UNCORKED From nature to lips

BACK TO THE ROOTS By Parastoo Nikravesh WHAT MAKES OUR FAVORITE DRINKS?

TEXAS HILL COUNTRY CULTURE I MARCH 2020 BEER

„ What is it made from? Beer is made from barley, water, hops and yeast. „ How long does it take to make? Beer needs to ferment for about two weeks or longer depending on the beer being made. „ Where did it originates? Mesopotamia „ Where is it the most consumed? Czech Republic „ Fun fact: The world’s longest hangover lasted 4 weeks after a Scotsman consumed 60 pints of beer.

„ What is it made from? Whiskey is made from fermented grain mash. Various grains are used for different varieties, including barley, corn, rye and wheat. „ How long does it take to make? The legal minimum when aging whiskey is 3 years. „ Where did it originates? Scotland „ Where is it the most consumed? India „ Fun fact: During the aging process, a percentage of the alcohol evaporates. This evaporated alcohol is called the “angels’ share.” WHISKEY

WINE

„ What is it made from? The process for making wine is simply to pick the grapes, crush the grapes, ferment the grapes, let the wine age and then bottle it up. Red wine is made from the pulp of red or black grapes fermented with the skins to give the wine color. White wine is fermented without the grapes’ skin. „ How long does it take to make? It takes about six months for many white wines and almost all red wines to be done. Although the aging process is famously important for good wine. „ Where did it originates? The earliest evidence of wine fermentation was found in China. „ Where is it the most consumed? United States „ Fun fact: Red wine grapes can be made into white wine.

TEQUILA

„ What is it made from? Tequila is made from blue agave. The center of the agave leaves is a pit called the “piña,” or pineapple in English, and tequila comes from heating and crushing that pit. „ How long does it take to make? It takes around eight to 20 years to make tequila because the agave plant needs around eight to 10 years to harvest. „ Where did it originates? Tequila, Mexico „ Where is it the most consumed? Although the U.S. consumes more of it, tequila is a popular drink in Mexico. „ Fun fact: Tequila is technically mezcal, but not all mezcals are tequila. That’s because any spirit distilled from the agave plant is considered mezcal, but tequila can only come from the blue agave variety.