Alcademics

Category: liqueur

  • So, So Many Orange Liqueurs

    Orangeliqueurdrink

    (Craig Lee / Special to The Chronicle)

    My latest story from this Sunday's San Francisco Chronicle is now online.

    Quest for best orange liqueur comes full circle

     Camper English, Special to The Chronicle
     Friday, July 9, 2010

    When a critic complained that the orange liqueur in the margarita at Tacolicious had an "off flavor," owner Joe Hargrave decided to do something about it. The margarita is the Marina district restaurant's top-selling cocktail.

    "After I was finished being (ticked) off, I decided we should see if this has merit," he said. Hargrave arranged a blind tasting of margaritas with different orange liqueurs to find the best replacement for the bargain-priced Bols triple sec he was using.

    With a flood of new orange liqueurs on the market, picking a reasonable number for the tasting was no easy task.

    My story about all the new orange liqueurs on the market– and the thrilling result of the orange liqueur taste test at Tacolicious- can be found by following the link.

    There's also a recipe for a drink (see picture above) from Kevin Diedrich of the Burritt Room. 

    For more information on the history and differences between triple sec and curacao, this discussion has some good information. And for the biggest orange liqueur comparison on the internet, see Jay Hepburn's blog posts.

  • Coffee liqueurs make a splash in cocktails

    Here's my new story in the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday, June 30.

    Coffee liqueurs make a splash in cocktails

    by Camper English

    The craze for organic, shade-grown, micro-roasted slow-drip coffee has percolated into the cocktail world. Bartenders are improving classic coffee drinks, finding ways to harness the beans' bitter, aromatic qualities rather than just the caffeine kick.

    Most cold coffee cocktails served in the past 20 or so years have been variations of the vodka espresso (better known as the espresso martini) credited to British bartender Dick Bradsell and made with vodka, espresso and Kahlua and Tia Maria coffee liqueurs. Nopa bar manager Neyah White updated this drink about three years ago, creating the Blue Bottle martini with Blue Bottle espresso, vodka and Araku coffee liqueur. It was, and is, "a ridiculously big seller," White says.

    Coffee liqueur got a good bit more serious with the April release of Firelit Spirits Coffee Liqueur, made with coffee from Oakland's Blue Bottle coffee roasters and brandy from distiller Dave Smith of St. George Spirits in Alameda.

    Continue reading the story here. 

    Coffee liqueurs by Camper English in the San Francisco Chronicle

    Mike Kepka / The Chronicle

    Reza Esmaili at Smuggler's Cove makes a Rear Admiral's Swizzle with Firelit coffee liqueur.

     

  • Chartreuse Goes Through The Roof

    First, they came for our bitters. Then they outlawed our egg whites and our infusions. What more could go wrong for bartenders this year?

    I'll tell you what: Chartreuse now costs $11 more per bottle. 

    Chartreuse_Verte

    The wonderfully complex liqueur made by monks has been a favorite of bartenders who mix it into cocktails like the Chartreuse Swizzle and Laphroaig Project  at work and consume chilled shots of the stuff when not on the clock. Now those fancy cocktails are going to cost a little bit more.

    I spoke with Antoinnette Cattani of Cattani Imports, the Chartreuse broker for the California market. She said that the unannounced increase is national and will affect prices both at retail outlets and in bars. The VEP (high-end versions) are also increasing. The VEP Green will now cost $119 and the VEP Yellow $118, says Cattani. 

    But here's the good news: It doesn't look like all retailers have figured this out. While Beverages & More is now selling the Green Chartreuse for $62.99, a Google Shopping search revealed several online retailers still offering 750ml bottles of it for $40-$45.

    So if your bottles are running a little low or you just want to stock up, it might be time to do some online shopping. 

    *Breaking News Feb 23 1:51PM – It appears prices are being readjusted again. Still an increase, but perhaps a few dollars less than it was. I have also learned that because of retail mark-ups, the cost increase on retail bottles is likely to be even higher than it is to bars. Either way if you can still get it for cheap it's best to do it now.

    *Update Feb 23 3:44PM – I've learned that the price increase has been reduced from the approximately $11 increase per bottle on Green Chartreuse to about $7 as of today. Retail increases will likely be a little more. Look for the sky-high prices to drop a bit soon.

  • The Ultimate Test of your Liquor Cabinet

    Not only is the Laphroaig Project delicious and surprisingly tropical for its ingredients, it's a test of your liquor
    cabinet. If you have all of these ingredients at home you are a huuuuge cocktail geek.

    The Laphroaig Project was created by Owen Westman at Bourbon & Branch and it's
    also available at Rickhouse, both in San Francisco. It contains:

    • Green
      Chartreuse
    • Yellow Chartreuse
    • Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Whisky
    • Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
    • Peach bitters
    • Lemon juice

    What? Yes. The recipe is here.

    And if you can make it without shopping, I think you are cool.