Spirit
CategoryA spirit is a strong alcoholic drink made by distilling a fermented base of grain, fruit, vegetables or sugar.
Also called: liquor
- Made by
- Distilling a fermented base of grain, fruit, vegetables or sugar
- Typical strength
- Usually 35 to 40% ABV or more
- US minimum for whisky and vodka
- 40% ABV (80 proof)
What spirit means
In most cocktails, the spirit is the base. A typical pour is about 1.5 to 2 oz (44 to 60 ml), and it sets the main flavor you taste first. Everything else in the glass is built around that flavor, from the modifier to the sour or sweet element.
A common mistake is to call every alcoholic drink a spirit. What makes a spirit is distilling, which concentrates the alcohol from a fermented base. A drink that is only fermented does not count, no matter how much alcohol it holds.
The best-known spirits include Vodka, gin, rum, tequila, whiskey, brandy, mezcal, cachaça and pisco. Most sit at 35 to 40% ABV or more. In the US, whiskey and vodka must be bottled at 40% ABV (80 proof) or higher. Liquor means the same thing as spirit in the US, and hard liquor is North American usage.
How to use spirits in cocktails
Start with the base and work outward, since each addition changes how the spirit tastes.
- 1.Choose a base spirit, and measure it with a jigger before you add anything else.
- 2.Add a modifier, such as a liqueur or vermouth, to change the flavor of the base.
- 3.Add a sour or sweet element, such as citrus or syrup, to balance the spirit.
- 4.Serve the spirit alone when you want to taste it, either neat, on the rocks or up.
Spirit compared
- LiqueurA liqueur starts as a spirit, then gets sugar and flavor added. Most sit between 15 and 30% ABV.
- Fortified wineFortified wine is wine with spirit added, at about 15 to 22% ABV. It is still a wine, not a spirit.
- Beer and wineBeer and wine are fermented but never distilled, so neither counts as a spirit.
Examples
Related terms
Ingredients
Put it to use in your next drink
Garçon explains every step as you make the drink.