Lacto-fermentation
A process in which lactic acid bacteria convert natural sugars into lactic acid, naturally preserving food and drink.
Lager beer
A light beer that is fermented at low temperatures, giving it a smooth and clean flavour.
Lagavulin
An intensely smoky and peaty single malt Scotch whisky from the island of Islay, famous for its complex variety of flavours.
Lambic
A traditional Belgian beer produced by spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts from the region. Lambic can be drunk neat or made into fruit lambics such as Kriek (cherry) and Framboise (raspberry).
Laphroaig
Famous Scottish whisky brand from the Islay region, known for its distinct smoky and peaty flavour.
Late Harvest
Wine made from grapes harvested at the end of the season when the sugar content is at its highest, often used for dessert wines.
Lautering
A step in the brewing process in which the liquid wort is separated from the solid components of the malt.
Layering
A technique used in the preparation of cocktails in which liquids of different densities are carefully layered on top of each other to create a multi-layered appearance.
Lemon Bitters
An alcoholic concentrate with an intense lemon flavour that is used to flavour cocktails.
Lemon Drop
A sweet and sour cocktail made from vodka, lemon juice and sugar syrup, often served in a glass with a sugar rim.
Lemon peel
Lemon peel is often used as a flavouring agent in the production of spirits such as gin and various liqueurs. The peel contains essential oils that give the end product a distinct citrus flavour.
Limoncello
An Italian liqueur made from lemon peel, alcohol, water and sugar. It is traditionally served cold as an after-dinner digestif.
Limoncino
A variant of limoncello, sometimes stronger and with a slightly different flavour profile.
Liquor cabinet
A cabinet or other storage device used specifically for storing spirits and cocktail accessories.
Liqueur
A sweet, flavoured spirit that often contains herbs, fruit, spices or cream. Examples include Baileys Irish Cream and Cointreau.
Liqueur coffee
A coffee drink sweetened with a shot of liqueur and often garnished with whipped cream.
Litre
A unit of measurement for volume, often used to describe bottle size in the spirits industry.
London Dry Gin
A type of gin produced by double or triple distillation of grain alcohol and flavoured with a variety of botanicals, with juniper predominating. Examples include Beefeater and Tanqueray.
Long drink
A drink that is usually served in a tall glass and contains a larger quantity of non-alcoholic mixed drinks.
Long Island Iced Tea
A strong cocktail consisting of a mixture of vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin and a dash of cola, which gives it the appearance of an iced tea.
Low proof
Refers to spirits or cocktails with a low alcohol content that are ideal for light drinks. An example is Aperol.
Lowball glass
A short glass often used for cocktails that require little or no mixing, such as the Old Fashioned.
Lush
Colloquial term for someone who likes to drink alcohol often.
Lynchburg Lemonade
A refreshing cocktail made from Jack Daniel's whiskey, triple sec, lemon juice and lemonade.