Brandy

Brandy (short for brandywine, from Dutch brandewijn—fire 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.

"Claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy." – Samuel Johnson

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 wine.

Types of brandy

There are three primary types of brandy. Grape brandy is the type that is meant if brandy is used by itself.

Grape brandy

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

Cognac comes from the Cognac region in France, and is double distilled using pot stills. Popular brands include Martell, Rémy Martin, Hennessy, Ragnaud-Sabourin, Delamain and Courvoisier (a favourite drink of Napoleon).

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 stills and aged in oak casks from Gascony or Limousin. Armagnac was the first distilled spirit in France. Armagnacs have a specificity: they offer vintages qualities. Popular brands are Darroze, Baron de Sigognac, Larressingle, Delord, Laubade, Gélas and Janneau.

Grape brandies from other countries such as South Africa, Spain, Mexico etc. South African grape brandies are, by law, made almost exactly as in Cognac, using a double-distillation process in copper pot stills followed by ageing in oak barrels for a minimum of three years.

American grape brandy is almost always from California

Grape brandies are arguably best drunk in a tulip shaped glass or a snifter, at cool room temperature. Often it is slightly warmed, by holding the glass in the cup of the palm or gently heating with a candle. However, heating it causes alcohol vapor to become very pungent so that the aromas are overpowered. Brandy, like whisky and red wine, exhibits more pleasant aromas and flavors at a lower temperature, e.g., 16 degrees Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit). 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. 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.

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.

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. Apple is pressed into cider, fermented with yeast and double distilled.

Kirsch is a fruit brandy made from cherries.

Slivovitz is a fruit brandy made from plums.

Variations

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.

Ageing

A brandy can be aged in one of three main ways.

No ageing: Many pomace and fruit brandies are not aged after distillation. The resulting product is typically a clear liquid.

Single barrel ageing: 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.

Distillation

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 82% 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 call the "heart". The hot conditions in the pot still as well as the fact that it usually consists of copper, lead to chemical reactions to take place during the distillation. This leads to the formation of numerous new volatile aroma components as well as the hydrolysis and formation of others.

Cognac classification of age

V.S.(Very Special): at least 2 1/2 years old
V.S.O.P (Very Superior Old Pale): at least 4 1/2 years old
Napoleon
X.O(Extra Old): at least 6 1/2 years old