A large number of alcohol beverage products are made from and with flowers. Hops is the most common and obvious example. Yesterday we showed liqueurs made from elderflowers, and today we have a few spirits products made with the rose flower. Crispin’s Rose is made with macerated petals from heirloom roses, according to its front label. Pinky Vodka is another famous example, and it’s made with “violets, rose petals, and ten other botanicals.” Finally, here is Rose Petal Artisan Vodka (Vodka Infused with Rose Petals) made by Modern Spirits of Monrovia, CA. The producer says it is: “Made with only the petals of three highly aromatic rose varieties that the founders grew in their back yard, Modern Spirits Rose Petal captures the full range of this beloved flower “from sweet floral to spicy herbal.”
Elderflower Liqueurs
This week we plan to show unusual ingredients — in the form of various flowers added to various alcohol beverages. The first one that comes to mind is St. Germain Liqueur. It is made with elderflowers from the Alps. Jamie Boudreau said:
The thing that blew me away … was not only was it beautiful, but it tasted great. Not overly sweet (for a liqueur) I got subtle flavors of lychee, peach and citrus: complex and not cloying. … This is a versatile liqueur … the elderflowers are hand-picked in the Alps. They are then taken, by bicycle, to market, where they are purchased by the distillery.
The flowers come from the Sambucus nigra shrub. This flower has long been popular in tea, sodas, wine and even soup. A second elderflower liqueur is Pur Likor, made in Germany and imported by Braverman of Seattle, WA.
Ugly American Beer
Despite many problems here in the US, the beer on the left shows the First Amendment is alive and well. Does anyone else find it a remarkable testament to the country’s strength, that the executive branch would affirmatively approve a label rather bashing the sitting president? This label does not pull any punches, with a reference to Brown and the Katrina fiasco. It goes on to say “It’s Fall of 2008, so that means we’ve nearly seen the last of the Ugly American.” TTB has approved only a small number of labels referring to presidents. For those disinclined to find fault with President 43 we’d recommend the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Poteen: Irish Moonshine
Poteen has been around so long it was banned in 1661. But still, it has not been around long enough to have its own class/type. TTB has hundreds of categories (including the obscure such as diluted rum and dried brandy) but classified Knockeen Hills with “other specialties & proprietaries” rather than in its own category. Poteen is also known as Potcheen and is traditionally made in Ireland, at a high alcohol content. The name is short for the pot (“pota” in Irish) in which it is distilled. Poteen is usually made from barley or potatoes and this one is Grain Neutral Spirits with Natural Flavors, at 110 proof. The Irish Government has frowned on Poteen for many centuries (branding it as “moonshine,” as described on the back label here). But Ireland began allowing Poteen exports in 1989, domestic sale in 1997, and sought appellation status for Poteen in 2008. The back label says:
Poteen … has been brewed as Irish strong moonshine for several centuries … Butler’s Irish book published in 1660 claimed that “It enlighteneth ye heart, casts off melancholy, keeps back old age and breaketh ye wind.”
Bitch Wines
TTB is still very strict about things like an age reference on the front label of a wine (requiring how long it was aged and in what). But these labels show, about as well as anything, that TTB has eased up substantially in other areas. In the 21 years before 2001, we find not one BITCH approval. By contrast, in the 7 years since 2001, we find not less than 65 BITCH approvals. We don’t see any great need for the government to banish this term, on adult beverages, but we do wonder why it’s so prevalent. There is Sexy Bitch above, Royal Bitch, Tasty Bitch, and there are many others. Where is the wine relating to cranky men?
Wine Without Pretense
Most wines play up their fine pedigree. A few cut in the other direction and proclaim their normality. Pretense wine, bottled in Napa, does the latter with dramatic visual flair. The common paper bag looks surprisingly good and fresh here. Pas Mal Syrah is another example of this trend. It is a Santa Barbara County Syrah and “Pas Mal” is French for “not bad.” The back label unabashedly says “French critics agree, Pas Mal is not bad. ‘I would cook with this.'” Let us know of other unabashedly self-deprecating alcohol beverages.
