Competition-Winning Cocktails Using Barenjager Honey Liqueur

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Sep 17th 2009 at 7:02PM

Anyone can be creative with less intense spirits but it takes a certain talent to win a competition involving more exotic potent potables. Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur recently announced the winner of the brand's first-ever New York bärtending competition. Six of New York's finest bartenders competed in the Bärenjäger Bärtending Competition. Five judges: mixologist and spirits aficionado Allen Katz of Southern Wine & Spirits; Spirits and Cocktails Geek Gary Regan of ArdentSpirits.com, Director of the Worldwide Bar Database, and author of The Joy of Mixology; Julie Reiner of Clover Club and Flatiron Lounge; one of the foremost spirits trade writers, Jack Robertiello and Aisha Sharpe of Contemporary Cocktails, Inc., chose Kevin Diedrich as the grand prize winner of an all-expense trip paid for two to Oktoberfest 2009 in Munich, Germany.

Bärenjäger is a honey liqueur which was first introduced during the 15th century and used by hunters to lure bears from their dwellings. Today's version a 70 proof vodka-based honey liqueur is made in Germany using honey from the Yucatan. Each 750ml bottle contains 225 grams of natural honey and a mixture of botanicals. The drink comes in a straw wrapped bottle that features a hive-shaped topic and an image of bear baiting. The overall flavor profile has honey's floral sweetness but with an herbal complexity.

The winning drink is called "The Bottom Line." Kevin Diedrich's previous bartending experience includes Bourbon and Branch, Michael Mina's Clock Bar, CASK, Beverage Academy, The Ritz Carleton and Bourbon Steak. The new drink is both classic and new. The recipe, plus the recipe for the audience favorite, the Bäre Fizz created by Gerry Corcoran, are after the jump.

Cocktail: The Bottom Line

¾ parts Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur

1 ½ parts Highland Park 18

1 part Manzanilla Sherry

¼ parts Cio Ciaro

1 dash Orange Bitters

1 dash Angostura Bitters

Add all ingredients to mixing glass, ice and stir strain into chilled cocktail glass.

The audience, consisting of media and industry heavyweights was also invited to "bee" judges and voted on their cocktail of choice. The audience favorite went to Gerry Corcoran with the "Bäre Fizz":

Cocktail: Bäre Fizz

.5 parts Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur

2 parts Famous Grouse Scotch®

1 part Fresh Lemon Juice

2-3 parts Toasted Lager Beer

1 Egg White

1 Barspoon Fig Preserves

1 Slice of Fig for Garnish

Dry shake all the ingredients except the lager, add ice and shake again. Double strain into a chilled highball glass, top with the toasted lager beer and garnish with a slice of fig.

Tags: barenjager, bartending, cocktail recipes, CocktailRecipes, cocktails, honey liqueur, HoneyLiqueur, mixologist

Filed under: Spirits

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shana Nov 19th 2009 8:40PM

Barenjager has always been an intriguing liqueur to me. Great, sweet, but maybe a little too sweet for some palates. I think a cool spin on the 1st cocktail, THE BOTTOM LINE would be to substitute the barenjager and the Mac18 ($$$) for a more recession-friendly ONE ingredient: the new Seagrams 7 Dark Honey. Will only set you back about $20 or so and will be in most major cities I think by the end of 09. We just got it in New York and its fantastic and really easy to mix! Has anyone else tried it yet??