All Saints’ Day
1.5 oz Mezcal
1 oz Apple Clove Shrub
0.25 oz St. Germain
0.25 oz Becherovka
2 dashes Fee Bros Whiskey Barrel Bitters
Shake well, strain into glass and serve on a rock.
NOTES: I wasn’t kidding about this fall being the time for Mezcal everything. The smokiness, plus the tart apple and clove is fantastic. The drink probably would have been delicious just with the two ingredients, but the St Germain and the Becherovka provided a pretty nice complexity. I would probably increase the Becherovka next time (that cinnamon flavor really goes great with the shrub) and perhaps increase to a full 2 oz. of the Mezcal. It could handle the extra kick, and could stand to fill out the glass a little bit more.
Apple Clove Shrub
2 Granny Smith apples
~20 whole cloves
1.5 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
Slice and core two granny smith apples (leave the skin on) and put them in a mason jar. Add a small handful of whole cloves (about 20) and fill the jar with 1.5 cups of apple cider vinegar (enough to submerge all the apples, but leaving room to agitate).
Shake the jar well once a day.
After 5 days, strain through a fine strainer or cheese cloth. Discard the solids and bring the vinegar solution to a boil. Add 1 cup of sugar, and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain once more into a jar, add 1 oz overproof vodka or everclear and shake well. Allow to sit until cooled, uncovered. Once cool, put the lid on and refrigerate. Should last for a couple months, but flavor will be best in the first few weeks.
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