The wine and alcohol beginner's guide - learning drinking culture - part 3

in #food8 years ago

Well, Well, Well... Guess what?! It's finally back!

And in the words of Frank Gallagher:

So, if you are wondering what you have missed, here it is:

In the first part we learned the simple rules on how to match food and wine

And in the second part we spoke about how to actually understand its taste


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Now you probably have noticed that I decided to slightly change the name of the guide, to: "The wine and alcohol beginner's guide".

(the truth is - I just like how it sounds)

“One drop of wine is enough to redden a whole glass of water.”
― Victor Hugo

Also I am quite flattered by a new nick name of mine, that some users gave me : "The steemit sommelier", thanks guys!

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And, I was going to talk about more wine today... BUT then, I actually realized that most people don't have a clue about the simple beauty of alcohol! So, off we go "deeper into the rabbit hole" :

“Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.”
― Frank Sinatra

  • Alcohol is divided into a few groups by the type of the raw materials used to make it :
    Grains - used to make beer, whisky, vodka
    Fruit juice - wine, brandy, cognac, vermouth, calvados, gin, sambuca etc.
    Vegetables - tequila, rum, vodka
    Others - arrack, mead, kumis and so on
  • All alcohol is fermented (means something ((i.e. grapes)) has undergone a process of converting its energy (in this case sugars) into something else (in this case alcohol)
  • Some alcohol is also distilled (which is basically an additional process of purifying)
  • Some basic things for you to know:
    Rum is made from sugar canes
    Tequila is made out of blue agave cactus
    Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented cereal grains or potatoes
    Gin is made from berries
    Whisky is made out of mixing grain types and aginf the drink in casks
    Cognac is a type of brandy(!), it's made out of wine

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Why on earth am I boring you with this?

Well, by understanding what alcohol is made from, its taste and its texture, you can understand 2 main things:

  • What do I drink it with?
    Let's see, it's simple. Grains go well with red meat, that means whisky and red meat go well together. Berries make a person fill fuller then he is, that's why gin is enjoyed without food!
  • How to mix it
    For example by knowing that vodka is a "distilled potato", i know that it may mix well with tomato juice (they are two vegetables)

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Now that you know this, try to use this simple knowledge to choose the right drink for the right meal. Or maybe even a few drinks =)

“I don't have a drinking problem 'Cept when I can't get a drink.”
― Tom Waits

Next time we will talk about how to mix drinks and how to choose them.

Don't forget to click follow guys!

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Beer, vodka and wine are my best friends =))

Glad you like the post!

Great post & pics. I like the style of your post with the bigger text. I'm going to use that on my next post. For me I'm just a beer drinker. I gave up on alcohol after a bad experience with Tequila.... Imagine that....;-)

Oh I can more than imagine, believe me )

I passed out for 2 days and was hungover for 7 days..... Luckily my friends had enough sense to lay me face down on the bed... not a pretty site

Nice post. Thank you :)

Glad you like it!

Check my whiskey guides :)

I do already )

When I was a student, I drank medical spirit diluted with water and ate fried potatoes. WOHAAA!

It's also a nice drink =)

Hi @serejandmyself! What kind of wine would you suggest for matching a Pascualina Tart?

https://steemit.com/recipes/@alitas/pascualina-tart

Judging by the recipe, I would go with a Riesling (But not European)

Thank you, @serejandmyself! If not a German Riesling, which one do you prefer? Any particular label/region?

Gin is typically a grain or sugar based spirit that is flavored primarily with Juniper berries as well as other fruits, herbs and spices.

Also, Agave, though a desert plant, is not a cactus.

Other than that, good information.
Source - Bartender for 10 years and I run a bartending school.

Hey twice-knightley. Thanks for your inforamtion.

I love wine the most, with Malbec and Moscato topping my list! It has given me a little belly though! :D

Glad you enjoed it!