Getränkuchen, featuring HW Gingerbread Liqueur

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade, eh?

What about when life hands you a watery, low on flavor but not sure I’d want to taste it anyway liqueur?  Well, in this case you make a cocktail.  Much like the speakeasy bartenders making Alexanders out of Bathtub Brandy during Prohibition, a bit of creativity was called in to clean up the goop in this bottle.

Thanks a sponsored a little between-the-blogs contest, I received a few bottles of some Holiday themed spirits, namely Hiram Walker GingerBread Spice and Pumpkin Spice liqueurs.  I appreciate the idea, but I have yet to see something on the shelf that gets these right (remember BOLS Pumpkin smash?  uggh).  Sadly, these are no exception.

Now mind you, I appreciate the bottle, and that attempt at this flavor, but nonetheless, I question how this ever got past quality control.  This is a marketing sprung product that feels cheaply flavored and developed, a “mix Neutral Spirit A with Flavoring X and water down until underproof”.  Thank goodness the contest called for the Gingerbread, which is salvageable.  The Pumpkin Spice… well, I’ll wait ’til he’s done posting something, but Craig has got something homemade and to damn-well die for.  Stick with the homemade.

So, like I say, time to make something out of this.  The best thing to do in this case, for my creative palate, anyway, is to just go with it.  The initial thought is to use this as a replacement for Pimento Dram in a Lion’s Tail or something similar, but the flavor is just not present, and gets washed away into the aftertaste rather quickly.  So, I bring in Allspice and Molasses to really bring out the Gingerbread aspects of the liqueur.  The Half and Half makes it a nice creamy rich dessert drink, and the Fee Bitters punch out that clove/cinnamon thing I expect from anything with a holiday flavor.  The rum?  Well, it’s just delicious.  I recommend Cruzan Dark, but Coruba or Goslings could make a very interesting, if not even richer flavor (and probably darker than good tea).

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Getränkuchen

• 1 oz Hiram Walker Gingerbread Liqueur
• 1 oz Dark Rum
• 1 oz Half & Half
• 1 oz Allspice Syrup
• 1 tsp Molasses
• 2 dashes Fee Bitters

Shake without Ice for thirty seconds.  Add Ice to the shaker and shake until well-frosted.  Strain into a Coupe, garnished with Spice Drops.

Allspice Syrup

• 8 oz Water
• 16 oz Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Allspice Berries
• 1/2 tsp Ground Allspice

Set water and Allspice in a pot over high heat until boiling.  Add sugar and reduce heat to medium, stir until sugar is dissolved.  Let cool for 30 minutes covered, and strain into jar or bottle.  Makes about 2 cups.

Tagged as: allspice syrup, cocktail competition, dark rum, Fees Bitters, gingerbread liqueur, molasses