A group of us in the neighborhood have perfected, yes I say perfected a twist on an old cocktail recipe, The Admiral. The star of the drink is the ginger shrub we make (we used to buy, but it's really easy to make) and I'll include that recipe below.
But the finished product should be tangy, sour and slightly sweet all at the same time. This bourbon based cocktail really doesn't have a whiskey taste, which makes it a little dangerous in the wrong hands, but I like the taste as well as the medicinal quality of the shrub that really eases the stomach before a meal. It also has a holiday season quality with the spicy ginger taste.
The Ginger Admiral
- 1 lemon, juiced into shaker with ice
- 1oz ginger shrub (recipe below)
- 1/2 oz agave nectar
- 2 oz rye whiskey or bourbon, I prefere rye
- Couple dashes of bitters
Shake hard, strain into a glass with a large ice cube or regular ice cubes and garnish with Lemon slice or rind.
Ginger Shrub
Shrubs have an interesting history, from what I've read, it was first derived from concurring muslims who couldn't drink wine, so let it go to vinegar and mixed it with sweet berries to make a refreshing drink when paired with water. The complete history can be read in Michael Dietsch' book; SHRUBS, An old fashion drink for modern times.
The basic recipe portions are as follows:
1 part pealed and finely minced fresh ginger, 2 parts apple cider vinegar, and 1 part granulated sugar. I make it with one bottle of Apple cider vinegar, but you can portion up or down.
- 32 Fl Oz of Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 cups of sugar
- 8 oz of fresh ginger, pealed and minced chopped
Peel the ginger as best as possible, it’s ok if there are some of the skins left on in the crooks and crannies.
Slice ginger as thin as you can. You can also blitz in a food processor for a few seconds.
Add Vinegar and ginger to a pot and bring to a boil, simmer for 10 min, turn off and let steep overnight
Strain ginger out with fine strainer to remove as much ginger as possible (there will be fine particles left)
Add sugar to the cider mixture and bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, let cool, and then bottle.
Let sit in bottle for a few days before using.
Enjoy with The Ginger Admiral or with soda water for a refreshing and medicinal beverage.
