I was first introduced to Zirbenz by one of my favorite cocktail bars in Kansas City, The Campground. Their house gimlet is served pink and tastes like a forest, in a good way. I’m always looking for unique flavors to use in the cocktails I make at home. But, I know that the sound of a pine-flavored drink isn’t for everyone. If you use a good quality liqueur and a great recipe though, you really can’t go wrong. Let’s dive into more about this delicious spirit and make some Zirbenz cocktails!
What is Zirbenz?
This pink liqueur is made from freshly picked Arolla Stone Pine fruit from the Austrian Alps. The pine cones are picked when they are young and have a pine-floral flavor with a slight minty taste. When I first set out to purchase a bottle of Zirbenz, it took me a while to find. It’s not like a spirit that you find other distillers making, like sloe gin. Zirbenz is crafted by Josef Hofer, a family-owned distillery that has been making it since 1797. The liqueur is fantastic in a cocktail with rum, whiskey, and gin.
Zirbenz Cocktails
Green & Black Manhattan
If you love a Manhattan, and who doesn’t, this is a great introduction to using Zirbenz for a zing of flavor. The amaro also makes the cocktail; I used Cocchi Vermouth di Torino. With only a bar spoon of the liqueur in the recipe, you may overlook its contribution to the drink at first. Once you let the ice melt a bit and take a few more sips, you should start to notice the pine notes peeking through. This cocktail was a huge hit at first taste.
Green & Black Manhattan
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz rye whiskey
- 1.5 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino (or another sweet vermouth)
- 1 bar spoon Zirbenz
Instructions
- Add ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until properly diluted (20-30 seconds).
- Strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with a grapefruit peel twist.
Jungle Boogie
This tiki-inspired cocktail uses Zirbenz as its base. The crushed ice provides a perfect source of dilution and balances out the strong bitter flavors. Plus, the dehydrated blood orange garnish and the gold metal straw work perfectly with the color of the drink. This is a good time to note that while Zirbenz is generally pink, it is subject to seasonal fruit production. Of the two bottles I have, one needs a backup of this liqueur, one is far more reddish in tone than the other. The taste is consistent but the color can vary by year.
Jungle Boogie
Ingredients
- 2 oz Zirbenz
- 0.75 oz lime juice
- 0.75 oz grapefruit juice
- 0.75 oz cinnamon syrup
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake 20-30 seconds and strain over crushed ice in a double rocks glass.
- Garnish with a dehydrated blood orange and serve with a metal straw.
Notes
Alpine Hippie Juice
The first cocktail we made had a small amount of Zirbenz and in the second it was primary ingredient. This third drink splits the difference of the two in volume. The result of using sloe gin and cognac, makes for a rich and tart result in this citrusy cocktail. (I used Plymouth Sloe Gin and Rémy Martin VSOP cognac.) It’s like a fancy cranberry juice in flavor, which I love. If you like interesting citrus cocktails, this is one for you.
Alpine Hippie Juice
Ingredients
- 1.25 oz sloe gin
- 0.75 oz cognac
- 0.75 oz Zirbenz
- 0.5 oz lime juice
- 0.5 oz grapefruit juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
- Shake for 15-20 seconds and double strain into a Nick & Nora glass.
- Garnish with a dried or live flower bud.
I hope you enjoyed this virtual journey to Austria. Let me know what your favorite Zirbenz cocktails are or if one of these will be your first. Cheers!
