Month: December 2015

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” ― Thoreau

Although we’ll make any excuse to hop in the 1933 Ford pickup, we’re loading it up with our last autumn bounty of baldwin apples.

What the Concord is among grapes, what the Bartlett has been among pears, the Baldwin is among apples. The Baldwin apple was once the most praised fruit in New England, but after a harsh winter in 1934, Baldwin apple trees sadly perished.

This of course would not discourage us from finding them for our brandy.

Luckily, our friends at Applehurst Farm Vegetables have one of the oldest surviving Baldwin orchards in the area. We arrived at the farm, eager with empty baskets. They lead us down a beautiful pasture which lead to what we considered to be the Baldwin apple jackpot. We set giant blue tarps down on the grass to minimize bruising, and to keep the fresh apples separate from spoiled ones that have already fallen. The old trees were heavy with fruit so a few good shakes sent apples raining down on the tarps.

After a few hours, and of course some heavy taste testing, we managed to harvest nine bushels.  These coveted Baldwin apples will be making their way to the cider house to be pressed, and then turned into the next Tamworth Distilling apple spirit.

There’s a perfect gift for everyone on your list at Tamworth Distilling & Mercantile. Shop our bottles, bitters, and bar tools for unique gifts that make spirits even brighter.

Find a perfect gift within our guides, or build an eclectic gift set on your own!

For the Old Soul – The perfect gift for the Old Fashioned cocktail enthusiast

• Tamworth Garden Eau De Vie – A sweet unaged brandy made solely from Cortland & McIntosh apples. Enjoy it in place of whiskey and brandy in your favorite classic cocktails.
• Tamworth Distilling Monogram Rocks Glass – The perfect vessel for slow sipping cocktails.
• Urban Moonshine Orange Bitters – A two in one bitter and citrus potion, great for when you don’t have fresh citrus on hand.
• Jack Rudy ROOT Cocktail Cherries – These cherries infused with Art in the Age ROOT add a happy ending to every cocktail.

For the Gardener – Fresh picked gifts for the green thumb on your list

• Tamworth Garden Apiary Gin – A unique gin that pays homage to our local bees, infused with poplar buds, clover, and local raw honey.
• The Drunk Botanist by Amy Stewart – A New York Time’s Bestseller about the plants that create our favorite drinks.
• Local Honey – A sweet taste of New Hampshire. Try sweetening your cocktails with honey, instead of simple syrup!
• Creamore Mill Gardening Tools – Successfully begin every garden with Creamore Mill’s quality plant dibber, garden line, & pot press.

For the Adventurer – Cocktail gifts inspired by the great outdoors

• White Mountain Vodka – A smooth mild vodka with a subtle corn sweetness.
• Dram Pine Syrup –  Deliciously unusual, this cocktail syrup is made form foraged pine, organic sugar, and a medley of herbs & spices.
• Tamworth Distilling Monogram Whiskey Disks – Why add water to whiskey if it’s already wet? Keep your drinks cold without dilution.
• Art in the Age Enamel Mug – From the campfire to your fireplace, this enamel mug will be your next favorite to cozy up with.

For the Creator – For creatives who like to do it themselves

• The Good Reverend’s Universal Spirit – Our 150 proof neutral grain spirit that drinks as a high quality, high proof vodka, or acts as the magic ingredient to creating cordials, infusions, tinctures, and extractions.
• Organic Dried Herbs – Our Distillery is stocked with a library of dried herbs to bring all of your ideas to life. Fill up a few bags to inspire new flavor profiles, or try our pre-packaged solutions that are tried and true.
• Infuse by Eric Prum & Josh Williams – A recipe book filled with fresh and flavorful oil, spirit, and water infusions.
• Stainless Steel Infusion Tools – Create your own recipes with ease using our strainers, muddlers, filters, and funnels.

Everyone’s heard of the gift that keeps on giving…to you. But what about the gift that keeps on giving to others? The Reverend’s Universal Spirit Gift Set contains everything you’ll need to create your own cordials, bitters, or infused spirits, all of which make the perfect gifts for any sensible booze-loving loved one. You can even give the Gift Set…consider it the gift of Creativity Itself! 

(If you must keep it for yourself, we can’t fault you. As Oscar Wilde once said, “to love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance…”)

Enjoy these Holiday recipes. And remember, the possibilities are endless.

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The Reverend’s Remedy

A wellness solution and cold preventative. When you start to feel unwell, take 1 tsp of The Reverend’s Remedy to ward off winter ailments.

2 tbsp elderberries

2 tbsp dried mullien

2 tbsp yarrow

2 tbsp echinacea

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 sprigs fresh sage

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Cover herbs in equal parts of RUS and water. Make sure all ingredients are submerged in liquid. Store in a cool, dark location for 4 weeks, shaking it lightly every day. Strain infusion with a coffee filter until all impurities and solids are removed. Funnel infusion into a small glass dropper bottle.

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Persimmon Cordial

A sweet unique cordial to enjoy persimmons all year long. Sip with rum and ginger beer, or add it to fizzy water for a refreshing fruit soda.

3 ripened persimmons

1 whole cinnamon stick

1/2 c The Reverend’s Universal Spirit

1  c filtered water

1 c maple syrup

Skin and dice persimmons. Combine persimmons, RUS, and cinnamon into a 1 quart mason jar. Make sure all ingredients are submerged in liquid. Store in a cool, dark location for 1 week, shaking it lightly every day. After 1 week has passed, filter out all the solid ingredients with a fine mesh strainer. In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup and 1 c of water to make a maple simple syrup. Allow syrup to cool and slowly whisk the maple simple syrup and persimmon infusion together. Funnel the cordial into a glass bottle and refrigerate to store.

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Overnight Spiced Vodka

A quick and easy vodka infusion perfect for holiday parties or as a thoughtful homemade gift.

10 oz The Reverend’s Universal Spirit

10 oz filtered water

4 oz simple syrup

6 satsumas

1 tsp cloves

4 cardamom pods

1 vanilla bean

Remove all zests from satsumas and dice into cubes. Combine zest, vanilla bean, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon stick and RUS in a large, sealable jar. Allow mixture to steep in a cool, dark place for 24 hours. Filter mixture with a cheese cloth and again with a coffee filter to make sure that all impurities and solids have been removed. Funnel vodka into a glass bottle with water and sweeten with syrup.