Brandy

[Monk]

A new favorite spirit of mine, drunk straight and at room temp or slightly warmed. Cheaper than Cognac, and usually a bit sweeter. It goes very well with Cigars.

Stay away from the really cheap brandy (E&J). Someone gave me that stuff years back. Blecchhh!!! The VSOP is drinkable though. The more expensive reserve brandies seem best of course.

I'm more of a cognac kinda guy but have had brandy on some occasions... that was until the one time I had it after a holiday dinner, but had an extremely nasty flu attack which had me puking every half hour... haven't been able to touch the stuff since...

As with any spirit like whisky, congac, brandy never buy the el cheapo stuff. like you said... blech...

If you really enjoy a nice warm brandy you should get one of these: http://fantes.com/images/1839-3bar.jpg

never use it on Congac however. (Some people say you can, but Congac should really be at room temp+heat of your hand on the glass)

-W.

[Kenyth]

I think Cognac is technically a Brandy, correct? A Brandy made from Champagne instead of regular wine?

[stjohnroe]

If i remember correctly:

Brandy is distilled from grapes or other fruit (cherry and apple (calvados) being common examples).

Cognac and Armagnac are varieties of brandy, cognac comes from the cognac region of france and is created from white wine, armagnac is made from the champagne grape.

[sprangalang]

A good "cheap " brandy is a Mexican brand, the name escapes me at the moment, uh...
Oh yeah, Presidente. A cork top, and it has a little ball in the spout, so it makes a cool siplickety-splick sound when you pour. I've gone through almost an entire bottle on New Years past, with barely a hangover. Now you've got me on another path... brandy with a good cigar, another good combo.

[Kenyth]

Thanks SJR, I've always wondered about that.

Speaking of brandies, have you guys seen the pear brandy that has a full sized pear in the bottle? I always wondered how they got it in there and figured they must somehow fuse the bottle around it. It winds up being much smpler than that. They put the bottle over the budding fruit on the tree and let the pear grow inside the bottle. Clever!

[Monk]

Thanks SJR, I've always wondered about that.

Speaking of brandies, have you guys seen the pear brandy that has a full sized pear in the bottle? I always wondered how they got it in there and figured they must somehow fuse the bottle around it. It winds up being much smpler than that. They put the bottle over the budding fruit on the tree and let the pear grow inside the bottle. Clever!

Yeah, they do that with various schnapps/grappas in Germany and Italy.

As for the name of that Brandy Kenyth... hilarious description

Cognac (and Armanac) is a type of brandy, it is named after the region within which the two best growing regions are called Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne. Now, the thing is that describes the grape from which it is made. Also they are aged slightly differently than say a more traditional English brand of Brandy since it is moved to previously used barrels in order to prevent the taste being too "oaky". This is the reason I can still drink Cognac, but not an old school Brandy.


-W.

[SideWinder]

Hello all. I grew fond of Asbach Uralt, a brandy made in the Rhineland Pfalz, while I was in the Air Force stationed in Germany in the late 80's/early 90's. I've never been a fan of beer, which is shame considering where I was stationed. For me it was always an asbach and coke. I still have an unopened bottle or two from the old days. I wonder if it's still good!

[Kenyth]

I'm more of a cognac kinda guy but have had brandy on some occasions... that was until the one time I had it after a holiday dinner, but had an extremely nasty flu attack which had me puking every half hour... haven't been able to touch the stuff since...

As with any spirit like whisky, congac, brandy never buy the el cheapo stuff. like you said... blech...

If you really enjoy a nice warm brandy you should get one of these: http://fantes.com/images/1839-3bar.jpg

never use it on Congac however. (Some people say you can, but Congac should really be at room temp+heat of your hand on the glass)

-W.

I had a name for the cheap E&J after trying it. I called it "E"rk & "J"erk. Erk being the sound you make after drinking it, and Jerk being the involuntary muscle spasm that follows.