Liqueur

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Benedictine, a traditional French herbal liqueur Benedictine 01 08.jpg
Bénédictine, a traditional French herbal liqueur
Licor Beirao, a traditional Portuguese spice liqueur. Licor-Beirao-&-Orus - Orus Clothing (cropped).png
Licor Beirão, a traditional Portuguese spice liqueur.

A liqueur ( UK: /lɪˈkjʊər/ li-KURE, US: /lɪˈkɜːr/ li-KUR; [1] French: [likœʁ] ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged, beyond a resting period during production, when necessary, for their flavors to mingle.

Contents

Liqueurs are historical descendants of herbal medicines. They were made in France as early as the 13th century, often prepared by monks (for example, Chartreuse). Today they are produced all over the world, commonly served neat, over ice, with coffee, in cocktails, and used in cooking.

Etymology

The French word liqueur is derived from the Latin liquifacere, which means "to dissolve". [2] [3]

In some parts of the United States and Canada, liqueurs may be referred to as cordials, or schnapps. [4] [5] This can cause confusion as in the United Kingdom a cordial would refer to a non-alcoholic concentrated fruit syrup, typically diluted to taste and consumed as a non-carbonated soft drink. [6] Schnapps, on the other hand, can refer to any distilled beverage in Germany and aquavit in Scandinavian countries. [7]

In the United States, where spirits are often called "liquor", there is often confusion discerning between liqueurs and liquors, due to the many different types of flavored spirits that are available today (e.g., flavored vodka). Liqueurs generally contain a lower alcohol content (15–30% ABV) than spirits [8] and have a sweetener mixed, while some can have an ABV as high as 55%. [9]

Canada

Under the Food and Drug Regulations (C.R.C., c. 870), liqueurs are produced from mixing alcohol with plant materials. [10] These materials include juices or extracts from fruits, flowers, leaves or other plant materials. [10] The extracts are obtained by soaking, filtering or softening the plant substances. A sweetening agent should be added in an amount that is at least 2.5 percent of the finished liqueur. The alcohol percentage shall be at least 23%. [10] It may also contain natural or artificial flavoring and color. [10]

European Union

The European Union directive on spirit drinks provides guidelines applicable to all liqueurs. [11] As such, a liqueur must

United States

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau regulates liqueurs similarly to Canada. Liqueurs (and also cordials) are defined as products created by mixing or redistilling distilled spirits with fruit, plant products, natural flavors, extracts, or sweeteners. These additives must be added in an amount not less than 2.5% by weight of the final product. [13]

Preparation

Some liqueurs are prepared by infusing certain woods, fruits, or flowers in either water or alcohol and adding sugar or other items. Others are distilled from aromatic or flavoring agents.

Anise and Rakı liqueurs have the property of turning from transparent to cloudy when added to water: the oil of anise remains in solution in the presence of a high concentration of alcohol, but coalesces when the alcohol concentration is reduced; this is known as the ouzo effect. [14]

Use

The B-52 is a layered drink prepared using Grand Marnier atop Irish cream over a base of coffee liqueur Cocktail B52.jpg
The B-52 is a layered drink prepared using Grand Marnier atop Irish cream over a base of coffee liqueur

Cocktails

Liqueurs are sometimes mixed into cocktails to provide flavor. [15]

Adding liqueurs to a cocktail can change the flavour and appearance of the cocktail. Whilst some liqueurs are coloured and designed to make the cocktail pop in colour, others are clear to prevent the liqueur from taking over the colour of the base spirit or garnish. [16]

Layered drinks

Layered drinks are made by floating different-colored liqueurs in separate layers. Each liqueur is poured slowly into a glass over the back of a spoon or down a glass rod, so that the liquids of different densities remain unmixed, creating a striped effect. [17]

Health concerns

Alcohol-based sugar-sweetened beverages, are closely linked to episodic drinking in adolescents. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fortified wine</span> Wine with an added distilled beverage

Fortified wine is a wine to which a distilled spirit, usually brandy, has been added. In the course of some centuries, winemakers have developed many different styles of fortified wine, including port, sherry, madeira, Marsala, Commandaria wine, and the aromatised wine vermouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gin</span> Distilled alcoholic drink flavoured with juniper

Gin is a distilled alcoholic drink flavoured with juniper berries and other botanical ingredients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sambuca</span> Italian anise-flavored liqueur

Sambuca is an Italian anise-flavoured liqueur. Its most common variety is often referred to as "white sambuca" to differentiate it from other varieties that are deep blue or bright red. Like other anise-flavoured liqueurs, the ouzo effect is sometimes observed when combined with water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Galliano (liqueur)</span> Italian sweet herbal liqueur produced since 1896

Liquore Galliano L'Autentico, known more commonly as Galliano, is a brand of sweet herbal liqueur produced in Italy. It was created in 1896 by Tuscan distiller and brandy producer Arturo Vaccari and named after Giuseppe Galliano, an Italian officer of the Royal Italian Army of the First Italo-Ethiopian War.

Schnapps or schnaps is a type of alcoholic beverage that may take several forms, including distilled fruit brandies, herbal liqueurs, infusions, and "flavored liqueurs" made by adding fruit syrups, spices, or artificial flavorings to neutral grain spirits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pastis</span> Anise-flavored liqueur and apéritif

Pastis is an anise-flavoured spirit and apéritif traditionally from France, typically containing less than 100 g/L sugar and 40–45% ABV.

Ouzo is a dry anise-flavored aperitif that is widely consumed in Greece. It is made from rectified spirits that have undergone a process of distillation and flavoring. Its taste is similar to other anise liquors like pastis, sambuca, mastika, rakı, and arak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bitters</span> Alcoholic preparation flavored with botanical matter

A bitters is traditionally an alcoholic preparation flavored with botanical matter for a bitter or bittersweet flavor. Originally, numerous longstanding brands of bitters were developed as patent medicines, but now are sold as digestifs, sometimes with herbal properties, and as cocktail flavorings.

Apéritifs and digestifs are drinks, typically alcoholic, that are normally served before and after a meal respectively.

<i>Aguardiente</i> Generic term for alcoholic beverages containing 29% to 60% alcohol by volume

Aguardente (Portuguese) or aguardiente (Spanish) is a type of distilled alcoholic spirit that contains between 29% and 60% alcohol by volume (ABV). It is a somewhat generic term that can refer to liquors made from various foods. It originates from and is typically consumed on the Iberian Peninsula and in Iberian America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liquor</span> Alcoholic drink produced by distillation

Liquor or distilled beverages are alcoholic drinks produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include spirit, spirituous liquor or hard liquor. While the word liquor ordinarily refers to distilled alcoholic spirits rather than beverages produced by fermentation alone, it can sometimes be used more broadly to refer to any alcoholic beverage.

Rectified spirit, also known as neutral spirits, rectified alcohol or ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, is highly concentrated ethanol that has been purified by means of repeated distillation in a process called rectification. In some countries, denatured alcohol or denatured rectified spirit may commonly be available as "rectified spirit", because in some countries the retail sale of rectified alcohol in its non-denatured form is prohibited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liqueur coffee</span> Coffee-based cocktail

A liqueur coffee is a caffeinated alcoholic drink that consists of a shot of liqueur, mixed with coffee. It is typically served in a liqueur glass, often accompanied with cream and sugar. Coffee liqueur beverages are served in different fashions and can be found throughout many countries. One of the most popular liqueur coffee beverage is commonly known as Irish coffee. Liqueur coffee beverages are largely classified as cocktails as well as digestifs which are aimed at aiding the digestive process typically after a meal.

Flavored liquors are liquors that have added flavoring and, in some cases, a small amount of added sugar. They are distinct from liqueurs in that liqueurs have a high sugar content and may also contain glycerine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Korn (liquor)</span> German colorless grain spirit

Korn, also known as Kornbrand or Kornbranntwein, is a German colorless distilled beverage produced from fermented cereal grain seed. The production of Korn uses only five grains: most of the production is based on rye or wheat; barley is mainly used to obtain the required malt for the brewing process; oats and buckwheat are rarely used. The addition of food colorings, flavorings, or sweeteners is not permitted. Korn is distilled to lower alcoholic proofs and less rigorously filtered than vodka, which leaves more of the cereal grain flavor in the finished spirit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alcoholic beverage</span> Drink with a substantial ethanol content

Drinks containing alcohol are typically divided into three classes—beers, wines, and spirits—with alcohol content typically between 3% and 50%. Drinks with less than 0.5% are sometimes considered non-alcoholic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rakı</span> Sweetened, anise-flavored Turkish alcoholic drink

Rakı, Türk Rakısı or Turkish Raki is an alcoholic beverage made of twice-distilled grape pomace and flavored with aniseed. It is the national drink of Turkey. It is popular in Turkic countries and Caucasian countries as an apéritif. It is often served with seafood or meze. It is comparable to Balkan Rakia and several other anise-flavored liqueurs such as pastis, ouzo, sambuca, arak and aguardiente. The alcoholic content of raki must be at least 40% according to Turkish standard. The largest producer of raki is Diageo; Yeni Rakı is the largest brand.

References

  1. "Definition of 'liqueur'". Collins English Dictionary.
  2. Owens, B.; Dikty, A.; Maytag, F. (2011). The Art of Distilling Whiskey and Other Spirits: An Enthusiast's Guide to the Artisan Distilling of Potent Potables. Quarry Books. p. 106. ISBN   978-1-61673-555-5 . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  3. Etkin, N.L. (2009). Foods of Association: Biocultural Perspectives on Foods and Beverages that Mediate Sociability. University of Arizona Press. p. 210. ISBN   978-0-8165-2777-9 . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  4. Lichine, Alexis (1987). Alexis Lichine's New Encyclopedia of Wines & Spirits (5th ed.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p. 198. ISBN   978-0-394-56262-9.
  5. New Oxford American Dictionary (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. 2010. p. 385. ISBN   978-0-19-539288-3.cordial: "another term for liqueur"
  6. Dietsch, Michael. "9 Easily Confused Cocktail Terms You Should Know". Serious Eats . Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  7. Prial, Frank (27 October 1985). "Schnapps, the Cordial Spirit". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  8. "How to Tell Your Liquor From Your Liqueur". The Spruce Eats. Archived from the original on 11 August 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  9. "Liquor alcohol content". alcoholcontents.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Branch, Legislative Services (23 June 2021). "Consolidated federal laws of canada, Food and Drug Regulations". laws.justice.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 17 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  11. "Consolidated text: Regulation (EU) 2019/787 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the definition, description, presentation and labelling of spirit drinks, the use of the names of spirit drinks in the presentation and labelling of other foodstuffs, the protection of geographical indications for spirit drinks, the use of ethyl alcohol and distillates of agricultural origin in alcoholic beverages, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 110/2008". 25 May 2021.
  12. The wording is: "a minimum content of sweetening products, expressed as invert sugar". The level is lowered to 70 grams per liter for cherry or sour cherry liqueurs, and 80 grams per liter for "liqueurs flavoured exclusively with gentian or a similar plant or wormwood".
  13. "27 CFR 5.22 – The standards of identity". Archived from the original on 30 January 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  14. Sanchez-Dominguez, M.; Rodriguez-Abreu, C. (2016). Nanocolloids: A Meeting Point for Scientists and Technologists. Elsevier Science. p. 369. ISBN   978-0-12-801758-6 . Retrieved 2 August 2018. O/W and W/O nano-emulsions can also be formed without a surfactant by self-emulsification, using the so-called Ouzo effect. The major components of Ouzo (a Greek drink) are trans-anethole, ethanol, and water. Anethole is almost insoluble ...
  15. Meehan, Jim (12 June 2012). "Embellish Like Bartenders". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  16. "What are Liqueurs? Find out from the Experts!". Spirits of France. 4 July 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-11-30. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
  17. "Know the Density of Your Liquor To Make the Best Layered Drinks". The Spruce Eats. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  18. Wakabayashi KT, Greeman EA, Barrett ST, Bevins RA (September 2021). "The Sugars in Alcohol Cocktails Matter". ACS Chemical Neuroscience. 12 (18): 3284–3287. doi:10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00526. PMC   8447180 . PMID   34428024.

Further reading