June 2019 – Jim's Drams

To Infinity and bey…

I better not finish that. It might be considered copyright infringement.

If you’ve gone beyond having one or two favorite bottles, and started building a collection, you might want to consider starting and “Infinity Bottle”.

If you’re not familiar with the idea, you will need an empty bottle to start, or better yet, a nice decanter. The idea is that every time you open a new bottle, you add a small amount, creating your own unique blend, not available anywhere else in the world.

This is not an exercise in immediate gratification. At first, you will only be adding. Once it is full, then every time you add, you will need to take a little out to make room. As you make each “withdrawal”, you get to sample it, and watch your bottle change and evolve with each new addition. It is called an “infinity” bottle because in theory, there will always be some minute influence of every sample added.

One of the great things about this exercise is that there are no rules. But there are some guidelines, and some decisions to make:

Will you use one specific type of whisky, or mix different types? While some enjoy the complex liquor produced by blending Scotch, Bourbon, and other types, others are “purists” maintaining an infinity of only their favorite type, or a separate one for each type. Also, don’t be afraid to start an infinity for other favorite spirits. Ginfinity, anyone?
Avoid particularly strong flavors. A little bit of a dominant flavor, such as an especially peaty Scotch, will quickly take over an entire bottle. While a lightly peated style like Bowmore is probably OK, you might want to omit the Laphroaig. Another option, if you are a big enough fan of those, is to set up a separate bottle just for them.
How much of each sample will you add? One ounce is probably typical. If you want to get off to a faster start, 1 1/2 or 2 ounces might not be out of the question. My suggestion is to keep the amount consistent. We are not looking to become master blenders here.
I’ve seen articles that call for adding the final ounce from each bottle. I think that’s like someone asking for your last french fry. Seriously? I’ve been eating these things for 20 minutes, and now you decide you want one? Like the last fry, or the last bite of cake, nothing is as special as that last pour from a bottle. I prefer to make my donations up front.
Sample first. While I prefer not to contribute the final ounce to the cause, I don’t like to use the first ounce either. When I open a new bottle, I like to pour a dram and sample it. That way, if I do find one that I just don’t care for, I can omit it. It’s the second ounce that goes in.
Last, but not least, share! Although the rule is to only draw out as much as you’re going to replenish from a new bottle, don’t be afraid to take a little extra to pour for an honored guest, especially if you’re proud of your current blend. It will be replenished soon enough, and I think a special guest deserves a special pour. Whether it’s that rare bottle you found, one with a special story behind it, or yes, your very own personal infinity that isn’t available anywhere else, nothing makes me feel more welcome than a fellow enthusiast greeting me with “you have to try this!”

Have an infinity of your own? Thinking of starting one? I’d love to hear about it. And if you would like to receive notification of future posts, please consider subscribing.

Call Me Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned is one of the most “interpreted” cocktails out there.

Muddled fruit or no? Sparkling water or club soda to top it off, or no? Various flavors, ingredients, and techniques can be found in an Old Fashioned, depending on where you order it. In 49 states, it is a whiskey drink. In Wisconsin, where it is the unofficial state cocktail, it is made with brandy.

So what is a true Old Fashioned?

To answer this question, we have to go back over 200 years. While the term “cocktail” today, refers to any mixed drink, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a “cock-tail” was a specific category of drink, like a flip, a fizz, or a sour.

In the May 13th, 1806 edition of “The Balance and Columbian Repository”, the following definition appeared: “Cocktail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.”

At the time, various bitters were being sold as health tonics, touting the health benefits that made them up. They were rather unpleasant to drink straight, being, as the name implied, bitter in flavor. Mixing them with hard liquor, and a little sweetener, made it easier to take one’s daily dose of the stuff. Many people started each day off with a cock-tail, for medicinal purposes.

Around the middle of the 19th century, Vermouths, Absinthes and various liqueurs began to arrive from Europe, and become more readily available. Bartenders began to add these ingredients to make an “enhanced cocktail”. Each saloon had its own variation, in an attempt to stand out from the crowd.

Many people fought back against this trend, stating clearly and firmly, “I just want a plain, old-fashioned, cocktail.” Soon, that was shortened to “I want an Old Fashioned”, and a name was born.

During prohibition, a lot of “mixology” knowledge was lost, and after repeal, the trend at “modifying” or “enhancing” began again… this time, with muddled fruit among other things. One theory is that the muddled fruit was added during prohibition to help mask the taste of the inferior whiskey available at that time.

So what is a true “Old Fashioned”? In my opinion, I refer back to the original 1806 definition – spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters. So the folks in Wisconsin are not wrong. An Old Fashioned can be made with whiskey, brandy, rum, gin, any spirit you like, though whiskey is the accepted standard.

Flavors can be adjusted by selecting different bitters. There are dozens on the market today, as compared to the dusty old bottle of Angostura found behind most bars 20 years ago, which no one knew what to do with.

I would also offer that “sugar” is open to interpretation, and different sweeteners can be used. Brown or demerara sugar are certainly reasonable choices that add depth of flavor. How about honey or maple syrup? You can even match the sweetener to the base spirit. How about a rum Old Fashioned with molasses? Tequila or Mezcal with agave syrup?

When a drink stops being a true Old Fashioned, again in my opinion, is when you start adding “modifiers”. Additional modifier spirits, liqueurs, etc., disqualify a drink from being a proper Old Fashioned. The Sazerac, while one of my favorite drinks, is technically not an Old Fashioned, due to the Absinthe rinse.

While I’m not a fan of muddled fruit in this drink, there’s certainly a strong historical argument for it. For decades, any published recipe included it, and there are still many places that serve this version of the drink. I generally refer to this style as a “Prohibition Era Old Fashioned” to distinguish it from the original, but there are many who would disagree with me.

Have an opinion? I’d love to hear it in the comments. And if you enjoyed reading this, please consider subscribing.

Sourland Mountain Spirits

Sourland Mountain Spirits opens new Distillery Store and Tasting Room

This past weekend, Sourland Mountain Spirits (located on Rt. 518 in Hopewell, NJ) opened their new Distillery Store and Tasting Room. I was able to attend their open house on May 19th, and to stop by again this weekend during their first week of regular operating hours. The tasting room is a welcome addition to one of the best distilleries in the area. It is literally an addition – new construction adjacent to the barn that has housed the distillery since operations began.

My first visit to Sourland Mountain Spirits was on March 18th, 2017, the second weekend that they were open. At the time, they had a vodka and a gin (both were excellent) available, and a rum in the works.

Their current product line includes those three flagship products, accompanied by a barrel aged gin, a spiced rum, and an apple brandy, distilled from locally sourced apple cider. All of their products are outstanding, and all are made with locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. This is in keeping with founder Ray Disch’s mission to be part of the community.

Current product line on display and available for sale in the Distillery Store and Tasting Room

They are preparing to bottle their second batch of Bourbon. Batch #1 was outstanding, and sold out quickly; batch #2 is even better. I was able to taste both before they were released. I have a bottle of #1 in my collection, and am looking forward to adding a bottle of #2 when it is available.

The distillery, Troon Brewing, and Brick Farm Tavern, a farm to table restaurant, are all located on Double Brook Farm, at the foot of the Sourland Mountain Preserve. All share a common vision of being part of the community, and eating and drinking locally.

Prior to the tasting room, tours were given on Saturdays only. Tastings were conducted at the bar of the Brick Farm Tavern, located steps away on the same property. Tours are now available on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM, on the hour. They can be booked ahead at https://www.sourlandspirits.com/visit

The Distillery Store and Tasting Room is open Thursday and Friday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Tastings are available, as well as cocktails, bottle sales, and merchandise.

Community Room above the Distillery Store and Tasting Room

Upstairs from the newly constructed tasting room, with a separate entrance, is a community room. It is available free of charge to qualified non-profits (reservation required). This is another part of founder Ray Disch’s mission to be part of, and give back to, the community. It is also available to businesses or private events for a fee. The room can be booked by contacting the distillery.

If you’re looking to have an enjoyable afternoon, sip a cocktail or two, purchase some quality, small-batch local spirits, and support the community, stop by Sourland Mountain Spirits.