#Are there root beer brands out there which taste a bit more natural? i guess maybe not widely distributed in the uk

[sixohsixoheightfourtwo]

Oh man I should have done tasting notes!! instead of talking about a very specific shop in london. The weird thing about it for me was that it was mostly JUST that initial blast of that v distinctive aroma that was putting me off (and the memory of not liking it when I tried it before... probably 10-15 years ago). but once I actually drank it the flavour seemed pretty mild actually. Part of it is probably just being more of an adult, having tasted / enjoying more herbal & bitter & minty flavours. eg. herbal liqueurs, amari, fernet, chartreuse etc. with root beer I feel like I need to taste / smell sassafras and wintergreen in isolation to really GET it tho.

A continuation on my post about unloved foods, specifically this is my in-depth defense of root beer.

Root Beer isn't inherently gross, it's just one of those weird local flavors that's off-putting to people who didn't grow up with it. We all like different things and also we all tend to like flavors that are similar to what we grew up with. That's okay! But honestly root beer is pretty unique and, in my opinion, delicious.

One of the main complaints against root beer is that it tastes like medicine. Funnily enough, it was originally marketed as medicinal! This is true for most OG sodas actually. Pretty much as soon as carbonated water was invented, people were drinking it to soothe various ailments. A lot of the original soft drinks were actually invented by pharmacists. I just think that root beer is especially cool because the main flavor came from the root bark of sassafras, a common North American shrub. Because it's so widespread and aromatic, all parts of the sassafras plant have been used in food and medicine by many different Native American tribes throughout history and was subsequently picked up and used by European colonists. In the 1960s, some studies indicated that that safrole oil, which is produced by the plant, can cause liver damage. Whether or not this would actually remain true after it had been boiled and added to root beer is unclear, but it was really easy to replicate the flavor, so the sassafras in commercial root beer these days is artificial. Another fun fact about safrole is that it's a precursor in the synthesis of MDMA. None of this information has stopped my childhood habit of eating sassfras leaves right off the shrub whenever I walk past it on a hike. I'm like 85% sure it's safe and also mmmm yummy leafs go crunch.

Another root beer complaint is that it tastes like toothpaste. I think this is probably because another key flavor in most root beer recipes is wintergreen. I'm assuming that the people who think this are the same people who think mint chocolate chip ice cream tastes like toothpaste. I can understand and even respect that some people don't like mint and associate it only with brushing their teeth, but like. Mint is a pretty common flavor. I mean I think it's safe to say that humans have been eating mint flavored stuff for longer than toothpaste has existed... anyway!

Other common flavors in root beer (real or artificial) are caramel, vanilla, black cherry bark, sarsaparilla root, ginger, and many more! There's not one official recipe, and root beer enthusiasts often have strong opinions about different brands. Some root beer is sharper, with more strong aromatic flavors, and others are mild and creamier.

Another thing I think is cool about root beer is that it's foamier than most sodas. This was originally because sassafras is a natural surfactant (and why sassafras is also a common thickening agent in Louisiana Creole cooking.) These days, other plant starches or similar ingredients are added to keep the distinctive foam. Root beer foam > all other soft drink foams. That's why root beer floats kick more ass than like, coke floats.

If you've never had root beer before, imagine if a sweetened herbal tea was turned into a soda, because that's basically what it is. If your first response to that is a cringe, fair enough. That's why lots of people don't like it. If your first response to that is "interesting... I might actually like it, though" then I encourage you to track down a can of root beer today, hard as that might be outside the US and Canada. Next time you see an "ew, root beer tastes like medicine/tooth paste" take, know that there's a reason for that, but also the same could be said for literally any herbal or minty food/drink.

My final take on root beer is that it would be the soda of choice for gnomes. Thank you and good night.

[seniorbrief]

We Settled the Cola Debate: Find Out Which Brand Tastes Best

Food Fun & News

Lisa KaminskiJul 16

Coke vs. Pepsi is one of the most heated debates in foodie history. We tried these brands, plus six others, in a cola taste test to put this argument to bed.

The Coke vs. Pepsi Debate

Taste of Home

Growing up, there was always a major debate in my house: Coke vs. Pepsi. My sisters and I were Team Coca-Cola while my mom was very much Team Pepsi; my dad, on the other hand, was very frugal and was Team Generic, or whatever was on sale—he’d love these 12 thrifty ways to use soda around the house! I’m sure that this scenario sounds pretty familiar.

Since we had our biases, we never managed to settle the Coke vs. Pepsi debate at home. We’d all reach for our favorites in the fridge and claim that the other options were far inferior. But I realized, we never did a test to confirm whose preferred brand was better—we just assumed our favorite was best. But maybe if presented with Coke, Pepsi and Dad’s pick of the generics, I wouldn’t automatically gravitate toward my favorite. But there was only one way to know: to give all of these brands (plus a few new ones) a try today.

As fun as it would be to grab my parents and sisters to give all these colas a try, I decided to recruit a panel of Taste of Home testers instead. I think they’d be a bit less biased than my polarized fam! For this blind test, we gave eight cola brands a try:

Blue Sky Cola

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola, Mexican-style (there is a difference!)

Faygo Cola

Fentimans Curiosity Cola

Pepsi

RC Cola

Sam’s Cola (from Walmart)

Let’s see how all these colas stacked up and settle the debate (hopefully) for good!

Honorable Mention (Small Brand): Blue Sky

Taste of Home

Score: 7/10

Natural brand Blue Sky definitely deserves a mention in this test. It was the only high ranking cola we tested that’s sweetened with real cane sugar (not corn syrup). Plus, this beverage is made with just five ingredients. Of course, it’s still a soft drink so it’s not healthy, but it seems like the slightly better option if you’re more concerned about what goes into your more indulgent treats.

Flavor-wise, this cola was unique. Testers definitely got that traditional caramel-cola taste, but with a hint of vanilla (psst… learn how to make our CokeCola Cake). In fact, a few testers said it tasted like a cola-root beer hybrid. Sounds good to me!

Honorable Mention (Major Brand): Pepsi

Taste of Home

Score: 7.5/10

As one of the big players in the cola game, I imagined Pepsi would place somewhere in the top. Pepsi got good marks when it came to fizz (our lower ranking colas got poor marks for tasting flat, even straight out of the bottle or can). However, Pepsi missed the top honors in the test because it didn’t pack the same level of flavor as other brands and some testers said it had a hint of diet soda taste. We just wanted more out of this one!

Runner-Up: Sam’s Choice

Taste of Home

Score: 8.8/10

Just shy of the top honor was Sam’s Choice, a Walmart brand. My dad would be pretty happy to know generics are nearly as good as big names (and it’s true—generics got exceptionally high scores in our cookie dough test, our ice cream sandwich taste test and our chicken tender test).

Sam’s Choice got high marks for its refreshing quality and fizziness. A few testers even hazard guesses on their score sheets asking if this was indeed Coke. I can attest that this generic cola definitely had some Coca-Cola-like qualities, but in the end wasn’t quite as flavorful as the real thing.

Original Source -> We Settled the Cola Debate: Find Out Which Brand Tastes Best

source https://www.seniorbrief.com/we-settled-the-cola-debate-find-out-which-brand-tastes-best/

[boozedancing]

AK: Hello, Professor. It’s been a long time.

G-LO: Indeed it has, Doctor!

AK: Went out for burgers with the 17 year old daughter last night. Had a pretty boring soft drink to go with. I hate boring soft drinks.

G-LO: Define boring. 7-up? Seltzer? Grape Ne-HI? Orange Fanta?

AK: Root beer from a machine. Let’s say it was A&W. Doesn’t really matter. I have no idea what it was. Could have been Barq’s for all I know.

G-LO: I kinda like A&W, though it’s certainly not a craft root beer. Absolution makes a fine root beer! And on nitro! Soooooo pretty!

AK: Very! I like the craft root beers. Reason enough for me to visit a brewery! It’s an old art in this here country. Big in your part of the country.

G-LO: True! I believe Hire’s was the first commercially available root beer. Brewed for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. That sounds about right! Right?

AK: You’re asking me? I barely know the five presidents on Mount Rushmore.

G-LO: Five? Presidents? I was thinking Larry, Moe, Curly, Curly Joe, and Shemp.

AK: Dr. Howard? Dr. Fein? Dr. Howard?

G-LO: YES! Dig this, Methuselah! Larry Fine (aka Louis Feinberg) was born in Philadelphia. Guess where he died?

AK: Niagara Falls?

G-LO: Nope. Slowly he turned when he reached Niagara Falls. Step by step. Inch by inch. Guess again, Bluebeard!

AK: Anaheim, Azusa, or Rancho Cucamonga?

G-LO: You’re getting very, very warm, Doc. You’re in the vicinity. I’ll just tell you before everyone gets bored and clicks through to another website. He died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.

AK: Woodland Hills! The Valley! Home of malls and porn. Larry is in heaven.

G-LO: There are worse places to die.

AK: True enough as we’ve proven with these ramblings. Wonder how the root beer is in heaven?

G-LO: Perfect pours. Rich. Creamy. Refreshing! And you can have it as a float with the BEST vanilla ice cream ever.

AK: Mmmmm… Mama, I’m coming home!

G-LO: You sound like you’re one of them there root beer aficionados.

AK: I do like trying new ones when they come to the shelves or at shady beef jerky stops on the highways and byways of this great country. Every try any of these “hard” root beers?

G-LO: I have, indeed!

AK: Tell me more… Tell me more…. Did you get very far?

G-LO: Take it easy, Rizzo! I don’t kiss and tell. Ok, so maybe I do. I may or may not have reviewed it. Personally, I like my root beer soft. That being said, the one I tried was pretty good and VERY easy drinking. In other words, it goes down like candy and will get you pretty shnockered if you have too much of it.

AK: Yowza! I hear we have a new root beer concoction in our midst.

G-LO: I’m not up on the latest news. Tell me more, Mr. Cronkite!

AK: Well, we have in front of us something called Root Out. These folks at Root Out think they are onto something. Root Beer flavored… Wait for it… Whisky!

G-LO: Boozy Root Beer?! Brilliant!

AK: That’s what they say too!

G-LO: What’s not to love?

AK: Sounds like it’s sort of like that chocolate-peanut butter thing.

G-LO: I love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! Mashups are so fun.

AK: Those brainiacs at Reese’s did pretty well for themselves.

G-LO: Yep! They got me hooked.

AK: We should see if this boozy mashup will do the same.

G-LO: Have you any details about this intriguing elixir, Dr. Octopus? Did they make whisky out of the stuff they make root beer out of? Did they take whisky and add Art in the Age Root to the barrel?

AK: Info I got. Money, not so much. It’s Canadian Whisky from an unknown source and natural root beer flavor is added to it. I’m not sure what natural root beer flavor is. Is there a root beer flower grown in Kansas? Rootus Beeris Sepia?

G-LO: I don’t know, but I do know that we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore, Toto!

AK: Nope. That dog won’t hunt no more. Four year old Canadian Whisky. 70 proof. Hmmm. Thought Canadian whisky has to be 80 proof.

G-LO: I’m guessing they watered it down some. Actually, I thought all whisky had to be at least 80 proof.

AK: Odd indeed. Playing a little fast and loose with the definition? Should we take a whiff? Sure looks like whisky.

G-LO: Let’s do the Jimmy Durante and get our first-class shnozzes into the glass! Ahhhhhh-cha-cha…. It sure does look like whisky.

AK: Definitely get sassafras which is possibly the giggliest word in the English language.  They do add vanilla and sassafras to this, by the way.

G-LO: Did ya check out the gams on this dram? Totally getting that root beer vibe on the nose!

AK: Yep! Legs as long as the road from Saskatoon to Winnipeg.  No rest stops on the way so hit the potty before you leave.

G-LO: Sassafras. Vanilla.

AK: A cough drop but I can’t remember the brand. Remember those root beer barrel candies? I’m getting that.

G-LO: Yep! Like the kind in the Cracker Barrel Gift Shoppe! My boys love Root Beer and Root Beer Barrel Candy!

AK: I’m guessing you should keep the kids away from this stuff. I had a root beer flavored cough drop one time. Tasted horrible. But the smell was like this. Maybe burnt butterscotch?

G-LO: There’s a good bit of sweetness on the nose. Like powdered sugar.

AK: I need to make butterscotch pudding. Mental note!

G-LO: Love butterscotch pudding! And regarding the legs on this here hooch, I’m thinking Charlize Theron.

AK: She’s from South Africa. Which is Canada without the hockey. I have no idea what that means. Lots of sweetness. Kinda scared to taste it. The Root Out, not Charlize. Wait… Forget I said that! I’m sipping the Root Out but my head could explode!  My pancreas better stay in tact.

G-LO: Speaking of tact, you have none. I think you mean intact. I’m sure your pancreas will be fine. You’re a tough customer. I’m goin in! Chewing…

AK: Lots to chew. Really syrupy. Might be good on pancakes.

G-LO: Syrupy indeed! Kinda sweet yet bitey. That root beery spice tingles a wee bit. Very gently I might add.

AK: There is a bite! It’s kinda mediciney. Like cough syrup. Little salty too which is pretty weird. My sodium level does need some upping. Mediciney. Not Talisker or Laphroaig mediciney. CVS/Walgreens mediciney. The generic brand.

G-LO: Exactly! Robitussin mediciney. With a little bitterness in the aftertaste. Not awful by any stretch, just a little odd. Starts off sweet and kinda yummy, but then the whisky kicks in and finishes a little mediciney. Not getting the salt.

AK: Definitely has that Robitussin coating.

G-LO: Flavored whisky is definitely a thing, though usually not for me. At least not straight up. What do we think of it on its own?

AK: Not sure. I like the concept better than the product. I love root beer but the whole flavored whisky thing hasn’t taken me by storm.

G-LO: I feel the same way. I’ve had a couple legit good ones, but most are pretty meh.  Crown Royal Vanilla is quite good. Especially with a slice of Wegman’s Ultimate Cheesecake!

This combo is a #nobrainer! #wegmans #cheesecake #crownroyalvanilla #whisky #dessert #foodporn #nomnom #wedgewood #india #whiskey #liqueur #glotography

A post shared by Papa G-LO (@boozedancing) on Jan 9, 2017 at 5:47pm PST

AK: If you’re going to go the flavored route, I hope it’s with natural flavors, Mr. Dessert.

G-LO: I can see this being good on the rocks. The chill might take away that bitter aftertaste thing. Lemme get an ice cube!

AK: Great idea!  The pharmacist always says “keep the stuff in the fridge; it will taste better”.

G-LO: I’m full of ideas. Few are great. Many are illegal.

AK: Legal is a fine line waiting to be crossed.

G-LO: What the pharmacy really wants to say is keep a glass of whisky handy. It will taste better. But drugs and alcohol generally don’t mix. Though alcohol is TECHNICALLY a drug, soooooo….

AK: Bizarre about those Charlize legs on this thing! Ice cube has entered the Root Out zone here. Not Ice Cube. He’s unavailable.

G-LO: I was crazy about Charlize in general, but then Sean Penn happened. He ruins everything. Ice helps with the aftertaste by the way.

AK: OMG! I’m watching the ice cube diffuse, melt, transform in the Whisky! It’s bizarre!! Never seen that before.

G-LO: Is it like watching paint dry?

AK: Way better. It’s crazy! The Satellite Engineer is fascinated!

G-LO: That’s saying something! Lord knows, what she finds fascinating about you.

AK: The universe is full of mystery. The cube is actually moving on the surface. The Engineer says it has something to do with density. I know of dense rather well.

G-LO: Indeed. As do I. We’re simpatico. I love that word.

AK: It’s so simple. You can see the oils gathering on the surface. I assume those are oils. I hope those are oils!

G-LO: Video! We need video!

AK: I’m trying!

G-LO: There is no try.

AK: Only do-do! Here’s your video, Pal…

G-LO: Hey now! No do-do here here. Use the facility for that! Liking this much better chilled. Kinda soothing like an Amaro.  Would probably make a nice highball with club soda. Highball = Whisky Spritzer!  Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

AK: Charlize Theron should be our personal bartender?

G-LO: Yes! Wait… YES! No. I got desserts on the brain. I have a chemical imbalance.

AK: First step is admitting it. What’s your idea, Professor?

G-LO: We do loves us some ice cream.

AK: Sahara, Gobi, Ice Cream. And?

G-LO: And we’re positively smitten with ice cream and booze combinations!

AK: We are!

G-LO: Head over heels smitten. Triple Lindy Smitten!

AK: That’s pretty smitten! Go on…

G-LO: Abso-forkin-lutely! So what I was thinking was Haagen Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Root Out.

AK: I LOVE dessert science!

G-LO: Thanks! Long and tan and dark and lovely…..

AK: Get Charlize off the brain! Here‘s my two bit idea. Two of them actually. Bump up the booze on the Root Out with more Canadian Whisky. And separately, add root beer soda to some Canadian whisky. I just pulled out some Forty Creek Barrel Select for said experiments. Lab coat is at the cleaners so I’m going with the worn out t-shirt from the ‘90’s. John Hall at Forty Creek would kill me if he knew about this mad science.

G-LO: Bah! He got his buyout. You bought a bottle. All he cares about.  You’re a friggin’ witch doctor! We love that about you.

AK: Dr.Bombay! Dr.Bombay!

G-LO: Limpd is here!

AK: Always late! But always welcome. Not exactly the witch doctor I was thinking of, but he’ll do.

G-LO: That’s how he rolls! Or limps in his case. Shrunken heads and a flask. An old fashioned witch doctor who makes  house calls.

AK: I’d love to hear his thoughts on the Root Out.

Limpd: Very medicinal. Brings me back to my childhood. And the croop!

AK: *Cough* *Cough* Not the consumption, wee lad?

Limpd: Dad’s Root Beer going in. Formula 44D (watch it!) on the back end.

AK: Whoa! Formula 44D!

G-LO: Can I get a 44 Double D?

AK: Formula 44D is high octane. Illegal in some states, pending in others. Rocket fuel in Kazakhstan.

G-LO: Can your sciencey wife confirm that last bit? FYI, Root Out is killer in Vanilla Ice cream!

AK: She says “No comment.” Root Out fortified with Forty Creek is yummy. Lots of vanilla and the medicine notes go away. The sherry influence helps a lot.

G-LO: Excellent! We’re the Beaker and Bunsen Honeydew of Booze!

AK: But MUCH better looking! This combo would be good on ice cream too. Hints of root beer instead of wallops of it.

G-LO: Thanks. You’re cute too, Doc!

AK: The root beer and sherry is interesting. Almost gets a little bitter. Or oaky.

G-LO: Bitter Root!

AK: Yes! Time for Experimente Numero Dos: Forty Creek with a bit of Henry Weinhard’s Root Beer. Wow! Carmel and vanilla sweetness, still rich Forty Creek.

G-LO: Sounds delicious!

AK: What was that Forty Creek sample you gave me long ago? I tried it on pancakes.

G-LO: Hmmm. Confederation Oak? The one from Whisky Lassie?

AK: I think so. I kind of recall this flavor. So yummy for breakfast!

G-LO: That was a few years back.

AK: What? Your memory isn’t perfect?

G-LO: Hi! My name is Dory. What’s yours?

AK: 42 Wallaby Way. I really love Henry’s even with it’s artificial flavors. Never experimented with it aside from seeing how many bottles I could drink in a setting.

G-LO: Sydney! Limpd wants to know if you speak whale.

AK: Only Welsh after a few Pendryns.

G-LO: Ha! You’re like Tom Jones! It’s not unusual, but you sure are!

AK: Pussycat, pussycat…

G-LO: Meow meow meow.

AK: Tell me about that ice cream experiment.

G-LO: It was delicious! Though I may have watered it down a bit too much. Got really subtle hints of root beer. Really nice.

AK: Curious how the ice cream reacted with Root Out but I bet you ate right through that science project.

G-LO: Indeed I did! I may have licked the bowl too.

AK: Licking up science like Einstein.

G-LO: He had awesome hair. I hear he was smart too.

AK: Made a fortune in physics. Liked root beer too.

G-LO: And lived 40 minutes away from me!

AK: And did you ever invite him over for a soda pop or whisky? Noooooo. What kind of neighbor are you?

G-LO: He was an Ivy Leaguer. You know how they roll. Plus, I’m not of the Tribe. And Limpd has never been a Cleveland Indians fan. Whatever that means.

AK: You both are members of the Hekawi Tribe.

G-LO: Watch your back, Corporal Agarn!

AK: I’ve got three Glencairns full of nothing great. Should we wrap this up and do some real drinking?

G-LO: Indeed we should! Final thoughts?

AK: Root Out is an interesting add to the growing flavored whisky market. Maybe good for cocktails. But the syrupy medicine texture was a bit much for me. But fun to experiment with.

Limpd: I vote for using it as a rinse for cocktails. But I’m not as creative as you two dorks.

G-LO: I thought it was ok on its own. Better with ice. Even better with vanilla ice cream!

AK: Interesting idea. I could see that. Definitely a good bump for desserts. I could see it added into a reduction for a topping to something.

G-LO: Pancakes! Maybe a BBQ sauce? Victory Brewing makes short ribs with a Root Beer based BBQ sauce.

AK: Sounds yummy! Has to be added to something that doesn’t already have a high sugar content.

G-LO: Totally!

AK: I could see it used in a bbq as a browning agent. Baste a brisket with it.

G-LO: You mean that brisket you didn’t save for me when I flew out last time? Bastard.

AK: Same one

G-LO: I say again. Bastard.

AK: That’s me!

G-LO: Have we moved on to the Celebrity Roast portion of the evening?

AK: Where’s Dean Martin?

G-LO: He’s dead.

AK: Where’s Rickles?

G-LO: Dead. Rich Little?

AKe: Not dead. But all the celebrities that he impersonates are. Go figure.

G-LO: So he can do the voiceover for the dead celebrity holograms?

AK: He can do Prince, Tupac, Biggie. Oh, wait…

G-LO: LOL! I think we’re done here.

____________________________________________________

Many thanks to Van Huynh-Leap of D & S Beverages for sending us this very generous sample!

A review of #RootOut Whisky w/ a side of inane banter, brought to you by G-LO & @AaronMKrouse. #whisky AK: Hello, Professor. It’s been a long time. G-LO: Indeed it has, Doctor! AK…

[boozedancing]

The folks at Boardroom Spirits may not know the meaning of “alphabetical order” all that well (their eau de vie style spirits were released in the following order: B, then C, and then A, P and P. Last time I checked, A comes before B and C. And what the hell happened to D, E, F,G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, and O???), but after a couple of brief conversations with owners Marat and Zsuzsa Mamedov, and sales manager Robert Burke during their launch of A (made from Red Delicious Apples), P (made with Bartlett Pears), and P (made with Anjou Pears) Eau De Vie-Style Brandies at Kensington Quarters in the Olde Kensington section of Philadelphia, they made it abundantly clear that they know their way around the distilling process.

A couple of days after the launch, Marat and Zsuzsa were kind enough to participate in a brief Q & A that happened via email where we talked a bit more about A, P and P, and also about their future plans for Boardwalk Spirits, but before we get to that, let’s talk a bit more about all of the goings on during the Kensington Quarters event…

“Esteemed Members of the Media” (and Yours Truly!) were greeted with a small taste of the A, P, and P eau de vies.

This spirit sampling session provided plenty of time for mingling and conversation while we waited for the tardy ( yet still “Highly Esteemed”!) ones to arrive so that we could take our assigned seats for the cocktail and food pairing part of the evening.

At around 6:45, the following food and cocktail pairings made their way to our tables…

And here’s what some of the food and cocktails that we were treated to looked like…

We ate…

We drank…

We talked…

And we even listened as our hosts answered all of our questions. Because that’s what “Esteemed Members of the Media” are SUPPOSED to do, i.e. ask many many questions.

Marat Mamedov of Boardroom Spirits

And if all that weren’t enough, we even had a Celebrity Chef in our midst. Robert Irvine of Restaurant: Impossible was the Celebrity Chef of which I speak, and he just happens to be an investor in Boardroom Spirits (you’ll find out more about his role during the Q & A).

I guess it’s true that The Ladies LOVE a guy that knows his way around a kitchen. Especially when that guy just happens to have a cool English accent and the physique of a Navy SEAL!

And if all THAT weren’t enough, as we were leaving the restaurant, we were gifted with a bottle of A that looked exactly like THIS…

Boardroom Spirits A Eau De Vie-style Brandy. Funky pourer not included.

The A, P, and P launch event which was supposed to end at 8PM, but ran well past 9PM, was good fun! Three plus hours of unique spirits, deliciously crafted cocktails, a wide variety of food, and interesting conversation (I was seated next to journalists from The Philadelphia Inquirer and BillyPenn.com, and the general contractor that is working on the expansion of Boardroom Spirits) was a great way to spend a Tuesday night.

In a future post, Limpd and I will share our thoughts on the A spirit that I was gifted at the end of its product lunch (and maybe even try it in a couple of cocktail creations!). In the meantime, here’s that Q&A with Marat and Zsuzsa Mamedov that I mentioned at the beginning of this post…

Question #1 – How did you settle on Red Delicious Apples, Bartlett Pears, and Anjou Pears for your A & P eaux de vies? How many different apple and pear varieties did you try before settling on these three?

Red Delicious was a natural fit after running several tests with the help of our partners at Frecon Farms in their orchards. It had the right sugar content, harvest timelines aligned with our production schedule, and it has a beautiful balance of flavor and aroma. We have tried our fair share of various unaged pear brandies throughout Central and Eastern Europe – Germany, Austria, Hungary, and more. We have noticed that each of these brandies were bursting with flavor – but the flavors were noticeably different based on the region where the fruit grew and the product was distilled. When it finally came time to make our own brandy using American-grown pear, we wanted to offer more than one option. This experiment did not disappoint! While the Bartlett pear (known as Williams Pear throughout the world) gave us the bold, fresh, crisp sensation, the D’Anjou showed a nice contrast with subtle, warm, sweet, and juicy consistency. 

Question #2 – When we spoke during the Kensington Quarter event, you mentioned that you will be producing a different eau de vie for each letter of the alphabet. I spoke with our dear friend The Alemonger after the event and he asked if daikon radish was in the running for your D eau de vie. His thinking: a 100% natural spirit to use in Asian inspired cocktails (small batch Craft Sake Cocktails perhaps?). Thoughts?

Some letters of the alphabet will be more challenging than others. We already have a few fruits and vegetables lined up for our next releases and they are not strictly tied to coming up with new letters. For example – Apricot and Celeriac (or celery root) – which will force us to get even more creative with the labeling (Ac, Cr). Working with the radish family may be a great idea, though likely challenging due to their very low sugar content and high fiber content. We will need to try it and see how it works! Regardless, please keep the ideas coming. There is a wonderful variety of under-utilized and niche fruits and vegetables that we would love to highlight. We have our work cut out for us for the next several years.

Question #3 – B was bottled at 45% ABV. C at 46% ABV. A and both P eaux de vies are bottled at 40% ABV. Can you explain the difference in bottling strength?

Eau de vies need to strike a right balance of taste and aroma to do the raw ingredient justice. Depending on the raw material it was distilled from, different ABVs may work better. Higher ABVs generally allow us to keep more of the aroma (more concentrated) whereas lower ABVs may create an easier to consume product and the flavors are more pronounced on the palate, at the expense of the aromas. 

Question #4 – First Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and now Las Vegas thanks to your partnership with Chef Robert Irvine. Besides featuring your spirits in craft cocktails at his Public House restaurant in Las Vegas, what other role will Chef Irvine play at Boardroom Spirits? 

Chef Irvine’s and our product philosophies are fully aligned: know what you eat/drink, be an educated consumer, there is no room for shortcuts when it comes to creating exceptional products, and the list goes on. Chef Irvine’s involvement with our brand will help our message reach a wider audience and allow us to continue to raise the bar in the distilled spirits industry in terms of transparency, consumer education, and expanding the drinking experiences we can enjoy. 

Question #5 – Regular readers are well aware that we like a wide variety of drinks which range from Craft Beer to Whisky to hand crafted Cocktails and everywhere in between. Given your passion for innovation and experimentation with all sorts of ingredients when developing a new spirit, we suspect that your tastes are as diverse as ours. When you’re not working on a new spirit and have time to unwind, what’s your beverage of choice?

Zsuzsa: Sicilian or Hungarian White Wine (or any other bone-dry white wine from volcanic, mineral rich soil).

Marat & Vlad: Double IPAs, Farmhouse Ales, and various Brandies and Amaros.

_________________________________________________________________

Many thanks to Boardroom Spirits and Food-Shelter Public Relations for the invite to this fun filled event!

An interview w/ #BoardroomSpirits about A + P at @Kensington_Quar. @FoodShelterPR #Booze The folks at Boardroom Spirits may not know the meaning of "alphabetical order" all that well (their eau de vie style spirits were released in the following order: B, …