How to brew beer at home from 0% beer, yeast and sugar?

All Ethanol is "natural" in the sense that it comes from fermentation. Neutral spirits are created through distillation to concentrate the alcohol. In theory you can combine sugar, water, yeast to make something that is kind of neutral in flavor, but that will only get you to about 16-20% alcohol. So you would have to dilute the 0% beer with this 16% brew and therefore dilute the flavors of the original beer. Far more effective, would be to buy some vodka and dump that into your beer (Unless you are in a country where you can't buy it, which is what I suspect). Look up "Sugar Wine" recipes like this Sugar Wine recipe.


Do different beer glass shapes really make a difference in taste?

Yes.  Taste is really smell, and different glasses can capture aromas differently.  Furthermore, different aromas may be more or less present dependent upon temperature, and a glass may be crafted to be held a particular way (gathering more or less heat from your hand).  The same is true for wine glasses.

That said, how much of a difference it makes to you is what's important.  Going back to the wine comparison, I can sometimes tell the difference between different glasses, but not consistently.  So it's not the most important thing.

Now that that's said, there has been some informal, perhaps less than perfectly scientific studies, including a blind test.  Beer advocate provides some more detailed information.  Some of my local bars carry stemware for specific European beers, and I know of one stateside brewery, Black Shirt Brewing in Denver, which really wants you to stick your nose up in it (to good effect, in my experience).


This is caused by two things.

1)
When you drink with a straw the liquid touches your palate (upper part of your mouth) more, the skin in your palate is thin and strongly circulated (with blood) this accelerates the absorption of alcohol in the blood.

2)
Sucking fluid trough the straw requires a lower than ambient pressure in the lungs and mouth. This lower pressure causes more of the alcohol to evaporate, this alcohol is absorbed by the lungs again increasing alcohol absorption.

While drinking with a straw will get you drunk faster it will not necessarily get you more drunk as this is mostly just related to the amount of consumed alcohol.


Yes and No. Expensive wines are generally bottled in more expensive packaging because there is a greater profit margin and winemakers want to exude an air of exclusivity and expense. The unfortunately part is usually you can't see the cork because of the foil and the dark color of the bottle.

But, if you could visually inspect the cork before you open the bottle, yes those that tend to use more expensive corks generally mean a higher quality wine. Screwcaps and plastic corks generally mean a lower quality wine, EXCEPT in Australia and New Zealand where there is a large push to use screwcaps for all levels of wine to reduce TCA taint.

So, if you could look at the cork, these are the things you might look for.

Cork Grading


I'm a Chemical Engineer and it frustrates me that everywhere on the internet appears to be using this linear approximation. Yeah it's probably okay for hobby brewers, but for anyone actually interested in solving the problem for example use in software design or higher ABV products, this approximation is really not good enough.

This is actually a ridiculously complicated subject and it all boils down to the fact that at a molecular level, water and ethanol interact with one another with what are known as hydrogen bonds. Now you can just use an empirical lookup table or regress a tonne of data, but if you're interested in the root of this problem you should do some research into what are known as equations of state. In particular UNIQUAC for ethanol-water mixtures. It get's even worse when you realise that these equations of state describe gaseous behaviour remarkably well, but require additional thought to be applied to liquids.

People dedicate their entire lives into perfecting a generalised equation of state to describe the interactions between all chemical components. ANYWAY I digress...

I've done some number crunching myself using UNIQUAC and have come up with the following simple formula. Like yours above, it's only applicable to ethanol-water mixtures, and I've only validated this equation up to an ABV of 50% so be weary of going higher. This equation has an R-Squared value of 1.

ABW = 0.1893*ABV*ABV + 0.7918*ABV + 0.0002

Try it yourself :)


If everything has been sealed tightly, it should all be good still. The grain is probably fine, check that it's dry and still hard before using it, and inspect carefully for weevils or other small bugs.

Dry extract is good for at least 6 months if sealed and dry. Sift it and see how clumpy it's gotten- if it's been good and dry, it won't have many clumps, and you can still use it.

Liquid extract is fine for at least a year if it's sealed. Check the top of it for mold.

There are many schools of thought on hops going bad- personally, I'd buy new ones. Also buy new yeast, or at least get it started a couple days ahead of time and make sure it's nice and alive.


Is there a correct graph which describes various drinks

There isn't going to be (or rather it wouldn't be visually appealing enough) a source for what you want. Your best bet is to search "::insert alcoholic family you wish here:: Infographics." When you do you will find that some people have made things like this from PopChartLabs! They have two great ones for Whiskey and Scotch too.


Why does Belgium have such a rich and profound brewing culture?

When one speaks of "Belgian brewing", one must distinguish between two major styles of beer: the famous abbey ales produced by Trappist orders in Belgium (and now one in America), and the the saisons and bières de garde produced as inexpensive nutritional supplements and dietary staples for farm life. An interest in the history and production of these beers is best served by Phil Markowski's Farmhouse Ales and Stan Hieronymus' Brew Like a Monk.

To touch on a few of your questions:

As previously alluded, beer served a utilitarian purpose as a dietary staple and nutritional supplement for an agrarian society. Beer was frequently brewed in large batches at regular intervals in support of farm life, and the result were table beers and saisons for work during the harvest and bières de garde (loosely translated: "beers for keeping") to survive the winters.
Abbey ales are not as varied as they initially appear. Much of the variation in beers brewed in Trappist style come from fermenting different "runnings" of the same batches of wort (unfermented beer); to summarize very briefly, the strength is dependent upon the sugar content which is dependent on how many times the mashed malt has been "rinsed". See Wikipedia's page on lautering for more details.
Belgian and English brewing are actually not very dissimilar from a historical perspective, and there was quite a bit of overlap in technique between English, Belgian, and Flandrian brewers. The differences in style we perceive now (e.g. IPAs vs Flemish sours) evolved by regional taste preferences from common roots: malt-forward beers (which were originally quite sour) using the low alpha acid noble hops which thrived on the continent. Consider the similarities in taste and composition between an ESB and a dubbel.

In addition to the above referenced works, a quick read through the history section of Jeff Sparrow's Wild Brews should answer any remaining questions you might have about the history of Franco-Belgian beer.


There are a few theories out there, and their veracity, like that of most historical "facts", is hotly debated.

One theory begins in 1722 when Ralph Harwood, a London brewer, created a beer called Entire.  For some time, working folk had been drinking a blend of beer, ale, and strong beer, which pubs would mix to balance out their stocks and maintain acceptable flavor.

Entire was a pre-mixed version, brewed by Hardwood then sold and delivered to pubs.  Prior to this point, each pub had mixed their own.  In addition to economies of scale, Harwood's method allowed for aging of the finished product.  Historians theorize that the name porter came about because of the porters who worked at the markets and delivered the final product to the pubs.  A variation of this theory suggests that porter simply refers to the working class occupations of those who drank the concoction.

Another theory suggests that porter comes from the Netherlands, where a beer called poorter was being made as early as the 1300s.  The Dutch were prolific traders, and cultural transfer could easily have occurred.  The term poorter originally concerned inhabitants of walled cities and may also have been related to social station.


Is it possible to identify this bottle and its contents?

The label looks like Serbian, and says:

Гарантовано природна (garantovano prirodna) = Guaranteed Natural
стара 10 година      (stara 10 godina)      = Aged 10 Years

I don't see anything that identifies it further. But if this was offered as a "typical" Yugoslav gift, it might well be barrel-aged plum brandy (slivovitz).


Beeradvocate.com

Beer Expert - from "Rate Beer" data

Both of these are the largest rating/tasting databases for beer, I haven't used them but they would be the place to look for the information that untapped is lacking.


Are there broad stylistic differences between Scotch and Irish whiskey?

I'd say yes, but with the caveat that I've only tried a limited number of Irish whiskies (mostly big name brands) and so they might be a bit more varied than I'm aware of.

I'm largely ignorant of what goes into the distilling process of both Irish whisky and Scotch, but what I notice as a taster is that Irish whisky is often very sweet, with more like a sugary or fruity taste to it. I'd normally recommend them to people with a sweet-tooth.

Scotch can be very sweet too, but I find the Sherry versions often with more of a butterscotch/caramel flavour, and if they're well produced the sweetness is usually a bit more balanced than in the Irish whiskies I've tried.

If one was a connoisseur I'd imagine they'd be able to differentiate an Irish from a Scottish whisky a majority, but probably not 100%, of the time. But if someone was a beginner they'd most definitely have trouble.

So to answer your question more directly, if you were to showcase whisky, I would argue that you could do so with product coming out of Ireland, but that it would probably be more on par quality wise with American whisky, than it would Scottish.


Can wine be made from all edible fruits?

Yes, wine can pretty much be made from all edible fruit, including tomatoes. But the reason we make wine out of grapes is three fold. Sugar, tannins and acids.

Sugar. Grapes produce the highest naturally occurring amount of sugar of any fruit. Almost no other fruit comes close. Grapes have the ability to make wines that are anywhere from 10-18% alcohol and even higher in the case of late harvest grapes that have too much sugar to finish alcohol production.
Acid. Grapes have a very high naturally occurring acid levels coming from Tartaric acid. Acids help preserve wine and keep the nasty bugs from eating the sugar. They also make it more drinkable. Wine without any acid is flat and awful. It's like beer without hops.
Tannin. Red and white grapes contain tannin in both the skins and seeds. These are a natural antioxidant that help preserve the wine for long term storage.

Since grapes have such natural high sugar levels, they also have large colonies of yeast on the skin (aka the bloom) and because of this, grapes are a complete package requiring nothing else to make a high alcohol beverage that can be stored for a very long time without spoiling. No other fruit has the right combination of attributes to do this on it's own.


I'm sure someone has tried already. They would taste much like they do when you eat them fresh, so probably a lot like cotton candy. BUT, these are eating grapes and not wine grapes. It would take some effort to make a drinkable wine out of them. Eating grapes have rather thick skins and pulpy flesh which doesn't make it easy to get the juice out. If you got past that hurdle and got a decent amount of juice, they would be too low in sugar and the acid content would also be too low. You could adjust with sugar and acid. Wine grapes are much sweeter than table grapes (which is hard to imagine but they are super sweet when you eat them) and have much higher acids and of course seeds which table grapes do not have seeds.

It's interesting to note that these guys have created several new grape varieties with different flavor.


Sodastream: maybe, but at your own risk.

According to Sodastream's FAQ, "You risk damaging your soda maker, not to mention making a big fizzy mess!".  However, there are a few articles discussing how to carbonate non-water with one.

Anecdotes vary:

It overpressurized and sprayed beer everywhere
It worked fine, but go slow
Wild success!

Some tips:

It will definitely void your warranty
Use plastic, not glass, bottles to avoid shrapnel if you make a mistake.
Take your time; most reports indicate it's easy to over-carbonate your beer.


Just like there is no standards for understanding Computer Science education there is no standardized wine or beer education. You get the education where you can. I have pretty extensive experience in both wine and beer education. At one time, long ago, I was a BJCP certified judge. I have a winemaking certificate from UC Davis (short course) Both were a rigorous education. Then I went on to start a winery and eventually taught at a local community college that has a 2 year wine program. I think only the lead instructor had anything like a masters in wine (MW) the rest of us just university classes and self taught.

Getting a degree in brewing from an accredited college like UC Davis would have the most clout. I wouldn't say the WSET is universally accepted as the "gold standard" in wine education. If all you want to do is get some type of certificate for being a server then the Cicerone or BJCP will probably serve the purpose. Getting a Master Cicerone would probably be the highest for beer. Beer education has always been less formal than winemaking. I'm not sure why since brewing beer is way more complicated than making wine. I'm sure it has to do with the snobbery associated with wine vs. the everyman appeal associated with beer.


Looking for local beers on the Canary Islands?

Craft beer and beer tourism seems to have not yet hit the Canary Islands.

The other notable beer local to the Canary Islands that we know of is Viva (http://www.cervezaviva.com/).

We don't know of any craft beers in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria but Cerveza Gourmet (http://www.ratebeer.com/p/cerveza-gourmet-las-palmas-de-gran-canaria/34492/)
appears to be a store to visit if you are looking for a wide selection to choose from.

Answered by: The Gastrograph Team


Is the saying true that drinking absinthe drives a person insane?

The answer is no; drinking traditionally prepared absinthe causes no more brain-damge or insanity than any other alcoholic beverage...

  ...absinthe languished in exile for nearly a century, a casualty of bad publicity, special-interest lobbies and mythology. That allowed absinthe to become something of an urban legend, something to talk about in whispers, with wide eyes. Much is said about absinthe; very little of that is true.

  So let’s clear up a few misconceptions. Absinthe does not make you hallucinate. It is not wildly addictive. It will not cause you to lop off your ear, unless (possibly, on the off-chance) you are a deeply disturbed painter racked by poverty, heartbreak and mental illness. Rather, absinthe is a good drink.

  Degas’ famous 1876 painting, L’Absinthe, is a portrait of overindulgence and isolation: a woman slumped over her cafe table in front of an absinthe glass, face gone slack. In 1890, the book “Wormwood: A Drama of Paris” vilified absinthe, portraying the downward spiral that inevitably follows a drink. (Think “Reefer Madness” for fin-de-siècle Paris.) In 1905, a disturbed Swiss man, drunk on absinthe, murdered his entire family. Absinthe didn’t make him do it — any more than a bipolar who hacks up his neighbor after drinking Jamesons has been deranged by Irish whiskey.

  Environmental chemist T.A. Breaux, who has studied absinthe for 14 years, explains what led to the drink’s decline. “As absinthe became immensely popular, there was a drive to make it cheaper,” he says. “In urban areas, where they didn’t have a lot of space for distillation equipment, people made absinthes from cheap industrial alcohol, using chemicals that would induce the green color. There were people who had an interest in capitalizing on this, and they failed to make a distinction between these cheaper drinks and real absinthe. It’s a little bit like using Mad Dog as a reason to ban Bordeaux.” http://www.salon.com/2007/12/21/absinthe/

Also;

https://youtu.be/A_FQ_glhMxw


Is there any standard that differentiates an XPA from other American
  pale ales?

Currently, no.

According to the latest Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines (the drafted 2015 style guide http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf), there is no category of XPA or Extra Pale Ale.

Stylistically, depending on the malt bill used, one would place the beer in either an American Pale Ale or IPA category, though most 'sub styles' the BJCP wants to have in the 21B. Specialty IPA category. If it was heavy in British malts, perhaps even an English IPA.

This doesn't mean, however, that a brewery can't just make up whatever they feel like to call their beer, which is what I believe is happening there. XPA sounds cool, new, and interesting.

The idea of the style has been around for a few years, at least back to 2013 as referenced by this HomeBrewTalk forum post. Even then there were debates as to the meaning of this style... and it still hasn't become anything of note.


Why have distinct styles of Scotch clustered in different regions of Scotland?

Much of it has to do with the material they used to dry the grain. If the distillery traditionally used peat (because it worked well, was widely available, and cheap, the smell made its way into the spirits (this is why the Islay area has such a concentration of “peaty” whiskies.

Much of the flavor and color comes from how the distillery ages the whisky. One of the casks of choice these days is American white oak. Bourbon distillers in the US are only allowed to use a cask once. Scotland distilleries will buy the used casks and reuse them several more times. The best whiskies tend to be aged 12 or more years in ex-bourbon casks (first run of whisky).


Chaptilization is the addition of sugar, mostly cane sugar but could be other sugars like beet or corn.

Chaptilization is only illegal in several countries and one state in the USA. Here is the list Australia, Austria, Germany (for high quality wines), Italy and South Africa.

Chaptilization is permitted in only certain areas of France. Those are Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne. There is no need in warmer climates where the grapes get higher brix (sugar levels)

No it's not dangerous to consume chaptilized wine. The main reason is to bring a wine up to around 11-12 potential alcohol so the wine is stable and in balance. Cool climate places like Germany and France routinely have under ripe grapes and sometimes need a little help getting across the finish line.

If done in moderation, all the sugar added will be consumed by yeast and turned into alcohol. I suppose you could go crazy and make a wine with so much sugar it wouldn't finish fermenting. Some people swear they can tell when a wine has added sugar, but as far as I know, nobody can really tell by tasting if done in moderation.

Why is it banned in the warmer places like California, Australia and South Africa? There simply isn't a need. The grapes get ripe on their own.

There is one big loophole to get around this, you can use grape juice concentrate to give you an added boost if you are in bad (cool) year. But for the most part if you are looking at a crappy and cool year, say in California, you might just buy grapes from a warmer location and do some blending.

Chaptilization on Wikipedia


There are a few things you can check with you keg.  You said it's a home built system, yes?  So is this a mini-fridge conversion, chest freezer/keezer conversion, or some other kit?

Anyway, what length are the beer lines?  Generally you need to balance CO2 pressure against beer lines to avoid consistently foamy pours.  If your system isn't properly balanced the beer will always be foamy, on every pour.  I have 5-6 foot lines in my kegerator and it works pretty well for me, when I was having foamy pour problems everyone suggested replacing them with 10 foot lines just to make damn sure the pour wasn't too violent.  Also making sure the lines are clean.  Any beer stone or other sediment in the lines is going to cause foam.

Serving warmer with lower CO2 would also be a better step.  One frustrating thing about these sorts of adjustments is that it takes time for equilibrium to be hit.  So if you lower the CO2 pressure, the headspace is still pressurize.  You'll need to vent the keg via the pressure release valve.  Same deal with raising the temperature.  Once the beer actually comes up to the new temp, there will have been CO2 driven out of solution that you need to vent from the headspace via the pressure release valve.  It's a pain.  Regulators will also often have their own pressure valve, which you should poke and vent slightly when setting the pressure...especially when coming down since excess pressure in the system is going to mess with the reading.  So vent, watch it rise to the actual pressure, then adjust, vent again, and watch.  It takes some time but generally once you set it there's very little change required.

It's hard to tell without seeing the speed of your pour.

Definitely check the keg temperature itself.  As a homebrewer I reuse kegs, so I have stickers on all my kegs that have a little temperature line.  These liquid crystal thermometers, like this one, are pretty cheap.

You can also check the ambient temperature using a regular thermometer and a small glass of water.  You should check temperature at multiple spots inside the kegerator, so you could fill some tumblers or shot glasses with water and place them at the bottom of the kegerator, then maybe on top of the keg, and then maybe a back shelf if you have anything like that.  This lets you know if you have any hot spots which you can reduce by reorganizing tubes or tossing a small computer case fan in there.

Also, if you haven't disabled the dome light in the fridge, do so or find some way to make sure the switch stays down beyond a doubt.  When I first built my kegerator I was getting incredibly foamy pours and a huge contributor wound up being the dome light kept coming on and heating up the tops of the kegs and the beer in my lines.

Another final check is the temperature inside of the tower.  If you have no way for the cold air to get from the body of the fridge into the tower the lines in the tower will get warm and cause foamy beer, though if the CO2 pressure is set correctly, this would likely only result in the first 1-2 pours being foamy, then it calms down until the lines warm back up.  A lot of people will put fans or run copper tubes up the towers.  I filled mine with insulation.


Indeed there are kosher beers

All unflavored beer with no additives are considered to be kosher, even without certification. Some of the most popular kosher beer companies include:

  Many breweries are coming out with specialty brews that have
  additives; don't assume that all varieties are acceptable - check the
  label.

Coors
Saranac all products
Pete's Brewing all products
Brooklyn Brewery all products

  These beers are generally available where ever beer is sold.

Read more: Kosher Beer (Orthodox Jews)

The following beers from Samuel Adams, The Boston Beer
Company, are Star-K kosher/pareve, even without the Star-K on
the label.

Black Lager
Boston Ale
Boston Lager
Brown Ale
Cherry Wheat
Cranberry Lambic
Cream Stout
Double Bock
Hefeweizen
Holiday Porter
Light October fest
Old Fezziwig
Pale Ale
Spring Ale
Summer Ale
White Ale
Winter Lage


What are some ways to quickly cool a beer?

Take a bucket. Or a bowl. Or a cooler.  Or any other similar vessel. Put your beer bottles or cans (sealed! For the love of god, sealed!) at the bottom of the bucket.

Fill it most of the way with ice. Then fill in with water until the bottles are submerged. Then throw in any remaining ice.

Finally, add a volume of salt commensurate with the quantity of water, both solid and liquid, you've already got in there.

Wait anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes depending on desired coldness and quantity of beer.

Enjoy!

(Rinse the rim of the bottle if you're finicky. Also, this will probably ruin the label. Sorry. Why do you care about that anyway? You weirdo.)


How can I distinguish a sipping tequila?

The truth is that Tequila is a sipping alcohol, on the whole.

“In Mexico, tequila is kept in the fridge so it’s perfectly chilled
when served and almost always enjoyed neat,”

according to Angel Bolivar, the head bartender at Casa Neta in New York City.
Of course, as with any alcohol, throwing as much money at it as possible will generally get a person something that comes from the higher shelves and is 'better' and more delicious than some of its competitors. However, you never need to break the bank in order to partake in a fancy and delicious beverage.
Knowing the different types of Tequila is the best way to begin one's search... At the most basic level, there are essentially 2 types of tequila:
1.) "Mixto" or mixed - anything can be labeled as Tequila as long as 51% of the fermented sugars come from the Blue Agave plant. Therefore other sugars and additives, like cane sugar, caramel color, oak and other flavorings, glycerin, and sugar-based syrups, can make up the other 49%... generally any tequila labeled "gold (oro)" and "joven (young)" is going to be a mixto.
2.) 100% agave tequila - this is the stuff that you will want to sip. Leave the cocktails to the mixtos.
From there, the tequilas can be broken up into the way that they are aged. There are essentially 4 classifications of aged tequila  that is made from 100% blue agave:
1.) Blanco (white) or Silver - this would be the youngest type of tequila. The liquid is clear because it never sees the inside of a wooden cask.
2.) Reposado - means "rested" and is usually aged for more than a couple months and up to a year.
3.) Añejo - means "vintage" and is aged from one to three years.
4.) Extra Añejo - also "ultra añejo," is going to be tequila aged for more than 3 years time.
I have heard recommendations that beginners should start with sipping white tequilas but, I would vehemently disagree... in my experience, the whites are more "harsh" and fiery. They do not have as many subtle notes or nuanced flavors before and after being in the palate. Morgan Hurley, marketing and beverage director of Mex 1 Coastal Cantina in Charleston, S.C. states;

“Blancos showcase the terroir and the agave, but they also show any
imperfections.”

TLDR: Any 100% agave tequila labeled "reposado" or "añejo" is going to be your best choice for sipping - though not mandatory, set your budget for around $30 and up for the best experience.


In Canada you are able to purchase absinthe in most liquor stores including government run liquor stores.

Here in British Columbia, I have never seen a liquor outlet without absinthe for sale. They are usually imported from various countries such as the Czech Republic and France.

Canada also produces some of its’ own absinthe as is seen here.

  Liquor laws in Canada differ in the provinces, with no blanket national regulations. As of this writing, there is no law that bans or outlaws absinthe in Canada, but like in the United States, there are laws governing the amount of the psychoactive chemical thujone, which is present in absinthe.

  British Columbia has no regulation for thujone content, essentially legalizing absinthe in any form there. The provinces of Ontario, Alberta, and Nova Scotia allow the sale of absinthe with a thujone content of about 10 milligrams per kilogram. The remaining Canadian provinces do not allow the sale of absinthe containing thujone.

  As the laws governing thujone content in Canada vary by province, the laws are subject to change. - Absinthe Laws


Other than the USA, do any other countries have dry counties?

Yes. Currently the list of Countries that have prohibition (and their counties) are:

 Afghanistan
 Bangladesh
 Brunei
 Iran
 Indonesia (prohibition in small business shops)
 India (prohibition in the states of Kerala, Gujarat, Bihar, Nagaland, Manipur and the union territory of Lakshwadeep)
 Libya
 Kuwait
 Maldives (excluding non-Muslims)
 Mauritania
 Pakistan (excluding non-Muslims)
 Saudi Arabia
 Sudan
 Somalia
 United Arab Emirates (prohibition in the emirate of Sharjah)
 Yemen

Most of these are in Muslim-majority countries while India only prohibits alcohol in some states and their residing counties.

I am interchanging county and country because not all countries that have counties or states that have been divided into counties.


Techniques to add flavour and aroma to beer with hops

Some breweries use a hop "Torpedo", where the beer is forced through a chamber containing the desired aroma hops:

http://byo.com/hops/item/1899-torpedoes-away

You probably don't need one that big, though.


Why can't bars sell their in house brewed beers?

Most States have two different types of liquor licenses.  On premise and Off premise.  On premise is selling alcohol to drink there, off premise is for taking stuff home.  It is entirely possible that an establishment will only have one or the other.


What is the difference between inverted simple syrup and simple syrup (if any)

I was surprised at how tough it was to track down anything that clearly mentioned both.

Firstly, from several recipes, including this one, it seems that simple syrup is made, as you might expect, by dissolving sugar into an equal amount of water and then cooling.

When it comes to invert sugar, recipes seem to call for more sugar and possibly an acid, be it cream of tartar or citric acid (sometimes via lemon juice) to help catalyze the inversion of the sugar.  On top of that, they often call for boiling until a temperature of 236 °F (114 °C).  This process effectively breaks downs the bond between the glucose and fructose molecules that make up the sucrose.

This page explains that water activity (correlated with spoilage) is better minimized by monosaccharides, while simple syrup generally only contains sucrose, a disaccharide.  It then goes on to describe a method for making "partially inverted sugar syrup" and calls either for acid or more sugar, as well as boiling for 20 minutes.  Since this process is less exact and does less to force the system to break down the sucrose it's easy to see why it's "partially" inverting the sugar.

So to directly answer your question, there is difference. Simple syrup is effectively just sugar (sucrose) dissolved in water, while invert sugar/syrup is dissolved sugar that has been processed to break it down into its component sugars (glucose and fructose).  Invert sugar should be slightly sweeter, thicker, and have a longer shelf-life.


How do I get good layer seperation for a Shock Top Choc-top?

As mentioned by @Fishtoaster (and as depicted in the cat gif) pouring over the back of a spoon is definitely a must - you really want to make sure none of the top layer breaks into the bottom layer.
There are a few other ways to make your layering more effective as well.
As seen in the animated gif, a curved beer glass is used. Ideally, you want it to have this shape

(source: kegerator.com)
If you use a regular pint glass it will have a greater potential of mixing the layers.
A common mistake when making these layers is to get as close to 50% as possible. The downside is that as you drink it, it will mix with these portions. Ideally, you should be looking at a 70% base, 30% top in order to have and maintain two defined layers.


So a wine that advertises itself as vegan or vegetarian used an alternative to fining agent?
That's true. There are alternatives to the use animal products for fining. Examples are clay, silica and vegetable plaque.
Do some vegan wines simply skip the fining phase, or do all wines go through fining?
There are a lot of wine makers that prefer not to fine their wines. Not necessarily because they are animal friendly, but because they believe this process deprives the natural flavour and texture. Those wines are often called "natural wine".


In general, the rule of thumb for spicy or intensely flavorful foods is that you want hop-forward beers. The high bitterness of something like an IPA will have a slight numbing effect on your palate, cutting the intensity of spicy foods and allowing you to appreciate the complexity of a dish more than you could if you were simply overwhelmed by capsaicin.


Removing detergent residue from glassware

Generally, washing and rinsing properly first time should mean this problem doesn't happen.

If it does, vinegar is an excellent residue remover.

Rinse the glass fully in clean water (no soap).
Rub the glass with a small sponge soaked in vinegar
Rinse again

That should solve the problem.


How did South Australia come to have smaller measures of beer?

In short, it's because of taxation.

In the Commonwealth of Australia's Parliamentary Debates of 1904 (p.8534),  The Honourable Chris Watson (who went on to become the 3rd Prime Minister) made a statement about the brewers of Sydney strongly objecting to a proposal for an excise duty on beer. The sentiment amongst Sydney's brewers was that the additional cost would be difficult to pass on to the consumer, and in fact they had thus far failed to do so. In response The Honourable Alexander Poynton, said that the tax had successfully been passed from brewers to consumers in South Australia by making the glasses smaller.

For the record, The Honourable Chris Watson expressed sadness at the notion of smaller glasses.


Why do I seem to pee out more beer than I drink?

Alcohol is a diuretic.  According to this article, 1 gram of alcohol will increase urine excretion by 10ml.  Combine that with this CDC article stating that a standard 12 ounce (354ml) beer has 14 grams of alcohol, your can expect to pee 494ml, or 16.75 ounces per 12 ounce bottle.

The graphic would be more accurate with you drinking three beers but peeing four.


In (Soviet) Russia it is called Yorsch ("yorsh" means ruffe, a small fish remarkable for its hard and sharp spines).

There is a variations of it – "From brown bear to the polar and back". You take a glass of beer, drink a little, fill it up with vodka, drink again, fill up again and keep drinking and filling until the mixture is colorless. After that you keep on drinking but start to fill it up with beer. It is said that many have seen The White Polar Bear but only few have managed to see The Brown again.


The things that makes a good beer be a great beer

My favourate Beer of all time is: Sublime Chaos by Anarchy Brewery

I would say that This is my favorite beer for a few reason

Rich Coffee Flavoring
Not to heavy (for a stout)
Smells amazing

I think when it comes down to the perfect beer it all comes down to an individuals preference some like a nice golden beer some like a wheat beer I personally love a stout or a porter

For me tho a good beer is one that taste amazing, smells amazing and is a pleasure to drink not just drinking for drinking sake it has to be a beer you have a good time drinking


To do this, you should have a thermometer that you can throw into the water to measure the temperature, a pot for boiling water, and some bottles of beer.

Boil the water.
When the water reaches 190 degrees Fahrenheit, turn off the water.
Carefully put the bottles into the pit.
Put the lid on the pot and wait about ten minutes.
Carefully remove the bottles with a kitchen tong (or a mitten).
Put them on the counter to cool until they reach room temperature.
Refrigerate them.

Remember that the bottles are pressurized, so don't bang them while putting them in the pot, don't apply heat to the pot while the bottles are in there, etc.


What's a good (neutral) sample beer to spike with a sensory training kit?

You want a mildly flavored, low hop beer for something like this. I would suggest a Kolsch or Helles Lager or a Mild. Pilsners can be heavily hopped. I have done a lot of this with wines when I taught winemaking classes at a community college near here. We used very low aroma wines like a warm climate sauvignon blanc. You want the same for this since you don't want anything to get in the way of your samples. Also keep a small cup of coffee beans and water nearby to "reset" your nose and mouth between smelling and tasting. I wouldn't do two different beers it will muddy things. Good luck!


Beer in plastic bottles and health aspects

Plastic food packaging in general is usually lined with Bisphenol A (aka. BPA), as are some canned goods, which is a rather controversial chemical. It's been linked to cancer, sexual dysfunction, and other ailments. So I try to avoid it whenever possible and buy my food in glass jars. I can only imagine how much BPA is  dissolved into alcoholic beverages which are bottled in plastic or cans, being that alcohol is corrosive. I learned that lesson when I tried cleaning my GameBoy with rubbing alcohol as a kid. So I try to avoid alcohol bottled in plastic and canned alcohol as well.

The thing you have to realize is that plastic isn't really a solid, but a very viscous liquid. Glass is also a liquid, but it's much more viscous than plastic. That's why if you've ever been in a building that's a couple hundred years old, the glass on the windows is thicker at the bottom of the glass panes. Since both are liquids, they're obviously going to get into your drink. However, glass is a natural substance while plastic is not, so I trust it more.


From my own experience the effect of frozen-thawed beer tends to be flatter and have a more watery consistency.

Possibly this similar question on HomeBrew could help you: Link to HomeBrew question


Should bottle conditioned beers be consumed quickly after purchase and do they carry on changing taste for a while?

Quite the opposite, bottle conditioned beer is perfect for aging. The yeast carbonates the beer and will produce slight changes over time, like upping the ABV. This needs to be done in climate controlled environments similar to wine. The yeast will settle to bottom and you want to avoid pouring this into your glass when finished.

I brewed a Imperial honey stout and aged a few bottles at 68f for about a year for my birthday. The beer started at about 7.2 ABV The beer finished at over 9 ABV (this is because the yeast had plenty of starch to munch on and the carbonation was not affected.


Liquor casks are not cleaned between transfers, just emptied and stored until they need them again. The liquor that soaked into the wood makes sure nothing will grow in them.

Wine barrels on the other hand, need to be cleaned between transfers. Typically they are rinsed with hot water and then maybe steam. Left to drip dry for a day or two. Then sulfur dioxide is put into the barrel either through a gas or burning sulfur in the barrel. This sterilizes the barrel.

Many wine/sherry casks are reused as Whisky barrels. Minimal amount of cleaning is need before the strong alcohol is put in them (which sterilizes them).


Is there any good local gin or whiskey produced in South Korea?

There are a few that are popular in South Korea. One is the Imperial Scotch, Scotch Blue by Lotte Chilsun, and Windsor. They are sourced from Scottish distilleries for the Korean Market.


How can I tell whether a beer will improve with age?

There are a couple of considerations, although this is far from a complete answer.

First, a stronger (higher ABV) beer will tend to cellar better, as the alcohol can act to help prevent oxidization.

Second, a beer with less emphasis on hops, and more on malt, yeast, or other characteristics, will be a better candidate, because the qualities that hops impart will fade in a fairly short time.  This is why your IPAs and such should be consumed sooner than later -- the character is primarily in the hops.

The purpose of cellaring a beer is to see its improvement over time.  Some may stay exactly the same, which others will change.  I think the answer there lies in whether there is still active yeast or bacteria in the bottle, and whether there is anything for them to chew on.  Some styles (lambics, for example) are far more prone to this, but I don't think there's a hard and fast rule that one couple follow.


Dirty Pirate Popsicles

I honestly have never made this one. Some time back a friend of mine made these for a backyard barbecue. They were quite delicious. However not being quite as hard as ice, we had to down it relatively quick. The ones in the picture were similar to my friend’s popsicles.

  Ingredients

  2 1/2 cups Diet Coke™

  1/3 cup Captain Morgan™ original spiced rum

  1/3/cup Kahlúa™

My friend told me that using Diet Coke worked better than the regular coke.

Wanting to make some for a nice form of distraction, I wanted to find out if a particular shape of popsicle would stay harder longer. Here is what I found out.

  Slightly flat Coke will produce a popsicle that stays frozen longer. To quickly and manually flatten out the carbonation, empty out enough Coke from a 2-liter bottle to leave a 3-inch space from top of bottle to top of coke. Place cap back on and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Set aside to leave bubbles to subside. - Dirty Pirate Popsicle

The following is taken from Quora:

  Do Ice shapes matter? If so, which shape of Ice keeps my drink colder the longest?

  The larger the surface area, the faster the ice will melt. A cube of ice will last longer than a flat slab of ice of the same mass. The shape with the smallest surface area per volume is a sphere.

  A spherical piece of ice would melt slower than any other shape. There are moulds available to make spherical ice cubes, and they are favoured by some people who use them in alcoholic drinks because they take longer to water down the beverage.

That is right round popsicle moulds work best for any alcoholic popsicles!


Beers sold in the US with little or no carbonation

What you will be looking for is a Cask ale or cask-conditioned beer these are all generally very low carbonation or non at all due to only being left in a cask

  "Beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary
  fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served
  without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide"

If you go to an ale bar they will usually have at least one cask ale on I have not done a tour of America, so I cannot for sure tell you of places in America for low carbonated beer, but as for the what type of beer Cask Conditioned is definitely what you should be looking for.


How to measure the caffeine content of a coffee beer at home?

There was a similar question on the Cooking SE site. Perhaps you can try the approach suggested by Adam Shiemke in the accepted answer. He recommended using ethyl acetate and performing a little home science experiment as detailed here.


If you are using honey, water and yeast. Then the answer is NO. But alcohol is a poisonous substance if not used properly. You cannot make it strong enough to "poison" you in the traditional sense. Could you poison yourself by drinking too much of it, sure it's possible. But, there are no by-products from the fermentation process that would "poison" you. Enjoy!


Fully attributing the Berghoff Beer Blog for this interesting story (emphasis mine),

  Around World War II, brown glass rose in demand and many companies had to forfeit their brown glass for their country. Unfortunately that meant companies with higher quality beers had to use clear glass, which made their beers look like cheaper, clear glass beers. Higher quality brewers’ solution was to sell their beer in green bottles so a consumer could tell the difference between a regular beer and a higher quality. The green beer bottle became a status symbol for many European breweries.

  These days, there’s not much of a reason to sell a beer in a green bottle other than for marketing and aesthetic. Many companies use it to distinguish their beer from others. Of course, some beers have used green bottles for so long, it would seem silly to switch to a brown glass now.

  Lucky for us, glass suppliers are able to apply clear, UV protected coats to glass that help keep beer fresh no matter what kind of bottle it is in. [...]

http://www.berghoffbeer.com/blog/what-does-the-color-of-your-beer-bottle-mean/

So, perhaps it's no longer the case that clear and green bottles are (noticeably) inferior to brown bottles!

Edit: I failed to find historical sources for the above claims, even some indication of higher demand for brown glass during World War II. However, the story seems widely believed today, true or not.


Anxiolytics, Antidepressants and Alcohol

Both alcohol and prescription drugs (anxiolytics and antidepressants) can have a variable effect on one's alertness and reactions. Some people can drink 5 litres of beer and feel nothing. Many will feel dizzy and some will get near a coma.  Men tolerate alcohol better than women and some guys are very quick metabolizers, so they get alcohol out of their blood very quickly. The same reasoning aplies to drugs that act on the central nervous system. They have a sedating effect similar to alcohol and one may not feel one hundred percent alert while others may feel extremely sedated and unable to perform tasks that require attention and precision. For all this, there is always a warning about mixing alcohol with those drugs. However, effects vary a lot and you may get away with drinking and taking an SSRI such as Fluoxetine, Paroxetine or Sertraline. With a Benzodiazepine (Alprazolam, Clonazepam, Diazepam) you have to be more careful.  These drugs are more sedating than antidepressants and you may feel nothing, you may feel dizzy, or you may fall sound asleep.  One never knows for sure, so you gotta be careful. And do not drink and drive, even if you haven't taken any of these drugs.


What are the ingredients in beer that cause people to feel ill almost immediately?

(Assuming you are referring to "plain" beers, not beers with weird ingredients)

The only allergen that is present in normal beers is malt that contains gluten. Gluten intolerant people can therefor react to beer very aggressively.

Next, I would guess the alcohol. Some people have violent reactions to any form of alcohol.

Then, maybe the bitterness or just the flavour. The people may be sensitive to bitterness, or just really do not like the taste of (that) beer.

I have had beers that taste like baby vomit. It is VERY hard to not gag when you taste that!

You have to determine why the person reacts that way. If it is the malt, then get them a gluten free beer, if it is alcohol, then try an alcohol free beer, or just a cold drink, if it is the bitterness, then get a beer that is less bitter, if it is the flavour, then get a beer with a different flavour (fruit beer or a different style of beer that has other prominent flavours).


What is a good collection of alcohol to keep around for someone who doesn't drink?

The kinds of alcohol you'd want can differ depending on the occasion or type of hosting you'll be doing. If a friend helps you move a couch, for example, it would not be unexpected to offer them a beer afterward as a thank you.

Wine can be offered but is probably more acceptable in the evenings or with a specific meal. One bottle of white and one of red should be sufficient. Chardonnay is probably a safe bet for white wine and a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon for red, but your guests' individual tastes can obviously differ.

Liquor like vodka or whiskey can be used to make a variety of cocktails (again, during or after dinner are commonplace) and for guests who want to party these can easily be used for shots as well. Many people have preferences towards specific brands, but if you buy a $20-30 bottle you won't have many guests turn it down just over the name.


What are the main qualitative and quantitative differences between 18 and 12 year old Scotches?

Right now I can think about some characteristics of a Sotch, that depend partly on the age:

Flavours: The longer a whisky matures in a cask, the stronger is the influence of the cask on the flavours. So the character of a very young whisky largely comes from the distillery. That often means some fresh, fruity flavours, with a significant alcoholic taste. The character of an older whisky is largely defined by the cask(s). That often means some sort of wooden and softer flavours, besides other flavours that depend on the concrete cask.
Color: Assuming the same cask, an 18 years old whisky is always darker than a 12 years old one, because the former had more time to absorb the color from the cask. (Ignoring the fact that many distilleries add caramel colouring before the whisky is bottled)
Alcohol and volume: Over the years, the whisky constantly evaporates through the cask. Therefore, the amount of whisky in the cask is constantly decreasing (that's one reason why old whisky tends to be more expensive than young whisky). As alcohol evaporates easier than water, the alcohol concentration is decreasing as well.

I'm sure that a distillery doesn't use the same distillate for all products. But I have no idea if that means, that the distillate that is designated for an 18 years old whisky is crafted with more care than the one that's designated for a 12 years old whisky. Only differently, I guess.


Spilt drink etiquette - the do's and don'ts

Before going on to this delicate question of drinking etiquette, please allow me to share a real experience, while flying with KLM.

Several years ago, I witnessed a stewardess spill some wine one a lady's dress while on route to England. The first thing she did was apologize and then got the head stewardess involved. The lady got her drink renewed on the spot, plus the airline gave her accommodations (hotel) at the airport to cleanup, have her clothes washed and dry cleaned, and so on, all on KLM's bill.

Here are some commonsense rules to follow when you spill someone's drink over as follows, (if it is simply a question of spill a drink):

  1) Avoid letting the situation happen in the first place. You are most likely to spill someone's drink when you are making magnanimous gestures, carrying a few drinks of your own, or if you are feeling buzzed. So remember to be observant at these high risk moments. If you do spill someone's drink, do not ignore it, but act quickly to assess the situation and defuse any hostile vibrations.

  2) Apologize. If you have just spilled someone's drink, you should apologize immediately and unreservedly. If they are a decent type, this should stop them from getting too agitated.

  3) Considering buying a replacement. Have a look at the damage. If you have just knocked their drink out of their hands all over the floor, then you need to replace it immediately. If you've only knocked an ounce of beer or two from the top of their glass, then it shouldn't be a big deal.

  •Most people will be okay about it, and no replacement drink should be required. If they become confrontational, it would be best just to buy them a drink to save you the trouble. -
  How to React when You Spill Someone's Drink


Looking for a very hoppy beer (in Germany)

Well, when it comes to very hoppy beers nowadays, I can't help thinking about American IPAs. It's not even close to any german style, off course, but if you are looking for hops, that's the one style to go for.

Fortunately, there are some german microbreweries making IPAs there, like Hans Müller Sommelierbier's Backbone Splitter IPA, Ale-Mania's Imperial IPA and Crew IPA. I just don't know how available they are over there.

In general, german styles aren't so hop-forward, favoring balance over excess. Styles like Munich Helles and German Pilsners have a definite hop profile, which I find just the exact right amount to balance malt and compose the aroma profile, but nothing overwhelming like an IPA. The rare doppelstick style (double altbier) has a high IBU count, but just to balance the malt sweetness, which is massive in this style, and not to stand alone.

Californian brewery Stone is going to open a production plant in Berlin soon, so their beers will be available when it kicks off. And, just in case you aren't aware, Californian beers = loads of hops. So, keep an eye open.


Wine recommendation on the sweet side with 12 to 15% alcohol

Most fortified wines such as port, Madeira, (sweet) sherry, Commandaria are both very sweet and are very high in alcohol. Many are in the range of 20% ABV. I would strongly [pun intended] suggest seeing if she enjoys Port or Madeira. My personal favourite strong, sweet wine is Elysium Black muscat. It is so sweet that I commonly have it as dessert in restaurants.


How does boil time directly affect ABV% & IBU?

First, it's important to note that the boil time is not the only thing that increases with each of those beers.  Dogfish Head continually hops during the boil, and the boil extracts the alpha acids from the hops, giving the beer bitterness, so a longer boil with more hops results in a wort that is more bitter.

Here is where the additional alcohol comes in:  To counteract the extra bitterness, the beers that have boiled longer have both additional malt added to balance the bitterness, and are given additional fermentation and conditioning time to allow the yeast to convert all of those malt sugars into alcohol.  In 120 Minute IPA's case, it spends an entire month in fermentation, resulting in an exceptionally high level of alcohol at the end.


Craft beers and Microbreweries in Melbourne?

Why don't you do the work yourself. Google lists about 15 craft breweries in downtown Melbourne. I would have to say that's probably the most up to date list


How to obtain Japanese whisky in Canada?

Yes, you can obtain different varieties of Japanese Whiskeys in Canada. The real question (or two) is whether or not you can obtain a particular one and whether it is obtainable in Ontario?

Each province regulates what is permitted to be sold in their liquor stores.
The official provincial list of products will vary from province to province. Here in BC, we can obtain the SUNTORY WHISKY - HIBIKI JAPANESE HARMONY at our Government Liquor Stores. For some reason, private liquor stores can obtain more products from the approved list than can the Government Liquor Stores. Why this is so, makes no sense to me at all. It is what it is.

If I were in Ontario, I would ask the Customer's Services at your neighboring liquor and see if they can obtain a Japanese Whiskey or two. If they can order it in, please be aware that you may have to buy a complete box, especially if the product in question is not a popular item. This is the rule in BC, however private stores often will waive that. Simply go and ask them in person, I do it all the time.

Another thing you might try is to go to a Wine Market or Festival in your area. You may get lucky.

Although not a Wine Market in the strictest sense please check this out from Alberta: Kensington Wine Market.

  We’re Stocking up with a Dozen Whiskies from Nikka Whisky Co. of Japan.

  We love Japanese whisky here at KWM, and feel it is every bit as complex as the best Scotch whiskies. The following whiskies from Nikka Whisky Co. will be in stock at the Kensington Wine Market...

For what was offered at the time see here.

Once again, I encourage you to ask at your local Government Liquor Store in your area.


What type of beer should be used in making Beer Soup (Polewka Piwna)

A saison would be the closest if you want "authenticity". This soup was usually a breakfast dish made with very weak farmhouse style ale often served to farm workers. The beers were locally brewed often by the farmers themselves. It only had about 3-4% abv so even today's commercial saisons have a bit more (5-8% abv). Sometimes kvas was used. Kvas is a light brew made from fermenting stale/dried bread (1-3% abv).


Coffee can definitely be mixed with tequila.

However most recipes do not stop at simply a tequila/coffee mixture. The vast majority of such drinks involve a few more ingredients into these types of drinks.

A friend of mine is a great fan of kahlua, so obviously we like to make something similar to a Mexican Coffee.

  Ingredients

  10 ounces coffee (freshly brewed hot)
  2 ounces coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua)
  2 ounces tequila
  3 ounces heavy cream
  2 teaspoons sugar
  ground cinnamon (for garnish)

I find this rather enjoyable drink!

What happens if you mix coffee with tequila?

The answer is that one could possible be a wired drinker (drunk)! Lol.


What do these "OG" and "RDF" numbers mean?

From the figures you posted,

OG - "Original Gravity". When measured with a hydrometer, it measures the density relative to water. E.g. 1.010 is 1% heavier than water. The units here are degrees Plato (°P), which describe the amount of dissolved sugars. Here, 15 means 15% dissolved sugar. This means the beer (or more correctly, the wort) contained 15% sugar before fermentation started.

RDF - The real degree of fermentation. This is in contrast to the Apparent Degree of Fermentation, which is (OG-FG)/OG. When the final gravity is measured using hydrometer, the alcohol in the beer, being less dense than water (SG. 0.789) causes the gravity to appear lower, so it looks as though the yeast has fermented more sugar than it actually has. The Real degree of Fermentation takes the alcohol into account and computes the actual amount of sugars fermented. This tells you the how much of the original sugar was fermented (as a percentage).

So, what does this mean in practice?

  Winter Bock - 15 OG, 62.5 RDF - light, tasty, ever so slightly bitter

This has an average RDF for a beer that size, so it will be somewhat malty, but not cloying.

  Hazelnut Dark - 15 OG, 60.4 RDF - nice bitter red with slightly sweet aftertaste

This has more dissolved sugars in it compared to the Bock, so you'd expect it to be a thicker mouthfeel and slightly more sweet, although you may not taste the sweetness if it's offset by roasted malts.

  Chocolate Stout - 14.8 OG, 66.8 RDF - very sweet with hints of chocolate and malt

Being the driest of all the beers, yet the taste description is given as very sweet. This shows that knowing the residual sugars doesn't tell you the sweetness, simply because there are different kinds of residual sugar. For example, dextrins create body, but have relatively little taste, so would taste not as sweet as a beer containing a lot of residual maltose or glucose.


Cooking with rattlesnake is truly an unique menu maker.

  Rattlesnake meat is a southwestern delicacy. If you haven't ever eaten rattlesnake, you are in for a real treat. No, it doesn't taste like chicken! It has a much gamier flavor, much more reminiscent of pheasant, frog legs, alligator, or even elk. - Cooking with Delicious Rattlesnake Meat

There are some out there that say rattlesnake meat tastes like chicken. Never having tasted rattlesnake meat, I cannot make a recommendation by personal experience. There was a restaurant here in town that once served python. I never tried it either, but they recommended having it with wine. The restaurant has moved on so I cannot say which wine they actually recommended.

That said I will go out on a limb and suggest a Shiraz or Chianti. I will use this as a suggestion:

  Wild duck, goose, partridge and pheasant meat is very aromatic and is paired with stronger, aromatic wines in comparison with the wines paired with domestic poultry. Choice of wine depends on the age of the bird and its preparation.

  Young roasted partridge or a pheasant has a less intense flavor compared to older birds so light red wine such as Shiraz or Chianti would be appropriate. If the meat is prepared with thyme, then a more mature red Burgundy would be more appropriate. - Learn about wild game wine pairings


Beer n Brewery Statistics - Any Sources for Production, Consumption, Number of Breweries, etc. per Country?

There is a bit of statistics on Norway here.

In the US the Brewers' Association publishes statistics. Generally that's where you'll find statistics world-wide. Here is corresponding statistics for Norway.

Trawling through the "Beer_in_Xxx" pages on Wikipedia may provide you with more pointers.

For historical data, European Beer Guide is a great source.


Beer can make you gain weight by three means, but you shall NOT pursue it !

First is alcohol, which is a byproduct of the fermentation of starch by yeast. Starch is a carbohydrate, and it has it's own nutriting quality, including energy. Its energy is transferred to alcohol.

If the energy it carries is not used by basal metabolism or physical activity, it'll be stored. It is why non pathological drinker get fat. But drinking regularly may drive you to pathological drinking, even when you never get drunk nor make any excess.

Second is cereal malt (beer component) and non fermented starch itself : first is an aliment (cattle) and second is a carbohydrate : they are particularly fit for storing when unused.

Third is oestrogen. Hop, the flavouring and conservative plant used in beer production carries a phyto-oestrogen, which has the same effect on the human body as the feminine hormone. One of the effect of oestrogen is modifying the fat storage (many a women complain on her weight change under contraceptive pills), both for developing sexual character (women's are the sole primate with permanent breasts) and storing fat in case of starvation during pregnancy.
You already guessed why messing with hormonal rates in your body is no option.

I strongly recommend you to seek help in gaining weight from a trained medical staff, or at least from a specialized Stack Exchange site. A change in your feeding habits may be way more efficient and less hazardous.

Basically, you must eat and brink more than your body burns, while making the right amount of physical exercise to gain muscles as well as body fat. Beer nutriment don't really matches the kind of food you shall seek with this objective.

Sources: Wikipedia, French medical awareness websites, and my personal experience as a beer cellarman.


The malt is providing the sweetness and the hops are providing the bitterness plus the lingering flavour.

Depending on what type malted grains the beer is brewed will effect its sweetness. This is due to how much fermentatble sugar can be extracted from the grains, any non-fermentable sugars will stay in the beer and provide effect how the beer sweetness.

Hops are used in different stages of the brewing process to provide different functions.

Hops are added at the intial point of the boiling process (which is usually about 60mins) - The hops oils released from the hops at this stage provide the beer with head retention, bitterness and also natural perservative.

Hops are then again added during the final stage of the boiling process (last 10-15mins) - At this point the hops are providing the lingering taste that you are noting, plus any aroma notes.


When yeast ferment the sugar into alcohol it produces a lot of different by-products that give beer most of it's flavour. The brewer can influence the by-products produces by controlling the temperature at which the fermentation takes place.

Hops also add a lot in particular aroma. Since so much of tasting depends on the nose aroma comes of as flavour too. By boiling hops most of the aroma disappears and your left with only bitterness. By boiling hops for a shorter time, or not at all you can add more aroma. Brewers often talks about bittering vs aroma hops. Hops bitterness and aroma contribution depends on the variety of hops used. Hops growers are constantly coming up with new types of hops.

Malt, grain having been processed, also add flavour. Though most malt come from the same type of grain, barley, it can be processed/malted in many different ways giving a different flavour. When mashing (getting the sugar out of the malt and into the liquid) you can adjust the flavour by temperature. At high temperature (68c) you get almost only unfermentable sugar, which will give you a sweet result, while mashing at 64 will give you fermentable sugar and therefore a dry product.

Water does not add so much to the flavour in it self as it helps other parts of the recipe add a certain flavour. PH and content of minerals have a huge impact on mashing and fermentation.


How long does Chouchen keep once opened?

I had to look up Chouchen as I'd never heard of it before (see, after many years still learning!) It looks like it's a form of mead made out of Buckwheat honey which gives it that dark color and probably stronger flavor. According to the article, it was originally made out of cider and honey but it looks like both versions are called Chouchen now. I looked around on the internet and saw that they were generally 13-14% ABV which is in the normal strength for wine and mead. Mead, cider and wine all can last many decades. But as with all of them, once the bottle is opened it will go bad within a few days from oxidation.


There is no clearinghouse of all wineries in the USA. There are some that attempt to do this like Wine.com but they do not like to share the information unless you pay for it. The TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco and Trade Bureau) has to track every wine bottled because every label has to be approved by them. BUT, there are caveats. You don't need every label approved every year. If your label only changes vintage year every year and everything else is the same, then you don't need a new label. Also, you can get generic style labels approved that just say the appellation and winery name. You can just put "white wine" or "red wine" on the label. Not many people do this anymore. Then there are blends. If you don't see the blend % on the label you might have to dig more since the TTB doesn't track that kind of information.

You might have some luck extracting this information out of individual states, like the Washington Wine Commission's website. But, again nobody has a complete list of all wines, wineries and varietal information.


Just like wine, whisky demands a reasonable glass that will help rather than hinder the aromas. Avoid shot glasses and wide-mouthed tumblers, and go for something like the Glencairn Whisky Glass, or a tulip glass or even a brandy snifter.
Pour an amount that will let you swirl the whisky without sloshing it. Swirl it to coat the sides, which will allow you to smell it better. Observe the "legs", but don't be fooled by superstitions attached to them, they're a consequence of the Marangoni Effect (fascinating video).
Stick your nose over the glass's opening and inhale very gingerly. Avoid knocking your smell receptors out. Save the deep breaths for after step 5.
(optional) Take a tiny sip (again save your enthusiasm for after you have tasted it diluted, or you risk numbing your taste and smell receptors), and just like wine, let it run over all of your tongue, and like wine "chew" it to allow the air you are intaking to bring the aromas and flavors to the back of your nose.
Drink some water and possibly eat something neutral. Add a few drops of (good quality) water to the whisky, try to take the ABV to around 35%ish.
Stick your nose deeper into the glass and smell. I'd still suggest being a little cautious until you learn the glasses and your nose. It would be a pity to numb yourself at this stage.
Take a sip, let it run all over your tongue. "Chew" it... Savor it.

Try to learn something about the whisky you are drinking and associate how it was made with what you are tasting. Was it peated? Is it kept by the sea? What type of oak is used? How old is it? All these things will drastically affect the flavor.

If you are drinking the whisky to taste it, please do not skip step 5 (Note 1, Note 2, Note 3, Note 4). You can always decide you prefer a whisky undiluted afterwards.

In a similar vein, you can decide you prefer ice after tasting it properly, despite Note 4's suggestions. By all means drink how you want to drink, but adding ice is prone to both over-cool the whisky (diminishing and changing its flavors) and also over-dilute it. Optimal temperature and strength will vary by whisky and by drinker's preferences (and season, etc.), but I'd aim to start your investigations at around 15-20C and around 30-35%.


There are two ways to make wine from raisins.

Soak the raisins in water and boil and then macerate, ferment and separate the solids from the wine and age. You can make something close to wine. Most raisin grapes are Thompson Seedless grapes which are white grapes. It might be cloudy if you don't use pectic enzymes. Here is a recipe
The more traditional method is to raisin wine grapes either on the vine or store them inside to dry them out. Some call it "Straw Wine" but there are numerous names for this method. Basically the same principle as late harvest wine except even drier grapes. Sometimes added to regular wine sometimes pressed with super high brix levels, almost like syrup.


Where can I buy Liefmans Fruitesse In Ontario?

The Village Idiot Pub (126 McCaul St Toronto, Ontario M5T 1W2) sells Liefmans Fruitesse.

Here is what they say about this craft beer:

  Liefmans Fruitesse

  4.2% alc./vol. 33CL
   A fresh Belgian beer blend, maturing for 18 months on cherries in Liefmans cellars, artfully blended with natural juices of strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blueberry and juniper berry resulting in a fruity, pleasantly sweet, sparkling and refreshing beer.

Here is what the LCBO has to say about this must try craft Beer:

  Red Berry

  Yes, “red berry”, because there’s some excellent combos out there. Both of our winners in this category come out of Belgium, but can be found in LCBOs and pubs around Ontario.

  Liefmans Fruitesse bills itself as an appetizer beer. It’s a deep red, cranberry juice colour, sparkling, and oh-so-juicy. It also tastes something like cranberry juice,  with a bit more sweetness, and a nice alcoholic kick. Like how you (or at least Jess) wish wine would taste. There’s no cranberry involved though; it’s actually cherry, raspberry, elderberry, strawberry, and bilberry. - Best Fruit Beers You Can Find Locally


Regarding light beers and dark beers: how would you make a light beer taste more like a dark beer?

It depends upon what you think a dark beer tastes like because there is a wide range of shades of dark, and a wide range of flavors that come with dark.  The amber beers can have tastes of caramel and dark fruits like raisins.  Stouts, like a Guinness, will have roasty flavors, and those and porters can have hints of chocolate and coffee.

The easiest is probably to add a little dark beer to your light beer, like you have with a half and half.   The downside here is that you open two beers when you only want to drink one, but you could always save the mix-in beer in the fridge.  You could also add come coffee, a tablespoon at a time, and see if you like it.  Or, you could cut it with, not a dark beer, but an amber colored one like an Irish Red, or a Mexican lager like a Negra Modelo, if you don't want too much of a "dark" flavor.

If you really want to do it "right" and you live near a home-brew shop, pick up some caramel malt, like a crystal 40 or 60, make a little tea with it in some warm water, and add that to the beer.  That's basically what goes on in the brewing process.


What possible health benefits are there with drinking alcohol in moderation?

This might sound strange on alcohol.SE, but "to thine own self be true".
Studies that show that not drinking is less healthy do it because the "teetotalers" are, often enough, former alcoholics.
Skeptics SE has several threads about the "benefits" of moderate drinking:

Is alcohol beneficial in small amounts?
Is a glass of red wine a day beneficial for the heart?

This article by The Guardian examines the flaws of those studies that show moderate drinking to be beneficial:

Never drinkers are also different in a lot of ways, mostly bad, which
makes sense if you think about the why people might choose to abstain
from drinking – for example, illness, poverty, and previous
alcoholism.

The article also reviews a couple of recent studies that show that moderate alcohol consumption is not beneficial.


Is there a taste or texture difference between gravity breweries and those that use pumps?

Directly not. Agitation won't change the properties of the beer enough as such. BUT... when pumping, it is harder to avoid oxygen/air being mixed into the wort/beer. Oxygen is very bad for the beer in most stages of the brewing process. So if you have a pumping system, it needs to be a good one that doesn't wirl air into the wort/beer.

The only stage in the brewing process where you actually want as much oxygen/air as possible is when pitching the yeast. At every other stage you will get oxidation which is one of the top reasons for off flavours, stuck fermentations, etc.


Found what I was looking for: WESTMARK 3 Flaschenverschlüsse, Flaschenstöpsel mit Hebel und Gummidichtung, 40 x 60 x 15 mm, farblich sortiert.

Now I only need to order a box of these.


Let's start off with beers that you're interested in, something akin to a black lager. I'm going to keep things focused on beer styles rather than particulars, since I do not know where you are nor what might be available for you.
Dunkelweizen
This is a dark wheat beer with characteristics of a traditional wheat with caramel type flavors joining the mix. Not exactly stout-like, but more like your black lager in lightness.
Schwarzbier
Schwarzbier means "black beer" in German. This is what you had with your  Köstritzer. It is a medium-bodied, malt-accented dark brew, very opaque and deep-sepia in color, with a chewy texture and a firm, creamy, long-lasting head. In spite of its dark color, it comes across as a soft and elegant brew that is rich, mild, and surprisingly balanced. It never tastes harsh, toasty or acrid.
Black IPA / Cascadian Dark Ale
The American fascination with hops has shown that the addition of toasted malts can give a hoppy, bitter, and coffee-like experience to these beers.
Black Saisons
Similar to the Black IPA, I've seen a few breweries start brewing their saisons with roasted malts. The usual light flavors of the saison are accented by this extra roasted character. It's never acrid, however.
Porters
A lot of English porters are not heavy at all, and are generally akin to milds that have roasted malts added in. Look for lower ABV porters in the 4-5% range, and you'll probably find something you like.
Surprisingly to many, Guinness is actually on par with any other beer of similar alcohol strength, as beer gets a majority of its calories from alcohol, about 7 per gram. Perhaps much of the 'full' feeling is a product of the use of nitrogen in the mix which gives it that creamy texture.


What is "Five Fruits" in this 1920s cocktail recipe?

Old advertisements show that it was made starting in 1900 in Portland, Maine. It consisted of a syrup made of pineapple, orange, lemon, raspberry, and strawberry juices with sugar, red food coloring, and sodium benzoate as a preservative. Unfortunately, I can't find anywhere what the ratios are, but I'd start by doing equal parts of juice in a 1:1 ratio with sugar for the syrup since it was compared to grenadine as being an analogous substitute.

  The Hay’s Fruit Juice Company was founded in the year 1900 and produced Hay’s Five Fruit, a fruit juice syrup used to make and flavor beverages and desserts. This album was created after September 1923, following the completion of additional construction to a recently purchased new factory at 55-71 York Street, in Portland, Maine. - Hay's Fruit Juice Company album


Looking for a Rosé recommendation?
The ultimate recommendation would involve that particular variety of Rosé you may be interested in.
Having lived many years in France and having drank wine on a very regular bases while overseas, I would like to recommend the Tavel Rosé.
There is just something awesome about wine made from grapes in the Rhone Valley!

Tavel Rosé
The French wine region of Tavel, on the sloping bank of Rhone, is known for its famous rosé wines. In fact, Tavel wines are only available in rosé variety. The rosé wines of this region are also known as the “The King of Rosés”. From light salmon to ruby pink, there are a variety of rosé wines with complex aromas of summer fruits and a full, rounded mouth with hints of spice. The wines in this region are made from Grenache, Syrah, and Clairette varieties.
Food Pairing
It can be served as an aperitif or with seafood pasta, cold fish starters, herb sausages, and a variety of cheese.

The following may be of some interest in making an ultimate choice of Rosé that one may be looking for as a recommendation:

A Guide to 10 Different Styles of Rosé
Rosé (Wikipedia)
A Comprehensive Guide to Rosé Wine | The 10 Perfect Styles
10 Shades Of Rosé


I would suggest going with the beers that are brewed closest to you. Although transportation and supply chain storage has greatly improved, beer is always best when you are closest to the source.

The North Carolina Brewers Guild will be a great resource for you to find beers in your area.

http://www.ncbeer.org

Belgian style beers, like the Delirium Tremens are growing in popularity very quickly. You should have no trouble finding some in your local area.

This might be a good place to start.

http://www.newbelgium.com/community/ashevillebrewery.aspx


What modern wine would considered close to the Greek Pramnian wine?

I too and trying to recreate this at the moment.  I have seen completely contradictory descriptions of Pramnian wine.  Some very sweet like the Eszencia or Tokaji style made from dried grapes. The Greek study tool online from Tufts defines Pramnian as "raisin-wine" which is too interpretive since other descriptions are are of a dark, dry, strong wine that is not not necessarily pleasurable.
My approach is to try both.  I went to my local Total Wine store with the largest selection and to their Greek wine section. Pramnian is definitely red and they had four.  One was a retsina which was not a style in Homer's day.  The other three were two dry table wines and a sweeter red for about $10 each.  I got all three. I told the wine clerk what I was doing and he recommended a good quality dry Sardinian red (Dolia) since the volcanic soil where it's grown resembles what would be found in Lesbos. I will start experimenting this week. I may even infuse the wine with herbs like mint and oregano to get to something like a vermouth. I'm using pearl barley, raw yellow honey, and a couple goat cheese varieties (from a fresher chevre, to a drunken goat, to an unpasteurized hard Spanish goat cheese).  My guess is following the recipe will result in a pretty unpalatable concoction but I will deviate as much as I need to until I get to something I like, probably like a goat cheese barley-polenta with onion and red wine.


Let me try and answers some of these questions. Syringes are most likely food grade since they are used to inject liquids into your flesh. But like all plastics, long term storage is not a good idea since plastics are permeable and allow gasses to pass through. Maybe the plastic they use to make syringes is some super plastic but I kind of doubt it.

Your plan to suck some wine out (through the cork?) with a syringe is not without merit and you can buy contraptions that do this, but the big thing you will run into is that you need to replace the wine with some type of gas or eventually gas will leak around the cork because you created a vacuum, and spoiling your wine. You would need a way to inject nitrogen into the bottle as you are sucking out the wine.

Freezing wine is always a bad idea.


Where can I find a type of beer that comes in flat top beer cans?

You are in luck! There is a retro can operation called the Chuchkey Beer Co. that is canning beer in the old style flat top cans that you need a churchkey to open (I think they supply one with the case). Looks like it's only available on the West Coast. Enjoy it if you can find it! Chuchkey Beer Co.


What is the best type of gin to use in a gin martini?

According to Vinpair here are The 9 Best Gins To Use In A Martini!  This list is not in order of best to worst. However, it does offer gin recommendations for various types of gin. Their number one all around recommendation is in fact Greylock.

1. Plymouth

  Plymouth is technically both a style and a brand – how’s that for pizzazz? Plymouth is remarkably gentle. It has a sweet, delicate nose and a woodsy, lemony body. You might even get a bit of cinnamon bark on the palate. The finish is quite smooth, making Plymouth ideal for the bare bones martini. If the idea of drinking a cocktail that’s basically straight liquor freaks you out, Plymouth is a great gin to start with. It’s so welcoming, the first few sips of your martini might evolve into gulps. Drink cautiously.

2. Bombay Sapphire

  This is about as old timey as it gets. Savory, agreeable, and wonderfully cohesive, Bombay Sapphire is a gin that was born to hang out in a martini. While this low-key gin runs the risk of getting lost in fruitier cocktails, it rests perfectly alongside vermouth to create a balanced martini. Sapphire’s traditional botanicals (like coriander and grains of paradise) latch onto one another to make something great. Think of Sapphire as the perfect chocolate chip cookie: it seems simple, but one taste of a failed contender tells you it ain’t.

3. Citadelle BEST ON A BUDGET

  If you’re at a great bar and ask for a basic gin cocktail off-menu, there’s a good shot you’ll be tasting Citadelle. This French gin is a great quality purchase. Plenty of orange and overall citrus give Citadelle a nice burst of fruitiness without being fruit forward per se. While there are some floral notes to work with here, Citadelle really straddles the line between unique and eccentric, making it a great choice for a more aromatic, flavor-packed martini. Plus, at around $25, you don’t have a lot to lose.

4. Euphrosine #9

  All right, so Euphrosine #9 isn’t exactly traditional. In fact, it’s like you took the floral notes in Citadelle and pumped them up a notch (or three). Still, there’s enough palatable sweetness to make Euphrosine #9 a happy martini gin. If you’re looking for a martini that’s on the sweeter side, reach for this NOLA-born pick from producer Atelier Vie. You’ll pick up on hibiscus, berries, and sweet iced tea. Dare we say it, there’s something rather flirtatious about Euphrosine.

5. The Botanist

  Hey, here’s something from Islay that isn’t Scotch! Bruichladdich crafts this interesting gin, which is made from thirty-one botanicals, twenty-two of which are native to Islay. While that may seem like an overwhelming amount of botanicals when compared to the standard seven or eight, The Botanist holds itself together surprisingly well. This is a complex gin, with a floral nose and an herbal palate. We get chamomile, mint, and citrus zest. Because this gin is so layered, you might want to add even less vermouth than usual. When it comes to your standard martini, The Botanist will really do all the talking, and in this case, that’s okay.

6. Gin Mare

  Do you prefer your martinis dirty? Then use Gin Mare. Seriously, this Spanish gin seems to be genetically engineered for a dirty martini. In a rare instance where branding fits product, Gin Mare is a Mediterranean gin made with olives, thyme, and rosemary amongst other herbs. The viscosity of the gin, combined with its garden-fresh taste, makes it the ideal spirit for a martini with just a hint of olive tartness. With this spicy yet still contained gin, you’ll feel like you’re going beyond a basic martini. Gin Mare is a great example of how a spirit can be both contemporary and classic at the same time.

7. Terroir

  Made from the gorgeous distillery at St. George’s Spirits, Terroir gin uses local Douglas fir. Unsurprisingly, Terroir gin was created as an homage to California’s natural resources. While drinking “fir” might put you off at first, it seems that the plant works to intensify the juniper, giving us a gin that has classic pine notes. This gin has a generous layer of crisp juniper bite, yet there’s a certain earthiness to it that prevents it from being too harsh or simplistic. Expect grassy notes, moss, tree sap, and of course, a heavy coat of juniper to round this all up. Like Bombay Sapphire, this gin is as solid as a California redwood.

8. Greylock BEST OVERALL

  This mighty gin from Berkshire Mountain Distillers has received tons of praise – and rightfully so. Straightforward, London Dry, and clean as a whistle, Greylock is a fantastic martini gin. Spicy licorice combined with lemon peel, black pepper, and a touch of cooking spice make Greylock both approachable and complex. Greylock will add lip-smacking flavor to your martini while still boasting enough unique spiciness to make your cocktail truly special. A hint of sugar-coated juniper berry will give way to just enough sweetness to make your martini quaffable as can be. This is an A+ gin for making martinis – we guarantee your guests will be happy with this crowd-pleaser.

9. Dorothy Parker

  Named after satirical poet and general snark icon Dorothy Parker, this gin from New York Distilling Company would make Ms. Parker proud. Similar to Euphrosine #9, the floral nose is rich with hibiscus, elderflower, pear, and cranberries. The juniper peaks its head around on the blooming palate and the finish, which is zesty. While this is half a world away from Greylock, it’s perfect if you’re looking to whip up a martini that’s a little lighter, bubblier, and of course, a bit more tart – like Ms. Parker herself.

Recommendation are always a hard subject to put across to others because what one person may enjoy, another may find less than favorable!

Town and Country Magazine offers their 5 of the Best Gins for a Classic Martini.

Boodles
Tanqueray
St. George
Aviation
Berkshire Mountain Distillers Greylock

Personally I am a fan of Beefeater as is seen here from The Best Gin for a Martini!

Ford's Gin
Beefeater
Bombay Dry
Plymouth Gin
Bombay Sapphire


Which are the most caloric beers? Are there, say, visual criteria to identify them?

No. Color has little to do with calories, and possibly surprisingly, mouthfeel can have little influence also.

You can have a Belgian Tripel that is medium light bodied, that has many more calories than a pint of Guinness, simply because the alcohol level in the Tripel contributes more calories than the sugars from Guinness. Also Guinness is served on Nitrogen which creates the sensation of a thicker beer, as if there were more carbs and protein giving a fuller body.

The calorific load from a beer comes from both carbohydrates and alcohol, which are present in both dark and light beers regardless of beer color.


Why does Beck's taste more bitter than Heineken?

The answer to this question is going to depend largely on which specific beers you are referring to.  Assuming you are referring to Becks Premium Lager (as opposed to one of their other offerings), Becks has an IBU (International Bitterness Units) of 20 where Heineken has 23 IBUs.  Based on IBUs, Heineken should be more bitter but not by much.  What you're tasting could be accounted for by batch to batch variation on behalf of the brewer or the conditions that the bottles were stored (length of storage, lighting, etc.)

Furthermore, the bitterness in most of Becks' beers come from the use of darker malts, while the majority of the bitterness in Heineken comes from the use of (pellet) hops.
This makes the bitterness in Becks tend towards roastier flavors, and the bitterness in Heineken to tend to be more herbaceous or floral. It is possible that you are more personally sensitive to one set of those flavor compounds.

Note that IBUs are an imperfect measurement of bitterness so only consider it as an approximation.  Many people say that differences in bitterness beyond 100 IBUs are indiscernible but that is often conflicted.

Answered by: the Gastrograph Team


I don't know the taste of fig wine, but I do love figs, both fresh and dried, so I'm thinking it's along the lines of fruit cake (not a fave), minus the rum or brandy, but with it's own alcoholic pleasure (very much a fave). Some suggestions:

Charcuterie: bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, confit

Cheeses: goat, blue, Gorgonzola, camembert, Stilton, brie, mascarpone

Grilled: veg (corn on the cob, tomatoes), chicken (spicy or citrus), fish (tuna, swordfish)

And, from my New York Times Recipe Box:

Savories: particularly those that are light and those with citrus or sharp flavors...
 - Grapefruit with olive oil and sea salt
 - Onion & feta pizza
 - Vegetable galette
 - Mustard tarte

Sweets: especially flourless cakes...
 - Almond Cake with Cardamom and Pistachio
 - Orange and Almond Cake
 - Hazelnut Citrus Torte
 - Chamomile and Almond Cake


What are the drawback of not using "brewer's yeast" when brewing beer?

Short answer; you get a lot of the flavour from the yeast, you can get a fairly big difference by varying the yeast in your recipe.

For example, a Saison and a Pale ale have similar ingredients, but taste quite different, a Saison yeast imparts a considerable amount of flavour... likewise if you use a lager yeast, and properly lager your beer, you can get a different flavour again, without modifying any other part of your recipe.

Lots of discussion on HomeBrewTalk forums, and other places. For a fun experiment, brew split batches and try two different yeasts to compare!


How to select upper-tier whiskies without trying them first?

Unfortunately there's no good way to guarantee you'll get something you'll like. However, there are some things you can do to help:

Find reviews that you agree with of whisk(e)ys you like. Note who wrote them and how they described the spirit. Try to find other reviews by those reviewers and look for the same descriptors. Ignore words like "smooth" and pay more attention to flavor notes.

Keep your own notes about what you like and what you taste when you drink what you like. Use the vocabulary that you and the reviewers you trust use as a guide for what is likely to be in your wheelhouse.

This won't be perfect. I don't recommend spending $200 on a bottle with this. But for the midtier it's not a bad approach.

If you're serious about upper tier stuff, find a good bar that has some of these whiskeys and go try them there. Find a local whiskey society to join or look out for tasting events (they happen more often than you'd think).


Does anyone here still use bitters as medicine? Which ones do you use and for what ailments?

I usually use either Jägdbitters (a Jägermeister-like bitters sold at Aldi) or my family's version of Bärenjäger (which I prepare at home - nope, it's not bitters, but it was also used historicaly for the same purpose), mostly when I feel a cold coming up due to catching rain.

Jägermeister gives a soothing feel to the throat if taken when you're already with the cought, but if taken as a preventive, it makes me feel like a warm blanket was dropped over my shoulders and I don't get the actual cold afterwards. It always works we me too, better than pharmacy bought stuff.


Why do some wines taste salty?

Ed C. Kraus, a 3rd generation home brewer/winemaker and has been an owner of E. C. Kraus since 1999 has 4 possible reasons why a wine may have a salty taste. He has been helping individuals make better wine and beer for over 25 years.

  My first thought would be that if you are aging in a wooden barrel, the remnant salts from the sodium metabisulfite may have built up over the years through insufficient rinsing or no rinsing at all. But this is very unlikely. If you make any kind of conscious effort to rinse a barrel you would be able to keep up with the trace amount of salts that are left behind with each wine batch.

  My second thought is that a mistake was made in a dosage added to a wine/must. For instance, yeast nutrient (diammonium phosphate) would add what some would call a salty taste to the wine if too much were added, but this would take many times the normal recommend dosage.

  Third would be saltiness from the grapes themselves. This could add a salty taste in wine. This could apply if you made the wine from fresh grapes from a vineyard. The mineral content of the soil is always reflected in the grape’s flavor to some degree. This is one of the reasons a grape’s origin is always noted. If you are making wine for the first time from a particular soil or terroir, then this is what could be going on.

  The fourth thing that comes to mind is a mold infection. The only reason I left this for last is because it is the least likely of the four. This is because by the time the wine has a salty taste from mold, it is already blatantly obvious from a visual inspection that mold as set in. So if you don’t see any patches of dried crust on the surface anywhere, or a rainbow-ed, oil-slick look on the wine’s surface, the salty taste in the wine is not being caused by a mold.

  Beyond these things the only thing that comes to mind is accidentally putting salt in the wine.

  What Causes A Salty Taste In Wine?


Health Issues Associated with Budweiser Prohibition?

Yes, they are full of sugar and calories regardless of the alcohol. Treat them like soft drinks if you are counting calories.


I'm assuming you want to say, "Who are the first people to domesticate grape vines?". Grapevines are not "bushes" they are technically vines. In the wild they grow up the side of trees in a forest and try to reach their leaves above those of the trees and also grow their fruit high so the birds can eat berries and scatter the seeds.

Wild grape vines have 2 sexes but domesticated vines are hermaphroditic, which means they are self fertile (both sexes in the same flower) which makes it so much incredibly easier for the vines to produce fruit. It was a game changer when humans found these vines. Instead of only female plants producing fruit, now all vines produced fruit and lots of it. At the same time humans realize you could easily propagate vines by taking cuttings from a mother vine and they would produce the same exact vine over and over (a form of cloning).

There is evidence that suggests that humans had domesticated grape vines almost 10,000 years ago. It probably started with some people growing vines up trees deliberately and then switching to a trellis system to simulate trees. There are pictures in the ancient Egyptian tombs showing grapes being trained and harvested on a trellis system. So they were pruning them way back then. Later on, if you walked through a vineyard near ancient Rome, it wouldn't look too much different from vineyards you see anywhere in the world. So, we have been growing vines essentially the same way for at least 2000 years.


When in the history of serving beer did it transition from a warm beverage to a cold one?

First, there are currently beers that are served warm, particularly very dark ones.  So part of it has to do with the character of beer.

There are two important factors I see, looking at this as a history nut but not knowing of any sources on this topic.  The first, as you say, is widespread refrigeration.  But this was not the major factor in cold beverages generally since ice was often preserved into the summer for cooling beverages (and has been since ancient times).  But refrigeration makes this easier and thus cheaper.

The second is actually the modern bottlecap which is a product of industrialization.  Before the bottlecap most beers were served uncarbonated.  They might be chilled or not, but they would have been entirely uncarbonated, shipped in wooden barrels, etc. and had an altogether different flavor and character than our modern beers.  My experience playing with these concepts as a homebrewer suggests that such beers were better suited to being served warm than comparably dark carbonated beers.

To understand why, I think you have to look at carbonation and how temperature affects that.  Carbon dioxide is more soluble in cold water than warm water, so the warmer the beer is, the faster it goes flat, and the more it fizzes when opened.  So you have two ways carbonation affects the picture.  First it impacts the taste and serving conditions differently at different temperatures, and secondly it imparts a distinctive off-tang when the beer goes flat.  Temperature helps offset the latter to a mild extent but at the expense of the former.  I think this also helps explain why richer beers are more often served warm than lighter beers.


Which Belgian beer is served in wooden bowl?

The only brand of beer I can think of is Mongozo, which is brewed in Belgium by a Dutch company (Dutch wikipedia). They brew various kinds of fruit beers, in addition to a pilsener and a wheat beer.


What properties help mead to age without skunking?

One of the biggest determinants in how well a mead or beer or wine will age is oxidation. The only time that oxygen is beneficial is when your must or wort (IDK the currect term for unfermented mead) has cooled and you are ready to pitch the yeast. Oxygen at this point will help the yeast to multiply. But when the liquid is hot prior to cooling, and after fermentation is complete, you should be careful to minimize the amount of oxygen you are adding to it. Always stir gently and avoid splashing when racking and bottling.

You use the word "skunking" in the title. True skunking (as opposed to staling or oxidation) is caused by a chemical reaction between hop extract and light. If you are adding hops to any meads, be sure to protect the bottles from light by storing them in a dark place, preferably in a box. Sunlight and florescent lights are particularly harmful.