Craft vs. Mass Produced Spirits

130 Craft vs. Mass Produced Spirits Bartender Journey Podcast number 130 ·      Can you really taste the difference between mass produced and craft spirits?  I tend to think that in many cases you can…most especially in Gin and Rye Whiskey.  We’ll talk with Nick Yoder from Journeyman Distillery in Michigan. ·      MGP Ingredients, in Lawrenceburg, Indiana is a commercial distillery which since 1941 has been offering alcohol for wholesale purchase.  Some brands purchase spirits from MGP and bottle it under their own brand name, (sometimes barrel aging &/or other additional processes before bottling). ·      A Chicago man successfully filed a class-action lawsuit against Templeton Prohibition Era Rye Whiskey for deceptive practices. ·      Book of the Week:  The Negroni, Drinking to La Dolce Vita, with  Recipes & Lore by Gary ‘gaz’ Regan ·      Cocktail of the Week:  Rosemary Salted Negroni: o   Toast fresh Rosemary and Sea Salt in a pan until the Rosemary releases it fragrance.  Discard Rosemary. o   Using a sliver of Grapefruit, moisten the rim of an Old Fashioned glass.  Dip glass into prepared Rosemary Salt to rim the glass. o   Add ice to glass, (ideally one large hand cut ice cube). o   In a mixing glass add: §  1 ¼ oz Gin, (I used Journeyman Distillery’s Bilberry Black Heart Gin) §  1 oz Sweet Vermouth, (I used Martinez Lacuesta from Spain §  1 oz Campari §  Ice o   Stir and strain into prepared glass ·      On the subject of Craft, during Tales 2015 distiller Chip Tate said during one of the seminars “I love Craft.  What is it??!”  He talks about how it started with beer and the eat local movements.  He talked about his barrels and how he checks each & every one personally when it arrives and he says he “learns things from his barrels”.   ·      We also have audio from Tales Of The Cocktail 2015 – we chat with Marco Montefiori, US Market Manager for Amaro Montenegro.   Recipes from Amaro Montenegro’s event at Tales of the Cocktail 2015:   ·      Monte Manhattan -        2 oz. Amaro Montenegro -        1 oz. Sweet Vermouth -        2 oz. Prosecco -        1 oz. Gin -        Orange Bitters -        Orange Peel ·      Montenegroni -        1.5 oz. Amaro Montenegro -        1.5 oz. Rye Whiskey -        A Splash of Maraschino Liqueur -        Garnish with 3 Brandied Cherries The Monte Mule -        2 oz. Amaro Montenegro -        1 oz. Lime Juice -        1.5 oz. Vodka -        .25 oz. Peach Liqueur -        3 oz. Ginger Beer -        Mint Sprig ·      Toast of the Week:  Here’s to alcohol, the rose colored glasses of life.  —F. Scott Fitzgerald