What they eat and what they drink brandy with. How to drink brandy: a drink for true connoisseurs

If this topic is interesting, but not familiar, then the article will help you find out what you did not know about brandy. Most likely anyone, even not a special connoisseur of alcohol, has heard the word "brandy".

It sounds solid, but what kind of drink it really is and what it is drunk with, few people know. Many confuse it with cognac and even wine. And how much various kinds brandy exists. Not enough fingers to list everything.

In this article we will try to find out more about brandy. What kind of "beast" is this and what is it "eaten" with. Probably, one day it will be possible to show off your knowledge in this matter after studying the information below.

Description of the drink, its main types

Well, for starters, let's clarify what is included in the concept of such a drink as brandy. First of all it is strong alcoholic drink not lower than 40 degrees.

Obtained by distillation grape wine or fermented berry juices. Interestingly, each country has its own own technology brandy production. There are no clear regulations and standards for the production of this drink.

The only exceptions are a few types, namely Armagnac, Cognac and Calvados. The best brandy made in Spain, it is celebrated for sweet taste. Portuguese and Italian brandy are also famous for their quality.

As for the types of this drink, there are three main ones, but each has its own subspecies. They are not very easy to understand, and there is no special meaning in this. After all, as mentioned above, there are so many technologies that it’s impossible to count everything.

Here are the main ones:

• grape
• pomace
• fruity

This species diversity depends on the raw materials used in production.

Note: if the label does not indicate raw materials, then this grape brandy. In any other case, raw materials must be specified.

Another criterion is the strength of the brandy.

Exists:

• strong (80-90%)
• grappa (70-80%)
• regular (57-75%)

How to drink

The first two types are not used in pure form. Only for the production of other fortifications of wines, or diluted with distilled water.

It remains to mention the exposure and you can move on to the features of use. If a person who is not versed in such a matter takes a bottle and sees the following designations on the label: X. O .; A.C.; V. S., etc., then most likely they will remain just letters for him, but the price, of course, will be very different.

But connoisseurs are well aware that the aging of the drink is indicated in this way.

• If the brandy is not more than 2 years old, then A.C.
• S. gives information about whether the drink is more than 3 years old.
• Drinks category V.S.O.P. aged from 4 years and are more elite.
• V.S.O.P. brandy from the main class of this type of drink, aged for more than 5 years
• O. it's unique, highest quality brandy aged over 6 years.

Well, we figured out the varieties, now about how they drink this drink. Is there something special in this process?

This is interesting: any experienced sommelier will tell you that brandy usually acts as a digestif. This means that they drink such a drink after a meal. It is believed that this promotes better digestion. Besides, room temperature is just the right amount to drink brandy. At higher temperatures, the vapors that give the drink its uniqueness will evaporate, leaving only alcohol.

Drinking, of course, will be less pleasant. The French, for example, have a rule of three "c". It means cafe-coffee, cognac - cognac, cigare-cigar. This rule also works with brandy. Bakal should be chosen specifically for cognac wines, narrowed upwards, tulip-shaped.

This will keep the aromas from escaping while the glass is in your hand. IN Lately new interesting ways drinking brandy. In Europe, for example, it is often drunk with ice like whiskey. This serving is perfect for an aperitif.

cocktail recipes

To get acquainted with brandy, it is not necessary to drink it in its pure form. There are many cocktails based on this drink that are easy to make at home.

"Cointreau"

Ingredients: 30ml Cointreau liqueur, 30ml brandy, 30ml lemon juice, a curl of lemon peel.

Cooking:

• Pour ice into a shaker.
• Pour all ingredients into a shaker.
• Mix well.
• Pour into glass and garnish with lemon zest

"Porto Flip"

Ingredients: 15 ml brandy, 45 ml Porto wine, 1 egg yolk, nutmeg.

Cooking:

• Add ice to shaker
• Mix all ingredients for at least 15 seconds
• Filter and pour into a glass
• To sprinkle nutmeg

"Charles"

Ingredients: 100 ml brandy, 25 ml rose vermouth, 2 drops of Angostura bitters.

Cooking:

• Put ice cubes in a shaker
• Mix all ingredients

Strain into a sour glass.

These are interesting but simple recipes help surprise guests and introduce new taste sensations. Brandy is one of those drinks that you should try at least once. Having understood the main features of this drink, choosing the right one will be much easier.

How to drink wine brandy, see expert advice in the following video:

Brandy is Reviver made from grapes and various fruits. It is perfect for relaxing gatherings in a narrow circle of people or alone. A glass or two of such a drink will allow you to enjoy great taste and aroma, relax and get a little tipsy. Therefore, you need to know how to drink brandy.

Glasses and snack

This alcoholic drink is not accepted to be consumed in big companies as entertainment, they should be enjoyed. It is important to drink it correctly. To begin with, a suitable glass is selected - “snifter”, or cognac. It is small in size with a short leg.

The tulip shape allows you to drink slowly and feel every note of the aroma. The amount of brandy should stop at the level of the wide part of the glass. That is, the fourth part of the sniffer is filled.

Many don't eat this drink because it is served after meals. But if there is a habit of seizing alcohol, then you can use any meat dishes and products. Another rather feminine option is to put a piece of chocolate in your mouth, wait for it to melt and take a sip of brandy. You can also eat a slice of lemon.

How to drink brandy: pure or diluted?

True connoisseurs believe that it is right to use given alcohol in its purest form, lighting a cigar and swallowing in between strong coffee. But for some, this drink is too strong, so you can dilute it with soda, tonic or cola by adding ice. Brandy also goes well with orange juice.

By adding ice when drinking in its pure form, the aroma immediately becomes brighter. Therefore, it is not recommended to drink brandy warm. Experienced connoisseurs recommend warming a glass with a drink in hand, because they have been drinking brandy for a long time and know a lot about it.

Cocktails - a delicious application of an alcoholic drink

Women are more likely to use this drink as a component of cocktails. Because the fortress is great or you like to feel new tastes every time. But men do not neglect cocktails. Their recipes and ingredients can be very unpredictable.

"Charleston"

You will need:

• Orange liqueur (50 ml);
• Cherry brandy (100 ml);
• Lemonade (50 ml);

Liquor and brandy are sent to the shaker, mixed thoroughly. The resulting liquid is poured into a glass, then lemonade and ice cubes are added. The cocktail is quite fresh.

The glass is decorated with a slice of orange or lemon cut off by a ring. There is also a tube for convenience. Charleston is ready to eat!

"Eggnog"

You will need:

• Brandy (100 ml);
• Sugar (2 tbsp. L);
• Rum dark (100 ml);
• Milk (50 ml);
• A pinch of nutmeg;
• Drinking water (2 tablespoons);
• Chicken egg (1 pc.).

Caramel is made from water and sugar. Sugar is poured into a small saucepan with a thicker bottom and filled with water. Wait for the appearance of large bubbles, reduce the flame and cook until honey color. You need to make sure that the syrup does not thicken.

With the help of a shaker, alcohol, egg and syrup are mixed. It is necessary to stir until the egg is completely rubbed and foam appears. The resulting liquid should be poured into glasses, add cold milk and sprinkle with nutmeg. It is not for nothing that Eg-leg is a favorite cocktail of English lords.

"Brandy Sour"

It's pretty fresh cocktail. The name translates as "sour brandy" because it contains lemon juice. Such a drink is nice to drink summer day to refresh and cool, as it is better to drink brandy cold (with ice).

You will need:

• Brandy (100 ml);
• Lemon juice (50 ml);
• Powdered sugar (a pinch);
• Fruit (for decoration);

Alcohol, lemon juice and powdered sugar are mixed with a shaker. Ready cocktail poured on ice cubes, previously thrown into a glass. The drinking container is decorated with fruits. If it turns out too sour, then you can dilute the cocktail orange juice. Since it is not necessary to drink brandy in its pure form, you can turn on your imagination and experiment with juices.

"Brandy Martini"

You will need:

• Brandy (25 ml);
• Tonic (100 ml);
• Vermouth (50 ml).

It's simple and extraordinary delicious cocktail. Brandy, tonic and vermouth are shaken in a shaker with crushed ice. After that, everything is decanted into glasses. Brandy Martini is ready!

"Scorpion"

Brandy is a drink that has gained wide popularity all over the world, including in Russia. It is represented by many different types, made on the basis of grape wine or mash. Gourmets say that in order for the drink to reveal the whole bouquet of taste, you need to know exactly what brandy is drunk with and what dishes it is served with.

What is brandy?

"Brandy" - behind this name lies a large family of various strong alcoholic beverages with a strength of 40% to 72%, which are made by distilling grape wine, fruit or berry mash. For the first time, the drink appeared about 500 years ago, when the enterprising Dutch figured out how to transport light wines to distant countries, and began to distill ready-made drinks, getting strong distillates at the exit.

Finished product after 6 or more months of storage in oak barrels matured, adopting the properties of wood, and acquired a new soft taste, golden brown color and a stunning bouquet of aromas. So brandewijn ("distilled wine") turned into brandy.

Cognac is often confused with brandy. But in fact, these are two completely different drink. What is the difference between cognac and brandy? The first is made only from grape juice of certain varieties by double distillation and aging in oak barrels for about 2.5 years. Ready drink has a fortress of 40 0 ​​- no more, no less. As you can see, brandy has a completely different cooking technology and basis.

How to drink brandy and how to eat it?

According to gourmets, real brandy should only be drunk room temperature(18-20 0 C). It is not necessary to warm a glass of drink with your hands: on the contrary, this will prevent it from opening up at its natural pace. There are several basic rules for its use:

• they drink brandy undiluted, from cognac glasses, without filling them to the top. There should be enough space for the aroma to open;
• drink the drink in small sips;
• expensive varieties of long-term aging are not used in cocktails and are not diluted, but are drunk only in their pure form. It is believed that this is the only way to feel real taste and the aroma of noble alcohol.

In its pure form, it is served only after a meal, but how an aperitif drink is diluted with soda, tonic, sparkling water, orange and grape juice(proportion 1:1) or make cocktails using inexpensive, low-aged varieties. The simplest cocktail is brandy with cola: the ingredients are mixed in equal proportions and served in tall glasses with ice.

Orange liqueur, cherry brandy and orange lemonade taken in equal proportions. First, liquor and brandy are mixed in a shaker, poured into a glass, then lemonade and a little crushed ice are added.

A traditional drink of the British, which is prepared mainly for the Christmas holidays. Beat with a mixer into a strong foam 2 tsp. sugar syrup and 1 yolk, then to lush mass add 50 ml of brandy and 100 ml of cold milk. The glass is half filled crushed ice, then the finished drink is sprinkled on top big amount nutmeg.

The shaker is half filled with crushed ice, then brandy and lemon juice are poured in (proportion 1: 1), add 1 tbsp. l. powdered sugar and everything is well mixed. The finished drink is decorated with fresh fruits, such as light grapes or orange rings.

The original "Pusset de Moto" ("motorcycle sidecar")

Crushed ice is poured into the shaker by 1/3, then brandy, Trill Sec liqueur in the amount of 50 ml and 2 tbsp are added. l. lemon juice, put a quarter of an orange cut into slices and mix everything thoroughly. The finished drink is filtered into a glass and decorated with cherries or lemon slices.

What can you eat?

In order to feel and, most importantly, not spoil the taste of the drink, you should choose the “right” dishes for it, allowing you to enjoy its true aroma.

Light snacks:

• cold cuts (ham, dry-cured sausage);
• sandwiches from white bread with red caviar or red fish, smeared with a thin layer of butter;
• cheese "Maasdam", "Emmental";
• vegetables: thin slices of sweet pepper, olives and cherry tomatoes;
• tartlets with tender meat pate;
• walnuts, almonds, unsalted peanuts.
• grapes of white varieties, green apples or pears of the same color.

Hearty snacks:

• shrimp and lobster dishes;
• hot beef, lamb, poultry with a side dish of boiled or fried on vegetable oil odorless with potato salt;
• fresh vegetable salads seasoned with olive or other vegetable oil.

• delicate walnut soufflé;
• thin pancakes with chocolate mousse;
• charlotte with unsweetened apples.

But lemon and chocolate do not go well with noble brandy. Of course, lemon can also be served as a snack. But, in order not to interrupt the taste of the drink, it is best to cut the citrus the thinnest slices(not thicker than 3 mm) and:

• caramelize half rings in sugar or dark chocolate icing;
• sprinkle coffee, cinnamon on top;
• place a lemon wedge between cheese slices.

One can hardly be considered a real man who does not know what brandy is drunk with. This is not just alcohol with a 500-year history, but a real secondary sexual characteristic for many generations of sailors. For several centuries of existence, the manufacturing technology and traditions of use have changed. But one thing remained unchanged - astringent aroma, taste and high strength.

What is this drink?

Alcohol called brandy appeared more than 500 years ago. The Dutch sailors, stocking up for the future with a large amount of wine, did not know its technology. proper storage, due to which part of the stock deteriorated. Therefore, the contents of the storerooms began to be distilled for greater safety. The resulting drink was called "burnt wine", or brandewijn.

The product gained considerable fame among shipbuilders, and after some time won the preferences of the inhabitants of the land.

As a raw material for modern technology production is taken grapes or other fruits. The first type is the most popular and is divided into a large number of varieties:

• Cognac- by the name of the area in France where it was first received;
• Armagnac- also owes its name to a place in the French southwest;
• sherry- the pride of the population of the Iberian Peninsula;
• Exist American, Greek and other territorial varieties.

Brandy has been produced in Russia for more than 100 years, but during all this time, almost any of its varieties is mistakenly referred to as cognac.

In this video, bartender Gennady Alekseenko will talk about Greek brandy Metaxa, what it is made of and what it should be used with:

General rules for drinking

Everyone has the right to choose their preferred way of drinking. But nothing prevents you from listening to the experience of other people and traditions developed over the years:

• The temperature of the liquid in the bottle should be no more than 20 degrees;
• There is an alternative opinion: the ideal temperature is 15 degrees. After pouring, the glass is heated on a candle flame. If overheated, the taste will be unpleasant and acrid;
• Brandy connoisseurs never put ice in their glass;
• Do not taste it in a noisy unfamiliar place. Preference should be given to quiet home environment in the circle of close friends;
• You need to fill the glass so that the liquid produces a small whirlpool;
• Before draining a glass, it will not be superfluous to taste the aroma of alcohol, especially if it is an expensive variety with a long exposure;
• They drink brandy in small sips, carefully savoring each drop;
• The original way of drinking - with coffee and under an expensive cigar.

Drinking goes well with milk, cream, sugar, liqueurs, soda, fruit juices... Mixing it with other substances is not only possible, but also necessary in order to bring down a high degree a little.

How to drink brandy correctly and what to eat?

Use alcoholic drink at 60 degrees it is necessary to combine it with food. In addition to eliminating unwanted quick intoxication, a properly selected appetizer will emphasize certain flavor notes of brandy:

• Citrus fruits (especially orange and lemon), grapes and berries. The fruit mixture will add exoticism;
• Sweet: chocolate, cookies, cake, sweets;
• The traditional dish is ice cream;
• roasted peanuts no added salt. Strong alcohol already strongly dehydrates the body;
• Almond or walnut;
• Meat, cold or hot. In our country, it is customary to seize strong drink with barbecue or smoked meats;
• Expensive varieties of cheeses;
• Chocolate with a slice of lemon or lime - classic snack popular in the West. The main thing is that the chocolate is bitter.

What kind of glass is used to drink brandy?

Full compliance with the intricacies of the process implies the presence in the house proper utensils. There are several types of glasses specially designed for tasting this drink:

1. Snifter- a rounded container with a wide base and a low leg. Suitable for expensive varieties alcohol more than 5 years old. To complete the experience, the glass is never completely filled - 25% will be enough. After bottling, the snifter is held in hands for a minute so that the alcohol absorbs oxygen properly;
2. Wobble- identical to the previous type, but does not have a stand, which is why it is constantly tilted to its side. Due to the structure of the vessel, the liquid in it is continuously mixed;
3. Tubular snifters- have in addition a soldered glass tube (like a hookah);
4. Tulip- a thin figured vessel on a high stand. Visually resembles a tulip bud, hence the name. The glass is intended for tasting young varieties of alcohol. They are widespread in continental Europe, unlike snifters popular in England;
5. Some people prefer to drink brandy from thick-bottomed whiskey glasses.

How to drink apple brandy?

A drink obtained by distillation from apples requires special handling:

• Eating this kind of alcohol with fruit is considered the height of vulgarity. Ideally, you should drink it neat, but desserts can be considered as an alternative;
• The French prefer to jam their drink with local cheeses and breads;
• Aged up to four years apple drink consumed before meals or during breaks between meals;
• It is customary to drink drinks with a more respectable age after a meal;
• If the fortress exceeds the bar of 45 degrees, then good tone it is considered to smoke a cigar during the process;
• If desired, you can prepare various cocktails to your taste. Compatibility fruit alcohol with other drinks extraordinary.

The most famous type of brandy is Calvados which is produced in Normandy. Fruits with high aromatic intensity are selected for it.

If you know what brandy is drunk with, you can get inexpressible pleasure from tasting this Dutch alcohol. Meat, desserts, ice cream, cheeses and fresh fruits. And only true connoisseurs know that the best supplement, how cigar and cup of coffee, cannot be imagined.

Video: the art of drinking brandy

In this video, professional kavist Antoine Lonny will tell you how to drink wine brandy, what you can mix it with, what products to combine with:

To fully experience and enjoy the taste of this drink, you need to know how and with what brandy is drunk. There are relatively few rules about how brandy is drunk, so it is easy to remember them in order to discover the full aroma and taste of alcohol. Brandy is drink for the evening in a small friendly company, therefore, to make your evening as good as possible, find out for yourself how to drink brandy and what to eat.

First you need to understand what kind of brandy drink it is, and then it will become clear how to drink it. This type of alcohol arose due to the fact that wine, popular during navigation, could not be stored for a long time, and there was too much spoiled alcohol to throw it away. Then sailors and came up with the idea of ​​distilling wine again to save an expensive product and save space in the hold. So today, brandy is made from grape wine, fruit or berry mash. It turns out quite strong, from 40 to 60 degrees, alcohol, in which notes of fruits or berries are revealed.

• To reveal the full aroma and taste of alcohol, it it is customary to serve and drink from cognac glasses and fill in only its wide part.
• Pouring into a glass, you must warm it up in your hands so that it gives off all the flavor.
• It is best to use it not at noisy parties, but among close friends to fully enjoy the alcohol and the atmosphere of the evening.
• True connoisseurs do not eat or drink this drink, but follow the rule: coffee-brandy-cigar. That is, first they drink a cup of coffee while the alcohol is heated in the hand, then they slowly drink 50-80 ml of brandy and smoke a good cigar. This is repeated several times.

What do you drink brandy with?

Most often, it is customary to serve brandy with dark chocolate or lemon as a snack, so as not to interrupt the taste of the drink. Take sweet chocolate Not recommended. If you're wondering how to drink a particular kind, like Torres brandy, you can dig deeper and look for variations, but a win-win is to drink it in its purest form. You can also add ice to the glass to reduce the strength, and drink coffee or strong black tea.

What else can you eat

There are enough for this drink. big choice appetizers that can emphasize rather than overshadow its sophistication. So by choosing the right snack you can enjoy it to the fullest.

Light salty snacks

• For strong alcohol, a good snack would be ordinary sausage cutting , but without fatty varieties, sandwiches and canapes.
• Cheese plate also goes well with the taste of the drink.

• You can also serve vegetables, but it is better to give preference olives, small tomatoes or sweet peppers.
• You can still submit shrimp or lobster meat, but other fish dishes will be superfluous.

Light sweet snacks

• Often seen as a snack ice cream or dark chocolate.
• Can apply walnuts, almonds or unsalted peanuts.

• Fruits match perfectly with strong alcohol, so you can chop apples, bananas and pears to it, as well as serve sweet grapes.

hearty meals

• Very often at big holidays you can see that brandy served with meat low-fat meals , salads and potatoes, which is also quite appropriate.
• It can also be a meat plate.

• If you were given a fish dish , then it’s better to set aside the drink for now, because you still won’t feel its full taste.

What do they drink brandy with?

Most often, they do not drink it, but mixed with grape or apple juice, still water or tonic. You can also just put ice in it to make the taste softer. But if you still want to drink something, then it is best to use good coffee Or a cup of strong black tea.

Other options

There are a lot of recipes for brandy cocktails, because it is a good basis for them. Many people prefer to drink cocktails in which liquor is added, there are also combinations with “vodka”, “calvados” or “rum”. But sherry brandy is best mixed with juices to get a long drink for big company. If you don’t have it at all, then you can find a replacement in “good cognac”, which, although it differs in taste, is perfect for cocktails. Or at least you can make — coffee with cognac — to relax after a hard day.

Brandy is great drink for a quiet cozy evening in the company or even for reflection alone, which is difficult to replace with analogues. It is suitable for true connoisseurs comfortable stay and good alcohol. If you don't care, you can buy good cognac, but it cannot completely replace the aroma and taste of real brandy. How do you drink? What snack did you choose for him? Tell us about your feelings in the comments.