ISYS100 Assignment 3- Blog Video

A short video we filmed, depicting the desire for alcohol. 

We had some difficulties uploading the video straight from Youtube so we downloaded it and added it in manually instead.

The youtube link to our video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b926M8GQq_o

Midori

Midori is an alcoholic drink that originated from Japan. Midori is the japanese word for "green", and as its name suggests most of Midori products are green in colour. Though, sometimes a blue coloured version can be found due to the product variety in flavour. This drink is very sweet, therefore a great combo for cocktails and other mix drinks targeted for casual drinkers. As the alcohol content is usually around 20%, this drink is aimed at light weight drinkers who enjoy drinks with fruity after-taste. Personally, i like sweet things so naturally i enjoy this drink very much. If you are on a summer vacation at the beach then this drink mixed along with other cocktail ingredients will be perfect to quench your thirst. If you despise sweet products then a beer might be a better idea. But no matter what, to me this drink was very tasty and fruitful, making it one of my all time favourites. 

Final score: 9.5/10 

Jagermeister

Hey guys, today we talk about the rather unusual tasting spirit called Jagermeister. It is said that this drink is made from 56 different herbs and spices...hence why it has an unusual taste in comparison to the other drinks we have talked about in the past.

Although this is the case, Jagermeister is a key ingredient for the famed mix drink known as Jager-Bombs! Thats right, a mixture of Jager and Red Bull equals a very fine drink. From my experience, if you wish to try Jager it would be recommended not to take straight shots as the natural herby taste really gets to me...but if you enjoy it straight then tahts no problem either! I do however, recommend the Jager-Bomb because it is a very enjoyable drink. Whether at a party with friends or for a casual drink, the Jager-Bomb is one not to be missed. Unfortunatley for the drink by itself, i did not enjoy as much.    

Final score: 6/10


  

It is a pretty hard working day for me. Two posts in a roll. Recently i got a throat infection that stopped me from drinking. Er...I sounded like an alcoholic.. Anyway, I drink for passion only. NEVER EVER ADDICTED

Today, white wine guys

First question for everyone, it doesn't even look white in color 

Unlike this Coconut Rum 

To brief explain, I would like to point out that the distinct color from light straw with a green tint to deep golden yellow presented by white wine is actually from the types of grapes they used to made it. Normally, white wine usually contained the grape juice and skins of green, golden and yellow colored grapes. Unlike Champagne, which I reviewed in the previous post, are made from Pinot Noir, which is a red skinned grape, with the juice only. 

White wine usually made from several types of grapes 

Ranging from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc (also called Fume Blanc) Riesling, Gewurztraminer Pinot Gris, Semillon, Viognier and Chenin Blanc 

*My personal Favorites are Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc 

This is Chardonnay

Since I haven't tried much of the other grapes yet, I can only do a quick review for those I like. 

Coming on serving the white wine, there was a common misconception. Others usually thinks that it is going to serve ice cold, like around fridge temperature. NO NO NO that would actually ruin the taste of the wine, to be precise, ruin your tastebuds. 

Human Biology time : Human are warm-blooded animals...We prefer (deleted 1000 words) in short for everything to function normally, the best temperature for your taste buds are around say 10C-45C" 

So, ice cold white wine will ruin your tastebuds get them numbed. Then you will never taste the awesomeness of these. So from now on, when you poped open a bottle of these right from the fridge, hold the cup tight with your warm palm, heat it up a bit, around 7-10C then it will be all good and nice. 

Unlike red white, white wine are advice to drink between 2-3  years after being bottled. Longer vintage may have a higher chance of ruined quality depends on the method of storage. 

Here are some of my personal favorites 

Poped this baby open when my mum fifth-birthday dinner 

Characteristic of typical Chardonnay: Sweet and delicate, decent yet never lost its elegancy 

Same brand same collection again 

Sauvignon Blanc also has similar texture and taste as Chardonnay 

Personally I prefer Chardonnay 

It has been long since my last post, today, i am going to talk about Champagne!!
Champagne has always been classy and elegant.
Now let me take you to the world of it.

Champagne and others sparkling wine are made from a blend of grapes such as Chardonnay, Pinot Nior or Pinot Meunier. Those blend has been mentioned on my first post, feel free to check it out later.




People will always ask any wine passionate a question:

What is the difference between Champagne and others sparkling wine?



Champagne is generally refers to sparkling wine made in a specific region of France. Bubbly sparkling wine made from other regions have different names, yet they are less famous as champagne. Spain's sparkler is called Cava, Italy's bubbles come in Prosecco and Moscato d'Asti, and French sparkling wines from everywhere outside of Champagne are referred to as Cremant.


Champagne can be classify and graded according to their brand, flavor, blend of grapes and vintage or non-vintage, wait. what is non-vintage. Non-vintage usually refers to the grapes are come from blend of several years, usually, they taste a little bit worse than vintage.

Champagne and Sparkling wine are classified with several distinct words


Burt - dry (popular style and food friendly)


Extreme Burt - (extra dry)


Extra dry - (not as dry as burt)


Demi sec - Pretty sweet


The Top Champagne

I managed to get my hand on the King of Champagne Dom Perignon with the vintage of 2002 last year. It tastes really good, a great different between its main rivals Krug and Moet. A bottle of that cost around 110 - 220 AUD depends on the vintage.

(Dom Perignon is the bottle with a school-batch shape logo far on the top left side)


Drink on ! Cheers

Jacob's Creek "Moscato"

Jacob's Creek: Moscato is one of the best wines I have tasted. It is generally a sweet wine, and is available in sparkling, and Rose. In my opinion, I prefer the sparkling, as the sweet texture of the wine combined with the tangy fizz is delightful especially after dinner during dessert.

Moscato is the Italian word for 'Muscat', and the name muscat refers to both the wine style and range of muscat flavoured grapes used to make highly flavoured wines such as Moscato. While there are many ‘muscat’ grapes used for wine, Jacob’s Creek uses two principle grape varieties to make both still and sparkling Moscato, the first is Muscat of Alexandria and the second is Muscat Blanc a’ Petits Grains. Muscat grapes range in colour from white to almost black and have a definite sweet and floral aroma with a musky and sweet flavour. -  Jacob's Creek.com.au

Jim Beam

Hey guys, today we will be discussing the famous brand of bourbon-whiskey fusion spirit known as Jim Beam. Records say that Jim Beam was one of the best selling brands of bourbon until 2008, and this is no surprise due to its fame among young adults. Personally, I have tried Jim Beam products many times in the past and while it isn't one my my favourites, it certainly does live up to the name as one of the most original tasting brands of bourbon out there. 

There are many products under the Jim Beam name such as:

Straight Bourbon whiskey

• Jim Beam Original (white label)
• Jim Beam Choice(green label)
• Jim Beam Seven Year (white label, red cap)
• Jim Beam Black (black label)
• Jim Beam Devil's Cut

Straight Rye Whiskey

• Jim Beam Rye (yellow label)

Red Stag by Jim Beam

• Black Cherry (white label)
• Honey Tea (yellow label)
• Spiced (red label)

As you can see, Jim Beam has many products of different varieties. It is due to this variety that Jim Beam has been well acknowledged throughout the world. Jim Beam bourbon is also a key ingredient for the mixed drink "bourbon & coke", a well loved drink among young adults. Whether at a party or a club, Jim Beam will always be a fun drink to try out. Although it is not my personal favourite, it is indeed a decent drink and worthy to give a go. I know most people would probably have had this drink in the past, if so please tell me if you liked it or what you would rate it out of 10. 

Final score: 7/10

Posted by Tinny Wu (Tianyu)

Gin & Tonic Cocktail

Today we talk about the famous Gin & Tonic cocktail made by mixing Gin with tonic water, usually accompanied with ice and a slice of lime for garnish. However sometimes in the UK the lime is often replaced by a slice of lemon instead as seen in the image to the right. Ever since it originated from India, this cocktail has been big around Europe and especially in the United States. 

Many celebrities have also helped promote this drink around the world in TV shows such as Neil Patrick Harris in the American sitcom "How I Met Your Mother". Personally, I have never tried the Gin & Tonic before but it definitely looks like a fun drink to try out. With the addition of lime/lemon the cocktail will have a strong citrus taste reinforced by the flavour of tonic water and gin. Overall this drink is worth checking out especially if you enjoy fruity drinks that pack a punch. 

Posted by Tinny Wu (Tianyu)

Malibu Rum

"A Caribbean Breeze"

Malibu is an authentic Caribbean spirit made from a blend of white rum and coconut. Born on the island of Barbados, Malibu features natural flavours and low alcohol content. Malibu rum is no.1 worldwide in coconut flavoured rums.

Main Markets:

- US
- UK
- France
- Germany
- Spain
- Italy
- Netherlands

Range: 

- Malibu                           - Cranberry Cherry
- Mango                           - Black Citrus
- Passion Fruit                  - Winter Edition
- Tropical                         -  Cocktails
- Banana                          - Malibu Red
- Island Melon                  - Malibu Cans

Malibu rum is well known for its ability to make great cocktails. It's low alcohol content of 21% allows the drink to be enjoyed leisurely and also responsibly. Malibu rum is a great and refreshing drink to kickstart your night with. Malibu on the rocks, always makes for a refreshing drink on a hot summers night.

                   

American Honey Bourbon

Today, we talk about a world famous brand of bourbon know as Wild Turkey! However, we will focus on a specific drink from the franchise called American Honey Bourbon. 

Wild Turkey is a straight bourbon distilled and bottled in Kentucky USA. It is has been a well known brand of Bourbon for many years and has been a classic ingredient in many cocktails today. American Honey contains the additional ingredient of wild honey to give the drink an extra modified natural sweetness taste. Thus, from combining original Wild Turkey and natural honey, the American Honey Bourbon is born. 

American Honey is famous for cocktail mixes as its sweet flavor blends superbly with exotic juices. It is also an ideal choice for casual parties and bigger parties. However, for those who dislike sweet drinks, American Honey should be avoided since its sugar contents exceeds the usual alcohol drink. Otherwise, I highly recommend American Honey for its sweet soothing taste. Whether you drink it straight or mixed in a cocktail, the flavor will no doubt provide a unique experience. Like it or hate it? Give this drink a try and let me know in the comments below :)

Personal score: 9/10

Posted by Tinny Wu (Tianyu)

Hi guys. Last time I have done some information about types of grapes from Australia.  A few days ago, I poped open a bottle of wine at the vintage release of 2004, from Wynn Coonawarra Estate.

Types of grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Manufacturer: Wynn Connawarra Estate
Grade:Vintage Release
Vintage:2004
*For those who are new to wine, vintage means the year of which the grape was harvested.

Brief history about Wynn Coonawarra Estate.
The heritage begins at 1890s. It is based in Connawarra, South Australia. Their productions are classified as the New World. It was found by John Riddoch later bought by the Wynn's family, David and Samuel. Wynn gained their reputation in the release of a classic vintage Michael Shiraz in 1955.

After-taste of this wine, as the characteristic of Cabernet Sauvignon, sweet and medium to full body. It doesn't have a sense of strong, raspy and raw as Shiraz yet not even as full body as it. Yet, it is a mild entry for beginner in red wine. I bought this years ago, so I forgot the price of it. However, it can be found in most Australian Wine Retail, I guess it should be around 50-70 AUD depends on the vintage.

As I mentioned earlier, drinking red wine is a passion yet demands quite a lot of understanding. This time, I gonna go through the process before taking the first zip.

After opening a bottle.....

The wine needs to breath like human. We should allow time for it to react with the air, under going certain chemical reaction with the oxygen forming............ we can leave those behind for our chemistry teacher in high school. 

In general, most wines will improve with as little as 15-20 minutes of air time. However, if the wine is young with high tannin levels, it needs more time. 

For example, the vintage release 2004 from Wynn Coonawarra Estate, Cabenet Sauvignon, I put it under air for over an hour and a half. It allows proper aeration and flavor softening to take place. 

When you are dealing with a classic or older vintage.....

For example this beauty, the best blend from Australia.. Penfolds Grange ( We will review that on the next post) 

When we are dealing with a more mature and delicate vintage, (8+)... we will be needed a decanter, it usually shaped like a cheap flower vase or a stomach made of glass. 

the lovely glass-made stomach.....

We will pour those liquid ruby (red wine) into the decanter, this action allow a greater surface area for our babe to breath. 

Wine Glass will also do the trick..but less effective. 

Next post we will be going through the current legends in Australia Wine Industry, Penfolds Grange, Hill of Grace and so on.. stay tune~ 

Absolut Elyx

Size: 700ml

Awards won: Double Gold - San Francisco World Spirits Awards 2013
Country: Sweden

Standard Drinks: 22.1

Alcohol by Volume: 40.0% 

Absolut Elyx is a new super-premium single-batch vodka from the makers of 

Absolut. In my opinion it is most likely the best vodka I have ever tasted, and in terms

of drinks, I am not one who is easily impressed. Absolut Elyx is one of the best, smoothest and most silkiest vodkas on the market out there. It is filtered though copper pipes in Sweden which further enhances its silky and smooth texture.

Comparing other vodkas such as "Grey Goose" or "Belvedere", Absolut Elyx is much  

nicer. As stated above, ELYX just won Double gold medal and title of 

"best vodka in the world" at the 2013 San Francisco International Spirits competition.

After trying ELYX, you will never want to drink any other vodka. I highly recommend Absolut Elyx due to the luxurious and exceptional taste it possesses.

Captain Morgan Rum Review

(The Captain Morgan Logo)

Captain Morgan is a brand of rum which is named after 17th century Welsh Privateer of the Carribbean Sir Henry Morgan. Some may or may not have heard of this rum brand before in comparison to other favourites such as Bundaberg, but i can assure you that it is not inferior to Bundaberg in any way. First of all, Captain Morgan has a variety of different flavours that Bundaberg lacks. However, in my point of view the original spiced rum is still the best because it provides the original "Captain Morgan" taste, particularly mixed with soft drinks. What is the "Captain Morgan" taste you might ask? Well, this drink is sweeter,lighter and has a unique taste from the secret ingredients used in the distillation process. That is the feeling i get when i have a sip of this brilliant drink,  definitely different to the usual rum tastes out there. Of course this is just my personal opinion, if you disagree then better try it out yourself and tell me what you think on the comments below!

Personal score: 7.5/10

Posted by Tinny Wu (Tianyu)

Rekorderlig Cider Review

First of all, Rekorderlig is a brand of cider which originated in 1999 Sweden. Rekorderlig is personally one of my all time favourite ciders because of a huge variety of flavours which include: 

• Apple & Blackcurrant
• Pear
• Passion fruit
• Apple
• Strawberry & Lime
• Wild Berry
• Mango & Raspberry
• Winter

As you can see, Rekorderlig offers many more flavours in comparison to other big cider names such as 5 Seeds. Every flavour incorporates a unique taste where the drink can be enjoyed without additional elements overpowering the main theme of the featuring ingredient. Some flavours such as apple & blackcurrant may be too sweet for some people, but trying a different flavour is always an option. Rekorderlig only has an alcohol percentage of 4%, making this drink is a perfect choice for moments of relaxation or casual parties. For more hardcore drinkers, though this drink may not be strong at first but if you enjoy enough of this delicious cider then it will surely get the job done! As i mentioned before, Rekorderlig is my favourite cider and i highly recommend it to people who are seeking a casual drink. Price wise it can almost always be found on sale in bundles of 3 so if you have to time, definitely go in and pick some up! :)

Personal score: 9/10

Posted by Tinny Wu (Tianyu)  

Absolut Vodka

Origins

Absolut Vodka, was introduced in the United States in 1979. Absolut Vodka uses a registered process called "distillation" which gives Absolut its character, smoothness and purity.

Currently, according to the Pernod Ricard Annual Report:

- Absolut is No.1 among premium vodkas worldwide
- Absolut is No.4 in spirits worldwide

Main Markets

• United States                
• Canada
• Mexico                         
• Germany
• UK    
• France
• Greece                          
• Spain

Sales

11.4 Million cases sold Worldwide (Pernod Ricard Annual Report 2012)

Range

Absolut Vodka has a large variety, including:

- Absolut Peppar                   - Absolut Ruby Red

- Absolut Citron                    - Absolut Pears

- Absolut Kurant                   - Absolut 100

- Absolut Mandarin               - Absolut Mango

- Absolut Vanilla                   - Absolut Berri

- Absolut Raspberri              - Absolut Açai

- Absolut Apeach                 - Absolut Wild Tea 

- Absolut Orient Apple         - Absolut ELYX

Layout Design Update!!

Hello there! Our new blog layout design has been released and been applied recently for enhanced visibility when searching through our blog page.  Based on the theme of alcohol, our primary colour scheme is focused around shades of red, white and black. With the addition of these "wine" related colours our blog now strongly resembles the topic of discussion as opposed to before.  Arial 14px font has been chosen because of the simple yet bold design that can provide easier readability to our readers. Our new layout is designed for simple access and clear browsing. With this said, we hope to further entertain you with new reviews coming later in the week and enjoy this new layout! Below is a rough hand-drawn image of the design layout:

Posted by Tinny Wu (Tianyu)

Red wine comes from many different countries. A large number of the countries in the world are now producing wines of varying degrees of quality, taste and flavor. France is particularly famous for the quality of its wines. Italy and America is another example. Argentina, Chillie, South Africa and Australia are just a few of the countries that now produce excellent wine and being categorized as the New-World Production. 
Since we all come from Australia, we decided to go through red wines from Australia first.s

The get things started, we will go through types of grapes in Australia Red Wine Industry. 

Common Australian red wine varieties
Shiraz
It is the most famous grape in Australia. However, the origin of it is middle-east Shiraz is full-body with a dark crimson color and with rich, pepper and plum flavors. Most Shiraz wines are matured in oak and many can be cellared for decades. South Australia's Barossa Valley and the Hunter valley in New South Wales are home to Australia s best Shiraz.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is another classic french wine which has taken off in Australia. Cabernet Sauvignon are medium to full-bodied and usually well structured and elegant. Many Australian wine makers blend Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon with excellent results. 
Merlot
Merlot is softer on the palate than Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz and has the advantage of being rich, but only moderately tannic so you can drink it soon after vintage without offending your tongue. Merlot is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to produce an easy drinking red wine.
Grenache
Grenache grows well in warmer climates and produces soft wines with round, perfumed flavours. Winemakers often blend Grenache with Shiraz to create a more balanced wine.
Petit Verdot
Petit Verdot produces deep, full-bodied wines with spicy pepper flavours and characteristics and high tannins. The variety has traditionally been used to add character to weaker reds. Petit Verdot is often blended as only 1-3% of the total wine to take advantage of its dominant characteristics.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir grapes have thick skins and produce wines which are light in colour, body and tannins. For this reason Pinot Noir make fantastic sparkling wines and elegant dry reds. 

Our By Next Post, We will go through the best four red wine from Australia.  
Posted by Aaron