MORE FRENCH SNOBBERY

Have you ever drank Brandy?  How about Cognac?  What is the difference in the two, anyway?

First, I offer an overview of drink making processes.  This is my understanding, anyway.

Brewing!  Beers are brewed.  Just like coffee or tee.  Brewing is used on crops like barley, hops, coffee beans or tea leaves.  It involves cooking with water.  Most beers have an alcohol content of 10% or less.

Fermentation!  Wines are made by fermentation.  Grapes and other fruits are fermented.  Sugar makes the process go.  Most wines have an alcohol content of 30% or less.

Distillation!  Hard Liquor is distilled - distilled multiple times in some cases.  Distillation cooks stuff out of grains or fruits but leaves the alcohol.  Distilled liquor can have alcohol content over 50%.

Okay.  Where does Brandy and Cognac fit in?  Well, Brandy is wine that has been distilled.  It fits in between the wine and liquor categories.  Cognac is a type of brandy.  Cognac is brandy made from wine from western France and nowhere else.  Well, la de dah.

More on cognac next week.
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