Pernod Help

I am trying to stock up my home bar but have a question about Pernod. In jeff berry books it call for drops of Pernod, however when I went to the liqour store I see they have 2 different ones. One I believe is pastil and is around $30 while the other is absente or something and is about $60. My question is which one should I be using in my dropper bottle. Any help is greatly appreciated

Pernod is also a name brand. Pernod Ricard.

You want this stuff.

You can also use Herbsaint, which is what I use now.

Find the smallest bottle possible. You are going to use it very slowly. I have been making these drinks for a decade and am on my second bottle and the first was like 500ml!

This is the bottle I am seeing is this correct? If so again there are 2 different ones with basically the same label. One just say pastil while the other says absente and is $30 more. I attached a picture of the bottle.

[ Edited by: Tiki Mdn 2014-03-14 12:20 ]

Ok I didn't see your link at first. So it's the pastis, that's good that's the cheaper one. Thank for your quick help.

Pernod has a strong licorice flavor. Very, VERY strong. A lot of people who try it don't like it or find it's too easy to overpower a drink. Personally I hate licorice so, although I may not be making some drinks historically accurate, I leave it out.

Pernod is used to add dimension to a drink, like bitters do. If you leave it out, you're throwing off the balance.

Unless you're making something like a Zula or a Dr. Funk, you're not gonna taste licorice. But it is powerful; use a dropper.

Here's a good thread talking about the Perils of Pernod: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=12910&forum=10&hilite=Pernod

This is another use for the old bitters bottles. Clean it well then fill it with Pernod/Herbsaint. Now you can use it to measure out small drops. NOT dashes as with bitters. I am not a fan of the licorice and my wife really doesn't like it, so I keep it well under the radar and this method helps a lot. Much easier than an eye dropper or other method. It delivers very tiny amounts you can count and control.

I simply use a 1/8 teaspoon measure, which is approx a dash.

On 2014-03-15 13:46, thePorpoise wrote:
I simply use a 1/8 teaspoon measure, which is approx a dash.

Actually, 1/8 tsp is exactly a dash. 1/16 tsp is a pinch, and 1/32 tsp is a smidgen.

how bout drops? i always thought a dash = approx 3-4 drops.

A technique I have seen used for the liquors used for coating the glass (common with Pernod, Absinthe, etc) is to load it into a mini sprayer and give it a hit or two so that you get better coverage without having to pour some down the drain.

My two cents: get the cheaper bottle, and do not leave the Pernod out! I'm not a big fan of Absinthe/Ouzo/Sambuca, but just a small amount of Pernod called for in the classic Donn Beach drinks (Zombie,Jet Pilot, etc) makes a CRUCIAL difference in the flavor profile.

I think pernod represents one of the 'final frontiers' in tiki drinks. I say one of the 'final frontiers' because they are of lots of little things to master!

I first started out trying pernod in drinks like Doctor Funk & the Test Pilot - I approximated the pernod using teaspoons & the like, these drinks were difficult. After this I finally got an eye dropper & 1/8th teaspoon measure spoon, using pernod got a lot easier. I wouldn't recommend using pernod without these!

The first drink I found with pernod in that I liked was the Montego Bay. On paper the Montego Bay is not too dissimilar to many other drinks but the the honey / pimento / pernod combo crowns the drink.

NB: in my initial attempts I was able to 'cover up' my over pernod pouring by adding extra honey mix.

I regularly use pernod now & think it's better to use less than required when trying out a new drink. I usually add half the amount the recipe requires & taste before adding a bit more.

Drinks that I quite like with it in include: the Montego Bay, Jet Pilot, 1934 Zombie & the Beachcomber Rum Barrel.

I think the intended use of pernod is not to add sufficient amount to create a 'pernod' flavour, more enough to tip the balance & make you wonder 'what is that?'. I think when used correctly it gives a 'icy cold' sensation to a drink rather than a dominant flavour.

I agree with all comments saying 'get a small bottle'. I tend to steer clear of substituting pernod for absinthe (& visa versa), I just have pernod & absinthe in my home bar.

A little spray bottle of absinthe really works well, especially if you are making Sazeracs or Corpse Reviver No2s :)

[ Edited by: AdOrAdam 2014-03-17 11:45 ]

On 2014-03-15 06:27, Swanky wrote:
This is another use for the old bitters bottles. Clean it well then fill it with Pernod/Herbsaint. Now you can use it to measure out small drops. NOT dashes as with bitters. I am not a fan of the licorice and my wife really doesn't like it, so I keep it well under the radar and this method helps a lot. Much easier than an eye dropper or other method. It delivers very tiny amounts you can count and control.

This is what I do. Very handy and fast. Though I don't measure 6 drops, I just add a dash. I think it's fine and not overpowering for me. It's also good to have some Pimento Dram in an old bitters bottle since some drinks call for it like 1/4tsp which would be 2 dashes. Making a Montego Bay has never been easier.

You definitely want the Pastis, not the absinthe. The flavor is not dissimilar but having the true absinthe is completely unnecessary for your tiki drinks. The Pastis is a great product.

That being said, you definitely need to have it (pastis).

Fear not, I love the flavor, but my wife does not. Yet, even she will admit to the beautiful and subtle complexity it brings to a drink. If you don't use it, you are not really tasting the drink. Be shy and frugal at first, and then slowly creep up your usage and see how it affects your drinks.

At this point, I can't imagine not using it.

On 2014-03-17 12:24, mamelukkikala wrote:

On 2014-03-15 06:27, Swanky wrote:
This is another use for the old bitters bottles. Clean it well then fill it with Pernod/Herbsaint. Now you can use it to measure out small drops. NOT dashes as with bitters. I am not a fan of the licorice and my wife really doesn't like it, so I keep it well under the radar and this method helps a lot. Much easier than an eye dropper or other method. It delivers very tiny amounts you can count and control.

This is what I do. Very handy and fast. Though I don't measure 6 drops, I just add a dash. I think it's fine and not overpowering for me. It's also good to have some Pimento Dram in an old bitters bottle since some drinks call for it like 1/4tsp which would be 2 dashes. Making a Montego Bay has never been easier.

With the bitters bottle, you can just slowly dribble out the drops, which are very small and see how many you put in the drink and get a feel for your taste that way. Most of my patrons are not fans of the flavor, and certainly if you can taste it up front, I think there is too much in there. I generally find the bitters bottle drops are in line with the recipe, where the same amount out of an eye dropper would be outrageously strong. And trying to pour it into a 1/8th teaspoon is just craziness.

I've got a set of measuring spoons, 1/8 oz. and up, and I find them very useful, but hey that's me

To be fair, though, I'm always at least making doubles, so make that 1/4 oz. and up

On 2014-03-18 07:15, Kill Devil wrote:
I've got a set of measuring spoons, 1/8 oz. and up, and I find them very useful, but hey that's me

Where do you allow for the meniscus? :wink:

On 2014-03-18 07:18, Kill Devil wrote:
To be fair, though, I'm always at least making doubles, so make that 1/4 oz. and up

This is an important consideration.... if you are making Tiki Drinks chances are you are making several at a time.

A single pour calling for 1/8th of an ounce is a pain in the ass to measure out accurately, but making two (or a double if you are drinking with Kill Devil) means a 1/4 ounce pour. Few, if any, ever complain about measuring a 1/4 ounce of something for a drink.

And here is the tip for those of you who are not keen on the flavor of Ricard/Pernod/Pastis that I think was also shared in that older thread....

Pour the measure over your cutting board, not over the shaker. If you over-shoot the measure it won't spill into the drink.

Oh.. and don't skip the Pernod.

Really.

I know you are thinking 'meh its only a dash.... trust me. It matters.

Feelin single and drinkin doubles!

With most of the herbiscents in cocktails, unless they call for a decent volume, when you get to the point that you are working in drops it is probably better to just coat the glass/mug. The only time I ever mix it in with the drink itself is when we are talking parts.

Ok, don't string me up for asking this :wink:, but I'm reading about how Pernod is an anise spirit ... so could you substitute Jagermeister?

On 2017-02-13 16:34, Tiki Drifter wrote:
Ok, don't string me up for asking this :wink:, but I'm reading about how Pernod is an anise spirit ... so could you substitute Jagermeister?

I vote, not just no but, gawds no!

Jager is far too heavy and much more complex than what you are looking for in these particular circumstances. (Which is not to say that, in general, playing around with making a Jager based tiki drink wouldn't be a fun and interesting challenge to take a crack at.)

My take vis a vis the whole Pernod/Herbsainte/Absinthe addition is to look for it in the wee airplane sized bottles. It'll still last you a decent amount of time, is much less expensive, and I find that about a half of a capful from those wee bottlecaps is just about the perfect amount.

[ Edited by: CosmoReverb 2017-02-16 13:41 ]

The man himself, Jeff Berry made a Jager-based tiki drink for an event in St. Pete a few years back. Dean Hurst also made one and they were both pretty good.

The man himself, Jeff Berry made a Jager-based tiki drink for an event in St. Pete a few years back. Dean Hurst also made one and they were both pretty good.

That's one hell of an echo.