The Corpse Reviver #2

Welcome to the inaugural post of 4003 Drinks: Alienating Friends One Cocktail at a Time.  This blog is co-written by Schizz and myself, AA, and we plan to take turns writing posts every couple of weeks or as often as work and Schizz's dislike for sleep allow.  The topic of this blog – the art of the cocktail - is in many ways a natural extension of our search to legitimize our vices by bringing them into the mainstream.  As with such classics as monkey’s in tuxedos and artistic nudes, our hope is to make the low, high brow again. In our view, the distinction between an argumentative drunk asshole and a lawyer with a taste for fine cocktails is simply the passion one puts into the craft. 

This blog aims to expand your understanding of cocktails from rum and cokes and vodka sodas to Sazeracs and Martinezs while sharing our passion with you one drink at a time.  While we still have a lot to learn about the topic, we promise to make up for lack of skill with unbridled enthusiasm.  To add some spice – or bitters in the world of cocktails – to this blog we will also discuss the comings and goings of apt 4003 and whatever else tends to pops into our heads – because who doesn’t want Manny Pacquiao training updates while learning about spherical ice cubes and infusing vodkas?

With no further ado, we start our first post with a discussion of one of our favourite cocktails: the Corpse Reviver #2.  The Corpse Reviver #2’s name stems from the fact it was traditionally served as a morning after drink – its blend of citrus and booze helping to bring a hungover person back to life.  While delicious at any time of the day, it’s a great alternative to your standard Bloody Mary or Caesar. 

Impression:  A shower and breakfast in every citrusy sip.

The basic recipe for this drink can be found in Harry Craddock’s quintessential cocktail text, The Savoy Cocktail Book.  The recipe uses an uncommon measure - a wineglass – but it can be easily converted to the more standard ounces as its four main ingredients are added in equal measures.  The recipe is as follows:

1.              ¼ Wine Glass Lemon Juice;

2.              ¼ Wine Glass Kina Lillet;

3.              ¼ Wine Glass Cointreau;

4.              ¼ Wine Glass Dry Gin; and

5.              1 dash absinthe (roughly ½ a bar spoon). 

Garnish: a lemon or orange peel spiral works nicely

The second best place we know to try a Corpse Reviver #2: The Keefer Lounge

The Ingredients

Lemon Juice: As with any cocktail, I strongly recommend that you use freshly squeezed lemon juice.  When in a pinch – or more commonly in our case, when people are over after the bar at 3:30 – you can use lemon concentrate from the bottle, but if you are doing so I suggest using ¾ or less of the amount you would use of fresh juice, the bottled stuff being too harsh at full strength. 

Dry Gin: This is self-explanatory and you can use what ever gin you prefer.  My current favourite gin is Hendricks (a small batch Scottish gin).  It is incredibly smooth and has a more mellow flavour with the traditional citrus and juniper notes balanced by more floral notes and the taste of cucumber.   For a more low cost alternative I suggest Plymouth or Beefeater, but I would stay away from Bombay Sapphire as it has a stronger more junipery flavour that doesn’t blend as well into this type of a cocktail. 

Impression:

Hendricks: Like having the help cultivate your private estate while wearing a smoking jacket.

                   

Bombay Sapphire:  A lemon tree and a pine tree doing missionary in a spice market.

Lillet: This is a fortified white wine produced in France.  It is 17% alcohol and in my mind is similar in many ways to a dry vermouth.  It is, however, quite important to use Lillet rather than dry vermouth in this cocktail as it is less syrupy and adds more of a dessert wine flavour.  Since it only has 17% alcohol, once open, I suggest that you either vacuum seal the bottle or keep it in the fridge. 

Impression: Urban Fare house brand dessert wine.

                       

Cointreau: This is an orange peel flavoured liqueur with 40% alcohol.  It is similar to triple sec – what some people might keep around for margarita’s – but is a much superior product in terms of both quality and flavour.  It adds a nice sweetness and complexity to drinks with the bitter orange peel taste.  Using Cointreau in this drink in equal parts to the gin is unusual as it is a flavour additive more than a base spirit, but generally, this is a nice liqueur to keep around as a small bottle goes a long way and is used in many cocktails. 

Impression:  Like licking sugar off the belly of a well tanned middle aged woman with 2 adult children 

Absinthe: An anise flavored herbal digestif that is best known for its hallucinatory properties –  The Green Fairy.  Absinthe was banned for many years due to the perception that it was a seedy drug like substance, but it has since seen a resurgence with most modern producers using artificial wormwood. While this modern variant does not contain the same narcotic compound, its effect may have been over-empathized as much of Absinthe’s real kick likely comes from the high alcohol content, with many brands clocking in at over 70% alcohol.  While only used in a small quantity in this drink, it is essential to the corpse reviver as it really pulls all of the flavours together.  While you need to be careful that the Absinthe doesn’t overpower the other flavours (which can easily happen in this case), getting the right amount of Absinthe can really make this drink pop. 

Impression: Like being punched in the face by an Eastern European grandmother with a fistful of herbs (and quarters).

We've been rather obsessed with this drink of late and if you’ve been over to our place in the last few weeks you may have had the pleasure of tasting one of our early attempts at the Corpse Reviver #2.  We hope this post helped you gain a better understanding and appreciation for this classic cocktail. We hope you’ll continue to follow along as we keep pouring out posts on our favourite drinks.   Remember, drinking is about the journey, not just the destination. 

Schizz and AA