Drinks

See also Cocktails, Beer, Wine (etc.)

Measures

See also Beer Measures, Wine Bottles.

Number of gills in a pint			4
Variously defined as one eighth of a gill (one thirty–second of a pint), one eighth of a pint, one third of a pint, or "anything less than half a pint"; abbreviated to 'nip', which has become a legal measure in Australia and New Zealand (30 ml) and is commonly used in the USA to mean a third of a pint; from the Dutch word for a sip			Nipperkin
Number of fluid ounces in a pint	UK		20
	USA		16

Pub spirit measures

The measures of spirits sold in UK pubs were first regulated in 1963. The legal measures were one sixth, one fifth and one quarter of a gill. Each pub could only use one of these options, and was obliged to display which one it used. In England the smallest measure (one sixth of a gill) was the most common; in Scotland, depending on which source you believe, one fifth or one quarter was more common. One quarter of a gill was most popular in Ireland, and is regulated today as 35.5 ml.

Since 1985 the legal measures in the UK have been 25 ml and 35 ml. As before, each pub can only use one of these options. Double measures (as opposed to two single measures delivered into the same glass) became legal in 2001.

Minimum ages

Cognac

Use these classifications with care. They are not in any way official, and sources vary on the detail.

One star		3 years
Two stars		4 years
Three stars		5 years
VS (Very Superior – sometimes Very Special)		2 years
VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale)		4 years
XO (extra old)		6 years

Other

Minimum age for malt whisky (in Scotland and Ireland)

3 years

Places

Coca–Cola was invented 1886 by Dr. John S. Pemberton in (US city)		Atlanta, Georgia
The dark 'n' stormy cocktail – claimed as a favourite of the sailing fraternity, made with Gosling's rum and ginger beer – is often described as the national drink of		Bermuda
The Caipirinha (kye–pi–REEN–ya) – made with cachaça (a spirit made from distilled sugar cane), sugar and lime – is often described as the national cocktail of		Brazil
Emva Queen sherry is produced in (country)		Cyprus
Town in the far north of India's West Bengal state: gives its name to the tea that was granted India's first Geographical Indication in 2005 and is often referred to as "the Champagne of teas"		Darjeeling
Metaxa is a brandy–based liqueur, produced in (country)		Greece
Scottish island, home of one of the four classes of malt whiskies, including Bowmore (named after its largest town), Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin; an eighth opened in 2005		Islay
Blue Mountain – one of the world's most expensive and sought–after coffees, over 80% of which is exported to Japan – comes from (Caribbean country)		Jamaica
Tia Maria was first produced (in 1946) in
Campbeltown (one of Scotland's four traditional whisky–producing regions) is in (or on) the (peninsula)		Mull of Kintyre
Babycham is made in (Somerset town – also an important centre for cider production)		Shepton Mallet
Talisker distillery (Scottish island)		Skye
Absolut Vodka is produced in (country)		Sweden
Home to Jack Daniel's whiskey (US state)		Tennessee
Angostura is in (country)		Venezuela

Other

100% proof ('navy strength'): percentage alcohol		57.14
Temperature for pasteurisation of milk		63°C
Minimum age at which whisky can be sold in the UK		3 years

Spirit patented by Dr. Ordinaire in Switzerland, 1797; distilled from the leaves of the wormwood (artemisia) shrub, flavoured with aniseed and fennel		Absinthe
The Wormwood Society is dedicated to the promotion and enjoyment of
Known as "the green fairy" or "the green muse"
Thick, creamy liqueur, originally made in Dutch Guiana (Surinam) from avocados; now made in the Netherlands from eggs, sugar and brandy		Advocaat
Genus of succulent plants, often confused with cacti, from one species of which tequila is distilled		Agave (a–GAH–vee)
Amaretto: sweet Italian liqueur flavoured with		Almonds
Spanish word for a medium dry sherry		Amontillado
Whimsical name given by distillers to the part of the spirit that is lost through the roof of the bonded warehouse while the malt matures in the casks		The angels' share
Added to gin to make pink gin; also used in many other classic cocktails, including the Manhattan, Old Fashioned, Pisco Sour, Rum Punch, and Singapore Sling		Angostura bitters
Principal flavouring of the aperitifs ouzo (Greece), raki (Turkey), and pastis (France – marketed as Pernod or Ricard)		Aniseed
Vermouth, bitters, anises: three types of		Aperitifs
US name for a strong cider made by distilling ordinary cider (hard cider)		Applejack
Calvados is a traditional Normandy brandy, made from		Apples
Barack: Hungarian brandy, flavoured with		Apricots
Scandinavian spirit, similar to schnapps, also made from potatoes		Aquavit
Hilly region in the foothills of the Pyrenees, Gascony, France, famous for its deep coloured brandy – France's oldest; traditionally distilled once, resulting in 52% of alcohol; said to be more fragrant and flavorful than Cognac, which is distilled twice		Armagnac
Traditional Highland liqueur – whisky, honey, oatmeal, eggs, cream, herbs		Athol Brose
Light, sparkling perry (6% ABV) produced in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, since its launch in 1953; marketed as " the genuine champagne perry" with the slogan " I'd love a ... "		Babycham
Golden–coloured liqueur from the Abbey of Fecamp, Normandy; label bears the letters D. O. M. – Deo Optimo Maximo (to God most good most great)		Benedictine
Hybrid fruit whose oil is used to flavour Earl Grey tea – see also Plants (domesticated)		Bergamot
(Crème de) cassis: flavoured with		Blackcurrant
Company founded in 2002 to operate a distillery in Shetland, which was Scotland's most northerly, for its short period of production; it entered administration in 2008		Blackwood
US whiskey with at least 51% maize – named after a county in Tennessee that shares its name with shares its name with a French dynasty		Bourbon
Metaxa is a type of		Brandy
Fortified wine with caffeine, named after the abbey in Devon where it's produced: very popular in Scotland, where it's become controversial due to its links with 'ned' (lout) culture		Buckfast Tonic Wine
The world's oldest distillery		Bushmills, Co. Antrim
Liqueur made at Voiron, near Grenoble (Isere department); named after the Carthusian monastery where it was produced until 1935		Chartreuse
Fruit (known in German as kirsch): distilled to make a clear fruit brandy, also known as kirsch or kirschwasser		Cherries
Wisniowka (vish-nee-ov-ka) is a Polish liqueur, made by flavouring vodka with
Invented by Dr. John S. Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia, going on sale for the first time on 29 Mar 1886; originally sold as a hangover cure: "The estimable brain tonic and intellectual beverage"		Coca–Cola
Comes in two varieties – arabica (better) and robusta (stronger, hardier, more resistant to disease, and more bitter to taste); flavour of the liqueurs Kahlua and Tia Maria		Coffee
Town on the river Charente, in south–western France (near Angouleme): gave its name to one of the world's best known types of brandy		Cognac
Liqueur named after the family that makes it at Angers, France		Cointreau
Frappe		Cold, iced or chilled
Traditionally used to make the stills for malt whiskey		Copper
Blue liqueur, named after the Caribbean island it comes from, which is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; flavoured with laraha (a local variety of orange)		Curaçao curacao
'Prince Charles Edward's liqueur': founded 1745, and made (according to its makers) to a recipe given to them by him, from whisky, heather honey, herbs and spices; name comes from the Gaelic for "the drink that satisfies"		Drambuie
Carbonated soft drink, created by Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and introduced in 1885 – one year before Coca–Cola; marketed on its unique flavour		Dr. Pepper
Strong dark Italian coffee, served in small cups		Espresso
Originated in Germany in 1940, as a substitute for Coca–Cola, due to the American trade embargo of Nazi Germany which affected the availability of the ingredients that went into Coca–Cola		Fanta
Hazelnut–flavoured Italian liqueur, introduced in the 1980s, packaged in bottles designed to resemble the monk who is supposed to have invented it – but actually named after an Italian renaissance painter		Frangelico
Sweet yellow herbal liqueur, created in 1896 by Arturo Vaccari of Livorno, Tuscany – named after an Italian hero of the First Italo–Ethiopian War		Galliano
Produced by the Grant family on Speyside since 1876; said by the Whisky Exchange (2016) to account for about 30% of all single malt whisky sales worldwide		Glenfiddich
Has in the past claimed, with some justification, to be "the single malt that started it all"; established on Speyside in 1824 by George Smith, the first (previously illicit) distiller to take advantage of a new law making licensed distilling profitable		Glenlivet
Said to be the world's best–selling single malt whisky – "perhaps [according to the Whisky Exchange] on account of the story of George Smith" (see above); bought by Pernod Ricard in 2000
Single malt whisky distillery just off the A9, 35 miles north of Inverness and about 1 mile south of the Dornoch Firth Bridge; name is said to mean either "glen of tranquility" or (perhaps more credibly) "glen of big meadows"		Glenmorangie
Orange–flavoured liqueur based on cognac		Grand Marnier
Italian brandy, distilled from pomace (the solid stuff left after the juice has been extracted from grapes)		Grappa
Syrup made (originally) from pomegranate juice, water and sugar, which gives the pink or red colour to many mixed drinks and cocktails including the Singapore sling and the pink lady; name comes from the French word for a pomegranate (grenade)		Grenadine
Introduced in 1997 as a luxury vodka for the American market, by American businessman Sidney Frank; produced in France (to take advantage of that country's culinary culture); bought for USD 2.2 billion by Bacardi in 2004, when it was the best–selling premium vodka in the USA (selling more than 1.5 million cases)		Grey Goose
Tea whose leaves have been rolled into pellets		Gunpowder tea
Distillery at Kirkwall, Orkney – Scotland's most northerly, until or unless Blackwood begins operation		Highland Park
Traditional Spanish drink, made from ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice and barley – or, alternatively, from water, sugar and tigernuts; sometimes known as tigernut milk (can be used as a milk substitute by the lactose intolerant)		Horchata
Carbonated soft drink, often described as "Scotland's other national drink': launched in 1901 by A. G. Barr & Co., and produced today in Cumbernauld (after moving from Glasgow early in the 21st century)		Irn–Bru
Whiskey produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee since 1875; known for its square bottles and black label		Jack Daniel's
Herbal liqueur (or 'digestif') produced in Wolfenbüttel, Lower Saxony, since 1935: became very popular with younger drinkers, first in the USA, from the 1980s; name is German for 'hunting master'		Jägermeister
Dutch liquor from which gin (and its name) evolved, after the accession of William III to the British throne – sometimes known in English as Holland gin or Dutch gin		Jenever (genever, or Schiedam)
Brand of Scotch whisky, named after the Ayrshire grocer who began selling it in 1820		Johnnie Walker
Shrub or small tree, whose berries (strictly cones) are used to give gin its distinctive flavour		Juniper
Soft drinks brand, of various fruit flavours: first produced in Sydney in 1903, and marketed in the UK from 1917 to 2019; name is a standard greeting in the Maori language, meaning "have life" (or health)		Kia–Ora
Made from dry white wine and cassis (blackcurrant cordial); named after the 20th–century Mayor of Dijon who is said to have invented it		Kir
Cassis and champagne		Kir Royale
Cherry brandy, traditionally used in Black Forest gateau		Kirsch(wasser)
Liqueur originating in the Netherlands, in the 16th century: flavoured with caraway seeds, cumin and fennel; name is a word that's used in German to refer to both caraway and cumin		Kümmel kummel
Mildly alcoholic drink made from cereals and stale black or rye bread, popular in Russia and other eastern European countries since mediaeval times – sometimes described as "the national drink of Russia"		Kvass
Chinese tea, traditionally dried over pinewood fires; name means 'smoky variety'		Lapsang souchong
Traditional Punjabi drink made from yogurt, water, salt and spices; sometimes (but not traditionally) sweetened and includes fruit instead of spices; name is derived from the Punjabi words for yogurt and water		Lassi
Pineapple and grapefruit drink, introduced by Coca–Cola in 1975 but sold only in the UK, Ireland and Gibraltar; rebranded Fanta Pineapple and Grapefruit in 2023		Lilt
Lemon liqueur of southern Italy – traditionally served as an after–dinner digestif, latterly popular as a cocktail ingredient		Limoncello
At least 51% of the grain used to make Bourbon whiskey must be		Maize (corn)
Liqueur made from black Dalmatian cherries: used to preserve them, for use in cocktails and as decoration on cakes, etc.		Maraschino
Ancient alcoholic beverage (known in India in the 2nd millennium BC): fermented from honey, yeast and water – also known as honey wine or hydromel, or (if flavoured with herbs or fruit, respectively) metheglin or melomel		Mead
'Red biddy' is or was a name given to a mixture of red wine and		Methylated spirits
Distilled in Mexico from the sap of any type of agave (a–GAH–vee) plant; name means 'oven–cooked agave' in the local Nahuatl language (cf. Tequila)		Mezcal
Sweetened, spiced port or sherry with hot water, named after the colonel who invented it in the reign of Queen Anne		Negus
Half pint of ale with a tot of rum		Nelson's blood
Popular aniseed–flavoured Greek liquor		Ouzo
Fruit flavouring in Southern Comfort		Peach
Introduced in 1893 by druggist Caleb Bradham of New Bern, North Carolina, as Brad's Drink; renamed in 1898 (the new name reflecting the maker's claim that it cures indigestion)		Pepsi(–Cola)
Fermented pear juice (is to pears what cider is to apples)		Perry
Popular English brand of 'fruit cup', introduced in 1823 and owned since 1997 by Diageo; based on gin, traditionally served with lemonade (or ginger ale) and chopped fruit, etc.		Pimm's (No. 1)
Spanish vessel for drinking without touching the lips		Porron
Traditionally shipped in long, thin barrels known as 'pipes', containing 534 litres; in Victorian times it was customary to lay down a pipe for your children; today, a pipe can be anything between 500 and 650 litres		Port
Hot drink of milk curdled with wine or ale, often spiced – popular as a cold and flu remedy from medieval times to the 19th century (word mainly used nowadays for a related dessert similar to syllabub)		Posset
Illicit whisky made in Ireland from barley		Poteen (po–CHEEN)
Bitter alkaloid (drug) added to water to make tonic water		Quinine
Energy drink, launched in Austria in 1987 (based on a Thai original); popular in 'jäger bombs' (made by adding a shot of Jägermeister); producer is widely involved in sports sposorship, including a Formula One racing team founded in 2005		Red Bull
Sake is made from		Rice
Herbal tea, originating in South Africa; name is Afrikaans for 'red bush'		Rooibos
Distilled from fermented molasses or sugar cane juice		Rum
Italian anise (aniseed)–flavoured liqueur, considered to go down well with coffee and traditionally served with coffee beans; name comes from the Latin name for the elderberry		Sambuca
Soft drink, originally made from the Smilax ornata plant (native to Mexico and Central America): popular in the USA in the 19th century, and in the UK's temperance movement		Sarsparilla
Spirit made from potatoes or grains, often flavoured with herbs (especially caraway or anise) – in various northern European countries (Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia); or, German or Austrian fruit brandy; also a generic term used in German–speaking countries (with one 'p') for liquor		Schnapps
First produced in Geneva in 1771; inventor moved to London in 1792		Schweppe's tonic water
Originally sold in 1929 as Bib–Label Lithiated Lemon–Lime Soda; officially renamed in 1936		7 Up
Fino (light, dry) and Oloroso (dark, sweet – Spanish for 'scented') are the two types of		Sherry
A copita is a type of glass particularly used for drinking		Sherry
"Jigger" and "pony" are early names for types of		Shot glass (or measure)
Colourless plum brandy from Balkan countries		Slivovitz
Made by infusing carbonic acid into water under pressure		Soda water
Porter is now known as		Stout
Rum is distilled from		Sugar cane
The world's largest whisky distillery		Suntory (Japan)
Tiquira: Brazilian spirit, made from		Tapioca root
Port that is matured in oak casks and thus loses some of its colour		Tawny
Lapsang souchong, oolong, orange pekoe, gunpowder, Lady Londonderry, and Guan Yin are types of		Tea
Made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis
Mexican spirit made by fermenting and distilling the juice of the blue agave (a–GAH–vee); named after a town near Guadalajara (cf. Mezcal)		Tequila
Cider maker, founded 1904 in Sandford, Somerset: brands include Green Goblin, Cheddar Valley, Somerset Haze, Old Rascal		Thatchers
First produced in Manchester in 1924 (or Bristol in 1907) by Fred and Tom Pickup (who were related to the Barr family, producers of Irn–Bru); sold to Barr's in 1972		Tizer
Created in British India, when army officers began mixing quinine (which they took to combat malaria) with soda water and sugar to make the quinine more palatable; first produced commercially in 1858		Tonic water
Variety of Curaçao (orange liqueur) – invented 1849 by Edouard Cointreau in Angers, France – used in cocktails such as Margaritas		Triple sec
White wine distilled with herbs, often drunk with gin as an aperitif; named from the German word for wormwood (although invented in Italy); popular brands include Martini, Cinzano, and Noilly Prat; the 'It' in 'Gin and It'		Vermouth
Created in or around Manchester by John Noel Nichols, in 1908, as a health tonic; principal ingredients are grape, raspberry and blackcurrant juices		Vimto
Cider maker based in Much Marcle, near Ledbury, Herefordshire since 1878: brands include Stowford Press, Old Rosie, Wyld Wood		H. Weston
Name comes from uisge beatha, the Gaelic translation of the Latin phrase aqua vitae (water of life), used to refer to distilled alcohol; variously rendered in English as uskebeaghe (1581), usquebaugh (1610), usquebath (1621), or usquebae (1715)		Whisky
Whisky brand, founded in Glasgow in 1844 and named after its two founders: represented by a "double lion" logo		Whyte & Mackay

© Haydn Thompson 2017–24