St. Germain Elderflower – an artisinal liqueur that stands out!
Nowadays, we’re seeing more and more flavored liqueurs at the store. Odd flavors like Root Beer, Green Banana, Cotton Candy, Green Tea, Yogurt, Honey, etc. have all come out making it even easier for that boring bar to have the traditional martini list that features an Apple-tini, Pear-tini, Melon-tini and now even a Root Beer-tini, Cotton Cand-ini, Honey-tini, and the ever so unpopular Yogurt-ini.
You think I’m kidding about a Yogurt-ini? 
Not only do the majority of these liqueurs have a really fake, disgusting taste to them, they are the LAST thing you want to buy for your home unless you really like that flavor. If you feel you can splurge on a flavor and use it for everything from pancake syrup to frozen drinks, then go for it! Most of us would use one of these once or twice and then sit on a bottle of a syrupy disaster waiting to happen – imagine the monumental hangover you’d get when that’s the last thing at home with alcohol in it and you’re trying to get a buzz on after the bars have closed. Been there, done that….
One flavor that I DO recommend for home (and that I bring in to every bar) is St. Germain Elderflower liqueur because it is a quality product, it is very versatile and it is a unique product to surprise guests (at home or at a bar) with.
Quick Tech Notes: St. Germain is an elderflower liqueur made in France during a 4-6 month blossoming period. Somewhere between 40 and 50 ‘pickers’ will gently pick and deliver sacks and sacks of these delicate flowers for St. Germain to produce its elderflower liqueur. They are all hand-picked and immediately used, while fresh. This is what distiguishes St. Germain from most other liqueurs and even from other elderflower liqueurs – they don’t use fabricated flavors and they don’t freeze their ingredients!
So, besides having a funny looking french guy riding his bike full of fresh elderflowers, what else do they do? They add the elderflower flavor they create and an eau-de-vie (or neutral grape spirit, essentially like a vodka), pure cane sugar for sweetness (and to bring out the elderflower flavor) and Voila!
More importantly, what can you do with St. Germain? Here’s a couple cocktails you can try at home with your friends!
St. Germain Cocktail
2 parts Brut Champagne or Dry Sparkling Wine
1 1/2 parts St. Germain
2 parts Sparkling water or club soda
Directions: Stir ingredients in a tall ice-filled Collins glass, mixing completely. Garnish with a lemon twist.
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St. Germain & Champagne
1/2 part St. Germain
Top with Brut Champagne, Dry Sparkling wine or Brut Rosé
Directions: Pour ingredients into a chilled fluted glass and stir lightly. Float half a strawberry as a garnish.
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Sangria Flora (serves 4 drinks)
3/4 cup St. Germain
3 cups Sauvignon Blanc or Dry White Wine
1 Fresh peach (diced)
5 Fresh strawberries (halved)
5 Fresh raspberries
10 Fresh white grapes (halved)
Directions: Stir ingredients in your carafe. Let the mixture soak for fifteen minutes, then pour into ice-filled glasses. Feel free to replace fruits with other types – your choice!
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So if you’re looking for other options, St. Germain mixes with bourbon, tequila, almost anything! Feel free to make up your own or just put it into your coffee as sweetner. There are plenty of recipes that are great on their website, http://www.stgermain.fr/cocktails.php.
Next time you want to amaze that guy or girl with your in-home bartending, try some of these delicious libations. Thanks for reading!
I love booze, I hope you love booze too!
the liquorologist 