German booze?

I'm off to Berlin in a month's time, and want to bring back some useful ingredients for the cocktail cabinet. Apfel Korn is one I've found to be useful, but can't really think of anything else that can come in handy when making cocktails. Certainly their schnapps & stuff like jagermeister are worth bringing home, but they don't really get much use in cocktails.

Any ideas?

Trader Woody

yeah, last time I was there I came back with jagermeister, but that's all...I know there's a lot of different liquors, I also have feigling... but I never use it.

Kummel, if you like caraway seed. Better used in prohibition era cocktails like the silver bullet. Ask Sven, he may have some suggestions.

i believe a kind of german moonshine is called 'maria kron'. i've had it, it knocks you on your heinrich.

there's also a really tasty brandy (she's a fine girl) called 'asbach uralt...' i like it...

Last time I was in Germany we wound up at a shooter bar where all they served was Jeniver (not sure if spelling it right Gen-ee-ver pronounciation)

By itself, its absolutely terrible. kinda like rubbing alcohol.

The shooter bar however had every flavor in the world. they added syrups & juices to this stuff and could make a shot taste like anything. Might be worth looking into, but you'll need to know how to mix the flavor in there too. Mai tai shots anyone???

Have a great time!

http://bargoyle.yafro.com/

Well, it's not Germany but it's close. Has anyone tried Stroh? 160 proof Austrian spiced rum. I am intrigued.

On 2005-02-02 19:49, Kono wrote:
Well, it's not Germany but it's close. Has anyone tried Stroh? 160 proof Austrian spiced rum. I am intrigued.

Awesome stuff. Purple, strangely. Hits the nose with a strong rush of sugarcane, the alcohol harshness is pretty light, and the aftertaste is what I would describe as butterscotch. Awesome stuff, but never more than 1/4 of an ounce straight. That's how ms. tikimonkey ended up staying the night at my house the first time :)

Also used in the Von Tiki from Grog Log.

Well worth the purchase. You can find it at BevMo (if one is near), or online (hitimewines or internetwines)

Shop at BevMo!

On 2005-02-03 09:37, martiki wrote:
Shop at BevMo!

Corporate whore!

On 2005-02-02 20:06, tikimonkey wrote:

Awesome stuff, but never more than 1/4 of an ounce straight. That's how ms. tikimonkey ended up staying the night at my house the first time :)

I gave a shot to a friend of mine, and he spontaniously vomited! Brutal stuff, but would probably taste quite nice if it wasn't for the overpowering taste of alcohol. It took many years to get through that bottle, so it's probably off my shopping list, I'm afraid.

Trader Woody

Stroh'80' = Worst Hangover EVER!

...that being said, the first time I had it was at the Rum Jungle in Mandalay Bay in Vegas. So when I woke up, I was able to stumble (Ok, Tram) my way up the strip to what has got to be the greatest hangover cure ever: The Oxygen Bar. 15 minutes of that I was right back at it...

But to answer your question, my recolection of the flavor experience was very similar to battery acid. But I do prefer it in the center of my volcano bowl, because a little does add a nice character to the drink.

On 2005-02-02 19:49, Kono wrote:
Well, it's not Germany but it's close. Has anyone tried Stroh? 160 proof Austrian spiced rum. I am intrigued.

I gave 750ml bottles of Stroh as Christmas gifts this year to Sabu, Johnnie Velour & TikiBird. I forgot to pick up a bottle for myself and I couldn't convince ANY of them to open theirs so I could try it before they took it home (harumph!), so I actually have yet to have some. They carry it at Bristol Farms, so I s'pose I'll mosey my way down & get me one soon...

Happy Tiki is happily married to a fine German. Fine. He says Germans are in love with fruit liquers. The butcher around the corner from his childhood home in Nurenburg sold liquers made from every kind of fruit. His favorites are starfruit, passionfruit, pomegranite (?), and banana. He is now Stateside mixing up awesome cocktails on the Lanai. Happy hour's at 8.

*On 2005-02-03 17:31, Hau 'oli Tiki wrote:*He says Germans are in love with fruit liquers. The butcher around the corner from his childhood home in Nurenburg sold liquers made from every kind of fruit. His favorites are starfruit, passionfruit, pomegranite (?), and banana. He is now Stateside mixing up awesome cocktails on the Lanai. Happy hour's at 8.

Hmmm....that sounds interesting. Perhaps substitite syrups for German fruit liquers for a higher octane cocktail. They would probably work very well in the type of strong cocktails served in martini glasses that people have erroneusly started calling 'insert name here' martini's.

Good call, thanks.

Trader Woody

Hangover? no problemo
http://www.gdh-imports.com/acatalog/Underberg_Selection.html
Have no fear...Underberg is here!

On 2005-02-06 20:07, Shipwreckjoey wrote:
Hangover? no problemo
http://www.gdh-imports.com/acatalog/Underberg_Selection.html
Have no fear...Underberg is here!

They sell that stuff in mass quantities at Moylan's brewery in Novato, CA. I'm quite curious. Perhaps I'll pick some up next time I'm in for a Growler of Kilt Lifter.

update
After a Dark 'n Stormy, Suffering Bastard, and Puka Punch, I chugged a dram of the stuff. Will see what happens in the manana.

eep!

[ Edited by: tikimonkey on 2005-02-11 21:18 ]

Just found this post...when I am in Germany shooting, I usually stock a bottle of fine Grappa in the camera truck, for cold night exteriors, or as digestive after the heavy meat'n'potato lunch catering. It is available in infinite variety in Germany, and and I prefer it to the traditional Kirsch/plum/pair spirits. Amazingly, Grappa is so clean, you can get plastered on it and feel totally fine the next morning.
I really have no fave German schnaps, of course there are many, varying from region to region. I overdid it with Apple Korn as a teenager, it being the traditional "easy" hard stuff at the Easter bonfire: Goes down like apple juice, and so you drink it like it. Then it hits you like a 2x4, and you fall over, but when you close your eyes, the spinning is too strong and you barf. After doing that a couple of times I layed off it.

My grandmother was hooked on Underberg, using it's "medicinal" properties as excuse, those weird little brown paperwrapped bottles were lying around everywhere. I liked the smell, but the taste...talk about bitters.

My best story is my Stroh Rum story (according to my info it is really just rum-flavoured pure alcohol):
As a young lad of 19 I was living in Berlin to study art, it was the mid 70s, and I was a fan of the David Bowie/Lou Reed/Iggy Stooge triumvirate, of which some were regulars on the Berlin scene at the time. I was a card carrying member in the Iggy Pop fan club, which, complete with a punk B&W xerox zine, was "run" by my friend Harald in West Germany.

He and his girlfriend were in town one weekend to meet Iggy, and I also had another friendly couple from Hamburg staying over at my Berlin basement flat. Somehow we all ended up at my place, and the only booze I had left was a BIG bottle of 160 proof Stroh. Iggy suckled that down rather fast, and to my amazement (I was unattached at the time) he proceeded to have sex with BOTH of my friends' girlfriends in my (the only) bed, while my pals and I just sort of hung out drunk in the kitchen. I really can't recall the reasoning behind this situation, other than that we were young and drunk and star-struck, but it left me with a shallow feeling towards rock stardom, (and the effects of Stroh Rum). There must be other ways to have fun, I remember thinking...

Trader Woody, say high to the Kaisers at the Tabou Tiki and Mr Scholl at the Rum Trader from me. Try to get a copy of Lurker's "BERLIN- City in Space" city guide. Different than the Barcelona one, not as many bars, but go up the block from the Rum Trader into the Galerie Bremer Bar, it has been untouched since the 50s. And visit the Absinth Depot in Weinmeisterstr. 4 in Mitte, great selection.

Bigbro - phew! Thanks for the comprehensive post!

I must admit to being surprised by grappa being popular in Germany as I'd always thought of it as being more Italian in origin. I've only ever bought two bottles, though - one on a Greek island in a plastic cooking oil bottle and one from Italy that sits in my bar, yet to be touched. I'll look out for some in Berlin - anything that leaves you without a hangover at my age is worth seeking out.

As for Iggy, he's a force of nature. What's incredible was that he just cut a swathe through the booze, drugs and women of the western hemisphere for the 70's (and a good few years on either side) yet has come out the other side like a goofy, friendly uncle. Incidentally, when we went out to Madrid to check out the Mauna Loa, we ended up meeting a girl who'd had a night with Jim back in the 70's. He stomped the terra, that's for sure.

Many thanks for the Berlin bar advice. The Rum Trader and the Tabou were certainly the main reasons for going there, but I'd never have known about the others. Both sound worthy of a night devoted to their pleasures. Just out of interest, there's a 'Mister Hu's' that supposedly has an oceanic theme (which really could mean anything) and a reputation for decent cocktails. Ever heard of it? Is it worth going to?

Trader Woody

Mister WHO ?! (Sorry, I had to do that)
No, do not know of it, but would if it would be remotely Tiki...maybe the others know about it.
By the way, he Absinth Depot is a store, it does not have a liquor licence...but since it is open late, and one can sample ANY spirit for a little cash, while the very nice and informative owner tells you about them, it really is the same.

On 2005-02-15 12:17, bigbrotiki wrote:
Iggy suckled that down rather fast, and to my amazement (I was unattached at the time)...

Man, when I first read that part I thought the story was going somewhere different! :lol:

If that happened today you could put those sheets on ebay and make a nice buck especially if there were any stains that looked vaguely like a religous icon, a moai or the infamous Bat Boy.