01 Feb RECIPE: Alpine Cocktails feat 1643 Gin

One of the newest accounts to carry our spirits, Littlebear Bottleshop in Skyforest, CA, is as obsessed with alpine flavors and traditions as we are—to honor this fruitful pairing we created a couple of recipes for cocktails inspired by the region using our 1643 Alpine Gin.

We are thrilled to announce a new shop that’s carrying our spirits, Littlebear Botteshop in Skyforest, CA! Owned and operated by Nathan Hazard, an industry vet with experience as a brand ambassador for the Real McCoy rum as well as beverage director for the Coconut Club, this shop is curated with the intention to introduce customers to lesser-known gems in the spirits world, with a particular interest in alpine flavors, now including our 1643 Alpine Gin. To celebrate, we put together a list of recipes for alpine cocktails.

When we first spoke with Hazard, he indicated that part of his interest in Liba Spirits was that the destinations where we made 1643 and Lafcadio, our first two spirits, were places he thought of fondly—the Alps, because his shop is alpine-inspired in part, and New Orleans, because he, like all good people, has a love for that city.

It’s always a joy when we meet like minds unexpectedly; it happens more often than not in this business. Place, memory, and the two senses most at use while drinking—smell and taste—are inherently linked. In the Venn diagram of flavor, memory, and travel, Liba sits squarely in the center. That’s what we love most: the cross-section of where we’ve been, what we’ve had to eat and drink, and the memories that we take with us when it’s all over, and this sentiment seems to be shared by most of our peers in this business. It might just be that people who dabble in flavor do so because it’s one of the best ways to indulge in our memories on a regular basis. Whatever the reason we’re happy that Littlebear’s path crossed our own, and to honor this fruitful pairing, we decided to put together recipes inspired by the flavor of the Alps which we’re calling alpine cocktails, which takes us right back to the three weeks we spent there distilling 1643, our alpine gin!

First, for context, the Alpine arch extends from Nice on the western Mediterranean to Trieste on the Adriatic and Vienna at the beginning of the Pannonian Basin. This mountain range stretches across 750 miles and eight countries throughout Europe, making it the most extensive system that lies entirely on the continent.

With a wingspan that large there are obviously regional differences in alpine cuisine, but broadly this style of food is rich, satisfying, and relatively uncomplicated, influenced by the isolated rural life in the mountain villages of the alpine huts, where farmers would keep cattle as well as tend to crops and fruit trees. The recipes from this region, while simple, have withstood the test of time and are no less satisfying for having a relatively sparse list of ingredients. Staples of the alpine diet include cheese and dairy (milk so good that Pliny and Strabo reported on it), dried meat, traditional wines and spirits, and apples.

1643 Alpine Gin

We made 1643 Alpine Gin at Kuenz Naturbrennerei in southern Austria, 45 minutes north from the Italian border. The area that stretches across the northern part of Italy, as well as southern Austria, is known as the Tyrol; Kuenz is located in the Ost Tyrol, directly next to the South Tyrol, which is in northern Italy. This region is renowned for its agriculture: dairy, livestock, fruits, vegetables, and herbs of all kinds. One of the standout ingredients in our gin is the fresh Italian juniper that we sourced from this region in northern Italy. You may not think that gin is the most versatile spirit, but we feel differently; between the fresh juniper, the hand-peeled lemon and orange, the Austrian rosemary, and the wild apple that we included in the distillation, 1643 is a classic but versatile spirit that can be a solid backbone in a variety of drinks, including the following alpine cocktails.

Alpine Cocktails

There may be no beverage that more successfully embodies the ethos of alpine cuisine—a sparse list of quality ingredients handled well—than the martini, at least in spirit. We had to offer an alpine twist on this time-tested staple, so into this one we included a bit of pine liqueur, ideally made in or around the Alps.

2 oz 1643 Alpine Gin

0.5 oz pine liqueur

0.5 oz dry vermouth

0.25 oz simple syrup

1 dash orange bitters

Lemon peel for garnish

Combine the first five ingredients together in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until fully chilled and strain into a coupe or martini glass. Express a lemon peel over glass and twist it to create garnish.

Apples and gin are the amazing combination you never knew you needed and ideal for alpine cocktails! Playing off the wild apple that we included in the distillation of our gin, using a variety that was grown at the orchard of the distillery, we put together this apple gin fizz that brings the rich and creamy texture frequently found in alpine cuisine to a refreshing cocktail. 

2 oz 1643 Alpine Gin

1 oz pure pressed apple juice

0.5 oz lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

0.5 oz apple simple syrup*

1 egg white

1 oz club soda

*Apple simple syrup is an easy one to make. In a medium saucepan, combine 1:1:1 of water, brown sugar, and cored apples. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce and allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain into a bowl and press down on the apple pieces to extract as much juice as possible.

Add the first five ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Dry shake (after removing ice) for another 30 seconds and then fine strain into a chilled glass without ice. Top with soda. 

Inspired by Krapfen—a pastry that we had a couple of times in Austria and one that I still dream of now, many miles away—this warm, creamy beverage is rich and full of flavor, in part from our gin and the apricot liqueur included. Fair warning, though: this requires a small bit of skill in the kitchen. (We have total faith in you!)

1 oz 1643 Alpine gin*

0.5 oz apricot liqueur

0,5 oz vanilla cream liqueur

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon caramel simple syrup

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and dry shake (without ice) vigorously for 30 seconds. Pour the contents into a small saucepan and gently heat without allowing to boil. Pour the drink into a mug, garnish with some ground cinnamon. 

*This cocktail is equally good with our Lafcadio Botanical Rum, and it’s even a slightly more appropriate choice because the inspiration for this drink–Krapfen–is actually a typical carnival/Mardi Gras treat, and we made this rum in New Orleans! How fitting. 

Despite the fact that the Alps is not necessarily considered a destination for mixology, we feel like the area is fertile ground for inspiration. Our alpine cocktails are all easy to make and feature accessible ingredients, but the backbone is the flavor from 1643, our alpine gin. If you are in the Los Angeles area be sure to go and check out Littlebear Bottleshop—they will have everything you need to make your own alpine cocktails and then some!