Eau de vie "prisonner peer"

How to make eau de vie?

To make eau de vie, manufacturers first crush the fruit being used as the base ingredient. The mashed fruit is then inoculated with yeast and left to ferment for several weeks. After fermentation is complete, the eau de vie is aged in a steel or glass case for a few months until it is ready to be mixed with water and bottled. 

Eau de vie contains at least 40% of alcohol! Warning when you tasted!

What is the "prisonner peer"?

The fruit is developping inside the bottle for a divine result!A wWilliams peer exceptional!

To get a prisonner peer, the empty bottle is fixed in a peer tree on spring and placed on the top of the flower to let it grow up inside the bottle. When it's mature, the fruit and the bottle are delicately cuted off and then, the peer eau de vie is added. The peer stay good as long she stays in its eau de vie.

Be careful!! Never eat the peer after you finish the bottle, it is disgusting!!

 "Prisonner peer" tree

How to taste eau de vie?


- Serve it: 
In very small amounts (1-2 cl). The digestive is the last key aroma of a good meal.
There are several ways to taste the fruits eau de vie. The eau de vie can be served chilled, it softens and the perception of alcohol, the feeling of freshness is especially nice. Barracks, it seems more open, all facets of its aroma are fully express (also faults!).

- Keep it:
In general, the eau de vie do not like light. It is best to keep cool in the dark. The bottle always has to remain vertical.

- Look at it:
• Color: Colorless, opaline, translucent, clear honey, golden, amber, old gold, copper.
• Clarity: Clear, transparent, crystalline, pure.
• The brightness: Bright, luminous, sparkling, dazzling.
• Viscosity: fluid, flexible, light, air, flowing, fleshy, thick with fat.

- Smell it:
First nose without shaking the glass, it is the first time in nose, it is the discovery of the more subtile flavors. By moving the glass, new impressions emerge.• second nose prints on a rotation in the glass, smells are different.• third nose after a short rest we discover yet another aspect, should seek to describe his sensations, and boost attention.
The nose of brandy is constantly changing during the tasting

Smells: Floral: rose, violet, elderflower, acacia, verbena, lime, mint
Fruit: pear, apple, cherry, raspberry, plum, plum, apple, peach, banana, grapes, quince, pineapple, black currant, strawberry, red fruit, berries, exotic fruits
Vegetable: fresh herbs, dried herbs, mint, lemongrass, fennel, anise

 - Taste it: The eau de vie is drunk slowly in small sips, which avoids the impression of light alcohol. We keep a time (10 to 20 seconds!) In the mouth by turning in his mouth and aspirations short of air.

 The long inouth has to be persistent.


Let's have a look on the Anys first tasting of eau de vie!

Stay alert!!! I interview my favorite wine and spirit seller and he explains everything on this spirits, the video will arive very soon...

HOSPICES DE STRASBOURG

A PAST FULL OF HISTORY

Hospices in 1395 in Strasbourg was created.
At that time, it was a caricative institution. The hospital proposed care but also hospitality. This institution lived on donations from people who wanted to save their souls. Hospital charges were often paid by in-kind benefits such as grapes after harvest or ownership of vineyards.

In the late Middle Ages, the hospital has diverse interests in communities known for their wine business.

Cave History Hospices de Strasbourg was a wine producer but also wine storage.

Hospices are the largest vineyards owner in Alsace, although now the vineyards are a small part of their property.

In 1995, in spite of low results and no development, the cave was almost forced to disappear. Only through the rigorous application of new trade, management, repositioning of its quality retail store, and by a dynamic guided tours that the cave managed to survive.

Three huge barrels were restored, and used to develop from grape, Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer that were vinified aged and bottled on site.

THE WINES

From August until the end of the harvest in 2009, the days were both beautiful and warm. The grapes have been harvested ripe and very healthy, cool nights to preserve the aromas. We thus find in the wines of the vintage 2009 a sunny side, and the Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer is very aromatic, Pinot Blanc and Riesling is fruity and crisp, the color of Pinot noir are very strong.
The 2009 vintage wines can be enjoyed quickly. 

Some, however, need to be cellared for a while.

The Hospices of Strasbourg offer wines as Riesling, Pinot gris, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Klevener, but also “Vendanges Tardives and “Selection de Grains Nobles” (Sweet wines).

THE CAVE'S SECRET

I discovered the oldest wine from 1472, an unforgettable memory!

The colour of the oldest wine looks like the Cognac with a strong orange

His aromas are, I swear magic and bewitching!

A huge Thanks to the Director of that fabulous cave full of unexpected secrets Mister Philippe JUNGER about his welcoming reception and his kindness.

Thanks also to all his team.

Thanks to Ludovic KIENTZ the Chef at the Crocodile Restaurant.

I WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR...
Enjoy our video!!! 

Chartreuse tasting

Green Chartreuse is the only liquor in the world with a completely natural green colour !

It is powerful and unique !

__________________________________

Only two Chatreuse monks knows the identity of the 130 plants, how to blend them and how to distill them into this world famous liqueur. They are also the only ones who know which plants they have to macerate to produce the natural green and yellow colours. And they alone supervise the slow ageing in oak casks.

Ingredients : alcohol, sugar, 130 plants and flowers.

Middle and sweeter than the famous Green Chartreuse, Yellow Chartreuse was introduced to the world in 1838. It also is presented in the traditional Chartreuse liquor bottle embossed with the seal of La Grande Chartreuse. Its colour is entirely natural with no artificial flavours preservatives. This beverage can be enjoyed neat or in a long drink too.

_____________________________________


How Chartreuse is made today ?

The herb room of the Monastery

Only two Chartreuse Monks ("Carthusians") - Dom Benoit and Brother Jean-Jacques know the names of the 130 herbs and plants used to make Chartreuse : the ones mentioned in the manuscript they have been given more than 400 years ago.

18 tons of them are delivered to the Grande-Chartreuse Monastery each year.

There, in the "Herb Room", they are dried, crushed, and mixed in different series.
Each serie is then kept in a bag carefully nimbered and taken to the distillery in Voiron.

The distillery in Voiron

In this room, only the 2 Monks ans 2 laymen helping them may enter. Each series of herbs ans plants macerate in alcohol.

Each maceration is then distilled for about 8 hours.

Since the 19th century the Monks have used the sopper stills.  Today, they are mainly dedicated to the Vodka Vertical made by the 2 laymens.

Most of the distillation of the liquors is today done in the stainless-steel stills. They have been designed especially for Chartreuse, in order to enable a very accurate control of the distillation process. And, as important, to allow the Monks to monitor the distillation from the Monastory, 15 miles away from the distillery. One should never forget their vocation implies silence and solitude.

Heated by steam, the alcohol and the essence of the plants evaporate to the top of the swan neck, and ten are cooled down in the condenser becoming an alsoholate.

A last maceration of plants gives its color to the liqueur.

A final control is made by the Monks before the Chartreuse liqueur can be put to age in the oak-casks of the maturing cellar.

The Ageing Cellar in Voiron

Chartreuse ages in oak casks from Russia, Hungary or France.

After several years, the Chartreuse Monks will test the liqueur and decide of it is ready to be bootled. Only they can take this decision.

How to drink it ?

To bring out all its flavour, it should be consumed very cold, even on the rocks. Traditionally considered an after dinner drink, Chartreuse is more and more being enjoyed as a long drink.

 

LET'S TASTE !

_____________________________________

Cocktails...

Traditionnal Cocktails
 

Cocktail Chartreus'ito

- Muddle 1/4 lime and sugar in the glass,
- add fresh mint leaves, ice cubes
- 3 cl Green Chartreuse,
- top up with soda, 
- stir and serve with straws

Chatreuse Experience'

- 1 part of Green Chartreuse,

- 1 part of Vodka,

- 5 part of orange juice,

- 1 part of lemon juice,

- ice, shaker

'

Chartreuse Episcopale
- 2 part Yellow Chartreuse,

- 1 part Grren Chartreuse

The Vellocete'

 - 2 oz Green Chartreuse

- 1/4 oz pineapple juice

- 3/4 oz lime juice

- 1/2 oz falernum

- 2 dashes Angostura bitter

- 2 dashes Paychaud's bitter

- Mint sprig (garnish)

- Build the coktail in a Collins glass filled with crushed ice

- Swizzle until frost forms on the outside of the glass

- Garnish with a mint sprig

"Blue Blazer" Green Chartreuse (1/4 oz), on top on mint to burn.

Waiting for your comments ! :-)