Drink Matron

Category: Drink of the Week

  • Applejack – America’s Forgotten Liquor

    Until the recent surge in mixing classic cocktails, Applejack had become a forgotten gem of America’s drinking culture. Surprisingly, however, this liquor plays part in some of our most traditional drinks.

    Finding new cocktails to try is something that has always intrigued me. Mixing standard liquors with odd washes like guava juice was a great way for me to find what I like and don’t like and has given me the ability to offer the best advice to those who are looking for a new taste.

    But I’d never heard of applejack. At least, I’d never heard of the liquor called applejack. I had, of course, heard of the combination of apple schnapps and Jack Daniels that made my friends and me pucker our lips and shake out the dry whiskey taste. But the two are far from the same.

    The first time I heard of applejack was when I received a comment from a reader who was offended that I would use apple schnapps in anything, and recommended that I try the old spirit by mixing up a classic Jack Rose. After that, I kept running into the booze in my readings and conversations. So I decided it was time to learn a little bit about this old colonial favorite.

    Freeze Distillation

    Applejack is traditionally made from concentrating hard cider by a method of freeze distillation. Freeze distillation is a process of concentrating the alcohol in a fermented beverage by freezing it, then removing the frozen material. Because water freezes before the alcohol, the more the beverage is frozen, the more water is removed, leaving a higher concentration of alcohol when the freezing process is complete.

    The drink tastes strongly of apples (due to the cider), and because jacking is a term used for freeze distillation, the liquor was named applejack. Because of the possible dangers of freeze distillation, this process has become less popular and is illegal in many countries. You must have a license to use this process, so please do not try it at home.

    The Origin of Applejack

    It seems that applejack was discovered by accident. In the 17th century, northern American farmers would leave their hard cider outside during the winter months to keep it cold. Any liquid that froze was removed, leaving a more potent blend behind. Once this became apparent, people began collecting apples and creating their own.

    Applejack Cocktail Recipes

    Jack Rose


    The original applejack cocktail.

    • 1 1/2 oz Applejack,
    • 1/2 oz Grenadine,
    • The Juice of 1/2 Lime

    Fill a shaker over half full of ice and pour in the ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

    Applecart

    Don’t upset it.

    • 1 1/2 oz Applejack
    • 1 oz Triple Sec
    • 1/2 oz Lemon juice

    Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

    Widow’s Kiss

    • 1 1/2 oz Applejack
    • 1/2 oz Chartreuse Green
    • 3/4 oz Benedictine Liqueur
    • 2 Dashes of Bitters

    Stir with small amount of ice and strain into a champagne glass. Garnish with a cherry.

  • Before we eat, we drink and eat…Bloodies!

    Yes, we do have pint glasses with our names on them, courtesy of my awesomely creative sister, Becky, and her wedding.

     

  • Good Morning and Happy Thanksgiving!

    Mimosas – start your turkey day out right.

  • Guest Post: Erik Nabler of Liquor Locusts reviews Hornsby’s “Crisp” Apple Cider

    In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. As Tennyson, or somebody, so wisely said. However, in the fall, it turns to thoughts of drink. For, as the days get shorter, moods get darker, what is there to console us but the sweet kiss of C2H5OH. In other words, drink sustains us through the dark of winter.

    And to hold on to what we can of the summer and the fall, what better to drink than Apple Cider. Not the zero proof alcohol of our youth (although I am reminded of the best apple cider ever during my childhood where it had, unbeknownst to Mom, fermented-dang I was a happy kid for a bit) but the hard cider of our bitter, older years.

    So, when the Drink Matron kindly allowed me to put up a review of hard cider, I had to think hard about what to review. I thought at first of Blackthorn Dry, my favorite widely available cider. Then, as I was driving home, I realized that I did not have a bottle of it in the house, I did not want to stop at too many stores on the way home, so I am reviewing Hornsby’s Crisp Apple Cider. Sometimes you review what is there.

    So, what we find with Hornsby’s first off, is that it is priced right. On sale, in California, you can often find it for $6.99 per sixer, sometimes less. Good price for cider. The cider itself is decent. It is sweet, with a pronounced apple flavor, and simple. There is no complexity here, nor is it dry, which I tend to like. It is good in hot weather, and decent in cold. It has just a bit of “snap” to it, which can justify the “crisp” title as opposed to the Hornsby Amber. This is a cider that would go very well with cheddar cheese, or could be superb with a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, if that is how you roll.

    As my better half so rightly put it – This is a really good juice box with kick.

    To summarize, this is very drinkable for the price. If you want a different experience, get the dry Blackthorn, but that is for another review, perhaps tomorrow.

    Erik Nabler is a blogger who writes about booze at Liquorlocusts.com. As noted, he dispenses “Cynicism, bitterness, and drink. ” Self medication has become a way of life for him and his 52 cats. Please visit the site any time and make pity comments. Erik loves pith.

  • Drinkmatron Labs: Hard Cider

    When it comes to homebrewing, the absolute easiest thing you can make is hard cider.  In this day and age where apple cider is readily available from apple orchards all over (or from a grocery store if you have to), you can get a batch fermenting in 5 minutes.  A lot of apple orchards sell freshly pressed apple cider without any preservatives added and ideally this is the cider you want to use.

    The preservatives added to juice is called potassium sorbate, and its only job in the world is to prevent yeast from reproducing.  Just in case any wild yeast makes its way into your cider, it won’t ferment so quickly and the cider will “last” longer.  It can’t stop the yeast from fermenting the sugars in the cider, it just stops them from being able to multiply.

    So you want to avoid cider with preservatives.  If you don’t live anywhere near an orchard that sells preservative-free cider, fear not, because you can still make it work.  You just need more yeast. The orchard I went to only sold cider with preservatives so I had to go this route.

    To make cider, you need:

    * Cider
    * Yeast (any brewing yeast, you can find it at your local home brew store or most Co-Ops)

    Put the cider in some kind of container that you can ferment it in.  The jug it came in will work fine as long as you can put together some sort of airlock system in it to prevent contaminants from getting in and the bottle from getting pressurized.  Add the yeast to the cider.  Wait for several months.  If you want it carbonated, mix a little table sugar in with the cider and place in pressurized bottles (like old pop bottles).

    If you’re like me and are using cider with potassium sorbate, you need more than just a packet of yeast.  Since it won’t multiply, you need to start with all the yeast possible.  I used three packets of champagne yeast.  On top of that, I made a yeast starter using some briess dry malt extract and yeast nutrient to get the yeast amped up and ready to ferment my cider.

    Now it’s just a waiting game for some tasty, tasty hard cider.

    ** Note: In Co-Op’s and grocery stores you will find a product called “Brewer’s Yeast.”  This is not what you want to use, this is dead yeast that won’t activate or ferment.

  • How to Mix an Old Fashioned

    Brandy or Whiskey, sweet or sour, making an old fashioned is as simple as the ingredients that go into it. Read on and learn ways to make this barroom favorite.

    Possibly the first drink to be called a cocktail, the old fashioned was most likely invented in the late 1880s by a bartender at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky. The drink was simple: combine some bourbon, bitters, sugar, water and ice and bang, you’ve got yourself a drink.

    To mix a classic old fashioned you will need:

    • 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey
    • 2 dashes of bitters
    • 1 cube of sugar with a splash of water, or simple syrup
    • 3 cubes of ice
    • Old Fashioned (or rocks) glass

    In an old fashioned glass, combine the cube of sugar, water and bitters (or simple syrup and bitters). If needed, crush the sugar mixture to coat the bottom of the glass. Add the cubes of ice and whiskey. Garnish with a twist.

    Served in a glass named for itself, the old-fashioned is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, along with many of its classic compatriots. Options to making the drink are as long as its century existence, but debates on keeping the purity of the drink often negate the tasty variations.

    For most purists, the drink remains what it has always been, a whiskey cocktail with the minimum additions made. For others who enjoy a new take on an old favorite, adding a wash of sweet or sour (or in many cases soda water), mixing brandy instead of whiskey, or an added slice of orange garnish or a maraschino cherry make the drink that much more interesting. The decision, however, is always up to the drinker, to play around with the recipes and find what truly works for you.

    The following recipe has been popularized in the north central region of Wisconsin. Known as a whiskey (or brandy) old fashioned sweet (or sour), it is just one take on what has become known as Wisconsin’s state drink.

    To mix this version you need will need:

    • 2 ounces of whiskey or brandy
    • 2 dashes of bitters
    • 1 to 3 ounces of sweet or sour wash
    • 1 cube of sugar with water, or simple syrup
    • orange slice or cherry garnish (optional)
    • 3 cubes of ice
    • Old Fashioned (or rocks) glass

    In an old fashioned glass, combine the cube of sugar, water and bitters (or a splash of simple syrup and bitters). If needed, crush the sugar mixture to coat the bottom of the glass. Add the cubes of ice and your choice of whiskey or brandy. Top with sweet or sour wash and garnish with an orange slice or cherry. Sit back and enjoy!

  • Brandy colored memories

    When I was a kid, my mom drank Brandy. It sticks out in my mind – the bottle of E&J on the counter, waiting until the next time people came over to the house. I remember the smell of it – she drank it mixed with water – the sweet, dry aroma of the Brandy mixed with the wet coolness of cold well water and ice cubes.

    Because of this, Brandy holds a special place in my heart. Not that I drink it myself. While as a child that smell marked special occasions and visits from beloved aunts and uncles, as an adult I’ve never had much of a taste for overly potent flavored boozes. However, when the cooler months roll around and it’s time for seasonal warmers like the Tom and Jerry, and Christmas treats of Brandy soaked chocolate covered cherries, I’m reminded just how comforting this lovely spirit can be.

  • The Sidecar

    Of all the basic drinks listed in David A Embury’s Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, the Sidecar has the most dubious of back stories.


    Paris

    It is said that in Paris during World War I, an American Army captain often traveled around in a motorcycle sidecar. One day, when he was under the weather, he requested a libation that would help him to feel better. The bartender, trying to find something suitable to pair with the “medicinal” brandy, added Cointreau and lemon juice as a source of Vitamin C. The drink was named “Sidecar” as a tribute to its original patron, and the rest is history.

    London’s Buck’s Club

    Many believe that the Paris story is a very big myth, and that the true invention of the Sidecar can be traced back to the London’s famous Buck’s Club in the 1920s. The creation is most often credited to Pat MacGarry, one of the Buck’s Club’s most popular bartenders.

    Or Not

    Another possibility is that the Sidecar is itself a variation of the Brandy Crusta, a cocktail made with the same ingredients and which also sported a sugar rimmed glass. The most notable difference is that the Sidecar is made with Cognac rather than standard Brandy.

    French School vs. English School

    While the origin of the drink may not be of any consequence to the drinker, the exact proportion of what goes into the drink may be very important. While everyone agrees that the three main ingredients are Cognac, Cointreau and lemon juice, the debate about just exactly how much of each goes into the drink has spawned two schools of thought: the French School and the English School.

    The French School maintains that the drink should consist of equal parts of each of the three ingredients. The English School believes that the cocktail should consist of two parts Cognac for every one part Cointreau and lemon juice. While this may not seem like it should make a difference, the taste of each of these mixes is drastically different, and can cause quite an issue when a you’re expecting your drink to taste a specific way.

    The Sidecar

    French School

    • 1 oz Cognac or Armagnac
    • 1 oz Cointreau
    • 1 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice

    English School

    • 1 1/2 oz Cognac or Armagnac
    • 3/4 oz Cointreau
    • 3/4 oz Freshly squeezed lemon juice

    Combine ingredients in a shaker half full of ice. Shake until very cold, and strain into a cocktail glass (preferably chilled). If preferred, rim the cocktail glass with sugar before straining. Garnish with a twist of lemon or orange.

    No matter how you like your Sidecar, it’s certain that what you’re getting is something classic and pleasant. Please remember to always drink responsibly and know your limit.

  • Beer Review: Schlafly Pumpkin Ale

    “I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” — Henry David Thoreau

    Reinheitsgebot be damned!  One of the beer styles that has been picking up steam over the last few years has been Pumpkin Ale.  This autumn is the first time I’ve ever sampled a commercial pumpkin ale and it was actually under the recommendation of a friend of mine.  The beer in question is Schlafly (+1 internets if you can teach me how that’s actually pronounced) Pumpkin Ale.  The first thing I noticed about this beer was that they actually use pumpkin in the beer.  A disappointing realization I came to earlier this year was that most “pumpkin” beer doesn’t actually contain any pumpkin, just the spices that make you think of pumpkin.

    After the beer is in the glass, you can just tell it’s a pumpkin ale.  It has this luscious, orange-hued brown color that makes me think I see the toothy grin of a jack-o-lantern in the glass.

    I was a little wary after I smelled this beer, the smell of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg cut through the beer and was almost overwhelming.  I was afraid that the flavor would be cloyingly sweet and taste more like a soda than a beer.

    I’m relieved to say I was wrong.  Initially it’s sweet, and you can definitely taste the pumpkin and spices, but it doesn’t last.  It’s a full bodied, viscuous beer but without feeling too heavy.  The finish is dry enough to balance out the initial sweetness, making for a well rounded beer.

    Overall, I really like this beer.  I’ll happily pick up a six-pack if I see it, though this stuff sells like hotcakes so it’s pretty rare to find one in the wild.  This is a complex enough beer that I can only drink 1 or 2 before I need to change it up, but still a very delicious drink.  On a 100-point scale, I give it 98 points.

  • What is Oktoberfest Beer?

    When people refer to Oktoberfest beer, they are referring to one of two things. In the first case, they refer to any beer that is brewed within the city limits of Munich, Germany.  After the Club of Munich Brewers have decided to deem it as such, the beer is referred to from that point forward as an Oktoberfest Beer.  The important point of distinction here is that it is a beer that is authorized to be sold at Oktoberfest, the single largest beer festival in the world (serving over seven million liters of beer in roughly 16 days).

    The second reference is actually a misnomer for a beer style called Märzen.  Märzen is a bavarian lager that is commonly served at Oktoberfest (hence the confusion), but all Märzens are not Oktoberfest beers, nor are all Oktoberfest beers Märzens.  There is an interesting story behind Märzenbier.  Back in 1536, the Bavarian government outlawed beer brewing between 23 April and 29 September because there was an increased risk of starting the countryside on fire during the warm, dry summer months.  So brewers had to develop a beer style that they could make large quantities of that would keep through the summer.  They came up with Märzen and would work overtime in late March and April brewing as much of the stuff as they could, then barreling it and storing it in caves to keep it cool and out of the sun.  Whatever was left at the end of the summer was generally taken to Munich and served at Oktoberfest (or just drank as if the imbibers were at Oktoberfest).  It is usually amber in color and has an alcohol content of 5 to 6.2% with a mild hop profile.