My mind is blown right now... 🤯 I had NO idea people sipped vermouth on the rocks!! But it makes sense after watching this. 😁 Thank you so much for opening a whole new corner to the world of cocktails!!
This was so interesting! Vermouth was a little intimidating, because I wasn't sure what it was, but I'm excited to experiment with different types now.
Made me want to sip on some vermouth while watching. I love exploring new things and having vermouth on its own is definitely on the list now! Thank you ladies.
Great information ladies! I did not realize that Vermouth can be a stand alone drink. I used to have both a sweet Vermouth and dry open at the same to make martini and Manhattans. Even with 350 ml bottles, I would end up throwing some of them away after about a month. Now I can drink the rest up on the rocks! However, it is unfortunate that Vermouth brands are limited in my area.
Absolutely, or add some soda to it to make a spritz! Great to have the excuse of not wasting it to have a drink...haha. Hopefully if we spread the word, great vermouth will become more readily available!
Thanks for the good and clear explanations, I was kind of lost with all those different types of vermouth and when to use them but now I feel more educated 👍
I love that you’re Scottish but you had an Aussie accent that came in and out, and that was so interesting to me and then you said you were in Australia, and it all made sense. Great video !!!
I was going to chime in with my appreciation of Noilly Prat in my collection (along with Lillet and antica Carpano) but I’ll just agree with you and say “thank you” to Cara and her channel. Well done!!!
Drink more. In all seriousness just do what I did buy a load of small medicine bottles big enough to fit the cocktail in and pre-mix then stick them in the freezer (unless you're making a really weak cocktail). With the extra alcohol content they won't deteriorate nearly as fast, if at all, and on top of that they're in bottles with very little headspace and they're stored at about -14c.
Woah, THANK YOU for such an great content! I just start to drink vermouth, mostly on my homemade negronis, and I generally use Punt et Mes and, now, I'll be trying a lot of those thanks to your awesome class!
I live near Chambéry which is where Dolin is from, I especially love the white Dolin, for cooking and cocktails, perfect with onions ! Greetings from Savoie 🙃🇩🇰
Not for nothing but you can learn a lot from these young women. Plus listening to that accent is just so cute. Beautiful young women with superior knowledge behind the bar. Damn, you must be in very high demand. Love the videos.
Well, I’ve been drinking gin martinis for years. Finally decided to learn a bit about the ingredient of which I try to use the least. Fantastic presentation. I learned a lot. I have always kept the Dolin in a cabinet. Oops! Just tried an Italian dry vermouth that is only a few days old. Wow! What a difference! I think I’ll pour out the Dolan and start my martini over. Thanks again!
@@BehindtheBar Cocchi di Torino is a favorite as a sipper. For mixing, Cinzano is a favorite. I also really enjoy the Spanish vermouths, and find Miro is an excellent balance between sweet and spice. For a true taste adventure, Ransom makes a very bold sweet vermouth.
My neighbour in Bulgaria has suddenly took an interest in cocktails after reading Kingsley Amis and I have always wondered how vermouth was made and who better to explain than two Scottish lasses. My favs from our first cocktail experiment were the vermouths. Thanks.
Just fascinating. Sweet, Dry and Rosso were all I knew of one of my favourite drinks. Ice, a slice of lemon and a warm summers evening - my idea of heaven. This was an education to say the least. To the cave a vins I must go on the next trip across the channel.
Thank you! I used to be afraid of vermouth. I always thought it was a good way to screw up an otherwise good cocktail. I'm learning a wealth of information from you! I'll proceed s-l-o-w-l-y. ;) Cheers!
Thank you so much for demystifying this exciting new category (for me anyway), and for teaching me that Cocchi Americano could oxidize after opening if not refrigerated...*runs to the bar to "save" the Cocchi Americano*.... Also, thanks for helping translate the generic "dry", "sweet", and "bianco" terms that are so often used in specs over an actual brand name...such a terrific channel!
Would love to see another video that also features more aperitivi that are fortified wines or wine based, and how they can work in place of a traditional vermouth! Awesome content, thanks for making it
We will definitely be doing an amaro video and want to do lots more videos looking at different families. Unfortunately we haven’t been able to film much due to restrictions but really hope we can do more of these soon!
Loved the video. Always interesting to explore different vermouths. Noilly is my go to, but I always try to have some Lilley as well. Would like to find more Australian vermouths but not always sure where to find them. It would be good to have a video on some of the bitters and other types of common cocktail ingredients (I’m thinking things like Cynar, Benedictine and so on).
Definitely, I think Amaros are high on the list to do! Whereabouts in Australia are you pal? There are so many great vermouths now. Nick’s Wine Merchants in Melbourne have an amazing range and I’m fairly sure they ship around the country.
I’m in Sydney, and definitely use Nicks as my go to online. Otherwise it’s the local Dan Murphy’s. I’ve tried one of the regal rogues, but haven’t seen many others. Will have to have a look into the Adelaide hills vermouth. Picked up a manzanilla today to try a Jabberwock 🍸
Just found this channel, and watched through a few videos. Very informative and well presented, with passionate hosts. Subscribed, and very much looking forward to exploring your backlog.
Great Vid.... Very informative. 2 lovely, smart lasses. No mention in passing of Wormwood's contribution to Absinthe and the narcotic/hallucinogenic effects it imparts ( The Green Fairy?!?) , and why Wormwood infused alcohols are banned/ highly regulated in some countries ?? Otherwise, love the content. Keep it up. Best Regards from Canada.
Hi Cara & Sasha, very interesting show! I use the Carpano Antica Formula in my negronis, it is the richest flavour. Dollin dry makes a great Martini, Punt e Mes when stipulated in a recipe. I have both the Lillets but rarely use them. The Cocchis are very good, Torino sweet is good in a Negroni, Americano I rarely use, Rosa is fantastic in an Alba Rosa (the recipe is on the bottle). I keep them all in my fridges. Nick from York
Aye they mentioned Australia, as an Australian im loving this even more ontop of loving these 2 stunning babe's teaching me about vermouth, came here because I just bought a bottle of antica formula sweet vermouth so keen to learn about it
there is wonderful vermouth coming out of southern Spain. ALVEAR makes a really great one. They're a traditional winery that specializes in fino from the montilla-moriles region. If you can get a hold of it, very worth giving a whirl. or two.
@@BehindtheBar I'm a bit worried ....when I bought my first bottles of Vermouth (several), I never pit them in the fridge after opening ! (Hope they don't make me crook)
Can’t go past the Casa Mariole - a great find when we used to live in Melbourne! We get a bottle shipped every month or so direct from Bomba. Perfect for our weekly vermouth hour
Great info. Most bars in the USA keep a bottle of cheap vermouth in the bar, not refrigerated and often way, way, way too old. While fashionable to order a dry martini, I suspect most people don't want vermouth because most of the vermouth they have had was spoiled. If you want chilled vodka, order it....don't pretend to enjoy a martini.
Exactly, we actually discuss this in the martini videos- most people don’t think to taste their vermouth before using it and it can ruin the drink. Thanks for the comment!
Im not 100%sure but i think today is the day when im having vermouth for the first time, so i wasnt sure what it actually is, so thats why im here! Thanks for educating me!
In addition to storing open vermouth in the fridge, does vacuum sealing the bottle help extend the life any? I keep Dolin Blanc, Dry, Sweet, and Antica Formula 375ml on hand, as well as Lillet Blanc and Rouge 750ml at all times for various cocktails, and it takes me a while to go thru all of it. Not sure if sealing them like you would an unfinished wine bottle would help, hurt, or not make any difference at all. Any advice is sure appreciated, thanks from Tennessee!
Absolutely, it’s the oxygen which makes the change so vacuum sealing will help. That’s a good selection! The dry will be the most changeable, the rest have enough sugar in there that they’ll be stable for a while- at least a few weeks/month 😊
Super helpful video. Could you make another video like this about amaro? There are so many different varieties, and I am wondering which ones go in which cocktails, and which ones are good substitutes for each other. Cheers!
When I had a Negroni with a $5 vermouth (Tribuno) after having a Negroni with a $35 vermouth (Antico) I never went back to the cheap stuff! Bleh!It is so worth investing in a delicious vermouth!
Love your knowledge. You make it sound so delicious. Anyone watching someone in the US drinking Vermouth on the rocks will think… damn that person has hit a new low. Clear sign of a cry for help. 😀 we are so ordinary
My favorite distillery, Bull Run Distillery (in Portland, Oregon), made a bourbon finished in vermouth barrels. It was... interesting lol. Somehow it picked up a lot of candied cinnamon flavor. Wasn't something I loved, but I'm always into fun experiments!
Any advice on preservation? Does someone sell vermouth in vacuum plastic bag so it does not oxidize? Also can we get record of Sacha saying "wormwood" couple of times slowly :-D
Haha I’ll be sure to ask her! Unfortunately no plastic bags as far as I’m aware, although boxes (know in Australia as goon bags) of vermouth could actually be a great call! Otherwise some brands do mini 375ml bottles. If you keep it in the fridge it will last a while though, and if you don’t quite get through it I’ll use it in place of wine in cooking so it doesn’t totally go to waste.
I seem to have experienced a huge realization... I don't keep anything in the fridge... my home is almost always at 73-75 F (22 to 25 C)... am I supposed to have all my vermouth bottles in the fridge once opened? What about Lillet? and bitters?
Haha toasty! It’s definitely preferable, or at least in a cooler spot (a garage or basement?), just to delay the oxidation. The sweeter it is, the longer it will last opened and unchilled as the sugar and stronger flavours will mask the effects of the oxygen. So, a dry and delicate vermouth like Noilly or Dolin would only last a week or so. Lillet has more sugar and robust flavourings so will last a little longer- a couple of weeks out of the fridge but a month or more in the fridge. A big and bold vermouth like Antica Formula will be fine for a while because even when you start to taste those more raisiny, oxidative flavours they’re not necessarily undesirable alongside the rest of its flavour profile. But essentially it is the same rule as wine- cold will delay the ageing process. Bitters are totally fine unrefrigerated as they have a high alcohol content and are stable 😊
I’ve heard it’s thought that cocktails like Manhattans fell out of favor here in the US for a time because 1) the vermouths available here were not so good, and B) Americans didn’t know to keep vermouth in the fridge, so the cocktails wound up not so good either.
Behind the Bar wow. Covid is just getting me (mostly my wife) into cocktails and we never knew this! I only just put the lillet in the fridge because I read I should. Guess we need to invest in a wine/beverage fridge.
I read your comments about vacuuming to preserving vermouth, what about using a wine gas to preserve vermouth. Would that help in preserving it longer?
Hello, is there any ideas on what to do with a bottle that might has already gone bad? Notice some people make wine vinegar? Great Videos, keep up the good work :)
Awesome video and super informative! Instant sub. Any insight into which ones might be vegan? My friends are turning vegan one after the other and it's tricky finding info on what's vegan and not... Keep up the great work!
Oooh that is a tricky one as most will go through the same fining process as wine which makes it not vegan- whereabouts are you situated and I can see what I can find?
@@BehindtheBar yeah it's a pain! I've been able to find out that the dry dolin should be vegan, and some vermouth brand called yzaguirre should be... But never heard of that one and some options would be nice to have, hehe. I'm in Sweden for what it's worth. (Pretty weird alcohol situation here as we have a monopoly on alcohol governed by the state, but that's another topic). Thanks!
Rikard Georgii if there’s any you particularly want to know about you should just email them and ask! Good luck in the hunt- I actually had someone recommend Yzaguirre to me today so will have to hunt it down.
I also quite enjoy the slightly oxidative characteristics when it’s a little older. Doesn’t always work in cocktails but if you’re drinking it straight then happy days!
@@BehindtheBar I always drink everything straight. I believe mixing drinks bastardizes the original whiskey makers work. Like seasoning a fancy French meal.
Which Vermouth is best for the Dry Martini? Got a fantastic Dry Martini in Italy but can't remember which Vermouth they used. I think Noilly Prat, Dolin and even Martini extra dry work fine, but is there anyone that is the optimal choice if I want to make a world class Dry Martini?
If it’s a dry Martini then there’s not too much vermouth in there, so I generally do stick to something crisp and clean like Dolin. There’s a great local one here called Maidenii, using a really good quality wine base and local botanicals so it’s more savoury and herbal- maybe you could look for something like that which has a stronger flavour?
I'm curious what you think about Cappelletti's aperitivo -- have you covered it before? Though it's an aromatised fortified wine, folks often describe it as somewhere between Aperol and Campari. I just picked up a bottle today, and I think it drinks much more like a vermouth (although maybe there's more of a gentian than wormwood note). It felt lighter than both Aperol and Campari (to me, Aperol is actually still very bitter, even compared to many red vermouths). So I think it'd be more suitable as a red vermouth sub rather than an Aperol/Campari sub. Would love your thoughts, if you've worked with it!
Love the Lillet Blanc for my Vespers. I have a bottle of the Lillet Rouge (mistaken purchase) and want to know your thoughts on cocktails to make with it. I drink Manhattans, but not Old Fashions. Thanks!
