Comments on: Sazerac

By: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Jeffrey Morgenthaler — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:49:03 +0000

Michael – I originally called for 1/4 oz (7.5 ml) 1:1 simple syrup, but I’ve changed that to reflect the recipe we use at the bar, which is 1 tsp 2:1 simple syrup. Either way, it comes out about the same.

But yes, a half ounce would have been way too much.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 04:41:31 +0000

15ml (1/2 oz) is way too much sugar for my palate. 10ml maybe 11ml is plenty. The spice of the rye gets lost in the sweetness. But this all depends on the rye of course. Rittenhouse demands less sugar than Old Potrero for example, however Old Potrero is such an incredible a rye that you can almost have it with no sugar. i find an Old Potrero 18th Century sazerac is gods gift to the cocktail world. However we cant get Harbsaint in Australia, so absinthe has to do.
And remember to throw your glass!! its so much more fun!

By: Jenn

Jenn — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:14:55 +0000

Am having a Christmas cocktail party in about a month and love Sazeracs, but don’t want to bartend all night. Is there any way to turn the Sazerac into a punch for large quantities? Is this blasphemy? Thanks!

By: NickS

NickS — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:09:45 +0000

@confused: At least for my palate, no additional water is necessary if using simple syrup. The water is only necessary to help the sugar cube dissolve. I do tend to let the liquids sit over ice for 30 seconds or so as I cut my lemon peel, so that probably provides a fair amount of dilution.

Just watched a well meaning, but terribly bad Sazerac recipe video at about.com — http://video.about.com/cocktails/Sazerac-Recipe.htm. I gave it a try, and Oh Lord, is that version awful, at least with the amount of simple syrup displayed (if not shown — he appears to squeeze much less than 1/2 oz of simple syrup). I just tried it, and 1/2 oz of simple syrup + a pernod rinse is disgustingly sweet. Like drinking alcoholic sugar water.

By: confused...

confused... — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 06:31:46 +0000

Hi Jeffrey,

just wondering with your recipe, does it still require a small splash of water if one is using simple syrup?

What is the correct level of dilution for this drink? (correct being what you have found works best for peoples palates today.)

Thanks!

By: Absinthe

Absinthe — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:41:20 +0000

I am very happy that I found your blog. Keep up the good work.

By: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Jeffrey Morgenthaler — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:06:53 +0000

I’m not sure I follow you, NJ Lady.

By: NJ Lady

NJ Lady — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:41:21 +0000

One thing I’d be curious about regarding Herbsaint is that it is intended to leave the breath “perfumed” and not smelling of alcohol. Is it really that floral?

By: rhesuspieces00

rhesuspieces00 — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 06:49:21 +0000

I mentioned this on the Dos & Don’ts page, but will reiterate my plug for my favorite pastis: La Muse Vert. (Not Le Tourment Vert!) Can be had from bevmo.com. I haven’t had too much experience with absinthe (aside from the listerine-like stuff they have everywhere in Prague), but it beats the hell out of Herbsaint and Pernod.

By: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Jeffrey Morgenthaler — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:03:32 +0000

John, anyone with a palate is going to take you to task for comparing absinthe the Jägermeister.

The truth of the matter is that while Herbsaint makes for a wonderful – and quite traditional – Sazerac (I’ve been making and drinking them with Herbsaint for years), Herbsaint can’t match the depth of flavor that a good absinthe like Lucid can provide.

By: John Claude

John Claude — Thu, 29 May 2008 06:45:01 +0000

I actually prefer Herbsaint over Absinthe in a Sazerac. Absinthe is overrated in the same was as Jager. It’s all psychosomatic.

By: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Jeffrey Morgenthaler — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:04:40 +0000

Aimee

Use a splash of water and a muddler to dissolve the sugar cube before adding the alcohol. Sugar doesn’t readily dissolve in cold water or alcohol, so you need to use the muddler with a little water before you add the booze.

Hope this helps!

Jeff

By: Aimee Scarlett

Aimee Scarlett — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 03:05:30 +0000

I am so insanely jealous that you went to the same high school as Steinbeck.

So on a more technical note (and maybe this should go on the Saz blog) I attempted to make a Sazerac for a young guest the other night at work and in a hurry as usual, I couldn’t get the sugar cube to dissolve and I couldn’t keep stirring it for time’s sake, which resulted in unsightly white crystals in the bottom of my cocktail. I was irritated but had to go serve food to people. I had considered using the simple syrup, but John had hidden it from me.

Anyway long story short, is there any good way to ensure the darn sugar cube disintegrates in a timely fashion without compromising the drink quality? Many times I have much less time than I’d like to craft the drink.

Okay, here it is, so what’s wrong with my sugar cube?

By: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Jeffrey Morgenthaler — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:53:05 +0000

The Tourment Vert is the only absinthe listed in Oregon, which is a shame because it isn’t really absinthe.

It tastes like it might actually be half Listerine and half Axe Body Spray. It’s garbage. Steer clear.

By: Jeff Frane

Jeff Frane — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:47:33 +0000

A recent visitor to Oregon is Le Tourment Vert, which is offered in a truly lovely bottle at something around $56 (IIRC). Tempting, yes, until I checked it out at The Wormwood Society.
http://tinyurl.com/4g74na

The only positive review came from someone who found all the other absinthe he’d tried “too strong.”

By: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Jeffrey Morgenthaler — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:58:22 +0000

Yes, Mark, it’s well worth it. And if you have any extra, send me a few bottles – Oregon gets very little of the stuff in.

By: Mark Parry

Mark Parry — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:56:41 +0000

Not to sidetrack the Sazerac discussion but the only Absinthe I’ve seen in my neck of the woods (Clearwater, FLA) is Lucid at $60/bottle. Is it any good/worth it?

By: Jeffrey Morgenthaler

Jeffrey Morgenthaler — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:08:05 +0000

Great point, Sidney.

By: Sidney

Sidney — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 07:05:28 +0000

I’d skip the Herbsaint and use Absinthe. You can get it now legally in the US, no more clandestine boxes arriving from across the pond.

By: jimmy

jimmy — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 03:03:24 +0000

blasphemer!