Sazerac Cocktail 9 out of 28.

I have challenged myself to post 28 Sazeracs in 28 days for the month of February.

I’ll try some different spirits, try some out at bars, and have some friends make them for me. Hopefully, if I can get my act together we’ll have some video.

Sazerac Cocktail.
1 Lump of Sugar. (Generous Bar Spoon Rich Simple Syrup)
1 Dash Angostura or Peychana Bitters. (a couple dashes Peychaud’s Bitters)
1 Glass Rye or Canadian Club Whisky. (2 oz Anchor Genevieve Gin)

Stir well and strain into another glass that has been cooled and rinsed with Absinthe (Sirene Absinthe Verte) and squeeze lemon peel on top.

Continuing with the non-traditional Sazeracs, I thought if I could make one with Genever, I could make one with Anchor’s Genever Style American Gin, Genevieve.

I’ve been a fan of Genevieve since it was introduced back in 2007.  Not everyone has agreed with me, with some friends claiming it is unmixable.  Personally, I think they are just going about it wrong, and trying to make cocktails typically made with Dry Gin with the Genevieve.  A lot of those just don’t work, or well, don’t work in the same way.

It is better to stick with recipes typically made with Genever, when playing with the Genevieve.

Which isn’t to say, Genevieve isn’t still a bit of an acquired taste.  Most modern Genevers are pretty tame and sophisticated beverages.  Genevieve really isn’t.  If a little bit of rough trade isn’t up your alley, you might want to stick with girly gins like Plymouth and Bols Genever.

On the other hand, if you enjoy a bit of frontier justice in your alcoholic beverages, Genevieve might be right up your alley.  Some spirits professionals have gone so far as to say Genevieve isn’t really a Genever style at all, being more akin to the “Country Gins” made in America in the 19th Century.

The main difference between Genevieve and most modern Genevers are:

1) It is made from 100% malt wine.  Like a making a whiskey, Anchor makes a beer, then distills it.  There are no neutral spirits added to Genevieve.  Most Genever is blended with neutral spirits, Bols Genever being something like 60% alcohol distilled from Malt Wine has one of the higher percentages.

2) It is more highly flavored than most Genevers, and flavored with a more eclectic blend of botanicals.  In fact, Anchor uses the same botanicals to flavor their Genevieve, as they use to flavor their Junipero Gin.  Most Dutch Genever is far more mildly flavored.

3) Genevieve is flavored by adding the botanicals directly to the spirits, steeping for a period, then redistilling.  This is the same process they use for their Junipero Gin.  Almost all Genever is flavored using flavor essences distilled from the individual botanicals.  These essences (perfumes) are then combined with the neutral spirits and spirits distilled from malt wine.  Actual botanicals are not added to most Genever distillate at any point.  This is a ballsy move on Anchor’s part, prone to error and may result in some inconsistency across batches.  On the other hand, there’s no arguing with the honesty of their methods or the intensity of their flavors.

So how is a Genevieve Sazerac?  Pretty intense and pretty damn good.  If it’s too much for you, maybe stick to your Cosmos and Mojitos, I promise not to judge you too harshly.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Sazerac Cocktail 8 out of 28.

I have challenged myself to post 28 Sazeracs in 28 days for the month of February.

I’ll try some different spirits, try some out at bars, and have some friends make them for me. Hopefully, if I can get my act together we’ll have some video.

Sazerac Cocktail.
1 Lump of Sugar. (Generous Bar Spoon Rich Simple Syrup)
1 Dash Angostura or Peychana Bitters. (a couple dashes Peychaud’s Bitters)
1 Glass Rye or Canadian Club Whisky. (2 oz Bols Genever Gin)

Stir well and strain into another glass that has been cooled and rinsed with Absinthe (Sirene Absinthe Verte) and squeeze lemon peel on top.

One question I have is how far can you stretch the method or ingredients for making a Sazerac, and still have something that tastes like one. This is especially pertinent when you consider the Sazerac Cocktail was originally made with Cognac, not Rye Whiskey at all.

A drink which David Wondrich has popularized in his books “Imbibe” and “Killer Cocktails” is the “Improved Holland Gin Cock-Tail”. It is composed of 2 oz of Genever, a dash of Maraschino, Aromatic Bitters, a dash of Absinthe and simple syrup. It is stirred and strained into a cocktail glass. Usually garnished with a lemon twist.

Sound a bit familiar? The addition of the Maraschino and type of bitters are about all that separate an “Improved Holland Gin Cock-tail” from a Sazerac.  Thus, it really wasn’t much of a stretch to imagine Genever in a Sazerac.

What happens when you give Bols Genever the Sazerac treatment?

Why, in fact, it is quite delicious! Instead of the sharpness of Rye, you get a mellow maltiness from the Genever. Also, the less impactful Genever allows the adjunct ingredients to come to the fore. The aromatic herbs of the Absinthe and the Peychaud’s are what shine in this version of a Sazerac Cocktail.

But is it a Sazerac?  While it would be amusing to put this in front of someone asking for a Sazerac, no.  On the other hand, it seems a lot closer to the spirit of that drink than one made with many of the richer Bourbons.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Old Fashioned Cocktail.

1 Lump Sugar.
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters.
1 Glass Rye or Canadian Club Whisky.

Crush sugar and bitters together, add lump of ice, decorate with twist of lemon peel and slice of orange using medium size glass, and stir well. This Cocktail can be made with Brandy, Gin, Rum, etc., instead of Rye Whisky.

I’ve covered the Old-Fashioned a number of times before on the blog: Brandy Special, King Cole Cocktail, Wisconsin Old-Fashioneds, and Make it Another Old-Fashioned, Please. Whew!

Is there anything I haven’t said about them?

Well, one thing I have noticed is that graduates of the American Bartending School are often a bit confused about which end of the muddler goes into the cocktail and which end they should be holding.

Let’s be clear, in the photo above, grasp the top rounded end.

The flat end of the muddler goes into the cocktail to crush your sugar, bitters and what have you.

Also, if you buy a varnished muddler, it’s best to sand the varnish off and soak it in mineral oil.  If you don’t, flakes of varnish will eventually end up in the cocktails.  Varnish is never an appropriate garnish.  Now the above muddler is OK for things like Juleps and Old-Fashioned which are built in normal size glassware.  For those drinks which are muddled in pint glasses, and the like, you might want to think of something with a bit more heft.

For example you might talk to Chris Gallagher and get yourself one of his extremely attractive PUG!  Muddlers.  The one above is made from Mexican Rosewood.  Also, the slanted top end of pug muddlers makes them nearly impossible to hold the wrong way.  Or drop a note to David Nepove, aka Mr. Mojito, who also sells quite an assortment of muddlers and other bar equipment.

Which version did I make this time, with all those options, “Brandy, Gin, Rum, etc.”? Well, I’m supporting the home team, of course!

Genevieve Old-Fashioned.

1 lump Demerara Sugar
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 oz Anchor Genevieve Genever Style Gin

In a medium size heavy bottomed glass, with a muddler, crush sugar and bitters together with a splash of water. Add Genevieve and stir to combine. Add ice and stir well.  Decorate with twist of lemon peel, a slice of orange, and serve.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

Honolulu Cocktail (No. 2)

1/3 Maraschino. (3/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino)
1/3 Gin. (3/4 oz Tanqueray)
1/3 Benedictine. (3/4 oz Benedictine)

Shake (stir, please) well and strain into cocktail glass.

I suppose that is what it should be.

I just couldn’t quite face that cocktail. Thinking about the Maraschino and Benedictine, Oude Genever occurred to me.

Yes, indeed that seems like a good idea!

Honolulu Cocktail (No. 2)

1/3 Maraschino. (1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino)
1/3 Gin. (1 oz Van Wees Oude Genever)
1/3 Benedictine. (1/2 oz Benedictine)

Shake (stir, please) well and strain into cocktail glass. (Lemon Peel.)

Tweaked the proportions slightly, but didn’t want to just turn it into an Improved Holland Gin Cocktail. Still quite sweet, but really, really tasty. 1 1/2 oz Oude Genever, 1/4 oz Luxardo, 1/4 oz Benedictine, maybe some bitters, and this would rock. Probably have to think up a different name… Kailua Cocktail? Diamond Head Cocktail? Why is this a Hawaii themed Cocktail name anyway? I could see No. 1 being Hawaii-esque, since it had Pineapple juice. But Gin, Maraschino, and Benedictine?

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.

The Holland House Cocktail we made at Beretta was pretty lackluster.

Holland House Cocktail

The Juice of 1/4 Lemon.
1 Slice Pineapple. (handful sliced pineapple pieces)
1/3 French Vermouth. (3/4 Vya Dry Vermouth)
2/3 Dry Gin. (1 1/2 oz Plymouth Gin)
4 Dashes Maraschino. (barspoon Luxardo Maraschino)

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.

However, more recent information suggests that it was not, originally, a “London Dry Gin” Cocktail, but instead, a Holland Gin Cocktail.

Indeed, in conjunction with the launch of their new reformulation of Holland Gin, Bols has been pimping a version of the Holland House Cocktail to bartenders and cocktail fanatics far and wide.

Holland House Cocktail
1 3/4 Shot Bols Genever
3/4 Shot Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth
1/2 Shot Lemon Juice
1/4 Shot Maraschino Liqueur

Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Lemon Peel.

Aside from the inexplicable use of “shot” as a measure, having sampled this at a recent Bols event, I can say that it is a significant improvement over the same cocktail with Dry Gin. Even flirting, as it does, with things which really shouldn’t go together. Genever and Dry Vermouth not to mention Dry Vermouth and Lemon Juice.

I really don’t know how to read “shot” notation, so I just pretended they were ounces and went with the home town team for the gin.

Holland House Cocktail

1 3/4 oz Anchor Genevieve Gin
3/4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass. Lemon Peel.

The Anchor Gin does truly dominate this cocktail, but using a Genenver style Gin takes the Holland House from a puzzling waste of booze to a pretty interesting combination of flavors.

Genevieve Cocktail
1/3 Hollands Gin. (3/4 oz Anchor Genevieve Genever style Gin)
2/3 Hercules. (1 1/2 oz Byrrh Assemblage, 1/2 teaspoon Marteau Verte Classique Absinthe)

Stir well and strain into cocktail glass.

I was really quite excited to be able to make the Genevieve cocktail with Anchor’s Genevieve Gin. Not only that, but this cocktail turned out really well. Just darn tasty. With the elegance of the Byrrh and the Juniper and Star Anise notes of the Anchor Gin working incredibly well with the Anise and savory notes of the Marteau Absinthe.

Unfortunately, recent developments have thrown the nature of Hercules back into flux. Likely this interpretation is completely wrong, from the red wine base of the Byrrh to the dash of Absinthe. Le Sigh.

If you want to give it a try, more or less, as above, Byrrh is a bit of a hard thing to come by. I’d suggest substituting a lighter style ruby port (Warre’s Warrior or similar) and a drop or two of Angostura Bitters.

This post is one in a series documenting my ongoing effort to make all of the cocktails in the Savoy Cocktail Book, starting at the first, Abbey, and ending at the last, Zed.