fsmomaha.com
will ruin the subtle balance of flavors you probably just paid good
money for. I’ll also pass on food pairings for this round. If you
choose the right Scotch, its range of flavors will keep your palette
occupied for as long as there’s liquid in your glass.
Next we’ll try an infusion or two. An infusion is simply any kind
of liquor combined with some sort of organic matter, so the booze
takes on some of the flavors of whatever material is chosen. Many
bars are using infusions to put their own spin on familiar cocktails.
It’s also easy to do at home. Get a jar, some booze, and get creative.
Infusi ng is an easy way to make cocktails taste even more
seasonal. Try adding your favorite variety of tea to a jar of easy
breezy Old Overholt rye whiskey, or cinnamon sticks and apples in
a nice, sticky bourbon like a Knob Creek or Maker’s Mark. How
about a movie night with buttered popcorn-infused dark rum?
Whatever you choose, you don’t need to use the whole bottle right
away. Make several smaller test batches in mason jars to find out
what works before you go dumping a whole bottle on a whim.
Some materials will impart their flavors quicker than others.
Tea and coffee, like their non-boozy counterparts only take a few
minutes to adequately impart their flavors on liquor, while tougher,
less porous material like ginger, cinnamon, or spices may take a
couple days. Consult your handy guide, the Internet for specific
guidance and other wacky ideas. Food pairings here will obviously
depend on what combination of flavors you’ve chosen.
As much as I love to bunker down with a blanket and a book on a
cold day, we can’t sit around brooding the whole time. As delicious
and seasonally appropriate as this all has been, let’s brighten things
up with a lively, tart and boozy classic cocktail. One of my favorites
“In addition to the warming
is the Corpse Reviver #2.
sensation the alcohol in stout
If you are feeling low, this lively combination of flavors is sure
to lift your spirits. It is equal parts gin, Lillet Blanc (fortified white
provides, many are brewed with
wine), Cointreau (orange liqueur), and lemon juice shaken with ice
comforting ingredients like cocoa,
and strained into an absinthe-rinsed glass. The absinthe in the glass
imparts a nice, warm aroma almost like suntan lotion and the color
coffee, milk and oatmeal.”
is a cool smoky yellow. This boozy combination of citrus and gin
I prefer quite a bit of heft in a stout, and if it’s really chilly, bring botanicals is tart and enlivening. Actual corpse reviving properties
on those high ABV’s. Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout is my
are pending FDA-approval, but I guarantee this little drink to create
first choice for this style. At 9% ABV, it is nearly pitch dark in
a healthy, restorative buzz and break the monotony of the cold
color. The feel is thick and rich with a slight coffee bitterness. This is weather classics.
a top ten beer for me whether poured out of a bottle or from a silky
As with all adult beverages, the corpse reviver will have the
smooth nitrogen tap. Other worthy brews for me include Great
opposite of its intended effect if too many are ingested. Be smart
Divide’s Yeti series, Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat oatmeal cream stout, and when you drink. Be nice to each other. Tip your bartenders and
Brau Brothers’ Moo Joos milk stout.
make sure you have a safe ride home.
For me, stout is not really a dessert beer, but takes up too much
room to go with a full meal. It goes well with sweet, simple, bread“A digestif like an amaro is just
based foods. Dip a hunk of pretzel bread in Nutella or whip up a
peanut butter and banana sandwich.
the thing to end a cold day
Now we’ll continue our journey into big, warming flavors with
on a warm, natural note.”
some single malt Scotch. While this is definitely the time for
the smokiest of the smoke bombs (Ardbeg, Laphroaig), I tend
towards something a bit more balanced. The Talisker 10 and the
With that said, we’ve passed doing just five cold weather drinks,
Bunnhahaibhan 12 are two reasonably priced single malts that tick
but numbers now seem less relevant. Before I go, I’m going to have
all the boxes necessary for a great Scotch experience.
one more to settle the tummy. A digestif like an amaro is just the
Talisker is one of the six “Classic Malts,” from the Isle of Skye. It thing to end this cold day on a warm, natural note. An amaro is an
is abundantly smoky on the nose, but less assaulting on the palate.
Italian liqueur traditionally drunk straight as an after dinner drink.
There’s lots of pepper, rock, and a big, salty sea breeze. Sipped
Unlike most spirits on the shelf, it is based in bitter herbs and roots,
neat, a dram of this really situates the senses in a whole new place.
giving it an earthy sweet taste that is also said to aid in digestion.
Bunnahabhain 12-year is not a typical Islay malt. In other words, it It is also lower in alcohol content than most base spirits, usually
doesn’t smell like a hospital/medicine cabinet. This one is actually
from 15-40%. Averna, Fernet-Branca, and Bitter Truth EXR are all
less smoky than the Talisker. It also tastes like the sea, but is lighter
delicious varieties.
bodied with flavors of sherry, dark fruits, and some light peat
So cheers! To Erik, for five years of putting Omaha’s food and
smoke.
drink evolution in print, and to you, reader, hoping these drink
Both of these should be served neat. A drop or two of water
suggestions help bring you some small warmth this winter.
may open a few flavors up in the Talisker especially, but any more
37