The Eggnog is quite an authority in lots of American living rooms at Christmas Eve. It’s a convention which can rather rarely be found in European countries, though globalization of course does its part. Nevertheless, on this special day the time has come to have a closer look into the glass of a very delicious and unconventional eggnog.
But first let’s take a brief definitional excursus: An Eggnog is basically a cocktail on the basis of a spirit, a source of sugar (which can also be a certain liqueur), eggs and cream. If you omit the cream, you would have a Flip. While reading through the list of ingredients you might have noticed that this kind of drink isn’t exactly a mixture on the light side of cocktails. But even though the calorie content is usually quite ambitious, do not worry about any health risks when using fresh eggs, because if you really use fresh eggs from a trustworthy source there is no real danger.
Today’s Eggnog is a special variant that is based on the addition of Porter, one of my favorite beer styles. According to that the drink bears the programmatic name “Beer Nog”. I have taken the recipe from the book “Cocktails on Tap” by Jacob Grier and it is truly a Christmas experience. The drink originated at the Rob Roy in Seattle, where every year the advent season features some kind of a cocktail advent calendar with a new seasonal drink on a daily basis.
The Beer Nog skillfully combines the aromas of Cognac, strong and pithy Porter with the Christmassy notes of vanilla and nutmeg; wrapped in an awesome creamy embrace.
Merry Christmas to all of you!
Recipe (for about 5 to 6 people):
4 large eggs
360 ml whole milk
240 ml heavy cream
240 ml Porter
120 ml Cognac
100 g sugar
2 pinches of grated nutmeg
1 vanilla pod
Preparation: First, whisk the eggs vigorously in a bowl. Then add the remaining ingredients (cut the vanilla pod lengthwise and add the pulp within the bowl) and again whisk vigorously. Distribute among ice filled glasses with a ladle (or add a block of ice into the bowl).
Glass: Bowl glasses / Tumbler
Garnish: None (alternatively a scraped vanilla pod)
Buying sources: Most of the ingredients should be available in well-stocked supermarkets. In Germany, unfortunately, buying Porter might still force you to visit a specialized retailer.
