Orgeat in L.A. ...?

Aloha all!

Was wondering if anyone had picked up any orgeat they really liked lately, in the San Fernando Valley/Los Angeles area...?
I'm all out and would love to try something other than Torani.
Thanks for any help!

Gino

I am not a West Coaster, but I see that K&L Wine Merchants stocks the much loved Small Hands Foods orgeat and other syrups at their Hollywood store: 1400 Vine Street, Hollywood, CA (Phone: 650-364-8544).

Also, the equally respected BG Reynold's products are carried at Caña in LA: 714 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA (Phone: 213-745-7090).

Hope that helps.

Making your own orgeat is really easy and the ingredients are cheap and easy to find, so if you can't find a good source try making your own. I did it and it took about 15 minutes.

Thanks so much Sunny&Rummy and TikiTacky! Looks like I'm covered now, whichever route I choose.

On 2013-09-05 10:04, Trader Gino wrote:
Aloha all!

Was wondering if anyone had picked up any orgeat they really liked lately, in the San Fernando Valley/Los Angeles area...?
I'm all out and would love to try something other than Torani.
Thanks for any help!

Gino

Check out Bar Keeper in Silver Lake. They have a lot of niche cocktail ingredients. It's a neat looking shop too, although a bit too hipster when I went there.
St. Vincent's Syrups are made in Los Angeles and orgeat is one of their products. Bar Keeper also carries BG Reynold's.

3910 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, CA 90029
http://www.barkeepersilverlake.com

-Lori

[ Edited by: tikilongbeach 2013-09-05 10:44 ]

I second the original poster. I'm about 1/2 hr north of SFV and typically I just order BG Reynolds from his site, which unfortunately gets costly after shipping. Keep bringing in the sources! :)

I haven't been to Beverage Warehouse in Los Angeles, but it's supposed to have a huge selection of alcohol and fixings from around the world. It gets good reviews on yelp.com too. They carry Fee Bros. Orgeat Syrup.

4935 Mc Connell Ave #21, Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 306-2822 FAX (310) 821-4555
http://www.beveragewarehouse.com

On 2013-09-05 10:22, TikiTacky wrote:
Making your own orgeat is really easy and the ingredients are cheap and easy to find, so if you can't find a good source try making your own. I did it and it took about 15 minutes

Recipe & tips please!

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=21769&forum=10&vpost=314302

I made the easier method with the almond milk, since all the other versions are basically just making almond milk at home.

What is the shelf life of the home made orgeat, anyone know? I don't use this often enough to go through a bottle in one or two months.

I added some 151 proof rum. It'll last until the apocalypse.

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2013-09-05 19:41 ]

Small Hand is readily available in all of California - if you don't want to make your own I highly recommend it, they bottle lasts around 6 months or so if kept refrigerated, there are two sizes, I would recommend going with the smaller one unless you are making a lot of Mai Tai's :)

Not happy with the Torani orgeat I bought but because it was the best that “Total Wine” in Brea has since TW has discontinued carrying Monin orgeat, I bought a bottle of “Small Hands Foods” orgeat. It’s on the pricy side-13 bucks for 8.5 ounces, It was 100 degrees today so Mai Tai’s were in order. The first two I made I used the Torani orgeat and Meyers/Doorleys rums. The next two I used the Small Hands orgeat and Meyers/Zaya rums. I used the proportions used in a 1944 Trader Vic’s M T. The intense almond flavor in the second pr. of drinks knocked them off “balance”. It’s great stuff but I gotta do a little "backing off" the orgeat on tomorrows drinks. I think I’m on to something here, although I intend to make some from scratch someday.
Adding some pix for "show and tell”
Cheers



Gotta shake it good before you use it!

I've just finally opened my bottle of Small Hands, though I recently bought a giant bottle of Monin Orgeat (I think I got carried away while at Hi Time Wine) because I wanted to give it a try as well. I think I'm spoiled though, because in the end I am 1000% loyal to BG Reynolds' brand of orgeat. Worth ordering online and a nice spice to it!

Torani is the worst orgeat that I've ever used, it has an awful chemical flavor that will ruin your cocktail. I've never tried Monin as I can't find it anywhere. Small Hand is very good but, as you noted, it's also very expensive and I also found it lacking in complexity, it has a rather simple straight ahead almond flavor. To my tastes BG Reynolds is hands down the best commercially made orgeat on the market, it has a complex flavor and it's not badly priced considering the excellent quality.

I like the Monin Orgeat, but it is on the sweet side compared to other syrups.