Tastebud Magazine – 7.7.11
Liquid Language
New Behind the Bar
Jason introduces us to some tasty new spirits.
Walk into any quality liquor or specialty store and it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. New brands and products are being added to shelves monthly. Some are worth trying, but many are just backed by cool marketing schemes. If you aren’t making drinks daily, it’s really difficult to keep up with the endless options.
These three spirits, all new and unique to our neck of the woods, will add diversity to your summer sips and heat to your fall elixirs.
Rum is making a strong comeback with the rebirth of Tiki drinks and favorites like the Long Island Iced Tea and Piña Colada appearing on summer cocktail menus. If you like rum, RumChata is rum on flavor steroids. It has become my guilty go-to this summer (thanks for the introduction, Christopher Elbow). RumChata is made from scratch using real ingredients – rice, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. This is one of the few spirits that can be consumed straight without flinching.
Hamburger Mary’s on Southwest Boulevard created a whole drink menu using RumChata. Most of the major retail stores and smaller fine wine & spirits shops are carrying it. Red X, Royal Liquor, Lukas Liquor, Gomer’s and Olive-or-Twist are reliable sources for a bottle.
Philadelphia pharmacist Charles Hires introduced root tea, later called root beer, to the masses in 1876. Over the last hundred years root beer has had its popularity peak in ice cream floats and as a pop culture icon. It was a summer time regular for me during childhood and is finding a place back into my heart with the liqueur version called ROOT. Ironically, it is produced by a company, Art In The Age, which hails from the birthplace of root beer.
Minus the sassafras root, banned by the FDA in 1960, ROOT is a boozy match to the herby, traditional root beer. This product is certified organic and mixes well as a drink over ice. Cellar Rat owner Ryan Sciara became an instant fan, “I love root beer and (I) love a good amaro. ROOT is like having both at the same time. This is one of the most interesting and unique liqueurs I have had in a long, long time.”
Most of us from this part of the country probably have a direct link to a producer of moonshine somewhere in our family tree. I bet it wasn’t made with the smooth and palatable approach of Samogon. Actually more along the lines of a grappa, Samogon has a strong Kansas City connection even though it’s distilled in Russia. Local beverage expert Doug Frost fell for Samogon so much so that he helped it get its start here in Kansas City before any other city in the country. Several bars have been playing around with it, including The Rieger Hotel and Manifesto (downstairs of The Rieger). Bartenders Arturo Vera-Felicie and Valdez Campos created the “From Russia with Love” cocktail using Samogon and won a prestigious Chairman’s Trophy award at the Paul Pacult’s Ultimate Cocktail Challenge.
Frost states, “It requires that mixologists (bartenders) flex their creative muscles, and they get to reconsider their notions about some of the classics. For most people, it’s as simple as inserting Samogon where they would have used vodka before, but some bartenders are giving it the lead role in drinks.”
Samogon is available only in Missouri and Illinois, but locally can be purchased at least at Red X, Lukas Liquor, Gomer’s, Cellar Rat and HyVee on State Line.
Don’t let fancy packaging or a sexy model sell you on a sugary, low-quality libation. Snag a few bottles of these recommendations, and then invite the model over for a cocktail, or three.
Recipes – SIDEBAR
The Russian Reviver
¾ oz. Samogon
¾ oz. St. Germain
¾ oz. Cointreau
¾ oz. lemon juice
2 drops Pernod Absinthe
Shake hard and strain into a cocktail glass.
Created by Ryan Maybee – The Rieger Hotel
Russian Lullaby
1 ½ oz. Samogon
½ oz. Averna
½ oz. Kahlua
1 oz. half and half
Build over ice in a double rocks glass.
Created by Ryan Maybee – The Rieger Hotel
Appalachian Flip
2 oz. ROOT
1/2 oz. rich demerara syrup (just like simple syrup)
1 whole egg
Pale Ale
Dry shake (without ice) ROOT, demerara syrup, and egg. Then shake again with ice, and double strain. Pour into fizz glass and top with pale ale. *Note: it doesn’t take much beer. Courtesy of ROOT and created by The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. (Philadelphia)
ROOT & Ginger
1 oz. ROOT
2 oz. ginger beer
Ginger slice (optional garnish)
Pour ginger beer over ROOT and ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh ginger.
Courtesy of ROOT
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