Forest Old Fashioned
A zero-proof old fashioned built on a saffron-and-vanilla aperitif
Ingredients
- 3 dashesAll The Bitter Aromatic BittersKeeps the drink zero-proof end to endSubstitute: Any alcohol-free aromatic bitters
- 2 ozEverleaf ForestStanding in for the whole spirit, not modifying oneSubstitute: Another non-alcoholic aperitif with real bitterness
- 1/4 ozMaple SyrupReal maple, not pancake syrupSubstitute: Demerara syrup
Instructions
- Add 2 oz Everleaf Forest, 1/4 oz maple syrup and 3 dashes All The Bitter aromatic bitters to a rocks glass
- Add one large cube and stir briefly
Short, around fifteen seconds: there is no alcohol here that needs softening
- Express an orange peel over the surface and drop it in
Technique Notes
Stir it short. There is no alcohol to soften here, so dilution works against the drink rather than for it, and past a short stir it only thins the saffron and vanilla underneath.
Why the Forest Old Fashioned Works
The hard part of a zero-proof old fashioned is body: alcohol carries weight, and without it the drink goes thin and watery fast. Everleaf leans on vetiver and saffron for that, and maple rather than sugar keeps something viscous in the glass.