Uh-oh
That's better! Welcome back friends, it's Anders. Today we're making the Trinidad Sour, which is very
unique because it calls for Angostura Aromatic Bitters as its base spirit. Other cocktails like
the margarita you can use any tequila, manhattan you can use any whiskey, but the Trinidad Sour
calls specifically for Angostura Aromatic Bitters. That's the Trinidad in Trinidad Sour.
I'll get into it later. I am not sponsored or affiliated with Angostura Bitters - some of you
have been wondering - but I've been using it for a number of years and it's great.
I love it. If you're new to the channel hit that subscribe button for more sips, tips, and recipes.
And let's go make the Trinidad Sour. To the bar. Also I don't actually keep a case of
Angostura Bitters behind my bar. I just found this box and put a bottle in it.
(Intro music)
I'm gonna say it. This drink is a contemporary classic.
It was created in 2009 by Giuseppe Gonzalez, and he created this drink for a cocktail competition.
He didn't win. Probably should have, because it is a glass full of joy. It didn't win, I don't know what
won, but I hope it was incredible. It must have been. The Trinidad Sour was inspired by another
Angostura-based cocktail which was created a year earlier in 2008 called the Trinidad Especial, and
that actually did win a cocktail competition. These drinks are extremely similar. The biggest
difference is that the Trinidad Especial calls for Pisco and the Trinidad Sour uses rye.
Otherwise they're both sweetened with orgeat, brightened with citrus, and they both have a
very heavy hand of Angostura Bitters. Now for those of you wondering, yes, Angostura Bitters
has alcohol in it. It's actually 44.7% alcohol by volume. That's nearly 90 proof. And it's got
big bold flavors. A little bit of it can go a long way. In other cocktails, just a dash too much and
it will overpower. But personally I find that if you have it on its own, it's actually rather
balanced. It's not too bitter, it's not too spicy, certainly not too sweet. I think it's great for a
base spirit. But what I really love about this cocktail is Giuseppe does not give any strict
ratios or measurements to how to make a Trinidad Sour. He leaves it up to us, as the bartenders, to
balance it out as we see fit. And garnish it however we'd like. Actually I don't think he
garnishes his at all. In most cases I would agree with that. I don't like garnishes on cocktails - not
all cocktails - unless it's really necessary. Saying that I'm going to garnish this cocktail with mint.
But it will be necessary. Anyway a Trinidad Sour, as long as you use the appropriate ingredients,
no matter what the ratios are, you can still call it a Trinidad Sour. Which if you think about it,
that's how a lot of classic cocktails are. You go to one bar you have a manhattan, you go to
another bar it's going to be a little different, but they're both manhattans. So I think that was
a smart move on Giuseppe's part. Now that we are all thoroughly excited about this cocktail,
the booze. We are gonna need bitters, rye whiskey, fresh lemon juice, and orgeat.
The bitters I'm using is Angostura Aromatic Bitters, and the rye is Rittenhouse hundred-proof
Rye. We already talked about the bitters. Angostura Bitters, that's what it has to be. There's really
no substitute in this cocktail. But for the rye, I'm using a hundred proof rye. I would
say at least hundred proof. I want something that's gonna hold up to the strong bitters.
But if you have a favorite rye, especially if it has good spice, it's gonna fend for itself,
and it's going to be great in this cocktail. Lemon juice, keep it fresh. This makes it a sour.
And orgeat. I would say use a quality orgeat, if you have a favorite. Otherwise
if you need a homemade recipe, which this is, check out my video on syrups. Easy, delicious. Let's build.
Into the shaking tin, I'm going to start with
...
Normally I would start with the base spirit because that's how my brain works, but I'm
going to put in a heavy hand of orgeat, and I want to rinse out the jigger. So I'm going to do a full ounce
of orgeat, and next the bitters. So everybody open up your big bottle of bitters. You're going to want a
big bottle, otherwise you're not going to get many cocktails out of the little one. And we've got the
little stopper on top. Take that off. Save this, we'll put it back on. We're going to match the orgeat.
So one ounce of Angostura Bitters. Now before we forget, let's put that little stopper top back
on. Dashing without it is a mess. Now the rye - half an ounce. That's it. We're just gonna get a little
bit of spice from the rye. If you want to add more, feel free. Lemon juice - three quarters of an ounce.
Now if you look at the build, I'm doing more sweetener than sour, so it's not a traditional
build. However, because we're using Angostura Bitters, we need that extra sugar to balance it out.
Trust me. Try this, it's going to be good. Now you can add ice and shake. Do I even need to ask?
I hope you have your glassware chilling. Unless you don't like your cocktail in a chilled glass.
It'll be served up. Let's give it a shake - about 10 seconds.
I'm really excited about this cocktail.
Okay.
Grab your chilled glassware, and then we can double strain right into the cocktail glass.
I'm gonna garnish with a little bit of mint. This is not called for in any other recipe
that I've seen, but I like it on there. And I also recently got these little itty-bitty clothes pins.
Meep, meep.
I'll leave a link down below. Hopefully they don't crush my glass - we'll see. But the idea is
we're going to have a strong mint nose. Which will just complement the bitters. Give them
a little tap - wake them up. Three mint leaves, clip them at the edge of the cocktail glass.
It kinda has a Robin Hood thing going on. The Trinidad Sour. Cheers!
mmm mint
I like Angostura Bitters - no secret. But the way this is balanced out with the sweet almond,
the bright citrus, and you get the spice from the bitters, but also a rye spice from the whiskey, it
just works really, really well together. And I like the mint on the nose. This might be one of
my favorite unorthodox cocktails. Big flavor, but still very refreshing. Az would you like a sip?
Yes please. Mmmm. Oh, that's really good! Isn't it? Mint actually really helps. It does, right? It keeps
it nice and refreshing, because you are working with big bold flavors. Thank you for watching! Like,
subscribe, all that stuff. I'll see you next time. Cheers!
I think the mint helps immensely.
Im-MINT-sely
(light piano jazz playing)