The Autumn Old Fashioned
If you have been to any of our events in San Francisco since we launched Redhorse and our bitters on Halloween, you must have seen or tasted an Autumn Old Fashioned. It is a simple drink, as Old Fashioned Cocktails damn well should be, however, we snuck in some complexity under the radar.
The cheap-shot complexity comes from the use of two different bitters, in this case the Salted Cacao and the Two Year Aged Pumpkin Bitters. Different and complimentary bittering agents bring an extra layer to your Old Fashioned that we think is quite a step above.
Serving an Old Fashioned Cocktail in a wine glass is a fresh experience as the aromatics are protected and more easily appreciated.
The Aged Pumpkin Bitters are designed to smell and taste like both your kitchen during the holidays and the fields from which these prized botanicals hail.
We represent the kitchen with:
- both toasted and raw baking spices (all of 'em: nutmeg, allspice, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, ginger, peppercorn, star anise, vanilla)
- roasted sugar pie pumpkins
- dark sweet beer (we actually added beer as an ingredient in these bitters. Most operations dilute bitters with water, but we think that is boring. We dilute with beer or wine instead. We sourced this part from Almanac Beer's Honeypot stout ale)
- cranberries
- turmeric
- cacao (from Dandelion Chocolate of course)
- rooibos tea
We conjured a pumpkin patch with:
- artichoke leaf
- gentian root
- sweet potatoes
- carrots
- echinacea root
- orange bell peppers
- chiltepin peppers
- rosemary
- sage
Given that there are so many roasted whole foods in these bitters, you can imagine that there is a natural sugar content. Because of that, less sugar is needed when mixing a cocktail with our Pumpkin Bitters but as always, dial in the drink specifically to your taste. Our tongues are different you know.
AUTUMN OLD FASHIONED
1.5 Ounce - Redhorse Rye Whiskey (this drink also works splendidly with a delicate Speyside Scotch, Rye Whiskey, or Reposdao Tequila that is at 50% ABV or above. Mixing with high proof is always the best decision. Once it is diluted it will still have backbone)
2-3 Sleeves - Aged Pumpkin Bitters
1-2 Sleeves - Salted Cacao Bitters
1 Barspoon or 1/2 Teaspoon - Rich simple syrup, gimme syrup, or maple syrup
Add ingredients in a rocks glass, add ice, stir, enjoy. If you are a garnish loving individual, you will want to check out a grapefruit or lemon peel expression.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Two years ago we roasted a grip of organic Sugar Pie Pumpkins and covered them in our rye whiskey. Such is the dawn of the Aged Pumpkin Bitters.