Spirits Education
Vodka
Whether you love it or hate it, it’s here to stay!
Vodka is defined as “neutral spirits, so distilled, or so treated after distillation with charcoal or other materials, as to be without distinctive character, aroma, taste, or color.” However, this can be far from the truth!
While most cocktail enthusiasts have shunned vodka over the years, it’s important to recognize it for its purity, elegance, and simplicity. Never besmirch a spirit that is truly misunderstood and underrepresented as a category on the whole.
Gin
Truly, the world’s first and best flavored vodka!
Gin is typically a product of neutral grain spirits that have been triple distilled, cut with distilled water, and have had botanicals distilled into them (juniper, citrus, roots, baking spices, herbs, and many more).
Today there are known to be five main categories for gin: London Dry, Old Tom, Genever, New World, and Plymouth. Follow the link below to learn more about one of our favorite spirits to work with behind the bar!
Sugarcane Spirits
Rum, Rhum, Ron; However you enjoy it, this is one of the largest spirit categories in the world - and for good reason! Sugarcane spirits can be made anywhere in the world and all of them magnificent in their own unique ways.
Most sugarcane spirits have wildly different origin stories for their creation, but most can be categorized into regional styles (Spanish, English, French, and Jamaican). Of course, there are so many other varieties that you’ll just have to keep reading to find out more!
Agave Spirits
One tequila, two tequila, three tequila… floor.
Tightly controlled by the Mexican government, all agave spirts have strict guidelines for each of their respective categories. Most are familiar with tequila and mezcal, but many other varieties are becoming more available all of the time - Sotol, Bacanora, and Raicilla to name a few.
World Whiskey
We’ve got a lot of ground to cover here, so buckle up and come on this ride with us. Ranging from Bourbon and Rye, to Scotch, to Irish Whiskey, to Japanese Whisky, to Canadian Whisky, and even more beyond that - whisk(e)y truly has some amazing history and even more flavor.
Brandy
Brandy is an all encompassing category for a huge variety of products that can be made all of the world (the majority are made in France, Spain, the U.S., and Italy).
Follow us below as we delve into the world of Cognac, Pisco, Grappa, Calvados, Eau de Vie, and so many more amazing categories!
Beer
Water. Hops. Yeast. Grain.
No matter what’s in your glass, those four ingredients are the bare bones of any fermented brew - whether it’s ale, lager, or cider.
Here, you’ll find some of the most common styles of one of our favorite pastimes, learn a little about the fermentation process, and even a little history along the way.