Wine and Beer

Alcoholic beverages can be subdivided into beers, wines, and spirits (spirits are discussed in the next chapter), and as with teas and coffees, so certain wines and beers are among some of the most finely crafted beverages that exist today. Alcoholic beverages, while being ubiquitous, are also uniquely enriched with regional and cultural traditions and an appreciation of the craftsman's art expressed in the choice of materials, the course of fermentation and maturation, and the nose and the sense of taste of the maker or artisan. Wines and beers are alcohols, made possible by the action of microscopic yeasts that actively break down (ferment) food sugars into molecules of alcohol. As they do so, so the fermentation process also adds dimensions of aromas and flavors that a skilled technician of the trade can manipulate and transform into a harmonious nectar, an operatic ensemble to be cherished. This chapter embraces this cultural heritage while also explaining the various methodologies in alcohol production.