Spirits, Beer, and Wine Flashcards
6 cards from real Bartender Certification practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Spirits, Beer, and Wine flashcards as text
What is a 'VSOP' designation on a Cognac label?
Answer: Very Special Old Pale — aged a minimum of 4 years in French oak
VSOP (Very Special Old Pale) indicates the youngest brandy in the blend is aged a minimum of 4 years in French oak barrels.
What is the key ingredient that distinguishes a 'stout' from other ale styles?
Answer: Roasted barley or roasted unmalted barley, giving stout its dark color and coffee/chocolate flavors
Stouts are characterized by the use of roasted barley (and/or roasted unmalted barley), which gives them their near-black color and characteristic coffee, chocolate, and roasted flavors.
What is the difference between 'bourbon' and 'Tennessee whiskey'?
Answer: Tennessee whiskey undergoes the Lincoln County Process (charcoal filtering before aging), which bourbon does not
Tennessee whiskey (like Jack Daniel's) is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before aging — the Lincoln County Process — which bourbon does not require, giving it a distinct smoothness.
What does 'on lees' (sur lie) aging mean in wine production?
Answer: Leaving the wine in contact with dead yeast cells after fermentation to develop complexity and a creamy texture
'Sur lie' (on the lees) aging means the wine is left in contact with its spent yeast cells after fermentation, which gradually break down (autolysis) and release compounds that add richness, creaminess, and complexity.
What spirit is Mezcal most closely related to, and what distinguishes it?
Answer: Mezcal is closely related to Tequila (both are agave spirits), but Mezcal can be made from many agave varieties and often uses roasted piñas, giving it a distinctive smoky flavor
Both Mezcal and Tequila are made from agave in Mexico, but Mezcal can use over 30 agave varieties and traditionally uses earth-pit roasting of the piña, creating its characteristic smokiness.
What is a 'dry' wine?
Answer: A wine with little to no residual sugar, where fermentation has converted most of the sugar to alcohol
A 'dry' wine has had most or all of its residual sugar fermented by yeast into alcohol, resulting in little to no perceptible sweetness (typically less than 4 g/L residual sugar).