Australia's national drink?
December 7, 2018 4:48 PM Subscribe
Lemon, lime, and bitters - a staple of golf, bowling and other clubs in Australia, could be considered the default non-alcoholic beverage. But how did it get this way when most other countries are unfamiliar with its piquant delights?
In re the second link:
This site is not available in your country
Can we get a warning for links of this sort? What possible essential GDPR-breaking data collection can geniuskitchen.com possibly be doing that makes it necessary and desirable to block the whole of Europe? Europeans need to know that the link is borked; non-Europeans need to know that they, presumably, fully intend to steal and sell your personal data without your consent. That's what that message means to me. YMMV.
posted by motty at 5:06 PM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]
This site is not available in your country
Can we get a warning for links of this sort? What possible essential GDPR-breaking data collection can geniuskitchen.com possibly be doing that makes it necessary and desirable to block the whole of Europe? Europeans need to know that the link is borked; non-Europeans need to know that they, presumably, fully intend to steal and sell your personal data without your consent. That's what that message means to me. YMMV.
posted by motty at 5:06 PM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]
Note for Americans: What we call lemonade is not what you call lemonade. The ingredient in this drink is lemon soda or lemon-lime soda.
posted by retrograde at 5:12 PM on December 7, 2018 [11 favorites]
posted by retrograde at 5:12 PM on December 7, 2018 [11 favorites]
It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure the national drink of Australia is Vic Bitter. Although anyone who's not a bogan goes for something from their provincial brewery—bitter, mild, or sparkling according to personal preference.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:21 PM on December 7, 2018
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:21 PM on December 7, 2018
Alternative recipe link - I love this one because the setting is exactly the kind of shitty club where the LL&B reigns supreme. The half-arsed manner it's prepared, and the cheap substitution of lemon instead of lime is just too Aussie. Note, I have no idea what's going on with the narrator's accent, certainly not South Australian!
posted by smoke at 5:22 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by smoke at 5:22 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
I love bitters and soda. I also love drinks you’d find at a shitty club. I would totally drink this. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I can get all the ingredients where I am.
In that video, the brown lemon is a lemon cordial?
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 5:33 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
In that video, the brown lemon is a lemon cordial?
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 5:33 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
I have to say, that drink sounds good, in all its variations. I bet it would be really good made with bitter lemon.
posted by TedW at 5:35 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by TedW at 5:35 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
Shapes, you totally can; any bottle shop should have angostura bitters, then you just need some fresh lime, and either something like 7up or Sprite - or lemon squash or whatever you call it (fizzy yellow lemon flavoured drink), that's all. :)
posted by smoke at 5:41 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by smoke at 5:41 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
I love bitters and soda. I would totally drink this. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I can get all the ingredients where I am.
You can make it with Sprite and Rose's Lime (this is cordial). I do not approve of the bitters dispersal method in that video, though. You need to splash it on the inside of the glass and then roll it around until it coats the glass like this guy.
You can also buy premade lemon lime bitters from Bundaberg in some US stores. I've seen it at World Market.
posted by retrograde at 5:47 PM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]
You can make it with Sprite and Rose's Lime (this is cordial). I do not approve of the bitters dispersal method in that video, though. You need to splash it on the inside of the glass and then roll it around until it coats the glass like this guy.
You can also buy premade lemon lime bitters from Bundaberg in some US stores. I've seen it at World Market.
posted by retrograde at 5:47 PM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]
European (or Australian) style lemonade is not commonly available in the US. Sprite/7Up don't really count; they are garbage approximations of the real thing, being nothing but a blend of corn syrup, bubbles, and flavoring. The most common thing that comes close is probably Sanpelligrino Limonata, which is pretty fancy as far as soda goes.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:58 PM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:58 PM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]
In that video, the brown lemon is a lemon cordial?The video is from SA, so it's Bickford's Lime Juice Cordial.
"On account of spurious imitations none is genuine unless bearing the signature of A M Bickford & Sons".
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 6:04 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
European (or Australian) style lemonade is not commonly available in the US. Sprite/7Up don't really count; they are garbage approximations of the real thing, being nothing but a blend of corn syrup, bubbles, and flavoring. The most common thing that comes close is probably Sanpelligrino Limonata, which is pretty fancy as far as soda goes.
I respectfully disagree. The default Australian lemonade (IMO) is Schweppes, which is nothing special and probably full of junk. Sprite is a little sweeter/stronger than that, but plenty of Australian pubs use it as their post-mix "lemonade" so that's exactly what they would use make a lemon lime and bitters. (Even if they don't, they're still making the drink from post-mix, which is just cheap syrup and soda water).
I just went and made myself a lemon, lime and bitters with generic American lemon-lime soda and though the soda flavor is more pronounced than it would be with Schweppes, it's still pretty good.
posted by retrograde at 6:17 PM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]
I respectfully disagree. The default Australian lemonade (IMO) is Schweppes, which is nothing special and probably full of junk. Sprite is a little sweeter/stronger than that, but plenty of Australian pubs use it as their post-mix "lemonade" so that's exactly what they would use make a lemon lime and bitters. (Even if they don't, they're still making the drink from post-mix, which is just cheap syrup and soda water).
I just went and made myself a lemon, lime and bitters with generic American lemon-lime soda and though the soda flavor is more pronounced than it would be with Schweppes, it's still pretty good.
posted by retrograde at 6:17 PM on December 7, 2018 [6 favorites]
About a year and a half ago I gave up eating/drinking anything with any kind of added sweetener, whether that was sugar, honey, stevia, Splenda, maple syrup, agave, whatever. So lemon-lime fizzy drink, either artificially or naturally sweetened, is out for me. Would this work with fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, sparkling water or soda, and bitters?
I realize that the bitters, at about 40% alcohol by volume obviously has sugar in it, but I'm not going to worry about 5 drops in 250 ml of liquid.
posted by angiep at 6:32 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
I realize that the bitters, at about 40% alcohol by volume obviously has sugar in it, but I'm not going to worry about 5 drops in 250 ml of liquid.
posted by angiep at 6:32 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
That sounds quite nice. Bitters are highly underrated outside their use in whiskey cocktails. Personally, I like a dash or two of Angostura in my oatmeal. Sounds odd, but try it some time.
posted by tobascodagama at 6:54 PM on December 7, 2018 [9 favorites]
posted by tobascodagama at 6:54 PM on December 7, 2018 [9 favorites]
Would this work with fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, sparkling water or soda, and bitters?
Why yes, it does! I can't say how it'll compare to the traditional drink in this post, but "Soda, Pint Glass, with a Dash of Bitters" has been my standard bar order since I from being a daily alcohol drinker, to a once-in-a-blue-moon alcohol drinker.
Sometimes the bartender offers a lemon or lime and I go with that variation.
If I want it a bit sweeter (but not too sweet, yuck!) I ask for soda with a bit of ginger ale and dash of bitters. I find that if I don't specify the pint glass every time, I often end up being served the drink in a little highball glass, which personally doesn't satisfy.
As you noted, Angustora bitters contains alcohol, but the actual amount in a dash is marginal imho, doesn't aggrivate my health issues, get me buzzed, or make me worry about a DUI. Though I suppose a tiny person with a very low alcohol tolerance might feel effects from drinking enough. And some people may want/need to avoid alcohol completely.
Enter...Fee Brothers Bitters. Not quite as widely available in stores as Angustora bitters, but sold in the wine departmenf of many "fancy" us grocers. And Amazon.com. Fee Brothers bitters come in many flavors, and are 100% alcohol free. I have no idea if they are available outside the US.
Lastly (and I know this is a bit of a diversion from the Aussie drink post), if you or someone you know is looking for something that really *tastes* like an alcoholic drink, but is completely alcohol free, here is my recipe:
1/4 or 1/3 Martinelli's Sparkling Non Alcoholic Apple Cider.
Fill the rest of the glass with unflavored, unsweetened soda/seltzer water.
Add Fee Brothers Bitters to taste.
Add ice if desired.
I'll try my best US ingredient approximation of the Aussie LL&B next time I have a sweet tooth.
I'll also have to try out that "coat the empty glass" technique from retrogrades link.
This post makes me happy for some reason. I had no idea my "thing" was so similar to a regular thing elsewhere!
posted by ethical_caligula at 7:05 PM on December 7, 2018 [9 favorites]
Why yes, it does! I can't say how it'll compare to the traditional drink in this post, but "Soda, Pint Glass, with a Dash of Bitters" has been my standard bar order since I from being a daily alcohol drinker, to a once-in-a-blue-moon alcohol drinker.
Sometimes the bartender offers a lemon or lime and I go with that variation.
If I want it a bit sweeter (but not too sweet, yuck!) I ask for soda with a bit of ginger ale and dash of bitters. I find that if I don't specify the pint glass every time, I often end up being served the drink in a little highball glass, which personally doesn't satisfy.
As you noted, Angustora bitters contains alcohol, but the actual amount in a dash is marginal imho, doesn't aggrivate my health issues, get me buzzed, or make me worry about a DUI. Though I suppose a tiny person with a very low alcohol tolerance might feel effects from drinking enough. And some people may want/need to avoid alcohol completely.
Enter...Fee Brothers Bitters. Not quite as widely available in stores as Angustora bitters, but sold in the wine departmenf of many "fancy" us grocers. And Amazon.com. Fee Brothers bitters come in many flavors, and are 100% alcohol free. I have no idea if they are available outside the US.
Lastly (and I know this is a bit of a diversion from the Aussie drink post), if you or someone you know is looking for something that really *tastes* like an alcoholic drink, but is completely alcohol free, here is my recipe:
1/4 or 1/3 Martinelli's Sparkling Non Alcoholic Apple Cider.
Fill the rest of the glass with unflavored, unsweetened soda/seltzer water.
Add Fee Brothers Bitters to taste.
Add ice if desired.
I'll try my best US ingredient approximation of the Aussie LL&B next time I have a sweet tooth.
I'll also have to try out that "coat the empty glass" technique from retrogrades link.
This post makes me happy for some reason. I had no idea my "thing" was so similar to a regular thing elsewhere!
posted by ethical_caligula at 7:05 PM on December 7, 2018 [9 favorites]
It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure the national drink of Australia is Vic Bitter.
Yeah, nah. Nobody outside of Victoria drinks it.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:06 PM on December 7, 2018 [7 favorites]
Yeah, nah. Nobody outside of Victoria drinks it.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:06 PM on December 7, 2018 [7 favorites]
Bitters are highly underrated outside their use in whiskey cocktails. Personally, I like a dash or two of Angostura in my oatmeal. Sounds odd, but try it some time.My wife knew someone from… the Dominican Republic? who basically told her that where she’s from, angostura bitters was a food ingredient/condiment first and a cocktail ingredient second. I put it in chili sometimes, and my wife has made cookies with it for aromatic flavor. Tasty stuff!
posted by tobascodagama
posted by DoctorFedora at 7:11 PM on December 7, 2018 [4 favorites]
Australia's National Drink is Carlton Draught ("pint of draught"). Vic Bitter probably a close second, but only because noone outside of Queensland drinks XXXX, which is higher selling. If Vic Bitter changed its branding it would probably be a beer we'd be proud of - a popular beer that isn't tasteless swill like Fosters or Carona (which also outsells VB), but I don't think its branding has changed since the 80's.
I travel a bit for work, and I've seen VB available in most States. XXXX is really only available in QLD and NSW.
+1 for LL&B though. Very refreshing non-alcoholic drink and good when hair of the dog can't be stomached.
posted by bigZLiLk at 7:11 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
I travel a bit for work, and I've seen VB available in most States. XXXX is really only available in QLD and NSW.
+1 for LL&B though. Very refreshing non-alcoholic drink and good when hair of the dog can't be stomached.
posted by bigZLiLk at 7:11 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
This was my default grown-up drink when I was little! Eventually the adults would get tired of me sneaking beer and send me off to get my own drink, and I, being very tiny and very deaf, would get on my tiptoes to see over the bar and very proudly order "femen vine ah beetars!", greatly amusing (and confusing) a succession of bartenders. I still love it and have to practice before I go to the bar to make sure I say LEmOn LIMe aND bItTERS and not my childhood lisp version.
posted by E. Whitehall at 7:41 PM on December 7, 2018 [14 favorites]
posted by E. Whitehall at 7:41 PM on December 7, 2018 [14 favorites]
Would this work with fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, sparkling water or soda, and bitters?
Without the lemon juice this is a soda, lime and bitters, which is an excellent unsweetened version of the LL&B (and, despite what the ABC's article says, an entirely legitimate alternative). If you ordered it at a pub you'd probably get lime cordial instead of juice, but even like that it's pretty good.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 7:57 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
Without the lemon juice this is a soda, lime and bitters, which is an excellent unsweetened version of the LL&B (and, despite what the ABC's article says, an entirely legitimate alternative). If you ordered it at a pub you'd probably get lime cordial instead of juice, but even like that it's pretty good.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 7:57 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
Smoke I reckon that is an Irish-Australian accent, probably.
posted by Coaticass at 8:10 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Coaticass at 8:10 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
I had one at a work function the other night. Delicious! (Aren't you drinking, they said? &^%$ off, I'm drinking this, I did not reply.)
posted by Coaticass at 8:11 PM on December 7, 2018
posted by Coaticass at 8:11 PM on December 7, 2018
Unfortunately, I’m not sure I can get all the ingredients where I am.
Angustura bitters can be bought at just about any half-decent grocery store. Lemon soda and lime are also likely to be found there.
What I can't find in the US is Schweppes Bitter Lemon, a soda which I learned about when living in Germany 30 years ago. Very sad not to find this anywhere, as it is an astoundingly good warm weather (over ice) drink.
posted by hippybear at 8:22 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
Angustura bitters can be bought at just about any half-decent grocery store. Lemon soda and lime are also likely to be found there.
What I can't find in the US is Schweppes Bitter Lemon, a soda which I learned about when living in Germany 30 years ago. Very sad not to find this anywhere, as it is an astoundingly good warm weather (over ice) drink.
posted by hippybear at 8:22 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
We visited Australia in October and learned a couple things about the drinking culture, which is that those drinks are really light on the booze. For reference an American cocktail will be 1.5 to 2 ounces of spirit but an Oz cocktail is 1 ounce to an ounce and quarter. Aussie beer is similarly lighter than American, generally, and broken into three levels of potency: 2.5% (light); 3.5% (mid-strength); 4.5 to 5% (standard). We only ever drank standard (Carlton, iirc), and it was about what you get in America. We tried some wine on the peninsula near Melbourne and it was okay (the industry is kinda new there) and we thought the Pinots they were making were a bit lacking in alcohol (and also fruit and acid), but we are Californians and our palettes are ruined.
I think it has to do with the strict DUI laws there.
We saw bitters and lemon lime on several menus and now I’m sorry neither of us called for it. Next time, for sure.
posted by notyou at 9:08 PM on December 7, 2018
I think it has to do with the strict DUI laws there.
We saw bitters and lemon lime on several menus and now I’m sorry neither of us called for it. Next time, for sure.
posted by notyou at 9:08 PM on December 7, 2018
an Oz cocktail is 1 ounce to an ounce and quarter.
I'd be reluctant to generalise about this; I've lived in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, and drunk in Adelaide and Perth besides, and I've never had a cocktail with only one standard drink in it, and if I did I'd be royally pissed off at paying $15 for it.
posted by smoke at 10:02 PM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]
I'd be reluctant to generalise about this; I've lived in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, and drunk in Adelaide and Perth besides, and I've never had a cocktail with only one standard drink in it, and if I did I'd be royally pissed off at paying $15 for it.
posted by smoke at 10:02 PM on December 7, 2018 [8 favorites]
You can make it with Sprite and Rose's Lime (this is cordial).
Ah, thanks! I’ll see If I can make one this weekend.
I do love Angostura bitters. I’ve tried putting them in everything. You can buy, or recently could buy, an Angostura branded liqueur, which is sort of like an Angostura flavored amaretto or something.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:10 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
Ah, thanks! I’ll see If I can make one this weekend.
I do love Angostura bitters. I’ve tried putting them in everything. You can buy, or recently could buy, an Angostura branded liqueur, which is sort of like an Angostura flavored amaretto or something.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 10:10 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
angostura bitters was a food ingredient/condiment first and a cocktail ingredient second.
It pops up in Trinidadian cooking (where Angoustra is from), particularly in soups & stews. It works surprisingly well.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:24 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
It pops up in Trinidadian cooking (where Angoustra is from), particularly in soups & stews. It works surprisingly well.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:24 PM on December 7, 2018 [3 favorites]
Have to admit, I’d always thought lemon lime & bitters was just the drivers’ version of a vodka lemon lime & bitters.
posted by pompomtom at 10:43 PM on December 7, 2018
posted by pompomtom at 10:43 PM on December 7, 2018
The Australian booze fact checker has logged on.
For reference an American cocktail will be 1.5 to 2 ounces of spirit but an Oz cocktail is 1 ounce to an ounce and quarter.
Nope. Cocktails are 2 shots. But those shots have to be measured. And you can't serve more that 2 shots in a single drink. These restrictions are imposed by Responsible Service of Alcohol rules in most states, including Victoria.
The US bars I've been to all free poured, and while their intent may have been 2 shots/ounces they all massively exceeded it.
Aussie beer is similarly lighter than American, generally, and broken into three levels of potency: 2.5% (light); 3.5% (mid-strength); 4.5 to 5% (standard). We only ever drank standard (Carlton, iirc), and it was about what you get in America.
Australia is in the middle of a craft beer renaissance and beer styles and strengths vary wildly.
There are taxes on alcohol by volume that have encouraged the mass market beer makers like Carlton to create lower alcohol beers; diet-conscious drinkers have arguably contributed to that trend more than drink driving restrictions, IMO, but those rules have certainly contributed.
We tried some wine on the peninsula near Melbourne and it was okay (the industry is kinda new there) and we thought the Pinots they were making were a bit lacking in alcohol (and also fruit and acid), but we are Californians and our palettes are ruined.
The Mornington Peninsula? They've been growing grapes there since the 1800s and the current wine industry there started in the 1970s.
There's no accounting for taste, but Victoria is generally regarded as producing many of the best pinot noirs in the country.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:49 PM on December 7, 2018 [14 favorites]
For reference an American cocktail will be 1.5 to 2 ounces of spirit but an Oz cocktail is 1 ounce to an ounce and quarter.
Nope. Cocktails are 2 shots. But those shots have to be measured. And you can't serve more that 2 shots in a single drink. These restrictions are imposed by Responsible Service of Alcohol rules in most states, including Victoria.
The US bars I've been to all free poured, and while their intent may have been 2 shots/ounces they all massively exceeded it.
Aussie beer is similarly lighter than American, generally, and broken into three levels of potency: 2.5% (light); 3.5% (mid-strength); 4.5 to 5% (standard). We only ever drank standard (Carlton, iirc), and it was about what you get in America.
Australia is in the middle of a craft beer renaissance and beer styles and strengths vary wildly.
There are taxes on alcohol by volume that have encouraged the mass market beer makers like Carlton to create lower alcohol beers; diet-conscious drinkers have arguably contributed to that trend more than drink driving restrictions, IMO, but those rules have certainly contributed.
We tried some wine on the peninsula near Melbourne and it was okay (the industry is kinda new there) and we thought the Pinots they were making were a bit lacking in alcohol (and also fruit and acid), but we are Californians and our palettes are ruined.
The Mornington Peninsula? They've been growing grapes there since the 1800s and the current wine industry there started in the 1970s.
There's no accounting for taste, but Victoria is generally regarded as producing many of the best pinot noirs in the country.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:49 PM on December 7, 2018 [14 favorites]
an Oz cocktail
Do you mean a “mixed drink” (eg G&T, V&T, bourbon & coke)? They should be 1oz (aka 1 standard drink) by law (so drivers can count their drinks). In Aus English it’s not a cocktail unless there’s at least a couple of types of booze in it.
posted by pompomtom at 10:50 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
Do you mean a “mixed drink” (eg G&T, V&T, bourbon & coke)? They should be 1oz (aka 1 standard drink) by law (so drivers can count their drinks). In Aus English it’s not a cocktail unless there’s at least a couple of types of booze in it.
posted by pompomtom at 10:50 PM on December 7, 2018 [2 favorites]
while their intent may have been 2 shots/ounces they all massively exceeded it
Their intent was to get a healthy tip because you watched them over-pour your drink.
Utah has measured drinks. Little electronic things on top of the bottles that cut off at the prescribed amount. I hate when my travels have me layover at SLC.
posted by hippybear at 10:52 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
Their intent was to get a healthy tip because you watched them over-pour your drink.
Utah has measured drinks. Little electronic things on top of the bottles that cut off at the prescribed amount. I hate when my travels have me layover at SLC.
posted by hippybear at 10:52 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
It's been a while, but I'm pretty sure the national drink of Australia is Vic Bitter.
Yeah, nah. Nobody outside of Victoria drinks it.
I should moderate my position on this. Before the big craft beer revolution, VB was ubiquitous (except for in QLD, the land of XXXX). Now, Carlton has largely nudged out VB as the basic standard beer offering in NSW pubs, with craft beers and international brands like Heineken, Stella, and Kirin filling out the taps in city locations. The major cities all have their own craft beer darlings that have carved out a niche in their respective territories - Young Henry's is the current king in Sydney.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:56 PM on December 7, 2018
Yeah, nah. Nobody outside of Victoria drinks it.
I should moderate my position on this. Before the big craft beer revolution, VB was ubiquitous (except for in QLD, the land of XXXX). Now, Carlton has largely nudged out VB as the basic standard beer offering in NSW pubs, with craft beers and international brands like Heineken, Stella, and Kirin filling out the taps in city locations. The major cities all have their own craft beer darlings that have carved out a niche in their respective territories - Young Henry's is the current king in Sydney.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 10:56 PM on December 7, 2018
I would just like to point out that here in the Shaky Isles, Aotearoa, New Zealand, lemon lime and bitters is regarded as local if not indigenous and is the non-alcoholic drink of choice in bars also.
I think I said this in a much earlier post on this topic, but I used to know a woman who would alternate alcoholic drinks with lemon lime and bitters, and when she couldn't slur lemmalimebidder properly, it was time to go home.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 11:23 PM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]
I think I said this in a much earlier post on this topic, but I used to know a woman who would alternate alcoholic drinks with lemon lime and bitters, and when she couldn't slur lemmalimebidder properly, it was time to go home.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 11:23 PM on December 7, 2018 [5 favorites]
Ah, the shot limits does explain how I can drink way more in Sydney than in various locales in the US. I was wondering where did I all of a sudden get such a higher tolerance for alcohol. One thing I have noticed is that I can put away way more cider here in Sydney than the US. Not even a buzz after two bottles.
posted by jadepearl at 11:31 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by jadepearl at 11:31 PM on December 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
I would just like to point out that here in the Shaky Isles, Aotearoa, New Zealand, lemon lime and bitters is regarded as local if not indigenous and is the non-alcoholic drink of choice in bars also.
I mean, we steal all your best stuff so it wouldn't overly shock me if we stole LLBs from you too.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:56 PM on December 7, 2018 [7 favorites]
I mean, we steal all your best stuff so it wouldn't overly shock me if we stole LLBs from you too.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 11:56 PM on December 7, 2018 [7 favorites]
Conversely, I have learned the hard way that three US-poured cocktails at a decent we-don't-water-the-spirits bar is enough to have me throwing up in the toilets.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:00 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 12:00 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
I have to say, that drink sounds good, in all its variations. I bet it would be really good made with bitter lemon.
Bitter lemon is the best, but sadly often tough to find here. Lime cordial plus tonic water is a reasonable facimile, but it’s still an extra step beyond just opening and pouring.
posted by juv3nal at 12:54 AM on December 8, 2018
Bitter lemon is the best, but sadly often tough to find here. Lime cordial plus tonic water is a reasonable facimile, but it’s still an extra step beyond just opening and pouring.
posted by juv3nal at 12:54 AM on December 8, 2018
My dad and I tried ordering a lemon lime and bitters three times between us at a posh hotel in Ireland before giving up and drinking the glass of sprite and the separate glass of something and bitters that we received from the totally baffled waiter.
posted by the agents of KAOS at 1:07 AM on December 8, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by the agents of KAOS at 1:07 AM on December 8, 2018 [4 favorites]
Heh. I ordered an ouzo and coke (totally normal in Melbourne, can be bought in a premix can) in Athens once. Received a glass of ouzo and a glass of coke. I proceeded to mix the two together and the bartender freaked. "You don't mix coke and ouzo!" they shouted (over 110dB of Scooter, IIRC).
posted by pompomtom at 3:44 AM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by pompomtom at 3:44 AM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
→ the separate glass of something and bitters
Possibly limeade, a greenish drink.
If you have to use a lime syrup and can get something other than Rose's — which is pretty watery — Teisseire is pretty good.
posted by scruss at 4:35 AM on December 8, 2018
Possibly limeade, a greenish drink.
If you have to use a lime syrup and can get something other than Rose's — which is pretty watery — Teisseire is pretty good.
posted by scruss at 4:35 AM on December 8, 2018
I (in the US) have been drinking Sprite + lime juice + bitters for ages, I thought I invented it but I'm glad it has an international heritage.
Since we're sharing favorite ingredients, I'll just point out that "Angostura" isn't the only kind of bitters. My favorites are Peychaud's and Forest Floor.
posted by mmoncur at 5:03 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Since we're sharing favorite ingredients, I'll just point out that "Angostura" isn't the only kind of bitters. My favorites are Peychaud's and Forest Floor.
posted by mmoncur at 5:03 AM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
You also can buy Bickfords lime cordial through an importer and it's not crazy expensive.
This is really far more preferable than Rose's, because it has more zing rather that just being sweet.
On a related note, I once tried to fashion together a lime spider (float) at a soda fountain in the US and it did not go well. I think I basically got limeade. In retrospect, I probably could pull it off with lime Jarritos.
Also, Passiona should be Australia's national drink.
posted by retrograde at 4:13 PM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
This is really far more preferable than Rose's, because it has more zing rather that just being sweet.
On a related note, I once tried to fashion together a lime spider (float) at a soda fountain in the US and it did not go well. I think I basically got limeade. In retrospect, I probably could pull it off with lime Jarritos.
Also, Passiona should be Australia's national drink.
posted by retrograde at 4:13 PM on December 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Mmmmm, Passiona.
E.Whitehall, great story. My childhood pub drink was a schooner of lemonade and I grew up to primarily drink vodka and lemonade, which is pretty sickly sweet. Wish I'd been introduced to Lemon Lime Bitters when I was younger, I might have classier tastes now.
Australia's responsible service of alcohol lawns are super strict. Being cut off by the bartender is totally a thing. Ask me how I know.
Agree with our lemonade generally being Schweppes and Sprite really isn't that much different. And lemonade... I was very confused when a US friend was told to drink diluted lemonade for kidney stones. It did not seem right for a medical doctor to prescribe soft drink.
The picture in the ABC article looks so refreshing. And not one of the ingredients on hand :-(
posted by kitten magic at 8:24 PM on December 8, 2018
E.Whitehall, great story. My childhood pub drink was a schooner of lemonade and I grew up to primarily drink vodka and lemonade, which is pretty sickly sweet. Wish I'd been introduced to Lemon Lime Bitters when I was younger, I might have classier tastes now.
Australia's responsible service of alcohol lawns are super strict. Being cut off by the bartender is totally a thing. Ask me how I know.
Agree with our lemonade generally being Schweppes and Sprite really isn't that much different. And lemonade... I was very confused when a US friend was told to drink diluted lemonade for kidney stones. It did not seem right for a medical doctor to prescribe soft drink.
The picture in the ABC article looks so refreshing. And not one of the ingredients on hand :-(
posted by kitten magic at 8:24 PM on December 8, 2018
That sounds quite nice. Bitters are highly underrated outside their use in whiskey cocktails. Personally, I like a dash or two of Angostura in my oatmeal. Sounds odd, but try it some time.I agree. it's a shame that they are not used more often. one of my favourite uses, outside the venerable LLB, is Yotam Ottolenghi's bitter frozen berries with white chocolate (from Plenty More): make a white chocolate ganache, smash mixed frozen berries with icing sugar and bitters into a ziploc bag, let those sit to thaw and absorb flavours for 5–10 minutes, then mix additional cream into the ganache, and stir in the berries.
posted by resub at 8:29 PM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
My go-to summer drink of 2018 is dark rum, tonic, a squeeze of fresh lime, and a liberal dash of bitters in the half-litre “Kein Bier für Nazis” plastic cup I got at an antifa soup-and-beer festival in Kreuzberg (where else?)
I can feel simultaneously very virtuous, very MELBOURNE, and very drunk.
posted by prismatic7 at 9:04 PM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
I can feel simultaneously very virtuous, very MELBOURNE, and very drunk.
posted by prismatic7 at 9:04 PM on December 8, 2018 [3 favorites]
Nah, the national drink is chocolate milk - one of the few places in the world where flavoured milk sells as well as Coca-Cola, to the point where some cars built in South Australia had cup holders that could take both cans and milk cartons.
posted by Merus at 9:32 PM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Merus at 9:32 PM on December 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Chocolate milk?? I think you mean Farmers Union Iced Coffee.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 10:17 PM on December 8, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 10:17 PM on December 8, 2018 [5 favorites]
Just because I don't think anyone else has I'll throw Tooheys New out as a lager that hasn't died off yet by any means.
In my experience in NSW, you mostly sell VB, New, Corona, pure blonde, fifty lashes and a bit of 4X. The mids and likes have all been doing very well too. This is also coming into Crown season now.
Passiona and goon is also a very Australian combination, to my mind.
posted by AnhydrousLove at 12:52 AM on December 9, 2018
In my experience in NSW, you mostly sell VB, New, Corona, pure blonde, fifty lashes and a bit of 4X. The mids and likes have all been doing very well too. This is also coming into Crown season now.
Passiona and goon is also a very Australian combination, to my mind.
posted by AnhydrousLove at 12:52 AM on December 9, 2018
I'll throw Tooheys New out as a lager that hasn't died off yet by any means
It used to be that New : NSW :: VB : Vic. But I guess the big ad did sell some bloooooooody beer.
posted by flabdablet at 8:52 AM on December 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
It used to be that New : NSW :: VB : Vic. But I guess the big ad did sell some bloooooooody beer.
posted by flabdablet at 8:52 AM on December 9, 2018 [1 favorite]
Passiona and goon
aka "wine cooler".
Waste of perfectly good goon.
posted by flabdablet at 9:00 AM on December 9, 2018
aka "wine cooler".
Waste of perfectly good goon.
posted by flabdablet at 9:00 AM on December 9, 2018
I was on a market research panel in 1991 to gauge acceptance of having VB on tap in NSW pubs.
We all gladly assented, as the tv ads are pretty good. We were given $20 cash and a six pack of Tooheys cans for our troubles.
Back then, Tooheys new had recently taken over as the nsw beer of choice, after a long battle with Reschs. The silver bullet made a dreadful error and reformulated to 4%, losing every pub drinker - though it meant a slab was a little cheaper. A couple of years later they tried to reverse, but it was too late. Now you only rarely see a Reschs tap.
No great loss, considering the great craft beers now on offer.
posted by bystander at 11:27 PM on December 9, 2018
We all gladly assented, as the tv ads are pretty good. We were given $20 cash and a six pack of Tooheys cans for our troubles.
Back then, Tooheys new had recently taken over as the nsw beer of choice, after a long battle with Reschs. The silver bullet made a dreadful error and reformulated to 4%, losing every pub drinker - though it meant a slab was a little cheaper. A couple of years later they tried to reverse, but it was too late. Now you only rarely see a Reschs tap.
No great loss, considering the great craft beers now on offer.
posted by bystander at 11:27 PM on December 9, 2018
You can also buy premade lemon lime bitters from Bundaberg in some US stores. I've seen it at World Market.
So, I picked them up when I saw these at WM yesterday and I really like this combo! I've tried Bundaberg's ginger beer before and I thought it was good but nothing better than the cheaper stuff we have available now in Minnesota. Here's hoping LLB becomes popular here, too. I may force this on the drinking relatives at Christmas.
posted by soelo at 8:53 AM on December 10, 2018 [2 favorites]
So, I picked them up when I saw these at WM yesterday and I really like this combo! I've tried Bundaberg's ginger beer before and I thought it was good but nothing better than the cheaper stuff we have available now in Minnesota. Here's hoping LLB becomes popular here, too. I may force this on the drinking relatives at Christmas.
posted by soelo at 8:53 AM on December 10, 2018 [2 favorites]
Oh, that reminds me. Ginger Ale + Bitters (and optionally a shot of spiced rum) is pretty good too.
posted by mmoncur at 7:47 PM on December 10, 2018
posted by mmoncur at 7:47 PM on December 10, 2018
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