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Tiki Central / Tiki Drinks and Food / Make Your Own Falernum

Post #759606 by AceExplorer on Wed, Feb 24, 2016 6:15 AM

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On 2016-02-24 02:24, Warboys wrote:
Just need some Almond Extract and I can start my own Falernum. I'm a little paranoid in general about homemade stuff, but extra paranoid because using my precious LH151 to make something that I could screw up is scary!

Is it possible to halve the ingredients to make half the amount? I'm not sure if I'd use a whole batch in 2-3 months and I'd hate to waste that precious, precious Lemon Hart

Here's the one I was going to make: http://www.kaiserpenguin.com/make-your-own-falernum/

I've seen references to #8 and #10... is this one of those?

[ Edited by: Warboys 2016-02-24 02:27 ]

KP's recipe states you can use Lemon Hart or Wray & Nephew Overproof. There is quite a big flavor difference between those two, and I've been using only Paul Clarke's recipes where he calls for the WAY more neutral Wray & Nephew. In both KP's and Paul Clarke's recipes the rum is used to extract flavors and oils from the ingredients. If you use KP's option to use Lemon Hart then you will come up with a much more rum-involved version of Falernum. From my discussions with Jeff Berry, that's not going to yield a Falernum which approaches the original flavor profile of Falernum's in use in the old days. If you're not worried about recreating an older flavor profile, then you don't have to worry about it, you can use any high-proof rum you like.

On the other hand, the world of using Falernum in drinks has recently (to me) become very fragmented and people are now holding many different opinions of what constitutes "Falernum." I would like to stay away from that controversy, as I have personally quite solidly settled on the authenticity of the flavor profiles of Paul Clarke's recipes, and that's what I use and am quite happy with. This is not a reflection on Kaiser Penguin's work at all, or on anyone else's opinions and preferences, but is a reflection of the research I have done with others who are much more knowledgeable than me.

My suggestion and conclusion? It depends entirely on what you are trying to accomplish. You can save your Lemon Hart and instead find Wray and Nephew Overproof Rum or something very similar as your flavor extraction medium. But ultimately I think it depends on what you want as your "Falernum."