Drinking The World

What’s That You’re Drinking? - The Least Well Known Spirits in the Land.
By Jonathan M. Forester

Brandy, Eau de Vie, Grappa, Marc, Pisco, Palinka, Slivowitz, Tuica, Rakia, Singani, Chacha, they’re all fruit spirits. In Europe, South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and all over the world except North America, there is a fine, old tradition associated with them. Everyone knows about them, drinks them, and loves them. Every region makes spirits from every fruit imaginable. In France grapes in the regions of Cognac and Armagnac are made into brandies that go by those names. Pisco is what they call grape brandy in Chile and Peru, usually unaged and rough in nature, it’s still well loved. Grape brandies are also made in many other parts of the world: Armenia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, and the Ukraine.

Then there are other fruit brandies, besides those made from grapes. In France apples are made into Calvados in Lower Normandy. Then you have other fruit made into spirits; pears, plums, peaches, cherries, elderberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, apricots, rosehips, bilberries, quince, rowanberries, holly berries, you name it. In Sri Lanka, coconut brandy is made from the sap of coconut flowers. If it’s a fruit it can be distilled, or herbs and spices, and vegetables like asparagus or carrots; someone in Europe, or the rest of the world, is distilling it.

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photo by Dan Peterson

JIM MEEHAN is a world-renowned, award-winning Mixologist & spirits expert. Bar manager at PDT NYC, he also edits "Food & Wine Cocktails 2007 & 2008" and the latest and best version of the best selling Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide.

JMF: Do you use any North American fruit spirits in your cocktails?

JM: Yes, I've used Clear Creek Eau de Vies in at least one cocktail on every menu for the last year. We always have an Apple Brandy drink (or 3) on our menu from October till March. We carry Germain-Robin Brandy, but Cognac is our go-to brandy. If I opened a PDT in California, I would mix with G-R.

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“I'll toss out a quick two cents about apple brandies. If I were to make a general statement about how North American apple brandies differ from French Calvados, I'd say that the NA ones are fruitier and less heady. In general they are 'cleaner' and, I think, more approachable than their traditional French counterparts. St. George's, Clear Creek's, several different Michigan ones I've tried. As a cidermaker, I suspect it comes down to fermentation practice, rather than cultivar or distillation. I grow the same apples - the biggest difference between French and American apples is in polyphenolic content, which stays in the pot. But the acetates and diacetyl that are distinct in Calvados are also present in a lot of cidre - at least compared to American cider. Slow, cool fermentations with native orchard yeast.”
-Charles McGonegal, Aeppeltreow Winery, Wisconsin-

JOE CORLEY is the head distiller at Germain-Robin Distillery.

[b]JMF: What are your thoughts on artisanal fruit brandy and spirits made in North America?

JC:[/b] I really just know the four I mention on question 3 below... but I have had a chance to try many fine spirits being made across the country and I think most should be given "A" for effort and there are a lot of contenders for very good to great quality spirits, but there are a lot of ho-hum ones as well. One cannot make high quality spirits without the time element for brandies and whiskies. Ok, we were all astonished (at the whiskey tasting at the 2008 ADI Conference) by the "Scotch" quality from Amrut in India for their 3 year old, that is an unusual circumstance of environmental and other factors.

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DANIEL EUN, award winning mixologist at PDT, one of the world’s best cocktail bars located in NYC.

JMF: Do you use any North American fruit spirits in your cocktails?

DE: I have a cocktail on the PDT menu right now that uses Pear Eau-di-Vie.

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“I believe the production of these spirits is wildly important. When a distillery opens up it is very important to bottle as quickly as possible, because alas, money must be made in order to stay in business. While the standard is to create vodkas, I think the pioneers playing with fruit brandy are a wonderful alternative. I have tried a number of them, and each one shows great character. As far as I am concerned Steve McCarthy (Clear Creek Distillery) out of Oregon is the pioneer in this field, and my go to guy. I also think Lance Winters (St. George Spirits) is at the top. The average consumer does not know much about these and it will take a lot of effort, but the exciting part is that the quality is already there, so that is the most important thing.”
–Ethan Kelly, Brandy Library, NYC-

TED HAIGH, known as “Dr. Cocktail”, author and mixologist, is one of the world’s top experts on vintage cocktails and spirits from the early 1800’s to present.

JMF: What are your thoughts on artisanal fruit brandy and spirits made in North America?

TH: I think the re-invigorated American brandy distilling trends are very valuable indeed. Though I am not particularly nationalistic about the spirits I enjoy, the research and willingness of domestic craft distillers to experiment, create new things, and revive old ones I find heartening... even exciting.

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“If I was to make one comment on this subject (American fruit spirits) it would be that micro distillers need to focus on more unusual ingredients than fruit. Why is all this effort being put into making American versions of European classics? Mette in France is making asparagus and hop eaux de vie, Hans Reisetbauer is throwing carrots into the still , why aren't we ? Dave Arnold at FCI is throwing all kinds of crap into a roto-vap and coming up with some really original ideas… isn't that what America is all about?”
-Eben Freeman, Tailor, NYC-

ALEXANDER DAY is a sought after consultant and award winning mixologist at, among others, Death & Co., NYC, where his creations grace their cocktails menus.

JMF: Do you use any North American fruit spirits in your cocktails?

AD: Every night. Be it a true fruit brandy or a liqueur, fruit spirits have such a wide spectrum of flavors that they can either define a drink as a base, or augment by acting as a modifier. Some of the more pungent examples – Clear Creek Pear Brandy comes to mind – have such intense aromatics that they can easily be used in the smallest of quantities, enhancing the profile of a base spirit by picking out, and fiddling with, common flavors.

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