Whisky Cocktail Corner: Hollows & Fentimans Ginger Beer

"I've had ginger beer before," you're probably saying to yourself.  Yes, but Fentimans offers one of the few ginger beers on the market that actually has alcohol in it.  "Go on..."

This post is brought to you by the fine folks at Fentimans who were kind enough to supply TWW with some of their alcoholic Ginger Beer for mixing.

Yeasty on the nose, it comes across your palate with a mellow and natural ginger taste.  The ginger doesn't smack you in the face as you might expect but instead gives a subtle spiciness that is quite pleasant.  A sweet finish fades quickly.  For those of us who prefer a more aggressive flavor, fear not!  There is a 'Fire' version of the product coming out soon.  

The boys stopped by their local favorite watering hole with a couple bottles and asked the bartenders to whip something up.  Here's what the good people at Erv's on Beekman came up with:

The Flatbush Founder. Delicious.

Leo's cocktail, the Flatbush Founder: 

• 1 Old Overholt Rye 

• 1/2 Smith & Cross Rum 

• 1/4 Kummel 

• 3/4 lemon juice 

• 1/2 ginger syrup 

• 1/4 all spice dram 

• 1 dash Hellfire (habanero) bitters 

• 1 dash Angostura bitters 

Shake and top liberally with Hollows & Fentimans.

The Ginger Grouse. The walnut bitters sold it. Mmmm, walnut bitters.

Rob's cocktail, the Ginger Grouse:

• 1 Black Grouse

• 1/2 Famous Grouse

• 3/4 Barrows Ginger Liqueur

• 1/2 Gran Classico

• 1/4 Amaro di Angostura

• 1 lime juice

• 1 dash black walnut bitters 

Shake and top liberally with Hollows & Fentimans.  Garnish with grapefruit rind.

The Bitter Mezcal Mule was good with mezcal but you could probably make it with peaty scotch.

Rob's non-whisky variant for your friend you brought with you, a Bitter Mezcal Mule: 

• 1 1/4 mezcal  

• 3/4 sweet vermouth 

• 1/2 Amaro di Angostura 

• 3/4 lime juice 

• 1/2 ginger syrup 

• 1 dash barrel aged whiskey bitters 

• 1 dash 'Elemakule Tiki bitters 

• 1 dash barrel aged whiskey bitters

Shake and top liberally with Hollows & Fentimans. 

In addition to the Hollows, Fentimans offers a line of non-alcoholic soft drinks which are just asking to be used in cocktails. Familiar flavors like Curiosity Cola and the more obscure Dandelion & Burdock or Rose Lemonade all offer a blank canvas for the mixologically adventurous. These offerings are also botanically brewed, however they are (sadly) not fermented.

Many thanks to Lars Dahlhaus at Fentimans for the samples and to the generous staff at Erv's for their advice and mixology!


Erv's on Beekman:
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Fentimans:
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