Brain Duster

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Cocktail History

The Brain Duster is a classic cocktail that was created by George J. Kappeler in 1895 at the bar of New York City’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It’s traditionally made with an equal-parts combination of rye whiskey, absinthe, and sweet vermouth, a dash of bitters, and citrus. It’s also said to have been named for its potency.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% fermented rye grain, malted barley, corn, and yeast, which are distilled and then aged in new charred oak barrels to develop a spicy, robust flavor.

Absinthe: This is a spirit made by distilling a neutral alcohol with wormwood, anise, fennel, and other botanicals to develop a strong, herbal flavor.

Sweet Vermouth: This is a type of wine made with red grapes and a blend of herbs and botanicals, which are fermented and then fortified with a neutral spirit and sweetened to develop a rich, grape flavor.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with a blend of herbs, spices, roots, and botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop an aromatic, bittersweet flavor.

Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Orange-brown color

• Aroma: Absinthe and whiskey

• Taste: Strong absinthe flavor intermingled with fortified wine and spicy rye

• Finish: Alcohol burn with anise notes

Kendall’s Take: “Oof, I knew going into this tasting that the full ounce of absinthe in the Brain Duster was probably going to overpower all of the other ingredients a bit much, and that was certainly the case. I’m sensitive to its anise flavor and would recommend using less if you’re not a regular consumer of this lethal spirit. Other than that, this potent cocktail does taste similar to a Manhattan with just a little something extra added from the absinthe.

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.