American Craft Spirits, Cocktails & Entertaining Ideas
We’re barely a week into 2017 and the guys at Fix.com have already beat me to one of my big content goals for Distillerista this year – creating beautiful, informative graphic guides to my favorite spirits… I was honored to contribute very, very minimally to their Ultimate Guide to Gin Infographic {below} and thought I’d share it with you! – Laura
Source: Fix.com Blog
Let’s be honest, no one ever objects to alcohol as a gift. And that’s why stuffing your loved ones’ stockings with little 50 mL bottles of spirits is a slam dunk last minute gift idea if I’ve ever heard one! Attn: procrastination-inclined late shoppers, make a quick trip to your local Bevmo or liquor store and grab a bunch of mini airplane-szed (50 mL) bottles. I like to get a mix of no-brainer choices (vodka, tequila, Bourbon, cocktail bitters) and so-bad-they’re-awesome choices. Examples of the latter category would include Jack Daniels Honey, Fireball, flavored vodkas, and coconut rum. It’s all about options 😉
In addition to being a cute and easy stocking stuffer idea, my mom actually does this for my brother and I and our significant others every Christmas. Now that I have my own stockings to fill, I secretly look forward to carrying on this sweet, simple tradition! I hope it becomes one of yours too. <3
Some of my favorite things to gift during the holidays are homemade syrups, condiments, spice blends and infused spirits. They’re inexpensive and fun to make and the thought and effort go a long way. As a Frangelico addict, this hazelnut-infused liqueur might be my favorite of all the infusions I’ve DIY’d thus far and is so, so easy to make. If you still have a few folks to cross off your Christmas list, this sweet gift is sure to please anyone who enjoys a good craft cocktail… a.k.a. almost everyone? I also love the idea of making a big batch and divvying it up into mini bottles to give away as favors after a holiday party or open house.
DIY Hazelnut Liqueur. Recipe adapted from this one here.
Ingredients:
Directions:
**Obviously Christmas is less than a week away, so feel free to gift the liqueur with the hazelnuts still infusing inside the jar or container. The recipient will be able to instantly recognize what’s inside! Include a small card with finishing directions (shake often, discard solids after XX date, add syrup and refrigerate for up to one month) along with the premade syrup and a couple squares of cheesecloth so they can strain out the nuts easily. Secure a cute bow around the jars or containers and – voila! – an easy, inexpensive DIY gift with endless applications!**
A few of my favorite ways to use Hazelnut Liqueur…
Happy gifting! What other ways would you use this hazelnut liqueur? Let me know in the comments below.
{ STUNNING photos by the lovely & talented Lindsey Marie }
{ Woody Creek Gin c/o }
Product: Woody Creek Gin
Category: Juniper-forward American gin
Distillery: Woody Creek Distillers of Basalt, CO
ABV: 47% / 94 proof
Price: $36
Tasting Notes: Unabashedly juniper-forward with fleeting notes of citrus and lemongrass. Reminiscent of a London Dry but the use of fresh orange, lemon and lime keeps it modern.
Ideal Cocktail Pairings: For London Dry lovers, this will please in just about any application. I prefer masking the overwhelming juniper just a touch by pairing with bolder flavors, such as yuzu, pomegranate or something of the like.
Similar Products: Aviation and Brooklyn are both modern American gins with a strong juniper presence and fresh citrus elements. I would, however, say that neither rival Woody Creek in terms of the level of juniper strength.
Final Thoughts: Although a slightly stronger juniper flavor profile than I prefer, I’ve enjoyed mixing it (equal parts) with Sloe Gin to lighten both the juniper notes and the alcohol content. Just add some tonic, soda or even lemonade! If you don’t have Sloe Gin, try mixing 1 oz Woody Creek Gin with a half oz of your favorite liqueur and top with soda water for a simple and low sugar cocktail. All in all, London Dry lovers will adore this and any gin lover is sure to get a kick out of it’s brash piney-ness. A worthy buy all around.
{ Try this Yuzu Gin Sour with Woody Creek Gin }
Past Spirit Reviews:
All photos by Caroline Potter.
{ Grappa Moonshine, c/o Cobble Ridge Artisan Distillery }
Introducing a new series, Distillerista Spirit Reviews! All spirits featured in this series are products I’ve personally purchased/acquired unless stated otherwise.
Product: Grappa Moonshine
Category: unaged grape-based spirit
Distillery: Cobble Ridge Artisan Distillery of Bangor, CA
ABV: 80 proof / 40% ABV
Price: $50
Tasting Notes: Fruit-forward and floral. Full-bodied. Pleasantly sweet and smooth.
Ideal Cocktail Pairings: I can’t say I have a soft spot for Grappas or Moonshines, so I’m choosing to approach this spirit as a grape-based vodka. I happen to love grape-based vodkas and this spirit would certainly fit well in any vodka cocktail application. A few of my favorites are my pineapple vodka limeades, simple but elegant vodka sodas and hibiscus greyhounds. I also specially created this Grape and Basil Smash to highlight and enhance the flavor profile of this Moonshine, so definitely check that out.
Similar Products: As I mentioned, I would most accurately compare this to a grape-based vodka such as Hangar 1 or Ciroc. You will also find several similarities among this spirit and unaged grape brandies.
Final Thoughts: A well-crafted and enjoyable spirit. It definitely opened my eyes in terms of what assumptions I make internally when I hear “Moonshine,” or “Grappa.” This product has taught me not to judge a spirit by it’s category.
Be sure to check out Cobble Ridge Artisan Distillery if you ever happen to be in the Sacramento area!
{ Basil Grape Smash feat. Cobble Ridge Grappa Moonshine }
Past Spirit Reviews:
All photos by Caroline Potter.
Blogging is weird. You write about stuff you like and hope people enjoy it. But more so, you also kind of hope people start sending you things and maybe you even hope to make a little cash money, #LBH. When the former finally happens and a brand reaches out to you, it’s kind of the coolest thing ever. Now don’t you worry, I am highly aware that Distillerista is VERY small potatoes when it comes to my little corner of the interwebs… but when I received a sample bottle of product for review from Cobble Ridge Artisan Distillery earlier this year, it felt like my little craft spirits blog was really something! And now that I’m finally sharing some Cobble Ridge content here, it felt like a good time to say thank you! Thank you for reading and thank you for being here! 
Now that my baby blogger update is complete, let’s get down to what you came for: this gorgeous grape and basil grappa smash! It’s base spirit, Cobble Ridge Grappa Moonshine, is an interesting product partly because it labels itself a moonshine. Although a trendy product category, in today’s craft spirit world, pretty much any unaged alcohol can be considered a “moonshine.” It’s worth noting though that in the early days of bootleg/bathtub distilling, “moonshine” referred to a very specific mash bill, consisting of mostly corn and other grains. Once the corn-heavy white whiskey came off the still, it was consumed immediately without seeing any oak or age whatsoever. And there you have it – moonshine was born.
This “moonshine” from Cobble Ridge however is made from grapes, making it a grappa-style spirit. Grappa is a traditionally Italian spirit, most often distilled from winemakers’ leftover grape must. The base material of spent grape skins tends to result in an extremely hot and unrefined end product, IMO but there are a few grappas on the market that manage to temper that hot grape-y bite. I would have to say Cobble Ridge is definitely one of them.
When creating a cocktail around this spirit, I knew I wanted to incorporate grapes because I knew they’d naturally play nice with the spirit. I love grape and gorgonzola salads (don’t worry, no blue cheese here) and thought of the garnish I’d pair – basil. I happened to have some basil simple syrup in the fridge and bam – the drink was done. This gorgeous drink is perfect for Halloween celebrations or a more elegant holiday dinner party. I hope you enjoy!
Ingredients:
for the basil simple syrup: combine 1/4 cup superfine sugar and 1/4 cup water over medium-low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, one minute. Add a packed cup of basil leaves and turn the heat off. Let basil steep as syrup cools to room temp, about an hour. Strain and discard basil. Store in an air-tight jar or container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Directions:
{ Photos by the lovely & talented Caroline Potter. }
I recently had the honor of contributing to Exquisite Weddings Magazine’s Fall/Winter 2016 issue – I wrote about my favorite ways to incorporate craft spirits and cocktails into your wedding celebrations. Although the finished piece only ended up including a few small blurbs (see article above), I wanted to share the entirety of the tips here. Wedding season might be coming to coming to a close but that can only mean one thing: engagement season is right around the corner! Send these tips to a bride- or groom-to-be and you’ll be one happy guest. 😉
1. Choose a cocktail with significance.
Not surprisingly, I’m a big fan of featuring signature cocktails at your wedding. They provide a little something extra, compared to just beer and wine, and are a great way to placate the liquor-loving crowd without blowing your budget on a full bar. Having said that, I feel strongly that the cocktail(s) chosen should mean something to the bride and groom. Don’t just go with the trend of the moment – I can’t tell you how many weddings I’ve been to where the same tired version of a Moscow Mule was being served, much to my judgy chagrin. If your favorite cocktail truly is a Mule then, by all means, serve them (extra points for then offering the – engraved perhaps?! – copper mugs as favors). But what I really find special is when the bride and groom feature something with a story. Perhaps the drink your fiancé made you when you had dinner at his/her place the first time or, the cocktail you shared on your first weekend away together.
2. Cocktail kits as favors.
Another cocktail-inspired idea I love is putting together or purchasing cocktail kits for your wedding favors. My Youtube crush Claire Thomas (of The Kitchy Kitchen) really set the bar with this idea. She and her now husband made their own bitters (!!!) then included little bottles of them in a mini cocktail kit, along with the rest of the ingredients to mix up an Old Fashioned (her favorite drink) for each guest to take home. Talk about a meaningful, intentional and totally useful wedding favor. If that seems like a bit more effort than you’re willing to put in for wedding favors, bid guests adieu with W&P Design’s Carry-On cocktail kits for the plane ride home!
3. Take Champagne to the next level.
One way to easily incorporate cocktails into your wedding is with a champagne toast. Champagne cocktails are easy and affordable to throw together for a crowd (just sparkling wine and your favorite liqueur or juice) while being elegant and celebratory at the same time. Or perhaps consider greeting guests after the ceremony with a simple champagne cocktail (sugar cube + dash of bitters + bubbles) instead of plain Brut.
4. Feature both light and dark spirits in contrasting applications.
If featuring more than one signature cocktail, try to choose one that calls for a clear liquor and one aged liquor to give all imbibers an option. I.e. my two favorites – a fresh gin gimlet and a Bourbon boulevardier – create a nice contrast. The gimlet is light and refreshing while the boulevardier is more direct and warming.
5. Call in the experts.
There are some fabulous cocktail-centric caterers out there these days. Work with companies like Barçon or Snake Oil to create a unique, custom cocktail (or two!) and offer hand lettered recipe cards with your names and the date of your wedding for a special touch. Guests can then think of the happy couple when they recreate the drink at home!
6. Add a little touch of home.
Craft distilleries are popping up everywhere – did you know that there’s now a craft distillery in every state? If your wedding celebration is far from home, incorporate spirits from a distillery in your hometown or state as a little nod to your provenance. Some of my favorite California distillers are St. George Spirits in Alameda, Spirit Works in Sebastopol, Green Bar Distillery in LA and Malahat Spirit Co. here in San Diego. Each has a wide range of spirits to choose from. Alternatively, offer an airplane-sized or other small format bottle (250 or 375 mL) of a local spirit as wedding favors if you’re having a destination wedding in a locale where there exist popular local craft distilleries.
Looking for more entertaining tips? I shared how to throw a craft spirits-inspired football brunch here!
Introducing a new series, Distillerista Spirit Reviews! All spirits featured in this series are products I’ve personally purchased/acquired unless stated otherwise.
Product: Dry Rye Gin
Category: Dry, juniper-forward gin
Distillery: St. George Spirits of Alameda, CA
ABV: 90 proof / 45% ABV
Price: $38
Tasting Notes: Rich, bold and slightly spicy base (from the rye) with a near perfect amount of juniper. This 100% unaged rye-based gin is reminiscent of Genever thanks to the spicy, cereal-y texture of the rye. At 45% I expected the unaged rye base to taste little hot but the geniuses at St. George have once again struck a perfect balance.
Ideal Cocktail Pairings: Anything. This gin is gorgeous and interesting enough to shine on it’s own but also hearty enough to stand up to other flavors.
Similar Products: As mentioned, it’s reminiscent of Genever while also identifying with the London Dry style due to it’s unabashed amount of juniper.
Final Thoughts: An elegant, impressive gin for those looking for something just a bit different.
Check out other past Spirit Reviews:
Introducing a new series, Distillerista Spirit Reviews! All spirits featured in this series are products I’ve personally purchased unless stated otherwise.
Product: Michigan Tart Cherry Liqueur
Category: Liqueurs
Distillery: Leopold Bros. of Denver, CO
ABV: 40 proof or 20% ABV
Tasting Notes: Jammy, sweet… good cherry pie filling comes to mind. A subtle tartness keeps it from being too cloying.
Ideal Cocktail Pairings: This would be amazing in red sangria but I ‘m also obsessed with using it in place of sweet vermouth i.e. in a Negroni, Manhattan or my Summer Cherry Boulevardier (my most popular cocktail post to date!). You could also drizzle this over ice cream or add it to aforementioned pie filling… but my personal favorite application: splashed into champagne!
Similar Products: As far as main stream liqueurs go, it probably most closely resembles Chambord (raspberry liqueur) or Crème de cassis (black current liqueur) because of it’s red fruit flavor profile and distinct jammy-ness. Heering is another classic cherry liqueur.
Final Thoughts: Amazing true fruit flavor makes this an ideal choice for when you want a berry/red fruit liqueur but don’t want to default to those pricey, mainstream brands. Leopold Bros. products have great placement in Bevmo and other liquor stores so you should be able to find them pretty easily. (Find a bottle near you here.) I simply love that Leopold Bros. uses all natural cherries from Michigan in each batch. The flavor and texture of this liqueur is second to none.
Introducing a new series, Distillerista Spirit Reviews! All spirits featured in this series are products I’ve personally purchased unless stated otherwise.
Product: KROBĀR Gin a.k.a. “Botanical Brandy,” as you see in the photo above, a descriptive name used to circumvent pesky California distilling license regulations.
Category: American Gin, but I find it leans a touch toward London Dry in terms of style
Distillery: KROBĀR Distillery of Paso Robles, CA
ABV: 87 Proof or 43.5%
Tasting Notes: Lots of warm spice – anise, cardamom, coriander – and well balanced juniper.
Ideal Cocktail Pairings: Any cocktail where you’d use a textbook London Dry. This gin has no shortage of big dried spice and botanical flavor. If full bodied, spicy London Drys are your thing, you’ll love it in a Martini.
Similar Products: Not much comes to mind, but it reminds me slightly of Portland, OR’s Aria Gin.
Final Thoughts: I find the anise and other spice notes a bit overwhelming. It’s worth noting however that I’m typically a fan of more citrus forward gins rather than big, dusty London Drys. If you love London Dry styles though, this gin would definitely be worth a try. Speaking of my tendency to reach for citrus forward gins, I recently infused the last bits of this KROBĀR gin with Meyer Lemon peels and end result was phenomenal. (Combine the peel of 3 Meyer lemons with roughly 25 oz gin and let sit for 5 days at room temp, giving a good shake daily.)
Whether or love gin or hate it, if you find yourself in Paso Robles you must stop by the KROBĀR distillery. Owners Stephen and Joe are lovely hosts and super knowledgeable wine business vets. They also have a Rye whiskey and a barrel aged version of this gin (which I LOVED) to try!
3 min read: A local news article highlighting the burgeoning craft distilling scene in Paso Robles + be sure to check out previous reviews of Leopold Bros. Aperitivo and Liberty Call White Rum.
Sign up for the Distillerista Newsletter and receive a free e-book with classic cocktail recipes!
