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Spirits Delivery or Pickup
The Instacart buying guide to spirits
Make your day a bit easier and save valuable time by ordering your favorite bottle of spirits through Instacart. You can get your spirits delivered the same day when you order via Instacart. Whether you want a bottle of spirits to make your favorite pre-dinner cocktail or a particular bottle to have for a special occasion, Instacart has you covered.
About spirits
If you've ever had a cocktail or mixed drink with beverages such as whiskey, vodka, or rum, you're having a drink made with spirits. The making of spirits consists of two main processes, fermentation and distillation. Fermentation starts with raw organic material such as potatoes, fruits, sugar cane, or grains. Once the material is crushed, it goes into a vat, where yeast is added. The yeast then converts the sugar from the organic material and turns it into alcohol. After fermentation, the alcohol content averages around 12%. Beer, wine, and hard cider are types of fermented alcoholic beverages.
The second step, distillation, takes the fermented beverage and concentrates and purifies it inside a still. The fermented alcohol is heated at a low temperature, turning the alcohol into vapor. The alcohol-rich steam is captured in a tube, gets cooled, and returns to a liquid state. This process creates a high concentration of alcohol that runs between 35-75% alcohol by volume (ABV).
Common types of spirits
- Whiskey: This spirit is made from grains, mainly malted barley, yeast, and water. The main types of whiskey come from Scotland, Ireland, and America. You can find single-malt, grain, or blended whiskeys, and each has a distinct flavor.
- Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% corn.
- Rum: This clear or dark spirit is made from sugar cane juice or molasses and is aged in oak barrels. Most rums come from the Caribbean, Latin America, or North America.
- Vodka: This clear spirit is made from potatoes, rye, corn, or sorghum and is produced worldwide.
- Brandy and Cognac: Both brandy and Cognac are made from grapes. Brandy can come from any country but, Cognac must come from the Cognac region of France.
- Tequila: Distilled from the blue agave plant, tequila is made in only five regions of Mexico. The state of Jalisco and the town of Tequila produce 99% of all tequila.
- Gin: This clear spirit is made from various grains, but, by law, must contain juniper, which gives gin its distinct flavor.
Spirits Near Me
Buy your favorite Spirits online with Instacart. Order Brandy and Cognac, Cognac, Gin, and more from local and national retailers near you and enjoy on-demand, contactless delivery or pickup within 2 hours.
FAQs about spirits
While some people enjoy drinking spirits straight or on ice, using spirits in mixed drinks can help to bring out nuances of each spirit. The next time you want to have a mixed drink, try one of these classics.
- Manhattan: Whiskey, vermouth, and aromatic bitters.
- Old-Fashioned: Bourbon, sugar, bitters, and orange peel.
- Daiquiri: Rum, lime juice or fresh fruit, and simple syrup.
- Cosmopolitan: Vodka, cranberry juice, lemon juice, Cointreau, and simple syrup.
- Metropolitan: Brandy, vermouth, and simple syrup.
- Margarita: Tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.
- Martini: Gin, dry vermouth, and garnished with a lemon twist and olives.
Yes, Instacart can deliver spirits to your home. Simply go to the Instacart website or use the Instacart app, find a store nearby that carries your favorite spirit and order it. Your Instacart shopper will then deliver it to you within the same day. If you prefer, you can also pick your Instacart order up at the store's curbside pickup location when available. If you pick this option, you'll get a notification that your order is ready and instructions on where to park. Once you arrive, let your Instacart shopper know you're ready, and they'll bring your spirits to your car.
If you've placed an order through Instacart for a specific type of spirit or particular brand and the store is out of it, your Instacart shopper will contact you and offer you three options:
- Find the Best Match: By default, your Instacart shopper will try and find the best match or replacement for your bottle of spirits.
- Pick Specific Replacement: However, if you prefer to find your own replacement bottle of spirits, simply go to the Instacart website or use the Instacart app. Find your item, tap or click on it, and then choose Pick Specific Replacement. You'll see a variety of options and recommendations for a replacement bottle. If you find something you like, choose that bottle, and your Instacart shopper will deliver that one to you.
- Don't Replace: If you're not able to find a suitable replacement for the spirit you're looking for, choose the Don't Replace option for a refund.
When your Instacart shopper arrives at your home, you'll need to show proof of ID, as you must be 21 years of age or older. Acceptable forms of ID include a state-licensed driver's license, a passport, a U.S. military ID, or a state-issued ID card.
In general, a 750-milliliter bottle, known as a fifth, will yield about 16 drinks when you use a 1 1/2 ounce pour of the spirit. If you're using a mixer such as a pre-made Bloody Mary or Margarita mix, calculate about a quart of mixer for every three guests. You'll also want to stock up on cocktail, highball, or margarita glasses, drink stirrers, ice, garnishes, and napkins. When you're holding a gathering, you can also order most party supplies through Instacart and have them delivered the same day. If you need to shop at another store for your party supplies, you can order from multiple stores and have Instacart shoppers deliver them to you, so you don't have to leave the house.
Whether you need spirits for your next gathering, to make your favorite cocktail, or to sip over ice while relaxing in front of a crackling fireplace, enjoy the convenience of ordering your spirits through Instacart.