Hollywood movies have taught us what heroes usually drink. Some (of which there are very few), however, are limited to milk or "Coke", but most need strong support to perform feats or meanness, depending on the plot. And each hero chooses his own American alcoholic drink: just whiskey or bourbon, tequila, rum, gin. What good these drinks are, how to drink them, what they are made of and what they have a snack with, we’ll try to consider.
Whiskey: bourbon and other varieties
The most common alcoholic drink in America, according to statistics, should be considered whiskey. Since 1964, it has been considered (the US Congress ruled) a national alcoholic beverage. This American corn liquor has conquered the whole country. It is drunk by all sectors of society, since the quality of whiskey, and, accordingly, the prices are very different, and whiskey is available to everyone. Whiskey is made from corn and other cereals.
Whiskey is called "bourbon" if it is made from corn (at least 51%). Distilled alcohol (not more than 80% of the strength) is poured into oak barrels for at least 2 years. Use flavors, colorants is prohibited. Such a whiskey with a fine finish, golden and slightly sweet, quite expensive.
They drink such bourbon without mixing with anything, except that a little ice doesn’t hurt, savor it in small sips, slowly. Then this “soft fire” will bring true pleasure.
The main difference between the American drink is that it is made from corn, and not from barley or wheat, like European.
Best varieties: Four Roses, Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, Maker's Mark.
In addition to bourbon, there are other varieties of whiskey: wheat whiskey - from wheat with the addition of corn spirit and corn whiskey (at least 80% of corn) - the lowest quality and cheapest.
Gene: for whom is it intended and how to distinguish a good drink?
Gin is a noble drink with juniper berries. This American drink in Russia is called "ladies' vodka" for a very soft, sweetish taste, which is popular with a discriminating weak sex. Citrus zest, various extracts, spices and often sugar, herbs are added to the drink: coriander, licorice (adds sweets), violet root, angelica and many others. However, the strength of gin is about 40 degrees.
The best gin is considered London dry. It is so good that it does not require the addition of sugar to improve the taste.
The best brands of this gin: Gordons, Beefeater, Bombay Sapphire, Tanker, Boots, Gilbis, Plymouth, etc. But like all herbal tinctures, each batch of gin will be slightly different depending on the quality of the herbal raw materials. Therefore, it is quite possible that a non-branded drink will also not be bad at all.
Real dry gin is distinguished by many small, fairly persistent bubbles that form when you shake a sealed bottle. This, as well as the lack of excessive sweetness in taste, indicates the presence of a good extract in the drink and its high quality.
Tequila as such
Tequila - a strong American alcoholic beverage, it is obtained by distillation of blue agave juice, fermented in a certain way. Only agave from four Mexican states is used. The Aztecs greatly appreciated tequila, taking it for a gift from the gods. Today's tequila came from the town of Tequila, founded by conquistadors. The conquerors found the Aztec drink too weak. They tried to overtake the Aztec tequila in a copper cube, which made the drink suitable for their taste and strength. It received the name "mezcal", i.e. "Prepared from agave" and was widely used in Mexico. Its official name, Mezcal of Tequila, has been reduced to simply tequila. So medieval mezcal and tequila are one and the same drink.
Since 1964, the promotion of the drink in the US market begins. About 10 years it took tequila to conquer the States and become a popular American drink. The name "tequila" today is the intellectual property of Mexico, as well as the exclusive right to produce a drink. The special popularity of tequila began in 1968, during the Olympic Games in Mexico City. Its color, aroma and taste depend on the aging time, which ranges from 2 months to 3 years. Elite varieties insist up to 11 years.
Ley 925 Azteca is considered the best tequila in the world. But its price is simply sky-high. The best, time-tested tequila: Olmeca, Sauza, Jose Cuervo. These brands have an adequate price and good quality.
How to drink and what to eat?
Drinking tequila is a ritual. Consider how to drink this American drink:
- You should drink in one gulp, having previously licked the salt from the skin of the hand between the thumb and forefinger, immediately biting a slice of lime or lemon. So men drink.
- Women drink using orange instead of lime and cinnamon instead of salt.
You can eat tequila (fortress from 38 to 42 degrees) simply with fruit, if you drink 1-2 glasses, and if you are going to drink for a long time, you need hot, serious snacks.
Rum, Jamaican and not only
Among strong American drinks, rum holds one of the first places. It appeared and spread widely in the Middle Ages. The name received, most likely, from the abbreviation of one of the words of Dutch, Spanish, Latin or French origin, since the word was used primarily by sailors.
Rum is obtained from cane sugar products (molasses and syrup) by fermentation, distillation and aging in oak (sometimes burnt) barrels. Although rum is prepared all over the world (Australia, India), it is most produced in South America and the Caribbean.
Rum - an important part of the culture of the islands of the West Indies, is usually associated with sailors (in the British Royal Navy they relied on a daily portion) and pirates. The most famous rum is the Jamaican brands Captain Morgan and Appleton Estate. But there are many varieties of good quality rum from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico. Light is added to cocktails, and dark and golden are used to prepare national dishes. Anejo rum, aged in barrels for a long time, is used in pure form with ice.
Varieties
Unrestrained low-quality rum is the cheapest strong alcoholic drink in America, and only the popularization of whiskey has led to a decrease in its consumption in this part of the world.
Today there are rum of the following varieties: light, golden, dark, flavored (with fruits: mango, orange, lemon, coconut), strong (up to 60 degrees), aged (more than 5 years of aging).
Snacks are best served with fruits, especially oranges sprinkled with cinnamon. This rum was eaten by pirates who tried all kinds of fruits and spices as a snack. In this case, not ice is used, but coffee or hot chocolate. This rich combination of flavors completes a good cigar.