Root56

ROOT56

A pleasant upcoming weekend to y'all! Here's a drink, from which I made actually three different versions (here's just the promopic :D). The Root56 (Route56 get it, also Jäger with its 56 roots/spices)

I tried with the original of course and then with Manifest and Spice (winterspice).

• 5 cl Jäger (4 cl for Finnish restaurants)
• ginger beer (instead of ale)
• 1-2 slice cucumber, lime wedge
• (fresh ginger)

In a high ball glass filled with ice. Add the jägermeister, ginger beer (ale) and garnish. The "official" mentions 1 slice of cucumber and a wedge of lime but feel free to experiment (fresh ginger or e.g. muddle lime wedges). Ginger beer gives a more zesty taste to it and I have to admit even one slice of cucumber gives enormous smoothness to this drink! Overall, the original version was the best as the winter spiced didn't taste other than ginger beer (it's also 25% ABV). With Manifest you have a much distinct, drier taste to it. Eventually it is up to you, which you prefer the best. But I recommend trying the basic one first.

Jäger Sour

JÄGER SOUR

Here's yet another sour - styled cocktail, now from Jägermeister's official site. The Jäger Sour. Just like the Averna Sour I made with my colleague or the Drambuie Sour, here's a similar drink that incorporates orange juice.

• 50 ml Jägermeister
• 25 ml orange juice
• 12.5 ml lemon juice
• 12.5 ml simple syrup 1:1
• 1 egg white

Shake everything with ice (a bit longer) and strain into your prechilled, ½ with ice filled tumbler. Garnish optional, but a lemon slice/peel would look nice. So I had to use clementine juice, because my local shop ran out of oranges :D but nonetheless, this drink was absolutely wonderful! The Jäger's aroma, the freshness, the balance. All there.

Moreover, I used MANIFEST to make another drink with the exactly same recipe just to figure out the differences. It had so much more of an oompf to it, but it was good too. Not quite AS good, but still delicious.

This is a kick-ass cocktail, hands down!

Panssarijääkäri (Panzerjäger)

PANSSARIJÄÄKÄRI (PANZERJÄGER)

Panssarijääkäri, a shot that a customer once ordered. I had to ask him "A what now?" He explained to me, that this shot consists of:

• 2 cl Jägermeister
• 2 cl salty liquorice liqueur

The story behind it (apparently) goes that back in his (customer's) days he did his military service in the anti-tank service branch and these were often downed. Moreover, always three in the same time (one for the gunner, one for the driver and one for the commander of a tank).

Pour both ingredients in a shot glass and shoot! I have to say though, I don't wonder why these were ordered. The taste is somewhat sweeter than herbal and not as powerful as I would've thought. It doesn't make an excellent shot, but doesn't let you down either, kind of like Rick Astley.

Jägerita

JÄGERITA

Damn you Jeffrey Morgenthaler! Damn you to hell! This is so delicious! :D

The video from where it all started from:

Wow. So...using Jägermeister in a margarita style of cocktail? Who would've thought of that?! Just watch the clip and enjoy :D

I decided to make this drink as well. Most people don't like Jägermeister for its...nature, but those in doubt, try this one out!

• 4 cl Jägermeister
• 2 cl cointreau
• 2 cl lime juice
• 1 cl 2:1 simple syrup (two parts sugar, one part water)

Shake with ice, strain and garnish with a lime wheel.

I had my doubts as well, but this cocktail proved me wrong. It is absolutely dandy like candy. In the future, if someone comes to me and says "Eww jägermeister, gross!" I'll say to them "FUCK YOU TRY A JÄGERITA AND YOU'LL LOVE THIS SHIT!"

...this cocktail is that good. You can count on that.

SHOTS TIME!

SHOTS, SHOTS EVERYWHERE

Good evening ladies and gents! It's time to have some fun with shots! I've had a day off due to Ascension Thursday so instead of making grand cocktails (fine, I barely had any mixers at home) I pursued the art of shots!

I created five different and instead of making one blog for each separately I thought it would be the wisest just to compile them all under one sheet. Most of them were created purely out of visual outlooks, meaning they look better than they taste. But of those individual shots later on. Here we go!

ÄSSÄMIX

This shot is really something you can barely make outside Finland. The reason being one ingredient only (do correct me on this one?) available where I live now. Ässämix, named after the candy Fazer (a Finnish company) makes. As if "you're eating that dark and fruity candy at the same time". I agree. This shot was actually quite enjoyable! Sure, you can't really layer these ingredients but damn, tasty!

• 2 cl Salmiakkilikööri (explore the Finnish folklore *tshish*)
• 2 cl Passoã liqueur

In a shot glass, combine both ingredients and SHOOT!

SAMBUCA CON LA MOSCA

Simply put, Sambuca con la Mosca ("Sambuca with the fly") is Sambuca with three coffee beans and lit on fire. but more complicated put, it represents health, happiness and prosperity or the Holy Trinity. Either way,

• 4 cl Sambuca
• 3 coffee beans
• fire

Pour the sambuca in a shot glass, drop the coffee beans on it and light the thing on fire. Let it burn for a while, extinguish the fire and shoot! Taste-wise, as expected, very aniseed-like but the aftertaste is smooth and sweet. A great after dinner shot!

BANANA BOMBER

One layer drink I tried was the Banana Bomber. Given, there are multiple different recipes how one makes this but one thing is certain and that is the use of banana liqueur. The other half could be anything from tequila to vodka, whiskey, cointreau, you name it! This recipe included:

• 2 cl banana liqueur (not that green pisang stuff)
• 2 cl brandy

Merely a 2/5, this shooter wasn't really a good one. Like the saying garbage in, garbage out, I used a Spanish brandy and De Kuyper's banana liqueur. The liqueur had a strong essence taste to it and the brandy being young tasted coarse. Combined they didn't make a good combo. A hint of banana was in the background but in its essence, not a particularly great shot. Visually okay.

V8

Another curious one, the V8. I had to cut corners here and use a more potent ingredient that was actually called for since I didn't have the "softer" version at all :D

• 2 cl white peppermint schnapps (clear)
• 2 cl Stroh (54)

Layer the shot, the peppermint liqueur goes in first. As said, I only had a bottle of 80% (160 proof) Stroh in hand so I used that one. Well it layered just nicely (as almost pure alcohol does :D) but taste-wise. Ugh. A cruel shot. Like meth, not even once.

KÄNNIANKKA

(DRUNK DUCK)

Finally, the Känniankka (translated "Drunk Duck"). I have no history of who or where this was invented but some of my customers have asked for this. Basically it goes down to:

• 2 cl peppermint schnapps
• 2 cl jägermeister

Both ingredients should be properly frozen, as well as the glass. Layer the shot so the peppermint schnapps goes in first.

I made an exception to the rule and didn't shoot this as I did with the rest. No, I enjoyed this after eating pizza and while watching a Netflix series. Actually, around the time the Jäger's done and the pepper kicks into action, the combo works surprisingly well. A nice mix of herbal-pepperminty-sweetness I say. Hence, a solid 4/5 I give this shooter.

Tomorrow I'll be heading back to work. A few days more and then I'm off to to my well-deserved summer holiday! Yay!

SHOOT AWAY!

The Jägerbomb

JÄGERBOMB

Well, it's time for a Jägerdrink once again! One of the classic "drop a shot X in a glass of Y", the Jägerbomb is really one of the better ones out there. So what do you need for a perfect Jägerbomb?

• one shot of Jägermeister
• half a pint of energy drink

First fill a glass half way with energy drink as shown in the upper most left picture and ready yourself with a shot of Jägermeister. Now comes the bomb; drop the shot in the glass and drink!

A truly great party drink. You can also enjoy one these as a long drink, where you prepare a high ball glass full of ice, add the Jägermeister (I prefer ice cold) and top up with energy drink. No garnish necessary.

Prost!

Sot Grass

Sot Grass

Tonight's shooter. The Sot Grass. Introducing:

• ½ a shot of Pisang Ambon (a banana flavored liquor)
• ½ a shot of Jägermeister

Layer in a shot glass, the pisang first followed by the Jäger.

First things first. This is a beautiful cocktail. The colors are pretty when layered...but that's about it then. This shot's flavor did not really please me at all. Jägermeister's flavor was so overwhelming I could barely taste any of the "banana" liquor. Given, the shot was from the sweeter side and the aftertaste did have notes of "banana". The reason I'm using quotation marks is that I can't really consider Pisang Ambon as a good banana flavored liquor. It tastes rather synthetic.

But should I rank this shot...2/5, and one point goes for the looks of this shot.

Jäger & Coke

JÄGER & COKE

Note the small Jägers on the background left

"I got the moves like Jäger, I got the moves like Jäger, I got the moo-ooo-ooo-oo-ooves like Jäger!"

- Maroon 5

The Beast. One of my favorites. The Jäger & Coke. A simple mix that doesn't need explanations:

• 4 cl Jägermeister
• Coca cola

Add plenty of ice to a high ball glass. Pour in the Jäger (or Hirsch) and fill up with coca cola. Garnish, albeit optional, a slice of lemon.

I admit, I'm a great Jägermeister fan. I love the taste but I do say warm Jägermeister on its own is not the perfect "cocktail" per se (especially when I've had a few before). Ice cold with coke? Wonderful. 

I don't really have much to add to this exquisite drink. Everyone has tried it once (I assume) and if they haven't, they should! This is one of those "spirit and mixer" I will be posting more of later one, but...

Jäger & Coke really gets the best of me. Really.

The Screamer

THE SCREAMER

Ooooh boy did we scream! Not really, though, but this shot kicks you in the sacks even if you're female! (true story, my wife tested this shot along with me)

But let's get to the point. To make a screamer, do the following:

• 2 cl Sambuca (½ shot)
• 2 cl Jägermeister (½ shot)

Build the ingredients in a shot glass. Shoot.

I still had ice cold Jägermeister at my disposal so I used that. As I poured the Jäger in the shot glass and then added the Sambuca it surprised me that the anise liquor sank to the bottom. Later thinking of this, I had it all figured out; of course it did! Sambuca has a fudge load of sugar in it making it heavier in volume/consistency.

So how did it taste? Fiery, strong, fully anise-like but the after taste was extremely sweet and nice! Sambuca dominated this drink but I did get some herbal notes, alas only a few. 

Pro-tip: Don't take this as one of your last shots. You go down in flames...

Jafar

JAFAR

Inspired vaguely from the Disney cocktail Esmeralda my friend challenged me with, I present you with Jafar, a shot I invented.

Jafar being all bad-ass

This shot consists of three parts:

• 2 cl Jägermeister
• 2 cl Strawberry liquor
• 1 cl fresh cream

I used ice-cold Jäger, poured it first, layered the strawberry liquor and topped it off with a layer of fresh cream. What I had in mind that the Jäger would've been much darker and layered with the liquor make a more distinctive "black-red" shot, but this'll do just fine. 

Tasted surprisingly good! Sweet and creamy, the Jäger didn't give its usual edge to this shot at all, that was the "surprisingly" part. I give it a solid 4/5. I can imagine changing the liquor to any "flavored" one, blueberry, apple, you name it...