195 replies to this topic

[EvergreenDan]

Fred - I'm 90% sure that I saw a (pretty dusty) bottle of Amaro Nardini at Gordon'sin Waltham on the top shelf (because the bottle is tall). I also think I may have seen a bottle at Ciracein the south end. They used to have a group photo of all their amari, but they redesigned the website and now (as usual) it's less useful and slower to access.

The large bottle size and grappa base gives it a pretty high price tag. That and the mint in it made me pass, although I'd be interested now. (If you want to split a bottle, I'm game.)

[KD1191]

Was mighty impressed by the '2 Cups of Blood' from Beta Cocktails:

3/4 oz Mezcal Vida
3/4 oz Suze (I used the Chartreuse Gentiane)
3/4 Punt e Mes
3/4 Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters

Stirred & strained, garnished w/ grapefruit peel.

This confused the hell out of my mouth...at least for a couple sips. Several extremely intense flavors competing for ground, with the chocolate/spice of the bitters certainly at the forefront, but the smokiness of the mezcal and long lingering finish of the gentian were very pleasantly discernible. This was my first experience with the Bittermens Mole bitters, and going in I wouldn't have given them a shot at taming the powerful Suze + Mezcal, but they sure did. For as much as the recipe looks like a Clash of the Titans, it's a rather mellow, balanced concoction in the end.

[Frederic]

Dan, we went through the old Chowhound thread that included places to buy the Amaro Nardini (back in June 2010) and stopped into Gordon's in Waltham yesterday. I didn't spot it and the clerk had no clue what I was talking about and quickly try to sell me on a bottle of Fernet Branca. We would've tried Cirace's yesterday but they're closed on Sunday -- not that their website told me that since it has practically nothing useful on it anymore, but luckily Yelp had their hours.

As for the 2 Cups of Blood, we can't find Suze here in Boston although I got to taste it at a bar here that had a bottle (not sure where they got it though). I'm a little wary of recipes using large amounts of bitters that cost $5 per ounce (if it were a 750 mL, it would be a $120+ bottle).

[bostonapothecary]

We're working our way through the new drinks in the new book. There are still old drinks in there plus we had already made some of the ones in the photoless 'zine-like one I was handed at the Cure in 2010 (5 in total). We've hit a road block of scoring some Amaro Nardini. The closest we got was going to Astor Liquors in Manhattan and seeing the empty spot where it usually sits. I was able to score Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength there though for one of the drinks. DrinkUpNY has it but that's not an option in Massachusetts (and all of the locations in an old Chowhound thread have turned up nothing).

i have a 3/4 full bottle of the nardini amaro if you want it. i bought it at cirace in the north end.

it is one of my least favorite amaros. really boring with simplistic aromas. menthe-caramelized sugar.

i lent out my beta cocktails book. what is the recipe that calls for it?

[KD1191]

As for the 2 Cups of Blood, we can't find Suze here in Boston although I got to taste it at a bar here that had a bottle (not sure where they got it though). I'm a little wary of recipes using large amounts of bitters that cost $5 per ounce (if it were a 750 mL, it would be a $120+ bottle).

Suze typically gets in the U.S. by someone hand carrying it from Europe, which is how my Gentiane liqueur also made it here.

Given the potency of the bitters, and their relatively esoteric profile, I can't imagine how many years that bottle would last me if I only used them in drops and dashes. The bottle was $16, and one can spend that on a single drink at a nicer bar these days.

I find that I have to frequently remind myself that the reason I've spent a lot of time/effort/money stocking a bar isn't so that I can have a well stocked bar, but so that I can enjoy a wide variety of interesting drinks. If occasionally one of those drinks has a ridiculous pour cost, so be it. The money has been spent, the booze is there to be enjoyed. That said, would I suggest you go out and plunk down ~$20 on Mole bitters that you otherwise have no interest in owning (eta: or, plan a trip to France to track down that elusive liqueur) in order to try this drink? No, but maybe keep it in the back of your mind for the next time you find yourself in a bar with all the necessary ingredients, few though they may be.

Edited by KD1191, 10 October 2011 - 11:48 AM.

[Mayur]

Not to pimp, but there is a domestic gentiane available now that you may wish to check out.

[slkinsey]

Very interesting Mayur! Is this more or less a Suze-alike? Or similar enough/in the same family enough to make a workable substitution (like, say, using Cinzano sweet vermouth instead of M&R)? Or is it more of a unique product?

[Frederic]

Suze was supposed to be imported into the U.S. in 2010 and has been spotted in liquor stores in New Orleans that year (the group of people I stayed with for Tales that year bought a bottle as they stocked the bed&breakfast's bar). Now it's slated again to be here this year (but I will believe it when I see it on a shelf):
My linkhttp://offthepresses.blogspot.com/2011/09/suze-to-finally-reach-us-shores.html

Mayur, we are definitely looking forward to the Bittermen's liqueurs reaching our shelves (you can't mail them to us here in Massachusetts). I definitely am glad that an Amer Picon-like spirit will be available for I find it a sin against mankind if someone cannot mix up a proper Brooklyn. Any word on the price point for these liqueurs?

[Mayur]

Very interesting Mayur! Is this more or less a Suze-alike? Or similar enough/in the same family enough to make a workable substitution (like, say, using Cinzano sweet vermouth instead of M&R)? Or is it more of a unique product?

It's definitely similar enough to substitute; we've been using it for white Negronis and Arawaks and Mayahuel had it in their Suzie Q. It is slightly bitterer, the difference being almost entirely, if I may rather self-promotingly speculate, in the quality and type of gentian (the brix is identical to that of Suze and the HB Gentiane de Luxe, with the pH maybe a nod less acid). If using in large amounts (say, drinking it on the rocks with soda), I would recommend adding 1/4 tsp simple per 2 oz pour if you want the milder gentian feel of Suze itself. But for cocktail applications, it's basically a 1:1.

[Mayur]

Mayur, we are definitely looking forward to the Bittermen's liqueurs reaching our shelves (you can't mail them to us here in Massachusetts). I definitely am glad that an Amer Picon-like spirit will be available for I find it a sin against mankind if someone cannot mix up a proper Brooklyn. Any word on the price point for these liqueurs?

We are looking at $24.99 per 375ml bottle retail. Not cheap, I know, but these are ingredients that are largely used in half-ounce pours, so the overall calculus shouldn't be too bad.

[tanstaafl2]

Any time frame available yet for when the Bitterman spirits like Amère Nouvelle and Amère Sauvage might be available on an internet retailer like Drinkupny or similar? Not much access down here in Atlanta (or anywhere near by) yet it would appear.

[tanstaafl2]

Any time frame available yet for when the Bitterman spirits like Amère Nouvelle and Amère Sauvage might be available on an internet retailer like Drinkupny or similar? Not much access down here in Atlanta (or anywhere near by) yet it would appear.

Hmm, I suppose not...

[Mayur]

We're not sure yet. ;) Hopefully, we will have some answers regarding distribution this week (fingers crossed...)

[tanstaafl2]

We're not sure yet. ;) Hopefully, we will have some answers regarding distribution this week (fingers crossed...)

OK, thanks! Definitely interested if I can find a source.

[BittermensAG]

Was mighty impressed by the '2 Cups of Blood' from Beta Cocktails:

3/4 oz Mezcal Vida
3/4 oz Suze (I used the Chartreuse Gentiane)
3/4 Punt e Mes
3/4 Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters

Stirred & strained, garnished w/ grapefruit peel.

This confused the hell out of my mouth...at least for a couple sips. Several extremely intense flavors competing for ground, with the chocolate/spice of the bitters certainly at the forefront, but the smokiness of the mezcal and long lingering finish of the gentian were very pleasantly discernible. This was my first experience with the Bittermens Mole bitters, and going in I wouldn't have given them a shot at taming the powerful Suze + Mezcal, but they sure did. For as much as the recipe looks like a Clash of the Titans, it's a rather mellow, balanced concoction in the end.

How in the hell did I miss that drink? Time to do a little tinkering behind the bar with the new Bittermens Amère Sauvage Gentiane to see how it works in this cocktail. It's time for a night of inebriation in the name of research!

[BittermensAG]

We're not sure yet. ;) Hopefully, we will have some answers regarding distribution this week (fingers crossed...)

OK, thanks! Definitely interested if I can find a source.

So, the good news is that later this week, we'll be able to name a great online liquor store who ships to 46 states (sorry, TX, WV, NV and MA). For Nevada, our shipment to our distributor is heading out this week as we have received back our brand registration certificate from the state - and we should get clearance from Massachusetts to ship to our distributor there by next week at the latest. Any Texan bartenders out there have a recommendation for a good boutique distributor?

Edited by BittermensAG, 17 October 2011 - 07:00 AM.

[Mayur]

Any time frame available yet for when the Bitterman spirits like Amère Nouvelle and Amère Sauvage might be available on an internet retailer like Drinkupny or similar? Not much access down here in Atlanta (or anywhere near by) yet it would appear.

So, good news! Our products are finally available through DrinkUpNY. Here's a copy of the press release:

Bittermens Spirits at DrinkUpNY

[tanstaafl2]

Any time frame available yet for when the Bitterman spirits like Amère Nouvelle and Amère Sauvage might be available on an internet retailer like Drinkupny or similar? Not much access down here in Atlanta (or anywhere near by) yet it would appear.

So, good news! Our products are finally available through DrinkUpNY. Here's a copy of the press release:

Bittermens Spirits at DrinkUpNY

Oh sure! Now that they have dropped their free shipping policy to those of us out here in the sticks!

[brinza]

Suze was supposed to be imported into the U.S. in 2010 and has been spotted in liquor stores in New Orleans that year (the group of people I stayed with for Tales that year bought a bottle as they stocked the bed&breakfast's bar).

I encountered it at this year's Tales. My wife and I were drinking at Iris and the bartender kindly offered me a taste of it. It is truly unique; I'd love to get a hold of some eventually.

[mkayahara]

Suze was supposed to be imported into the U.S. in 2010 and has been spotted in liquor stores in New Orleans that year (the group of people I stayed with for Tales that year bought a bottle as they stocked the bed&breakfast's bar).

I encountered it at this year's Tales. My wife and I were drinking at Iris and the bartender kindly offered me a taste of it. It is truly unique; I'd love to get a hold of some eventually.

Time for a trip to Montreal!

[Kerry Beal]

Suze was supposed to be imported into the U.S. in 2010 and has been spotted in liquor stores in New Orleans that year (the group of people I stayed with for Tales that year bought a bottle as they stocked the bed&breakfast's bar).

I encountered it at this year's Tales. My wife and I were drinking at Iris and the bartender kindly offered me a taste of it. It is truly unique; I'd love to get a hold of some eventually.

Time for a trip to Montreal!

I've got a friend in Montreal right now - he texted me to say he couldn't find the Suze. Damn!

[mkayahara]

Suze was supposed to be imported into the U.S. in 2010 and has been spotted in liquor stores in New Orleans that year (the group of people I stayed with for Tales that year bought a bottle as they stocked the bed&breakfast's bar).

I encountered it at this year's Tales. My wife and I were drinking at Iris and the bartender kindly offered me a taste of it. It is truly unique; I'd love to get a hold of some eventually.

Time for a trip to Montreal!

I've got a friend in Montreal right now - he texted me to say he couldn't find the Suze. Damn!

From the SAQ's website, it looks like the only store that has it in downtown Montreal right now is the Signature store on Saint Catherine. If he's still there, he might give it a try!

[J_Ozzy]

From the SAQ's website, it looks like the only store that has it in downtown Montreal right now is the Signature store on Saint Catherine. If he's still there, he might give it a try!

The Montreal SAQ Signature store is awesome for weird and rare spirits, along with the limited release and greater aged expressions of more common brands. I scored some Combier cocoa eaux-de-vie a couple years ago.

[FrogPrincesse]

A couple of rogue/beta cocktails last night.

The Start and Finish
I am not sure I liked that one. I used 1/4 oz pastis instead of 1/2 oz absinthe because I don't have absinthe (and don't love it in large amounts). It was a little too "all over the place" for me, with strong - and not always harmonious - herbal flavors introduced by the vermouth, lillet, averna, with a strong anise finish.


Burned popcorn
This one is very good, with flavors from the flamed orange peels and aged rum playing well with the bourbon.

[FrogPrincesse]

The Search for Delicious



It's interesting how the salt changes the taste of the Cynar. I like it a lot.

[FrogPrincesse]

I made the Warning Label tonight: Demerara rum 151, Cynar, Punt e Mes, orange bitters, grapefruit bitters (made by a friend), Campari rinse, lemon twist.

It is a well balanced cocktail, quite bitter as expected but the 151 helps tone it down somewhat with some caramel notes. You can smell and taste the grapefruit at the end with the Campari/grapefruit bitters combo. I feel it is a little on the syrupy side. Its flavor is very typical of most cocktails in the book.

[EvergreenDan]

I haven't made the Warning Label as written because I just recently acquired LH151. I used Smith & Cross and it was wonderful (if a bit sweet). Another KC user suggested half S&C and half LH151.

[EvergreenDan]

A fun review of Beta Cocktails by a mystery guest blogger ... with whom I happen to concur. ;) No, I didn't write it.

[mkayahara]

Finally - finally - got around to making a Broken Shoe Shiner tonight. Magical drink. Rosewater and pastis... who knew?

[sbumgarner]

The Start and Finish
I am not sure I liked that one. I used 1/4 oz pastis instead of 1/2 oz absinthe because I don't have absinthe (and don't love it in large amounts). It was a little too "all over the place" for me, with strong - and not always harmonious - herbal flavors introduced by the vermouth, lillet, averna, with a strong anise finish.

Tried this one the other day, for the first sip or two I agree with the "all over the place" assessment but as the ice melts it came together for me. It sounds counter-intuitive, but once the drink mellows just a bit the hefty amount of absinthe is actually beneficial by serving as a dominant flavor for the other ingredients to complement and transform (not to mention giving a little backbone via the high proof). I could see a smaller amount of pastis just muddying the waters further.

Edited by sbumgarner, 04 June 2012 - 03:47 PM.