A warm hot toddy can help kick a sore throat once the cooler weather hits, but sometimes a cocktail with a little more spice is needed to kick the common cold.
That’s the word from The Better Man Distilling Co., a craft distillery in Patchogue, which touts the therapeutic benefits of an award-winning fall cocktail dubbed the New American Cure.
“This was the first cocktail I ever made with our Equinox White Rye, which actually just won a gold medal in the Great American International Spirits Competition,” says Abby Gruppuso, head of operations at the distillery. “It’s called the New American Cure and was inspired by the ingredients traditionally used in tea for a cold and sore throat cure — honey and ginger.”
The New American Cure has nearly 10 ingredients, including Equinox White Rye, fresh-squeezed apple juice, lemon juice, pear brandy, vanilla ginger simple syrup, honey mixed with water, ginger liqueur, and a dash of Angostura bitters. It’s garnished with fresh apple slices.
“The New American Cure is the perfect combination of sweet, smoky, and spicy,” Gruppuso says. “You get sweetness from fresh fruit juices and our house-made vanilla ginger syrup. Spice comes in the form of ginger and the natural rye spice of the Equinox. The addition of the bitters rounds out the cocktail, and the smoke from the rye lingers on your palate after each sip.”
To concoct the cocktail, mix the honey and water in a small bowl. Then add to a shaker along with all other ingredients and ice. Shake until chilled. Finally, pour into a coupe glass and garnish with dried pear slices.
“We served this cocktail at our Equinox White Rye launch party last October, and it was a huge hit,” she says. “People love the White Rye in general because it’s a product that’s specific to our distillery and isn’t produced anywhere else, so when people see how that special spirit works in a cocktail they just flip about it. You can expect to see the New American Cure on our menu again this coming fall.”
The Better Man Distilling Co. is located at 161 River Ave. in Patchogue. It can be reached at 631-708-7405 or thebettermandistillingco.com
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