Alcoholic Drinks

In the West, alcoholic beverages are never much away from the scene at festive times, but do we usually know how to get the most from these costly luxuries? Too many people these days just think its a question of ‘getting as much down as possible in as small time as possible’. This is the wrong attitude.

After all, most people realize that a fine meal does not consist of eating as many chips as possible in fifteen minutes, so why should that theory not apply to having a drink too? You will get far more enjoyment from a bottle of wine, if you spend an extra dollar on it and drink it slowly with a friend and some appropriate food than if you swill down a cheap bottle of plonk on your own. It makes clear sense, but not everyone sees it.

So, with that idea in mind, I have put together a couple of tips on how to get more enjoyment from your alcoholic drinks, if you are old enough and of that turn of mind.

Gin and Vodka – if these white spirits are your favourite tipple, usually keep the bottle in the fridge, not the drinks cabinet. Keep the mixers in the fridge too. That way the ice will last longer and you will not be tempted to have to swig it down before the ice melts. If you are having friends around, go one step further and put the bottle in the freezer. It will not go solid. You can actually cut the top off a plastic material cola bottle, put the bottle of gin or vodka in that, fill it with water and then freeze it. Take off the plastic bottle and you have an appealing “collar of ice” around your bottle.

The Last Tot – five minutes or so after finishing a bottle of spirits, tip it out one much more time and the bottle that you thought was bare will provide one more tot of contents. It is not a lot, but it is a pleasant free surprise. The same works for many alcohol based products including underarm roll-on and scent.

White Wine – white wines taste best when they have been gently chilled over a protracted period, but if you get taken by surprise visitors, put the bottle of wine in a jug of ice and chilly water. Try not to have to put it in the deep freeze, it is too severe, but if you have to, then ten minutes is all that it takes.

Port – it is always much better to decant port and older, heavier red-colored wines, because of the sediment that may be in the bottom of the bottle, which tastes terrible and because it aids the aeration of the wine. However, it is not always easy to see when the lees are coming. The manuals say to use a candle, but they were written a hundred years ago. The strong beam from a torch is much better. Try using a Durabeam because its rotatable head allows it to be directed more precisely.

Decanters – sometimes the stopper becomes stuck fast. Tap it with another glass item and it should come loose. If not, run the neck of the decanter under hot water for a few seconds and it will come out.

Labels – if you keep your wine in a wet place where the labels are most likely to rot or fall off, spray them with hair lacquer beforehand.

The author has written more about antique decanter labels here: antique decanter labels

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