Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: What you need to know about brandy and choosing the right bottle
• Method 2 of 3: Drink brandy pure
• Method 3 of 3: Make mixed drinks with brandy
• Tips
• Warnings

Brandy is delicious to drink neat, for example as a digestif, but you can also use brandy to make various tasty cocktails. The best known of brandies is probably cognac, but there are many other varieties, almost all of which are particularly rich in aromas and flavors. Brandy is wine that is distilled into a strong drink with an alcohol content of between 35 and 60%. You can learn to enjoy cognac and other types of brandies even more by learning about the history of the drink, the different types of brandies that exist and the best way to drink cognac.

To step

Method 1 of 3: What you need to know about brandy and choosing the right bottle

1. First read how brandy is actually made. Brandy is basically any liquor made by distilling fruit juice. First the juice is squeezed from the fruit and then that juice is fermented, turning it into fruit wine. That fruit wine is then distilled to produce brandy. Usually this brandy is then aged in wooden barrels, but there are also unripened types of brandy.
   • Cognac is made from grapes, but there is also brandy made from other fruits, such as apples, peaches or plums, just to name a few. Brandy that is not made from grapes but from another type of fruit is in principle referred to by the name of the fruit. For example, brandy made from peaches is called peach brandy. Certain well-known types of brandies made from a specific type of fruit are usually better known by a different name, which often refers to the region where the drink is made, such as Calvados or Grappa.
   • Most types of brandy acquire a beautiful, dark color through aging in wooden barrels. Unripened brandies do not have that caramel-like color of its own, which is why dyes are often added to younger types of brandies to create the same color effect.
   • Grappa is the Italian variety of brandy. Grappa is also made from grapes, but in a slightly different way. When making grappa, not only the grape juice, but also the skins, stems and seeds of the grapes are fermented and distilled. In English, grappa is also called pomace brandy or marc.
2. Also read something about the history of brandy. The English word "brandy" originally comes from the Dutch word "brandewijn," which is another corruption of "brandende wine," which of course refers to the warm glow you feel in your mouth when you take a sip of brandy.
   • Brandy was first made in the 12th century, but originally the drink was only used for medicinal purposes by doctors and pharmacists. It was not until the 16th century that French winegrowers were allowed by the authorities to produce brandy by distillation.
   • In France, the production of brandy got off to a slow start, until the Dutch began to import brandy for consumption and to export the drink to other European countries. The higher alcohol content made brandy more economical to transport than wine, making it a financially attractive product for merchants.
   • The Dutch invested in building distilleries in well-known French wine regions such as the Loire, Bordeaux and Charente. The Charente became the most profitable region for the production of brandy. It is not without reason that the Charante is the region where the city of Cognac is located.
3. There are many different types of brandy and also different types of cognac. The quality of brandy depends on the maturation time of the drink. Well-known types of brandy include armagnac, cognac, pisco, calvados, American brandy, eaux de vie and sherry. The quality of a certain type of brandy is indicated on the basis of the maturation time of the drink. Each of the different types of brandy or cognac is rated based on a specific grading system.
4. Learn here how to interpret the terms used within the different aging systems of cognac and other brandies. The production of brandy and especially the production of cognac is a time-consuming process that requires very patient and careful handling to allow all flavors and aromas to form in the drink. Traditionally, brandy is aged in oak barrels. The different types of brandies are all aged in a specific way and the different types are each classified in their own way. The age of a particular brandy is usually indicated by one of the following abbreviations: AC, VS (Very Special), VSOP (Very Special Old Pale), XO (Extra Old), Hors d'age or Ancestrale, and vintage. The designation vintage on, for example, a bottle of wine, cognac or armagnac usually indicates that the content of the bottle comes from a so-called vintage year or a specific particularly good year. The abbreviations listed here are not used in the same way for every brandy.
   • VS brandy (Very Special) has matured for at least two years. This type of brandy is most suitable as a mixed drink in cocktails and is less suitable for drinking neat.
   • VSOP brandy (Very Special Old Pale, which literally means Very Special Old Bleach) is usually between 4.5 and 6 years old.
   • Brandy with the designation XO (Extra Old or Extra Matured) is generally at least 6.5 years old.
   • Brandy of the Hors d'age (literally: older than his age) or Ancestrale type is brandy that has matured for so long that the exact age of the drink can no longer be determined.
   • These names are laid down by law for certain types of cognac, but this does not apply to all types of brandy.
5. Try Armagnac. Armagnac is brandy made from grapes and produced in the southwest of France. Armagnac is made from a combination of grapes of the Colombard and Ugni-Blanc varieties and is distilled in a so-called alembic. The drink is then aged for at least two years in French oak barrels, resulting in a brandy that is very similar to cognac, but with a more rustic character. After the maturation process, a standard product is created by combining a number of types of Armagnac of different ages.
   • In armagnac with 3 stars or with the designation VS (Very Special), the youngest type of armagnac in the combination must have matured in oak for at least two years.
   • Armagnac of the type VSOP (Very Special Old Bleach) is a blend, or a blend, of different types of armagnac in which the youngest type must have matured in oak for at least four years, but many types of armagnac of the type VSOP are in fact much older.
   • A bottle of Armagnac may be labeled Napoleon or XO (Extra Matured) if the youngest type of Armagnac in the blend has matured in oak for at least six years.
   • Armagnac of the Hors d'age type is armagnac within which the youngest type within the blend is ten years or older.
   • If there is an age on the label of a bottle of Armagnac, it is the age of the youngest Armagnac in that bottle.
   • There are also very good quality types of Armagnac that are at least ten years old. In such a case, the harvest year is stated on the bottle.
   • These age categories only apply to Armagnac; the age of cognac and other brandies is indicated in a different way.
6. Try real cognac. Cognac is made from grapes and is perhaps the king of brandies. The name cognac obviously refers to the French city where the drink originally comes from. Cognac is made from a specific combination of grapes, including the Ugni Blanc variety. Cognac must be distilled twice in copper stills and aged for a minimum of two years in French oak barrels.
   • 3-stars or US (Very Special) cognac is given that designation when the youngest type of cognac in the blend has matured in oak for at least two years.
   • Cognac of the type VSOP (Very Special Old Bleach) may be called that if the youngest type of cognac in the blend has matured for at least four years, but most types of cognac in this category are in fact much older.
   • Cognac is given the name Napoleon, XO (Extra Matured), Extra or Hors d'age when the youngest type of cognac in the blend has matured in oak for at least six years. In fact, cognacs within this category are usually 20 years or older.
   • There are types of cognac that have matured in oak for 40 to 50 years.
7. Try American brandy or brandy. A lot of different brands fall under the American brandy category. There are not many legal rules regarding the age and quality of this type of brandy. Therefore, if names such as VS, VSOP and XO are used within this category to indicate the age and quality of the brandy, they are not regulated by law and if you buy a bottle of American brandy it is good to be aware of this. to be. Within the United States, for example, there are only two laws on brandy that consumers have to deal with.
   • If American brandy has been aged for less than two years, the word “immature” or “unripened” must appear on the label.
   • Furthermore, the law stipulates that if the drink is not made from grapes, the label must state the type of fruit from which the brandy is made.
   • Because the names of the different age categories under brandies are not officially laid down by law, the different brands use different names to indicate the category of the brandy and often the maturing time is not really long. On the websites of many distilleries you can find more information about the various types of brandies that are produced and their maturation time.
   • The law does not prescribe a specific distilling method for brandy.
8. Try pisco. Pisco is an unripened brandy made from grapes that is produced in Peru and Chile. Because pisco is not matured, the drink is light in color. There is currently a discussion going on between Peru and Chile as to which of the two countries should have the right to produce pisco and whether that right should be limited to certain areas.
9. Try apple brandy. Apple brandy is made from apples and is of course produced in France under the name calvados, but also in the United States, where it is known as applejack. Brandy made from apples is very versatile and can be used in all kinds of cocktails.
   • Applejack, or the American version, is very bright and fruity.
   • The French variant, Calvados, is more subtle and has a more nuanced flavor in which you can discover different depths.
10. Try eaux de vie. Eaux de vie is French for "Water of Life". Eaux de vie is an unripened brandy that is not made from grapes but from other fruits such as raspberries, pears, plums, cherries, and so on. Just like pisco, an eaux de vie is unripened and is therefore usually light in color.
    • In Germany, eaux de vie is known as "Schnapps", which is a collective term for German and Austrian brandies made from fruit. There is also American schnapps, but this is a sweet, syrup-like drink that is more like a liqueur.
11. Try sherry. Sherry is, in fact, brandy too. Sherry is made in the Spanish region of Andalusia, according to its own, officially established method. According to that method, sherry is only distilled once in copper stills. The drink is then aged in American oak barrels.
    • Solera is the youngest and most fruity variety among the different types of sherry. The average minimum age for Solera sherry is 1 year.
    • Sherry of the Solera Reserva type must be at least 3 years old.
    • The oldest type of brandy produced in Spain is Jerez Solera Gran Reserva. This type of sherry must have matured for at least 10 years.
12. When buying brandy, first pay attention to the type and then the age. The type of brandy can be one of the types of brandy we discussed above or it may simply say “brandy” on the label. If no specific type is mentioned on the label, check the label to see which country the brandy comes from or what the drink is made from (for example, from grapes, apples, or some other type of fruit). After you have determined which type of brandy you are going to buy, you can choose a bottle with a shorter or longer maturation time within that type. Keep in mind that the general age ratings for brandies can vary widely and that different names and abbreviations are used within different types of brandies to indicate the age of the brandy.

Method 2 of 3: Drink brandy pure

1. Learn how to drink brandy neat. Drinking brandy “pure” means that you drink the drink on its own without ice and without mixing the drink with other ingredients. You only taste the taste of the brandy and nothing else, so that the taste of the drink comes into its own.
   • If you serve a glass of brandy with ice, the ice will melt quickly, diluting the drink and making the taste watery.
2. Drink the brandy neat when you have a good quality ripe brandy in your hands. A really good cognac, for example, is best drunk neat. That way, the taste comes into its own much better, so you will be able to enjoy the cognac much more and really experience how cognac tastes at its best.
3. Buy a special brandy glass. A special brandy glass has the shape of a balloon and officially has a snifter. A cognac glass is large and convex in shape. It is very wide at the bottom and narrows towards the top. Cognac glasses have a short stem and come in a variety of sizes, although usually no more than 60ml is poured into the glass at a time. These glasses are very suitable for drinking cognac and other good brandies because the subtle aromas all come together at the top of the glass when you hold your nose over the glass and smell it to catch the scent.
   • Serve the cognac or other brandy in a spotless shifter that has been air-dried so that no other flavors can mix with those of the brandy.
4. Serve the brandy immediately. Brandy, like regular wine, does not have to "breathe" first. If you leave a glass of brandy or other brandy for too long, some of the volatile alcohol will evaporate, causing the drink to lose its character.
5. Heat the glass in your hand. Many connoisseurs prefer to warm up brandy a little before drinking, as a small amount of light heat enhances the flavor and aroma of the drink. The best way to do this is to simply hold the glass in your hand and slowly let it warm up a bit. Due to the wide, spherical bottom, the glass can easily be heated in your hand.
   • You can also warm the glass by pouring hot water into it and then pouring it out again before pouring in the brandy.
   • Another way to warm the brandy is to hold the glass carefully over an open flame.
   • Just be careful not to let the brandy get too hot! Letting the brandy get too hot may cause the alcohol to evaporate, ruining the bouquet and flavor.
   • Do not let the brandy "roll" back and forth through the glass as this may cause some of the subtle aromas of the drink to be lost.
6. To smell the brandy, hold the glass at chest height. By smelling the brandy from this distance, you can smell the floral undertones and the delicate scents penetrate your nose. That way your senses will not be completely overwhelmed the moment you taste a good cognac.
7. Bring the glass up to your chin and sniff through your nose again. Lift the brandy glass up to just in front of your chin and breathe in deeply through your nose. By inhaling the scent of the brandy at this altitude, you will be able to perceive the aromas of dried tropical fruits in the brandy.
8. Now lift the glass to just under your nose and smell with your mouth as well as with your nose. By holding the glass just under your nose, you can distinguish the more spicy scents in the brandy. This way of smelling is a lot more complex than the previous two ways.
9. Take a very small sip. You should only wet your lips with the first sip so that the strong flavor of the brandy doesn't overwhelm you. The first sip you take is meant to bring no more than the flavor into your mouth and should therefore be as small as possible. If you take too big a sip all at once, the strong taste of the brandy can take you by surprise and you may not feel like tasting more brandy afterwards.
10. Take a few more sips, starting with smaller sips and gradually taking larger sips. These sips are meant to prepare your mouth a bit for what is to come. You can't really enjoy the flavor of the brandy until your taste buds are warmed.
    • When drinking brandy, the smell is at least as important as the taste. Don't forget to keep an eye on the smell while sipping the brandy.
11. If you taste different types of brandies or cognacs, start with the youngest and drink the rest in order of age, ending with the oldest brandy. If you are tasting a number of different types of cognac or other brandies, you should always start with the youngest. Always keep a little bit of each brandy or cognac so you can come back to it later - you will be amazed how different, for example, that first cognac will taste once your nose and palate have warmed up after drinking the other different types of cognac or brandy.
12. When tasting different types of brandies, try not to look at the type and price. Both type and price can affect the way you taste a particular brandy, so you better cover that data while tasting so that you can really discover the flavors you like in the brandy for yourself. Moreover, you can also learn a little more about yourself that way.
    • You can somehow label the glasses on the bottom before pouring the brandy. Then swap the glasses before you drink out so you don't know which one is which.

Method 3 of 3: Make mixed drinks with brandy

1. Try making cocktails with brandy if you have a slightly younger, less expensive variety. For example, if the cognac you have at home is of the VS type, or if it is another unnamed brandy, you can use it as an ingredient in mixed drinks. As the name implies, brandy is in principle a type of wine and therefore does not go well with just types of soft drinks, or for example with tonic, but there are all kinds of mixed drinks with brandy that are surprisingly tasty.
   • Real Cognac is also regularly used in cocktails, even though cognac is an aged, more expensive type of brandy.
2. Try a Sidecar. The Sidecar is a classic cocktail. According to the Ritz Carlton in Paris, the cocktail was created there in the hotel at the beginning of the twentieth century. You will need the following: 45 ml Cognac, 30 ml Cointreau or triple sec, 15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, a slice of lemon for garnish and possibly sugar to decorate the rim of the glass.
   • Decorate the rim of a chilled martini glass with sugar. A martini glass is in the shape of an upside-down triangle and has a fairly long stem. Cool the glass by placing it in the freezer compartment and then press the rim of the glass into a sugar plate, so that a nice sugar rim is formed at the top of the glass.
   • Put all ingredients (except the lemon curl) together with a few ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and shake well.
   • Pour the drink through a sieve into the glass. The ice cubes remain in the sieve.
   • Garnish with the lemon curl. You can make a lemon curl by cutting a thin string of the zest of the lemon around the lemon in the shape of a whole circle.
   • You can adjust the ratio of cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice a little, so that you can determine exactly what is the ideal taste for you.
3. Try a Metropolitan. The first recipe for this cocktail dates from the year 1900, making the Metropolitan a true classic. You make this drink with the following ingredients: 45 ml brandy, 30 ml sweet vermouth, 1/2 teaspoon sugar syrup and 2 drops of herbal bitter (for example Amargo de Angostura or Angostura bitters), if you can get it.
   • Make sugar syrup by mixing 1 cup of water with one cup of very fine sugar in a glass jar. Put the lid on the jar and shake the jar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Keep the jar in the refrigerator.
   • Put all ingredients together with some ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and shake well.
   • Pour the drink into a chilled martini glass. A martini glass is a glass in the shape of an inverted triangle on a fairly long stem.
4. Try a Gentleman's Hot Toddy or a Hot Grog for Gentlemen. A Hot Toddy is a classic hot drink that was often used as a medicine in the past. You can make it with a wide variety of spirits, including brandy and calvados, or any other brandy made from apples. You will need the following: 30 ml of (apple) brandy, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 quarter of a lemon, 1 cup of water, a few cloves, a little nutmeg and 2 cinnamon sticks.
   • Cover the bottom of a mug or special Irish coffee glass with honey. Pour over the (apple) brandy and the juice of a quarter lemon.
   • Bring the water to the boil in a kettle or saucepan and pour it into the glass.
   • Stir the mixture together, then add the cloves and cinnamon sticks.
   • Let the drink stand for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with some nutmeg and enjoy!
   • You can use more brandy and less water if you want, or vice versa. If you are using apple brandy, you can use more brandy and less water to add flavor to the drink.
5. Try a Pisco Sour. Pisco is most commonly consumed as an ingredient in Pisco Sour. Pisco Sour is Peru's national drink, but the cocktail is also very popular in Chile. You need the following: 95 ml pisco, 30 ml freshly squeezed lime juice, 22 ml sugar syrup, 1 fresh egg white and a few drops of herbal bitters (for example Amargo de Angostura or Angostura Bitters).
   • Make sugar syrup by stirring a cup of water and a cup of very fine sugar together in a glass jar. Put the lid on the jar and shake the jar vigorously, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Put the jar of sugar syrup in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
   • Put the pisco, lime juice, sugar syrup and egg white in a cocktail shaker without ice and shake the shaker for about 10 minutes, or until the egg white is white and foamy.
   • Add the ice and shake vigorously again for about 10 seconds, until the drink is thoroughly chilled.
   • Use a strainer to separate the ice from the drink and pour the cocktail into a chilled glass specially designed for serving pisco sour. Pisco sour is served in a relatively small glass that is shaped like an ordinary shot glass, but the bottom is thinner and the glass flares out a bit towards the top.
   • Finish the drink with a few drops of herbal bitters on top of the egg white foam.
6. Try a Jack Rose. A Jack Rose is a classic cocktail that was very popular in the 1920s. The drink is based on applejack, the American brandy made from apples. The ingredients are: 60 ml applejack, 30 ml lime juice and 15 ml grenadine syrup. Real American applejack isn't that easy to get, but if you can get hold of it, this cocktail is definitely worth a try.
   • Put all ingredients together with some ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and shake well.
   • Pour the drink into a chilled cocktail glass. A cocktail glass has a long stem and the glass is in the shape of an inverted triangle.
7. Try a so-called "Prescription Julep". The recipe for this drink first appeared in print in 1857. In this cocktail, cognac is combined with rye-fired whiskey, creating a refreshing combination that will taste particularly good in summer. You will need the following: 45 ml of VSOP brandy, or another good quality brandy, 15 ml of rye-fired whiskey, 2 teaspoons of sugar, dissolved in 15 ml of water and 2 sprigs of fresh mint.
   • Put the sugar and water in a tall glass or in a so-called "julep cup" (a classic silver cup) and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
   • Put some mint leaves in the glass and press them lightly to release the aromatic oil from the leaves. Do not press the mint too finely, otherwise the mint leaves will give off a bitter taste.
   • Now pour in the cognac and whiskey and stir all the ingredients together in the glass.
   • Fill the glass with crushed ice cubes and stir with a long spoon until the sides of the glass start to freeze nicely.
   • Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and serve the drink through a straw.

Tips

• If you find the taste of pure brandy really too strong, add a very small amount of water to the brandy in the glass before you taste it.
• There are many different cocktails with brandy and you can also come up with one yourself. Just a matter of doing a little research and using your creativity!

Warnings

• Drinking alcohol affects your ability to drive and use machines. In addition, drinking alcohol poses risks to your health. Always drink alcoholic drinks sensibly.
• Do not drink alcohol while you are pregnant. Drinking alcohol during your pregnancy puts your baby at risk.