Gingerly Created Cocktails

Ginger has one of the most interesting histories of any spice. Believed to have originated in India, ginger evolved into a staple part of Asian cooking. The Chinese valued ginger as a cure for a variety of different ailments, but today ginger is predominantly only viewed as a cure for stomach problems. If you’re wondering, ginger cocktails will not prevent the stomach ailments caused by excessive consumption. However, the use of ginger in mixology can provide and outstanding dimension to your cocktails. Ginger syrup is an amazing way to add a spice element to your favorite drinks, and recently, mixologists have been capitalizing on the unique properities of ginger. I really enjoy ginger, so I thought I would discuss some of the cocktails that incorporate it in one way or another.

To begin however, knowing how to create ginger syrup can be a useful way to experiment with ginger in cocktails. Jeff Hollinger and Rob Schwartz describe the use ginger syrup as part of their Ginger Rollins cocktail in their recently released book The Art of the Bar. I would recommend picking up a copy of this book if you like to read cocktail books and experiment with newer cocktails created from the classics approach. Their recipe for ginger syrup is as follows:

“Ginger Syrup

2 ounces ginger, sliced thinly

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cup water

1 ½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns

Combine the ginger, sugar, water, and peppercorns in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue simmering for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the syrup smells very gingery. Remove from the heat and cool completely. Strain the syrup through a sieve, transfer to a bottle, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.”

You will notice that the additional use of whole black peppercorns helps to add an additional factor to the syrup. You can use other flavors as well in your ginger syrup (like split vanilla beans, which make an awesome addition); just make sure that the ginger is the focal point. If you want to start off to add ginger to your cocktails, stick with the ginger independently.

I like to use ginger syrup in my mojitos (in this syrup leave the vanilla out – it doesn’t work). Similarly, Hollinger and Schwartz combine their ginger syrup and mint in the Ginger Rollins.

“Ginger Rollins

8 to 12 mint leaves

½ ounce Ginger Syrup

1 ½ ounces gin

½ ounce fresh lime juice

Ginger ale

Lime wedge for garnish

Put the mint leaves in a pilsner or collins glass, cover with the syrup, and muddle lightly until the mint begins to release its aroma. Fill the glass with ice and add the gin and lime juice. Top with ginger ale. Using a bar spoon, stir the drink from the bottom up to mix. Garnish with the lime wedge.”

I made one of these the other day. Wow, it is a great drink! It exhibits all of the qualities of a wonderful cocktail and utilizes the ginger nicely, yet the use of ginger is not a new cocktail phenomenon. Jack Morgan created the Moscow Mule in 1941 at the Cock ‘N Bull restaurant; CocktailDB gives us the recipe:

Moscow Mule

Build

1 1/2 oz vodka (4.5 cl, 3/8 gills)

3/4 oz fresh lime juice (2 cl, 3/16 gills)

Add 1/2 lime shell in glass (1 1/2 oz, 4.5 cl, 3/8 gills)

Fill with ginger beer, ice

Serve in a copper mug (12.0 oz)

Another is the Presbyterian, or “Pres” for short. I’ve read several variations for how to make this drink and most include ginger ale. Dale DeGroff does not list ginger ale in his variation however using only club soda and sprite. I mention this only because in his book The Craft of the Cocktail he names the Presbyterian as his “mom’s favorite drink”. So, I think he would know something about it! Either way, most recipes look something like Gary Regan’s recipe in The Joy of Mixology:

Presbyterian

2 oz Straight Rye Whisky

1 ½ oz Club Soda

1 ½ oz Ginger Ale

1 Lemon Twist, for garnish

Serve in a highball glass

Today, most Presbyterians ignore the Rye Whisky in exchange for a more available product. However, the growth of rye whisky may change this. I’ve heard somewhere that the Press was initially created with scotch whisky and has the name Presbyterian because of the religious ties to that region, but I haven’t heard this explanation that frequently and don’t remember where I heard it. Lots of proof - great writing!

You will notice that the Moscow Mule uses ginger beer (but is frequently substituted for crappy available ginger ale) and the Press uses ginger ale. So, what’s the difference? Nothing really. Ginger beers generally have a stronger flavor and are hotter. Ginger ales are often more subtle and sweeter. Some producers of ginger beer claim the difference to be the fermentation process that some ginger beers go through, but not all ginger beers are fermented, so the distinction seems to be arbitrary. Try using ginger beers though because their properties are usually much more complex. There are very few quality products that bear the name ginger ale or ginger beer however, so choose wisely or it might ruin your experience. I enjoy Fentiman’s ginger beer, but the best option is to make your own. Paul over at the Cocktail Chronicles has a whole post on this issue, so be sure to check it out. It is REALLY informative and provides a recipe for ginger beer. The only problem with the homemade ginger beer is that it lacks carbonation. Fear not; the net-benefits of using the homemade approach will show in the flavor of your drink. Dale DeGroff also provides a homemade recipe in The Craft of the Cocktail:

“Ginger Beer

2 ½ pounds gingerroot, peeled and roughly chopped

4 limes

¾ cup light brown sugar

Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil in a large pot, then remove from the flame. Meanwhile, pulse the ginger with a few drops of boiling water in a food processor until minced. Add the ginger to the hot water. With a spoon, remove the lime flesh and juice, and drop along with the peels into the water. Add the sugar, stir well, and cover for 1 hour. Strain through a fine chinois or cheesecloth and pour into nonplastic containers to cool. It will keep for a few weeks, but is best fresh; the ginger flavor diminishes over time.”

There are more recipes for homemade ginger beer out there, but these two should get you started. Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology provides a wonderful example of how to use ginger beer in the Bermudan drink, the Dark and Stormy

Dark and Stormy

2 ounces Gosling’s Black Seal rum

3 ounces ginger beer

1 lime wedge, for garnish

Serve in a highball glass

The Dark and Stormy works best with a homemade ginger beer because most bottled ginger beers are too weak to hold up to the Gosling’s Black Seal rum. It is another must-try cocktail!

Ginger is an amazing ingredient in cooking and cocktails. Everyone is partial to some spice or another, and I love ginger. It adds so much to cocktails and fills a common void in bartending, which ignores how spice can be incorporated into drinks. Ginger has been used for hundreds of years in several different manners; the cocktail might be the best yet!