The AC 6 - Cocktail Recipe from This Doesn't Suck

markgatx (35)in #food • 7 years ago

Hi again, SteemIt!

This drink is all about pairing gin with some classic flavors that turn into, what I feel like, is a classic tasting drink.

It's amazing to me how many people say they don't like gin. Actually it's not that amazing because I didn't like gin either for a long time. Then I learned how many different kinds of gin there actually are and I realized just how much I had to learn.

I'm pretty sure most people think of traditional London Dry style gin when someone mentions gin to them. That is the dominant type out there right now. It's super dry and is really forward with juniper. It can be a little much, especially if you're not used to it. I personally would never recommend a straight gin and tonic to introduce someone to gin. The heat of a London Dry gin with the bitterness of a tonic can turn off people just dipping their toes into this world.

There are other styles of gin and I use one in this drink. For want of a better term, there are "New Style" or "Contemporary" gins. These don't rely as much on a ton of juniper as traditional gins. They can incorporate all sorts of flavors in there. At the end of the day a gin is really just a neutral spirit infused with a mix of botanicals. If you use a different mix than what's considered the standard in a London Dry, then that's going to be a "New Style."

(For the record there are also Old Tom style gins, but that's a post for another day.)

The gin I'm using here is from a local place that I've grown to love. Revolution Spirits has an amazing contemporary gin called the Austin Reserve Gin. I got my first bottle a few years back from a friend as a birthday gift and I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. It's not as dry and the juniper isn't quite as forward. You get other botanicals like rosemary coming through and it's just a much smoother drinking experience.

Since this gin is VERY regional you might have trouble getting it. I would try any other contemporary style gin and it should work as well.

The other ingredient that some people aren't too familiar with is Chatreuse, which I think is sad because it's easily one of my favorite liqueurs. Chartreuse is a French liqueur that's been made by Carthusian Minks with the same secret recipe since 1737. It can be a challenge if you've never tasted it before but I adore it. It's very herbal and maybe even medicinal in some respects. The yellow version is a little more mild than the green version so that's the one I'm using here since we've got a less forward gin as our base.

To add one last piece to this botanical drinking experience, I infused some fresh thyme from our yard into some simple syrup and if gives it a really nice bright note to sit against all the other herbs in the drink.

If you really want to kick it up a notch, zest some orange peel on top before drinking. The zest isn't overpowering like a large peel can be in a drink and the smell adds a brightness on the nose that adds so much to the experience. You can express some orange peel on top if you'd prefer and that would also let you use the peel as a nice garnish. I'm bad at garnishing so have fun with that.

If you give this a shot let me know what you think. If you switch anything around let me know as well. I'm always trying to learn ways to adjust drinks and improve them.

The recipe is in the video but is available here on request. PLUS the first request gets an upvote. Win-win situation here!