Amaro
I started experimenting with Amaro creations at home in early 2023. This was primarly inspired by multiple summers of hiking in the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps – read more about that at shoulderseason.net.
Alpine (2025)
A revisit to an original alpine amaro recipe inspired by summer hiking in the French Alps, with a more balanced profile (less holiday “spiciness”).
- Base: neutral grain spirit
- Bitter agents: gentian root
- Botanicals: spruce tips (locally foraged), grapefruit zest, bitter orange peel, lemon balm, mint, rosemary (locally grown), sage (locally grown) juniper sprigs & juniper berries (locally foraged), cloves, elderberries, yarrow, elderflower, lavender, allspice, wild cherry bark, black walnut hulls, anise seeds
- Aged with oak chips
- Sweetened with demerara sugar, white sugar, molasses
- Fining: bentonite clay and egg white
- ABV: 30%
Rabárbaro Style (2025)
Based on this Reddit recipe and discussion. A rhubarb-forward amaro that is smoky, sweet, and bitter.
- Base: neutral grain spirit
- Bitter agents: rhubard root
- Botanicals: mint, cardamom pods, hyssop, cascadian hops, artichoke leaf, lemongrass, elderflower, lemon zest, orange zest, grapefruit zest, thyme
- Aged with oak chips
- Sweetened with demerara sugar, white sugar, molasses
- Fining: bentonite clay and egg white
- ABV: 26.5%
white oak bark (toasted), bitter orange peel, wild cherry bark (toasted), cinchona bark, chicory root, cinnamon, cardamom pods, allspice, elderberry, elderflower, clove, orange zest
Rite of Spring (2024)
Based on Brad Thomas Parsons’ Rite of Spring recipe.
- Base: neutral grain spirit
- Bitter agents: angelica root, licorice root, wormwood
- Botanicals: mint, cardamom pods, hyssop, cascadian hops, artichoke leaf, lemongrass, elderflower, lemon zest, orange zest, grapefruit zest, thyme
- Aged with oak chips
- Fining: bentonite clay and egg white
- ABV: 30%
Winter (2023)
Inspired by Braulio (an Italian aged amaro) and previous Alpine (2023)
- Base: neutral grain spirit
- Bitter agents: gentian root, wormwood
- Botanicals: mint, rosemary, grapefruit zest, yarrow, juniper berries, elderberries, bitter orange zest,elderflower, lavender, wild cherry bark, black walnut hulls, lemon balm, hyssop, green cardamon pods, cloves, allspice, orange zest
- Aged with oak chips
- Fining: bentonite clay and egg white
- ABV: 31%
Summer Solstice (2023)
Based on Brad Thomas Parsons’ Summer Solstice recipe.
- Base: neutral grain spirit
- Bitter agents: gentian root, wormwood
- Botanicals: mint, rosemary, grapefruit zest, yarrow, juniper berries, elderberries, bitter orange zest,elderflower, lavender, wild cherry bark, black walnut hulls, lemon balm, hyssop, green cardamon pods, cloves, allspice, orange zest
- Aged with oak chips
- Fining: bentonite clay and egg white
- ABV: 31%
Alpine (2023)
An original recipe inspired by a whiskey-based alpine amaro recipe and summer hiking in the French Alps.
- Base: neutral grain spirit
- Bitter agents: gentian root
- Botanicals: spruce tips, orange zest, lemon balm, mint, rosemary, juniper berries, cloves, elderberries, yarrow, elderflower, lavender, allspice, wild cherry bark, black walnut hulls
- Aged with oak chips
- Fining: bentonite clay and egg white
- ABV: 30%
Rite of Spring (2023)
Based on Brad Thomas Parsons’ Rite of Spring recipe.
- Base: neutral grain spirit
- Bitter agents: angelica root, licorice root, wormwood
- Botanicals: mint, cardamom pods, hyssop, cascadian hops, artichoke leaf, lemongrass, lemon zest, orange zest, grapefruit zest
- Aged with oak chips
- Fining: bentonite clay and egg white
- ABV: 32%