Malört: anyone here familiar with this stuff?

Just a few highlights from the article, which is a pretty good read:

Describing its flavor profile is a favorite parlor game among those who’ve sampled it. It tastes like earwax or a hornet’s nest or paint thinner or anger; in the words of the back label on the bottle, it is “bitter,” “unusual,” “full-bodied,” and “savored by two-fisted drinkers.”

“It’s like an alcohol punch in the mouth”

At present, you can find Malört for sale through much of Illinois and parts of Wisconsin and Indiana, but beyond that you’re probably out of luck

“This literally tastes like throw up. That is not an exaggeration. The aftertaste is just about the worst thing I’ve ever had in my mouth OTHER than the aftertaste of vomit.”

a recent story in Vice called the drink “malicious,” “maligned,” “beloved,” and “disgusting”—all in the space of the headline.

In 2011, Sam Mechling helped run a comedy show at a Chicago bar where audience members were given a shot of Malört in between sets. The shot came with a request: that audience members either write down a description of what Malört tasted like or else make up a slogan. Mechling dubbed it the “Malört challenge.” He finished each show by reading the five best slogans and descriptions back to the crowd; it would get one of the evening’s biggest laughs. (His personal favorites: “like a baby Aspirin wrapped in grapefruit peel, bound with rubber bands, soaked in well gin” and “like driving through Gary, Indiana, in a convertible with your mouth open.”)

“Malört: Tonight’s the night you fight your dad,” Or: “Malört: How to unfriend someone in person.”

Drakes Hopocalypse Double IPA, and Glenlivet Founders Reserve... not necessarily in that order. No I don't have a picture

whatwouldcooleydo? wrote:Malört: anyone here familiar with this stuff?

Just a few highlights from the article, which is a pretty good read:

Describing its flavor profile is a favorite parlor game among those who’ve sampled it. It tastes like earwax or a hornet’s nest or paint thinner or anger; in the words of the back label on the bottle, it is “bitter,” “unusual,” “full-bodied,” and “savored by two-fisted drinkers.”

“It’s like an alcohol punch in the mouth”

At present, you can find Malört for sale through much of Illinois and parts of Wisconsin and Indiana, but beyond that you’re probably out of luck

“This literally tastes like throw up. That is not an exaggeration. The aftertaste is just about the worst thing I’ve ever had in my mouth OTHER than the aftertaste of vomit.”

a recent story in Vice called the drink “malicious,” “maligned,” “beloved,” and “disgusting”—all in the space of the headline.

In 2011, Sam Mechling helped run a comedy show at a Chicago bar where audience members were given a shot of Malört in between sets. The shot came with a request: that audience members either write down a description of what Malört tasted like or else make up a slogan. Mechling dubbed it the “Malört challenge.” He finished each show by reading the five best slogans and descriptions back to the crowd; it would get one of the evening’s biggest laughs. (His personal favorites: “like a baby Aspirin wrapped in grapefruit peel, bound with rubber bands, soaked in well gin” and “like driving through Gary, Indiana, in a convertible with your mouth open.”)

“Malört: Tonight’s the night you fight your dad,” Or: “Malört: How to unfriend someone in person.”

Chicago version of the Swedish bitter Bäsk (or Bäska Droppar). A bitter aquavit. I have tried it only a few times (Bäsk, not Malört). Not that bad.

It’s absolutely disgusting. It tastes like the back of your mouth right before you puke.

Iowan wrote:It’s absolutely disgusting. It tastes like the back of your mouth right before you puke.

An acquired taste.

stellar

Homecoming stream with this.

MM,
Where did you find that bottle of wine? Ava, Illinois is a tiny town not far from where my father-in-law (and board member beaverdamsfinlaw) is from.

Mundane Mayhem wrote:Homecoming stream with this.

Beaverdam wrote:MM,
Where did you find that bottle of wine? Ava, Illinois is a tiny town not far from where my father-in-law (and board member beaverdamsfinlaw) is from.

Mundane Mayhem wrote:Homecoming stream with this.

It's actually a bottle of beer from Scratch Brewing, which is a pretty buzzy name in the craft beer world. They don't use hops and often brew beers with ingredients they forage or grow on-site. Always really interesting stuff. Mostly sour beers. They make it out here to Denver occasionally (more and more often these days), and I'll often scoop one up if I'm feeling spendy and want to try something different and weird.

Good as Gold Brut IPA- collaboration with New Zealand's Garage Project

in general haven't been all that enamored with the Brut IPA thang but this one is really good. It is definitely less Bruty than the typical Brut

leftover Jameson.

^^^^
Leftovers

no beer, this is what we have on hand (lots of wine in the house but it's beyond that point)

I used to love a good cup of espresso, but these days I just can't stand how it looks...

I was prompted to remember how much I love this song yesterday:



And that got me to thinking. Supposing I wanted something new for my flask next time I fill it, what's a good rye whiskey? I'm not sure I've ever had one, let alone a good one.

So I've got a bottle of Remy Martin 1738 accord royal champagne cognac that I received as a gift. To my knowledge, I've never tasted cognac in my life. I don't even know how to drink it, what to put in it or mix it with (if anything). Anyone got some tips for me?

Clams wrote:So I've got a bottle of Remy Martin 1738 accord royal champagne cognac that I received as a gift. To my knowledge, I've never tasted cognac in my life. I don't even know how to drink it, what to put in it or mix it with (if anything). Anyone got some tips for me?

Put it on the shelf and admire it from a safe distance.

LBRod wrote:

Clams wrote:So I've got a bottle of Remy Martin 1738 accord royal champagne cognac that I received as a gift. To my knowledge, I've never tasted cognac in my life. I don't even know how to drink it, what to put in it or mix it with (if anything). Anyone got some tips for me?

Put it on the shelf and admire it from a safe distance.

Been doing that for almost 3 years! Been thinking maybe I should actually drink it.

Clams wrote:

LBRod wrote:

Clams wrote:So I've got a bottle of Remy Martin 1738 accord royal champagne cognac that I received as a gift. To my knowledge, I've never tasted cognac in my life. I don't even know how to drink it, what to put in it or mix it with (if anything). Anyone got some tips for me?

Put it on the shelf and admire it from a safe distance.

Been doing that for almost 3 years! Been thinking maybe I should actually drink it.

Pour a smidge in a snifter glass (or something bulbous like a red wine glass) and enjoy it slowly. No ice, no soda, no nothing. Best late at night, while listening to something swanky and pondering what a total badass you are.

Clams wrote:So I've got a bottle of Remy Martin 1738 accord royal champagne cognac

You could pour up a bit over rocks and sip it. To that, you could add a little amaretto (1/4 part or so of amaretto against 1 part cognac) and see how you like that. And to that, you could add just a tiny splash of creme de cacao. I'd start over rocks first to really get a taste of the cognac, then go up from there and figure out which combination you like best. All these are sippers, and with all those options, you could put a lightish beer on the side to pair. All these are stirred; recipe below should be shaken.

If you really wanna get funky, you could go with a Sidecar. This https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/201 ... ecipe.html looks like a decent recipe--I skip the optional sugar. This is also a sipper that works well with a lightish beer on the side.

LBRod wrote: Put it on the shelf and admire it from a safe distance.

This may be the best recommendation here.

It's good stuff. I finally had to make a rule that I can only have cognac on holidays---as a Thanksgiving Filter to endure a few select relatives, or on Christmas night after I've worked all day and just want to sit quietly in a chair with a stiff drink. The rest of the year, I have no business being around it.

schlanky wrote:

Clams wrote:So I've got a bottle of Remy Martin 1738 accord royal champagne cognac

You could pour up a bit over rocks and sip it. To that, you could add a little amaretto (1/4 part or so of amaretto against 1 part cognac) and see how you like that. And to that, you could add just a tiny splash of creme de cacao. I'd start over rocks first to really get a taste of the cognac, then go up from there and figure out which combination you like best. All these are sippers, and with all those options, you could put a lightish beer on the side to pair. All these are stirred; recipe below should be shaken.

If you really wanna get funky, you could go with a Sidecar. This https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/201 ... ecipe.html looks like a decent recipe--I skip the optional sugar. This is also a sipper that works well with a lightish beer on the side.

scotto wrote:
Pour a smidge in a snifter glass (or something bulbous like a red wine glass) and enjoy it slowly. No ice, no soda, no nothing. Best late at night, while listening to something swanky and pondering what a total badass you are.

Thank you sirs! I will give it a try soon and report back.

Good god man! Or mollusk. Don’t u dare mix it with anything, including water or ice. Sip it. Savor it. Admire it. But do not mix it.

Sipping smelling and savoring as we speak. Yummmm.

beantownbubba wrote:Good god man! Or mollusk. Don’t u dare mix it with anything, including water or ice. Sip it. Savor it. Admire it. But do not mix it.

Fully support this. Cognac should be served bare, at room temperature (or slightly chilled). Preferably after a long meal - after dessert, and after coffee. Myself, I tend to prefer Grappa these days in such settings, but I understand that may not be for everyone.

RolanK wrote:

beantownbubba wrote:Good god man! Or mollusk. Don’t u dare mix it with anything, including water or ice. Sip it. Savor it. Admire it. But do not mix it.

Fully support this. Cognac should be served bare, at room temperature (or slightly chilled). Preferably after a long meal - after dessert, and after coffee. Myself, I tend to prefer Grappa these days in such settings, but I understand that may not be for everyone.

Oooooh, grappa. Now there's a MAN's drink. I've never been able to develop a taste for it myself. In fact, it's kind of amazing to me that something that tastes so bad can have so many varieties.

While some may say "don't try this at home," I've begun experimenting w/ making my own version(s) of a sazerac. A fun and delicious exercise I must say. I haven't come to a final best version but that just means that I have to keep experimenting. Oh, the sacrifices I make for science.

beantownbubba wrote:Don’t u dare mix it with anything

If this was Louis XIII, I'd completely agree. (Unfortunately, the one time I got a taste of that was when I was too young to fully appreciate it.)

Unless I'm mistaken about what the bottle in question is, I see no offense in ice or adding a subtle mixer to it. But that's just me.

That said, I did draw the line with my stepdaughter the night she wanted to mix my Hennessy with Diet Mountain Dew. I told her she was welcome to the Hennessy, but if she was mixing with Diet Mountain Dew, the George Dickel was probably a better choice.

schlanky wrote:

beantownbubba wrote:Don’t u dare mix it with anything

If this was Louis XIII, I'd completely agree. (Unfortunately, the one time I got a taste of that was when I was too young to fully appreciate it.)

Unless I'm mistaken about what the bottle in question is, I see no offense in ice or adding a subtle mixer to it. But that's just me.

That said, I did draw the line with my stepdaughter the night she wanted to mix my Hennessy with Diet Mountain Dew. I told her she was welcome to the Hennessy, but if she was mixing with Diet Mountain Dew, the George Dickel was probably a better choice.

Remind me to tell you my Louis XIII story when we meet again.

It's not how I prefer it, but I can understand wanting to drink cognac w/ a little chill. But if it's good stuff maybe whisky stones or the like instead of ice? I sometimes do that w/ scotch. If it's not good stuff I guess it doesn't matter what one mixes it w/ but I can't off the top of my head think of a combo that sounds appealing. Your Mountain Dew story reminds me of the time at a club when I ordered 2 drinks, a remy martin vsop and a coke and the waitress came back w/ a remy and coke. I can't tell you what it tasted like 'cause i sent it back.