If youâ??ve read the recent article about Picon-Beer and the bitters known as Picon, youâ??re probably like me and wanting to experience what this concoction is like first hand. After much searching I have found a pretty good recipe from a very reliable source to help you create your own version of Picon. While itâ??s not exactly the same, if youâ??re using it for cocktails the differences will likely be imperceptible. Another thing to note is the fact that along with variations in the ingredients come variations in the final product, whether thatâ??s the color, smell, taste, or texture of the Picon has to do with which particular ingredients were changed or omitted.
Bartender Jamie Boudreauâ??s version, which he has aptly named the â??Amer Boudreauâ? goes like this:
Amer Boudreau
Ingredients:
3 bottles Amaro Ramazzotti- Available in the US
7 ½ cups orange tincture (See below for instructions on how to make this)
¾ bottle Stirrings Blood Orange bitters
¾ liter Evian or other high quality, bottled water
Steps:
The first step after you have made your orange tincture is to combine all the ingredients in a large container and stir until they are sufficiently mixed together. After they have been stirred you will need to let the contents sit for at least one week, preferably two. Next, get your hands on a strainer and pour the concoction through it to filter out any small pieces of tincture or other impurities. It is best to keep the final product in an air-tight container or bottle and refrigerate it for longest shelf life. So breaking it down you basically mix the ingredients together and let them be for a week or two. Not too incredibly hard, but the key to making the Picon is in the tincture. This is not such an easy task. Below you will find one of the best orange tincture recipeâ??s Iâ??ve come across yet.
Orange Tincture
Fill a regular mason jar half way with dried orange peel. The type of orange peel you use will slightly affect the final outcome of the Picon, and I’ve found that the best variety of orange to use is the Seville type. It’s tough to find but will add that extra little bit of authentic flavor to your tincture and ultimately your Picon. Next you’ll want to fill the remaining portion of the jar (the other half) with vodka of a high-proof nature. Some bar tenders admit to using Smirnoff Blue Label but other great vodkas can be found if you shop around a bit, especially if you’re concerned with price since the Blue Label stuff can be a bit on the expensive side and if this is your first time experimenting with alcohols, it might be best to keep it cheap until you perfect your art. Once you have added the vodka you’ll need to let the tincture mixture sit for about six to eight weeks. It takes quite a while for the vodka to absorb the orange flavor and color, and if you find that your final tincture product is very dark in color, you might want to add a bit more vodka to keep it a nice light amber color. After your six to eight week waiting period you’ll need to strain the finished tincture to remove the orange peels and bits of rind and then filter it to take away any smaller impurities that may have been left behind after straining. There you have it, fairly cut and dry but again, I’m warning you that playing around with the mixture and experimenting a bit can result in completely different flavors, colors, consistencies, and what not. But hey, that’s not such a bad thing sometimes now is it?
Some other notes: If you want to use Everclear instead of vodka you can since the higher the proof you use, the shorter the infusion time of the orange color and flavor. Also, shaking your tincture mixture three times daily will speed up the infusion time and allow for more balance in the flavor of the liquid. If youâ??re using Everclear you can add water at the end of the tincture process to reduce the proof down to something closer to most high proof vodkas.
