Citizendia
Your Ad Here

For other uses, see Brandy (disambiguation).
A bottle of calvados Pays D'Auge
A bottle of calvados Pays D'Auge

Brandy (derived from brandywine, from Dutch brandewijn—'burnt wine'[1]) is a spirit produced by means of distilling wine, the wine having first been produced by means of fermenting grapes. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath Distillation is a method of separating Mixtures based on differences in their volatilities in a boiling liquid mixture Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice The process of fermentation in Wine is the Catalyst function that turns Grape juice into an Alcoholic beverage. Brandy contains 40%–60% alcohol by volume and is normally consumed as an after-dinner drink. Alcohol by volume (abbreviated as abv or ABV) is a standard measure of how much alcohol ( Ethanol) is contained in an Alcoholic beverage It is generally coloured with caramel colouring to imitate the effect of long aging in wooden casks. Caramel coloring is Caramel used as a Food coloring; it is made by controlled heating of Sugar, generally in the presence of Acids or Alkalis

Brandy can also be made from fermented fruit (i. e. , other than grapes) and from pomace. Pomace (pronounced /PUHM-is/ is the solid remains of Grapes Olives or other Fruit after pressing for juice or oil [2] Pomace and fruit brandies are generally drunk unaged and are usually not coloured.

Contents

History

The origins of brandy are clearly tied to the development of distillation. Concentrated alcoholic beverages were known in ancient Greece and Rome and may have a history going back to ancient Babylon. The History of Greece traditionally encompasses the study of the Greek people, the areas they ruled historically and the territory now composing the modern state of The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial Babylon was a City-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq Brandy, as it is known today, first began to appear in the 12th century and became generally popular in the 14th century.

Initially wine was distilled as a preservation method and as a way to make the wine easier for merchants to transport. Food preservation is the process of treating and handling Food in a way that preserves its edibility and nutrition value Merchants function as professionals who deal with Trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves in order to produce Profit. It was also thought that wine was originally distilled to lessen the tax which was assessed by volume. The intent was to add the water removed by distillation back to the brandy shortly before consumption. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. It was discovered that after having been stored in wooden casks, the resulting product had improved over the original distilled spirit. An aging barrel is a barrel used to age Wine or distilled spirits such as Whiskey, Brandy, or Rum. [2] In addition to removing water, the distillation process leads to the formation and break-up of numerous aroma compounds, fundamentally altering the composition of the distillate from its source. Non-volatile substances such as pigments, sugars, and salts remain behind in the still. As a result, the taste of the distillate may be quite unlike that of the original source.

Types of brandy

There are three primary types of brandy. The term "brandy" denotes grape brandy if the type is not otherwise specified.

Grape brandy

Grape brandy is produced by the distillation of fermented grape juice. For the Tokyo University supercomputer see Gravity Pipe. GRAPE, or GRA phics P rogramming E nvironment is

The European Union legally enforces Cognac as the exclusive name for brandy produced and distilled in the Cognac area of France, and Armagnac from the Gascony area of France, using traditional techniques. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Cognac (ˈkɒnjæk named after the town of Cognac in France, is a Brandy produced in the region surrounding the town Cognac is a commune in the French département of Charente, of which it is a sub-prefecture. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Armagnac (aʁmaˈɲak is a distinctive kind of Brandy or Eau de vie produced in the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France Since these are considered PDO, they refer not just to styles of brandy but brandies from a specific region, i. e. a brandy made in California in a manner identical to the method used to make cognac, and which tastes similar to cognac, cannot be so called as it is not from the Cognac region of France.

Martell Cognac served in a typical brandy snifter.
Martell Cognac served in a typical brandy snifter.

Grape brandies are best drunk from a tulip-shaped glass or a snifter, at cool room temperature. snifter —also called balloon or Bauble—is a type of Stemware, a short-stemmed glass whose main vessel has a wide bottom that narrows at the top Often it is slightly warmed, by holding the glass in the cup of the palm or gently heating with a candle; however, such heating causes alcohol vapor to become very pungent so that the aromas are overpowered. Brandy, like whisky and red wine, exhibits more pleasant aromas and flavors at a lower temperature, e. Whisky (uisge-beatha or whiskey (uisce beatha or fuisce) refers to a broad category of Alcoholic beverages that are distilled from fermented Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice g. , 16 degrees Celsius (61°F). In most homes, this would imply that the brandy should in fact rather be cooled for maximum enjoyment. Furthermore, alcohol (which makes up 40% of a typical brandy) becomes thin as it is heated, (but more viscous when cooled) leading to a fuller and smoother mouthfeel with less of a burning sensation. Mouthfeel is a product’s physical and Chemical interaction in the mouth

Pomace brandy

Pomace brandy is produced by fermentation and distillation of the grape skins, seeds, and stems that remain after grapes have been pressed to extract their juice (which is then used to make wine). Pomace brandy is a Liquor distilled from Pomace wine. Examples include the Croatian / Montenegrin / Serbian lozovača (loza, Cypriot Zivania Examples include Italian grappa, French marc, Bulgarian grozdova, [2] and Georgian chacha. Grappa is a fragrant Grape -based Pomace brandy of between 50% and 80% Alcohol by volume (100 to 160 proof) of Italian origin Pomace brandy is a Liquor distilled from Pomace wine. Examples include the Croatian / Montenegrin / Serbian lozovača (loza, Cypriot Zivania Rakia or rakija (raki arichii rakija ракия rakia rakija ρακί pálinka ракија/rakija rachiu (reg Chacha is traditionally a clear fruit homebrew which is sometimes called "vine Vodka," "grape vodka" or "Georgian vodka

Fruit brandy

Fruit brandies are distilled from fruits other than grapes. Apple, plum, peach, cherry, eldberberry, raspberry, blackberry, and apricot are the most commonly used fruit. Fruit brandy is usually clear, 80 to 90 proof, and usually drunk chilled or over ice.

Calvados is an apple brandy from the French region of Lower Normandy. Calvados is an apple Brandy from the French région of Basse-Normandie or Lower Normandy The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Normandy (Normandie Norman: Normaundie) is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. [2] Apple is pressed into cider, fermented with yeast and double distilled.

Eau-de-vie is a general French term for fruit brandy.

Kirschwasser is a fruit brandy made from cherries. Kirschwasser (pronounced /KIRSH-VAHS-ər/ German for “cherry water” is a clear colorless fruit brandy traditionally made from double Distillation [2]

Pálinka is a fruit brandy traditional to Hungary. Pálinka ( Hungarian: Pálinka, Romanian: Pălincă, Slovak: Pálenka) is a traditional type of Brandy [2] It can be made from any kind of fruit - most often plum (szilva), apricot (barack), grape (törköly), elderberry (bodza), pear (vilmoskörte) and cherry (cseresznye). Barack, pronounced "BUH-ruhtsk" is a type of Hungarian Brandy ( Pálinka) made of (or flavored with Apricots. Sambucus ( Elder or Elderberry) is a genus of between 5 and 30 species of Shrubs or small Trees (two species Herbaceous) Less common pálinka-types include apple, peach and even walnut (dió). Mixed pálinka (vegyes) is also popular.

Slivovitz is a fruit brandy made from plums[2], traditional to Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Republic of Macedonia and Croatia. Slivovitz is a Distilled beverage made from Damson plums It is frequently called plum brandy If anyone else has a dictionary of some Slavic language The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country The Republic of Macedonia (Република Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between

Slivovice is a strong 52% vol. Slivovitz is a Distilled beverage made from Damson plums It is frequently called plum brandy If anyone else has a dictionary of some Slavic language (and more - law sets 52% vol. as standard) fruit brandy made from plums, in Slovakia, the East mountains of the Czech republic (region Valachia - exactly Vizovice) and Southern mountain region of Poland.

Certain varieties of Schnapps or Snaps, light-bodied spirits that are drunk along with a meal in Germanic or Scandinavian countries. Schnapps is a type of distilled Alcoholic beverage. The word schnapps is derived from the German word Schnaps (plural Schnäpse) which can Snaps is a small shot of a strong alcoholic beverage taken during the course of a meal very much like the German Schnapps.

Tuica (tzuika) is the clear Romanian brandy, made mainly from plums, apples, pears, apricots, mulberries, peaches, quinces or mixes of them. Ţuică (in Romanian /'ʦujkə/ sometimes spelled tuica, tzuika, tsuika, tsuica Other regional names as turţ, tura, horinca apply. As wine producers, Romania and Moldova have also a production of cognac-style brandy, named vinars or divin.

Brandy and the European Union

The European Union has established a different definition of the term brandy:[3]

5. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Brandy or Weinbrand (a) Brandy or Weinbrand is a spirit drink: 1) produced from wine spirit, whether or not . …. wine distillate has been added, distilled at less than 94. 8% vol. , provided that that distillate does not exceed a maximum of 50% of the alcoholic content of the finished product, 2) matured for at least one year in oak receptacles or for at least six months in oak casks with a capacity of less than 1 000 litres, 3) containing a quantity of volatile substances equal to or exceeding 125 grams per hectolitre of 100% vol. alcohol, and derived exclusively from the distillation or redistillation of the raw materials used, 4) having a maximum methanol content of 200 grams per hectolitre of 100% vol. alcohol. (b) The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of brandy or Weinbrand shall be 36%. (c) No addition of alcohol as defined in Annex I(5), diluted or not, shall take place. (d) Brandy or Weinbrand shall not be flavoured. This shall not exclude traditional production methods. (e) Brandy or Weinbrand may only contain added caramel as a means to adapt colour.

This definition formally excludes pomace brandy, fruit brandy and even unaged grape brandy. The same EU regulation defines the names of these excluded spirits as grape marc spirit , fruit spirit and wine spirit. The German term Weinbrand is equivalent to the English term brandy, however, outside the German speaking countries, it is only used for brandies from Austria and Germany. The German language (both as an official language and as a minority language is spoken in a number of countries and territories in West and Central Europe Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. In Poland brandy is sometimes called (together with loan word "brandy) "Winiak" (from "wino" - a wine). Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland

Variations

Pot vs. tower stills

Cognac and South African pot still brandy are examples of brandy produced in batches using pot stills (batch distillation). A pot still is a type of Still used in distilling spirits such as Whisky or Brandy. Many American brandies use fractional distillation in tower stills to perform their distillation. Fractional distillation is the separation of a mixture into its component parts or fractions such as in separating Chemical compounds by their Boiling point by heating Special pot stills with a fractionation section on top are used for Armagnac. A pot still is a type of Still used in distilling spirits such as Whisky or Brandy.

Aging

Brandy is produced using one of three predominant aging methods:

Brandy Labels

Brandy has a rating system to describe its quality and condition, these indicators can usually be found near the brand name on the label.
A. C.  : aged two years in wood.
V. S.  : "Very Special" or 3-Star, aged at least three years in wood.
V. S. O. P.  : "Very Special Old Pale" or 5-Star, aged at least five years in wood.
X. O.  : "Extra Old", Napoleon or Vieille Reserve, aged at least six years, Napoleon at least four years.
Vintage  : Stored in the cask until the time it is bottled with the label showing the vintage date.
Hors D'age: : These are too old to determine the age, although ten years plus is typical, and are usually of great quality.

Distillation

A batch distillation typically works as follows: Wine with an alcohol concentration of 8% to 12% v/v and high acidity is boiled in a pot still. A pot still is a type of Still used in distilling spirits such as Whisky or Brandy. Vapours of ethanol, water, and the numerous aroma components rise upward and are collected in a condenser coil where it becomes a liquid again. Because ethanol and various aroma components vaporize at a lower temperature than does water, the concentration of alcohol in the condensed product (the distillate) is higher than in the original wine.

After one distillation, the distillate, called "low wine," will contain roughly 30% alcohol (ethanol) by volume. The low wine is then distilled a second time. The first 1% or so of distillate that's produced, called the "head," has an alcohol concentration of about 83% and an unpleasant odor, so it is discarded (generally, mixed in with another batch of low wine for future use). The distillation process continues, yielding a distillate of approximately 70% alcohol (called the "heart"), which is what will be consumed as brandy. The portion of low wine that remains after distillation, called the "tail," will be mixed into another batch of low wine for future use.

Distillation does not simply enhance the alcohol content of wine. The heat under which the product is distilled and the material of the still (usually copper) cause chemical reactions to take place during distillation. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 A chemical reaction is a process that always results in the interconversion of Chemical substances The substance or substances initially involved in a chemical reaction are called This leads to the formation of numerous new volatile aroma components, changes in relative amounts of aroma components in the wine, and the hydrolysis of components such as esters. This article describes a highly specialized aspect of its subject in the "Terminology and legal definitions" section Hydrolysis is a Chemical reaction during which one or more water molecules are split into hydrogen and hydroxide ions which may go on to participate in further reactions

Historical production

As described in the 1728 edition of Cyclopaedia, the following method was used to distill brandy: A cucurbit was filled half full of the liquor from which brandy was to be drawn and then raised with a little fire until about one sixth part was distilled, or until that which falls into the receiver was entirely flammable. Cyclopaedia or A Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences ( folio, 2 vols An alembic (from Arabic Al-inbiq الأنبيق is an alchemical Still consisting of two Retorts connected by a tube This liquor, distilled only once, was called spirit of wine or brandy. Purified by another distillation (or several more), this was then called spirit of wine rectified. The second distillation was made in balneo mariae and in a glass cucurbit, and the liquor was distilled to about one half the quantity. This was further rectified—as long as the operator thought necessary—to produce brandy. [4]

To abridge these several distillations, which were long and troublesome, a chemical instrument was invented, whereby the rectification of spirit of wine was performed in a single distillation. To test the purity of the rectified spirit of wine, a portion was ignited. If the entire contents were consumed without leaving any impurity behind, then the liquor was good. Another, better test involved putting a little gunpowder in the bottom of the spirit. Gunpowder is a an explosive mixture of Sulfur, Charcoal and Potassium nitrate (also known as saltpetre/saltpeter that burns rapidly producing volumes If the gunpowder took fire when the spirit was consumed, then the liquor was good. [4]

Brandies follow Distillation Technology - Wherever the Grape

As most brandies are distilled from grapes, the regions of the world producing excellent brandies have roughly paralleled those areas producing grapes for viniculture. At the end of the 19th Century, the western European market—and by extension their overseas empires—was dominated by French and Spanish brandies, and eastern Europe was dominated by brandies from the Black Sea region, including Bulgaria, the Crimea, and Georgia. In 1880, David Saradjishvili founded his Cognac Factory in Tbilisi, Georgia (then part of the Russian Empire) which was a crossroads for Turkish, Central Asian, and Persian traderoutes. Armenian and Georgian brandies (always called cognacs in the era) were considered some of the best in the world, often beating their French competitors at the International Expositions in Paris and Brussels in the early 1900s. The storehouses of the Romanov Court in St. Petersburg were regarded as the largest collections of cognacs and wines in the world—much of it from the Transcaucasus region of Georgia. During the October Revolution of 1917, upon the storming of the Winter Palace, the Bolshevik Revolution actually paused for a week or so as the rioters engorged on the substantial stores of cognac and wines. The Russian market was always a huge brandy-consuming region, and while much of it was homegrown, much was imported. The patterns of bottles follow that of western European norm. Throughout the Soviet era, the production of brandy remained a source of pride for the communist regime, and they continued to produce some excellent varieties - most famously the Jubilee Brandies of 1967, 1977, and 1987. Remaining bottles of these productions are highly sought after, not simply for their quality, but for their historical significance.

See also

References

  1. ^ (1989) Oxford English Dictionary. Applejack is a strong Alcoholic beverage produced from apples originating from the American colonial period Armagnac (aʁmaˈɲak is a distinctive kind of Brandy or Eau de vie produced in the Armagnac region in Gascony, southwest France Batch distillation refers to the use of Distillation in batches meaning that a mixture is distilled to separate it into its component fractions before the distillation still Calvados is an apple Brandy from the French région of Basse-Normandie or Lower Normandy Chacha is traditionally a clear fruit homebrew which is sometimes called "vine Vodka," "grape vodka" or "Georgian vodka Cognac (ˈkɒnjæk named after the town of Cognac in France, is a Brandy produced in the region surrounding the town Cut brandy is a Liquor made of Brandy and hard grain liquor Sugar is used to soften taste Fine (French word meaning "fine" as in "high quality" is a term for some high quality French Brandy (generally AOC) not including Cognac Fortified wine is Wine to which alcohol (usually Brandy) has been added Grappa is a fragrant Grape -based Pomace brandy of between 50% and 80% Alcohol by volume (100 to 160 proof) of Italian origin Himbeergeist is a type of German Schnaps that is distinguished by its method of production from other Schnaps Kirschwasser (pronounced /KIRSH-VAHS-ər/ German for “cherry water” is a clear colorless fruit brandy traditionally made from double Distillation Pomace brandy is a Liquor distilled from Pomace wine. Examples include the Croatian / Montenegrin / Serbian lozovača (loza, Cypriot Zivania Pálinka ( Hungarian: Pálinka, Romanian: Pălincă, Slovak: Pálenka) is a traditional type of Brandy Pisco (from Quechua: pisqu, little bird is a Liquor distilled from Grapes developed by the Spanish in the 16th century Rakia or rakija (raki arichii rakija ракия rakia rakija ρακί pálinka ракија/rakija rachiu (reg Slivovitz is a Distilled beverage made from Damson plums It is frequently called plum brandy If anyone else has a dictionary of some Slavic language Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.  
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i (2007) Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. .  
  3. ^ European Parliament legislative resolution of 19 June 2007 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the definition, description, presentation and labelling of spirit drinks
  4. ^ a b This article incorporates content from the 1728 Cyclopaedia, a publication in the public domain. Cyclopaedia or A Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences ( folio, 2 vols The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

Dictionary

brandy

-noun

  1. (uncountable) An alcoholic liquor distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice
  2. (countable) Any variety of brandy.
  3. (countable) A glass of brandy.

-verb

  1. (transitive) To preserve, flavour, or mix with brandy.

Brandy

-proper noun

  1. A female given name derived from the brandy wine, of mostly American usage in the 1970s and 1980s.
© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
 Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic