At some point, they would pause and note something they never intended.
By way of example, did you know how these common items were made? Take a look:
- X-rays – in 1895, Wilhelm, an eccentric physicist found out that light from cathode rays passed through several materials. He finally used a lead disc to see if light would pass and guess what he saw on the wall, 2 shadows – one for the disc and another of the bones of his hands💀.
- Tea bags – Thomas, an American merchant, packed tea samples in silk pouches to avoid mix up during transit. On arrival, the recipients mistakenly put one pouch in boiling water, light-bulb moment! Tea bags were born.
- Fireworks – an unknown cook in China mixed together charcoal, sulfur and saltwater(his intentions remain a mystery) in a bamboo tube. The tube exploded… Fireworks it became.
709 year’s ago, yes! It’s been here for that long, similar innovations bore a honorable household drink.
A shortcut devised to evade paying tax paid off in a huge way. Back then, tax was levied based on volumes, and wine selling merchants selling wine resorted to distilling the wine into smaller volumes.
Ease of transport was another reason they had for distilling the wine. The distilled wine was then stored in wooden casks.
Upon removal, whatever was inside the cask was of better quality, and taste than the original drink. Burned/distilled (Brantwijn) wine became a thing. It was then named BRANDY from the term ‘Brantwijn’.
But then,
What is Brandy?
Brandy is a smooth and aromatic liquor derived by distilling either wine or fermented fruit mash(pomace).
Don’t let that simple definition fool you, if the history of brandy was to be documented, it could fill up half of The Library of Congress(The biggest physical library in the world).
France, being the first country where brandy was made, is home to the best brandy types.
Brandy has a fruity and subtly sweet taste. It can also have flavor notes of oak since it is typically aged in wooden casks.
Types of Brandy
Brandy types differ o. Fruit used, the fermentation process employed, how they are distilled and location of producer.
The most famous brandy. Include:
- Cognac: Made from grapes in the Cognac region of Southwest France. It is strictly graded in France to determine their age.
Brandy aged for at least two years is labeled: V.S. (Very Special). A four years old is labeled with V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale). While a six years old is labeled with X.O. (Extra Old) or Napoléon.
- Armagnac: Armagnac is made from grapes in the Armagnac region of Southwest France. Unlike other cognacs, Armagnac is only distilled once. Armagnac that is at least 10 years old are labeled hors d’âge (beyond age).
- Pisco: This brandy is made from grapes in Peru and Chile. It’s named after the Peruvian port of the same name.
- Grappa: Grappa is a brandy made in Italy, the Italian region of Switzerland, or San Marino. It is made from pomace—the skin, pulp, seeds, and stems leftover from winemaking. Pomace brandy can be created anywhere in the world, but only pomace brandy produced in Italy can be called grappa.