Drinks Month - Glossary
For some reason, I find the art of bartending extremly fascinating and this month, to open up the world of cocktail creation and bartending to EBR readers, I'd like to start with a glossary of important bartending terms you'll come across over the next four weks of articles under the Drinks Month.
All the recipes are from a site called the Drinks Index. The site is comprehensive, well catalogued and very fast. You'll enjoy the visit and EBR makes it even easier by listing the best tried and tested cocktails for you to make a home (hic!).
Glossary of Drinks Terms
Advokaat - a Dutch liqueur made from a blend of egg-yolk, sugar, aromatic spirits and brandy.
Afrikoko - a chocolate and coconut flavoured liqueur from South Africa. If not available substitute 3 parts of another chocolate liqueur and 1 part coconut cream.
Akvavit - a clear Danish spirit which closely resembles Vodka and whose name means "water of life".
Almond Syrup - syrup made from water and sweet almonds.
Amaro - 'Bitter' in Italian. It is a generic term applied to the hundreds of proprietary brands of bitter digestive drinks sold in Italy.
Amaretto - an Italian liqueur with an almond flavour.
Amontillado - a pale, dry sherry from Spain.
Angostura Bitters - a popular brand of aromatic bitters used for flavouring cocktails.
Anisette - a fragrant liqueur with a sharp licorice flavour, made from anise seeds.
Aperitif - a drink before a meal designed to encourage the appetite: it could be either a commercial product or a mixed cocktail.
Apple Gin - a colourless liqueur compounded at Leith, Scotland.
Applejack - a very sweet apple-flavoured brandy.
Apricot Brandy - an apricot flavoured liqueur.
Apricot Liqueurs - These are made by macerating apricots in brandy that is then sweetened. A true apricot brandy is an eau-de-vie but apricot liqueurs can be called Apricot Brandy as long as they have a required amount of fruit.
Atholl Brose - A Scottish drink based on Highland malt whisky, uncooked oatmeal, honey and cream.
Aurum - A pale gold Italian liqueur, highly aromatic with a delicate orange flavour.
Bacardi - the brand name of a famous Caribbean firm who produce a variety of rums.
Bahia - A Brazilian blend of coffee and grain spirit.
Bailey's Irish Cream - a liqueur made from Irish Whiskey and Irish cream.
Beeswing - The light film that occasionally clings to the glass. It occurs most frequently in port.
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