10 Ingredients in Edmund’s Oast Cocktails You Pretend to Recognize, But Really Don’t

Cocktail menus come in many forms, from short to long, from permanent to fleeting. Some reference flavor characteristics, giving the novice drinker an idea of what to expect. Others list ingredients, giving folks with beverage know-how an edge, and otherwise inviting a conversation with the server or bartender to make a selection.

The menu at Edmund's Oast, developed and executed by Director of Beverage Operations, Cameron Read, and Head Bartender, Jayce McConnell (a 2013 Eater Young Gun), is mid-length, rotating, and ingredient-heavy. What arguably sets them apart in the local market is the quality and peculiarity of those ingredients.

Unless one is an aspiring or career barkeep, one will almost certainly come across an item that sounds simply made-up ... probably more than one. McConnell graciously agreed to pull back the curtain on some of the more esoteric ingredients in their current cocktail menu, shedding light on their role in the drinks they help compose, and giving those that would sooner feign gourmandism than ask questions a fighting chance.

Photos: Robert Donovan

Averna

• What it is: Amaro (an herbal liqueur)
• Country of Origin: Italy
• ABV: 29%
• Cocktail: The Red Wedding, The Carpetbagger
• Jayce says: "Averna is a member of the Italian Amaro family of liquors. Amaros are bittersweet in nature, typically consumed as a digestif. They get their bitterness from a wide variety of roots, spices, fruits, vegetables and herbs (such as gentian, cinchona and even artichoke). Averna works well in the Red Wedding cocktail and the Carpetbagger by providing a mid-palate fullness that ties the drinks together."

Carpano Bianco

• What it is: White Vermouth (fortified wine + botanicals)
• Country of Origin: Italy
• ABV: 14.9%
• Cocktail: Chrysanthemum
• Jayce says: "Cousin to the famous Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, this is a white vermouth that has a bright herbaceous quality that provides body and complexity to the Chrysanthemum cocktail. Not to be confused with dry vermouth, Carpano Bianco possesses a much sweeter flavor than its bitter relative, made famous by the Martini."

Cocchi Torino

• What it is: Sweet Vermouth (fortified wine + botanicals)
• Country of Origin: Italy
• ABV: 16%
• Cocktail: The Carpetbagger
• Jayce says: "This is a classic Italian sweet vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified wine infused with a number of herbs and spices, such as wormwood (which is where vermouth gets its name, from the German ‘vermut'). It lends length and bitterness to cocktails such as the Carpetbagger, which is essentially a modified Manhattan."

Imbue Petal & Thorn

• What it is: Botanical Vermouth (fortified wine + botanicals)
• Country of Origin: USA
• ABV: 17.8%
• Cocktail: Chrysanthemum
• Jayce says: "Another vermouth used to provide balance and complexity. The Oregon-based company Imbue uses Oregon Pinot Gris as the base for their wonderful offering. Both bitter and floral, it makes up the other half of the Chrysanthemum."

Jasper's Secret Mix

• What it is: (Lime, raw sugar, Angostura bitters, nutmeg)
• Country of Origin: Produced in-house (origins in Jamaica)
• ABV: less than 5%
• Cocktail: Jasper's Rum Punch
• Jayce says: "Not so secret anymore, due to it being published in books and whatnot, it is a simple but genius mixture of raw sugar, lime juice, Angostura bitters and nutmeg. It's extremely easy to batch ahead of time to make drink production quick and, when combined with some rum, makes a great party drink year-round."

Kronan Swedish Punsch

• What it is: Rum-based liqueur of antiquity
• Country of Origin: Sweden, dummy
• ABV: 26%
• Cocktail: Neverender
• Jayce says: "Yep, it's spelled 'punsch'. Swedish Punsch is a liqueur made of rum or arrack (read: Indonesian Pirate Juice) that is infused with various dark fruits and spices. Traditionally made by Swedish sailors for their long voyages to the East and West Indies, its sweet and funky nature, with heavy notes of dark fruit, makes it excellent for balance and length in cocktails."

Linie Aquavit

• What it is: Eau de vie (fruit brandy) infused with botanicals
• Country of Origin: Norway
• ABV: 41.5%
• Cocktail: Neverender
• Jayce says: "Aquavit derives its name from the Latin aqua-vitae, or 'water of life'. It is a neutral grain spirit (read: vodka) that is infused with a number of herbs and spices, most notably caraway. It is traditionally served ice-cold and consumed in shots (like vodka). It works extremely well in cocktails, like our Neverender, which is a long riff on the classic Diamond Fizz."

Nonino

• What it is: Amaro (an herbal liqueur)
• Country of Origin: Italy
• ABV: 35%
• Cocktail: Desert Bloom
• Jayce says: "Another amaro, similar to Averna, Nonino is used in the Desert Bloom cocktail to balance the sweetness of the honey/sage syrup and elevate the earthy notes in the tequila."

St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram

• What it is: Rum-based liqueur
• Country of Origin: Austria (origins in the West Indies)
• ABV: 22.5%
• Cocktail: Almost Autumn
• Jayce says: "Also known as ‘pimento dram,' this liqueur is essentially allspice-infused, sweetened rum. We use this in the Almost Autumn cocktail to bring forth that lovely sweet spice flavor attributed to fall and winter festivities."

Wray & Nephew

• What it is: Overproof Rum
• Country of Origin: Jamaica
• ABV: 63%
• Cocktail: Jasper's Rum Punch
• Jayce says: "A classic. Used to bring firepower and depth to many tropical drinks, this overproof rum is the base for Jasper's Rum Punch, an old standby from Montego Bay. Funky, powerful and delicious."