Brandy

Brandy is one of the most popular strong alcoholic drinks today, which boasts a long history.

History does not have exact data on exactly when brandy appeared. It is believed that its discoverers were French wine merchants. They were faced with the fact that most of the drinks in their sales range had a very short shelf life. Stronger wine, which was obtained by distillation, was better preserved, but before being served on the table, it had to be diluted. Only over time, traders noticed that after this concentrate, which in its pure form was practically unsuitable for consumption, was infused for some time in a wooden barrel, its taste changed for the better. ^[1].

The name “brandy” itself comes from the English word brandywine (“burnt wine”). That is how the product was called, which was obtained during the distillation of fermented grape wine. Its strength varies from 40% to 60% ^[2].

Calorie and chemical composition

The calorie content of 100 g of brandy is 237 kcal. Of the nutritional elements in the composition of brandy, only carbohydrates are present in the amount of 0,5 g per 100 g of the product, there are no fats and proteins.

If we talk about minerals, then 100 g of a quality drink contains 4 mg of sodium, 1 mg of potassium and 0,03 mg of copper. ^[3].

Brandy classification

Experts often note that brandy is not even the name of a separate product, but a whole family of alcoholic beverages prepared using a special technology. It is difficult to disagree with this point of view, if we recall the huge number of types of brandy that exist in different countries of the world. Two of them managed to win the greatest fame – cognac and armagnac.

Cognac is an alcoholic drink originally from France. It owes its name to the city of the same name, where its production began at one time. Cognac has long been a major port city. One of the most popular goods here was wine, which was made from grapes grown in Poitou. After the end of the Hundred Years War, many vineyards were destroyed, as a result of which winemaking fell into decay. It was possible to restore the production of wines only by the XNUMXth century, but their quality deteriorated markedly. Dutch merchants arriving in Cognac for French wines, disappointed by the low quality of the goods, found a way out: they began to use special distillation devices that distilled local wines into the notorious “burnt wine” (brandywine). It was assumed that in this form the drink could be transported by sea to the countries of Northern Europe, in order to dilute it with water on the spot to its original state.

The technology became interested in local French winemakers, who improved it at their discretion. As a result, they learned to produce a wine distillate that had a rich taste, exquisite aroma, and, in addition, thanks to storage in oak barrels, its quality improved so much that it could be drunk without diluting it with water. The novelty hastened to be patented. As a result, today only drinks produced in a certain geographical area using a special technology have the right to bear the proud name of “cognac”, and in 1936 cognac received Appellation d’origine contrôlée – a certificate of origin control ^[4].

Armagnac also comes from France. Traditionally, this is the name of brandy, which was produced in the province of Gascony and aged for twelve years in oak barrels. Armagnac got its name thanks to the knight Herreman (Arminius), who lived in the XNUMXth century and was the owner of the vineyards. The wineries owned by Arminius produced alcohol derived from grapes. Over time, the production technology became more complex, as a result of which, by the XNUMXth century, a completely new drink with a wonderful color, noble mild taste and rich aroma appeared. To date, the territory of Armagnac production is limited to the region of the same name, divided into zones, and only a drink produced in this territory from white grapes of traditional varieties in one of two ways defined by law has the right to be called accordingly. ^[5][6].

However, the classification of brandy is not limited to cognac and armagnac. Here are just some of its species that have won the recognition and love of gourmets:

1. Divin is a brandy that is produced in Moldova and tastes like its French counterparts.
2. Arbun is an Armenian variety of brandy.
3. Metaxa is a drink from Greece, which was patented at the end of the 3th century. Its exact recipe is kept secret by the manufacturers. Like the apple of an eye, they also store a description of the cooking technology. It is only known that the producers of metaxa use double distillation, and the raw material is grapes from Attica, from the island of Crete and from Corinth. The aging period of this brandy is from 15 to 40 years, while maintaining a strict temperature regime. The strength of the finished brandy reaches XNUMX% ^[7].
4. Californian brandy is lighter in color than traditional brandy.
5. Sherry brandy – the brainchild of Spanish winemakers ^[8].
6. Pliska is a brandy made from Dimyat grapes, which is produced in Bulgaria.

All the types of brandy listed above are made from grapes. However, winemakers have long learned how to make a popular drink from other fruits and berries. We list only a few non-traditional types of brandy, which have a very original taste:

1. Calvados is an apple brandy that is produced in France in the region of Lower Normandy. It is prepared as follows: cider from apples and pears is fermented with yeast, and then subjected to double distillation. The first mentions of Calvados are found in manuscripts of the 1942th century, and the drink got its name in honor of one of the Norman departments. In XNUMX, like cognac, Calvados received Appellation d’origine contrôlée – a certificate of origin control.
2. Kirschwasser, also sometimes referred to simply as kirsch, is a type of brandy of French-German origin. This drink is prepared by distilling the fermented must of the pitted cherries. In this case, only a certain variety of cherries is used: very sweet and small berries of almost black color. The fruits are used in the production as a whole, together with the seeds, due to which the product receives a special, slightly noticeable almond flavor. Kirsch, unlike other types of brandy, is not aged in oak barrels, but in earthenware jugs or in glass containers. It is mainly used for making cocktails with various liqueurs and champagne.
3. Slivovitz is a special brandy that is popular in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and the Balkans. The drink is made from plum juice, and its strength varies from 45 to 75%. For its manufacture, only sweet ripe fruits are used, which were collected from trees that celebrated their twentieth anniversary. Slivovitz is characterized by almond notes due to the use of plum stones. One of the features of this drink is triple distillation.
4. Borovichka is a brandy made in Slovakia by re-distilling grain alcohol infused with juniper berries.
5. Williams is a brandy made from the Williams yellow pear. This drink is considered quite young – its production began about forty years ago. His homeland is Switzerland. To date, a drink with a pronounced pear aroma and original taste is also made in the province of Alsace in France.
6. Framboise is a raspberry brandy. It is prepared in Alsace (France) from dried berries, as well as from waste from the juice industry. The drink has a strong raspberry flavor and bright aroma.
7. Palinka is a fruit brandy from Hungary. It is prepared from fruits of different types: pears, apricots, plums, apples, and is used mainly for the production of desserts and cocktails.
8. Grappa is an Italian brandy made from grape pomace with fruit syrup. Use it chilled, without mixing with other drinks.
9. Sherry brandy is a drink made in southern Spain from cherry juice.

Brandy production technology

For the production of classic brandy, grapes of the Folle Blanche or Ugni Blanc variety are used. At the same time, it is believed that the drink, for which the Folle Blanche grapes served as the raw material, is more aromatic, therefore this variety is used by the world’s leading brandy producers.

Berries that are used for production must be very fresh, with no signs of rotting. Juice is squeezed out of them, which is then placed in a special container, where the fermentation process of the drink is carried out for several weeks. At this time, carbon dioxide is released, a precipitate precipitates, and the result is a semi-finished product, the strength of which does not exceed nine degrees. Then it is subjected to a single or double distillation until the strength of the finished product reaches at least 70 degrees. Also, as a result, the color of the drink and its taste qualities change. ^[3][9].

Holding time

According to experts, brandy needs proper aging more than any other alcoholic drink. Recall that it was aging in oak barrels that at one time turned the distillate, which was not very suitable in undiluted form for consumption, into a noble drink.

Today, there are three options for the brandy aging process:

1. Without endurance. Most often, fruit varieties do not need aging. They are colorless, have a very bright taste and a sharp aroma of the raw materials that were used for their preparation. Such drinks are immediately blended and bottled.
2. Barrel aging. In this case, depending on the technological requirements, the process time can be from six months. The drink is aged most often in containers made of wood, such as oak. Some manufacturers use containers made of neutral material. Brandy aged in barrels usually has a golden brownish tint.
3. Solera process. This system originated in Spain. Briefly, it can be described as follows: part of the “young” alcohol is poured over to the more seasoned “old”. The full name of this process sounds like “criadera and solera” and comes from the words “criadera” – an incubator or kindergarten and “solera” – the oldest barrel. Alcoholic distillate is placed in oak barrels, which are installed in 3-5 tiers, creating a kind of pyramid. At the same time, the lower tier is the “solera”, that is, there is the “oldest” brandy. The second tier is the “first criadera”, the third is the “second criadera” and so on. The distillate is taken from the “solera” for further packaging in containers, and the selected amount is replenished with liquid from the “first criadera”. In turn, the lack of the “first criadera” is compensated by an even “younger” distillate from the second criadera. And so in a circle. In Spain, they say that in this way the “young” spirits give their strength and energy to the “old”, and the “old” share their wisdom and experience with the young. At the same time, brandy aged according to this system is divided into three groups: Solera proper (at least six months), Solera Reserva (at least a year) and Solera Gran Reserva (at least three years).

Note that the leading brandy producers have their own aging classifications. The most common of these is the system proposed by the French Hennessy. The beginning of this classification was laid back in 1870, when cognac manufacturer Maurice Hennessy created a unique collection of drinks especially for his relatives and close friends, giving it the name Extra Old (especially aged) or XO. Later, they began to call it that brandy, the exposure of which was at least six years, and Maurice Hennessy himself developed his own classification system, which has since received worldwide recognition. ^[10].

It looks like this:

1. AC – drinks up to two years old. It is usually brandy made from fruits and berries.
2. VS (Very Special) is a designation for drinks that have already celebrated their three-year anniversary.
3. VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) are more noble varieties that have been aged for at least four years.
4. VVSOP Grande Reserve is a brandy that has been aged for more than five years.
5. XO (Extra Old) Hors d’âge Napoléon Extra Trés Vieux Vieille Reserve – unique pieces aged over six years ^[11].

What goes with brandy

Brandy enjoys a reputation as a versatile alcoholic drink that can be combined with both meat dishes and chocolate, coffee, cola or tonic. Nevertheless, in order not to spoil the impression of the drink, the choice of snacks should be approached responsibly.

So, brandy is best suited:

1. Light snacks: cold cuts, sandwiches with red caviar or fish, gourmet cheeses, olives.
2. Fruits and nuts: unsalted peanuts, apples, pears, bananas.
3. Sweets: dark chocolate.

At the same time, real gourmets are convinced that brandy should not be eaten at all. They adhere to the so-called “three C” rule: Cafe, Cognac, Cigare. It consists in the following: first you should drink a cup of strong bitter coffee, then brandy, and then smoke a cigar.

How to drink brandy

Drink brandy from glasses with thick walls. The most commonly used cognac glasses, which are called “snifters”. At the same time, it is believed that only their wide part needs to be filled: only in this case you will be able to fully experience the aroma of the drink.

True gourmets are convinced that you can fully enjoy the taste and aroma of the drink only if you use brandy in a slightly warmed form. Therefore, before taking the first sip, slightly warm the glass in your palms.

Drink brandy slowly, in small sips. For noisy parties, this drink is not suitable. It should be used in a narrow circle of close friends, in a relaxed atmosphere.

Inexpensive medium-aged brandy can be mixed with coffee, syrups, lemon or orange juice. In the event that the aroma of brandy seems too saturated to you, you can add ice to it.

This serving option has a large number of supporters, although true gourmets consider it barbaric.

Interesting facts

As noted above, brandy is a rather ancient drink. A lot of very curious historical facts are connected with it, some of which we will tell.

In the XNUMXth century, brandy was used in thermometers instead of mercury.

In photographs, St. Bernards participating in search operations to rescue people trapped under snowy rubble in the mountains are often depicted with a container of brandy attached to their collar. It is believed that this drink helps to revive people found under the snow blockages. ^[12].

When the first escalator in the UK appeared in one of London’s department stores, visitors were wary of the novelty. To persuade them to take a ride on the “terrible” device, the owners of the department store rewarded the daredevils with a glass of brandy.

One of the most popular drinks in Cambodia is tarantula brandy. This drink is made from rice liquor, which is infused with the “carcasses” of dead spiders.

Preparing cocktails with brandy

As mentioned above, brandy can be used to make cocktails. For example, a popular drink is the Separator cocktail. To prepare it, you will need 20 ml of brandy, the same amount of cocoa liqueur and 30 ml of cream. Put a few large ice cubes at the bottom of the glass, then add all the ingredients and mix gently.

Citrus lovers can treat themselves to the Harakiri cocktail. To prepare it, mix 45 ml of brandy, the same amount of orange liqueur and 30 ml of orange juice in a shaker with ice. Strain the finished drink and pour into a glass.

Representatives of the beautiful half of humanity will surely enjoy a cocktail called “Happy Youth”. To prepare it, place one sugar cube on the bottom of a tall glass, pour in 15 ml of brandy, the same amount of cherry liqueur and 90 ml of champagne. Don’t stir.

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