The drink consists of gin, brandy, some Benedictine, pineapple, fresh lemon, angostura bitters and some grenadine. All the ingredient are mixed and the poured into a highball glass with ice. While this was the original recipe, the Singapore sling has gone through many changes over the years. All the ingredients have changed, however, the one critical ingredient that has remained the same is Benedictine.  Benedictine is a key ingredient without which the drink is not the same.

When  the drink is made in the proper way, it is truly refreshing.

The drink is still served on all international Singapore airline flights. The original drink at the Raffles hotel costs close to $25. This may sound a bit too expensive for a drink, but if you went to Paris, would you not go and see the Eiffel tower or if you went to China, would you not go and see the great wall?. The same logic applies to the sling. If you go to Singapore, you should get a taste of this great drink

Generally the white or Blanco tequila is preferred for the margarita but this is a personal choice.. This potent cocktail usually consists of a mixture of 50% tequila, 25% Triple Sec, and 25% lime or lemon juice.

The drink is served with ice. Some individuals also add a sweetener either sugar or a honey to add sweetness.

Another deviation from the classic Margarita is to make the drink frothier. This is typically done by adding some egg white to the blended margarita. While the egg white makes no difference to the taste , it does bring more frothiness. In the Southern USA, some individual also make margarita from raspberries, strawberries and even mango juice. All the ingredients are blended.

Irrespective of how it is made or what the ingredients are, margarita are a great refreshing drink for any occasion/event.

The classic daiquiri was always served in a tall glass full of ice. Both lime and sugar were then sprinkled over the ice and 2-3 ounces of rum was added to make the drink. Using a long spoon the drink was mixed and consumed.

Today, the variations of daiquiri include doubling the portion of rum to 4-6 ounces, omitting the sugar, adding honey/syrup and adding some grape fruit juice. Frozen daiquiri is basically the same thing except that the drink is blended with ice, making it a little slushy.

Daiquiri is a popular drink in most bars and sports clubs. Drinking a few daiquiris on an empty stomach almost always induces a state of lightheadedness and delight.

There is also the strawberry daiquiri- which has become a popular drink both in the home and at social events.  Essentially all the ingredients are combined and Strawberries are added to the blender and pulverized.  This results in a sweet delicious refreshing drink that tastes great.

The ingredients for “sex on the beach” are mixed,  shaken with some ice and served in a highball glass.

Over the years, there have been several variations to this drink. Some bartenders also add raspberries as garnish and use pineapple juice instead of the traditional orange juice. Besides raspberries, one can even add cherries.

The drink is very soft and fruity and is perfect at the beach or on a hot summer evening.

Behind the drink there is a subtle meaning which most men hope will come true. The women even though shy to order this drink always have lust in their eyes. In either case, Sex on the beach is the perfect beverage for a couple who hope to get more than just a drink.

Photo by digitalexander

The sweet syrup can be honey or some type of sweet juice (e.g. orange juice).

Because there are so many variations of sangria, the alcohol content is quite variable. While red wine has traditionally been used to make sangria, one can even use white wine. And even the fruits can be varied from peaches, nectarines and even tangerines.

Today, a tinge of cinnamon is almost always added to the punch to give it a sharp taste.
Sangria is best served cold and thus is a common summer drink.

Sangria is available in most wine and grocery stores in bottled containers. However, to add variety and taste, one can easily make their own sangria using a variety of fruits and syrups.

Brandy is made in many parts of the world including the USA, France, Portugal, South Africa. Germany, Mexico, Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Spain.

The most well known of all the brandy is that made in France called Cognac. It is the gold standard and all other brands are compared to it. Some of the best grapes in France are used to make cognac. The grapes are not always great for eating but still make a superb brandy. The brandy is aged in special casks made from limousine oak. The majority of cognac is aged for several years before use

When one buys a bottle of cognac, there is a label which indicates how old the drink is. Most people prefer to buy Cognac which is more than 2-4 years old

Martinis are simple to make. The 1:5 ratio includes using half an ounce of sweet or dry vermouth and 2.5 ounces of gin or vodka.  The drink is usually served cold and may be garnished with an olive or a slice of lemon.

Today, martinis have undergone a few changes. Flavored martinis are commonly available for a new breed of drinkers. Bartenders constantly add juices, fruits, various creams and chocolates to the martini.

Even the garnishes have also been changed lately. Instead of the traditional olive and lemon, now one can add stuffed olives, anchovies, sun dried tomatoes and marinated capers. In some parts of the USA, the cocktail is made of margarita on the rocks with olive juice. Martini is a drink usually enjoyed at the same time as having dinner.

Once the milk is fermented with the kefir, a sour alcoholic beverage is produced which resembles yogurt in consistency. The longer the milk is fermented, the higher the alcohol amount. The amount of alcohol is usually about 1-2%.

While many people can make the kefir drink at home, there is commercially available kefir in most grocery and health food stores.

One reason why kefir has caught on as a favorite drink among athletes, is that it is postulated to have a lot of health benefits. There are claims that unlike milk, kefir is better tolerated and does not produce any symptoms of lactose intolerance. There is also some evidence that it can decrease blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels.

Kefir is best consumed by adding a variety of fruits, juices or sweet syrup to it. one can blend the drink with ice cream, frozen yogurt and a variety of fruits. One can even drink kefir with cereals and add a variety of nuts, cashews and granola to it. Russians have used kefir as an ingredient in soups (borscht and okroshka).

Preparation of the Fenny involves collection of the juices of the cashew or the coconut and boiling it (distilation) in specially designed pots.  Once the water has evaporated, a strong concentrate of the juice remains which has a very strong aroma.

The distilled product of the cashew or the coconut has an alcohol content of about 40%. The raw drink is very intoxicating and one should never drink excess of it. The best way to enjoy the Fenny is as a cocktail.

One can drink the Fenny in combination with tonic water, or a beverage like coca cola or and citrus juices (lime, lemon, orange) .

There are other methods to remove the air from the wine bottle. A variety of sprays containing C02 are available. The foams are inserted into the wine bottle through a small plastic tube and the air is evacuated.

The cork or stopper is then quickly placed in the top of the bottle. This method is very messy and does not always work.

Another method to preserve the half empty wine bottle is to place it into a smaller bottle, place a stopper and refrigerate it.

The only sure way of avoiding the wine from going bad is to drink it as soon as possible.

Tequila is a alcoholc drink made from the blue agave, which is only found in Mexico. This fermented drink has had a long tradition in Mexico and was first popularized by the Aztecs in the 16th century. Tequila usually contains about 35-45% alcohol. Over the years, it has become a favorite drink among americans and its sale in North America continue to increase.

Mexico is the world’s leading producer of Tequila and there are 100s of brands of this alcoholc drink.There are various types of tequilas which are generally based on how aged the drink is. The blanco is the white tequila which is usually unaged (less than 2 months), whereas the anejo is aged anywhere from 1-3 years.
The two basic types of tequilas are the Mintos and 100% agave. The mintos is fermented with both glucose and fructose sugars, whereas the agave is completely glucose based. The glucose based tequila is usually easier to digest by the body.
Tequilas have a certain taste depending on the quality of alcohol. The cheaper the quality, the more acrid is the taste. The 100% agave tequilas are usually smoother in taste, produce a distinct aroma and are slightly more expensive.

While some individuals can drink tequila straight, this is not always fun. Tequila is best enjoyed with a combination of orange juice, grenadine and hot peppers. Some may even add salt and lemon to spice it up. The salt takes away the sting of the tequila whereas the citrus enhances the flavor.

And one more thing- there are no worms in Tequila. If you find one, go get your tequila elsewhere.

Photo by kevbo1983.

Absinthe is known to contain a chemical very similar to marijuana (THC). This is one of the reasons why there are many websites which sell material for home users to extract the thujone from the absinthe. The extraction of the thujone is difficult and does require some technical knowledge about solvents. In most cases, home extracted absinthe are contaminated with high quantities of toxic solvents.

Absinthe is a very bitter drink and is taken with some sugar. The product is not sold in bars but can be easily bought over the internet. While the amount of thujone is small in the woodworm plant, repeated drinking can lead to mental confusion and inattention.

All the different ingredients are dissolved in the alcoholic drink to make it a liqueur. Like good wine, some liqueurs are aged for a certain period of time to allow the flavors to integrate into the mixture. Liqueurs are made slightly differently in each country but one thing they all have in common is the sweetness. All of them have a distinct sweet taste. Liqueurs have been used by Europeans for centuries both as social beverage and as a herbal medicine. In Europe, liqueurs were frequently consumed during various royal rituals and ceremonies. Many individuals from Eastern Europe still use liqueurs in cooking.
Liqueurs are widely available in most countries. They may be served by themselves or in combination with coffee, ice cream or added to a mixture of cocktails. Most people prefer a liqueur after dinner and like to have it served with a dessert.

The preparation of liqueurs is somewhat complex. Some are prepared by mixing a variety of flowers, spices and fruits with thee alcohol whereas others are distilled from organic chemicals. What most individuals may not realize is that the alcohol content of liqueurs is minimal. The majority of liqueurs only contain anywhere from 5-20% of alcohol-only the rare liqueur may contain alcohol content of greater than 50%.

Photo by cocolaco.

If there’s one thing I get asked about a LOT… it’s bartending school. I’m of the general opinion that there are more productive ways to spend your time. I’m even starting to feel that it can be an actual detriment to landing a good bartending job. We’ve already run a review of a Texas bartending school, which has spawned quite a bit of debate. But seriously, are bartending schools any good? And if not, how do you get a freaking job?

Now, bartender/designer/blogger Jeffrey Morgenthaler has weighed in on the debate.

Sorry, kids, but it’s true. You don’t become a doctor, lawyer, or architect straight out of school, and the same goes for bartending. It takes training, time, and working your way up the ladder in order to be running the show on a Friday night.

If you’re not a complete idiot, you can get a job in a bar with no experience, and for half the cost of a bartending “school”. And I’m going to show you how.

Let’s say that a typical bartending course is forty hours long and costs $500, yet doesn’t get you a job. I’m going to bet that you can get a job for the same money or less in the same forty hours.

This is only an excerpt from the beginning of a lenghty post in which Jeffrey tells you how to really get a job in the bartending industry. This is some of the best advice you’ll find out there, so if you’re interested in a bartending career, click here and learn.

Tags: bartending school, how to get a bartending job, bartending

Tags: bartending school, bartender resume, bartender

• 1 12-ounce can frozen orange juice
• 1 12-ounce can frozen lemonade
• 1 12-ounce can frozen limeade
• 1 16-ounce package frozen strawberries
• 1 bottle of rum (750 milliliters)
• Water to cover

Pour all these ingredients (except the water) into a one gallon plastic container. Shake it up! Then take the water and fill it to the top of the container. Seal it up. Freeze it overnight!When it’s time for your party, scoop it into old-fashioned or highball glasses. Hell, even Dixie cups would work. Prepare to have people freak out over how awesome this is.
Alternate BLENDER version. Skip the water. Pour all the ingredients into the blender. Make sure the frozen stuff is still frozen. Throw in some ice. Blend it. Serve it. Get creative.

Here’s how they describe it:

is the magazine of liquid culture. It is a completely new way of looking at drinks—as a distinct culinary category, deserving in-depth exploration of history, ingredients, preparation, artistry and consumption. Imbibe will entertain and educate you about the far-reaching world of drinks, from wine and spirits to beer, coffee, tea and everything in between. This is a magazine that explores the impact drinks have on our lives—socially, politically, culturally and artistically—while highlighting the common thread people around the world share in the act of drinking. Imbibe serves up compelling travelogues, profiles and commentary, but it maintains a practical edge dedicated to helping you make informed buying decisions and enjoy drinks at home. Imbibe is your definitive and indispensable guide to all that’s fit to drink.
So, hey! Imbibe! How about a review subscription?

1. In case brandy, whiskey, or other liquors are to be drawn for use direct from the wood, the cask should be placed upon a skid, a substantial stand made expressly for the purpose, and kept in a place where the temperature is moderate and uniform.

2. Bottles containing liquor should be kept lying down, in order to keep the corks moist, and prevent the strength being lost by evaporation.

3. Casks containing Ale or Porter should be tapped before placing them on the skid, and then allowed sufficient time for the contents to settle and become clear before using.

4. Champagne requires careful treatment. It is not advisable to place more at a time on ice than is likely to be used, because if removed from the ice and again allowed to get warmer, a second icing injures both flavor and strength.

5. When champagne has been well iced, it requires a good deal of care in handling the bottles; cold renders the glass brittle, and less able to withstand the expansive pressure of the contents.

6. Bottles containing champagne, or any other brisk wines, must be kept laying down; if in an upright position for any length of time, the corks become dry, and the gas is liable to escape.

7. During the process of cooling sparkling wines, the bottles should not be placed in direct contact with the ice, because that portion of the bottle which touches the ice cools more rapidly than the remainder, causing unequal contraction and consequent tendency to crack.

8. When sparkling wines are served in the bottle, they should be put in an ice-pail, and the space between the bottles and pail filled with ice broken small. “When the bottle is entirely surrounded by ice, the liability of cracking from unequal contraction does not exist.

9. When Champagne is in occasional use, being served by the glass or for mixing beverages, it is a good plan to place the bottle on a rack, the neck sloping downwards, and insert through the cork a corkscrew syphon provided with a cut off or faucet, by the use of which a small portion may be drawn off at a time without allowing any escape of the gas.

10. Mineral waters contained in syphons should be cooled gradually, and not allowed to stand in contact with the ice. Although the syphons are constructed of very thick glass, this very thickness, while affording complete resistance to the expansion of the gas contained, is the more liable to crack from unequal contraction, when only one portion of the syphon is touching the ice.

Beer has been around for some time. The oldest documented evidence shows that beer has been around for at least 6,000 years. The ancient Egyptians and Chinese also brewed beer. Oddly enough, women were considered the master brewers. Beer was popular with the Romans and Greeks until wine came along. The Romans thought of wine as a type of food from the gods. Beer quickly lost its popularity in Rome and soon became a drink only fit for barbarians. During this time in Europe, beer making was still done in the home. As the 15th century rolled around, pubs and even monks were brewing beer, in Europe, for mass consumption.

Most beers will have the same ingredients and these are, barley, hops, water and yeast. The brewing process is what determines the style of beer. There are almost 70 styles of beer; some of the most common are, ale, lager, pilsner, mild beer and porter. With almost 70 styles, there’s probably at least one beer that fits everyone’s taste. So how do you like your beer, bottled, canned or draft? If given the option, most drinkers would chose draft beer. Draft beer retains most of its brewing flavor, plus, the packaging process does not affect the flavor as much. Most bottled beer is able to keep some of its flavor, even though it goes through a pasteurization process. Bottled beer can last about 3 months on a shelf. Also, the beer will keep longer if it comes in a brown bottle. Canned beer is filtered before it’s canned, but then it goes through a pasteurization process after it’s canned. Canned beer has a tendency to smell like the area where it was packaged.

Beer is obviously one of the most loved liquids in the world. People drink it for all occasions. It’s not defined by economic status, because the rich and the poor all drink beer. But beer is like anything else, it must be drunk in moderation. Most people who’ve been drinking for years, probably have some story of getting drunk and not remembering what happened the night before. These stories used to be funny, but as drinking, especially underage drinking, has grown, those stories tend to have unhappy endings. We’ve seen too many stories of drunk and unruly fans at sporting events, or worse, the drunk driver, to continue to believe in the concept of the happy drunk.

People will continue to gather places to watch sports and share a beer. But lets hope that beer will be just part of a good time and not the reason for having a good time.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Beer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

So, on with the tasting…

Study The Wine

Pick up your glass as elegantly as possible. There are two ways this can be done.

a) For chilled wines – hold the glass by the stem and don’t even touch the bowl.

b) For wine served at room temperature – pick up the glass by the bowl and hold it cupped in your palm, the stem between your middle two fingers.

Now that you have the glass comfortably in your hand, hold it at a slight angle against something white. If your hostess is worth her salt, she’ll have covered the table in white linen specifically for this purpose (although it does look nice, too).

Be careful not to tip the glass too far – unless you’re willing to replace an expensive linen tablecloth, that is. You may also need to adjust the distance from your eyes that the glass is held at. Most find that holding it at almost arm’s length is a good starting point although the very short sighted who are also absent minded enough to have left their eye glasses at home may find themselves having to hold the glass almost in front of their noses.

Once you’ve found the correct position, study the colour and clarity of the wine. Now you may well believe that wine’s either red, pink, or white but I’m afraid, if that’s the case, you’re very much mistaken. Wines can be green, yellow, gold, pink, purple, or even black. Evidently, the colour of the wine will indicate the type of grape it was made from – like me, you, and Jack on the street are likely to know that!

Clarity indicates age. Young wines are more see through and cloudiness can mean there’s something wrong. If that’s the case, I’d suggest putting it back on the table and giving your hostess once of those ‘down your nose’ type looks.

The reason why you’re studying the colour and clarity looks has absolutely no bearing on how the wine will taste but a proper connoisseur enjoys the beauty of wine as well as its taste and …
The Bouquet

No, we’re not talking about the bunch of flowers a bride carries with her down the aisle, we’re talking the smell of wine. Sometimes, if the people at the wine tasting are really posh, they might call it ‘The Nose’.

Still holding your glass in the correct manner, lower your hand somewhat whilst bring your glass to a level position and rotate your wrist so that the wine swirls gently within the bowl. You might want to leave these instructions at this point to go to the kitchen and practise this step with a wineglass half filled with water. After all, it’s just as well to know for sure that you aren’t going to spill expensive red wine over your hostess’s spanking new Axminster.

To swill wine properly, very little wrist movement is actually needed. Just very slight circular movements combined with a right-left movement should do the trick.

The idea behind all this swilling is to bring the wine’s aroma out of the wine itself and into the empty part of the bowl thus allowing it to be smelled and savoured. This is why wine glasses are bulbous. The wide bowl has ample room for swilling while the narrow edge ‘captures’ the bouquet. Clever, eh?

Move your glass to your nose as elegantly as you’re able and bring it in slightly beneath the tip. Inhale deeply. Savour for a few moments and then inhale again. It’s a good idea to exhale between those two inhalations or you might find yourself going dizzy. Do it too often and you’ll faint.

You may now move your glass away from your nose.

At this point, it’s appropriate to make some kind of comment. Don’t imagine you’ll fool anybody into believing you’re an expert but at least you can make it sound as if you’ve actually drunk a glass of decent wine before. Why should the other guests need to know that most of your wine costs £3.99 at the Co-Op?

Something like “mmmm, rich and fruity” or “oooh, lovely and light” will probably do the trick. When talking about red wine, ‘rich’ is usually a good word to use – if the wine’s white, go for ‘light’.
The Actual Tasting

You’ve probably been looking forward to this bit but whatever you do, remember that wine tasting is about taking small sips and not guzzle it down like there’s no tomorrow.

This bit’s actually trickier than you’d expect so you might want to do some more practising.

Bring your glass to your lips, open them slightly and take a small sip. Now close you mouth and roll the wine around on your tongue for a few seconds before allowing it to slide slowly down your throat AND AT THE SAME TIME EXHALE!

The trouble with exhaling whilst swallowing is that some of the liquid might come shooting through your nostrils. Not a pretty sight and, again, think of the Axminster!

If you fancy, you can always take a second sip at this point but never a third. No matter how good that one particular wine is, it’s time to move on to the next.
Other Stuff Worth Knowing

Apart from bottles and glasses, the table will probably hold plates of cheese or, occasionally, sherbet. They’re not there to snack on; they’re used between wines to clean out the taste of the last wine you tasted. Just a little at a time is all that’s needed. Do like a mouse and nibble!

Wear something comfortable and preferably something that doesn’t carry a designer label. After all, if you spill red wine down the front of your best frock, you’re not going to be happy, are you?

That’s it. You’re now clued up enough to pop along to your very first wine tasting party without making a complete idiot of yourself.

Enjoy!

Sharon Jacobsen is a freelance writing living in South Cheshire, England. She’s knocked back a good few bottles of wine in her time as well as participated in the odd wine tasting party. To contact Sharon, please visit her website at http://www.sharon-jacobsen.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharon_Jacobsen