BeverageEd

Majority of beers are brewed using malted barley as the primary grain, however, other grains such as wheat, corn, and rice are also used. Moreover, water and hops are the other two key ingredients in beer production. With few exceptions, all beer brewers use the same production procedures beginning with malting. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Vast majority of wines produced commercially are made from a single grape species called Vitis Vinifera. Some of the most well known Vitis Vinifera white grape varieties are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. Whereas popular red varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Majority of port wines are non-vintage red wines made from local Portuguese red grape varieties, however, white, as well as rosé, port wines are also produced. The two main types of port made today are Ruby and Tawny. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Today, Germany is one of the most well known producers of wheat beers. German wheat beers fall into two categories. In the first category are beers brewed using a distinct Weizen yeast, and in the second, those produced with lactic acid bacteria. Other popular wheat beer styles include Belgian Witbier and American Wheat Beer. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Sturdy and highly cold-tolerant, Riesling is a popular white grape variety cultivated in numerous cool climate regions throughout the world. Riesling wines display a refreshing acidity, light to full body and are also produced in a wide range of sweetness levels. Moreover, Riesling is an intensely aromatic grape featuring mineral, floral, citrusy, stone fruit and honeyed flavors and aromas. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Today, Cognac is one of the world’s most prestigious and sought after brandies. Cognac can only be produced in the delimited Cognac region in southwestern France, located just north of Bordeaux. Cognacs range in character mainly depending on the length of aging. For more content please visit BeverageEd.com

Whiskey is produced and enjoyed all around the world. Today, the five largest whiskey producers are: Scotland, US, Canada, Ireland and Japan. For more content please visit BeverageEd.com

Understanding the meaning of commonly used sake labeling terms, starting with the Sake Meter Value (SMV) and rice polish ratio or Seimaibuai, is essential when selecting or recommending a bottle of sake. For more content please visit BeverageEd.com

Pinot Noir is a unique and challenging red grape variety to both cultivate and vinify. Most Pinot Noir wines are dry and light bodied with low tannin levels, refreshing acidity and bright red fruit flavors, often also accompanied by floral and earthy notes. For more content please visit BeverageEd.com

Historical English India Pale Ale beers inspired American IPAs, which in turn gave rise to new IPA styles including Double IPA, Hazy IPA and numerous Specialty IPAs. For more content please visit BeverageEd.com

The five main styles of gin produced are London Dry, Old Tom, Plymouth, Navy Strength and Flavored gin. For more content please visit BeverageEd.com

The most well known European sparkling wines include Champagne, Cava and Prosecco. For more content please visit BeverageEd.com

Beverage Ed is an online beverage education platform covering popular beverage topics including wine, beer, spirits and sake. To learn more, please visit BeverageEd.com

Cider can be made as one of two types, either a standard or specialty cider. The kinds of apple varieties used, addition of flavorings, sweetening agents or other fruit juices are all factors that determine whether a cider is classified as a standard or specialty cider. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Today, there are many different types of shochu produced in Japan and most are named after the main ingredient that they use, such as mugi (barley) or soba (buckwheat) shochu. Moreover, what differentiates shochu from other distilled spirits, such as vodka and whiskey, is that it prominently showcases the flavor and aroma of the original base ingredient. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Currently, vodka can be made anywhere in the world, and vodka producers have the option of using any base ingredients and production methods that they chose. The most common vodka base ingredients are grains, such as barely, wheat, and rye, as well as molasses. Potatoes, corn, grapes, sugar beets, and sugarcane are also widely used. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Inexpensive, dark-colored Porter beers were developed in England during the 18th century and were the first beers in the world to be produced on an industrial scale by large commercial breweries. Porter beers gave rise to a new, stronger style of beer called Stout Porter, later shortened to Stout, featuring more intense bitter chocolate, roast, and coffee malt flavors. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Madeira producers make wines in a wide range of styles from dry to very sweet. More traditional Madeira wines are made from four noble local white grape varieties, while the vast majority of modern Madeira is produced from a single red grape variety called Tinta Negra Mole. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Currently, there are two main types of tequila, 100% Blue Agave Tequila and Tequila. Both tequila types are labelled using one of the six aging classifications, such as Blanco or Añejo. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Today, pale lagers are the most popular and widely consumed beers in the world. Some pale lagers are often also referred to as pilsners. Majority of pale lagers are light, crisp, dry and highly refreshing beers with a dominant light malt and low to moderate hop character. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com

Today, Chardonnay is one of the most popular white grape varieties planted all over the world. Chardonnay is very versatile, producing a diverse assortment of styles including elegant, oak-aged premium wines and crisp, refreshing dry wines, as well as famous sparkling wines like Champagne and Franciacorta. For full content please visit BeverageEd.com