Aquavit Cocktails

[Rafa]

Brennevin is more caraway-forward than Krogstad, amd rougher on its own.

[FrogPrincesse]

3 minutes ago, Rafa said:

Brennevin is more caraway-forward than Krogstad, amd rougher on its own.

So less anise and more caraway? Krogstad isn't rough but it is intensely flavored...

[Rafa]

I wouldn't call Krogstad rough at all—it's a beautifully made spirit.

 

Brennevin has much less anise, yes, and a bit of ethanol on the nose at room temperature. I would say it's less intense than Krogstad. That said, it mixes beautifully.

 

if you can get your hands on some of Brennivin's yearly sherry cask-aged release, that's a wonderful spirit, with the dry caraway counteracting the raisin and oak notes.

Edited March 23, 2016 by Rafa (log)

[Craig E]

Franky Marshall's Eleventh Hour:

Linie aquavit (Tattersall), Don Julio Reposado (Cazadores), Sombra Mezcal (Sacrificio), Yellow Chartreuse, lime juice, cane syrup. 

Herbaceous, appealing. 

[FrogPrincesse]

I love it when aquavit goes tiki, and adds a strong note of spice a bit like allspice liqueur does. It's the case in Daniel Warrilow's Lost Cause, and also in this drink that I tried last night. I also love it when completely improbable combinations give rise to something nice and different! Here the drink plays on the common aromas of banana and caraway.

 

The Danish Fly (Nick Detrich) with Krogstad aquavit, Giffard banane du Bresil, lemon juice, grenadine (amount reduced to 1 barspoon because grenadine terrifies me).

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I have to ask, why does grenadine terrify you?  It's not like it will explode.  I confess I am rather fond of grenadine, myself.  Balaclava #1 comes immediately to mind.

 

 

[FrogPrincesse]

33 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I have to ask, why does grenadine terrify you?  It's not like it will explode.  I confess I am rather fond of grenadine, myself.  Balaclava #1 comes immediately to mind.

 

 

It's sweet, it's cloying, and can destroy any drink if used in too generous an amount which for me is about a barspoon. I love the flavor of pomegranate, but rarely in drinks.

 

It doesn't help that I was once served a punch where the "sweet"  component consisted entirely of grenadine. It was homemade grenadine but I am still recovering from the experience...

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

55 minutes ago, FrogPrincesse said:

It's sweet, it's cloying, and can destroy any drink if used in too generous an amount which for me is about a barspoon. I love the flavor of pomegranate, but rarely in drinks.

 

It doesn't help that I was once served a punch where the "sweet"  component consisted entirely of grenadine. It was homemade grenadine but I am still recovering from the experience...

 

 

Fair enough.  I just did the experiment of a bit of grenadine on a teaspoon.  Yes, I found it sweet, but no sweeter than other syrups I've tried.  I find grenadine pairs particularly well with Kummel, which I believe has a similar flavor profile to Aquavit, though I have not tried Aquavit myself.

 

[quiet1]

There is a recipe for homemade grenadine in Morgenthaler's book that looks interesting. I used to get a grenadine when I lived in England that wasn't too sweet (for a syrup, I mean - the sweet didn't overwhelm the flavor) but darn if I can remember the brand now. I actually mostly used it to make sorbet - a small amount really helped round out the flavor of fresh pomegranate juice without making it taste like frozen grenadine.

[Craig E]

The Good Life:

 

• 1 3⁄4 oz North Shore aquavit (Tattersall)
• 1 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur (Stirrings)
• 3⁄4 oz lime juice
• 1⁄2 oz Demerara syrup (2:1)
• 10 dr Regans' orange bitters
• Orange twist (grapefruit)

Recipe reads as sweet, and it was, though the herbaceous aquavit and spicy liqueur (and acidic lime) kept it from being cloying to my taste. I liked the ginger and aquavit combo in this sour format. Recipe called for orange twist but I only had grapefruit, which I think might've been more fitting anyway.