Recipe > drink
Scrub-Jay
A sweetened vinegar reduction gives this spiced old-fashioned riff a slighty tangy, sour twist.
In this Old-Fashioned riff, a vinegar reduction serves to brighten and enhance the character of the (likely dark and barrel-aged) spirit of your choice. The outcome is a savory and lightly sour twist on an old-fashioned.
Making the Reduction Syrup
For the reduction, you’re looking for a ratio of 4 parts Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 part Maple Syrup. Alternately, you can sub 20g of sugar for any 1 oz Maple Syrup (if you want to use a different sweetener).
Starting with a wide saucepan on medium heat, you add in the ingredients to the reduction and simmer them until reduced by the desired amount (notes in the recipe below, this can be done in two basic ways).
The goal is to reduce to the mixture to about 1/3 of it’s original volume. Using a simple example from the ratio above, if you used 4oz Apple Cider Vinegar and 1 oz Maple Syrup, you’d be looking for a little more than 1.5oz of final mixture.
As it cools, the mixture will thicken up and become more viscous.
Recipe Details
Scrub-Jay
- Yield
- 1 Drink
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 15 min
Published: Apr 1, 2022
A sweetened vinegar reduction gives this spiced old-fashioned riff a slighty tangy, sour twist.
Ingredients
- 2oz Bourbon
- 0.5oz Sweetened Vinegar Reduction
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Garnish: citrus peel
Instructions
- For the sweetened vinegar reduction: Add 16oz Apple Cider Vinegar along with 4oz Maple Syrup to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the mixture until it's about 1/3 of its original volume (slightly more than 6.5oz). Once reduced, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before use.
- In a rocks or double old-fashioned glass, add bourbon, sweetened vinegar reduction, and bitters. Express oils from a orange or other citrus peel, and stir a few times to combine.