If you’ve ever met me you’d know I’m a big fan of ginger… from the root spice I use in TONS of recipes to the man I’ve been with for nearly 20 years, I am CLEARLY a ginger-lover. So you can imagine my excitement when I got a PR kit from Barrows Intense Ginger Liqueur out of Brooklyn, NY!
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Let’s get right down to the review why don’t we? On first taste, the liqueur is barebones basic… just ginger, sugar, cane spirit (think rum) and filtered water. But don’t be fooled.. the sip starts off sweet and almost citrusy, but then the ginger starts to seep into your taste buds, warming to a lingering spicy tingle on the tongue. In my opinion the balance is perfect, and I’m excited to try it in a handful of both cocktails AND savory dishes.
But does it work with whiskey? Well, I modified two of my favorite go-to bourbon drinks to include the ginger, and let me tell you, both were a smash hit! Scroll down if you want to jump straight to the recipes.
Whiskeychick’s Favorite Barrows Intense Ginger Recipes
First I put a spicy spin on the classic Lynchburg Lemonade and I was NOT disappointed! You can make this as backyard-basic or as high-end posh as you want by playing with the garnish or switching out the bourbons, but I like making drinks that serve a crowd in an easy, accessible, and not terribly overpriced way, so I stuck with the tried and true Jack Daniels for my bourbon of choice. I don’t like overly sweet drinks so between the bourbon and the Barrow’s I barely had to sweeten the lemonade at all. If you’re looking to make a large batch of light refreshing drinks, just multiply your measurements and this spiked and spicy lemonade is a hit. Since Barrow’s itself is only 22% alcohol you can even leave out the bourbon to pack a softer punch, although I would add a pinch or two of brown sugar to make up for its’ loss.
Next I saw an opportunity to take some of the legwork out of a traditional remedy for the upcoming cold season. I usually make my own home-made immune-boosting syrup every fall and use it to sweeten and flavor a hot toddy, or shoot it straight as a cough syrup. Peeling, grating, and pressing pounds of hard ginger root takes a lot of time and effort and makes a pretty big mess, so Barrow’s seems like a PERFECT solution to simplifying the process. I tried it in my classic Hot Toddy recipe and you could have fooled me into believing it was my own home-made ginger extraction.
Overall, I say cheers to Barrow’s! They definitely hit the mark!
For the Pinterest Addicts Like Me:
From the distiller: Barrow’s Intense Ginger Liqueur is 100% made with fresh ginger, with no extracts or chemicals, this liqueur is pure, big, bold, and fresh with the powerful flavor of ginger. At 22% ABV, it makes for a great aromatic addition to a wide range of cocktails, a sweet & spicy glaze for grilling, and even a surprising zest in desserts.