BB: Before Barcelona…..vermouth was a liquor cabinet staple, an essential ingredient for a Manhattan or the occasional Negroni, but I would never have thought to drink it on its own. That changed on our first trip to Barcelona, where we discovered vermouth culture, where locals and tourists “fer el vermut” or ” do the vermouth” as the perfect excuse for day drinking Sunday morning after church or as an aperitif. It is low in alcoholic content, big on taste, and quite inexpensive. Naturally that means that we had to learn how to make homemade vermouth!

Vermouth was probably first created in Turin, Italy in the late 18th century, where various botanicals were added to wine for their medicinal effects. The name comes from the German word for wormwood, which is the ingredient that creates its typical bitter taste. Today this aperitif is made by large producers as well as small, artisanal ones, but each has a proprietary blend of herbs, bark, roots and spices.

Our first visit to a vermuteria was during a tapas tour with Aborigens (highly recommended!). It was a small, local place filled with pre-civil war memorabilia. I was skeptical, but a glass of vermouth paired with some salty olives and anchovies and I was hooked.

Fer el Vermut

On later trips we actively planned to fer el vermut. Armed with a custom Google map of recommended vermuterias, we stopped often. Quimet y Quimet is the classic: a tiny space where little has changed in over 100 years. Moro Fi, which has been open for less than 10 years, is more of a hipster spot, and with young families and the occasional dog, you might feel as if you were in Brooklyn. What they all had in common, though, was delicious cold vermouth, pulled from a tap and served with tasty snacks!

Ingredient notes and Sources for homemade vermouth 

Wine: Start with a light, neutral white wine, such as pinot grigio. 

Fortifying alcohol: I have chosen to use sweet sherry. Other options are tawny port, or even dry sherry if you prefer the finished product to be less sweet.

Botanicals: wormwood and gentian root supply the bitter notes for the vermouth.  Sources:

     Wormwood, gentian: MountainMausRemedies on Etsy

     Angelica, chamomile: Mountain Rose Herbs

Other flavorings: I have opted for a more botanical profile, but some vermouths feature warm spices, such as cinnamon, star anise and ginger. This is where you can get creative and adjust to your own taste! Just be aware that a little bit goes a long way.

How to serve homemade vermouth: in Barcelona, vermouth is typically served neat or on the rocks, with or without a splash of soda. Garnish with lemon or orange and an olive. Salut!

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Homemade Vermouth

A recipe for homemade sweet vermouth, to add to cocktails or drink on its own.

Ingredients

• 1 750ml bottle white wine
• 1/2 tsp wormwood 0.3g
• 1/6 tsp gentian root 0.3g
• 1/2 tsp chamomile 0.3g
• 1/12 tsp angelica root 0.15g
• 1/2 tsp dried lavender 0.15g
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 4 pods cardamom
• 1/2 inch piece of vanilla bean
• zest from 1/2 orange, peeled in strips
• 4 leaves rosemary (actual leaves, not sprigs)
• 1 leaf basil
• 1 leaf sage
• 1 C sweet or cream sherry
• 1 C sugar
• 1/3 C water
• 1 C brandy

Instructions

• Measure all of the botanicals and add to about half of the wine in a medium size pot. Bring to a simmer, then take off the heat and add the remaining wine and sherry. Place in the refrigerator to steep for 2 hours. Strain.
  
• Meanwhile, place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat, swirling occasionally until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture becomes deep amber in color. Remove from heat.
  
• Carefully add the brandy to the caramelized sugar. Using very low heat, cook until the caramel is dissolved into the brandy. 
• Add the caramel and brandy to the strained wine mixture and store in the refrigerator.
• Serve over ice with a twist of orange or lemon and an olive. Or use in your favorite cocktail, such as a Manhattan, Negroni or Americano. The vermouth will keep in the refrigerator for about a month.

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