October 11, 2022 By Bri Lucas in Blog Comments Off

Manhattan Cocktail Recipes

The Manhattan cocktail is perhaps one of the most ubiquitous cocktails out there—gracing the cocktail menu at countless establishments—and for good reason. It’s delicious. It’s also approachable. The Manhattan is a classic cocktail that traditionally uses just a few simple ingredients: whiskey, vermouth and bitters.

The origin of the Manhattan is debatable, as is often the case with classic cocktails, but it is widely believed that the original recipe included more ingredients than the classic Manhattan recipe known today. It is also widely suspected that the original Manhattan was made with rye whiskey and not bourbon. As you might imagine, rye whiskey and bourbon offer very different flavors, which lends to some distinctive Manhattan recipes.

Just as you might choose between bourbon or rye in your Manhattan, you can also create unique Manhattan riffs (or variations) based on the vermouth and bitters you choose. When it comes to vermouth, a sweet vermouth may be traditional, but a dry vermouth can also be used. While Angostura Bitters are a popular choice in Manhattans, some recipes may call for orange bitters, or even Peychaud’s bitters.

As you consider the three basic ingredients of whiskey, vermouth and bitters, it becomes clear that there are an incredible amount of cocktail recipes out there which riff on a Manhattan. For example, the popular Brooklyn cocktail recipe combines rye whiskey with dry vermouth. Check and check. Instead of bitters, however, here we add Bigallet China China, a liqueur with warm orange aromatics. And rather than just a cherry garnish, the Brooklyn also includes some Luxardo Maraschino liqueur.

At Mad River Distillers, we love Manhattan cocktails! To celebrate this delicious, approachable, but also versatile drink, we wanted to share our favorite Manhattan (and Manhattan inspired) recipes:

Mad River Distillers Manhattan Cocktail Recipes

Rye Manhattan on a table in front of straw and corn

RYE MANHATTAN
A very classic Manhattan cocktail recipe using our Revolution Rye Whiskey. Compare the flavor of this recipe to a Manhattan using another rye whiskey, and you will definitely taste the difference!

-2 oz. Mad River Distillers Revolution Rye Whiskey
-1 oz Sweet Vermouth
-2 dashes Angostura Bitters
-1 Luxardo Cherry

Shake the rye, sweet vermouth, and bitters with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

THE PERFECT MANHATTAN
What could be more perfect than a perfect Manhattan? Yeah, we can't think of anything, either.

-2 oz Mad River Distillers Bourbon Whiskey
-1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
-1/2 oz Carpano Bianco
-2 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters
-2 dashes Angostura Bitters
-1 Luxardo cherry

In a mixing glass, combine all ingredients over ice. Stir for 8-12 seconds. Strain contents into a chilled Manhattan coupe, and garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

BOURBON MANHATTAN
A bourbon Manhattan cocktail recipe using Cocchi di Torino for the sweet vermouth, and barrel-aged bitters.

-2 oz Mad River Distillers Bourbon Whiskey
-1 oz Cocchi di Torino
-4 dashes The Bitter Housewife Barrel-Aged Bitters
-1 Luxardo cherry

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Stir for 8-12 seconds. Strain contents into a chilled Manhattan Coupe glass, and garnish with a cherry.

BROOKLYN
A cousin to the popular Manhattan cocktail, this delicious Brooklyn cocktail combines our Revolution Rye with Dolin Dry Vermouth, Bigallet China China and Luxardo Maraschino.

-2 oz Mad River Distillers Revolution Rye Whiskey
-1 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
-1/2 oz Bigallet China China
-1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino
-1 Luxardo cherry

Add ice to a coupe glass to chill. In a mixing glass, combine the Revolution Rye, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Bigallet China China, and Luxardo Maraschino. Add ice to the mixing glass, and stir for about 30 seconds. Remove the ice from the coupe glass. Strain the contents of the mixing glass into the chilled coupe, and add a Luxardo cherry for garnish.

RED HOOK
Similar to a classic Manhattan, this cocktail features a delicious combination of our Revolution Rye, Punt e Mes vermouth, Luxardo Maraschino, and Bennett Cocktail Bitters.

-2 oz Mad River Distillers Revolution Rye Whiskey
-1/2 oz Punt e Mes vermouth
-1/2 oz Luxardo Maraschino
-3 dashes Bennett Cocktail Bitters
-1 Luxardo cherry

Add ice to a coupe glass and a little water, and let the glass chill while you mix your cocktail. Combine Revolution Rye, Luxardo Maraschino, Punt E Mes, and Bennett Cocktail Bitters to a mixing glass. Add ice to the mixing glass, and stir for about 15 seconds. Remove ice and water from coupe glass. Strain the cocktail into the coupe glass, and garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

LA LOUISIANE

As mentioned above, some Manhattan riffs use Peychaud’s bitters. In this variation, Rye or Bourbon and sweet vermouth join forces with Peychaud’s and a couple other distinctive additions.

-1 oz Mad River Distillers Revolution Rye Whiskey or Bourbon Whiskey
-1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
-1 oz Benedictine
-3 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters
-1 scant barspoon of Absinthe
-1 Luxardo cherry

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 15-30 seconds, or until well chilled. Strain contents into a coupe or martini glass, and garnish with a cherry.

GREENPOINT

This NYC new-age Manhattan riff splits sweet vermouth with the herbal, honey-like flavor of Yellow Chartreuse.

-2 oz Mad River Distillers Revolution Rye Whiskey or Bourbon Whiskey
-1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
-1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
-Dash Angostura Bitters
-Dash Orange Bitters
-Lemon peel

Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with lots of ice. Stir for 15-30 seconds, or until well chilled. Strain contents into a coupe or martini glass. With a lemon peel, express the oil over the drink, and rub the lemon peel around the rim of the glass, then discard the lemon peel, and enjoy!

SPANISH MANHATTAN

Did we mention you could make a Manhattan riff without bourbon or rye? Here, our award-winning demerara sugar based PX Rum replaces whiskey for a one-of-a-kind Manhattan riff.

-1 oz Mad River Distillers PX Rum
-1 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
-1/2 oz Nocino Liqueur
-1/2 oz Fino Sherry
-5 dashes orange bitters
-Orange peel

In a mixing glass, combine the PX Rum, Carpano Antica, Nocino Liqueur, Fino Sherry, and orange bitters. Add ice to the mixing glass, and stir for at least 30 seconds. Strain contents into the coupe glass. Express an orange peel over the top of the cocktail, then rub the peel around the edge of the glass. Discard the peel, and enjoy!

This list of recipes just cracks the surface on the Manhattan variations you can find out there. There are so many ways you can create a new Manhattan flavor just by experimenting with new brands of vermouth or bitters, or even by playing with ratios. If you’ve yet to try all the Manhattan cocktails in this list, we hope you find a new favorite here, and we’d love to hear from you if you do!

Happy mixing!

Written by Brianne Lucas and published on October 11, 2022.

September 27, 2022 By Bri Lucas in Cooking & Baking Comments Off

Vanilla Rum Roasted Acorn Squash

Author: Mad River Distillers, recipe adapted by Ciao Florentina
Yield: 2 servings 1x

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Description

This is not your typical dessert! Acorn halves are roasted with a sweet topping and an ounce of our Vanilla Rum—which is an all natural rum infused with Tahitian vanilla beans—then served with a scoop of Tahitian Vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Scale

1 acorn squash
½ cup acorn squash seeds (optional, removed from squash)
1 tbsp & 1 ½ tsp unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp & ¼ tsp brown sugar
¼ & ⅛ tsp cinnamon
2 ounces Vanilla rum
1 ½ tsp granulated sugar
Tahitian Vanilla (or Vanilla Bean) ice-cream

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400”F.
Cut the acorn squash in half crosswise so that the stem is only on one half. Next, cut the stem off one half, and the pointed end of the acorn squash off the other half. You’ll want to cut just enough off the stem and pointed end so that each half can lay flat for roasting.
Using a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and membrane from the middle of each acorn squash half, then place the squash in a casserole dish.
Using a basting brush, coat the squash halves thoroughly (except for the skin) with the tbsp of unsalted butter.
Coat the buttered surface of the squash with 1 1/2 tbsp of brown sugar (each).
Lightly sprinkle cinnamon on top.
In the center of each squash half, pour in one ounce of Vanilla Rum.
Roast the squash halves for 1 hour, until the sugar has caramelized and the squash is tender.
Optional garnish: While the squash is roasting, separate all the seeds from the squash membrane, then rinse and dry them. Once the seeds are dry, combine them with 1 ½ tsp of softened butter, 1 ½ tsp granulated sugar, ¼ tsp brown sugar and ⅛ tsp cinnamon. Spread the seeds out in a thin layer on a pan, and roast them for 15-20 minutes. Watch them carefully to avoid burning. Once the seeds are roasted, set them aside to cool.
Remove any remaining Vanilla Rum from the center of each squash. Set the squash aside to cool for about 30 minutes.
Once the squash has cooled, carefully add it to a bowl, then top the center with Tahitian Vanilla ice cream. (Optional: Sprinkle a handful of roasted sweet acorn seeds on top). Enjoy!

Notes

This recipe contains alcohol and is intended for adults 21+ only.
We used Walpole Creamery Tahitian Vanilla ice cream. If unavailable, you can substitute with Vanilla Bean ice cream.
Recipe adapted by Ciao Florentina.

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Choctober Fest!

Join us at Lake Champlain Chocolates for their festival of fall favorites, with a one-of-a-kind tasting extravaganza October 29th from 12-4pm at 750 Pine Street. Enjoy free samples of seasonal chocolates and special tastings from Mad River Distillers.

Stowe Foliage Arts Festival

Find us at the Annual Stowe Foliage Arts Festival between October 7th-October 9th from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM (EDT). You’ll find music, entertainment, food and drink. Stop by our table at the Topnotch Field in Stowe—rain or shine! We’ll be offering tastings of our spirits, as well as bottles for purchase.

Stowe Foliage Arts Festival

Vanilla Rum and Boozy Dalgona Coffee on wood table

September 12, 2022 By Bri Lucas in Blog Comments Off

Coffee Day Cocktails

With National Coffee Day at the end of September, and October kicking off with International Coffee Day, we felt compelled to acknowledge the magical brown bean drink we call coffee.

Unless you’ve been living underground, and perhaps even then, we imagine you’ve heard of coffee. More than likely, you have a deep, ritualistic connection to coffee, starting each morning with a few warm sips of this typically caffeinated beverage. But, just in case you have yet to experience the joy of a warm cup of coffee between your hands, we’ll give you a brief introduction.

Coffee is a drink made from roasted coffee beans, which are seeds of the coffee plant species. It has a dark brown color, with a bitter and slightly acidic flavor—a flavor easily tamed with milk or cream and a bit of sweetener (however you prefer). As it is naturally caffeinated, coffee has a stimulating effect on your body, which is why so many people choose to start their day with a cup.

Coffee is served in various forms, such as black, americano, cappuccino, latte and espresso, to name just a few. The differences come down to what you do or don’t add to your drink. While you won’t find it on a menu at Starbucks, adding a spirit to your coffee (or coffee to your spirit) is another way you can enjoy the flavor of coffee. That is, of course, why you decided to read this post! Here, we are sharing a few of our favorite cocktail recipes featuring coffee.

Mad River Distillers Coffee Cocktail Recipes

RYERISH COFFEE
A tasty spin on the traditional Irish drink, Ryerish Coffee (a recipe created by Maeghan Phillips) is made with our Revolution Rye whiskey, which has hints of cocoa. It’s the perfect coffee cocktail to enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day, or whenever you’re in the mood.

-1.5 oz Revolution Rye Whiskey
-1 oz demerara syrup
-hot coffee
-2 oz whipping cream
-1/2 oz Benedictine (or cinnamon syrup)
-cinnamon

In an Irish coffee mug, add the Revolution Rye, demerara syrup and hot coffee. Stir to combine ingredients. In a shaker, combine the whipping cream and Benedictine (or cinnamon syrup), and shake hard for a full minute until whipped cream is formed. Top the coffee with the whipped cream, then grate fresh cinnamon on top.

Boozy Dalgona Coffee on a table with a bottle of Vanilla Rum

BOOZY DALGONA COFFEE
We have to say from the outset that this drink isn’t the easiest to make. It takes a little patience and time to whip the coffee just right, but we promise it is worth it! Featuring our Vanilla Rum, it makes for just the delicious pick-me-up you need.

-1.5 oz Vanilla Rum
-2 tablespoons Instant Coffee
-1 tablespoon King Arthur Flour Espresso Powder
-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
-2 tablespoons hot water
-3 oz milk

Combine instant coffee, espresso powder, sugar and hot water in a bowl. Whisk until fluffy. It takes many minutes to get a thick, fluffy consistency, which is important for layering. Combine Vanilla Rum and milk in a shaker over ice, shake lightly. Strain the shaker into a glass, then add the whipped coffee on top.

COLD BREW COFFEE NEGRONI
This cold brew coffee cocktail is a Negroni riff, replacing Gin with our Revolution Rye whiskey, giving it wonderful cocoa notes. It also includes added flavor from Averna along with Campari.

-1.5 oz. Revolution Rye Whiskey
-3/4 oz. Averna
-1/2 oz. Campari
-1/2 oz. Cold Brew Coffee

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Stir for about 8-12 seconds. Strain into a double rocks glass over a large cube, then add an orange peel for garnish.

Whether you prefer instant coffee or freshly ground whole beans, or whether you prefer the taste of rye whiskey to rum, you’ll have a new cocktail recipe to try above. We hope that you enjoy them as much as we do. If you do, be sure to share your cocktails with us on social! Have your own favorite coffee cocktail recipes? We’d love to hear from you. Cheers!

Written by Brianne Lucas and published on September 26, 2022.

September 12, 2022 By Mimi Buttenheim in Blog Comments Off

Does Bourbon Come From Kentucky?

Does Bourbon only come from Kentucky? This is a reasonable question. If it’s Champagne, it must be from the Champagne region in France. If it’s Tequila, it must be made in Mexico. It seems only natural to assume Bourbon is only made in Kentucky, especially since it has traditionally been associated with Appalachia. While this may be a commonly held belief, Bourbon can actually be made anywhere in the United States as long as it meets certain requirements, none of which specify Kentucky.

For a spirit to meet the Bourbon designation, its mash must meet the following requirements: consist of at least 51% corn, be distilled at no higher than 160 proof, be barreled at no higher than 125 proof, and be barreled in new charred oak. As you may have noticed, there is no “Kentucky” mention in this list, but the requirements are fairly specific, so let’s break it down!

While the actual Bourbon mash bill needs to consist of at least 51% corn, the rest is fairly open ended. Corn is often attributed with lending sweetness to whiskey, while barley can add a round nuttiness. Wheat often lends a wheaty taste with notes of honey. Rye often imparts a peppery, spicy note to whiskey. Oats can add a creamy, grainy flavor. For us, the perfect bourbon mash bill consists predominantly of corn, with smaller amounts of barley, wheat and oats blended in. This special mash bill is what gives our Bourbon its unique flavor—a wonderful deep and rich aroma of Vermont-grown corn, smokiness on the palate, and a smooth aromatic finish.

Bourbon is also required to be distilled and bottled at certain proofs. This is a fairly straightforward requirement, as it has to do with the strength of the finished product. If you distill at too high of a proof, you dip into vodka territory. Here, we need to distill at no higher than 160 proof and barrel at no higher than 125 proof.

Also as required, we barrel age our Bourbon in new charred oak barrels. As we’ve shared in one of our Source Spotlight blog posts, one of the most significant decisions a distillery can make is who they partner with for their barrels. There are a lot of facets that can impact the flavor of a spirit—the Bourbon mash bill, how the spirit is distilled, and how long it is aged. The barrel, however, can make or break the flavor of a spirit. While we’ve experimented with a variety of different barrels over the years, our go-to source for barrels is Kelvin Cooperage, a craft cooperage that just so happens to be located in Kentucky!

So there you have it—Bourbon made in Vermont, using regionally-sourced, non-GMO grains. It’s important to note that there are further distinctions when it comes to Bourbon. The “Straight Bourbon” designation applies to Bourbon aged at least two years in a barrel. The “Kentucky Straight Bourbon” designation, as the name implies, does only apply to Bourbon made in Kentucky. However, the Bourbon designation is not limited to a specific region., With a variation in mash bill and aging, you can explore and enjoy different Bourbon brands and distilleries, just like ours!

August 29, 2022 By Bri Lucas in Cooking & Baking Comments Off