Experimental: Orange Riot

On June 9^th, 2017, Netflix released season 5 of Orange is the New Black. In honor of binge watching the new riot-filled season, I wanted to create a cocktail that reflected the show (literally). I tried a couple of different drinks that ranged from okay to never again and finally landed on a variation of a Screwdriver that includes orange juice, black tea, and moonshine. The main alcohol in this drink is a bottle of Still Moon Sipping Moonshine that I won through a raffle last year and has remained mainly untouched. Similar to vodka, this moonshine doesn’t have a strong flavor on its own, but serves as a nice backbone to bring together different flavors. The other ingredient that I think reflects the OITNB theme is black walnut bitters. The bitters taste very medicinal and biting, but still have a toasted walnut essence. In this drink, the bitters help balance out the sweetness from the orange juice and honey syrup. I think Orange Riot can be a tasty addition to a boozy brunch with friends.

Orange Riot Recipe (1 serving)

• 2 oz. unflavored moonshine
• 3 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 0.5 oz. honey syrup
• 5 shakes of black walnut bitters
• 1 bag of black tea
• 1 cup of water for the tea

Equipment

• Cocktail shaker
• Vegetable peeler (Y shape)
• Electric kettle or pan
• Jigger
• Citrus press
• Hawthorne strainer
• Fine mesh strainer
• Collins glass

Directions

1. Steep black tea bag in 1 cup of boiled water
2. Use a vegetable peeler to peel 1 slice of orange rind and twist the peel over the cup of tea until the oils are released
3. Drop peel into the tea, add 2 – 3 shakes of black walnut bitters, and wait for the tea to cool
4. Squeeze 3 ounces of orange juice and 0.5 ounces of lemon juice
5. In the shaker, add the orange juice, lemon juice, moonshine, honey syrup, and 2 shakes of black walnut bitters
6. Add ice, seal the shaker, and shake for 10 seconds
7. Place a Hawthorne strainer on top of the shaker and double-strain the drink through a fine mesh strainer placed above the glass
8. Fill the glass with ice until the liquid is an inch from the top of the glass
9. Wash the shaker, add ice, and swirl the tea mixture in the tin until cooled
10. Use a Hawthorne strainer to pour the tea mixture over the drink
11. To garnish, cut an orange slide and place on the edge of the glass

Cheers and enjoy the show!