Bad Moon Rising
Bad Moon Rising by Mathias Bable
It’s not every cocktail that audibly calls to mind the perfect song to accompany it while imbibing, although there are certainly many that have been named for a song. Even less common is a puzzle box that calls to mind a song, but here we are humming Credence Clearwater Revival along with both the box and the booze pairing. That tune has stood the test of time as a modern classic, no less thanks to its timeless message of concern for our country and the state of the world we live in. The song inspired my friend and fellow blogger Carla Camerieri, author of Thirsty Camel Cocktails and a bartender in New Jersey, to seek out a drink named after it, which had yet to be dreamed up. She asked her friend, Philadelphia bartender Mathias Bable, to create it, based on both the name “Bad Moon Rising” and a signature ingredient, Fernet Branca.
Fernet is a bold and broodingly bitter amaro that has been described as a “bully”, because it can dominate all other flavors in a glass. For some it’s a rite of passage in the world of amaros, and can be considered a “bartender’s handshake”, an insider’s late night digestive or an ingredient in a cocktail only someone in the industry could love. For others it’s a gauntlet thrown, a challenging ingredient to tame and balance in a tasty tipple. The goal is not to bury the flavor (impossible) but rather to enhance it, alter it, celebrate it and enjoy it. This is traditionally done by using just a touch of Fernet, as in Ada Coleman’s classic “Hanky Panky”. Bable, however, does not shy away and uses a half ounce in his revival ode, but it works wonderfully well combined with a bold rye and rich port. Lime and ginger play very well with Fernet Branca, and the egg white and prosecco give the whole affair the appropriate “rise”. It’s a deep dark, bittersweet and spicy delight that will surely chase away any dread brought on by the big bad moon. Bable died in 2021, much too soon, but his creativity live on.
I’m mooning over this pair
Bad Moon Rising by Mathias Bable and Carla Camerieri
¾ oz rye
¾ oz tawny port
½ oz Fernet Branca
½ oz lime
¼ oz ginger liqueur
1 oz egg white
Prosecco to top
Shake ingredients (except prosecco) together with ice (dry / wet shake) and strain into a favorite coup. Top with prosecco and garnish with a bruleed apple slice.