I love when I check the mail and I receive a lovely package of adult beverages.  I mean, who wouldn’t love that? A couple of months ago, I learned about Berentzen. Have you heard of this brand?  I’m new to them but I always love learning about alcohol brands on the market that I’ve never tried before.  Inside my lovely package sitting on my doorstep, was two sample bottles of Berentzen’s Bushel & Barrel apple flavored bourbon and their Icemint, which is a super mint flavored schnapps.  

Before trying to think about cocktail recipes or what I could pair with each liquor, I tasted both of them.  I wanted to know what they tasted like without any mixers.  I have to be honest, I’ve never really been a fan of a lot of mint flavored alcohols. I can tolerate them more in the winter and during the holidays but I’d rather not.  However, I was a little surprised at how refreshing this particular product was; it actually tasted delicious on its own.  Though I didn’t experiment too much with this particular sample, I know I’ll definitely be toying around with different recipes in the cooler months.  Though the minty flavor was quite prominent, it wasn’t overwhelming. Often with mint flavored alcohols, they burn and aren’t that tasty.  The Icemint Schnapps will be really delicious in a coffee or a hot chocolate cocktail.

Flavored alcohols often taste artificial.  I tasted the Bushel & Barrel apple bourbon and was blown away at how authentic it tasted – wow! It smelled and tasted of crisp, freshly sliced apples just as the tasting notes described; I was shocked.  Rarely do you ever taste an apple, orange or any other fruit flavored anything and it actually tastes legit, right?

Because of the overwhelmingly tasty flavor of the apples, I found it almost sort of wrong to try and concoct some cocktail that would mask the flavor of the apples.

So – I took note from the Berentzen website and made one of their suggested recipes: Bushel & Barrel apple with ginger beer.  Bourbon paired with ginger beer is actually one of my favorite ways to enjoy it.  There’s just something about ginger beer…especially the extra gingery kind.

Reed’s – my favorite brand of ginger beer.

The combo is pretty simple:

2 oz of Berentzen Bushel & Barrel
4 oz ginger beer (or you can use ginger ale
An apple slice for garnish

Add ingredients in a glass with ice; stir and enjoy.  For a little extra flavor, try adding a pinch of cinnamon.

Interested in trying Berentzen products? See if it’s available in your neck of woods.  With Autumn right around the corner, the Bushel & Barrel will be fantastic in a warm apple cider…try it!