Whats the difference between different kinds of alcohol?!
Whats the difference between different kinds of alcohol?
like vodka, liquor, wiskey, and what are spirits???
Answers:
This is probably more than what you cared to know, but covers most of the bases.
In general, "liquor" and "spirit" can be used for the same thing. They refer to alcoholic drinks that are distilled. Beer and wine are fermented and served just as they are after the fermentations. To make spirits, or liquor, fermented brews are then distilled to separate the alcohol from the rest of the liquids.
Liqueurs are simply neutral alcohol (no flavor) that has flavors and sugar added.
Whiskey is essentially beer without hops that's been distilled. The ingredients can range from barley, wheat, rye, corn, millet, oats...virtually any starchy cereal grain you can think of can be made into beer and thus whiskey.
Single malt whiskey (whisky for the Scots) is purely barley and distilled at a single distillery.
Bourbon is an American whiskey that has by law >51% corn in its list of ingredients...many will tell you it must be made in Kentucky, but this isn't true, though the vast majority of Bourbon distilleries *are* in Kentucky, there a few exceptions. Time in the barrels also is a factor.
Scotch is simply short for "Scotch Whisky" (with no 'e' in the spelling...they like it this way) and simply refers to whisky made exclusively in Scotland and by law has to be aged 3 or more years in wood casks to be called "Scotch."
Brandy is merely distilled wine. Specialty brandies such as Cognac and Armagnac are made in specific geographic regions and of certain wines to be called such by French Law. This is the same with "Champagne" being exclusively from the Champagne region and all others are "sparkling wine."
Vodka isn't exclusively from potatoes. In fact, it's increasingly rare that it is made from potatoes in that they are more expensive as an ingredient for the whole distilling cycle. You'll find that most vodkas are distilled from grain...the same as whiskey, but more and more thoroughly so that there is minimal/no flavor left in the distillate. It's also not aged or barreled and therefore remains crystal clear and colorless.
Actually all brown spirits (whiskey, brandy, rum) derive the majority of their color and flavor from the wooden casks that they are aged in. When distilled, they all...yes, *ALL* come out crystal clear and colorless. Caramel color may be added in the cheaper varieties, and dark rums will frequently have molasses added back for a richer flavor (which is not necessarily characteristic of the cheaper varieties).
Tequila is fermented agave juice which is then distilled. The different colors/grades relate to the amount of aging. Like Cognac etc. "Tequila" only comes from a certain region of Mexico, and is exclusively Blue Agave...all others are "Mezcal"
Gin is neutral spirits (like vodka) which are flavored via various methods with primarly juniper berries and also other botanicals.
Ouzo, Pernod, and Absinthe belong to a group of spirits called "Pastis" (I forget the meaning exactly). These are all primarily flavored with anise and liquorice and when water is added, the oils from the infused botanicals un-dissolve and turn the drink milky. Absinthe is unique in that it contanise wormwood as one of its botanicals. Wormwood contains thujone which is a controversial substance which renders it illegal in a majority of countries. It is said to make the drinker hallucinate...often called "seeing the green fairie" as Absinthe is colored green. The truth is that Absinthe is *extremely* alcoholic relative to other spirits (65% alcohol and up) and is traditionally drunk with water poured through a sugar cube (lighting the sugar cube on fire is optional) which reduces the strength for drinking.
AMOUNT OF alchohol in them.
What they are fermented from.
Vodka, if I'm not mistaken, is potatoes.
Whiskey is from malted grains.
Gin is a double process starting with white (uncooked) grains and then redistilled using Juniper berries for flavor.
Sake is from rice
Alright, liquor is 80 proof or higher. This references the alcohol content.
You could call liquor "spirits".
Vodka, gin, whiskey, tequila, scotch and rum are all liquors.
The differences are what they are distilled from. Gin is from juniper berries, rum from sugar cane, tequila from agave, etc.
these are what gives the different liquors their distinctive flavor.
Basically it is all something called GRAIN ALCOHOL. This is safe for human consumption. Sort of. In excess it can be dangerous. When you see something that says it is 90 or 100 proof that means that it is half that number in alcohol say 45% or 50% alcohol in the bottle. That means that 200 proof is 100% pure. Something called Everclear is even close to that high Everclear is a brand name it is always diluted into something else like a punch or something. Never ever drink that stuff straight up. That is where it gets damaging.
Ok, now as for the other part of the question: Liquor and Spirits are just other was to describe booze (anything with alcohol in it). Vodka is made with potatoes, I think. Check out Wickpedia to be sure. Whiskey is made from grains, such as wheat, barley, or rye. Bourbon is whiskey but it is made in the good old U.S.A., mostly around Bourbon County Kentucky. All these Spirits are are distilled Spirits, meaning that like distilled water they are boiled and the steam cooled. Since alcohol has a lower boiling point it will come out of the "mash" (the fermented grains) sooner than water. Check Wickpedia for more details.
sprits are usually grape bases, wines
whiskey is barley mash, etc
beer has hops
grains make vodka too
Every thing starting with the base, cooking times, sugars, even the water, storage containers, then mixing the blend of different batches.
Spirits
neutral spirits
pl.n.
(used with a sing. or pl. verb)
Ethyl alcohol distilled at or above 190 proof, often used in blended alcoholic beverages.
13: An alcohol solution of an essential or volatile substance. Often used in the plural with a singular verb.
14: An alcoholic beverage, especially distilled liquor.