tell me about brandy, is it wine, is it a cognac, tell me everything u know?

Answer 1

Brandy is a distilled spirit made from wine.

Cognac is a brandy that is made in a specific region of France. That means all Cognac is French Brandy, but not all French Brandy is Cognac.

motivasean is incorrect. Good brandy is quite good and enjoyable. It is not made for binge drinking, but to be savored and enjoyed quietly. In only one way he is correct. Brandy is not for youngsters, it is an acquired taste that is more appreciated by older people than youngsters.

Doc, who enjoys good brandy from time to time

Answer 2

Great -- you ask us to tell us what *we* know, and two people respond by cutting and pasting the same long entry from Wikipedia!

Brandy is distilled wine. Distilling means heating up the wine and collecting the steam, when cooled that is the essence -- or spirit -- of the wine. (Whiskey is basically distilled beer).

Cognac is one type of brandy, as grown and made in the Cognac region of France. All wine making countries make brandy, but only Cognac can make Cognac brandy.

(another famous brandy is Armagnac, which comes from the Armagnac region of France.)

Answer 3

Brandy, she's a fine girl, what a good wife you would be... but my life, my lover my lady is the sea.
That's about all I can tell you about Brandy in public without being banned.

Answer 4

Cheylavo's on the money, (a woman after my own heart.)

Motivase is under the mistaken assumption that just becsue he doesn't like something, others must not either who then concoct haughty attitudes to maintain it. Motivase fails to see the diversity in pallates across human beings, but even more interestingly for his psychic structure, he is so threatened by others liking something he doesn't, he assumes they tolerate it for self-aggrandizing aims, which ironically reveals his own bruised ego and its need for narcissistic defenses.

http://www.foodforthoughtonline.net/homepage.html

_______________________________________

Answer 5

Brandy (short for brandywine, from Dutch brandewijn—'burnt wine' is a general term for distilled wine, usually 40–60% ethyl alcohol by volume. In addition to wine, this spirit can also be made from grape pomace or fermented fruit juice. Unless specified otherwise, brandy is made from grape wine. It is normally consumed as an after-dinner drink. Brandy made from wine is generally colored with caramel coloring to imitate the effect of long aging in wooden casks; pomace and fruit brandies are generally drunk unaged, and are not usually colored.


History
The origins of brandy are unclear, and tied to the development of distillation. Concentrated alcoholic beverages were known in ancient Greece and Rome and may have a history going back to ancient Babylon. Brandy as it is known today first began to appear in the 12th century and became generally popular in the 14th century.

Initially wine was distilled as a preservation method and as a way to make the wine easier for merchants to transport. It was also thought that wine was originally distilled to lessen the tax which was assessed by volume. The intent was to add the water removed by distillation back to the brandy shortly before consumption. It was discovered that after having been stored in wooden casks, the resulting product had improved over the original distilled spirit. In addition to removing water, the distillation process leads to the formation and break-up of numerous aroma compounds, fundamentally altering the composition of the distillate from its source. Non-volatile substances such as pigments, sugars and salts, remain behind in the still. As a result, the taste of the distillate may be quite unlike that of the original source.


Types of brandy
There are three primary types of brandy. The term "brandy" denotes grape brandy if the type is not otherwise specified.


Grape brandy
Grape brandy is produced by the distillation of fermented grape juice. There are five main subtypes of grape brandies.

Cognac comes from the Cognac region in France, and is double distilled using pot stills. Popular brands include Hine, Martell, Rémy Martin, Hennessy, Ragnaud-Sabourin, Delamain and Courvoisier.
Armagnac is made from grapes of the Armagnac region in Southwest of France (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne). It is single-continuous distilled in a copper still and aged in oak casks from Gascony or Limousin. Armagnac was the first distilled spirit in France. Armagnacs have a specificity: they offer vintage qualities. Popular brands are Darroze, Baron de Sigognac, Larressingle, Delord, Laubade, Gélas and Janneau.
Brandy de Jerez is the brandy from the area of Jerez. As such it is an essential ingredient to Sherry, but it is also available separately. Like Sherry and Cognac it is a protected Denomination of Origin.
Grape brandies are also produced in several other countries, including Portugal where it is called aguardente (burning water), Mexico, Germany, Cyprus and South Africa. South African grape brandies are, by law, made almost exactly as in Cognac, using a double-distillation process in copper pot stills followed by aging in oak barrels for a minimum of three years. Because of this, South African brandies are of a very high quality.
Lourinhã, located in western Portugal's Estremadura region, is one of the few brandy-making areas to receive appellation status along with Cognac and Armagnac.
American grape brandy is almost always from California.
The European Union legally enforces Cognac as the exclusive name for brandy produced and distilled in the Cognac area of France, and Armagnac from the Gascony area of France, using traditional techniques.


Martell Cognac served in a typical brandy snifter.Grape brandies are best drunk from a tulip-shaped glass or a snifter, at cool room temperature.[citation needed] Often it is slightly warmed, by holding the glass in the cup of the palm or gently heating with a candle; however, such heating causes alcohol vapor to become very pungent so that the aromas are overpowered.[citation needed] Brandy, like whisky and red wine, exhibits more pleasant aromas and flavors at a lower temperature, e.g., 16 degrees Celsius (61°F). In most homes, this would imply that the brandy should in fact rather be cooled for maximum enjoyment. Furthermore, alcohol (which makes up 40% of a typical brandy) becomes thin as it is heated, (but more viscous when cooled) leading to a fuller and smoother mouthfeel with less of a burning sensation.

Answer 6

All i know is that brandy tastes effin disgusting. Whoever drinks it is pretentious and phoney.

Answer 7

Brandy (short for brandywine, from Dutch brandewijn—'burnt wine'[1]) is a general term for distilled wine, usually 40–60% ethyl alcohol by volume. In addition to wine, this spirit can also be made from grape pomace or fermented fruit juice. Unless specified otherwise, brandy is made from grape wine.[2] It is normally consumed as an after-dinner drink. Brandy made from wine is generally colored with caramel coloring to imitate the effect of long aging in wooden casks; pomace and fruit brandies are generally drunk unaged, and are not usually colored.

[edit] History
The origins of brandy are unclear, and tied to the development of distillation. Concentrated alcoholic beverages were known in ancient Greece and Rome and may have a history going back to ancient Babylon. Brandy as it is known today first began to appear in the 12th century and became generally popular in the 14th century.

Initially wine was distilled as a preservation method and as a way to make the wine easier for merchants to transport. It was also thought that wine was originally distilled to lessen the tax which was assessed by volume. The intent was to add the water removed by distillation back to the brandy shortly before consumption. It was discovered that after having been stored in wooden casks, the resulting product had improved over the original distilled spirit.[2] In addition to removing water, the distillation process leads to the formation and break-up of numerous aroma compounds, fundamentally altering the composition of the distillate from its source. Non-volatile substances such as pigments, sugars and salts, remain behind in the still. As a result, the taste of the distillate may be quite unlike that of the original source.


[edit] Types of brandy
There are three primary types of brandy. The term "brandy" denotes grape brandy if the type is not otherwise specified.


[edit] Grape brandy
Grape brandy is produced by the distillation of fermented grape juice. There are five main subtypes of grape brandies.

Cognac comes from the Cognac region in France[2], and is double distilled using pot stills. Popular brands include Hine, Martell, Rémy Martin, Hennessy, Ragnaud-Sabourin, Delamain and Courvoisier.
Armagnac is made from grapes of the Armagnac region in Southwest of France (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne). It is single-continuous distilled in a copper still and aged in oak casks from Gascony or Limousin. Armagnac was the first distilled spirit in France. Armagnacs have a specificity: they offer vintage qualities. Popular brands are Darroze, Baron de Sigognac, Larressingle, Delord, Laubade, Gélas and Janneau.
Brandy de Jerez is the brandy from the area of Jerez. As such it is an essential ingredient to Sherry, but it is also available separately. Like Sherry and Cognac it is a protected Denomination of Origin.
Grape brandies are also produced in several other countries, including Portugal where it is called aguardente (burning water), Mexico, Germany, Cyprus and South Africa. South African grape brandies are, by law, made almost exactly as in Cognac, using a double-distillation process in copper pot stills followed by aging in oak barrels for a minimum of three years. Because of this, South African brandies are of a very high quality.
Lourinhã, located in western Portugal's Estremadura region, is one of the few brandy-making areas to receive appellation status along with Cognac and Armagnac.
American grape brandy is almost always from California.[2]
The European Union legally enforces Cognac as the exclusive name for brandy produced and distilled in the Cognac area of France, and Armagnac from the Gascony area of France, using traditional techniques.


Martell Cognac served in a typical brandy snifter.Grape brandies are best drunk from a tulip-shaped glass or a snifter, at cool room temperature.[citation needed] Often it is slightly warmed, by holding the glass in the cup of the palm or gently heating with a candle; however, such heating causes alcohol vapor to become very pungent so that the aromas are overpowered.[citation needed] Brandy, like whisky and red wine, exhibits more pleasant aromas and flavors at a lower temperature, e.g., 16 degrees Celsius (61°F). In most homes, this would imply that the brandy should in fact rather be cooled for maximum enjoyment. Furthermore, alcohol (which makes up 40% of a typical brandy) becomes thin as it is heated, (but more viscous when cooled) leading to a fuller and smoother mouthfeel with less of a burning sensation.


[edit] Pomace brandy
Pomace brandy is produced from fermented grape pulp, seeds, and stems that remain after the grapes are pressed for their juice. Examples include the Italian grappa and the French marc.[2]


[edit] Fruit brandy
Fruit brandies are distilled from fruits other than grapes. Apple, plum, peach, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and apricot are the most commonly used fruit. Fruit brandy is usually clear, 80 to 90 proof, and usually drunk chilled or over ice.

Calvados is an apple brandy from the French region of Lower Normandy.[2] Apple is pressed into cider, fermented with yeast and double distilled.

Cherry Brandy is a fruit brandy made from cherries. The most famous brand is the HEERING Cherry Liqueur (also known as Peter Heering or Cherry Heering) of Denmark founded in 1818. Cherries are pressed into a must, matured in oak casks and then blended into a liqueur. HEERING Cherry Liqueur is the original "cherry brandy" ingredient in the Singapore Sling drink from Raffles Hotel, Singapore.

Eau-de-vie is a general French term for fruit brandy.

Kirschwasser is a fruit brandy made from cherries.[2]

Pálinka is a fruit brandy traditional to Hungary.[2] It can be made from any kind of fruit - most often plum (szilva), apricot (barack), grape (törköly), elderberry (bodza), pear (vilmoskörte) and cherry (cseresznye). Less common pálinka-types include apple, peach and even walnut (dió). Mixed pálinka (vegyes) is also popular.

Slivovitz is a fruit brandy made from plums[2], traditional to Bosnia And Herzegovina,Serbia and Croatia.

Slivovice is a strong 70% vol. (and more) fruit brandy made from plums, in Slovakia, the East mountains of the Czech republic (region Valachia - exactly Vizovice) and Southern mountain region of Poland.

Certain varieties of Schnapps or Snaps, light-bodied spirits that are drunk along with a meal in Germanic or Scandinavian countries.

Tuica (tzuika) is the clear Romanian brandy, made mainly from plums, apples, pears, apricots, mulberries, peaches, quinces or mixes of them. Other regional names as turţ, tura, horinca apply. As wine producers, Romania and Moldova have also a production of cognac-style brandy, named vinars or divin.


[edit] Brandy and the European Union
The European Union has established a different definition of the term brandy:[3]

5. Brandy or Weinbrand (a) Brandy or Weinbrand is a spirit drink: 1) produced from wine spirit, whether or not .….wine distillate has been added, distilled at less than 94,8% vol., provided that that distillate does not exceed a maximum of 50% of the alcoholic content of the finished product, 2) matured for at least one year in oak receptacles or for at least six months in oak casks with a capacity of less than 1 000 litres, 3) containing a quantity of volatile substances equal to or exceeding 125 grams per hectolitre of 100% vol. alcohol, and derived exclusively from the distillation or redistillation of the raw materials used, 4) having a maximum methanol content of 200 grams per hectolitre of 100% vol. alcohol. (b) The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of brandy or Weinbrand shall be 36%. (c) No addition of alcohol as defined in Annex I(5), diluted or not, shall take place. (d) Brandy or Weinbrand shall not be flavoured. This shall not exclude traditional production methods. (e) Brandy or Weinbrand may only contain added caramel as a means to adapt colour.

This definition formally excludes pomace brandy, fruit brandy and even unaged grape brandy. The same EU regulation defines the names of these excluded spirits as grape marc spirit , fruit spirit and wine spirit. The German term Weinbrand is equivalent to the English term brandy, however, outside the German speaking countries, it is only used for brandies from Austria and Germany. In Poland brandy is sometimes called (together with loan word "brandy) "Winiak" (from "wino" - a wine).


[edit] Variations

[edit] Pot vs. tower stills
Cognac and South African pot still brandy are examples of brandy produced in batches using pot stills (batch distillation). Many American brandies use fractional distillation in tower stills to perform their distillation. Special pot stills with a fractionation section on top are used for Armagnac.


[edit] Aging
A brandy can be aged in one of three main ways.

No aging: Many pomace and fruit brandies (cf. eau de vie) are not aged after distillation. The resulting product is typically a clear liquid.
Single barrel aging: Brandies that have a golden or brown color have been aged in oak casks.
Solera process: Some brandies are aged using the solera system. Brandies from Spain are typical of this variation.

[edit] Brandy Labels
Brandy has a rating system to describe its quality and condition, these indicators can usually be found near the brand name on the label.
A.C. : aged 2 years in wood.
V.S. : "Very Special" or 3-Star, aged at least 3 years in wood.
V.S.O.P. : "Very Special Old Pale" or 5-Star, aged at least 5 years in wood.
X.O. : "Extra Old", Napoleon or Vieille Reserve, aged at least 6 years, Napoleon at least 4 years.
Vintage : Stored in the cask until the time it is bottled with the label showing the vintage date.
Hors D'age: : These are too old to determine the age, although 10 years plus is typical, and are usually of great quality.



[edit] Distillation
Parts of this article may be confusing or unclear.
Please help clarify the article. Suggestions may be on the talk page. (August 2007)

A batch distillation typically works as follows: Wine with an alcohol concentration of 8-12%v/v and high acidity is boiled in a pot still. Vapours of ethanol, water and the numerous aroma components rise upwards and are collected in a condenser coil where it becomes a liquid again. The alcohol concentration of the condensed product (the distillate) is far higher than in the original wine (roughly 30% by volume). As the alcohol is continuously being removed from the wine, its alcohol concentration drops, resulting in a drop in the instantaneous alcohol concentration of the distillate. When all alcohol has been removed in the wine, the boiling point will be roughly that of water (100 degrees Celsius), and the distillate will contain no more alcohol. The accumulated distillate, however, will contain roughly 30% alcohol (ethanol) by volume. This distillate is usually distilled a second time and in both cases an amount of distillate is kept separate at the start as well as the end of the distillation process. These fractions are called the "heads" and "tails". The fraction that is kept is called the "heart". The alcohol concentration of the condensed product (the distillate)is roughly 82%. The hot conditions in the pot still as well as the fact that it usually consists of copper, cause chemical reactions to take place during the distillation. This leads to the formation of numerous new volatile aroma components, changes in relative amounts of aroma components in the wine, as well as the hydrolysis of components such as esters.


[edit] Historical production
As described in the 1728 edition of Cyclopaedia, the following method was used to distill brandy. A cucurbit was filled half full of the liquor from which brandy was to be drawn; and then raised, with a little fire, till about one sixth part was distilled, or till that which falls into the receiver was entirely flammable. This liquor, distilled only once, was called spirit of wine or brandy. Purified by another, or several more distillations, this was then called spirit of wine rectified. The second distillation was made in balneo mariae, and in a glass cucurbit; and the liquor was distilled to about one half the quantity. This was further rectified, as long as the operator thought necessary, to produce brandy. [4]

To abridge these several distillations, which were long and troublesome, a chemical instrument was invented, whereby the rectification of spirit of wine was performed in one single distillation. To test the goodness of the rectified spirit of wine, a portion was lit on fire. If the entire contents were consumed, without leaving any impurity behind, then the liquor was good. Another, better test involved putting a little gunpowder in the bottom of the spirit; if the gunpowder took fire when the spirit was consumed, then the liquor was good.[4]