MxMo LXXXII Feb 17, 2014

[haresfur]

We have been slacking off on participating in Mixology Monday the online cocktail party. Too bad because it's summer in the southern hemisphere and last month's highballs would have been refreshing. So let's see if we can get some posts for this month's MxMo: Sours, hosted by Andrea over at Ginhound, who challenges us to 'test the sour to the limit'. So get your shakers out and pucker up.

Post by February 17 to participate. And feel free to discuss each other's entries.

[Plantes Vertes]

If anyone can credit it I did not have a date tonight, so I defaulted to messing around with spirits... I haven't completed the messing phase yet but this is what I made. I was thinking again of the Bittermen's Cream Citrates and so decided to experiment with vanilla-flavoured citric acid as the sour element. Indeed citrus sours didn't really speak to me in the middle of 160km/h gales and the wettest month since 17-something, so I had a crack at a wintery apple sour.

The apple cream citrate

6oz apple juice

1/2 cinnamon stick

1/4 slit vanilla bean

3 cloves

1/3tsp citric acid crystals

1/2tsp honey

Simmer to reduce to 1/2oz, remove the spices

The drink

2oz gin

1/2oz apple cream citrate

Shake

It's nice but not particularly novel, so I will perhaps keep trying, if ever another evening opens up.

[haresfur]

Nice PV. Vanilla and citric aren't things I normally think of together but I can see it.

This topic gave me a chance to play around with an idea, too. And it's probably still a work in progress.

I have been working on "not very sour" sours for a bit. Basically cut the sour and let it be balanced by the alcohol, not sweet. So think tiny wedges of lemon in stuff or Ti Punch variations (ok some sugar it ti' punch but not as whacked out sour/sweet as many sours).

On a whim I bought some verjuice (or verjus if you want to go all francophone). Verjuice has become established as an 'in' ingredient in Australia since Maggie Beer started producing it commercially. Basically you squeeze what juice you can out of green grapes (or in the past green apples were used sometimes). Supposedly makes for a better sour to go with wine than citrus. Apparently it is a way to use the thinnings, too. It is less sour than lemon and really quite like green apple. Don't worry, I resisted the temptation to try to make some sort of apple pucker vodka. I though, that something grape based was appropriate so:

Life cycle

1 1/2 oz Cognac

2 tsp Verjuice

Build over ice (optional)

Garnish CO2 infused grapes

Verdict? Not bad but I'm not sure it's any better than using a tiny citrus wedge. Next time I may try using cheap brandy that has a bit more personality.

[haresfur]

Keeping on the lightly citrus theme, I thought this would be a good place to compile the Ti' Punch variations I've been playing with. Roughly in order from great to vile:

Qui' Punch - anejo tequila, agave syrup, lime

'sky Punch - Single malt scotch, honey syrup, lemon. Works surprisingly well with both Aberlour A'bunadh (I suppose that could be A' Punch) and Dalwhinnie

Gi' Punch - gin, cane syrup (or simple), lime really nice with Finger Lakes Distilling Seneca Drums gin

Ri' Punch - Rittenhouse rye, cane syrup, lime

'dy punch - brandy, simple, lemon

Miquelon Punch - cognac, sugar, lemon - not as good as a rougher brandy

Whi' Punch - Canadian whiskey or bourbon, some sort of sweet, lemon or lime. Not too bad

V' Punch - Zumbrowka vodka, cane syrup, lime - astoundingly bad

A couple from others:

Wee Paunch - Irish whisky, barley malt syrup, lemon from Rafa

Arr Punch - Batavia Arrack from Chris Taylor

Yet to be tried:

Ge' Punch - Genever

Did I miss anything?

[FrogPrincesse]

I made a couple of drinks with a Bosc pear shrub for the MxMo Sours challenge.

The first one with calvados, scotch, pear shrub, simple syrup, Peychaud's bitters, egg white, and grated tonka.

And this one (a variation on Toby Maloney's Williams Fizz) with calvados, pear eau de vie, pear shrub, simple syrup, egg white, soda water, and grated tonka.

More details and recipes here.

[FrogPrincesse]

Did I miss anything?

Looks pretty exhaustive already. Missing silver tequila and mezcal maybe.

What is your typical formula for Ti Punch?

[Melinda Staros]

Yet to be tried:

Ge' Punch - Genever

Did I miss anything?

ooh. what type of Ge'punch will you be making? Young or Old? Try them with the Belgian Genever Diep9. They have a few recipes on their site..

LOST IN ALCHEMY PUNCH
2 bottles Diep9® young genever
750 ml sour* (lemon and sugar)
4 oz Pernod Ricard
Peychaud's bitters
8 oz club soda
10 roasted star anise
Mix in a punch bowl and serve in a
8 oz glass filled with ice.
* a quart of fresh squeezed lemon juice, about 3 cups of powdered sugar.

O'DE FLANDER GILT

PUNCH VERSION
20 oz Diep9® old genever
5oz cinnamon syrup
5 oz fresh orange juice
12 dashes Angostura® bitters
Stir ingredients in a punch bowl
Serve over ice in a highball glass.
Garnish with a cherry.

Let us know how it turns out!

[haresfur]

Did I miss anything?

Looks pretty exhaustive already. Missing silver tequila and mezcal maybe.

What is your typical formula for Ti Punch?

I suppose pisco should go on the list, too (but would you dare order a pi' punch?-).

My typical formula is to free pour a small puddle of syrup in the bottom of the glass, drop in a single ice cube, pour the spirit, lightly squeeze the citrus over and drop in. Stir with a finger. If it's too sweet add more booze.

Yet to be tried:

Ge' Punch - Genever

Did I miss anything?

ooh. what type of Ge'punch will you be making? Young or Old? Try them with the Belgian Genever Diep9. They have a few recipes on their site..

...

Let us know how it turns out!

Great suggestion. The only Genever I have access to is Bols old. Maybe a trip to Europe is in order.

[haresfur]

I sent the link to Andrea but there is probably still time to sneak in a drink or two.

[Plantes Vertes]

It is still 17 Feb where I am. I altered the apple sour by removing the honey, which made it too sweet, as the reduced apple is very sweet on its own, and switching genever for the gin.

The apple cream citrate

3oz fresh apple juice

1oz whole milk

1/2 tsp citric acid crystals

1/4 vanilla bean

1/4 cinnamon stick

2 cloves

Reduce to 1/2 oz and remove the spices

The drink

2 1/2 oz Bols genever

1/2 oz apple cream citrate

Edited February 17, 2014 by Plantes Vertes (log)

[Plantes Vertes]

I sent the link to Andrea but there is probably still time to sneak in a drink or two.

And here is the logo

[Rafa]

Did anyone submit a traditional sour? I suppose the closet we came is the bibulous Mr. haresfur and his voluminous list of 'ti punch variations, though as those generally use lemon/lime coins and not juice they're still sort of iffy.

I'll throw some fresh citrus juice in the mix with a classic Hemingway Daiquiri (with Havana Club 3 year—thanks Santa), a Summer Hemingway, and my own Cotton Club—which originally called for cinnamon syrup, but I liked this mix of St. Germain and Sorel better. Oh, and because great minds prefer citric acid, I also mixed my original idea for this MxMo, a Jack's Acid Trip with apple brandy, grenadine, lime bitters, and citric and malic acids. The malic acid has a green apple bite which put me in mind of the most famous (relatively speaking) and Rachel Maddow-approved of applejack sours.

[FrogPrincesse]

Roundup posted on the Ginhound blog. More than two dozen participants this month.