Hello Again, and Independence Day Drinks

Well hello there! Long time no write. It's been very busy at the distillery the past few months, and this blog is one of the things I've let slip. But, I'm back now and ready to get back to blogging. And, just for fun, I changed the look of the blog, too.

Have you made your plans yet for Tales of the Cocktail? I'll be there and will be blogging about all the great drinks, seminars, events and stories. So, if you can't go, you can experience a taste of it through me. But really, why aren't you going, again?

At any rate, here are a couple of ideas for cocktails for this Fourth of July holiday. One of 'em we served at the distillery tasting room this weekend, and the other was inspired by a recommendation from my new friend J. over at Words, Words, Whisky to make some raspberry syrup.

Watermelon Fizz
Independence Day makes me think of watermelon, so this one uses fresh watermelon puree.
1-1/2 oz Vodka (North Shore)
2 oz Fresh Watermelon Puree
1/4-1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice (depending on relative sweetness of watermelon)
1/4 oz oz Simple Syrup (or Raspberry Syrup)
Fresh Mint
Club Soda
Muddle several mint leaves in a mixing glass. Add vodka, puree, lime and simple. Shake with ice. Strain into chilled coupe glass, and top with a splash of soda. Garnish with a sprig of mint.


Hum Blush
This is a takeoff from the Maiden's Blush, replacing the absinthe with a liqueur called hum. In the interest of full disclosure, we actually produce the liqueur for the Hum Spirits Company at our distillery, who markets and sells it. It's a lovely liqueur, with hibiscus, cardamom, kaffir lime and ginger.
2 oz Dry Gin (used our No. 11)
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz hum
1/2 oz Raspberry Simple Syrup
Dash of Grapefruit Bitters (Scrappy's)
Shake ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon and a fresh raspberry.

Raspberry Syrup
To make the raspberry syrup, here's the recipe J. gave me:
Puree three cups of fresh raspberries. Pour into a saucepan, and add one cup sugar and one half cup of water. Bring to a simmer, then allow to cool. Double strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, then store in the refrigerator.


And, if you want another great drink for that raspberry syrup, try the Albermarle Fizz, a variation on a gin fizz that is delicious on a hot summer day. You can find a few more ideas for Independence Day drinking in my post from a couple of years ago on the subject.

A Taste of Rum Jumbie

We didn't see much that was new to us in terms of drinks on our recent trip to Florida. Initially, we were surprised to see only one bottle of absinthe the entire time we was there, given how prevalent it has become elsewhere in the country. After seeing what people are drinking in Key West, however, I'm not really surprised.

The only bottle that was new to us was Rum Jumbie. According to their website, it is/was available in Chicago, but we've never seen it and I could not find it on the website they suggested was selling it online. Other things are out of date on the website (links don't work, latest news is from 2005, etc.), so things might not be going so well for Rum Jumbie in the US these days.

At any rate, it was new to us, so I asked to try it. It tastes quit ea bit like Hawaiian Punch, something I had entirely too much of as a kid, with orange notes. Although the Ministry of Rum's website indicates that it is bottled at 40% alcohol, ours definitely wasn't - I'm pretty sure it was 20%, but I didn't write it down and can't remember for sure.

The friendly poolside bartender advised that he uses it in tropical drinks sometimes, although he couldn't remember a time he'd used it recently. Tropical drinks are probably the right category for it, given that it comes from St. Maarten and has a rum base. Anyone else tried this and/or have a recommendation for drinking it?

Great Drinks, Bad Drinks

Last night was a lot of fun, and filled with a variety of interesting beverages. We started out at Drinks Over Dearborn, where we were pouring some cocktails and talking about our distillery. Even though it was very cold & snowy, some really great people came out and it was a blast.

Toward the end of the tasting, Winston, the Midwest brand ambassador for The Glenlivet came in. He was a lot of fun, and he also had brought a treat for Kyle, the owner of DoD - a sample of Glenlivet XXV. Winston graciously allowed us to try it as well.

The Glenlivet XXV
Some parts of the whiskey spend time in sherry casks, and it shows in a good way. Here are my notes: nuanced, enticing aroma; drier on the palate than the aroma suggests; rich, with well-balanced spice tones and a long finish of wood with hints of peat & caramel. Mid palate - vanilla, creamy, citrus peel. Lovely, and a nice treat on a cold day. I'm not sure I'd come up with $350 to buy it, but I really enjoyed it. Thanks Winston!

On to the Whistler
We'd been hearing about this new cocktail lounge and music space for awhile, but hadn't yet made it over there. When we arrived, it was packed - luckily we found one seat at the bar and staked it out. Turns out we had the best seat for a cocktail nerd like me - their resident mixologist Paul made most of the drinks right there. Paul was incredibly busy taking care of the crowd, but also a lot of fun and very attentive to his craft.

We tried a couple of his cocktails, including the Red Hook (Old Overholt, Punt e Mes and Maraschino) and the Cardinal's Blessing (Matusalem Rum, Yellow Chartreuse and Cherry Brandy). Both were well balanced, complex and delicious.

We sipped and listened to tunes by Matt Ulery's Loom (great, and an interesting mix of instruments - Matt on bass, with friends on accordion, trumpet/flugelhorn, drums and tenor sax).

At one point, some gentlemen came in and ordered a drink called the Golden Eel. One proudly declared that it was "off the menu" and a very special drink that they loved. I watched Paul make it, and he grabbed three things - gin, sweet vermouth and Jeppson's Malört. Later Paul mentioned that these guys were the only ones who ever ordered it, and that they used to drink Malört all by itself.

Digression on Malört
Malört is a Chicago thing, I've never seen or heard of it anywhere but here. It used to be made here, but now is made in Florida (do they drink this stuff down there?). And here's the gist of their marketing pitch - "Are you man enough to handle our two-fisted liquor?" And then they go on to say "Only 1 in 49 men will have a second sip" or something like that. Definitely targeted at a certain group of men, and needless to say, they are out there.

Malört is incredibly, incredibly bitter. More bitter than Campari, I realized (read on). I have had it one other time - I asked about it at a bar one time and they tried to talk me out of ordering it. They told me that when people come in and rudely demand their free birthday drink, that's what they pour. Undeterred, I tried it anyway. It struck me as very bitter, but that was about it. I seem to recall having a bit of fun with my companions that night, getting them to taste it without forewarning them, or something like that.

Back to the Golden Eel
Back to the Whistler - I ordered a Golden Eel. I'd had a couple of cocktails, and thought "how bad could it be," since it at least has some other good stuff in it. Plus, Paul insisted on toning down the recipe and using some nice ingredients. Here's the recipe he made, which as Paul said is basically a modified Negroni:

Golden Eel
1 oz Gin (We used our Distiller's Gin No. 6)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth (we used Carpana Antica)
1/2 oz Jepson Malört

Wow was this bitter. More bitter than any Negroni I've ever had, and missing the good qualities of Campari. Paul graciously offered to take it away post haste, but since I knew what I was getting into when I ordered it, I wasn't going to let him do that. Instead, I asked him to add some soda water. And then some more soda water. That helped, really more of an Americano, but missing some of the flavor (but none of the bitter). Unless you're the 1 in 49, I wouldn't recommend that drink, but try one of Paul's other creations.

Then it was off to Kuma's Corner for some burgers.

Mixology Monday: New Horizons

This month's Mixology Monday is hosted by The Scribe at A Mixed Dram, and the topic is New Horizons. "Try something new!" is the challenge. Hmm.... what to try, what to try.

In perusing the overflow area from my liquor cabinets (does that sound bad?), something beckoned. Which bottle, you say? Why it's that wooden box in the back, which was holding a lovely bottle of green Chartreuse VEP. This very special bottle was given to us by some friends many moons ago, but my wonderful hubby didn't want me to open it until I finished off my other bottles of Chartreuse.

I do love Chartreuse, but many drinks and spirits are fighting for my attention most of the time, so I hadn't earned the right (according to the hubby) to open it yet. I figured this was my shot - I have played with everything else on the counter and in the cabinet, so why not open it for this month's MxMo? Luckily the hubby went for it.

The website for Chartreuse VEP suggests sipping it after dinner, very cold. That was of course delightful. But that wasn't nearly enough experimentation. Although it's hard to imagine, the VEP is even more complex than the regular green Chartreuse, with menthol undertones and rich, complex spices.

Cocktails with Chartreuse

Off I went to find some new cocktails to make with Chartreuse. Unfortunately I did not find the Chartreuse's official website much help, I wasn't really looking to make a Screaming Lizard (with tequila) or a Jungle (with pineapple juice!?). So I went into my old cocktail books and to peruse some of my favorite blogs and websites for ideas.

The first recipe I tried was the Jewel Cocktail (aka the Bijou). This is an oldie but a goodie, and at least two bloggers have discussed this one recently. I have never had one, so it was new to me. I made the recipe several ways - with both regular green Chartreuse and with the VEP, and with two different styles of gin. The clear winner was with the regular green Chartreuse, and our Distiller's Gin No. 6 (over our No. 11). This was a very nice, nuanced cocktail - definitely a sipper. Interestingly, I think our gin was the cheapest ingredient in this one, so the version with the VEP is also one of the more expensive cocktails I've made.

I also made a very similar recipe called the Emerald Cocktail that I found on cocktaildb.com (which is mysteriously down today) - this one has slightly more gin. This was the favorite version among our our informal tasting panel.

Emerald Cocktail

1 oz gin (Distiller's Gin No. 6)

¾ oz green Chartreuse (regular, not VEP)

¾ oz sweet vermouth (Carpana Antica)

1 dash orange bitters (Regan's)

Stir with ice, strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry and lemon twist.

I also tried some of the other recipes I found, most of which involved lemon juice and/or brown spirits. My other favorite, which was best with the VEP, was:

Spring Cocktail

1½ oz gin (Distiller's Gin No. 6)

½ oz green Chartreuse (VEP)

1/3 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Shake ingredients with ice, strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist if desired.

Note: I reduced the amount of lemon juice slightly - it was 1/2 oz in the original recipe - and the cocktail was much more balanced. Might be my lemons or the time of the year, so be prepared to tweak the lemon juice.

I found this one on cocktaildb.com as well, and can't seem to find much info on it - anyone know anything about it?

Well, I'm off to make some more Chartreuse cocktails - thanks to The Scribe for hosting MxMo this month and for the fun idea!

Blackberry Juleps

Ever since the Kentucky Derby, I've been playing around with Mint Juleps now and then. Along the way toward the Belmont Stakes this weekend, I have been tweaking a recipe for a Blackberry Julep. Now this isn't the King of Cocktails' Blackberry Julep recipe - I was aiming for something of a hybrid between that recipe and the Mint Julep.

Blackberry Julep v2.0
1 1/2 oz Bourbon (I used Old Whiskey River)
3/4 oz Blackberry Liqueur (I used Echte Kroatzbeere)
3/4 oz Simple Syrup (1:1 ratio)
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
6 Mint Leaves

Muddle the mint and simple syrup in a mixing glass. Add the liqueur and bourbon. Strain into a highball (or julep) glass filled with crushed or shaved ice. Swirl with a bar spoon until the outside of the glass frosts up. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a fresh blackberry.

I have been substituting that blackberry liqueur for Chambord lately, and its working pretty well - a nice change.

Black Stuff in a Sippy Cup

My parents are here visiting (and helping us out at the distillery), and they brought this with them. What is it, you ask? Why it's Black Magic from The Netherlands. In a sippy cup.

My parents have a friend/neighbor who is Dutch, and she had recently been home and brought a bottle of this stuff back with her. Unlike me, my parents aren't big drinkers, so they were excited to bring us this stuff that sounded interesting. They couldn't talk the neighbor into borrowing the bottle, so they poured some into this cup (not sure where they got the cup) and drove here to Chicago from Denver with it.

The story that came with it was that it was like absinthe, only black in color. It's not, really, except for having a strong licorice taste. According to my handy website translator, it's actual name is Drop Shot, it's 20% alcohol and its intended for the "party people." It literally tastes like black jelly beans. Very sweet, very black licorice. That's about it. And they recommend it be served with cola, or in a layered shot with Sambuca. Oh my.

Anyone else ever encountered this stuff?

ADI Conference, Day 2 (Part 2)

After a full day of tours and tastings, we headed back to the Seelbach Hotel for a "free evening." For me, this meant going out to dinner with a group from the conference, and continuing my quest for an interesting drinking experience in Louisville.

First Stop: Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse
This place had been highly recommended to me by some folks from the area, so we went there for dinner. The decor is a little overwhelming - see photo. Unfortunately, the cocktail menu was disappointing - everything sounded very sweet, and the one person in my group who was brave enough to order something from it (a mojito) was not able to finish it because it was so sweet. So I sipped on some Booker's neat, and then tried a Kentucky Ale. After all, the master brewer for Kentucky Ale, Chris Bird, was in our group, so the least we could do was try his beer (it was very good, I brought some of the bourbon barrel ale home with me). Although the drink list was disappointing, the dry-aged steaks at Jeff Ruby's were fantastic. All of us had a steak, and everyone loved them (and the asparagus, it was a bit hit too).

Second Stop: Proof on Main
Unfortunately, no one in our group had found any other cocktail bars for us to try, and some in our group had not been to Proof. So we went back. This time, we sat at the bar and talked to the bartenders, Jason and Les. It was pretty quiet, given that it was a Monday night, and they seemed to have fun with our group. I saw some house-made tonic water on the menu, so I tried the tonic water first. It was very light on quinine, with clove, allspice and citrus flavors. With gin, it seemed to liven up a bit, but was still a bit too light on flavor and quinine for me.

Spirit Tastings, Tastings, Tastings
Proof has some really interesting stuff on the bar that you don't see everyday, including some spirits from small distilleries around the U.S. that aren't in Chicago yet. I started by comparing Vermont Gold and Cold River vodkas neat and iced. The differences were striking. Each had a delicate aroma somewhat reminiscent of their base ingredient (Vermont Gold is maple sap, Cold River is potatoes), but the Cold River had much more flavor and texture. Being a fan of grain-based vodka, I liked the Vermont Gold better, but I can see why some folks love the Cold River.

Then I tried a couple of things I've never seen before. First up - Cadenhead's Green Label Rum. This spirit was complex and smooth, with rich caramel notes. Very sippable by itself. According to their website, this is a single-barrel rum, and I've not seen it before or since. Definitely give it a try if you see it, but it might not taste the same as the one I had unless you go to Proof!

Next up, Dumante Pistachio Liqueur. I'm not sure how I feel about nut-flavored liqueurs, although I do have a bottle of crème de noyaux for those rare occasions when someone asks for a Pink Squirrel (actually the only time that's happened was when someone wanted to test me and see if I knew what it was). Dumante was definitely pistachio flavored, very sweet, and had a hint of the "almond extract" flavor I always associate with my mom's cherry pies (which by the way, are the best ones ever).

The gents at Proof didn't really have any cocktails using the Dumante to recommend, so I sipped on it awhile. I'm not a huge fan of very sweet drinks, so I gave up on it eventually. Interestingly enough, I met Paul Paletti, Jr., the fellow who is importing Dumante from Italy, at our conference the next day - he is a well known lawyer in Louisville, also known for his interest in photography (apparently the collection in his firm's offices are quite impressive). Mr. Paletti advised that there were lots of cocktail ideas on their website, and that they were headed to Chicago soon. Perhaps I'll be seeing more of Dumante in the near future.

Spotting the Red Penguins
One of the most whimsical and fun things I've ever seen in a bar is the red penguins at Proof. They show up in different places at different times, yet no one would admit to seeing anyone move them (and no, we weren't just seeing things!). They're all over the attached museum too - keep your eyes peeled if you go.

It was late, so we wandered back to the Old Seelbach Bar, which was now closed. It was off to bed, to rise for another 8 am bus departure for the next day of the conference. More on that soon!

Ginger Saga - Final Words (for Now)

Despite my recent (and somewhat extensive) posts about ginger beers, ginger liqueurs and such, I managed to stumble upon a few things to add after I posted them. Here's a brief addendum to those recent posts, covering some additional ginger beers/sodas and that elusive Canton ginger liqueur.

Ginger Beers Part III
No sooner did we complete our taste tests of ginger beers, than a few more potential contenders appeared. One of our mixologist friends, Tim Lacey, is making his own ginger beer at Custom House. It's fantastic, with rich ginger notes and a touch of heat. Unfortunately you have to go there to taste it. He is serving it as a non-alcoholic drink choice, but you can have his team whip up a cocktail with it if you like.

And I happened to visit my favorite store in Chicago for esoteric sodas (West Lakeview Liquors), and I found none other than cult-favorite Blenheim's ginger ale from South Carolina (both the #5 regular and #3 extra spicy, which are in the exact same packaging except for the color of the cap). According to BevNet, their ginger beer is actually less flavorful and spicy than these two ginger ales, so I got these two.

The #3 was indeed extra spicy (with the most heat of any of the beers we tried by far). It was nice in a Moscow Mule, I liked it better that way than on its own. The #5 was lighter in spice, but still had a nice spice note. It was lighter than the other ginger beers, but more flavorful than most ginger ales. We liked the #5 best on its own. Bundaberg is still my favorite ginger beer overall, but these were very fun to try.

And wouldn't you know it...
No sooner did I post about the Massenez ginger liqueur, than I spotted a bottle of the elusive Canton Ginger Liqueur at Nacional 27 in Chicago. Last Friday night, my friendly bartender Loronz (at right with the bottle) was kind enough to give me a little taste of this liqueur.

How was it?
It was pale straw color, with a rich, straightforward ginger flavor. It definitely has some nice heat, along with some subtle spices that complement the ginger. It wasn't as different from the Massenez as I expected it to be. The key difference was in the ginger heat, and it was slightly more complex/spicy. Since I can't buy it in Chicago anyway, I'll happily use up my Massenez and then see where I am.

The Ginger Infatuation Continues...

I've recently been tasting lots of ginger beers, and I have a couple more to talk about in an upcoming post. On a related front, I have been looking all over for the Canton ginger liqueur that I've read so many posts about.

Its nowhere to be found in the Chicago area, so I thought I was out of luck on ginger liqueurs until I found this one at the mecca for all esoteric liqueurs in Chicago, Sam's Wine & Spirits in Lincoln Park.

This Creme de Gingembre is made in Alsace by G. E. Massenez. Its clear in color, 20% alcohol by volume, and has a rich, straightforward ginger flavor. Its not as sweet or syrupy as some liqueurs, which was a nice surprise. The ginger flavor is a true ginger, with a bit of spice (but no heat).

For the most part, I've used this one in small quantities or sipped it on its own. Like fresh ginger, a little goes a long way, and it tends to overwhelm other ingredients in a cocktail if too much is used. Here's a drink I'll be serving at an event tonight with it, just for fun:



Tahitian Dream
2 oz Tahitian Vanilla Vodka
1 oz Fresh Tangelo Juice
Splash of Massenez Ginger Liqueur
Dash of Fresh Lime Juice

Pour vodka, juices and liqueur into shaker with ice, shake well. Strain into cocktail glass or champagne flute and garnish with fresh tangelo slice or chunk of candied ginger. (This photo from istockphoto.com - having camera troubles today)

The Canton is made with a cognac base, and is infused with other flavors (at least that's what I've read in those other posts), so I imagine its a very different taste experience. Which means I'll have to try that one too once it finally gets here.

R& W Creme de Violette Redux, and a Note on Storage

In my earlier post, I wrote that I think the Miclo Liqueur de Violette is superior to the Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette. I now wish to update my views on the R&W (pic taken from the Haus Alpenz website).

The R&W liqueurs (along with the other Haus Alpenz spirits) are now invading Chicago, so I've started seeing them. In fact, I bought a bottle of the Apricot Liqueur, which is fantastic. I got a bottle of the Batavia Arrack in SF, although I've not yet experimented with it.

Tasting Redux
I had another taste of the Violette at The Violet Hour last week, and it was very good. Complex, not too sweet, with a nice lingering violet flavor. I also had a cocktail with it on Saturday night with some friends, and it was delightful then as well. It really shined in the cocktails. The key seems to be that both of these bottles were brand new, just opened. The bottle we tried in San Francisco (both in a cocktail and straight) had been there for awhile, and the bartender we talked with wasn't a big fan, so I don't think it was used very often.

To be fair, we've also noticed changes over time with the Miclo. I went back and revisited a bottle I opened on Labor Day here (early Sept. for those not in the US), and it has already changed color some and the violet flavor has declined some. What's left is on its way to a sweet, nondescript liqueur. We keep it now only to see what else might happen to it. I have another new bottle on hand for when I'm ready to embark on a Violette fest.

What to Do, What to Do
The key may be this: like any liqueur (or vermouth, etc.) that is not above a certain proof, it should be used quickly or else refrigerated. If it is not, the flavor will decline, and the spirit could potentially go bad.

I think this happens fairly often, and its a mystery to me why it doesn't get talked about more. Many a bartender/bar owner I've met uses only economy-sized bottles of vermouth, even though they rarely pour it, and they don't refrigerate it. It seems like manufacturers don't do enough to tell people how to handle these products either. Some products say something on the label, but many don't.

Anyone else have any stories with spoiled spirits? I'm thinking of a bad experience with a cream liqueur many years ago that enlightened me to the need for refrigeration...

Creme de Violette - An Unknown (but Excellent) Brand?

In the last couple of months, I've seen a few blogs and articles about Creme de Violette, a required ingredient for a number of drinks in the Savoy Cocktail Book and other classic cocktails. A new brand of Creme de Violette has started appearing in the U.S, Rothman & Winter, imported by the folks at Haus Alpenz.

While we weren't able to locate a bottle of the Rothman & Winter in SF (and we've not seen any here in Chicago), we did manage to get a taste of it at Absinthe (yet another great cocktail bar we visited in SF). It was nice, but I must say it is not as good as the one we've regularly been buying in Chicago.

Of course, we can only find it at one store in Chicago (Sam's Wine & Spirits in Lincoln Park), and they are sometimes out of it, because those of us in the know buy it up and the company that imports it doesn't come to town very often, but it is exceptional.

It's made by G. Miclo in France, and is imported by a very small import company. It has a delicate yet complex violet flavor that lingers, and is not overwhelmingly sweet.

Anyone else tried this violet liqueur or the Hermes version (or another one)? What did you think? How did it compare to the Rothman & Winter?