Remedies for Gastric Problems Indigestion is the most often pronounced ailment of modern times branching out into

varied abdominal diseases. The most common one would be Gastritis. To research into the symptoms of this ailment would be acid reflux or heartburn, pain in the abdomen, excessive burping, puking or vomiting, nausea and difficulty in releasing gas. The causes that underlie gastric problem could be fast eating without good chewing, heavy meals, and excessive intake of alcohol, stress, anxiety and intake of strong drugs. Is there no definite cure to curb this problematic aliment that ties your tongue, into not venturing into the dishes that it would like to savor?. No other way out other than scurrying to your physician? Here are some useful tips that help you encounter your problem better. Soups, as an aperitif, taken at least 20 minutes before meals helps in digestion, as they are ideal for replacing liquids and salts as well as stimulating the production of gastric acid. Drinking water with two three drops of mint essence gives relief. Lime juice, taken with cider vinegar in a glass of water before meals, helps to prevent acid in digestion. Ginger tea, taken after meals aids in promoting digestion Herbal tea prepared using blackberry, raspberry, mint and chamomile helps effective digestion Baking soda in a glass of water, produces instant relief Sucking cloves after meals, aids in reducing gas problems A flake of garlic swallowed with water in empty stomach, solves gas problems Soaking little methi in water in the night and drinking it empty stomach in the morning, is also an effective remedy for indigestion. Avoidance of wearing tight clothes, a daily walk of about a half an hour, non engagement in active sports immediately after meals, regular exercise and most importantly, timely meals and good chewing are a few suggestions for keeping indigestion at par. Adherence to at least a few of these tips would keep indigestion at bay. If the problem is acute it is advisable to consult a physician. Abstract. It is not the sane one Freak n. a person who likes to do kinky shit in bed or have sex a lot v. to have intercourse or make out. n. That guy is a huge freak. v. She likes to freak on a In human sexuality, kinkiness and kinky (adjective) are terms used to refer to a playful usage of sexual concepts in an accentuated and unambiguously expressive form Types of wine Wines can be classified primarily by the grape variety used to make the wine and the region where the grapes are grown. Wines classified on the basis

of grape variety are called varietals and those classified on the basis of region are named by the region itself. There are different types of wines and wine styles. Basically wines can be classified into two general categories. They are white wines which are colorless and red wines which have the color intensity based on the soaking time. This is the information that most of us know. But wines can be classified by their taste also. The sweetness of the wine helps us to judge the wine by its taste. Classification of the wine according to the taste is as follows: Dry wines Medium Wines Sweet wines Apart from the classification of wine by taste the general types of wines are as follows. RED WINES Red wines are color wines. Red wines are made from the red grape varieties. These wines get their color by allowing the skin of the grapes to get contact with the grape juice during the wine making process. Red wines are available in different varieties and taste. The most popular red wines are: Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Zinfandel WHITE WINES White wines are generally colorless and they are made from the white grape varieties. Some of the white wines can be made from the red grapes. In such a case the skin of the grapes is not allowed to have any contact with the grape juice. The white wines generally range from dry to sweet wines. The most popular white wines are:

Chardonnay Riesling Sauvignon Blanc

Gewurztraminer ROSE WINES Rose wines are also called as Blush wines. Rose wines are not true not truly red, instead they have enough of reddish tinge to make them differentiate from the white wines. Rose wines are prepared from the red grape varieties. The most popular rose wine variety is: Zinfandel Sparkling Wines Sparkling wines have a small amount of intense effervescences. Champagne is the most famous sparkling wine in many regions in the world. The famous sparkling wines are: Rose Champagne Prosecco Sparkling Red Wine SWEET WINE OR DESSERT WINES Dessert wines are prepared from the residual sugar that is left in the finished wine. This gives the wine a very sweet taste. Dessert wines vary from off-dry to super, sticky sweet wines. The dessert wines are considered to be the sweetest wines. The famous dessert wines are: Sweet white wines that include (Botrytis (Noble Rot), Ice Wine (Eiswein), Late Harvest Wine) Sweet red wines that include (Late Harvest Wines and Fortified Wines) FORTIFIED WINES Fortified wines are those that are produced with a small addition of the grape spirit. Fortified wines generally include the dry and sweet styles. The famous fortified wines are: Port wine Madeira Sherry TABLE WINES Table wines are also called as "Dry Wines." This is the wine that is mostly produced in most the regions in the world. The famous table wines are: Dry white wine

Rose wine Dry red wine

How to Take Care of a Drunken Person

Don't let a friend get wasted Every year in the US alone, a number of drunk students die or get in a car crash as a result of alcohol. Because people assume that passing out, vomiting, and being really drunk will be slept off, resulting in a simple hangover next morning. Unfortunately, thinking this could endanger an inebriated person's life. When someone at a party near you gets so drunk that they can't take care of themselves, they're at risk of harming themselves, and if they've drunk too much altogether, they may even have alcohol poisoning and need immediate attention. Being able to spot alcohol poisoning in a drunk person could mean that you save his or her life; knowing what to do to take care of a drunk person is therefore an essential skill for all party-lovers. 1

Recognize someone who has had one too many. Recognize someone who has had one too many. Signs that a person has drunk too much include slurred speech, inability to remain standing or sitting up straight, a marked desire to lie down or roll over, questionable walking technique, stumbling, unusual, loud, or embarrassing behavior, violent reactions, bloodshot eyes, feeling extreme temperature differences, etc. 2 The amount of care your drunk friend or acquaintance will need will depend on how much he or she has had to drink. Each individual's situation will need to be evaluated according to context and circumstances, but the main point is to be prepared to care for them until they're out of danger. 3 Step in to discourage further drinking. Try distracting the intoxicated person from having any more alcohol. Get them away from the alcohol take them to the front yard for a breath of fresh air, suggest that it's time to call it a night and phone a taxi, or simply sit with them away from the drinking area and talk. Find somewhere quiet and not too bright. If they want drinks, take responsibility for delivering drinks that won't harm them. Try water, or try very watered down versions of their drink. Often you can get away with giving someone who is very drunk soft drinks; simply hand them a coke and claim that it contains vodka. Chances are they won't even notice, especially if you're distracting them in other ways such as talking or watching TV together.

If someone tends to overdrink, but has not yet drunk too much, suggest less-strong drinks such as beer, and drinks which may be less appealing to drink in quantity (having less "drinkability") such as full-flavored (bitter) foreign beer, instead of mixed drinks and liquor. This can make the level of intoxication easier for the drinker and friends to monitor, and less likely to continue to increase after one has stopped drinking, but is not a substitute for eventually stopping drinking. Avoid saying anything that could provoke or anger the intoxicated person. Remain calm and reassuring at all times. Read How to keep your friend from driving drunk for information on stopping a determined drunk from driving. Lack of coordination will make walking very difficult, so don't suggest this as a way of "sobering up". If the intoxicated person needs to visit the bathroom, accompany them and wait in the bathroom. It's all too easy for an uncoordinated drunk person to slip and bang a head and get knocked out on the hard surfaces in bathrooms. 4

Keep an eye out for dangerous acts Do your best to help the intoxicated person to avoid physical injury, especially through falling. Help the person to a safe seat or to the floor. If the intoxicated person begins to heave, try to help them to an appropriate place to vomit. If a person is lying down when they begin to heave or vomit, place them in the recovery position (on their side with the higher knee bent). This is to prevent choking. Put something behind their back to prevent them rolling back onto their back or stomach; vomiting in either position can cause them to choke or drown. If they are lying on a couch, ensure that they are facing AWAY from the back of the couch so that any vomit does not pool around the person's face (especially on leather couches).

If the person has fallen down, or you find them on the floor and are unsure whether or not they fell down, you MUST take them to get medical attention. Head injuries can easily be incurred in falling down, and intoxication can hide the usual signs of concussion or more serious head injury. 5 Do not leave someone who is very drunk to fall asleep alone. Stay in the room with them - watch a film or TV, read a book, or clean up after the party but keep them in the room with you. If you take them home ensure a responsible person will do the same. If you can't be with them, or you can't be sure someone else will keep an eye out for them, get on the phone to someone you know who will care enough to do this, such as a parent, guardian, sibling, or friend. Explain that it is urgent and that you have seen how wasted they are. At the very least, keep watch over the drunk person until the changeover of responsibility.

6 Check regularly to ensure the intoxicated person responds to being stirred. Check regularly to ensure the intoxicated person responds to being stirred. Say their name loudly, ask them firmly to open their eyes, prod them and look for a response. Watch the chest or abdomen for breathing movements. A rate of 12- 20 breaths per minute is normal. 7 Look for signs of alcohol poisoning. If breathing becomes slow (8 breaths per minute or less or irregular with 10 seconds or more between each breath), and they are unresponsive to being prodded and pinched firmly, this suggests alcohol poisoning. Other possible signs include: Passed out or stupors unconscious or semi-conscious, cannot be awakened Blue lips and fingertips Dehydrated Rapid pulse Vomiting while asleep and not waking up even when vomiting Cold clammy hands/ feet.

8 If you spot these signs, call 911/112/110 (emergency services), or your area's emergency number immediately. If you're on campus, call the campus security or university police. Explain the situation clearly. You will not get into trouble for calling for help. Authorities prefer to keep people alive than to scold for irresponsible behavior. Drinking age laws and campus policies are in place to stop life being endangered, not to cause people to abandon one another during a medical emergency. Treat this like it is a medical emergency, not an offense. 9 alumni

Stay with the intoxicated person until help arrives. Stay with the intoxicated person until help arrives. Keep them warm and continue to monitor breathing. If a qualified first aider is available, call on them for help while waiting for the ambulance. Don't panic. Stay calm. Although you're likely to be upset and afraid, it won't help the patient if you transfer this fear and anxiety to them. Reassure them, and in doing so, reassure yourself. If the person is awake or conscious, do not touch or prod them without explaining what you're about to do; they may react violently. Don't give them stimulating drinks such as tea or coffee. These can cause further dehydration; keep in mind that drinks don't change the state of drunkenness, only the passing of time will sober up the drunk person. If someone else is present, send them to direct the ambulance paramedics to your position. TIPS Do not jeopardize your own health when looking after the person. Do not try to physically lift a drunken person or stop someone much larger than you falling downyou may injure your back. Instead, concentrate on protecting their head.

If someone gets into a drunken state having taken in seemingly little alcohol, they may be lightweight but be wary of drinks being spiked or an interaction with over-the-counter, prescribed, or illicit drugs as well. Using high-energy drinks in combination with alcohol hides the usual signs of intoxication so that blood alcohol levels can become dangerously high. If you suspect this, get the person home and report it to health authorities, or take them straight to the emergency department. Telling the person the danger they put themselves in may stop them from over-indulging again. Wait until they're sober and have a heart-to-heart with them about their behavior. You can make it less confrontational by saying something like: "I didn't much like the friends you brought along the other night Susie." Susie will reply: "What friends?" And you can reply: "Making fun of friends Susie. And I'm bored Susie. And undressing Susie. And rolling on the ground Susie." It may seem odd but making the drunk person's behavior sound like a third person can help them better identify with the types of behaviors other people witnessed. If the person you suspect to be suffering from alcohol poisoning is underage do not put off calling the emergency services for fear of getting them in trouble. The younger a person is, the more susceptible to alcohol they are, and the longer you leave them, the worse they could get.

WARNINGS Remain calm if the person's symptoms begin to concern you. Don't panic but do call the ambulance. It is far better to be safe than sorry, and to let people who are trained make the decisions. If they are asleep, make sure they are on their side, with their face facing the same way as their body is, not on the stomach or back, for either way they could drown in their vomit. If they vomit, they can aspirate it, and die (as happened to John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, Bon Scott of AC/DC, Eric Stumpy Joe Childs of Spinal Tap, and others). Don't be the person who needs this kind of help. Don't assume people around you will know what to do to help you. Don't induce vomiting in a person who is drunk. Dont force foods down a drunken person; it could create a choking situation and food cannot sober them up. Don't put a drunken person into a cold shower. It won't sober them and it could induce shock. Never allow someone who is drunk behind the wheel of a car, ever. It's not only their life but the lives of others too that are at stake.

The term scotch means that the whisky was distilled and matured in the country whose name it bears. Scotch is the most complex of whiskeys, with unusual combinations of sweetness and dryness. The sweetness coming from the primary grain, malted barley, which is the singular ingredient that is mostly associated with scotch. The dryness comes from the smoky qualities that are derived by drying the malted barley in kilns fired with peat from local bogs and the water which runs through the heather and peat moors. Scotch is aged in a variety of barrels; used port, sherry, bourbon, etc., which add to the complexity and variety of scotches. All of the largest selling scotches are blended, not only from malts but also from the lighter and more neutral tasting grain whiskeys made from unmalted barley or, more often, corn. The object of blending is to iron out the rough edges of individual whiskies and produce something that will appeal to (or be acceptable to) a broader taste.

The blender usually has a wide variety of malts available from all four regions of scotch malts.

Like wines - and many other drinks - the single malts of Scotland are grouped by region. As with wines, these regions offer a guideline rather than a rule. Within Bordeaux, a particular Pomerol, for example, might have a richness more reminiscent of Burgundy; similar comparisons can be made in Scotland. The regions in Scotland have their origins in the regulation of licenses and duties, but they do also embrace certain characteristics. The Lowlands The Lowlands tend to produce whiskeys in which the softness of the malt itself is more evident, untempered by Highland peatiness or coastal brine and seaweed. The Lowlands is defined by a line following old country boundaries and running from the Clyde estuary to the river Tay. The line swings north of Glasgow and Dumbarton and runs to Dundee and Perth. The Highlands The Highlands is by far the bigger region, and inevitably embraces wide variations. The western part of the Highlands, at least on the mainland, has only a few, scattered, distilleries, and it is difficult to generalize about their character. If they have anything in common, it is a rounded, firm, dry character, with some peatiness. The far north of the Highlands has several whiskies with a notably heathery, spicy character, probably deriving both from the soil and the coastal location of all distilleries. The more sheltered East Highlands and the Midlands of Scotland (sometimes described as the South Highlands) have a number of notably fruity whiskies. None of these Highland areas are officially regarded as regions, but the area between them is known as Speyside, universally acknowledged as a heartland of malt distillation. This area, between the cities of Inverness and Aberdeen, sweeps from granite mountains down to fertile countryside, where barley is among the crops. It is the watershed of a system of rivers, the principal among which is the Spey. Although it is not precisely defined, Speyside is commonly agreed to extend at least from the river Findhorn to the Deveron. Within the region are several other rivers, notably including the Livet. The Speyside single malts are noted in general for their elegance and complexity, and often a refined smokiness. Beyond that, they have two extremes: the big, sherryish type and the lighter, more subtle style. Within Speyside, the river Livet is so famous that its name is borrowed by some whiskies from far beyond its glen. Only one may call itself The Glenlivet; only two more are produced in the valley, and a further one in the parish. These are all delicate malts, and it could be more tentatively argued that other valleys have malts that share certain characteristics. The Highland region includes a few good coastal and island malts, but one peninsula and just one island have been of such historical importance in the industry that they are each regarded as being regions in their own right.

Campbelltown On the peninsula called the Mull of Kintyre, Campbeltown once had about 30 distilleries. Today, it has only three. One of these, Springbank, produces two different single malts. This apparent contradiction is achieved by the use of a lightly peated malt in one and a smokier kilning in the other. The Campbeltown single malts are very distinctive, with a briny character. Although there are only three of them, they are still considered to represent a region in their own right. Islay Pronounced "eye-luh", this is the greatest of whisky islands; much of it deep with peat, lashed by the wind, rain and sea in the inner Hebrides. It is only 25 miles long, but has no fewer than eight distilleries, although not all are working. Its single malts are noted for their seaweedy, iodinelike, phenolic character. A dash of Islay malt gives the unmistakable tang of Scotland to many blended whiskies.

Single Malts are the most natural of Spirits formed, more than any other, by their environment. For that same reason, they are the most individualistic. No other Spirit offers such diversity of character nor epitomizes the distiller's art, more than Single Malts.

The term SINGLE has a very clear and precise meaning. It indicates that the whisky was made in only one distillery, and has not been blended with any from elsewhere. The term MALT indicates the raw material: barley malt, and no other grain or fermentable material; infused with water, fermented with yeast and distilled in a pot. The term SCOTCH means that the whisky was distilled and matured in the country whose name it bears. Outside Britain, there are two single malts (but no Scotch) made in Ireland. There are also three or four single malts (but no Scotch) made in Japan. A SINGLE MALT SCOTCH must fulfill all three requirements. It must be the product of only one distillery; it must be made exclusively from barley malt; and it must be made in Scotland. There has been the odd occasion when the product of one run of the still has been aged in identical casks, then bottled. This has been described as a "Single/Single". That is not the normal procedure. Although a single malt always comes from one distillery, whisky from half-a-dozen production batches over a two-year period, aged in different casks, might be married in wood for several weeks and then fed into on bottling run. The age on the bottle will represent the youngest whisky inside.

Some single malts are labeled as "Pure Malt". However, this term is also often used to indicate a vatting together of malt whiskies made in several distilleries. This type of whisky is technically known as vatted malt. It may also be labeled simply as a "Malt Whisky" or "Scotch Malt Whisky". Although such bottlings are perfectly legitimate and often excellent products, their labels usually identify only the brand-owner or blender, and not the distilleries. A blended Scotch commonly contains about 40 percent malt; the odd one contains more than 60 percent. The cheaper blends contain much less. The deluxe blends are likely to contain a good proportion of well-matured malt, which is why some carry an age statement. Once again the age statement reflects the age of the youngest whisky.

All single malts are individuals, in some cases as distinct from each other as they are from the blends they inhabit. But before looking at the variables that conspire to produce such a diverse family, a brief reminder of the processes used in the creation of all malts might be helpful.

MALTING: Barley has to be partially germinated before it can release its fermentable sugars.
It is soaked in water until it begins to sprout, then this is arrested by drying the grains over heat. This steeping and drying process is called malting. Traditionally, the Scots dried their malt over a peat fire, which gives Scotch its characteristic smokiness. A proportion of peat is still burned during malting.

MASHING: To complete the conversion of starch into fermentable sugars, the malt (which has
been milled after malting) is mixed with warm water in a vessel called a mashtum. The liquid drained off, is known as wort.

FERMENTATION: The sugars in the wort are now turned into alcohol during fermentation,
which takes place with the addition of yeast, in a fermentation vessel.

DISTILLATON: This is the boiling of the fermented wort, in a pot-still. Because alcohol
boils more rapidly than water, the spirit is separated as a vapor and collected as it condenses back to alcohol.

MATURATION: All malts are matured in oak barrels, for a legal minimum of three years,
though usually much longer.

A single malt is distilled in traditional vessels that resemble a copper kettle or pot. These are known as pot-stills. Most other types of whisky are made predominantly from other grains, in a more modern system: a continuous still, shaped like a column.

Much of the flavor of the malt is retained in pot distillation because this old fashioned system is inherently inefficient. A column system can distill more thoroughly, but makes for a less flavorfull spirit. Blended Scotch whiskeys contain a proportion of pot-still malt, leavened with continuous-still whisky made from cheaper, unmalted grains.

The pot-still is a vessel shaped by a coppersmith, and in no two distilleries is it identical. Some Scottish malt distilleries trace their history from the late 1700s, and many from the early and mid 1800s. Over the years, each distillery has been reluctant to change the shape of its stills. As they wear out, they are replaced by new ones of the same design. If the last still was dented, the distillery may get the same depression hammered into the new still. The reason for this is that every variation in the shape of the still affects the character of the product. A small, squat still produces a heavy, oily, creamy spirit. In a large still, some of the vapors condense before they have left the vessel, fall back and are redistilled. This means that tall stills produce lighter, cleaner spirits. Most malts are run through two linked pot-stills: the wash-still. In some Lowland distilleries, and in Ireland, a system of three pot-stills is used.

Rum comes from sugarcane. It is the alcoholic distillate or a mixture of distillates from the fermented juice of sugarcane, sugarcane molasses, or other sugarcane by-products distilled at less than 190 proof (whether or not such proof is further reduced before bottling to not less than 80 proof). The distillate must possess the taste, aroma and characteristics generally attributed to rum. Rum is produced all over the world, wherever sugarcane grows and gets its name from the Latin "saccharum" which means sugar.

The production of rum begins with harvesting the cane.

The freshly cut cane is brought into the sugar mills, where it is passed through enormous, very heavy crushing rollers that express the juice. The juice is boiled to concentrate the sugar and evaporate the water. Then it is clarified. The result is a heavy, thick syrup. The sugar in the syrup is separated and removed. What remains is molasses. Sometimes this still retains up to 5% sugar. This molasses is then fermented and distilled into rum.

There are four main classifications of rum:

Very dry, light bodied rums; generally produced in the Spanish-speaking countries, of which Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Nicaragua are good examples. Medium-bodied rums; Barbados and Demerara being two examples. Rich, full-bodied, pungent rums; which are usually produced in the English-speaking islands and countries, such as Jamaica. Light-bodied but pungently aromatic; East Indian, Batavia, Arak rum as from Java.

All are Any but for

of these classifications of rum not restricted to the examples used. country can produce more than one type, some areas are more famous one particular type more than others.

Rums are mainly produced in the region of the Caribbean Sea, including the West Indies and the surrounding countries of South and Central America. Like the wines of France, rums are labeled as to the areas of origin and by law cannot be classified by type. Also like wine, the subtle differences in rums can come from the growing area (weather, soil type, humidity, etc.) and the affects it has on the sugarcane plant.

The molasses carries the characteristics of the plants and concentrates them. Like most spirits and wines, rums are blended to achieve taste and quality consistency. Other factors affecting the final product are the distillation process itself (Aguardientes, coming from the middle distillate), the aging process (how long, what type of barrel, charred or not, etc...) and as in special rums, the flavoring additives.

Some historians credit the Chinese with discovering the art of turning fruit wine or grain-based mash into a higher alcohol, purer beverage. Others claim the Egyptians were the creators of distillation. It's possible that both cultures were both experimenting with distillation in roughly the same period. Whatever the case, we know for certain that the Moors first established distillation in Europe during their occupation of southern Spain from the 8th century to the late 15th century. The Spaniards of the period were skilled winemakers and started using the pot stills that were left behind by the Moors. Within a century, brandies made from fermented grapes and other fruits spread across continental Europe.

"Brandy" is derived from brandywijn,

a word of Dutch origin for

"burnt".

Created in a still to leave the water and remove the alcoholic vapour which condenses back into liquid form as it cools. In other languages too, it is the burning that is the essential feature.

In theory distillation is the simplest of physical processes. It is based on the fact that alcohol and water boil at different temperatures, water at 100C, alcohol at 78.3C. If a fermented liquid is heated, the vapour containing the alcoholic constituents is released first. It can then be trapped and cooled, then condensed to an alcoholic liquid.

The process was probably first observed by the Arabs, who carried the torch of science during the Dark Ages.

We still use their words "al-ambiq" (alembic) for the still, "al-kuhl" (alcohol) for the distillate. Originally, the object was to produce medicinal properties, but it was soon discovered that the use of an appropriate raw material produced a drinkable liquid, a "water of life", aqua vitae. But the raw materials were generally so impure that the alcohol could only be consumed with safety if it had been repeatedly redistilled, which removed most of the essential characteristics of the original raw material as well.

The biggest breakthrough came in the 16th and early 17th centuries when it was found that distilling the sharp white wines, produced on the slopes overlooking the little town of Cognac in western France, resulted in spirits which, after as few as two passes through the stills, produced an eminently drinkable brandy, especially if aged for a few years in oak casks. It has proved to be an unbeatable formula.

The next essential in making fine brandy is the speed of distillation: the slower, the gentler, the more effectively the aromatic elements in the raw material are detached with the alcohol, the better. It is rather like stewing fruit: the lower the flame on the stove, the more intense the aromas released and the more thoroughly is the residue drained of them. Indeed, the Cognacais like to describe their method of distillation as (speeded-up) evaporation.

They are right: the vapours should contain as high a proportion as possible of the congeners, the hundreds of organic chemical compounds which are extracted with the alcohol. Some of these are undesirable, bringing with them rank and unpleasant aromas

and have to be removed. This entails a close control over the distillation process to remove the "heads", the first vapours emerging from the still, which contain the bulk of these undesirable elements, and then the "tails" which will simply be too feeble, without the requisite alcoholic concentration.

At the other extreme are the continuous stills, invented early in the 19th century by, and named after, an Irishman, Coffey. This still can concentrate wine 10 or more times up to the normal industrial maximum of 96.6%. This fast, continuous process saves heat (pot-stills have to be reheated between each batch), is highly productive - and can be highly destructive of all the elements which make brandy interesting.

Newly distilled brandy tastes raw, oily and unappetizing. The key to its final quality is a more or less lengthy sojourn in oak casks.

The choice of wood was originally accidental: oak happened to be the most easily available for making the casks required by the pioneering distillers. They were, of course, accustomed to using wood to mature and market their wines. Because brandy, like wine, is a product of the grape, oak has proved suitable for maturing it. But there are many varieties of oak and as with so many aspects of brandy making, local practices differ so widely that only a few generalizations can be offered as applying to the whole range of brandies.

Most of the qualities which make oak so suitable are physical. For whatever the chemical qualities of the wood and the reactions they induce when in prolonged contact with the spirit, it is the porosity of the cask which allows the brandy to have a steady, limited access to the air. The brandy gradually absorbs the oxygen required to oxidize and thus soften the raw spirit.

The Aztecs did not invent tequila. The one thing that held them back was the failure to discover the secret of distillation. The Aztecs did, however, drink an alcoholic beverage called "Pulque" by the Spaniards. "Pulque" was made by cutting off the flower stalk of the agave plant before it had a chance to bloom, then hollowing out the base of the plant and allowing the cavity to fill with sweet, milky plant sap. With no place to go, the juice would collect there and ferment in a sort of murky, foul-smelling wine. The Spaniards tried bringing in grapes and grains to recreate alcoholic beverages popular in Europe, but they wouldn't grow in the semi-arid areas where the agave plant thrived. The Spaniards didn't like the taste of Pulque, so they tried distilling it. After experimenting with different types of agave, they finally produced a drinkable spirit, which they called "Mezcal". Tequila is not made from cactus. The confusion is common because various agave species are often confused with cacti. (Agave leaves are succulent, rather than the stems, as in cactus). About 125 years ago, several of the distillers around the town of Tequila, in the central Mexican state of Jalisco, began making a superior form of Mezcal. They used the whole heart of a specific variety of agave indigenous to the region; the Blue Agave. Today only spirits made within the confines

of this region can bear the name Tequila, with one exception (Chinaco). If produced elsewhere, it must be called Mezcal.

Blue Agave is no longer a wild plant, but has become a carefully cultured species. On average, agave plants are about ten years old before they can be harvested for tequila production. The juicy core of the plant, which resembles a large pineapple, is harvested. Called the "pina" (Spanish for pineapple), the core which sometimes weighs upward of 100 pounds is trimmed, cut into chunks, then baked in huge steam ovens. A sweet juice (Aguamiel or honey juice) is extracted by steaming and compressing the pina. The juice is fermented for several days and then distilled at a low proof. It is then double distilled to a powerful 110 proof. Tequila is reduced to 80 proof with water before bottling. Some tequila is aged in wood; Gold and "Anejo", and some is bottled clear; the White and Silver. The Gold tequila rests in large oak vats for about nine months to one year, where it acquires a pale gold color. By law, tequila, designated "Anejo", must be aged a minimum of one year in wood, however, it is usually aged in smaller oak barrels for at least three years and sometimes up to seven. There are now premium mezcals made in the manner of tequila but produced outside of the Tequila region. Some mezcal is produced with an agave root worm in the bottle as a mark of authenticity.

In the world of distilled spirits no products are as magical

as cordials and liqueurs. Products in the category encompass virtually every flavor imaginable and can be used as aperitifs, shooters, after-dinner drinks, and components of classic cocktails. A cordial or liqueur the terms are used interchangeably in this country and always appear together in governmental regulations is made by combining distilled spirits with certain flavorings. The original cordials are shrouded in mystery, which is not surprising since their creators were medieval alchemists. In addition to searching for the formula to transform base metals to gold, these romantic figures also searched in vain for a life-prolonging elixir. While that particular recipe was never found, many others were created in the process. In those days these spirits had more arcane uses than as simple beverages. Rather than being used to stimulate the appetite or soothe digestion, cordials and liqueurs were used as medicine for various ailments, as love potions and aphrodisiacs and as cure-alls. In fact the origin of the term cordials reflects these origins. It is derived from the Latin word cor meaning "heart", because the earliest cordials were administrated to the sick to stimulate the heart and lighten the spirit. It is unnecessary to explain the medicinal and therapeutic values of certain seeds, herbs and roots that were used at the time as most of them are found in modern pharmacopoeia: caraway seed, coriander, angelica root, oil of orange, oil of lemon and various herbs rich in iodine are but a few. The term liqueur also has its root in Latin, in this case liquefacere, which means to dissolve or melt and reflects the method by which a liqueur is created. Cordials and liqueurs are usually thought of as sweet and in fact by definition they must contain at least 2.5% sugar by weight, although most cordials are considerably higher in their sugar content and many contain up to 35% of sweetening agent. The sugar may be beet, maple, cane,

honey, corn or a combination of these. If the sweetening accounts for less than 10% by weight of the finished product, the resultant cordial may be labeled "dry". Most cordials and liqueurs contain between 17% and 30% alcohol by volume, although some range up to 50%.

One of three methods is usually used to extract the flavors needed to produce a cordial. They are: infusion or maceration percolation distillation

Fruit flavors are extracted either by infusion or maceration. Percolation is used to draw flavor from leaves and herbs while distillation is used to extract flavor from seeds and flowers. Fruit flavors are usually derived by infusion, where crushed fruits are steeped in water, or maceration, in which they are steeped in alcohol to absorb almost all of the aroma, flavor and color of the fruit. Once the liquid is drawn off, it's stored in a tank for several days and then filtered. The fruit then under-goes distillation to extract whatever flavor remains. This distillate may then be added to the original liquid to give it more character. The final step before bottling calls for the addition of syrup made from sugar or another sweetening agent to reach the desired sweetness level. Percolation, which is sometimes referred to as brewing, is similar to the process for making coffee. In this process, the flavoring is placed in the upper part of an apparatus

which contains brandy or another spirit in the lower part. The spirit is then pumped up over the flavoring agent and is allowed to percolate through it over and over again several weeks or months. The flavor and aroma are thus extracted from the flavoring agent which then under-goes distillation to extract any remaining flavor. The distillate may then be mixed with the percolate which is next filtered, sweetened and bottled. Distillation, unlike the two other methods, uses heat to extract the flavor from such flavoring agents as anise, caraway orange peel and mint. After the flavoring agent has been steeped in alcohol for several hours, it is placed in a copper pot still with additional spirits and distilled. The colorless distillate is then sweetened with syrup and usually colored with vegetable coloring or food dye before bottling.

Generic liqueurs are those produced and marketed by several suppliers under the same universally used name. Some of the more common varieties are amaretto, samuca, triple sec and peppermint schnapps. But even among generic liqueurs brand names are prominent. Proprietary liqueurs are those brands usually produced from a closely guarded formula and sold under a trademarked name by only one producer. Famous proprietary liqueurs include Drambuie, Grand Marnier, Irish Mist and Jagermeister. For more information go to: Cognac, Brandy, Liqueur & Cordials

When we think of Gin we think of England and her former colonies.

The actual origins of Gin can be traced to 17th century Holland. Dr. Franciscus de La Boie invented Gin in 1650. He was a medical professor at the University of Leyden and was more widely known as Dr. Sylvius. As was with many other spirits, Gin was originally intended to be used as a medicine. Dr. Sylvius was seeking an inexpensive, but effective diuretic to use in the treatment of kidney disorders. He mixed oil of Juniper berries with grain alcohol, both of which have diuretic properties. He called his new medical concoction "genever", from the French word for Juniper. What made the recipe so revolutionary, was not the use of Juniper, it had been used before in dozens of liqueur formulas, but the choice of grain alcohol. Until Dr. Sylvius, most beverage alcohol had been made from grapes or other fruit. In other words, Brandies. While the Scotch and Irish were making Whiskies from grain, they tempered them with years of aging in wooded casks. Unaged grain spirits, at least those produced with 17th century technology, were considered too harsh for human consumption. But Genever tasted good and it was relatively inexpensive to produce. At the same time, English soldiers, who were fighting on the continent, were introduced to what they termed, "Dutch Courage". They returned to England with a preference for this new drink, and the population at large soon grew fond of this palatable yet inexpensive spirit, so much so that it eventually became identified as the national drink of England. It was the English, of course, that shortened the name to "Gin". Gin was also quite popular with the English foreign service in the "colonies". It mixed naturally with quinine (tonic water) which was used as a profilacsis to mulify the effects of Malaria.

Even today it's easy to conjure up an image of the British Colonial officers sitting on a wide veranda sipping a Gin and Tonic while surveying his vast dominion.

"'London Dry' and other styles"

The dry Gin that London distillers eventually developed is very different from the Holland or Geneva Gin still made by the Dutch, which is heavy-bodied and strongly flavored with a pronounced malty taste and aroma. London dry Gin appeared soon after the continuous still was invented in 1831. This new still made a purer spirit possible, encouraging English distillers to try an unsweetened or dry style. Sugars had been used to mask the rough and unpleasant flavors that could show up in older pot still production. Originally, the phrase "London dry Gin" specified a geographic location; that the Gin was made in or near London. Now, the term is considered to be generic and is used to describe a style of Gin, (In fact, Beefeater is now the only Gin distilled in London.) and virtually every Gin on the market uses the term "dry". Gin is the distillate of a grain mash with various flavoring agents. It gets its primary flavor from Juniper berries, but many other herbs and spices go into the make-up. The botanicals come from all over the world: Cardamom from Sri Lanka, Cassia bark from Vietnam, Orange peel from Spain, Coriander seed from the Czech Republic, Angelica root from Germany. Most of the Juniper berries themselves are imported from Italy. There are also dozens of other possible ingredients. Each distiller has his own secret formula and no two Gin brands are exactly alike.

Production
The vast majority of this unaged spirit (federal regulations do not permit

any age claims for gin, vodka and other neutral spirits) is either English dry Gin or American dry Gin. The English version uses 75% corn, 15% barley and 10% other grains for the mash. The fermentation process is similar to that of whiskey. Following fermentation the resulting liquid is distilled and rectified through a column still, producing a pure spirit of at least 90. The liquid is then redistilled with the many flavoring agents. Methods vary from producer to producer. Some combine the botanicals with the spirit and distill the mixture, while others suspend the botanicals above the spirit in the still and let the vapors pass through the many flavoring agents. The spirit that comes off is reduced to bottling strength, anywhere from 80 to 97. American Gin is produced using one of two standard methods: distilling and compounding. Distilled Gin is primarily made by adding the flavoring agents during a continuous process. There are two fairly similar methods of achieving this; direct distillation or redistillation. In direct distillation the fermented grain mash is pumped into the still. Then it is heated and the spirit vapors pass through a "gin head", a sort of percolator basket filled with Juniper, herbs and other natural ingredients. It picks up the delicate flavoring agents as it passes through and then condenses into a high proof Gin. Water is added to bring the product down to its bottling strength, usually 80. The other method, redistillation, differs only in that the fermented mash is first distilled into a flavorless neutral spirit. Then it is placed in a second still, containing a "gin head", and is redistilled, with vapors absorbing the flavoring agents. Compound Gin, a less costly product, is simply the combination of neutral spirits with the oil and extracts of the botanicals. However, the dominant flavor must be from Juniper berries.