In the world of cocktails that intrigue and seduce, the Dark Side cocktail stands as a testament to the allure of temptation and power.
This Star Wars themed cocktail recipe, with its robust ingredients and profile, is a nod to the forces that captivate us in narratives, much like the infamous Dark Side of the Force in the “Star Wars” saga.
Here is a guide on make the Dark Side cocktail, ensuring every sip draws you closer to the dark side.
Dark Side Cocktail Ingredients:
- Gin (2 1/2 ounces / 75 ml): The base spirit, gin, with its botanical nuances, provides a crisp and complex foundation for the cocktail.
- Barolo Chinato (3/4 ounce / 22.5 ml): A distinctive wine, Barolo Chinato adds a layer of herbal, spicy, and bitter notes, enhancing the drink’s depth and character.
- Peychaud’s Bitters (3 dashes): Contributing a subtle hint of floral and anise flavors, these bitters balance the cocktail with their crimson hue and complex taste profile.
- Garnish: A brandied cherry, offering a sweet and rich finish that complements the drink’s boldness.
Dark Side Cocktail Recipe:
- Chill Your Glass:
- Begin by placing a cocktail glass in the freezer. A chilled glass not only enhances the cocktail’s crispness but also adds a touch of elegance to your presentation.
- Combine Ingredients:
- In a mixing glass, combine 75 ml (2 1/2 ounces) of gin with 22.5 ml (3/4 ounce) of Barolo Chinato and three dashes of Peychaud’s bitters. The interplay of these ingredients creates a potent yet balanced mix, reflective of the dark side’s complexity and allure.
- Stir to Perfection:
- Add ice to the mixing glass, enough to chill the cocktail thoroughly but not dilute its bold flavors excessively. Stir the mixture gently yet decisively until well-chilled. This method ensures that the ingredients are beautifully integrated, allowing their flavors to meld harmoniously.
- Strain and Serve:
- Retrieve your chilled glass and strain the mixture into it. Straining eliminates excess ice, ensuring the cocktail maintains its intended strength and temperature.
- Garnish with Intent:
- Finalize the cocktail by garnishing it with a brandied cherry. This garnish is not merely decorative; it adds a depth of flavor and a hint of sweetness that rounds out the drink’s profile, much like the nuanced characters that walk the line between light and dark.
The Dark Side Cocktail – In Detail
The Dark Side cocktail, a brainchild of bartender Adam Bernbach from the erstwhile Bar Pilar in Washington, D.C., marries gin with the distinct Barolo chinato, a wine aromatized with ingredients like quinine bark—which imparts the same bitter zest found in tonic water.
The addition of Peychaud’s bitters, renowned for its subtle anise flavor, rounds out the drink perfectly.
This concoction not only won over many locals but also earned a spot in Derek Brown’s “Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World.” Brown highlights Bernbach’s innovative Cocktail Sessions program, where patrons could indulge in a tasting experience of three unique cocktails, each a creative riff on traditional favorites, including the debut of the Dark Side.
Bernbach’s creation stands as proof that a cocktail doesn’t need an extensive list of ingredients to captivate the palate. However, as the Dark Side gained popularity, it saw various adaptations; some versions used Plymouth gin, while others preferred the crispness of London dry.
The garnishing too saw variations, ranging from a simple lime twist with star anise to the inclusion of a cherry in recipes like this one.
No matter the variation, the Dark Side remains a deep, intriguing concoction. The chinato’s bittersweet essence, enriched with notes of baking spice, melds flawlessly with the aromatic gin, crafting a beverage that echoes the classic Martinez but boasts a distinct identity.
This modern classic pays homage to D.C.’s contribution to the cocktail world, underscoring the East Coast’s vibrant cocktail scene.
Check out more Star Wars based cocktail recipes.
