Forgotten Cocktails: The Blackthorn Cocktail

Awhile back, I started making my way through Ted Haigh’s book, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails: From the Alamagoozlum to the Zombie 100 Rediscovered Recipes and the Stories Behind Them, in a series of posts tagged The Forgotten 100.  My original intent was to mix through these recipes in the order which they are presented in the book.  However, due to some of the ingredients being obsolete, hard-to-find, etc., that seemed impossible.  There is good news on the horizon, though.  Thanks to some enterprising folks, a lot of these ingredients are now becoming once again, available to us.

Nevertheless, the first cocktail I made from this book was The Alamagoozlum, which contained genever.  Lo and behold, the folks at Lucas Bols brought Bols Genever to the United States and thus, my foray into the world of Forgotten cocktails had begun.

What is Genever?  Genever, simply put, is a type of gin.  In fact, in my opinion, it is the original juniper-flavored spirit.  However, unlike other types of gin (London Dry, Old Tom, Plymouth), it has a very subtle juniper flavor and is more malty in character.  Recent Twitter traffic and blog-speak has sparked my interest once again in this spirit, and prompted me to substitute Genever for recipes simply calling for gin.  Simply put, as you would substitute gin for vodka in many recipes….do the same for genever when gin is called for.

So…that leads us to The Blackthorn Cocktail.  Now there are many cocktails called Blackthorn, Blackthorne, The Blackthorne….most of which call for Irish Whiskey.  However, this particular recipe is one from Mr. Haigh’s book, and succeeds those previous recipes by seventy years or more.  In this version, we did substitute genever for gin.

The Blackthorn Cocktail (Modified)

• 2 oz Bols Genever
• 3/4 oz Dubonnet Rouge
• 3/4 kirshwasser

Stir with ice in a mixing glass and strain into pre-chilled cocktail glass.  Garnish with a Maraschino Cherry (I used ones I made at home, macerated in kirshwasser and simple syrup).

The drink turned out to be very nice indeed with a beautiful color lent to it by the Dubonnet aperitif and a subtle cherry flavor from the kirshwasser, rounded out by the mouthfeel of the malty genever.  Give this one a try.  If you prefer a little drier taste to the drink, a nice London Dry Gin would work great.  For drinks with a good juniper punch, I like to use Bombay.

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Review: New Amsterdam Gin

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted anything, but I can’t think of a better subject than one of my favorite spirits…Gin.

Gin is very much in revival.  Like it’s colorless cousin, Vodka, it was once very much en vogue, serving as base spirit for a myriad of classic cocktails. The Martinez, The Aviation, and The Martini are just some examples.

Due very much to the sensitive and unadventuresome palates of the drinking public, who’d rather slosh down a good ole batch of something mixed in an ice chest, (let’s face it, we’ve all been there),Vodka slammed on the scene.  With the advent of good, clean distillation and not without much help from mainstream billboard and creative advertisements, the shelves of liquor stores are filled mostly with vodka.

Now, with the revival of a true blue Cocktail Culture, drinkers are demanding something more..flavor.  Subtle flavors.  Citrusy, fruity flavors.

Gin, however, has been touting the subtle flavor of a host of botanicals for years…first to hide the harsh taste of bad distillation.  These days distillation has become somewhat of an art form, yielding some very interesting product.  This ain’t your grandpappy’s white lightning, ya’ll.

Okay, all of this social commentary on drinking vodka and gin does have a point.  And the point is a review of New Amsterdam Gin.

I normally do a bit of reading on the product I’m reviewing before I taste, but to be honest with the folks over at New Amsterdam, I did not.  I was jonesing for a Martini, and by that I mean a drink made with GIN, DRY VERMOUTH and garnished with a tasty olive or two….or three.

So, I found on the shelf the sample of New Amsterdam Gin I received.  I make my Martinis 2 parts gin to 1 part dry vermouth.  Shaken or stirred, it’s a toss up and I leave that debate behind like discarded ice.

My first impression was…oh, man…this is Gin in its truest sense.  I love Gin, and normally drink Bombay or Beefeater…preferably one with a little bit of juniper bite.  While my first taste of New Amsterdam Gin left me with no doubts of that bite, I detected a lot of citrusy flavors in the background.  As I made my way through the drink, I found that it really didn’t suit my personal tastes as far as a Gin for making my traditional Martini or Gibson.  Instead, I found it more suited for something like a Gin Rickey….a gin drink with juice of a citrus fruit in it.  I can see where in a drink like that New Amsterdam Gin would really shine and add depth to those drinks.

I did some reading and looking at the website for New Amsterdam Gin, and found the recipes there were geared toward exactly those sorts of drinks.  Mind you, there is nothing wrong with fruit juice in a drink. As a gin drinker, I can and do enjoy other gin-based drinks.  While I didn’t have the opportunity for this review to sample them, I am sure that they are delicious.  I even think that New Amsterdam would be great as a substitute for vodka in a Bloody Mary perhaps lending a fruity undertone to the spicy nature of that drink. Hell, a good Tom Collins sipped on while around the pool sounds, even in the dead of winter, inviting.

All in all, I appreciate the effort of the distiller’s efforts here in creating a very versatile spirit in New Amsterdam Gin…with, I believe, a true effort to compete with the fruity-flavored vodkas on the market, lending a hand in furthering the gin revival of present.  At around $15 for 750ml, New Amsterdam has a definite place behind your bar.

 

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Review: Beefeater 24

Beefeater…..the name is synonymous with great gin.  It’s the first gin I tried and the one I call for when going up to a bar asking for a martini.  However, when I heard that Beefeater was coming out with a new product, Beefeater 24, I was very excited.  The distillery is not new in coming out with new and different product.  I thought though after reading a little about it, that maybe it was a marketing ploy…somehow to boost sales of regular Beefeater Gin, sorta like with the whole New Coke and Coke Classic marketing tactic, which worked out very well for the Coca-cola company.

When you taste Beefeater 24, you will know beyond the shadow of any doubt that this is NOT a marketing ploy of any sorts.  Instead, you will find that Beefeater 24 is a new and tasty product in its own right.  While Beefeater is one of the gins considered subtly flavored with juniper as compared to other gins on the market, Beefeater 24 is perhaps a little more delicate.  Balancing the flavors which make gin, mainly citrus and juniper, the addition of Sencha tea brings harmony and balance to the gin with a delicate and spicy finish.

Basing my tasting on my traditional 2:1 gin to dry vermouth ratio, I find this to be a wonderful gin.  In comparison, the same martini was made with other gins in my cabinet–Bombay, Plymouth, Hendricks–and while all lent a their own special characteristics to the drink, it was Beefeater 24 that was the favorite of the evening.

I highly recommend Beefeater 24 as a gin for experienced and new gin drinkers alike.  If you are looking for something different for your next martini, pick up a bottle or two of Beefeater 24.  Simply gorgeous.

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Reviewing: Brave Spirits

Recently I came across a spirit company on Twitter called Brave Spirits.  I visited their website to find that they produce four spirits– Valor Vodka, First In Whiskey, Standing Guard Gin and At Ease Rum.  Hmmm..a patriotic-themed take on spirits.

The whole concept seemed a little over-the-top for me.  My first thought was “how far will people go to sell their booze”.  I did some thinking over the next few days and the fact that a spirits company that donates $2 for every bottle sold to military, police, and firefighter charities was worthy of a second look.

I began thinking about all the retired military personnel that live around me, the National Guard base just behind my office, and the major Army base just a short drive away.  You know, these folks would appreciate Brave Spirits.

I thought further on the idea, taking a step back from the spirits sales point-of-view, and realized that behind the charities that receive monies from Brave Spirits are real people.  This really hit home.  I’ve met some of these people in my line of work who have given more than I could give for our freedom and safety.  Suddenly, the slick promotional side of Brave Spirits gave way to something bigger.

I contacted Powell Arms, COO of Brave Spirits, LLC to inquire further about the company and the spirits they produce.   I thought that Brave Spirits was relatively unknown, but found that to be an incorrect assumption. I was pointed to several resources for more information including their own website, www.bravespirits.com.  While I could reproduce the information given there, I would prefer to let you be the judge and view it yourself.

Hey! Wait a minute!  While this may give you lots of background information on the company, their charitable contributions, and product line it will not give you the information you’re really after….how do these products taste?

Fortunately, I have those answers for you coming up in a series of reviews on each of the four products from Brave Spirits.  First up is naturally, First In Whiskey.

(to be continued)

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Infusions

This is a planned two-part article on Infusions.

What are infusions?

Infusions are flavored spirits, whether by fruits, herbs or other flavorings.  Flavored spirits are nothing new.  If you check your liquor cabinet, it should have one or two bottles of liqueurs, which are flavored and sweetened spirits.  Make sure not to forget your gins and other specialties like Benedictine, Chartreuse, Pernod, and absinthe.  As you can see, we’ve been drinking flavored spirits by one method or another for centuries.  In the past twenty years or so, however,   liquor store shelves have become stocked with vodkas infused with every flavor you could possibly imagine.  Absolut started the ball rolling in 1986 with Absolut Peppar, a pepper-infused vodka that was marketed for making the Red Snapper, aka the Bloody Mary.  Not a bad way to start off, mind you.  In fact, I would have to say that Absolut is the first vodka I remember seeing ads for.  With over one thousand five hundred ads to date, it’s no wonder that Absolut is one of the most popular vodkas imported into the United States.    Absolut now boasts eleven distinct flavors of vodka, but aren’t the only players out there…Grey Goose has three, Smirnoff has several, Bacardi Rum has seven, and now they are even flavoring tequila and bourbon!

In the United States, flavoring spirits began as a way for disguising the incredibly bad liquor that was being consumed during prohibition (Ted Haigh, pg. 22, Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, Quarry Books, 2009).   Vodka came on the seen and was easy to quickly produce and distribute.  Since people wanted some flavor in their booze, they started adding fruit juices, etc.    My theory is that as the result of vodka’s popularity (it has outsold whiskey in the United States) has spawned this explosion of flavored or infused spirits on the market today.  I think though, that there are a group of folks out there who enjoy adding some extra depth and character to their favorite cocktails and are experimenting with infusions.

An Infusion How-To

I can’t elaborate much more on the production of gin, which I did in my Bombay Sapphire review, or go into the process of producing Benedictine, Chartreuse, or absinthe.  What I will do is tell you how to do a simple infusion.

Clementine-infused vodka

A simple infusion is done by immersing fruits, vegetables, herbs or a combination of those in vodka, grain alcohol, whiskey, etc.  I have been told that the easiest infusion to make is one with citrus.  So lets make a clementine-infused vodka.  Clementines are a type of orange…so yes, it should taste like oranges.

Step 1:  Remove the peels from about a dozen clementines (they are small and you will probably need that many).  Be careful to peel the clementines with as little of the white part (pith) on the skins.  The pith is very bitter, and can ruin your infusion.  After removing all of the peels, place them in a large, glass or food-safe plastic container.  I think glass would work best because it is not porous and it is not possible to pass off-flavors into your infusion.   WAIT!  Don’t pour in your spirit yet!  You’ve got all this lovely pulp laying around, add some of it (sans pith), not all…we don’t want your infusion to be too sweet from the sugar in the fruit.  The flavor of the clementine will be in oil present in the peels, trust me.

Step 2:  Cover completely the fruit and peels with your spirit.  If some of your fruit is left uncovered it will rot and become one serious stinking mess.  Cover tightly and put in a cool, dark place, getting it out and giving it a good shake every few days.   Don’t forget to taste it either, making sure your vessel for tasting is clean.  Don’t put anything unclean in contact with your vessel or infused mixture–cups, spoons, siphon, whatever.  I know you’re dealing with 80 proof alcohol, but still, be sanitary.  Your infusion is ready for the next step whenever you feel it has reached the flavor you’re going for.

Step 3:  Use a cone filter or sieve to filter out the peels and fruit pulp.  There still will be stuff floating around in your product.  For some, it’s okay.  For others, you may want to filter a second time through a coffee filter.

Well, what about activated charcoal?  Activated charcoal can remove many of that taste you’ve been trying to achieve.  Essentially, it is unnecessary.  You’ll hear some folks do it and some don’t.  I would not.

Step 4: Bottle and use when desired.  Just remember to keep your bottling supplies clean to avoid contamination.  You may also wish to refrigerate.

If you add sugar, which a typical infusion does not have, you’ve made a triple-sec, sort of.

Note:  Remember that the items that you are using to infuse flavors into the alcohol will affect the proof of the spirit.  Not enough to worry about, but it’s a good point to bring up.

Conclusion

The sky’s the limit when it comes to the flavors you create.  I’ve heard of people infusing everything–lemons, to strawberries, rose petals, herbs, tomatoes, horseradish….even bacon!

I  will be looking at one exciting commercial vodka infusion coming on the market very soon.  So check back  for further articles.

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What is Your Favorite Gin Cocktail?

Gin.  Gin is. Gin is one of the most versatile spirits available.  Gin is a classic cocktail must-have ingredient, whether it be genever, old tom, or London Dry.  Gin is considered the drink-of-choice during prohibition.  Gin is becoming more and more popular again as the classic cocktail revival continues to grow. God, I love GIN.

I’m curious though.  With the plethora of gin recipes out there, what is your favorite?  So, reply to this post and let me know what is your favorite gin cocktail, the recipe if you know it, why you like it, and I’ll do a blog post on the results.  I’ll make the drinks and we’ll compare notes.  Come on, it’ll be fun.

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Review: Bombay Sapphire Gin

Gin…..there are so many of them out there.  Not only to you have the old favorites, but craft distilleries are putting out some very tasty product.  As you can see from the title of this blog, I’m here to pay homage to a long-time favorite of many a gin-drinker…Bombay Sapphire.

Quoting directly from the Bombay Sapphire brand website:

The creation of Bombay Sapphire is truly unique. There are only a few Carterhead stills remaining in the world today and three are exclusive to Bombay Sapphire. Unlike many other gins, which boil their botanicals directly in the spirit to achieve their taste, the 10 botanicals in Bombay Sapphire are held separate from the spirit in a perforated copper basket. The Carterhead stills remove any last impurities in the spirit vapour before it passes up through the basket and in a process known as vapour infusion it is delicately infused with the aromatic flavours of the botanicals. The result is the complex and refined taste which gives Bombay Sapphire its extraordinary mixability.

You see…it’s not so much the botanicals that make this gin so different, it’s the process by which it’s distilled.  This makes for a very subtle, yet true-to-form London Dry-style gin.

My first impression of the Sapphire is first of all, it’s beautiful packaging.  No, the gin itself is not that color!  It’s the bottle, a pale-blue sapphire color with the ten botanicals used to create the gin inside etched into the glass- almonds, grains of paradise, lemon peel, licorice root, orris root, angelica root, coriander, cassia bark, cubeb berries, and uh..oh yes, juniper berries, of course.  The taste is very refined, yet distinctively a gin.  The juniper is balanced and not overpowering.

I like my gin in a nice Gibson–2 parts Bombay Sapphire, 1 part dry vermouth, and a dash or two of orange bitters.  Of course, you must have the cocktail onions as garnish.  I noticed while drinking this tasty beverage, that the gin seemed to have legs running down the sides of my glass while I swirled it around slowly.

Again referencing the Bombay Sapphire brand website:

Bombay Sapphire has a ripe citrus aroma with rounded spice and a touch of juniper.

Taste Bombay Sapphire and at first the exceptionally smooth spirit is light and crisp. As it begins to fill the mouth the hidden complexity of the spirit is revealed as the harmonious notes of the 10 perfectly balanced botanicals are released.

These fresh, 100% natural flavours combine to create a gentle, aromatic taste layered with zesty citrus, delicate nutty oils, rich exotic spices and a hint of sweetness before ending with light lavender notes and a long peppery finish. There are no limits to the mixability of Bombay Sapphire. It’s prized the world over for its ability to create refreshing long drinks as well as delicious classic and contemporary cocktails.

What all that boils down to friends, is a refreshing yet potent (47%) gin that is great in any gin cocktail that you should decide to make.  While there may be other more expensive and niche brands on the market, you won’t be disappointed by dropping just $22 for one of the better-tasting gins on the market.  After all, it has captured and pleased the palates of gin-drinkers for the last twenty-two years.

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Mixology Monday: Ginger

This month’s Mixology Monday topic is Ginger, hosted over at rumdood.com.  His announcement reads as follows:

On June 15, Mixology Monday: Ginger will occur at cocktail blogs around the world!  For the MxMo:Ginger, participation is relatively simple.

• Find or concoct a cocktail recipe that uses ginger in one of its many forms as an ingredient.  This can be muddled ginger, sliced ginger, ginger syrup, ginger beer (commercial or homemade), ginger liqueur, ginger candy, or pieces of a shredded photo of Ginger from Gilligan’s Island.
• Make this recipe, take a picture of it, and then post the recipe, your thoughts about the recipe, and your photo on your blog or at the eGullet Spirits and Cocktails forum.
• Post a link to your submission in the comments here, or send me an email using the“Contact” form.

Do all of the above by 11:59:59 PM on June 15 and you’re a shoe-in to become part of the round-up.

I’ve been doing some thinking about this one.  My first Mixology Monday was done in haste, but this time I’ve got… well, some time.  So do you, but that time is quickly ticking away!

I first thought about homemade ginger syrup, a shrubb, or something of the like.   However,  my day (and sometimes night) job only allows me just so much time (here with go with that damned time factor again!) for experimentation.  I finally decided to so something fairly simple, with ingredients that were readily available.  Apples and Ginger…..gin…..lemon….hmmm, it started to take shape.  Here’s what I came up with:

“a yet unnamed cocktail…”

2 oz London Dry Gin (I used  Bombay Sapphire)

1 oz Martini and Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth

3/4 oz Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur

3/4 oz Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy

1 oz freshly-squeezed lemon juice

3-4 dashes Fee Brother’s West Indian Orange Bitters

Shake all with ice and strain into a pre-chilled (frosty) cocktail glass.  Garnish with a long, thin piece of lemon peel.

After fighting off the urge to simply give in to self-doubt, I tasted this interesting-looking drink.  It was pretty damn good, if I must say.  Not too sweet, balanced with the tartness of the lemon, ginger, and subtle hints of apple coming through.  Gin makes a fine base for many classic cocktails, and that’s why I chose it.  Vermouth keeps the gin’s sometimes overtly herbal character in check, and allows the other ingredients to shine through.  I hope you will try this cocktail and please let me know how it goes for you.

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