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The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

nytimes.com

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Re: The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

#121

Post by bunderbunder »

some_random wrote: post #52

I'm a complete weirdo apparently who really likes the flavor of malort, it's bitter and herbal and so if you like those flavors you'll enjoy it. I kinda resent the amount of marketing that the new owners have churned out hyping it up, although I do appreciate what they're doing. If you think you might enjoy it, give it a shot I'd describe the flavor as sweetened church pew, then grapefruit bitterness. If you're not e…

I like mine neat with a couple dashes of bitters. It's a lovely sipping drink.

I hate that whenever I try to order that at a bar, the bartender thinks I'm just being an idiot to show off. I can't see how it's any more of an acquired taste than something like single malt or calvados. Which, coincidentally, also make for thoroughly disgusting shots.

I wouldn't down half a tin of breath mints in one go, either.

Re: The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

#122

Post by jknoepfler »

nate wrote: post #77
nate wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait. Fruit loops are made of corn. Corn is a fruit! :)

Jesus. I'm also today years old when I learned they're spelled Froot loops, not Fruit loops.

Yes, corn is a Froot, not a fruit. It's a common dietary misconception.

Re: The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

#123

Post by jrochkind1 »

kasey_junk wrote: post #70
jrochkind1 wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, Americans don't historically usually drink amaros or bitters. Amaros seem to be gaining in popularity though, perhaps the malort resurgence is part of that trend. Right, it's a herbal bitter, not citrus like campari. And not an especially sweet one. I am not good at remembering brand names there are so many. One I enjoy that comes in tiny little bottles and does have a bit of a foothold in the USA is the digesti…

I think Underberg is a good comp. The problem with Malort is not that its bitter or the flavor profile of it, its the _quality_ of the drink. Underberg is bitter but well made and it tells dramatically when drinking them side by side. Amaro's generally speaking are _very_ popular in Chicago. When I first moved here and was more of an out at bars type of person it was _extremely_ common to drink Amaro, especially at t…

Unicum might be another good comparable, that's actually good if you like that sort of thing?

You want something that I think really is so bad that I have trouble imagining it's not just a novelty challenge drink -- and yet I think it's not and some people really do like it -- while even sticking to Nordic region (they like some weird stuff)....

https://koskenkorva.com/en/koskenkorva-salmiakki

"Salty" licorice is a misnomer, there's nothing actually salty about it, the "salt" is ammonium chloride. It's vodka flavored with black licorice (I'm with you so far), and the taste of ammonia.

Re: The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

#124

Post by twic »

defen wrote: post #107
jboggan wrote: post #78

My friends make a cocktail with Malort, White Monster, and C4 preworkout. They also have a multi-year running gag where they offer me a bottle of fine whiskey or bourbon at a campfire but it has in fact been replaced by Malort. Then, when I am choking and gagging someone else offers me some water to wash away the taste, which is in fact also Malort.

> Malort, White Monster, and C4 preworkout What do they call this cocktail? I suggest "Malörtal Kombat".

The Grand Malort Seizure?

Re: The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

#125

Post by twic »

nate wrote: post #77
nate wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait. Fruit loops are made of corn. Corn is a fruit! :)

Jesus. I'm also today years old when I learned they're spelled Froot loops, not Fruit loops.

It's actually even worse - they're Froot Luips.

Re: The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

#126

Post by twic »

giraffe_lady wrote: post #25
jrochkind1 wrote: post #6

I like it fine, it doesn't taste especially unusual among other herbal bitter liquors, a category I like. It's not the best (or as expensive as the best! they can get pricey), but it's not the worst, it's a fine drink. The NYT story above mostly stayed away from how it's become known as like "the worst drink ever" or something, something you drink as a kind of challenge rather than that it's enjoyable. I've suspected…

What are some other liquors in its category? Because it's much higher proof and lower sugar content than the bitter liquors people drink more or less unmixed. There are probably some similarly high proof amaros out there but they're pretty rare even within that category and an american would probably only encounter them mixed into a cocktail if even then. Fernet branca sure but that's much less bitter. Malort is actu…

I thought it was pretty similar to Suze in bitterness, although I didn't try them side by side. It's about twice as strong, though. And neither is sweet enough to save you!

Re: The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

#127

Post by Kon-Peki »

kaffekaka wrote: post #106

The usage of the name is cultural appropriation.

It was created by a Swedish emigrant. There's a lot of Swedish history and people in Chicago, so much so that Sweden maintains an honorary consulate general that has no official diplomatic duties but is there to maintain relations and participate in the many Swedish festivals that happen throughout the area.

Re: The Rise of Malört, an Unexpected Midwest princess

#128

Post by apelapan »

kreeben wrote: post #117
supplied_demand wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

==I've suspected that the manufacturer has been actually encouraging this story. == It is an explicit part of their marketing. This [0] excellent advertisement in Chicago states: "Do Not Enjoy. Responsibly." [0] https://www.reddit.com/r/chicago/comments/19dvd2j/brilliant_...

In Sweden it goes 1. eat rotten herring (which you'll not enjoy, because it's rotten fish, yo) 2. clean your palette with a disgusting shot of home made malört spirits (or aquavit, equally disgusting) 3. goto 1 until your drunk 4. get laid Very, very, very few people ever reaches step 4.

Most commonly it is pickled herring. I don't think rotten herring is a thing in any broader circles.

Homemade bäsk is usually much better than factory made Bäska Droppar, if you enjoy the taste of wormwood more than just being slapped in the face with artificial bitterness and sugar.

Of course, if you hate the taste of fish, pickled things and spirits in general, you are unlikely to enjoy any of it.

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