Tenth Ward Bottle Club Release: Pear Brandy
Written by Bret Kimbrough, Manager, Distilling and Operations
The humble pear. Denizen of grocery store fruit cups, toddler’s snack bowls, and picnic fruit salads. Most of us tend not to think much of the fruit, but it is ancient in its origins and has been enjoyed since prehistoric times by our ancestors. Its very name derives from a very ancient word that simply means “fruit”, showing that it is one of the earliest pillars of the human diet.
As with most of nature’s sugary gifts, humans found a way to turn the pear into an alcoholic delight. Originally, people only fermented the juice of pears into a type of cider called perry or added it to honey to make a mead of the same name. Eventually, however, as the art of distilling began to be applied to beverages, perry, as well as other fermented fruit beverages, was turned into a heady delight that the French came to call eau de vie, meaning the water of life. These waters of life brought forth the very essence of the fruit from which they were distilled and they became symbols of quality and refinement. As such, the primeval, unassuming pear came to produce what is today regarded as one of the quintessential distilled spirits” Eau de Vie de Poire, or Pear Brandy.
As we here at Tenth Ward wish to give our club members the best of everything, we have made you our very own interpretation of pear brandy to tickle your taste buds.
How It’s Made
To produce our pear eau de vie, we sourced pure pear concentrate made from 100% pears and nothing else. We added water to the concentrate to bring the sugar down to a level that our yeast would love, and then we fermented this beautiful juice into perry. We then put the perry into our big still, Mama Bear, and let her lovingly extract the pear-scented “water of life” from the pear cider. But then, to take the elegance a step further, we made some special additions.
First, we let the distilled brandy rest on some lovely, snow-white jasmine flowers. The jasmine elevates the floral character of the pear giving the brandy an exhilarating herbal character. Then we compliment the fruit’s sweetness with a touch of Hawaiian wildflower honey to highlight the pear’s dessert-like qualities. The warmth and comfort of a sip of this spirit is truly something to behold.
While pear brandy is often enjoyed on its own with a little chill, it can also be used to liven up a glass of prosecco, make your evening cup of tea extra special, or even in some inventive cocktails (try adding a half ounce to a rye old fashioned). There is never a bad time for a little of the water of life.
Ingredients: Pear juice, jasmine flowers, and Hawaiian wildflower honey.
Tasting Notes: Pear, pear, pear. This brandy really presents the soul of the pear. Fruity and floral like standing next to a blossoming pear tree. The jasmine flowers bring about the aromas of a fine English garden with all of its nectar and petal fragrances filling the air and the gentle flavor of a very fine cup of tea. Finally, the deep rich sweetness of the amber-hued Hawaiian wildflower honey lends some sweet and citrusy notes that help lengthen the bandy’s smooth, rich finish.
How to Mix It
Pear-Lychee Martini
2 oz Tenth Ward Pear Brandy
1 oz LycheeJuice
0.25 oz Lemon Juice
Pear Garnish
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake, and strain into a martini glass, garnish
Pear Spiced Cider
1.5 oz Tenth Ward Pear Brandy
Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Spiced Simple Syrup
Cider
Club Soda
Cinnamon Stick Garnish
Pour all ingredients except club soda into a highball glass, fill with ice, top with club soda, and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Pear Penicillin
1.5 oz Tenth Ward Pear Brandy
.5 oz Honey-Ginger Syrup
1 oz Lemon Juice
Dash of Orange Bitters
Lemon Garnish
Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass. Fill with ice and garnish.
How do I get my hands on it???
Happy New Year!
Why join the coolest club in town? It gets you access to our special quarterly releases, invites to member-only events, and access to member-only menu items! Head to tenthwarddistilling.com/clubs/ OR talk to one of our incredible staff members next time you visit to join!
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