Welcome to Drinking the World; my thoughts on fine libations, special spirits, and fabulous cocktails. My name is Jonathan M. Forester and I'm a food & beverage writer / consultant. Formerly partner in Winterport Winery and Penobscot Bay Brewery from 2007-2009. I'm also in the process of starting up an artisanal, micro-batch distillery specializing in super premium spirits. These will include bourbon, rye, and single malt whiskey, peach, pear, and apple brandy, a variety of aged rum, and gin. The style will be American from the Gilded Age, the last 25 years of the 19th century.
I am going to add to this site as quickly as I can, but I am a bit pressed for time. I have around 200+ pieces already written to post here, as well as hundreds of cocktail recipes. As time permits I will add them to the archives.
If the post is dated prior to December 13, 2008, it was previously published at Slashfood.com / AOL.com.
XML FeedsMy Botanical Library
By Jonathan M. Forester on Feb 5, 2010 | In Artisanal Distilling, Cocktail Revolution, Syrups, Bitters, Tinctures, and Infusions | 5 feedbacks »
I've been working for several months experimenting with various botanicals for bitters and to use in making gin. Right now I am working on some bitters recipes that are unique, with a Colonial and Native American medicinal twist. So far I have around 115 botanicals that I've made into tinctures and infusions, with around 40 more that I haven't gotten around to yet, and a future list of another 50 or so which I have to track down. My botanical lab is now stocked with the following essences that are the basis for my "Library" of flavors and aromas.
Follow up:
Agrimony leaf
Angelica root
Anise seed
Star Anise
Dried Apricot
Areca nut, rose flavored (Rose Supari/Betel nut)
Bay leaf
Bearberry leaf
Blackberry fruit
Blackberry leaf
Blackberry root
Black Cumin seed
Blessed Thistle leaf
Wild Blueberry, fresh
Blueberry Leaves
Buddha’s Hand Citron
Calamus Root
Calendula Flowers
Canada Fleabane leaf
Black Cardomon
Green Cardomon
Cassia
Celery seed
Centaury
Chamomile flowers
Sour Cherry, Fresh
Sour Cherry, Pits
Chickweed leaf
Cinchona
Cinnamon
Cinquefoil leaf
Cleaver leaf
Clove
Red Clover blossom
Vietnamese Coffee
Cranberry, Fresh
Cubeb berries
Dandelion leaf
Dandelion root
Dogwood bark
Purple Coneflower root: Echinacea
Elderberries
Elderberry flower
Elecampane Root
Slippery Elm Bark
Fennel seed
Fenugreek seed
Frankincense
Galangal root
Gentian root
Germander
Ginger root, dried
Goldenrod Leaves
Goldenseal Root
Goldenseal leaf
Grains of Paradise
Gravel Root
Hawthorn Berries
Heal-All
Hearts ease leaf
Saaz Hops
Horehound leaf
Hyssop leaf
Ironweed Leaf
Ironweed Root
New Jersey Tea Root
Juniper Berries
Kumquat, fresh
Lavender flowers
Lemon Balm
Lemon Peel
Lemon Verbena leaf
Licorice
Lime Peel, dried
Sweet Lime, fresh Peel: different species from regular lime
Motherwort leaf
Mugwort leaf
Myrrh
Nasturtium leaf
Nutmeg
Orange Flower Petals
Bitter Orange Peel, dry
Orange Peel, dry
Orange Peel, Honeybell, fresh
Orange Peel, bleached
Orange Tree Leaves
Orris Root
Passion Flower Herb
Peach Tree Leaves
Prickly Ash Bark
Prickly Ash Berries
Quassia
Queen Anne's Lace leaf
Quince, Raw
Quince, Cooked
Red Raspberry leaf
Rhubarb Root
Red Rose Petals
Rose Hips
Yellow Rose petals
Sarsparilla root
Sassafras root
Sheep Sorrel Herb
Shepherd's Purse Herb
Skullcap Herb
Smartweed Herb
Spilanthes acmella/Sechuan Buttons
Spikenard Root
Stinging Nettle Leaves
Strawberry Leaves
Sumac berries
Tonka Beans
Veronica
Black Walnut bark
Wormwood
5 comments
What are you using as the alcohol base?
To answer your question. I use NGS (Neutral Grain Spirits) at 95% abv / 190 proof. I first started out using vodka, but the proof wasn't high enough to extract all the flavors I was looking for. So I moved on to Everclear which is "pure grain alcohol" sold in liquor stores in some states. Basically NGS bottled and sold for commercial use. I have friends in the retail liquor biz and was able to get a few cases at wholesale, but that was still pricey.
Eventually I will have my distillery up and running again and will be able to get NGS at the best rate that you only get if you are a licensed distillery, around $350-700 a 55 gl. barrel, delivered. Soon I will be moving my bitters operation to a friends distillery and using NGS they get and making the bitters and tinctures on site, and selling commercially. A great solution for the next few years until I get my own place in business.
I also have another site that is on hold for awhile, but it was a weekly journal about my journey into partnership with a winery to start a brewery, then distillery. It was originally published on AOL and Slashfood.com where I was a paid blogger for several years. There are 30 weeks worth of long and detailed journal entries. I am slowly adding on the photos, but it takes awhile since there are literally hundreds of great photos. The site is http://www.diaryofaDistiller.com
I've done some infusions in the past, with pretty good results, but I certainly don't have the dedication to liquor-based experimentation needed to do this.
However, what I'm really excited by is your attempt to revive the liquors of Gilded Age with your own distillery. I've always wanted to drink like Diamond Jim Brady and Boss Tweed, and soon, perhaps, we'll have a chance to do so.
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