We were debating what we’d like to highlight this week and we noticed that one name seemed to keep popping up. We first heard of Bittermens New Orleans Coffee Liqueur over at Cocktailians.com as a recommended drink for the cold Holiday season. It popped up again this week as a favorite discovery of Brian Quinn on the Shake and Strain year in review post. Our curiosity was sufficiently peeked, so we decided to investigate.
Bittermens Spirits, from Brooklyn NY, is the product of Avery and Janet Glasser and Mayur Subbarao. They’re on a quest to create a “generation of of American-prouced artisanal liqueurs, cordials and vermouths.” From what we can tell, their New Orleans Coffee Liqueur has put them well on their way.
It’s the product of some rather extensive experimentation with chicory and coffee flavors along with a dash of fate. The fate resulted in them turning what was originally intended to be a new cocktail bitter into it’s current incarnation as a coffee liqueur. They took the original concoction made from Brazilian coffee beans and roasted, organic French chicory root and added a touch of vanilla and a handful of cacao before finishing it off with a domestic Belgian-style candi syrup.
We haven’t had the opportunity to give it a shot yet (tragically), but it’s receiving rave reviews. It’s high quality ingredients makes it a great choice for bar managers, caterers, or event planners looking to offer a trendier organic option to discerning cocktail drinkers. They’ve also committed donating fifty cents of each bottle sold to a New Orleans based charity, so it’s more than just a hip new liqueur, it’s a way to give back and a great story to boot.
Avery Glasser, co-founder of Bittermens, posted some of his favorite recipes over on their site if you want to check it out.
Personally, his recipe for “The Dude Abides,” a combination of 3 year old El Dorado Rum, Bittermens New Orlans Coffee Liqueur, and cream, sounds like it would be pretty hard to pass up.
