Questions, Anyone?

            School is now out for summer – at least for my kids.  So, why not celebrate the end of school with a questions/answer session.  I polled our staff for some interesting/helpful questions which have been asked of them in their retail careers.  Here are some of them:

How do they get the pear in the bottle?

I am sure many of you have seen the pear liqueurs with the whole pears in the glass bottles.  It would seem impossible to squeeze the pear in the small opening.  Well, the answer is fairly simple.  When the pear tree starts to bloom, the bottle is positioned on the branch so that the bloom grows within the bottle – the brandy, liqueur or wine is added later.  It must be quite a scene seeing what looks like a bottle tree!!!

Which is the “real” absinthe?

True absinthe was banned in the USA in 1912.  In 2007, Lucid Absinthe, became the first approved “genuine” absinthe since the 1912 ban.  We now carry several “genuine” brands, including our best seller, Mythe, and one made locally in Lake Bluff by North Shore Distillery called Sirene.  They are all “real” absinthe.

What does proof mean?

Proof is simply a measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage.  In the USA, proof is defined as twice the percentage of alcohol by volume.  Thus, something that is 80 proof (which is standard across many products) is 40% alcohol.  Interestingly, in the United Kingdom, proof is defined as 7/4 the percentage of alcohol by volume.  So, be careful when drinking there, as a product may contain more alcohol than you realize.

How many servings in a ½ barrel?

This is a very popular question during the summer months.  There are approximately 170 12 oz. servings in a ½ barrel of beer.  This translates to roughly 7 cases of 24 pack beer.  Imported barrels are slightly smaller than domestic barrels.  A popular follow up question is “how many servings in a ¼ barrel?”  It is half the size of a ½ barrel, so the answer is 85.  Then, we usually get the question, how many people will that serve?  Unfortunately, that all depends on how much your group drinks - so we usually have a few follow up questions of our own.  And, there is no full barrel – has not existed since prohibition.

What is Malbec?

This has become a popular wine question as its popularity has grown.  It is a grape used in making red wine.  Historically known as one of six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux, it is known for its robustness.  It has increasingly became celebrated and grown in Argentina, but is being grown around the world now.

            Well, I have once again reached the end and it is time to stop.  Cheers and if you have any questions you would like answered, feel free to ask.