A Hops Liqueur, Distilled In L.A.

This bottle of Grand Hops California Liqueur was a Christmas gift from one of my more adventurous alcohol friends.  Marge is always willing to try a new grape, style or brew.  She doesn't always turn in a glowing review but, for those of us like her, it's not about finding a new favorite - it's about the search for one.

Grand Hops is made by Greenbar distillery, established in 2004, Greenbar was the first distillery to open its doors in Los Angeles since Prohibition.  They were on the leading edge of craft spirits then and, apparently, now.

Greenbar's Litty Mathew says the Grand Hops spirit was handcrafted to bring "the spicy, citrusy flavors of hop flowers found in California IPAs."  He recommends trying it with "whiskey, rum, gin, tequila, soda… even beer."

What's in it?  I'm glad you asked.  Grand Hops contains molasses, aromatic and bittering hops, quillaja - a Brazilian flowering plant - and cane sugar.  The product is certified organic by the nonprofit Oregon Tilth, based in Corvallis, Oregon.  Alcohol hits a Port-like 20% abv.

This liqueur is unlike any I have ever had.  It smells extremely herbal - not unexpected since it is made from hops - and has aromas of pine, citrus and sour beer.  It is not a very pleasant nose, but not an off-putting one either.  Mathew calls it "funk... the good kind."  The palate brings grapefruit into a scenario reminiscent of Retsina, the Greek resin wine.  To call Grand Hops offbeat doesn't do justice to the drink or the word.  I am glad I had the chance to try it, but I don’t envision ever seeking it out again.  Maybe my opinion will change after I've had a chance to use it as an ingredient in a cocktail.

Update:  The Grand Hops label shows a recommended recipe using it with whiskey and simple syrup.  I had no whiskey in the house, so I used gin.  To sweeten it a tad I used Italian chestnut honey.  Pouring it tall with club soda (tonic water even sweeter) produced a cocktail that isn't going to make me forget about martinis, but was actually pretty good.


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Viniq Shimmery Liqueur

The world is waiting for a drink that shimmers. A drink that tastes good and leaves a pleasant buzz behind is no longer enough. Millennials have spoken, their words clear and resonant from behind their facial hair and tiny hats. There now has to be a visual aspect to the cocktail experience. We always thought that was the intended use for little paper umbrellas.

Enter the E. & J. Gallo corporation, to the rescue.  Their new spirit and wine combination, Viniq, is hailed as "America’s first premium shimmery liqueur." That heading portends a tidal wave of imitators, so try to remember who had the seismic size to start that shimmering tsunami. It was Gallo.

"Viniq is the first of its kind liqueur," reads the press release, "created to offer on-trend Millennial consumers a new spirit with a unique look. Just shake the bottle and watch it shimmer."

This shimmering concoction, the blurb continues, is a "fusion of premium vodka, Moscato, and natural fruit flavors that tastes great and looks glamorous," again commenting on the appearance of the drink. "The unique shimmer in Viniq is the same ingredient that gives frosting its shine on your favorite cake or the sparkle in rock candy and is safe to consume." Safe to consume? Well, that's a relief, if not a very high recommendation.

The marketing approach is so fixated upon the "shimmer" in the drink that it appears as a red flag concerning the taste. Don't think about the flavor - just look at that beautiful shimmer that "grabs attention from across a room. Just what you need to shimmer into the weekend!" The label directions include “shake to shimmer” and “shake well before serving,” so you get the idea that they really want you to make the drink shimmer. The label goes on: “Captivate your friends with the drink that shimmers when you shake it. Refreshingly delicious and smooth with the shimmering appearance that dazzles.” So, dazzle me, already. Shake and shimmer. They sent a sample to me, so here goes.

Viniq blends vodka and Moscato wine to a 20% abv level, or 40 proof. It sells for around $20 per 750 ml bottle. The sample I tried is purple - there is a Ruby version - and the drink smells and tastes boozy and grapey. It reminds me of the drinks we made in college, where taste was less important than the alcoholic effect produced in return for the money invested. I sampled the beverage with and without the shimmery stuff - pouring "clean" juice when the shimmer was settled in the bottom of the bottle - and the shimmery drink did have a high, sweet note in it that I did not find pleasant. Without the shimmer, it was like vodka and grape Kool-Aid.

Speaking of cocktails, Viniq may well serve better as a mixer than a solo drink. I saw some online comments from users which were very favorable. I wish I could be so generous but I am not a Viniq fan. I don't like putting things in wine that aren't there naturally. It is one reason I don't drink Port very much. To me, it often tastes like wine with a shot in it. If I want a Moscato, I would rather have a Moscato without the vodka. I would certainly rather have the Moscato without the shimmer.

Looking online, I find that people actually seem to like Viniq quite a bit. There were only a few negative remarks among a dozen or so raves. The bashers didn’t like the flavor, while the supporters seemed to really get a kick from the drink’s appearance: "It was very chilled and I love it!!!" "My new favorite drink." "OMG Delish!" "Beautiful bottle. Amazing!"

While online, I note that Viniq is available - among other places - at my local Ralph’s supermarket. There, I can also buy vodka, wine, grape soda and cake frosting - in case I want to try my own hand at making a shimmering liqueur.

The publicity sheet I received also contained some recipe ideas for Viniq. Two of them involve Champagne. If I were you, I'd substitute a cheaper sparkle to go along with that shimmer.

The A-List:
3 parts. Viniq®
2 parts champagne
Orange Wheel
Pour all into an ice-filled elegant glass, garnish with an orange wheel.
   
 
The Shimmer-tini:
2 parts Viniq®
2 parts cranberry juice
1 part New Amsterdam® Peach Vodka
2 dashes of bitters
Mint sprig, lime wedge, berries
Pour all into a tall glass, stir thoroughly, add ice, stir again and garnish with a mint sprig, a lime wedge and berries.
   
The Payday:
3 parts Viniq®
1 part lemonade (1/2 lemon juice/half simple syrup)
½ part premium orange liqueur
2 parts champagne
Mint sprig
Pour all into a shaker, stir thoroughly, strain, garnish with a mint sprig and enjoy.


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Prévu Sparkling Liqueur

You hear a lot of complaints about PR people if you keep your ears - and your Twitter stream - open.  I’m not one of those complainers, because I’ve known a few folks in the public relations game who have become good friends.  PR contacts have also tipped me off to some interesting things to write about over the years.

I was introduced to a product recently through a public relations message, and I’m rather glad I was.  It’s a sparkling liqueur called Prévu.  The diacritical is only decorative, as the word is pronounced PREE-view.

The label notes do a pretty good job of describing it, so I won’t bother trying to rework the message:

"Prévu is a delicate blend of organic vodka and cognac, immersed with black currant, raspberry, blackberry and a touch of violet flower.  From the Cognac region in France, a harmony like no other." 

The drink is only 17.5% abv, a very reasonable level considering that the two main ingredients are vodka and Cognac.  All the ingredients are 100% organic.

There’s a very light sparkle upon pouring, with a pretty purple tint in the glass.  The nose of cassis is pure and pleasant.  There’s a sparkle felt in the sip, along with a nice, fresh feeling and a touch of alcohol - about the same that one feels with a fortified wine.

Prévu is not, however, anything like a Port-style wine.  It’s light, refreshing and very easy-drinking.  The flavor of the currant is out front, and almost unmasked.  A hint of alcohol on the finish reminds me that it is, in fact, a liqueur.  I like it as an aperitif, all alone.  It also makes a good starter for a cocktail.  I tried a little with an iced coffee, and quite liked it.

Simon Tikhman of Simont Enterprises is the guy behind Prévu, and he’s pretty excited about this new entry into the beverage world.

“Prévu is made in France and shipped to the US for distribution,” says Tikhman.  “Right now, it's distributed only in California.  We're just getting our legs under us, getting ready to take off."

Tikhman sees Prévu’s versatility as a big attraction.  "It’s truly a hybrid, with a lot of variety as to how to drink it, how to mix it.  It goes great with brown or white spirits.  We mix it with Champagne, bourbon - we even make margaritas with it!  Mixologists are getting crazy with Prévu.”  I mentioned that I liked it as an aperitif, and he agreed.  He likes his Prévu with a splash of soda and a twist of lime.

The recipes they were pouring at Taste of L.A. showed the drink’s versatility.  A lychee martini that was developed at Spago and a honey whiskey mix from Craig’s showed the light and the dark sides of it.  Tikhman says the response at the event was fantastic.

Prévu is distributed by Southern Wine and Spirits.  For the time being, it’s a California-only beverage.  The 750 ml decorative bottle retails for $30.


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