When it comes to sustainability, cocktails may seem like a wasted category to focus your efforts on, but this is far from the truth. In many ways, liquors, brandies, and syrups have always been about preserving and extending the life of our biggest crops and harvests. So, it makes sense that we look to these ideals when searching for ways to add lots of flavor and magic to modern-day cocktail recipes while at the same time sticking to a mission of sustainability.
This means more than just watching what we consume. It means paying attention to how we use what we already have available to us. Reducing single-use plastics by opting for bulk and glass container brands. Growing your own herbs, fruits, and vegetables and seeking out foods that can stand in for foreign, unsustainable pantry staples like citrus and cane sugars. When you can’t buy locally made products, try looking for organic and fair trade brands that support our natural environmental systems, reduce animal product consumption, and make recycling part of their company policy.
With all this in mind, it’s a bittersweet moment when a local gem closes its doors. We’re sad to announce that Admiralty Distillers, the Olympic Peninsula’s first craft distillery, will soon be shutting down. They’ve been crafting exceptional spirits that truly capture the essence of Port Townsend for years and it’s a true loss for the community. From the Olympic mountain water to the Quimper Peninsula harvests from small, local farms, you can taste the seasons and the region’s essence in every sip of their brandies and gin. Before they’re gone for good, make sure to grab one of the last bottles of their incredible spirits to savor a piece of local history. Here is a sustainably inspired cocktail to try using their Admiralty Eau de Vie Marc Brandy.
Off the Top Cocktail
Infusions and shrubs are nothing new to the veteran bartender, but back in the day, they were essential for preserving bumper crops and prolonging fresh flavors past their seasons. I challenge you to think twice about what to infuse your spirits with when you are throwing away your fruit and veggie scraps. They may have the potential for more than just the compost heap. Sustainability can be achieved in small doses, and here is a delicious example that puts these simple, no-waste, and sustainable techniques to the test.
You can infuse any alcohol with any veggie or fruit scrap. It is just a matter of reminding yourself to do so when the time comes.
Makes 1 Cocktail
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Off the Top Infused Brandy (recipe follows)
1 ½ ounces Strawberry Date Shrub (recipe follows)
¾ ounce Dry Vermouth
Garnish strawberry chip and fennel frond
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin. Top 3/4 full with ice, then cap and shake vigorously to combine. Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish and serve immediately.
Off the Top Infused Brandy
Makes about 1 1/2 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 375ml bottle Admiralty Eau de Vie Marc Brandy
1/2 cup Strawberry tops
1/2 cup Bronze fennel fronds
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a wide-mouth mason jar and let infuse for at least 24 hours and up to a week. Strain out solids and return the brandy to its original bottle. Store in a cool, dark place until ready to use.
Strawberry Date Shrub
Makes about 1 1/4 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups of about-to-expire strawberries, tops removed
½ cup Organic Date Syrup
½ cup Red Wine Vinegar
DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to medium-low heat. Cook the strawberries down until very tender. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain out solids using a fine-mesh strainer, saving the solids for ice cream and other desserts. Store the shrub in the fridge for up to two weeks.
