IN GOOD SPIRITS

What does Vermouth mean? Uncovering the names of alcoholic beverages

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You probably know many alcoholic beverages that you enjoy drinking alone or combined in different cocktails, but do you know where their names come from? From whiskey and gin to rum and absinthe, the origins of spirits have fascinating stories to tell. Are you ready to explore them? You will surely learn some curious facts to share at your next party!

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Whiskey is one of the most consumed alcoholic beverages in the world. It is produced by distilling malt fermented with cereals such as wheat, barley, corn, and rye, and the resulting spirit is subsequently aged in white oak barrels.

In the Middle Ages, alcoholic beverages were classified into two main groups: "aqua ardens" (burning water) and "aqua vitae" (water of life). Whiskey falls into the category of "aqua vitae." The Latin term was translated into Middle Irish as usque beatha, which in turn derived into usquebaugh, pronounced: "wiskyba," giving rise to "whisky" (Scotland) and "whiskey" (Ireland and the United States).

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The word brandy is an abbreviation of brandywine, an English term dating from the early 17th century. It comes from the Dutch brandewijn, meaning "burnt wine" or "burning wine," referring to the distillation process.

Brandy is made from the distillate of wine or fermented fruit pulp, primarily grape skins. There are different types of brandy. Perhaps one of the best known is cognac, a high-quality wine distillate, named after the city in France where it is produced.

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Gin is a distilled drink made from juniper berries, among other ingredients. The term gin is an abbreviation of the Old English word genever, which in turn derives from the Dutch jenever and the French genièvre. Moreover, all these words trace back to the Latin word for juniper, juniperus.

This drink emerged among European monks during the Middle Ages as a medicinal liquor. Then, in the 17th century, gin gained popularity in England and transitioned into the modern drink we know and love. Nowadays, gin is used to prepare different cocktails, including Tom Collins, Negroni, and the popular Gin & Tonic.

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The first references to this drink date back to the mid-17th century in Barbados, a small Caribbean island with sugar plantations that was under British rule for several centuries. When rum began to be produced on a large scale in the colonies, the English imported it to Europe and popularized it throughout the continent.

There are many theories about the origin of the word rum. The most accepted one suggests that it comes from the English slang word rumbullion which means "great tumult." This term might have originated in the Devonshire area on the southwest coast of England. From rumbullion, it became known as rum in English, rhum in French, and ron in Spanish.

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Vodka is an emblematic drink of Eastern European countries and is used to prepare a multitude of cocktails, including the Martini Vesper, Moscow Mule, White Russian, Cosmopolitan, and Bloody Mary, among others. The word vodka comes from the Russian word voda, which means "water." The ending -ka makes it diminutive, translating to "little water."

Vodka is a distillate that comes from the fermentation of potatoes, wheat, barley, grapes, beets, or any plant rich in starch. Originally, the aim was to obtain a simple, alcoholic liquid composed of ethanol and water, with no pretensions in terms of aroma or flavor. It also needed to have a high alcohol content to cope with the harsh Russian winters. Traditionally it has a graduation around 40º, although there are vodkas that reach 80º and up to 96º. It is hard to believe that it’s simply called water!

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This distillate made mainly from corn, was first introduced in the United States in the 18th century. The first known producer was Reverend Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister. Legend has it that the clergyman established the first distillery in Fayette County, Kentucky, with the help of a Southern farmer who provided surplus corn from his harvest.

Although it was born in Fayette, this variety of whiskey was named after another nearby county, Bourbon County, where the spirit began to be produced on a large scale. The names of both Kentucky counties have their origin in the same historical figure: Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, a French aristocrat related to the House of Bourbon.

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The word vermouth comes from the German word wermut, which means "wormwood," one of the main herbs used to make this beverage. This fortified wine, flavored with different botanicals (flowers, herbs, roots, and spices), has been used since ancient times for medicinal purposes. However, the modern version we know today was first introduced in Turin, Italy, in the 18th century.

In the 19th century, vermouth became a global trend thanks to the rise of bars and cocktails, as it was —and still is— an essential ingredient to prepare classic drinks such as Martinis, Negronis, and Manhattans.

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Tequila is, without a doubt, a staple of Mexican culture and a famous drink around the world. In ancient times, it was considered a gift from the gods. Today it’s served as an aperitif or combined with other beverages and ingredients to prepare cocktails.

This spirit is produced from the distillation of fermented juice obtained from the heart of a plant known as "blue agave." Its name comes from the Nahuatl word Tekilan, which means "place of the workers."

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This popular anise-flavored spirit, made from wormwood oil and other herbs, has a high alcohol concentration. With a bitter taste, absinthe’s color is usually pale green. Its name derives from the Latin absinthium, which in turn comes from the Greek apsínthion, meaning "wormwood."

The use of wormwood to make alcoholic beverages dates back to the 1st century, but it was not until the end of the 18th century, in French-speaking Switzerland, that the drink we know today was created. At the end of the 19th century, absinthe, often called "Green Fairy," was the most popular spirit in Europe, enjoyed by all social classes, especially artists and bohemians. However, years later its consumption was limited because it could cause hallucinations, which gave birth to the term absinthism.

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Peru and Chile, neighboring South American countries, share many things: the Andes mountain range, common ancestors, customs, and, notably, the debate over the origin of pisco. The true birthplace of this spirit has long been questioned, with both countries claiming it as their own. What we do know is that the name pisco may derive from the Quechua word Pisku, meaning "bird."

Peruvian and Chilean pisco are different varieties but have in common that they are grape distillations, made similarly to brandy and cognac. Despite the ongoing controversy, no one should miss trying a good pisco sour!

AFK? RSVP ASAP!

14 Acronyms And Initialisms That You Might Not Know

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According to the OED (Oxford English Dictionary), initialisms are "sequences of letters that refer to a full expression," such as USA, "United States of America." Acronyms, on the other hand, are initialisms that have become words themselves, such as NASA. In this sense, all acronyms are initialisms, but not all initialisms are acronyms.

Although many acronyms and initialisms have made their way into ordinary English usage and most people know how to use them in their daily lives, many times the exact words that originated them are utterly forgotten. So, if you have been wondering what’s the real meaning behind many of these puzzling abbreviations or just want to refresh your knowledge with a little challenge, here are 14 popular acronyms that you might be getting wrong.

P.S.: Try to guess the meanings before reading the explanation!

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This one has gained more popularity in recent times, with the growth of remote or online work. It is primarily used to tell other members of an online board, chat room, or remote workspace that you won’t be available at your computer for a certain period of time. Although AFK originated in the early days of the internet, being first used in ‘90s chat rooms, it is still commonly displayed in online multiplayer games when someone isn’t playing or is currently unavailable.

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Chances are you already know this one. Party organizers usually add this little initialism to their invitations to make sure everyone contributes to the general happiness of the gathering. By bottle or beverage, of course, most people mean alcoholic drinks, although not necessarily. An alternative might be BYOF, meaning to "bring your own food."

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Another very popular one, especially if you work at an office or in formal party invitations (like a wedding). This is one of the many borrowed expressions from the French language that are still used today by English speakers. However, apparently, RSVP is no longer used in France and is considered to be quite old-fashioned. But, unless you are French, don’t be rude and reply, so the host will know whether to count you for their party or not.

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This one refers to doing crafts, repairs, or decorations at home by yourself, in contrast to hiring someone else to do it (a professional) or buying from the store. If you type "DIY" on a website like YouTube, you will find thousands of tutorials and guides that cover almost everything, from learning how to paint a wall to building your own radio.

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Originally a military term for soldiers who left their post without permission, now it is widely used to mean that someone has temporarily gone missing. When a friend suddenly disappears from the bar without a trace, you can now say that they have "gone AWOL" (although in all likelihood they are probably just sleeping it off).

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Commonly used in online forums and discussion boards to indicate that someone has posted something way too long and wordy. If you don’t like our article you can tell us TL;DR!

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In the last couple of years, you might have heard someone yelling "YOLO!" to no one in particular before doing something incredibly dumb or at least driven by a questionable train of thought. However, it can also be used to encourage someone to live their lives to the fullest, without overthinking things or worrying too much along the way. You can think of the aphorism ‘_Carpe Diem_’ (Latin for ‘seize the day’) as an ancient—and nobler—relative of this acronym.

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Another common workplace acronym, ASAP is used when you want to make it clear to someone that they should reply or do something quickly, or when there is a deadline coming and they should hurry up.

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A device that ‘stimulates atoms or molecules to emit light at particular wavelengths’, Laser is one of those acronyms that are cleverly hidden within a common use word.

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Bet you didn’t know this one. This initialism is commonly used as a tag in online posts or URLs that open adult content—mostly nudity, but also anything else that might not be suitable to see in the workplace or with children around. You might find it used to label any sort of films, books, or products that contain sexual or explicit content, profanity, violence, and other adult-oriented subjects.

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I’m not going to lie, I found this one surprising. In 1963, the United States Post Office began using the now ubiquitous ZIP Code, replacing an older system that needed improvement in terms of efficiency – hence calling it the "Zone Improvement Plan."

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Do not mistake it for OJ! (orange juice). If, like me, you were baffled by this acronym, very popular now among teenagers, you can join the party and start calling OGs left and right. But as usual, it is not exactly new. OG is an expression that has been used for decades in the rap and hip-hop culture as a way of respecting someone who has had a long experience or been around for a long time in a certain circle or scene. Effectively, it means "cool" and "old-school."

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Unless you are an amateur radio enthusiast or worked in engineering or the military, you probably never even gave a second thought to this word. The term RADAR was originally coined by the U.S. Navy in the 1940s to describe various detection systems that use radio waves to determine the distance, speed, and position of objects.

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It is usually speculated that this acronym (as many others) originated with the telegraph. International communications from the US president in the 1940s were commonly labeled as being sent by POTUS. Now you can see it used in official Twitter accounts and other White House media presence.

If you enjoyed learning the meaning behind words like YOLO or Radar, stay around! We will keep uploading more content like this!