What is cognac? How to make real branded cognac at home from vodka, alcohol, moonshine: the best recipes. How to make homemade Armenian, Latgalian, chocolate, quick cognac, Hennessy, from grapes, with prunes, oak bark: retz

Cognac, prepared independently at home, can be a wonderful addition to a festive feast. This drink turns out rich and tart. It is best to use grape alcohol as the basis for homemade cognac, which can be obtained by distilling grape wine through a moonshine still. If this is not possible, then regular vodka can be used as a base. It is also better to prepare oak shavings yourself by planing them with a plane. It is important that the oak board is not impregnated with anything. How to make cognac at home, we will consider in this article.

Real cognac recipe

An oak barrel should be used for preparation.

Compound:

Squeeze the juice from wine grapes and introduce yeast. Leave to ferment for 1 month in an enamel bowl in a cool place.
After a month, distill the fermented juice through a moonshine still.
Pour the alcohol into an oak barrel and store it in the cellar for at least 1 year. The cellar must have good air circulation and a temperature of 11-17 C°.

The longer the drink is infused, the better its taste.

Homemade cognac recipe

To prepare you will need:

Heat the sugar in a frying pan until it reaches a caramel color. Place all dry ingredients in a 3-liter jar pre-scalded with boiling water. Fill the container with alcohol to the neck. Stir the mixture, close the lid and leave for 1 month in conditions without access to light.

Homemade cognac made from grape juice

Grape juice is used as the basis for preparation, to which alcohol is added.

2 liters of natural grape juice.
A bottle of strong dark beer.
A bottle of vodka.
100 grams of natural dark chocolate.

Mix grape juice and beer in a three-liter jar. Leave in a cool place for 2 weeks, covered. After 2 weeks, add vodka and grated chocolate. Infuse the drink for 1.5 months in a cellar.

Quick cognac

Components:

0.5 liters of vodka or grape alcohol.
Black allspice pea.
Bay leaf.
0.5 teaspoon of black leaf tea.
2 tablespoons sugar.
A pinch of vanillin.

Pour alcohol into an enamel pan, add all the dry ingredients and bring to 75-80 C° over heat. Leave the cognac under the closed lid until it cools completely. The resulting drink must be filtered and bottled. After five days, the product is ready for use.

Cognac recipe with milk

Ingredients:

Moonshine - 3 liters.
Milk – 200 grams.
Instant coffee 50 grams.
Nutmeg – 0.5 teaspoon.

Pour moonshine into a glass container, add milk. It will immediately curl up, but you don’t need to pay attention to this. Dilute the coffee with warm water and pour into the solution. Then add all the spices, stir thoroughly and infuse the cognac for 20 days, stirring occasionally. Strain the finished drink and pour into bottles.

Cognac "Oak"

Pour oak bark into liter jars, filling them almost completely. Pour the contents with moonshine and add 1 tablespoon of sugar per jar. Store in a dark place for 3 months. This version of the drink, prepared at home, will taste and smell very much like real aged cognac.

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How to make homemade cognac using a home recipe.

What an incredible taste and aroma of such a noble drink as brandy! You will probably think that this is a typo, but no - everything is correct (we will return to this topic a little later). Cognac is a type of brandy, the price of which can sometimes be steep (especially if you choose from expensive manufacturers). But there is also no desire to poison yourself with cheap products, so there is only one option left - to make cognac yourself.

How to make real branded cognac from vodka, alcohol, moonshine with oak bark: recipes

Cognac is considered a noble drink of golden-amber color, the degree of which should not be less than 40 revolutions. But, nevertheless, it does not need to be washed down and should be taken in small sips. To feel its soft taste and catch the subtle aroma. Real cognac is infused in oak barrels.

And we indicated the name “brandy” at the very beginning. Let's immediately prioritize which drink has the right to be called cognac.

The first, unquestioning rule is the place of production. Most people have probably already guessed that the drink got its name from the French city of Cognac. Therefore, only the drink that was grown and produced around that same French city (there are six sites there) can be called “cognac”.
Only white grape varieties of a certain type are used - these are Ugni Blanc, Folle Blanche, Colombard, Sémillon and Blanc Ramé.
Of course, you need to comply with the necessary requirements in terms of production, but the main nuance is double distillation from November 15 to March 31 of the next year.
It must be aged in oak barrels for at least 30 months, and the alcohol content must be strictly 40 degrees.
For color, they can add caramel or a hydroalcoholic tincture on oak shavings. But its content should not exceed 2% of the total volume of cognac.

Therefore, as you may have guessed, drinks on our shelves or prepared independently may be called “brandy”. But, if you really like the name “cognac”, then no one forbids you to use it. Indeed, in our country, cognac is considered to be a product that has at least 40% and is made from a certain grape variety using a special technology.

How to make cognac from vodka yourself.

The easiest way. This is an old recipe that includes only two components:

vodka (1 l)
oak branches (50 g)

The most painstaking process will be the preparation of oak. Why did we specify branches and not bark? Next, he will use the bark itself, after the branches have dried well.
You need to take only young twigs, since they contain a high content of tannins - 20% (compared to other parts of the tree).
The branches need to be dried in a dark and, most importantly, dry place. After which it should be thoroughly crushed.
Pour a liter of vodka or alcohol. There is no need to add anything else! Leave for at least 2-3 weeks. And ideally, a month.
But that is not all. The drink turns out to be very strong, so it should be diluted to the required percentage.

Another popular recipe. Required components:

vodka or diluted alcohol – 3 l
oak bark (it is better to take it in crumbly form) – 1 tbsp
loose black tea and cumin - 1 tsp each
cloves – 5-6 pieces (no more than 7 units)
vanilla sugar – 1 sachet

Vanilla will give homemade brandy a refined and aristocratic taste and aroma.
Add all the necessary components to vodka or alcohol. The main thing is that it should be diluted. Do not forget that cognac should not be more than 40%. Another permissible value is 42 revolutions.
At the very end, add citric acid.
You don’t need to insist for so long - just three days and you can start tasting.
Important! It is better to take brewed black tea in large leaves, because it will be much easier to strain the finished drink. And, to be honest, tea that is too ground often contains unnecessary dust. Or, as an option, buy only high-quality products from well-known manufacturers.

We also take note. The recipe is simple, does not require many ingredients or special skills, but has a delicious taste.

We will need:

vodka – also 3 l
oak bark (pharmaceutical) – 3 tbsp.
vanilla extract – 1 sachet
sugar – 3 tsp

The hardest part of all of them will be melting the sugar. That is, for this recipe it is burnt sugar that is needed. It is this that will give the drink a beautiful caramel color. Only without fanaticism, burnt sugar will only give bitterness.
Vodka must be poured into a jar, adding all other ingredients to it.
Close the lid well and leave in a dark place for one month.
Ready! Cognac made with your own hands on oak bark can already delight guests.

Cognac with oak bark and moonshine

This drink is very popular among homemade drink lovers. In essence, the technology is no different from the version with vodka or diluted alcohol, but the components may be different. Therefore, the recipes are slightly different from each other.

Important condition– moonshine should be no higher than 50%.

Necessary:

also 3 liters of moonshine
oak bark – 4 tbsp
if desired, you can add 20 rose hips
black peppercorns – 4 units
sugar – 3-4 tbsp
St. John's wort – 1 small sprig
black tea – 1 tsp

It should be noted that such a drink turns out no worse than elite store-bought drinks. And since only natural ingredients will be used, you can be, as they say, 100% sure of the quality of such brandy.
The principle of operation is incredibly simple - you need to combine all the components in one container.
It is advisable to melt the sugar. We have already indicated above that then the taste will be much more pleasant.
You need to insist for 35-40 days. And before serving, you need to strain through cheesecloth a couple of times so that no seasonings come across.

Another recipe for cognac with moonshine. It is also suitable for preparation with vodka or alcohol.

Moonshine - a little less than 3 l
Oak bark – 2-3 tbsp
Black tea – 1 heaped tbsp
Sugar – 2.5 tbsp
Baking soda - half a tsp.
Carnation – 6-7 inflorescences

Similarly, mix all the products in a three-liter jar
Don’t forget to mix the ingredients until the sugar dissolves
Cover tightly and leave in a cool, dark place for two weeks.
Depending on your taste, some people prefer to wait longer. But after 14 days there will be no smell left of the old moonshine
And don't forget to strain before drinking.

We make cognac from alcohol. In any case, the alcohol will need to be diluted. Therefore, the recipe is designed for 1.5 liters of alcohol. And after its tincture, the volume will double.

Oak bark (required) – 1 tbsp
Black tea bag
Rosehip (you can do without it) – also 1 tbsp
Vanilla sugar – 1 packet
Cinnamon - on the tip of a knife
Allspice – 3-4 peas
Glucose (tablets) – 2 units

We take a suitable container and mix our ingredients
But! Tablets need to be added after 3-4 days
You also need to infuse for at least 2 weeks, and if you like a richer taste, then you should wait a month
By the way, then the color will become brighter, and the aroma will become much more refined.
At the end, of course, the contents should be strained several times. And don’t forget to dilute the alcohol to the desired degree

How to make real branded cognac from vodka, alcohol, moonshine with prunes: recipes

Prunes add their own unforgettable touch, creating an interesting taste and unforgettable aroma. By the way, prunes slightly soften the strength of the drink, so this feature should be taken into account when tincture. If we talk about technology, it is not much different from previous options. And the ingredients can also be completely different, depending on your taste preferences.

Let's consider a universal recipe that can be made with vodka, alcohol, and moonshine.

What do we need:

vodka (or other strong drink) – 1 l
prunes (dried, of course) – 40-50 g
sugar - 2 tbsp
vanilla extract and cinnamon - on the tip of a knife
black tea – 1 bag or 1 tsp
cloves – 2-3 sprigs
black peppercorns - 3 units (optional)

Well, connect all the components, as in the previous options.
The main requirement is to shake well and leave for several days.
Don’t forget that the longer we insist, the brighter and richer the taste of such a drink will become.
But the distinctive feature of this recipe is that it is very quick to prepare. Therefore, in emergency cases, you can drink brandy within 24 hours.
This drink will be greatly appreciated by gourmets and lovers of something unusual. It will perfectly complement the holiday table when you want to surprise your guests with something outstanding.
Of course, before serving, you should strain through two layers of gauze several times.

Of course, also keep in mind that alcohol with moonshine should be taken with a strength of no more than 45 revolutions. And if you want to experiment, you can add other ingredients.

How to make real branded chocolate cognac

What an incredible taste and unforgettable aroma it has! Let's delve a little into history. Back in the 17th century, Louis XIV appreciated this combination and popularized it for further use. His favorite drink was presented in a donated chocolate bowl, which already gave the old and familiar drink indescribable qualities.

IMPORTANT: To prepare this drink you need to use only dark chocolate. And be sure to look at the composition - the cocoa content, ideally, should be 70%, or even better, 80% (but the minimum value is 60%). And other additives should be as small as possible. This means emulsifiers, milk, peanuts or various chocolate butters.

If we talk about the main component, it can be vodka, good store-bought cognac (but in this case, it won’t be a very budget option), diluted alcohol or homemade moonshine.

By the way! Moonshine is most suitable in this case. Because it can be prepared (again with your own hands) from grapes. And this brings homemade brandy a significant step closer to real cognac.

Take any of the above alcoholic drinks - 1.5 l
Dark chocolate – 150 g
Sugar – 1 glass
Water (preferably distilled) – 1.5 cups
Vanilla extract - on the tip of a knife
You can also add a little oak bark - 100-150 g

Let’s skip the cooking technology a little and give some recommendations:

You can take more or less chocolate, this will only change the richness of the drink. That is, the more chocolate, the brighter the taste will be. But don’t overdo it; you shouldn’t add more than 200 g.
Do not take oak shavings, they contain a very high content of tannins. Yes, and straining at the end will become very problematic. You can do without it altogether. But, you must agree that this way the taste will be closer to branded cognac.
By the way, if you decide to use store-bought cognac as a base, then you don’t need to add oak bark. You should add less sugar and chocolate.
You need to be extremely careful with vanilla - a large amount of it can give an overly pronounced aroma. Therefore, a very small pinch of extract is needed. But you can safely throw in a whole bag of vanilla sugar.
The amount of sugar also directly depends on your taste preferences. The recipe indicates the average dosage. If you want a sweeter drink, add a little more sugar. Well, naturally, with less sugar, the situation will be the opposite.

Now let's move on to cooking:

This recipe is slightly different from all previous options. Let's start with the chocolate first. You first need to grate it on a grater, preferably a fine one (this way it will melt faster).
Be sure to put it in a water bath. When the chocolate starts to melt, add vanilla.
At the very end add vodka. Mix everything thoroughly. And make sure the chocolate doesn't boil!
Let cool slightly (to room temperature) and pour into the prepared bottle. Close tightly.
Put it in the refrigerator, preferably for two weeks.
Next, prepare the syrup with water and sugar. I think the technology is insanely simple, so we won’t go deeper.
Now combine all the components, seal again and place in a cool and dark place for 3-4 weeks. The longer you steep the cognac, the more intense and rich in taste it will be.
An important aspect is that this drink can be consumed after 3 days, and can be stored for a maximum of no more than two years.
And don’t forget that you should strain it thoroughly before using. After all, no one likes to snack on pieces of oak bark.

How to make quick homemade cognac?

A quick recipe does not mean that the drink will not be as tasty. Yes, its taste and aroma will not be as rich and strong. But you can try it in a few days. By the way, we have listed a few “quick” recipes above.

I would like to highlight several useful properties:

A few drops of this wonderful drink in coffee or tea will help you warm up during the cold season.
And if you are hypothermic, it will prevent you from getting sick
If you drink a small glass of cognac before meals, you can forget about stomach cramps, and, in general, about stomach problems
Cognac also helps normalize blood pressure, but for this you should drink no more than 30 g per day

Classic home recipe:

Moonshine or vodka – 3 l
Harvesting partitions from walnuts
Potassium permanganate on the tip of a knife or several tablets of activated carbon
Tea (leaf) – 1 tbsp.
Val extract and citric acid - on the tip of a knife
Cumin – 1 tbsp. with a slide
Cloves – 5-6 pcs.

First of all, pour out our bulk ingredients, except for citric acid.
Fill it all with moonshine or vodka.
At the very end, add citric acid.
Seal tightly with a lid and place in a dark and cool place for 5 days.
Then, of course, you need to filter well.

How to make real signature Hennessy cognac?

Hennessy can rightfully be called the best cognac. Of course, it takes its roots from France, in the city of Cognac, where an experienced military captain, Richard Hennessy, settled. It's obvious where this name comes from. And again, real Hennessy must come from the French province, and, you know, the price of such an exquisite drink will be very steep.

But you can prepare a budget option at home, and most importantly, you can see what components are included. Therefore, you can be sure of the quality of such a drink.

Let's talk about the components. Of course, the real composition is kept in the strictest confidence! But you can choose the right ingredients that will help convey the taste of real Hennessy.

Vodka, alcohol (diluted) or moonshine – 1.5 l
Allspice – 1 unit
Hot black peppercorns – also 1 pc.
Cloves – 2 buds (no more)
Sugar – 2 tbsp. without a slide (you don’t need much)
Large leaf black tea – 1 tsp.
Lemon zest - half a teaspoon (depending on taste preferences, more can be used)

Cooking method:

In principle, the preparation is not much different from all other options, but there is one important nuance - the seasonings are not poured into a jar, but placed in a bag. Or just a small scarf.

IMPORTANT: It is better to take linen or cotton fabric, but in no case of synthetic origin.

We carefully tied up all our spices and put them in a jar of alcohol.
Place the jar in a cool place for 3 days and do not forget that there should be a minimum of light.
Then you should remove the bag and leave our brandy to steep for at least another 5 days, and ideally at least 10.

A little advice! So that guests don’t even guess that this is not a branded cognac from France itself, add more oak bark (1 tablespoon is enough) and vanilla (a small pinch on the tip of a knife). And leave for another 15 days. To avoid straining at the end, also put the oak bark in a bag or handkerchief.

How to make real branded cognac from grapes?

This process cannot be called complicated, but it takes a lot of time (relatively) and requires certain skills, as well as special devices. The main advantage of this cognac is a complete guarantee of quality. After all, you control the entire process and ingredients yourself.

We will need:

grapes – 30 kg
sugar – 5 kg
water – 4 l
oak pegs

Of course, it should be noted that using an oak barrel would be ideal. If one is not found at hand, then they simply use oak pegs. Let's start from the very beginning - making wine.

First, it’s worth talking about grape varieties. It is best to choose muscat grape varieties. The most suitable are Lydia, Isabella, Dove, etc. Saperavi or Cabernet, as well as Kakhet, are not worth taking. The fact is that these varieties contain a lot of tannins, which will make the cognac very strong. But this is a matter of taste, as they say.

Anyone who has made wine at least once or just watched the process knows that grapes cannot be washed! On its surface there are “wild” yeasts, which take the main part in fermentation. If the grapes are too dirty, then they are simply wiped with a dry (!) cloth.
You can use enamel or plastic dishes, but never an aluminum container.
The grapes were separated from the branches and crushed. Together with the peel and seeds, pour the contents into the prepared container. Add sugar. The approximate calculation of sugar to grapes is 1:10.
Cover the contents with a clean cloth or gauze and leave for a week. It is important to know that within a day a “cap” will begin to appear, which indicates the beginning of fermentation. This is a good sign, but she will get in the way. Therefore, it should be stirred 2-3 times a day with a wooden spatula. And another important requirement is that the room where the future wine is stored must be warm!
When all the grape “mush” floats to the top and an indicative wine-making smell is formed, you can strain the contents. On average, the fermentation process itself takes 7 days, but sometimes it happens faster - about 5 days.
Carefully and thoroughly pour into another container. The ideal option would be a bottle. But it doesn’t matter, if you don’t find such a house, you can use another container. Squeeze the pulp with your hands through cheesecloth. Add sugar a second time in the same proportion. But some skip this procedure depending on your preferences.
We poured the resulting juice into a bottle and put on a medical glove (after first pricking a hole with a needle). If there is one, you can use a water seal. Important - the contents should not exceed 70% of the total volume. After all, there must still be room for carbon dioxide and forming foam.
Place in a warm place (minimum 18 degrees), leaving for 20-40 days. The strength will depend on the duration.

Cognac made from grapes

We make wine spirit. Well, for this you need a moonshine still. If you have taken on such an important mission, then the principle of operation should be familiar. We will give only some recommendations.

The first 50 ml are not used because they contain a high content of methanol and acetone. They pour out
If the degree drops below 30%, then stop distillation
After the first and second distillation, the alcohol is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:1
The third stage is the most important - the distillate is already selected:
- An important requirement is that during the third distillation the alcohol should not be below 45 degrees
- You cannot use alcohol from 30 to 45 revolutions! It is not suitable for making cognac
- We need a distillate whose strength will ultimately be 70-80%

An important point is the infusion of cognac. We have already indicated above that an oak barrel would be the ideal option. If cognac is your favorite drink, then it’s worth purchasing. If this is not possible, then use oak pegs. Above were recipes using bark. But if you want to make a real branded cognac, then forget about using bark or sawdust!

How to prepare oak pegs:

The oak must be at least 50 years old.
Ideally, the wood should go through a natural soaking process. For example, lying through the winter in snow and rain. You can even cut down a tree on purpose and wait for the right moment. Believe me, it will be worth it!
If this is not possible, then take fresh wood and pour boiling water over it. Leave for 10-15 minutes, drain the broth. Next, soak for another 30-40 minutes, but in cold water.
The chips themselves should ultimately easily fit into a three-liter jar, approximately 15 cm long, and 5-7 mm wide (more precisely, in volume). You can do a little more, but the maximum value is 10 mm.

On average, we place 25 pegs in a jar. Fill with diluted alcohol (42-45%).
- Important! Alcohol is poured into water. Otherwise, the liquid will become cloudy.
Seal the lid or close the barrel and take it to the basement (or a dark and cool place). The infusion time is at least six months. Remember, the longer the time, the stronger the drink and the richer the taste. But no more than three years.

The next stage is optional, but desirable - caramelization. That is, adding melted sugar (about 50 ml per 3 liters of liquid). After adding it, leave the drink for another 10 days. This procedure will make the color beautiful and the aroma unforgettable.

You also need to pour it using a special method - through cotton wool. Yes, gauze will not help in this case. That is, you need to filter through a layer of cotton wool into prepared dishes.

How to make homemade Armenian cognac?

This type of cognac reached the apogee of popularity back in Soviet times, but then there were no limiting norms or rules. Then, naturally, an unquestioning law appeared - grapes must be grown directly on the territory of Armenia. By the way, as many as six varieties are used to produce Armenian cognac. At home, we won’t bother with this, but we can create the most accurate cognac in taste and aroma. The main requirement is the transparency and shine of the drink, so the filtration process should be carried out carefully.

To do this you will need:

vodka or moonshine – 3 l
walnuts (the core itself) - good value
tea – 1 tbsp. or 2 sachets
cumin – 1 tbsp. with a slide
cloves – 5-6 buds
citric acid - on the tip of a knife
vanilla sugar – 1 sachet or a pinch of vanillin

Homemade Armenian cognac

As in all previous options, combine all the ingredients and fill with the selected product.
This drink should be infused for 5 days.
After which you should thoroughly strain the contents and pour into the prepared container.

How to make homemade Latgalian cognac?

As many have already dared to assume, Latgale cognac is produced in Latgale. Yes, that's absolutely right. But now the question arises - what kind of country is this? Today, such a country does not exist; more precisely, it has a slightly different name - Latvia. And Latgale is its progenitor. And so, back to cognac. This recipe is considered one of the most ancient recipes.

Alcohol base (any choice, but use moonshine correctly) – also 3 l
Of course, oak bark 2-3 tbsp.
Sugar – 2-4 tbsp. (depending on taste preferences)
Distilled water – 2 tbsp.
Coriander – 4-6 grains
Citric acid - a tiny pinch
And the secret ingredient is a piece of nutmeg (about 1/5)

The technology is not too different from previous options, but there are some small tricks.
To avoid a bitter taste, the oak bark should first be poured with boiling water and left for 5 minutes.
To ensure that the spices reveal their full bouquet and give the drink an indescribable aftertaste, finely chop the nuts and coriander.
In this case, sugar is diluted with water and put on fire until completely dissolved. At the end, add citric acid and immediately remove from heat.
The final step is to connect all the components. That is, there is caramel, oak bark and moonshine.
This drink will be ready in a week. A characteristic feature will be a reddish tint. If you want to get a more juicy color, rich taste and enriched aroma, then increase the tincture period. But the maximum time is a month.

How many degrees should homemade cognac have?

We have already mentioned several times what strength the chosen alcohol should be (vodka or moonshine). The minimum limit is 40%. But since in the future there will still be infusion, therefore (we also indicated this) homemade moonshine or diluted alcohol should be a little higher - 45 degrees. But this number is the maximum value. That is, in more accessible language, cognac should be in the range of 40-45 revolutions. The ideal would be 42%.

Video: Homemade cognac recipe

Do you know that Cognac is a village? True, very rich and famous throughout the world. And all thanks to Kupitman’s favorite drink of gourmets and aesthetes, named after her and a symbol of elegance, taste and success.

Cognac. A noble cocktail of color, aroma and taste, which is created over many years in damp cellars among barrels darkened by time... Some drinks go an incredibly long way before splashing out into a glass glass and presenting their unique aroma to a true connoisseur. But when taking a sip of cognac, many do not even think that the person who once poured alcohol into a young barrel for him is most likely no longer alive...

The cognac production process is very long, painstaking and labor-intensive. And all in order to create one of the most noble drinks in the world. So, how are the world's best French cognacs made?

Photos and text by Sergei Anashkevich. First let's define the terms. What is the Cognac region, which so zealously protects the right to use its name, and what is it eaten with? Cognac has 6 subregions (appellations), the boundaries of which are strictly defined. Cognac spirits of each subregion have their own distinctive characteristics. For example, cognac produced from grapes harvested in Grande Champagne has a light, delicate aroma with dominant floral tones, and on the soils of the Borderie, rich in clay and silicon, vineyards grow that produce beautiful round and soft cognacs with pronounced tones of violets. Using these features when mixing allows cognac masters to achieve certain properties of the final product. In order for a drink to be called Cognac, it must be produced from grape spirits grown only in these subregions. The subregions are called:

Grande Champagne (Grand Champagne) or Grand Fine Champagne (Grand Fin Champagne)
Petite Champagne or Fine Petite Champagne
Borderies
Fins Bois
Bons Bois
Bois ordinaires (Bois Ordinaire).

The subregions Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne and Borderies are considered the best, but this does not mean that spirits produced from grapes from other subregions are much inferior in quality. By the way, most well-known brands of cognac contain cognac spirits from several subregions at once.

Yes, don’t be confused by “Champagne”, in this case it has nothing to do with the Champagne region. The word "champagne" comes from the Latin Campania and means "plain", "agricultural area" and "calcareous soil". This is how regions similar in name, but completely different in terms of the product produced there, appeared - this name is equally applied to the Champagne region (where champagne is made) and to the Grande Champagne region (where cognac is made).

2. Not any wine is suitable for the production of cognac. The best results are obtained when distilling wine made from grapes containing a minimum amount of sugar, harvested slightly earlier than for wine. The main grape variety used to produce cognac is called Ugni Blanc. This variety is grown in 98% of the region's vineyards. Authorized varieties also include Colombard and Folle Blanche. Of the new varieties, they are experimenting with Folignan (a hybrid of Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche). Ugni Blanc has been growing on American vine rootstock since the late 19th century, when phylloxera killed almost all the vineyards in the region and throughout France. The American vine is resistant to phylloxera, and Ugni Blanc takes root better than others on American rootstock. In Italy, the Ugni Blanc variety is called Trebbiano, and there they make white wine from this variety. The vines are planted at intervals of 3 meters to expose them to the sun as much as possible. Harvest once a year - in early October. Some vineyard owners harvest grapes by hand, but most use machine harvesting to speed up the process as much as possible. The harvested grapes are immediately pressed in traditional flat horizontal presses. The resulting juice is left to ferment without adding sugar. The initial process is absolutely identical to the process of producing white wine.

3. And then there’s white wine. begin to turn into cognac. But first they make moonshine from it. After three weeks, the already young dry wine Blanc de Blanc (about 8% alcohol) is sent for distillation (according to the Charente method, which has come down to us unchanged), where it goes through two stages of boiling, as a result of which cognac alcohol appears.

The double distillation process is a very complex one. In the first stage, unfiltered white wine is brought to a boil, alcohol vapor rises to the top of the distiller's bell, passes through a tube and condenses in the cooling system.

4. This is how raw alcohol is obtained (in French - brouillis). Its strength is usually 27-32%.

6. At the second stage, their raw alcohol during secondary distillation produces a base high quality cognac spirit(French bonne chauffe). It is here, at the second stage of distillation, that the experience and skill of the “master distiller” is fully revealed, who is responsible for the correct selection of the first, second and third fractions of the distillate. It is the second fraction, with a strength of 68-72% alcohol, that goes into further aging in oak barrels and becomes cognac.

7. At this stage, the work of a distillation specialist is extremely important, because in the process of the second distillation it is necessary to be able to cut off the middle fraction - the so-called “heart” - from the primary and tertiary fractions, called the “head” and “tail”.

8. It is interesting that all large cognac houses use not only their own alcohols obtained in their distilleries, but also alcohols from many small alcohol producers. As a rule, these are small farms that have a closed alcohol production cycle: their own vineyard, fermentation equipment, and stills. Cognac houses cooperate with them on a long-term basis, constantly monitoring the quality of the supplied alcohols.

Many private distilleries use old vintage equipment that is many decades old. This does not affect the quality of the alcohol in any way, and the main thing here is the hand of the distillation master.

11. By the way, several types are usually used secondary distillation. According to the first, the wine is distilled in tandem with the tail fractions, which ensures a fuller bouquet of cognac. The second method is based on the distillation of alcohol in a mixture with head and tail fractions. By law, distillation of alcohol ends on March 31 and from that moment the aging of cognac begins. He is sent to cognac houses.

12. Even the dog is interested that we spend so much time photographing and recording in the closet where his owner is constantly cooking something. Eh, dog... You don’t know that cognac starts from here.

13. The starting point for aging cognac is considered April 1st every year. The alcohol is poured into oak barrels of varying capacities and left for several years. The future cognac is stored in special cellars where constant air temperature and humidity are maintained.

Very often, cognac cellars are located on the banks of the Charente River, because There is high humidity here, which is so important for proper aging of the drink. The natural dampness where the barrels are stored is one of the determining factors in the aging process.

14. Cognac spirit is kept in oak barrels, usually 350 liters, at a constant temperature of 15°, where it can mature from 2 to 50 years. During this time, cognac alcohol loses some of its strength, and oak gives the drink an amber color and pleasant shades of taste. The substances extracted from oak by cognac are called dry extracts. The transition of the natural qualities of oak develops the bouquet of cognac, producing a special taste known as rancio.

Extract of cognac spirits consists of three stages: extraction (penetration of wood components into alcohol), hydrolysis (change in properties and preparation for “digestion of wood”) and oxidation (color becomes richer, new notes of taste appear).

The cognac spirit is aged in barrels made exclusively from oak, traditionally grown in the Limousin and Tronçais forests. The craftsmen of Charente have long recognized the unique quality of this wood. The Tronçais forest, located in the Allier region, supplies coopers (barrel makers) with soft, fine-grained wood of ideal porosity, and the Limousin forest provides medium-grained and durable wood (I will talk about the production of barrels separately).

15. The quality and strength of the drink directly depend on the aging period. In fact, the timing determines the eliteness of cognac. For primary aging, barrels are used for no more than five years. At this stage, a significant part of the cognac spirits will be selected, assembled and bottled, going to store shelves with VS and VSOP labels.

Only the best spirits will remain in the cellars, continuing to age. It is from these that cognacs of the highest categories will be made - XO, Napoleon, Richard, etc. (special categories differ for each manufacturer).

16. All the time while the cognac is in the barrel, absorbing all the best from the oak, developing its most refined tastes, it is constantly in contact with the air and gradually loses a small amount of cognac alcohol, which is called the “share of the angels”. Experts say that every year 2-3% of alcohol evaporates from each barrel through the pores.

Alcohol fumes settle on the walls. Here they feed on a special “drunk” mold, which is why the walls in cognac cellars are always black.

19. When the cognac, according to the expert, reaches the peak of aging, it is placed in an old barrel, where it “rests”. Old barrels no longer contribute anything to the drink and practically do not change it.

If the cognac, in the opinion of the “cellar master,” reaches the peak of its development, it is poured from barrels into glass bottles, the so-called “dames-Jeanne” (French Dames-Jeanne), sealed and placed in the most remote place of the cellar, where they can be stored for decades and even centuries without changes. This is a special place in the cellar, which is called Paradise (French: Paradis).

20. The most important stage in making cognac is mixing cognacs with different characteristics. This is done by a specially trained person, in the jargon of winemakers he is called Bouquet Master. How cognac is made determines its taste, status and labeling. But in any case, you can recognize a good cognac from a thousand, because its aroma and tart strong taste will be remembered for a long time.

21. Based on several aged alcohols, it is made assemblage and reduction. Assembly - mixing alcohols (eau-de-vie), reduction - gradual, very careful dilution with water (since alcohol and water are very polar, their rapid mixing can lead to injury to the resulting cognac, distortion of its aroma and taste). Often reduced with alcoholic waters rather than plain water. Alcoholized waters - febles (faibles) or small waters (petites eaux) - mixed alcohol and water, about 15-20% strength.

Why is water added? So that the strength of the drink meets the established parameters.

Also, at the assembly stage, sugar and caramel can be added to cognac. This is officially allowed. Although caramelization is not particularly welcomed as a cheap way to achieve a certain taste, and it is usually applied to the most inexpensive brands of cognac - VS.

In the photo you can see how cognacs with different aging periods differ. The lighter the drink, the younger it is...

22. The production of cognac at all stages is very strictly regulated and controlled. No experiments are allowed - even if the cognac is not intended for sale.

Now about the notation. There are regulated traditional designations for the minimum aging period of cognac. They are divided into the following main categories:

V.S. - aged for at least two years.
V.S.O.P., Reserve - aged for at least four years.
V.V.S.O.P., Grande Reserve - at least five years.
X.O, Napoleon - aged for at least six years.

It should be borne in mind that for blends (mixtures of different alcohols) the youngest alcohol is always indicated. It is also interesting that different manufacturers may use standard designations to mean significantly longer shutter speeds than the minimum. For example, some small cognac houses X.O. is a thirty-year-old cognac, and, for example, V.S. - twelve years old.

23. About 20 thousand cognac houses are registered in the Cognac region. (So cognac is not only Courvoisier, Hennessy, Martell, Rémy Martin and Camus)

However, in reality there are now approximately 5,000 manufacturers left in the region, but only 12 of them have a full cycle!!! The rest carry out a certain stage of production. Some only distill alcohol, while others only age, assemble and bottle cognac under their own brand.

24. How to drink cognac correctly?

As a rule, it is drunk as an aperitif or, conversely, as a digestif. Cognac has also been increasingly used in cocktails in recent years, with some manufacturers having brands specifically designed for cocktails.

The best accompaniment for cognac is coffee, cigar and chocolate. As a snack Various sweet dishes (for example, apple charlotte) and fruits also go well.

About the lemon. Don't ask the French about lemon in relation to cognac! Lemon is the worst appetizer for cognac, completely killing its taste. This fashion came from Nicholas II, who hated the taste of cognac, but was forced to drink it out of etiquette. Then he actually saved himself with lemon, instantly neutralizing the taste of the drink. In Soviet times, the tradition of sipping cognac with lemon, as well as storing the drink in the refrigerator, spread everywhere and is sometimes found even in our time...

So drink the right cognac from the right tulip glasses with the right accompaniments...

Regarding the right cognac glasses

Until recently, the correct glass of cognac was actually considered to be a bottle (No. 1), and it was customary to drink Armagnac from a tulip (No. 12). But several years ago, the organization BNIC (National Interprofessional Bureau of Cognac), which unites all cognac producers, made a decision with expert opinion about using a tulip (No. 12) as a glass for drinking cognac instead of a bottle.

This decision was due to the following reason: the shape of the tulip allows you to feel all the aromatics of the drink due to the fact that the narrow shape of the neck prevents alcohol from actively evaporating. A wider bottle neck, on the contrary, promotes active evaporation of alcohol, which makes it difficult to appreciate the aroma, sometimes literally “punching” a person in the nose, which is why many accused many brands of cognac of increased alcohol content.

So now in France and around the world it is customary to drink cognac from small narrow “tulips”...

Cognac alcohol is made from wine grape varieties that have good yields, often have low sugar accumulation, and produce wine with a flat taste. The Swim variety, for example, is used for ordinary wines and cognac. Requirements for cognac wine material: alcohol content of at least 8%, acidity of at least 4.5 g/l. Fermentation on pulp and aging with yeast is recommended. In France, distillation is carried out from fresh wine material - with yeast.

When I first double distilled the wine, I noticed that the aroma of chacha had greatly diminished. I didn’t like it, but the cognac spirit turned out great in the end. I decided to deviate somewhat from traditional technology, especially since for the first time cognac was obtained by simply aging grape vodka in oak barrels.

In S. G. Leonov’s book “Amateur Viticulture,” in the article “Making Cognac at Home,” it is proposed to use low-quality wine and the Petiot drink for distillation into cognac alcohol, although it is said that the resulting drink is similar to cognac. However, it's better than the vanilla substitute.

Table varieties can be used for cognac if, for example, the berries have begun to crack. A small addition of sugar is allowed if the berries are a little unripe. Fermentation is carried out on pulp. Without waiting for complete fermentation, I pour the wine material into a bottle for further fermentation. I squeeze the pulp with my hands and add a little sugared water to it. After fermentation, I squeeze it with a press and throw away the cake. You cannot delay for long, the resulting wine has little alcohol and can be used as vinegar, especially if rotten bunches of grapes were used. The resulting wine material is distilled into chacha without settling, with the selection of the “head” fraction, reducing the distillation temperature.

When settling the wine, I collect the remaining yeast sediment and add water and sugar. I stir, ferment, distill into chacha (with the selection of the head). The result is a very aromatic grape vodka. I also distill last year’s wine, which did not live up to my hopes, into grape vodka. I store all grape vodka until winter.

When the grape work subsides, you can get down to cognac business. First, you need to distill the chacha a second time to get alcohol with a strength of 76-72 degrees.

Secondly, I cut checkers from oak strips so that there is a thickness of 2-3 centimeters between the end cuts. So that they fit freely into the neck of a twenty-liter bottle. The oak must be at least 50 years old. Oak staves are dried under sheds for three years. I pour boiling water over the oak cubes, leave for 2 hours, and drain the infusion. I re-fill with cold water for 2 hours and drain again. I repeat the procedure again. I fill the bottle to the top with cubes and fill it with grape alcohol. By the way, it is not recommended to fill oak barrels to the top with cognac alcohol for better oxidation and precipitation of phenolic compounds. At wineries, stave is used for six years, the most productive is 2-3 years of use. Therefore, after the sixth pour, I remove the oak checkers by first passing them through a moonshine still.

It is advisable to store the bottle for three years, but if you can’t bear it, you can keep it for a year, but preferably in a warm place at a temperature of about 20 degrees. At factories, using accelerated technology, oak staves are infused in tanks at a temperature of 40 degrees for one month.

I take the bottle in which the alcohol checkers have been stored since last year and pour out the cognac alcohol. I measure the alcohol content in it and add chacha of the required alcohol content to it to ultimately get an alcohol content of 40 percent. I add sugar at a rate of one percent and dissolve it by shaking.

I bottle it and send it to the basement to settle for a year.

Re-blend of Cognac.

I remove the settled cognac from the sediment. The cognac is almost ready, but it may still leave sediment, so we leave it to “rest” for another year.

In the bottle where the checkers remain, I pour chacha with a high alcohol content of 50-60 degrees, and send it to the basement for a year. I don’t know yet how many years oak checkers can be used “in the flow.” If the cognac turns out to be hard after using the first fraction of cognac alcohol, then it must be diluted with forty-degree chacha in half, add sugar (up to 1%), dissolve by shaking and send it to rest in the basement.

Now about the role of oak staves and oak barrels in the production of cognac. Tannins from oak wood play the role of a catalyst, changing the organeleptic properties of grape vodka (chacha). A substance is produced that gives the unique aroma of cognac alcohol. When mixing cognac alcohol with “fragrant water” during the “rest” process, tannins precipitate. Cognac loses its hardness and becomes suitable for consumption. You cannot use cold to separate sediment, as the taste of the wine will deteriorate.

In a conversation with Yuri Valentinovich Zotov, my beliefs in making cognac coincided with his, the drink is purely grape and oak staves play an intermediate temporary role. The fewer traces of “oak” left in the drink, the more pleasant it will taste. He also claims that the use of nutmegs makes the cognac more aromatic, I can neither confirm nor deny this. The first experiments in producing cognac spirit from Isabelle varieties have so far met with some success.

The basis of the taste of cognac is the wine from which it is distilled into grape vodka. Cognac is not an oak liqueur. Double distillation into alcohol reduces the aroma of the future drink. The barrels must first be used for wine for a year or two and then used for making cognac. The older the cognac barrel, the more valuable it is, possibly due to the smaller amount of tannins in the wood of the barrel. In barrels, the infusion of cognac alcohol takes longer, the “angels’ share” flies away, so you have to add grape alcohol every year, perhaps because of this the cognac becomes tastier, the extractivity increases due to the additions, alcohol and water evaporate through the wood of the barrel. The cost of such cognac will be more expensive. In the video and in the text there is some discrepancy in the timing of soaking oak blocks with boiling water and soaking and rinsing with cold water, I just did it differently as an experiment. There is scope for developing new technologies.

New barrels are used to infuse cognac spirits in them, having first been doused with boiling water or steam, then soaked by pouring cold water into them two or three times. When aging alcohols repeatedly, oak staves are added to the barrels, since the extract content of the barrels decreases. In very old barrels, cognac is bottled for rest, from one month to a year. It all depends on the technology for preparing a certain type of cognac.

According to prim Europe, we incorrectly call this drink cognac, Brandy is correct, they do not understand the Russian mentality, and it is at least unusual for us to call Champagne sparkling wine. It seems to me that Brandy is an English word and does not fit in with a French drink. They defend the “brand”, they say we have no right, it also costs money - I’m sick of this psychology.

Cognac is considered one of the most famous and noble spirits. There is a very small number of men who would not appreciate this drink and do not give it preference over many others. And women find use for it in their quest for beauty. However, for many it still remains a mystery how and from what cognac is made. It's no secret that this drink comes from France. Its name comes from the name of the small town of Cognac, which is located in southwestern France.

Cognac is a strong alcoholic drink that is the result of double distillation of white wine. After distillation, the drink is kept in oak barrels.

The technology of making cognac can be called an art. The entire process of making cognac can be divided into several stages:

grape harvest itself;
pressing berries;
distillation;
aging in barrels;
mixing.

What is cognac made from? As a rule, the main grape for cognac production is considered to be white Ugni Blanc grapes. This is a high acidity variety that ripens slowly. These grapes can also be characterized as being resistant to diseases and, as a result, having high yields.

In addition to Ugni Blanc, varieties such as Colombard and Folle Blanche are also used in the recipe for making cognac. Each of the three grape varieties brings its own aroma to the bouquet of the drink. Thus, Ugni Blanc gives it floral aromas with subtle notes of spice. Folle Blanche - significantly improves the quality of the drink during aging, imparts the smell of linden and violet, and Colombard - sharpness and strength. The grape harvest usually begins in October. Immediately after harvesting, the grape juice begins to be squeezed out. Moreover, squeezing presses are used that do not crush the grape seeds.

Afterwards the juice is sent for fermentation. Adding sugar during the fermentation process is strictly prohibited by law. This process lasts about 3 weeks and after its completion, wines that contain 9% alcohol, as well as wines with high acidity, are sent for distillation.

This process is very difficult to describe and takes place in the so-called “Charente still.” The result is cognac alcohol. This liquid must be aged in oak barrels for at least 2 years and only then can it be called cognac. The maximum holding period is unlimited. However, experts who produce cognac claim that aging this drink for more than 70 years no longer affects its merits.

Oak barrels for aging this noble drink were not chosen by chance. Oak is very durable, has a fine-grained structure and high extractive qualities. The barrels are filled with alcohol and >placed in cellars for cognac maturation or aging. Only after this does cognac reach our table.

They drink cognac from special cognac glasses. First, the glass of cognac is warmed with your hands for about 20 minutes to enjoy the aroma of the drink.

Cognac is eaten with chocolate. Some gourmets claim that cognac is combined only with chocolate, cigars and coffee. In post-Soviet society, there is a widespread belief that it is correct to eat cognac with a slice of lemon. This is not entirely true, because this citrus has a very specific sharp taste, which will certainly overwhelm the exquisite bouquet of cognac.