Insomnia Cocktail
1 oz. James E Pepper 1776 Rye
1 oz. Averna Amaro Siciliano
1 oz. Butterfly Boston Absinthe
1 bsp Gomme Syrup
2 dashes Scrappy’s Aromatic Bitters
Stir first 4 ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Float bitters on top and breathe in the blessing of tranquility.
I figured it was about time my insomnia had a dedicated drink. Based on the apt named Brain Duster I, yet again, swapped the Vermouth with Averna and also re-introduced the Gomme Syrup from George J. Kappeler’s old Brain Duster recipe from the 1800s (but without changing the 1-1-1 ratio of a more recent version).
This has a really lovely tried and true flavor and quite a kick. Rich, dark and spicy but never over the level of “too much of a good thing”. It may do the trick to help shut the brain down from yet another extended bout of sleeplessness. I’m sure that using spirits that were a little lower in ABV (especially the Absinthe) this would be a much tamer and reasonable drink but as it is with 100 proof Rye and 130 proof Absinthe diluted only with Averna of about 60 proof (and a bit of chilling ice), I’m banking that this will numb the mind and let me dream.
