博客存档 - BATCH 22 NEWSLETTER

Under the Influencers

3/25/2024

Building a successful spirit brand involves the utilization of a wide variety of resources, not the least of which are professionals out in the field who get your message out to consumers. We rely on these folks to help us navigate current cocktail trends and cool new ways to use ingredients, but we also need them to tell other influential members of the spirits community about us.

Over the past few years, we've come to rely on a small group of cocktail authorities—many of them influential on social media—as our core reference base for all things spirit. We thought we'd share our six favorites, each of which provides a unique kind of content and manages to do it with great panache and production value.

Punch [Insta: @punch_drink]

Gorgeous cocktail photography and great recipes are only part of what these guys do best. With a searchable database of recipes, as well as great reference on bars and restaurants around the world, Punch provides insights into current trends, new and interesting ingredients, movers and shakers in the cocktail world, and copious lists of additional resources to explore if you're cocktail-curious.

A Bar Above [Insta: @abarabove]

Known for its online programs in cocktail and mixology education, A Bar Above is also a great resource for information on the literal tools of the trade. They feature, rate, and describe the best contraptions to use for various techniques—everything from juicers to peelers to muddlers— and they provide key guidelines for considering any bar-related purchases. Sprinkled in with everything else are frequent recipe offerings, all designed to be relatively easy to execute.

The Drinking Coach [Insta: @thedrinkingcoach]

The "coach" in question is actually a woman named Tiffanie Barriere, and we at Downtime Cocktails are big fans (it may have something to do with the fact that Tiffanie has said she's a big fan of Batch 22!). An award-winning bartender, Tiffanie is a highly regarded and influential figure in the cocktail world. We look to her for insights on upcoming trends and—as an industry insider—we take great note of her opinions on what's "cool" and what's "over."

The Bitter Gringo [Insta: @thebittergringo]

There are tons of folks on social media who regularly post photos of cocktails and cocktail recipes, but only a select few consistently provide super high-quality imagery with consistently creative and cutting-edge recipes. The Bitter Gringo is one of those sources. We love recipe creators who make you think, "Wow, I never thought of that before," and TBG sparks inspiration on a regular basis.

Join Jules [Insta: @join_jules]

She just appears to be an energetic woman who likes making cocktails in her home kitchen, but don't let the casual and friendly exterior fool you: Jules knows her shit. Her recipes are interesting, well thought out, and (for the most part) easy to re-create. To top it all off, the how-to videos she shoots are always super beautiful (and so well lit!).

The Educated Barfly [Insta: @theeducatedbarfly]

We've been following this guy for years now, ever since we met him at a Hollywood party and decided to work together on some social media promotions. He loved Batch 22 and we loved him. On Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and other platforms, he's posted a huge wealth of recipe information to his more than 200K followers—mostly videos where he provides the perfect balance of background information and history, along with key technique tips and a fun-loving, breezy attitude that always reminds you that cocktails are primarily made for enjoying life.

Next time you’re surfing your social, make sure to follow some or all of these accounts. We think you'll be glad you did.

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Where Aquavit Flows Like Water

3/19/2024

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We have spent last year-and-a-half introducing aquavit to countless Americans. Most have never tasted of it. Even more have never heard of it. What is amazing is how many people love it when they try it. A totally new flavor. A new kind of spirit. And people are won over.

This always feel like a grand sense of discovery for us and the people who are tasting, but the truth is aquavit has been an esteemed and well-loved spirit throughout much of the world for centuries. More than five centuries, to be exact.

Go to your local spirit shop and—if it's a good one—they'll likely have an aquavit—or maybe two—to choose from. Go to a similar store in Norway, and you're likely to find upwards of 90 different varieties on the shelves. In Scandinavia, aquavit basically flows like water, which is particularly fitting, as aquavit literally means "water of life."

In the Nordic countries, bottles of aquavit sit alongside all the other typical spirits of a well-stocked home bar. There is probably a bottle or two sitting the average Northern European refrigerator or freezer. Many Scandinavians will pull a bottle out after a special dinner, to down a shot or two as a digestif. It's not uncommon for a bottle to hit the table when a celebration of one kind or another is called for. And, around the holidays, aquavit is the festive drink of choice for many families who consider it the perfectly delicious blend of flavor and tradition.

As aquavit is a fixture in Northern European life, so are stories about it and its origins. A man named Christopher Blix Hammer is commonly considered to be the "father of Norwegian aquavit." Born in 1720, Hammer was something of a Renaissance Man. He could read Hebrew, Arabic, and Chinese and studied mathematics, theology, botany, cartography, and law before taking over the family business where he learned the art of distillation. One of his earliest known works was a 1766 treatise on potatoes, in which he described the plant that was still new to the region. Ten years later, he wrote a treatise on aquavit, which he had begun to produce on his farm (presumably with the potatoes he cultivated).

Christopher Blix Hammer

Since Hammer's time, aquavit has become ubiquitous throughout the Nordic region, and is now produced in a wide variety of styles and with a wealth of ingredients. Today, to be called an "aquavit," the spirit must have caraway and often has dill, but many producers use a wide range of other herbs and spices, including wormwood, star anise, fennel, iris root, chamomile, juniper berries, coriander, celery, lemon, cumin, bitter orange, curacao, and jasmine. In fact, the incredible variety of styles and flavors found in the world's aquavits make the spirit as diverse and interesting as any gin, bourbon, or tequila. Our hope is that soon Americans will come to know of aquavit's many charms as well.

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A World of Spirits

3/11/2024

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As spirits producers, we at Downtime Cocktails are constantly scanning market data for news and insights about trends and statistics. As we periodically take a look at both global and national trends, we get a better understanding of how we can get our message out most effectively and position Batch 22 for success.

According to ReAnIn, a research and analysis company, the global spirits market was about $182 billion In 2023. By 2030, that market is expected to grow by nearly 30%, to $241 billion.

Zimbabwe is the world's top consumer of alcohol per capita (62.8 liters), according to wisevoter.com—and its consumption is almost double the number two on the list, Tunisia. The U.S., in comparison, comes in at #121 on the list with a per capita consumption of 13.7 liters. That's significantly behind France (16.7 liters), Spain (14.6 liters), and just ahead of Italy (12 liters).

A large part of the global spirits market is dominated by China, which is home to the world's most-consumed spirit: Baijiu. Never heard of it? Most people in the U.S. haven't, even though global Baijiu consumption dwarfs the consumption of most other mainstream spirits combined. Baijiu is starting to find acceptance in certain American markets (innovative and cutting-edge bartenders are starting to craft cocktails with Baijiu as a main ingredient), but this sorghum-based, grain-alcohol-like beverage is still mostly unknown.

Given Baiju's popularity, it's not surprising that the most valuable spirit label in world is Moutai Baijiu. The brand is currently worth upwards of $500 billion.

We like looking at the Baijiu story because, in many ways, it mirrors the current story of aquavit in America. Of course, the global and U.S. markets for aquavit are exponentially smaller than those for Baijiu, but—like Baijiu—aquavit is a ubiquitous spirit in certain parts of the world and is starting to gain prominence in America. We're heartened by that, even though we realize Batch 22 is unlikely to be valued at $500 billion any time soon!

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Of Syllabubs, Possets, and Flips

3/4/2024

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A "cocktail" is technically a drink made of three main components: a spirit, something sour and/or bitter and something sweet. Even though we don't recognize alcoholic drinks as "cocktails" before the mid-1800s or so, it doesn't mean that people weren't drinking alcoholic mixtures with various sweet and bitter ingredients back then. Before the birth of the "formal" cocktail, there were plenty of very popular alcoholic drink concoctions that incorporated everything from milk to cider to mulled wine as their base.

What's considered to be the first ever cocktail? Most historians agree that it was the Sazerac, which is a blend of whisky, absinthe, bitters, and sugar. The drink was supposedly created in New Orleans in the mid-1800s and remains a popular request at bars to this day. Before the golden age of cocktails, however, there were lots of drinks from the 1800s and earlier that were part of the everyday drinking scene in America. Many of these beverages have been somewhat forgotten over time. Here are a few intriguing ones that have been obscured by history.

Cobblers

Cobblers, which are wine-based cocktails served with crushed ice, reached the height of their popularity around 1830, when the Sherry Cobbler was the most popular drink in the United States. The invention and commercial distribution of the straw at this time contributed to the drink's quick rise in popularity.

Today, you can still find various versions of the Cobbler on bar menus around America. In many places, the Cobbler is even making a comeback, as drinkers increasingly prefer lighter-style cocktails with lower alcohol.

The late 1800s also gave us drink styles such as “syllabub,” “smash,” “sling,” “pony,” “toddy” and “nightcap.” Most bartenders today will likely know how to do a smash, sling, or toddy. But a syllabub? Probably not.

Syllabubs

The Syllabub has actually been around for 500 years, but it remains relatively unknown today. Unlike other popular drinks from the 18th and 19th centuries, such as punch and wassail, the syllabub (as a beverage) seems to have plummeted in popularity before the American cocktail made its debut. Much like its better-known cousin, the posset, the syllabub eventually evolved from a drink into a popular dessert.

The classic syllabub recipe has evolved quite a bit over the course of the last 500 years. Generally speaking, a syllabub features a base of white wine or hard cider, frothed or “whipt” with cream (or milk), egg white, and sugar and flavored with a rich variety of herbs, citrus, and spices. Wine or spirit variations often included sherry, Madeira, ale, brandy, cognac, and red wine.

It's quite likely that you won't find a syllabub on most American cocktail menus these days, but there is one notable place that features the drink. The Fountain Inn in Washington, D.C., serves up 17th- and 18th-century tipples and includes on its menu a syllabub made from a recipe first created in the late 1600s.

Classic Posset

Possets

Like its cousin the syllabub, possets are typically served as holiday drinks—similar to eggnog and Glogg. As a kind of hybrid beverage, possets wind up tasting something like a mulled beer eggnog.

Possets were originally popular British hot drinks made of milk curdled with wine or ale, and often spiced, with all manner of spices and herbs, such a cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and mace. Because of their prominent herbal and spice components, possets were often prescribed as a remedy for all kinds of afflictions.

The original posset, as a drink, eventually faded into obscurity, but the name was revived in the 19th century for a pudding-like dessert made with cream, sugar, and citrus.

Here's a posset recipe that features the classic ingredients in their more original form—as a warm drink. Note: This preparation requires a slow cooker, an InstaPot, or something similar for best results.

Posset Cocktail (Serves 12)
This is the classic recipe. If you want to cut back on the anise, clove, and juniper components found in the Strega, you can substitute Batch 22 in whole or in part.

Ingredients

1/4 cup mace
15 allspice berries
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon, freshly grated
16 oz. heavy cream
4 large eggs
6 oz. sugar
24 oz. India pale ale
8 oz. porter
3 oz. Strega liqueur (or aquavit)
1 oz. allspice dram
1 oz. Velvet Falernum
Garnish: grated nutmeg

Directions
Combine the mace, allspice berries, cloves, and cinnamon on top of a square of cheesecloth, and use kitchen twine to tie it tightly into a spice sachet.

Turn a slow cooker on high. Add the cream and eggs and whisk until fully incorporated. When the mixture is warm, whisk in the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the pale ale, porter, Strega (aquavit), allspice dram, Velvet Falernum, and the spice sachet. Cook on high for 2 hours, until the mixture forms a cooked layer of egg and curd on top. Turn temperature down to warm until you’re ready to serve.

To serve, whisk into fine curds, then spoon into coffee mugs. Grate fresh nutmeg for garnish.

Boozy Bourbon Flip

Flips

One of the most popular drinks for American colonists was called a flip. A favorite of George Washington's, the flip was commonly made of mulled ale as a base to which rum or brandy was added, along with eggs, and molasses. That mixture was then stirred to a warm, caramelized froth with a hot poker.

There are many variations of the flip that became popular in the 1800s, including the sherry flip, the less boozy alternative to eggnog.

The flip is a versatile format for many different spirits, including sherry, brandy, cognac, whiskey, and bourbon. Here's a recipe for a bourbon flip that makes a light, creamy cocktail with a satisfying boozy finish. Note: A classic flip contains raw whole egg (as does a classic eggnog).

Boozy Bourbon Flip

Ingredients

2 oz. good bourbon (we love Fierce & Kind)
1 oz. simple syrup (see note for homemade)
1 large egg
3 to 4 ice cubes
freshly grated (or ground) nutmeg for garnish

Directions
In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the bourbon, simple syrup, and egg. Shake vigorously (about 1-2 minutes) to chill and create a good foam and body with the egg. Strain into a coupe or champagne glass and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Serve immediately.

NOTE: For simple syrup, combine equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a low simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before using.

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Under the Influencers

Where Aquavit Flows Like Water

A World of Spirits

Of Syllabubs, Possets, and Flips

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Under the Influencers

Where Aquavit Flows Like Water

A World of Spirits

Of Syllabubs, Possets, and Flips

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