tequila worms - to eat or not to eat - that is the question?

So, with a bottle of Tequila in hand, a glass, and oooppss - it's the last shot and the worm falls out! Now - do you consume it? Or - just throw it? But what type of worm is it and are they specially grown/produced for the drink? There are a lot…
dougal 5.0.0
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What is the difference between Cognac, Brandy, Bourbon, Scotch and Whiskey?

All these taste and look pretty similar. What is the difference between them?
Rouse
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Any experience making fig liqueur?

I've successfully made a black raspberry liqueur, and am doing a similar process now with fresh figs. Has anybody done that? What have your experiences been? Recipe: 1.5 cups vodka (I'm using Tito's) 1.5 - 2 cups fig puree Combine figs and vodka,…
John Feltz
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What fruit spirit is in St. Germain?

I love St. Germain, and it's become a staple at my house... but it is so damn expensive. I'd like to make a homemade version using elderflower cordial for a fraction of the price. St. Germain lists their ingredients as: fruit Spirit, elderflower,…
Nathron
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What spirits are made in Cuba?

A family member will soon be travelling to Cuba and has offered to bring me back some alcohol. The obvious choice is Rum, but considering it's easy enough to get Cuban rum in Canada, I'd like to know if there are other spirits that originate from…
JS Lavertu
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Does anyone here still use bitters as medicine? Which ones do you use and for what ailments?

Bitters are known to have medicinal qualities. I've never used them beyond making killer cocktails... But, I've noticed that orange bitters, in particular, will imbue me with an added vigor or gusto, at times. I've heard certain bitters can be…
Tim Burnett - Bassist
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Is it possible to identify this bottle and its contents?

My brother-in-law received this bottle while in a soccer recruit tryout in Yugoslavia(?) around 6ths year 2000. We haven't been able to identify it by anything on the label. It was opened, I think it is brandy but it is beyond its best years. If…
Texas1Thom
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Can drinking 45ml of spirit (40%) per day affect your health?

Based on this question How much actual alcohol is safe to drink per day? we can see The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests no more than 4 drinks per day, and no more than 7 drinks per week, to stay at a low risk for an…
I likeThatMeow
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Are there any spirits that never should be combined in a cocktail or drink?

Many drinks and cocktails are a mixture of different spirits with or without additional tastes introduced by juices, concentrates and/or other ingredients that create their special taste. My personal experience is that less components a cocktail…
Salt
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Are there other spirits and/or wines in the world that use the Sherry production method?

The method to produce Sherry and the respective Brandies, called Solera, uses several layers of barrels (frequently four layers). From the lowest layer they take the annual amount they want to sell and refill from the respective layer above. The…
Salt
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Are there broad stylistic differences between Scotch and Irish whiskey?

This isn't a question about typical production: I know that Scotch is often peated while Irish rarely is and that Irish is usually triple-distilled whereas Scotch is usually double-distilled. That's covered well by the question Whiskey - Irish vs.…
Bob Tway
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Why are spirits typically 40% ABV?

I live in France. I've found that at least cheaper (supermarket) spirits are almost always exactly 40% ABV. You can find stronger if you buy more niche or expensive alcohols like Chartreuse, but the vast majority seems to be precisely 40, unlike say…
Jack M
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