I'm not exactly an expert on this, but there's several articles on the internet that argue that honey goes toxic in high temperatures. BUT there's also some that argue that that's not true. What I'm saying is that I don't know what I'm saying.
I suspect there are two parallel toddy traditions. One as an item on a bar menu, which you covered in the first video and the second as a folk recipe which people are making in their homes with various local, familial, and personal variations. There could also be a US and a Irish/Scottish divide too, the US version appears in bar manuals and the Irish/Scottish version gets passed on in home kitchens.
Holy shit, 6 years already?? I started following you back when your intro was "I have never been a bar back blah blah blah" and I think Ive watched every single one of your videos since then. Thanks for the 6 years of education and 6 years of entertainment. Since watching you I have gone from a waiter not interested in hospitality to a bar manager at a relatively nice restaurant on an equestrian park here in Australia. Cheers for letting me build a career on stolen recipes from you :P
I started watching just before the pandemic started and had a lot of catching up to do. I’ve learned so much and it’s led to me always being in the kitchen making everyone’s drink and I’m ok with that
I've only been watching for a few months, but I'm sure one day I'll be able to say the same as you ("wow, 6 years"). His stage presence is honestly infatuating, the epitome of a chill guy. I've never shared/recommended a channel as much as I have with this one.
Your previous hot toddy is what GOT me into mixology and the like. I was in college at the time and even gave a public speaking class presentation on a hot toddy following your recipe! Thanks for the awesome content as usual.
On a nerdy note: cinnamon, ginger and a lot of those "pumpkin" spices have compounds that are about a thousandth the heat of capsaicin. But it still gives a warming sensation, which is why they are often used in fall and winter food and drink. They literally have a warming effect.
When I think of hot toddies I think of Grandma's old home remedies. And it looks like from the comments that is the same with most people. To me all of the added ingredients that have turned up over the years is due to the fact that it is associated as a type of medicinal cure for head colds and congestion. My grandma would make a hot toddy and omit the whiskey for the small kiddos so it was heavy on Lemon and ginger. Older kids got a little whisky but not the full shot. I remember that it made you sweat a little; and you could fill your sinuses open up and the mucus drain out of your throat.
My grandma was from England, and she made hers by making a glass of strong tea, adding a shot of whiskey, a teaspoon of honey, and a twist of lemon squeezed in. That was it. She would give it *with* whiskey to the kids, as the heat from the tea would evaporate off most of the alcohol after a minute or two. At least, enough so that you wouldn't feel the alcohol that was left. Great for sore throats.
Hey Greg, always wish I could correct my past mistakes too. As an aside, would you consider making a guide to garnishes? When and how to use them, methods of storing and cutting fresh fruits/herbs, etc. It's a pretty big hole in my cocktail knowledge.
The clove studded lemon should be at the bottom of the mug when you pour, and you basically let it steep like a tea. But if you're not a fan of it, I think a nice hot toddy variation is the one where you basically make mulled cider and add brandy instead of whiskey.
Interesting that you landed on a recipe that has cinnamon & ginger. My husband and I came down with Covid this week and out of necessity I've been combining fresh ginger juice, lemon, honey & some random cinnamon whiskey that I found abandoned under the kitchen sink. The ginger is a really nice kick and has helped with clearing out our congestion.
That's part of the reason it is in many Toddy recipes. The communal Toddy is a medicinal construction. Spices have an array of potential medical benefits, honey plus lemon juice melts congestion, and tea gives a caffeine kick in the right direction.
I found that eating super spicy things helps a ton with that covid congestion that is going around. Helped my entire family drain it all out. And now my little one loves spicy things. Ha!
@@nickschulte3915 I switch between cinnamon and clove or cinnamon and allspice, both with a bit of honey. I also tend towards bourbon when making it instead of scotch, although every now and then I've done the which is good as well
@@markg7508 I use a pretty generic black tea. Often of the “sleepy time” variety, so it’s caffeine free and might have things like Camille in it. I’ll also sometimes use a tea that specifically says it soothes a sore throat. I am one of the ones that’s fully in the “medicinal use” camp. Generally only having a hot toddy when sick. Though I might break that tonight.
My favorite toddy variant is my signature drink: mezcal, agave nectar, lime juice, and hibiscus tea. Frankly the "modern" tea toddy is such a good formula to riff on
@@MasterXelpud 1oz lime juice, 1/4ozish agave nectar (if you like it sweeter add more), 2oz your favorite mezcal, 4oz hibiscus tea (don't get hibisucs berry or ginger hibiscus, go to your local middle-eastern or mexican market and get just the dried petals). Garnish with orange peel
My Swiss Grandma made us Hot Toddys whenever we had a really bad head cold. Made it with hot water, rye, lemon, lemon peel, honey and nutmeg. She would heat everything but the whiskey up in a small saucepan until it was at a simmer. Then pour it straight into a teacup with one hand while she poured the shot in with the other. Then you had to breath it in through your nose for at least a minute before you could drink. Said that she did it that way to keep the whiskey vapors from boiling away too early. As a kid, I remember hating it with a passion. But I have to admit that it would clean you out...right before it knocked you on your ass.
Rye or Dark Rum is what I've known Hot Toddy's to be. I'm in the Prairie Provinces of Canada and I'm beginning to think Hot Toddy variations come from different regions
My grandpa made these for the same reason! Though he made his toddies with Jack Daniels or moonshine, lots of honey, and a little lemon. Best way to get a fussy kid with a head cold to finally sleep.
Hi Greg - FYI, I'm not a historian, but it's my understanding that before the mid-20th century, honey was the sweetener of the masses, while refined sugar was a delicacy that could only be afforded by the upper classes. Someone publishing a cocktail book at a certain time might have deliberately omitted the honey, seeing it as unfitting a proper cocktail, even if that was how most people were making a hot toddy. Of course nowadays, sugar is cheap and plentiful - some might say too plentiful - and we often consider artisanal honey as a more "classy" sweetener.
That's not true, lump sugar has been a readily available commodity since at least the 18th century, honey also wasn't a large scale consumer product in urban markets until the 20th century. The original 19th century cocktail manuals all used simple syrup because sugar was the cheapest and most readily available sweetener at the time, using honey in Hot Toddy's really was a 20th century affectation, copying honey lemon tea.
The second one is how I’ve been making mine this winter and recently I took my little torch to the cinnamon stick before dropping it in. I love how customizable and comforting this drink is.
From the extraction point of view you could mix the dry spices and the teabag in hot water first for a few minutes before you mix in the alcohol, lemon, and syrup. And maybe fish out the teabag after just a minute to avoid that extra tannin.
Wow, amazing how different hot toddies are from region to region. Here in my area of Canada, hot toddies are made with mulled fresh apple cider , butter and whiskey. everyone i know throws a litter or two of fresh cider in the crockpot with a couple orange slices an mulling spices to taste (cinnamon, cloves star anise) and set it on low. Later in the day if you were going out to shovel, down to the outdoor rink to skate, to a winter night market, or coming back in from the above - you would get a mug or insulated to-go mug of cider with a curl of butter for mouth-feel and some calories and if you were an adult you got a shot of whiskey. ( bourbon in our house, a smokey whiskey at my best friend's)
Great theme! Haven't watched yet, but I've been drinking a sportsman's toddy most nights when it's particularly cold. Highly recommended. After watching, I totally agree. The medicinal wake me up style toddy isn't what I'm looking for in a toddy, I like that warm sleepy leave me alone toddy. The heaviness of the Port in the sportsman's toddy is just so pleasant and feels like drinking a blanket. Love your stuff Greg, and am so glad that you came back to this one (even though I liked your original plenty fine).
@@kevinpersinger7957 1oz Port (I've been using six grapes) 1oz Bourbon (Redemption) 0.5oz orange curaçao (Royale Orange) 0.5oz rich cinnamon syrup 0.5oz lemon juice Add ~1.5 oz of hot water, I roughly add half the volume in water Garnished with star anise, a cinnamon stick, and a lemon peel
Well that first toddy was pretty close to what I remember as a kid. My family used toddys when sick, so the half lemon wheel studded with clove would have been left out, but essentially, our toddy was lemon juice, honey, hot water or tea, (not too hot, as to not burn off the alcohol), bourbon or whiskey. The thinking is that the honey is good for a cough, the lemon juice for flavor and vitamin C, the bourbon to help you sleep, and the heat to help you sweat out a fever.
the outro used to be "ive been doin this for a while so we've got some more videos for you to watch so might as well watch some right?" and now its "ive been doing this for to long, making so many episodes, with no sign of stopping, forever..." glad you got that vacation in, you deserved it
One of the things that I've been keeping on hand for a while now is this "Honey Citron Ginger Tea," which is essentially a big-old jar of honey with citron peels in it, flavored with ginger. I'll take part of it, mix it with hot water to dissolve it, and then strain the peels out of it to make a honey-lemon-ginger syrup that I can chuck into things readily, keeping it in a bottle in the fridge. Frequently, I'll use it when I'm having some of the iced tea that we frequently make at home, just a good slug of it in the bottom of the cup with several dashes of orange bitters, topped with ice and the tea. But seeing this hot toddy makes me think that it would go quite well in one of those. The nice thing is that you can just order it on Amazon these days, since the Costco that I first encountered it at doesn't carry it anymore.
I personally really enjoy making a honey syrup with all my spices like you did the first video. It almost always makes a "punchy-ier" toddy. I also add a strongly brewed black tea, usually earl gray, sometimes oolong. Then I dilute it with hot water to mellow everything out. Also I leave out the lemon as well as i find that it can overpower the other flavors and make for a strange mouthfeel. But that's just my opinion! As usual a dope video :)
I pour hot water into the mug and then start getting things together and mulling the lemon rind and spices. I'll drain the water back into the kettle and then the hot mug keeps the hot toddy warmer as I drink it. Definitely bumps the flavor and nose up significantly. Worth giving a go on a standard toddy recipe.
The tea version is so close to the way I make them. The only difference is I use brandy instead of scotch. It adds some of that sweetness you were looking for.
My family has always used rum. I fondly remember my grandma coming to take care of me when I was sick and my parents had to work and she would make me a mug of Tody
Hey Greg, just wanted to say thanks for convincing me to give home bartending a try. I don't have a proper shaker (big steel 20oz tumbler and a steel canteen cup that fits airtight on top), couldn't find any jiggers in local stores so had to use a 1oz shot glass to measure, and I only have rocks glasses, but I made my first whiskey sour to your spec the other night and it's the best I've ever had. Going to try a few more whiskey cocktails with the rest of the Sazerac rye I have before moving on to gin drinks.
I took inspiration from the first two iterations and it turned out really well if anyone wants to give it a shot. I’ll be honest, i cheated a little and used ReaLemon juice and Pure Leaf unsweet black tea. It still turned out delicious and helped out my throat! I also prepped it a little differently. Everything got heated up in its own way, that way all contents are hot. Measured for 10oz rocks glass 0.5oz Lemon juice 1.5oz honey syrup (1:1 honey/water) 1.5oz monkey shoulder Cinnamon stick Cloves star anise Top with hot black tea
Compass box is so amazing! The artist blend is an UNBELIEVABLE bargain. It's a phenomenal blended scotch at an incredibly low price! They're also really into trying new things and bucking convention so there's some great finds in their huge catalogue.
In my family the tea, lemon, honey, whiskey version is the staple. It was used exclusively, in Kentucky, as something you give to someone with congestion/sinus cold. We just considered it cough syrup. Turkey 101 or any high horsepower bourbon is also a must.
My favorite thing in winter is just pairing whatever tea with whatever liquor would taste nice with it a dash of bitters and garnish with either lemon or a cinnamon stick depending on the tea. Tonight in fact I made a big ass cup of cinnamon apple spice tea from celestial spice, and added some apple pie moonshine and a cinnamon stick for garnish and it was so pleasant. Didn’t even need any sweetener cause the moonshine added a touch of sweetness.
I'm glad you came back and did a "warm-up" for the second Toddy. Warming up the glass is a pretty common thing for restaurants down here to keep coffee and other hot drinks warm longer since the ceramic is so cold.
The "consensus toddy" seems to be what I remember being made in my house as a kid (not for me). It was a drink for when someone was sick. It was tea with honey and a squeeze of lemon, like a slice squeezed, and a pour of whiskey.
I made my hot toddy using the honey cinnamon syrup I made from your 'Cocktails from Critical Role Part 1' episode. I really liked the level of cinnamon flavor it added.
I had a misunderstanding of what a Hot Toddy was prior to watching your videos. Among family and friends in my small Tennessee hometown, a hot toddy starts with the typical home remedy for the common cold: hot tea with honey and lemon. Then you just add whiskey, to further numb the senses. No idea where the discrepancy came from between the cocktail version and the cold remedy version, but I'm quite interested in trying some of yours.
Your "Bane Marie" is just a double boiler that's not on a heat source. The idea of a double boiler is to hold a steady temperature to avoid scorching or burning sensitive ingredients, and is used extensively in candy making and tempering chocolate. You can only heat water up to 100 Deg C before it turns into a vapor.
I was one of the original comments with the honey lemon and tea. I’m glad you liked it. My only quibble is I would brew my tea separately and longer to get it real dark.
I started making my Toddy's with Lot 40 Rye (I know, a departure from tradition), and ginger syrup, and was very pleasantly surprised. The floral, vegetal, spice that rye brings really complements, and stands up to, the lemon, the ginger syrup (made with light brown sugar) adds a complementary spice and slight heat on the tongue. All the flavours just melded together in perfect harmony. A must try.
Give the Glenfarclas a go! I recently made a hot toddy with a high proof sherry cask whisky - fruit cocktail of red fruits/orange/spices to go with the lemon. A plethora of hot toddies from the plethora of whisky styles!
Still not the classic toddy I've known all my life, but loved seeing the spins you added. My classic go to toddy will always be 2oz bourbon, juice from half of a lemon, 1 tablespoon of honey, and hot water, sometimes with a tea bag depending on if i feel like i want that extra flavor.
I'm honestly glad you got to try and enjoy the tea version. 💛 It's how my mom always made it. Good memories. I dunno if it's a cultural thing or what, but it seemed to be the sort of thing our family took for granted: you make hot toddies with black tea and honey, you make oatmeal with milk, and the mac & cheese gets made in the oven! 💯😂🙆🏾♀️✨
These all look worth trying, it's so cool how different people make this classic. I treat Hot Toddy's like mulled wine, cooked in a pot; hot water, apple cider(enough to give it a "body"), lemon and orange peel, honey, winter spices(anise,clove, cinnamon) AND a good amount of bourbon with a bit of Drambuie if desired 👍It really is a "bourbon mulled wine" and I strongly recommend
A hot toddy with lemon, honey and scotch was a cold remedy in my house growing up. It always blows my mind to hear that there's other recipes! It was my grandma's go-to when anyone had a sore throat.
Thank you Greg. Just caught Omicron, so this came along at the perfect time. Curing what ails me. Thank you my friend. You don't realize how much this show means to my entertainment.
Greg discovering and trying to articulate the concept of warming spices. 🤣 Loved it, great video. The tea toddy is my go-to cold remedy, has been ever since I could drink.
Here's my hot (heh) toddy take: I *LOVE* the flavor of mulling spices in my hot drinks, which is precisely why I _don't_ usually put whole spices in my toddies. Seeing as the whole point is to have a nice hot drink, your first third to half of the glass will not have dominant spice flavors outside of what you grate into the glass, though the flavor will evolve as you sip it, which may appeal to some of you. I prefer spiced syrups instead to get spice-y flavors from the get-go. That said, Mr. Morgethaler's bain marie method show's some real promise. Also, thank you Papa Greg for introducing me to Ole Grandad bourbon!
I had Covid on New Years Eve. So I made my self a Hot Toddy. I used an apple spice tea and honey. I didn't have any lemon on hand and was quarantining. So I just did without, and Larceny is what i used. I really liked it. It was very nice.
My parents always used Bigelow Constant Comment (which is a black tea with orange and spices) with brown sugar and whisky. Love this episode and these new versions
Enjoying a black tea toddy with Glen Fiddich right now and omg... omg.... I did the double boiler with the lemon, honey, and scotch from Morgenthaler. Added bonus to that you don't have to worry about squeezing the tea bag a bunch, your scotch isn't in there yet. It's near freezing and raining outside, and I couldn't be more comfy. What an amazing beverage.
Thanks for sharing an evolution of a previous video. It's nice to see different takes as drinks evolve over time. I'd suggest making the tea separately for a better result. Make the pot of tea, mix the other ingredients in the serving glass, top with the tea from the pot, add garnish. and don't squeeze the tea bag, you're going to get a lot more tannin's that way making it rather bitter. (I'd skip the bag all together and just use real tea leaves, but you do you?)
My toddy is hot black tea and honey syrup boiled in a pot with cinnamon sticks and cloves. 1/2oz lemon/orange juice, 2oz makers mark in a glass great for a snowy day or if you have a cold. If you have a cold i recommend locally sourced honey to help with that
My boyfriend and I really enjoy watching you and learning about the different drink styles. I thought the way I make hot toddies is the "right way," but it looks like there are lots of versions. Here's mine - steep a cup of tea in the usual way (hot water over a tea bag for several minutes). I like to use black tea, English breakfast tea, Earl Gray, or Orange Pekoe. Remove the tea bag. Add an ounce or two of whiskey (I use Jameson's), a tablespoon of honey (that's half an ounce for those of you keeping score at home), and the same amount of lemon juice (we're not fancy so it's from the bottle in the fridge). So, basically I guess it's "fortified tea!" :)
I highly highly recommend making the tea beforehand! I only spent some time with British people but don’t move the teaback around I guarantee it’s way better because they will not bet you up… That being said I prefer the monkey shoulder sleepy, feet on the table, cosy, leave me alone Version the most! Great show Greg so consistently good👍🏼
My approach: Crown Royal harvest rye (which has a very strong rye flavor), Indian Black + chai tea mix, Taj cardamom-infused sugar cubes, a little lemon, dash of grated nutmeg. I call it a chai toddy.
Morgenthaler's Toddy with cinnamon looks similar to a Brazilian hot drink called "Quentão" (which means very hot). It is a cachaça-based drink traditionally consumed in the Catholic midwinter festivities (Festa Junina).
I haven't "grown up" with any drink, I got into cocktails in 2020 because I was bored and a buddy linked your channel, and your original hot toddy recipe sold me on hot toddies. It's a great one.
Ginger is great in that it can so easily go into different directions. With citrus or acidic things, it can be intensely bright, floral, and punchy. With things like cinnamon, it amplifies the toasty spice elements and gives a bite to back up the warmth and roasty-toasty flavors. As a bourbon and ginger man, I'm putting that Morgenthaler Toddy on my to-do list.
My favorite is the recipe in an Irish cookbook: 1tbsp Honey, 1oz lemon juice, 1oz Irish whiskey (preferably Jameson or Bushmills), a pinch of ground clove, 8oz boiling water. The cookbook I found this recipe in said, "It is said that this drink will cure anything, even a broken heart. And if it doesn't, several in quick succession will." I swear that when I caught whooping cough, one mug of this cured me.
Eager to try these. I generally do not like hot liquor, but I am open to try it. The only hot drink with liquor for me is 1/2 mug of apple cider, mulling spices, squeeze of honey, splash of OJ, and 1 1/2 oz of rum. I'm from Upstate NY, everything has to be made with apples.
That Bain Marie technique is absolutely genius, and I will be using this for all my hot cocktails moving forward. Combine that with heating your glassware and you end up with some truly PIPING hot cocktails. I've been sick lately and right now that morgenthaler toddy is hitting exactly right. Man is a genius 100% I always use his method for ginger syrup, however it's recently been brought to my attention that a more subtle ginger syrup ie through infusion likely has its place too depending on what you want out of your ginger syrup. Personally I love ginger bold & spicy lol.
How we make it, brew black tea (nothing fancy to add other flavors) let it steep based on temp and tea. Then once you remove tea leaves, add honey to taste and lemon juice to taste (and amount of tea you made) then add brandy. Have tried flavored brandy as well, honey and peach. You can sub the brandy for bourbon and OGD is my go to for it and I use the BIB variety or 114.
What I have been really into lately is the Amaro Caldo, which is a sort of toddy of Amaro, hot water, and a lemon twist. It’s delightfully simple and deceptively delicious.
I did my own variation late last year. I used peach crown royal, lemon juice, and a Jamaican ginger tea (just powdered ginger) and that was really good. The peach crown was sweet enough on its own.
Pretty solid. I always make a mug of tea, with some lemon juice, honey, and bourbon. I keep the other ingredients cold that way i can just drink the drink without having to wait for boiling water to cool a bit.
This sounds like a much better recipe than my scotch straight into black tea. Beating up the tea bag and squeezing it to get all the liquid out does release extra tannins that may be increasing the bitterness though.
Great variations. For me a Hot Toddy is the tea/infusion version of a mulled wine. So ginger and the mulled spices, maybe lemon or at least citrus peel, maybe tea but not necessary, a nice bourbon or a nice spiced rum and some kind of sweetener (most often honey). I like a Hot Toddy when its cold or if I am sick or just generally need a warm, spiced drink.
Greg, who don't you have a drink book yet? You have so many personal twists on drinks over the years. A book with classic/your improved drinks, plus some of your history notes and thoughts is absolutely something I would read.
I loved making toddies in batches for my friends in the winter, and the tea was a crucial element. I actually rarely used black tea or Scotch. I preferred a high proof bourbon with green or oolong tea because the black tea can get overly tannic fast.
Every one of them looked delicious. I have always made mine very basic: black tea, honey, and Irish Whiskey. Seems I need to broaden my horizons and introduce some new flavors and whiskey combos. Really enjoy the channel, thank you!
My family has been making these from before they arrived in North America in 1804 from Scotland and Ireland. The thing is, almost every family has their own recipe and version on this. 'Cures' to the common cold or when sick in the colder months. What was VERY intersection to me is seeing a family recipe added to and evolve after generations and additions from new spouses and families. One going back on my great grandmother's side involved making the simple syrup from lemon juice of 2 lemons, 4 tbl spoons each of brown sugar and honey and 2-3oz of whisky. Cloves or cinnamon added when available. Where on the Great grandfather's side they used hot water, powdered or fresh ginger (whichever was available) and similar amounts of honey & sugar, the lemon varied, but it was made in a pot and the whiskey or scotch was only added to the individual mugs and topped up with the hot toddy mixture. Everyone and every family has their own special recipe better than anyone else's. There's no real proper way to make these or no perfect recipe for something so old (& dear) to keep everyone happy. Just keep making them, and keep enjoying them!
Funny enough I'm not aware of a single family that I've ever come across that even knows hot toddies exist, I admittedly was one of them before I stumbled across this channel.
I think there are two kinds of Hot Toddies. 1 is when you're sick, and for that I like something close to the first one in this video. The other is for when you just want a drink. For that one, I actually really like your formula with the bitters, or if not bitters with tea (I hope its not too controversial to say bitters and tea serve a similar role in my head).
I use nutmeg every day, coffee, tea, stew, pork, steak, soups, etc... I love nutmeg and have for 3 or 4 decades... My grandmother used nutmeg in many things also...
the second version is damn near exactly how i make it but i steep the tea/cinnamon/star anise/cloves before in little water. then the whiskey or scotch and honey, then more hot water to fill up the rest of the cup. i love hot toddy’s so much. i live in the midwest, so it feels like a warm hug.
Hot toddys were always a “kick the cold outa ya” drink. My dad makes them very simply: cup of english breakfast, shot of whatever whiskey is in the cabinet, lemon juice and honey to taste. Well the other day I was feeling sick and thought to make some. I used 2 cups of Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea (black tea with orange peel, cinnamon, and clove), some honey, 2 ounces of bullet bourbon (cause that’s all I had), and 2 cap fulls of orange juice (cause I don’t have lemons). Turned out great! Right out the gate it tastes like hot bourbon, then goes into a warm cinnamony throat feel, then finishes with oranges. Lost the honey and could have been spicer, but like I said I was sick and couldn’t be bothered 😅. Thanks for inspiring me to spruce up my dad’s cowboy cure Greg!
My family is the tea, and Honey group. I'm usually also putting Whiskey or Bourbon instead of Scotch...but still the same general idea. Fun episode glad you did it.
I love Hot Toddies. There's nothing quite like a Hot Toddy to warm you from the inside, when you're feeling under the weather. I love your videos so much, so many interesting drinks. ^^
@@kmidst_kn6329 Oh yes for sure ^^ I am just for the most part making toddies as cold remedy. But I do also enjoy them once in a while, just because they are quite tasty.
Did this one the other week. Only had hibiscus tea available … and it was pretty amazing with the hibiscus. I did make the tea separately and added it to the rest of the toddy in order to have the proper tea temperature.
Hey you, don't watch that, watch this, this is the heavy heavy monster links of...
Curiada: bit.ly/shophowtodrinkspirits
Morgenthaler Toddy: jeffreymorgenthaler.com/hot-toddies-suck-long-live-the-hot-toddy/
Glass Mugs: amzn.to/3JV7v6x
Electric Kettle: amzn.to/3zX2vdf
Twitch: bit.ly/2VsOi3d
H2D2: bit.ly/YTH2D2
twitter: bit.ly/H2DTwit
instagram: bit.ly/H2dIG
Blog: bit.ly/H2DBlog
Patreon: bit.ly/H2DPatreon
Gear: amzn.to/2LeQCbW
Hot Toddy: th-cam.com/video/bWEaQrNySZ4/w-d-xo.html
Spiked Cider: th-cam.com/video/zKV-Xjbipw0/w-d-xo.html
Irish Coffee: th-cam.com/video/bEHBKSHCTu4/w-d-xo.html
I think you just wanted an excuse to make a Hot Toddy.
I'm not exactly an expert on this, but there's several articles on the internet that argue that honey goes toxic in high temperatures. BUT there's also some that argue that that's not true. What I'm saying is that I don't know what I'm saying.
I suspect there are two parallel toddy traditions. One as an item on a bar menu, which you covered in the first video and the second as a folk recipe which people are making in their homes with various local, familial, and personal variations. There could also be a US and a Irish/Scottish divide too, the US version appears in bar manuals and the Irish/Scottish version gets passed on in home kitchens.
ONE STEP BEYOND!
....Madness!
There's enough salt in that intro to redo the entire margarita matrix episode with full rims and I'm here for it
Agreed, anarchist! Here for it!
Sooo salty. Mmmmm...
Juuuuust a smidge...🧂
Passive-aggressive Greg is best Greg.
Let's just do a hot toddy matrix; just in time for the season change
Holy shit, 6 years already?? I started following you back when your intro was "I have never been a bar back blah blah blah" and I think Ive watched every single one of your videos since then. Thanks for the 6 years of education and 6 years of entertainment. Since watching you I have gone from a waiter not interested in hospitality to a bar manager at a relatively nice restaurant on an equestrian park here in Australia. Cheers for letting me build a career on stolen recipes from you :P
Yeah, I think I came in at around 1000 subscribers. It's been an enjoyable journey.
I started watching just before the pandemic started and had a lot of catching up to do. I’ve learned so much and it’s led to me always being in the kitchen making everyone’s drink and I’m ok with that
I've only been watching for a few months, but I'm sure one day I'll be able to say the same as you ("wow, 6 years"). His stage presence is honestly infatuating, the epitome of a chill guy. I've never shared/recommended a channel as much as I have with this one.
Same! Been watching for a few years now and made many of Greg’s drinks. Now I’m opening my own distillery in Canada 😊 thanks for the inspiration Greg!
I know right, time flies
Your previous hot toddy is what GOT me into mixology and the like. I was in college at the time and even gave a public speaking class presentation on a hot toddy following your recipe! Thanks for the awesome content as usual.
Same! Save for the presentation
What class was that?
That's awesome that you gave a presentation inspired by an episode of How to Drink
On a nerdy note: cinnamon, ginger and a lot of those "pumpkin" spices have compounds that are about a thousandth the heat of capsaicin. But it still gives a warming sensation, which is why they are often used in fall and winter food and drink. They literally have a warming effect.
They're sometimes called warming spices when you're distinguishing them from spicy spices
When I think of hot toddies I think of Grandma's old home remedies. And it looks like from the comments that is the same with most people. To me all of the added ingredients that have turned up over the years is due to the fact that it is associated as a type of medicinal cure for head colds and congestion. My grandma would make a hot toddy and omit the whiskey for the small kiddos so it was heavy on Lemon and ginger. Older kids got a little whisky but not the full shot. I remember that it made you sweat a little; and you could fill your sinuses open up and the mucus drain out of your throat.
My grandma was from England, and she made hers by making a glass of strong tea, adding a shot of whiskey, a teaspoon of honey, and a twist of lemon squeezed in. That was it. She would give it *with* whiskey to the kids, as the heat from the tea would evaporate off most of the alcohol after a minute or two. At least, enough so that you wouldn't feel the alcohol that was left. Great for sore throats.
Hey Greg, always wish I could correct my past mistakes too. As an aside, would you consider making a guide to garnishes? When and how to use them, methods of storing and cutting fresh fruits/herbs, etc. It's a pretty big hole in my cocktail knowledge.
+1
Same here, usually don't even try bc I don't know the do's and don'ts
The clove studded lemon should be at the bottom of the mug when you pour, and you basically let it steep like a tea.
But if you're not a fan of it, I think a nice hot toddy variation is the one where you basically make mulled cider and add brandy instead of whiskey.
Interesting that you landed on a recipe that has cinnamon & ginger. My husband and I came down with Covid this week and out of necessity I've been combining fresh ginger juice, lemon, honey & some random cinnamon whiskey that I found abandoned under the kitchen sink. The ginger is a really nice kick and has helped with clearing out our congestion.
That's part of the reason it is in many Toddy recipes. The communal Toddy is a medicinal construction. Spices have an array of potential medical benefits, honey plus lemon juice melts congestion, and tea gives a caffeine kick in the right direction.
G I N G E R J U I C E ? ? ?
@@gremlinman9724 …are you confused?
@@ARSZLB what kind of psychopath juices a root
I found that eating super spicy things helps a ton with that covid congestion that is going around. Helped my entire family drain it all out. And now my little one loves spicy things. Ha!
The tea version with lemon has always been how I've had it. So good.
Yup. Yea and bourbon, then add lemon juice, honey and cinnamon sticks.
@@nickschulte3915 I switch between cinnamon and clove or cinnamon and allspice, both with a bit of honey. I also tend towards bourbon when making it instead of scotch, although every now and then I've done the which is good as well
@@DelphineMales yeah, I’ve never used scotch. Almost always Woodford. I’d use cloves and nutmeg, but I never have them to use them lol
What type of tea are you using?
@@markg7508 I use a pretty generic black tea. Often of the “sleepy time” variety, so it’s caffeine free and might have things like Camille in it. I’ll also sometimes use a tea that specifically says it soothes a sore throat. I am one of the ones that’s fully in the “medicinal use” camp. Generally only having a hot toddy when sick. Though I might break that tonight.
My favorite toddy variant is my signature drink: mezcal, agave nectar, lime juice, and hibiscus tea. Frankly the "modern" tea toddy is such a good formula to riff on
Have any ratios that you use as a baseline? That sounds delicious!
@@MasterXelpud 1oz lime juice, 1/4ozish agave nectar (if you like it sweeter add more), 2oz your favorite mezcal, 4oz hibiscus tea (don't get hibisucs berry or ginger hibiscus, go to your local middle-eastern or mexican market and get just the dried petals). Garnish with orange peel
@@fleurdelispens just mixed one up, and I'll be damned--it's delicious!
@@MasterXelpud glad you liked it. I call the drink Zorro de Jamaica (hibiscus fox)
Zorrito calliente!
If you made this a podcast it’d be the hot toddy poddy
Shouts out if you were here when this video just said toddy 2
How about the "been drinking podcast"?
My Swiss Grandma made us Hot Toddys whenever we had a really bad head cold. Made it with hot water, rye, lemon, lemon peel, honey and nutmeg. She would heat everything but the whiskey up in a small saucepan until it was at a simmer. Then pour it straight into a teacup with one hand while she poured the shot in with the other. Then you had to breath it in through your nose for at least a minute before you could drink. Said that she did it that way to keep the whiskey vapors from boiling away too early. As a kid, I remember hating it with a passion. But I have to admit that it would clean you out...right before it knocked you on your ass.
This is dang near the same as what my mom would make us when we were sick. We’d have a stick of cinnamon but I dig the nutmeg.
Awesome
Hell yeah! I've got a Swiss grandma as well and she's all about the traditional home remedies too.
Rye or Dark Rum is what I've known Hot Toddy's to be. I'm in the Prairie Provinces of Canada and I'm beginning to think Hot Toddy variations come from different regions
My grandpa made these for the same reason! Though he made his toddies with Jack Daniels or moonshine, lots of honey, and a little lemon. Best way to get a fussy kid with a head cold to finally sleep.
Hi Greg - FYI, I'm not a historian, but it's my understanding that before the mid-20th century, honey was the sweetener of the masses, while refined sugar was a delicacy that could only be afforded by the upper classes. Someone publishing a cocktail book at a certain time might have deliberately omitted the honey, seeing it as unfitting a proper cocktail, even if that was how most people were making a hot toddy.
Of course nowadays, sugar is cheap and plentiful - some might say too plentiful - and we often consider artisanal honey as a more "classy" sweetener.
crazy how things shift over time.
I thought they used Molasses atleast in the US but maybe after the 1919 Great Molasses flood usage decreased.
@@wit6665 Also true, apparently. Refined sugar was for rich people until plentiful Sugar Beets and industrialization arrived on the scene.
That's not true, lump sugar has been a readily available commodity since at least the 18th century, honey also wasn't a large scale consumer product in urban markets until the 20th century. The original 19th century cocktail manuals all used simple syrup because sugar was the cheapest and most readily available sweetener at the time, using honey in Hot Toddy's really was a 20th century affectation, copying honey lemon tea.
Honey has medicinal value. It has antibacterial properties
The best part of my day is when a new HTD drops!
The second one is how I’ve been making mine this winter and recently I took my little torch to the cinnamon stick before dropping it in. I love how customizable and comforting this drink is.
From the extraction point of view you could mix the dry spices and the teabag in hot water first for a few minutes before you mix in the alcohol, lemon, and syrup. And maybe fish out the teabag after just a minute to avoid that extra tannin.
Wow, amazing how different hot toddies are from region to region. Here in my area of Canada, hot toddies are made with mulled fresh apple cider , butter and whiskey. everyone i know throws a litter or two of fresh cider in the crockpot with a couple orange slices an mulling spices to taste (cinnamon, cloves star anise) and set it on low. Later in the day if you were going out to shovel, down to the outdoor rink to skate, to a winter night market, or coming back in from the above - you would get a mug or insulated to-go mug of cider with a curl of butter for mouth-feel and some calories and if you were an adult you got a shot of whiskey. ( bourbon in our house, a smokey whiskey at my best friend's)
Great theme! Haven't watched yet, but I've been drinking a sportsman's toddy most nights when it's particularly cold. Highly recommended.
After watching, I totally agree. The medicinal wake me up style toddy isn't what I'm looking for in a toddy, I like that warm sleepy leave me alone toddy. The heaviness of the Port in the sportsman's toddy is just so pleasant and feels like drinking a blanket. Love your stuff Greg, and am so glad that you came back to this one (even though I liked your original plenty fine).
What is a "sportsman's toddy"? Recipe please...
@@kevinpersinger7957
1oz Port (I've been using six grapes)
1oz Bourbon (Redemption)
0.5oz orange curaçao (Royale Orange)
0.5oz rich cinnamon syrup
0.5oz lemon juice
Add ~1.5 oz of hot water, I roughly add half the volume in water
Garnished with star anise, a cinnamon stick, and a lemon peel
@@paulreardon1631 Thank you, sounds good
Well that first toddy was pretty close to what I remember as a kid. My family used toddys when sick, so the half lemon wheel studded with clove would have been left out, but essentially, our toddy was lemon juice, honey, hot water or tea, (not too hot, as to not burn off the alcohol), bourbon or whiskey.
The thinking is that the honey is good for a cough, the lemon juice for flavor and vitamin C, the bourbon to help you sleep, and the heat to help you sweat out a fever.
the outro used to be "ive been doin this for a while so we've got some more videos for you to watch so might as well watch some right?" and now its "ive been doing this for to long, making so many episodes, with no sign of stopping, forever..." glad you got that vacation in, you deserved it
One of the things that I've been keeping on hand for a while now is this "Honey Citron Ginger Tea," which is essentially a big-old jar of honey with citron peels in it, flavored with ginger. I'll take part of it, mix it with hot water to dissolve it, and then strain the peels out of it to make a honey-lemon-ginger syrup that I can chuck into things readily, keeping it in a bottle in the fridge. Frequently, I'll use it when I'm having some of the iced tea that we frequently make at home, just a good slug of it in the bottom of the cup with several dashes of orange bitters, topped with ice and the tea. But seeing this hot toddy makes me think that it would go quite well in one of those. The nice thing is that you can just order it on Amazon these days, since the Costco that I first encountered it at doesn't carry it anymore.
I personally really enjoy making a honey syrup with all my spices like you did the first video. It almost always makes a "punchy-ier" toddy. I also add a strongly brewed black tea, usually earl gray, sometimes oolong. Then I dilute it with hot water to mellow everything out. Also I leave out the lemon as well as i find that it can overpower the other flavors and make for a strange mouthfeel. But that's just my opinion! As usual a dope video :)
And this is what I love about Greg. He says hey it's not what I'm used to drinking but what you guys are talking about sounds amazing
I respect someone able to admit and correct their mistakes. Huge props.
I pour hot water into the mug and then start getting things together and mulling the lemon rind and spices. I'll drain the water back into the kettle and then the hot mug keeps the hot toddy warmer as I drink it. Definitely bumps the flavor and nose up significantly. Worth giving a go on a standard toddy recipe.
The tea version is so close to the way I make them. The only difference is I use brandy instead of scotch. It adds some of that sweetness you were looking for.
I’ve heard brandy is more common in Wisconsin
@@gxtmfa born and raised lol. They love their brandy up there.
My family has always used rum. I fondly remember my grandma coming to take care of me when I was sick and my parents had to work and she would make me a mug of Tody
Hey Greg, just wanted to say thanks for convincing me to give home bartending a try. I don't have a proper shaker (big steel 20oz tumbler and a steel canteen cup that fits airtight on top), couldn't find any jiggers in local stores so had to use a 1oz shot glass to measure, and I only have rocks glasses, but I made my first whiskey sour to your spec the other night and it's the best I've ever had. Going to try a few more whiskey cocktails with the rest of the Sazerac rye I have before moving on to gin drinks.
I took inspiration from the first two iterations and it turned out really well if anyone wants to give it a shot. I’ll be honest, i cheated a little and used ReaLemon juice and Pure Leaf unsweet black tea. It still turned out delicious and helped out my throat! I also prepped it a little differently. Everything got heated up in its own way, that way all contents are hot.
Measured for 10oz rocks glass
0.5oz Lemon juice
1.5oz honey syrup (1:1 honey/water)
1.5oz monkey shoulder
Cinnamon stick
Cloves
star anise
Top with hot black tea
Compass box is so amazing!
The artist blend is an UNBELIEVABLE bargain. It's a phenomenal blended scotch at an incredibly low price!
They're also really into trying new things and bucking convention so there's some great finds in their huge catalogue.
In my family the tea, lemon, honey, whiskey version is the staple. It was used exclusively, in Kentucky, as something you give to someone with congestion/sinus cold. We just considered it cough syrup. Turkey 101 or any high horsepower bourbon is also a must.
For me this drink has always been:
Mug of hot black tea
Spoonful of honey
Splash of lemon juice
Shot of whiskey
Cinnamon optional
My favorite thing in winter is just pairing whatever tea with whatever liquor would taste nice with it a dash of bitters and garnish with either lemon or a cinnamon stick depending on the tea. Tonight in fact I made a big ass cup of cinnamon apple spice tea from celestial spice, and added some apple pie moonshine and a cinnamon stick for garnish and it was so pleasant. Didn’t even need any sweetener cause the moonshine added a touch of sweetness.
I'm glad you came back and did a "warm-up" for the second Toddy. Warming up the glass is a pretty common thing for restaurants down here to keep coffee and other hot drinks warm longer since the ceramic is so cold.
The Morgenthaler recipe is my favorite. I learned about it this winter, and I've been very happy with it.
The "consensus toddy" seems to be what I remember being made in my house as a kid (not for me). It was a drink for when someone was sick. It was tea with honey and a squeeze of lemon, like a slice squeezed, and a pour of whiskey.
This show is really unique, I’m so glad it already existed when I turned to cocktails!
I made my hot toddy using the honey cinnamon syrup I made from your 'Cocktails from Critical Role Part 1' episode. I really liked the level of cinnamon flavor it added.
I had a misunderstanding of what a Hot Toddy was prior to watching your videos. Among family and friends in my small Tennessee hometown, a hot toddy starts with the typical home remedy for the common cold: hot tea with honey and lemon. Then you just add whiskey, to further numb the senses. No idea where the discrepancy came from between the cocktail version and the cold remedy version, but I'm quite interested in trying some of yours.
Your "Bane Marie" is just a double boiler that's not on a heat source. The idea of a double boiler is to hold a steady temperature to avoid scorching or burning sensitive ingredients, and is used extensively in candy making and tempering chocolate. You can only heat water up to 100 Deg C before it turns into a vapor.
I was one of the original comments with the honey lemon and tea. I’m glad you liked it.
My only quibble is I would brew my tea separately and longer to get it real dark.
I started making my Toddy's with Lot 40 Rye (I know, a departure from tradition), and ginger syrup, and was very pleasantly surprised. The floral, vegetal, spice that rye brings really complements, and stands up to, the lemon, the ginger syrup (made with light brown sugar) adds a complementary spice and slight heat on the tongue. All the flavours just melded together in perfect harmony. A must try.
Give the Glenfarclas a go!
I recently made a hot toddy with a high proof sherry cask whisky - fruit cocktail of red fruits/orange/spices to go with the lemon.
A plethora of hot toddies from the plethora of whisky styles!
Still not the classic toddy I've known all my life, but loved seeing the spins you added. My classic go to toddy will always be 2oz bourbon, juice from half of a lemon, 1 tablespoon of honey, and hot water, sometimes with a tea bag depending on if i feel like i want that extra flavor.
This is more or less my version as well. 3 of these will make you at least forget that you were not feeling well.
Yes. The perfect recipe.
I'm honestly glad you got to try and enjoy the tea version. 💛 It's how my mom always made it. Good memories.
I dunno if it's a cultural thing or what, but it seemed to be the sort of thing our family took for granted: you make hot toddies with black tea and honey, you make oatmeal with milk, and the mac & cheese gets made in the oven! 💯😂🙆🏾♀️✨
These all look worth trying, it's so cool how different people make this classic. I treat Hot Toddy's like mulled wine, cooked in a pot; hot water, apple cider(enough to give it a "body"), lemon and orange peel, honey, winter spices(anise,clove, cinnamon) AND a good amount of bourbon with a bit of Drambuie if desired 👍It really is a "bourbon mulled wine" and I strongly recommend
A hot toddy with lemon, honey and scotch was a cold remedy in my house growing up. It always blows my mind to hear that there's other recipes! It was my grandma's go-to when anyone had a sore throat.
Thank you Greg. Just caught Omicron, so this came along at the perfect time. Curing what ails me. Thank you my friend. You don't realize how much this show means to my entertainment.
Greg discovering and trying to articulate the concept of warming spices. 🤣
Loved it, great video. The tea toddy is my go-to cold remedy, has been ever since I could drink.
Here's my hot (heh) toddy take: I *LOVE* the flavor of mulling spices in my hot drinks, which is precisely why I _don't_ usually put whole spices in my toddies. Seeing as the whole point is to have a nice hot drink, your first third to half of the glass will not have dominant spice flavors outside of what you grate into the glass, though the flavor will evolve as you sip it, which may appeal to some of you. I prefer spiced syrups instead to get spice-y flavors from the get-go. That said, Mr. Morgethaler's bain marie method show's some real promise. Also, thank you Papa Greg for introducing me to Ole Grandad bourbon!
I had Covid on New Years Eve. So I made my self a Hot Toddy. I used an apple spice tea and honey. I didn't have any lemon on hand and was quarantining. So I just did without, and Larceny is what i used. I really liked it. It was very nice.
My parents always used Bigelow Constant Comment (which is a black tea with orange and spices) with brown sugar and whisky. Love this episode and these new versions
Enjoying a black tea toddy with Glen Fiddich right now and omg... omg.... I did the double boiler with the lemon, honey, and scotch from Morgenthaler. Added bonus to that you don't have to worry about squeezing the tea bag a bunch, your scotch isn't in there yet. It's near freezing and raining outside, and I couldn't be more comfy. What an amazing beverage.
Thanks for sharing an evolution of a previous video. It's nice to see different takes as drinks evolve over time.
I'd suggest making the tea separately for a better result. Make the pot of tea, mix the other ingredients in the serving glass, top with the tea from the pot, add garnish. and don't squeeze the tea bag, you're going to get a lot more tannin's that way making it rather bitter. (I'd skip the bag all together and just use real tea leaves, but you do you?)
It makes sense that Cinnamon and ginger work well together, you'll find that most Ginger Cake, as an example, uses Cinnamon as a supporting spice.
or like in chai!
My toddy is hot black tea and honey syrup boiled in a pot with cinnamon sticks and cloves. 1/2oz lemon/orange juice, 2oz makers mark in a glass great for a snowy day or if you have a cold. If you have a cold i recommend locally sourced honey to help with that
Crystal Sea.
-Bombay sapphire
-Sweet and sour lime mix with rosemary and mint pestled into it
-Dash of Blue Coracao
-A small tad of Absynthe
That last one especially seems real special in these cold months. Thanks!
The tea toddy was what i always had growing up when i got sick. I still love it.
My boyfriend and I really enjoy watching you and learning about the different drink styles. I thought the way I make hot toddies is the "right way," but it looks like there are lots of versions. Here's mine - steep a cup of tea in the usual way (hot water over a tea bag for several minutes). I like to use black tea, English breakfast tea, Earl Gray, or Orange Pekoe. Remove the tea bag. Add an ounce or two of whiskey (I use Jameson's), a tablespoon of honey (that's half an ounce for those of you keeping score at home), and the same amount of lemon juice (we're not fancy so it's from the bottle in the fridge). So, basically I guess it's "fortified tea!" :)
It's amazing how many times your video timing has been the clutch in my drinking journey that never slips, thanks for a great video aha
I love making mine with chamomile tea and agave syrup. The perfect cold nighttime drink
I highly highly recommend making the tea beforehand! I only spent some time with British people but don’t move the teaback around I guarantee it’s way better because they will not bet you up…
That being said I prefer the monkey shoulder sleepy, feet on the table, cosy, leave me alone Version the most!
Great show Greg so consistently good👍🏼
My approach:
Crown Royal harvest rye (which has a very strong rye flavor),
Indian Black + chai tea mix,
Taj cardamom-infused sugar cubes,
a little lemon,
dash of grated nutmeg.
I call it a chai toddy.
Morgenthaler's Toddy with cinnamon looks similar to a Brazilian hot drink called "Quentão" (which means very hot). It is a cachaça-based drink traditionally consumed in the Catholic midwinter festivities (Festa Junina).
I haven't "grown up" with any drink, I got into cocktails in 2020 because I was bored and a buddy linked your channel, and your original hot toddy recipe sold me on hot toddies. It's a great one.
Ginger is great in that it can so easily go into different directions. With citrus or acidic things, it can be intensely bright, floral, and punchy. With things like cinnamon, it amplifies the toasty spice elements and gives a bite to back up the warmth and roasty-toasty flavors. As a bourbon and ginger man, I'm putting that Morgenthaler Toddy on my to-do list.
My favorite is the recipe in an Irish cookbook:
1tbsp Honey, 1oz lemon juice, 1oz Irish whiskey (preferably Jameson or Bushmills), a pinch of ground clove, 8oz boiling water.
The cookbook I found this recipe in said, "It is said that this drink will cure anything, even a broken heart. And if it doesn't, several in quick succession will." I swear that when I caught whooping cough, one mug of this cured me.
Eager to try these. I generally do not like hot liquor, but I am open to try it. The only hot drink with liquor for me is 1/2 mug of apple cider, mulling spices, squeeze of honey, splash of OJ, and 1 1/2 oz of rum. I'm from Upstate NY, everything has to be made with apples.
That Bain Marie technique is absolutely genius, and I will be using this for all my hot cocktails moving forward. Combine that with heating your glassware and you end up with some truly PIPING hot cocktails. I've been sick lately and right now that morgenthaler toddy is hitting exactly right. Man is a genius 100% I always use his method for ginger syrup, however it's recently been brought to my attention that a more subtle ginger syrup ie through infusion likely has its place too depending on what you want out of your ginger syrup. Personally I love ginger bold & spicy lol.
How we make it, brew black tea (nothing fancy to add other flavors) let it steep based on temp and tea. Then once you remove tea leaves, add honey to taste and lemon juice to taste (and amount of tea you made) then add brandy. Have tried flavored brandy as well, honey and peach. You can sub the brandy for bourbon and OGD is my go to for it and I use the BIB variety or 114.
What I have been really into lately is the Amaro Caldo, which is a sort of toddy of Amaro, hot water, and a lemon twist. It’s delightfully simple and deceptively delicious.
Spiced whiskey, honey, lemon, hot water. That was my first version I tried and it is my go-to version to this day
I did my own variation late last year. I used peach crown royal, lemon juice, and a Jamaican ginger tea (just powdered ginger) and that was really good. The peach crown was sweet enough on its own.
Pretty solid.
I always make a mug of tea, with some lemon juice, honey, and bourbon. I keep the other ingredients cold that way i can just drink the drink without having to wait for boiling water to cool a bit.
Yep, this was fun. Revisiting previous recipes, and the previous ep of remaking bad drinks into good ones - I've enjoyed both of these.
I experimented with Toddys on New Years and I thought that Wild Turkey 101 made the best one.
Awesome video, as usual 🍻
My Toddy is Old Forester Rye, hot water, lemon, honey and warming spices...usually use some pumpkin pie spice.
This sounds like a much better recipe than my scotch straight into black tea. Beating up the tea bag and squeezing it to get all the liquid out does release extra tannins that may be increasing the bitterness though.
My family's go-to for sore throats is lemon ginger tea with Jack Daniel's Tennessee honey. Works like a charm
Great variations.
For me a Hot Toddy is the tea/infusion version of a mulled wine.
So ginger and the mulled spices, maybe lemon or at least citrus peel, maybe tea but not necessary, a nice bourbon or a nice spiced rum and some kind of sweetener (most often honey).
I like a Hot Toddy when its cold or if I am sick or just generally need a warm, spiced drink.
You can go agave also, or brown sugar, even a dash of molasses. Go wild.
Greg, who don't you have a drink book yet? You have so many personal twists on drinks over the years.
A book with classic/your improved drinks, plus some of your history notes and thoughts is absolutely something I would read.
I loved making toddies in batches for my friends in the winter, and the tea was a crucial element. I actually rarely used black tea or Scotch. I preferred a high proof bourbon with green or oolong tea because the black tea can get overly tannic fast.
Green Tea (80 degree water), brown, Japanese Whiskey, and lemon is a go-to
Every one of them looked delicious. I have always made mine very basic: black tea, honey, and Irish Whiskey. Seems I need to broaden my horizons and introduce some new flavors and whiskey combos. Really enjoy the channel, thank you!
My family has been making these from before they arrived in North America in 1804 from Scotland and Ireland. The thing is, almost every family has their own recipe and version on this. 'Cures' to the common cold or when sick in the colder months. What was VERY intersection to me is seeing a family recipe added to and evolve after generations and additions from new spouses and families.
One going back on my great grandmother's side involved making the simple syrup from lemon juice of 2 lemons, 4 tbl spoons each of brown sugar and honey and 2-3oz of whisky. Cloves or cinnamon added when available.
Where on the Great grandfather's side they used hot water, powdered or fresh ginger (whichever was available) and similar amounts of honey & sugar, the lemon varied, but it was made in a pot and the whiskey or scotch was only added to the individual mugs and topped up with the hot toddy mixture.
Everyone and every family has their own special recipe better than anyone else's. There's no real proper way to make these or no perfect recipe for something so old (& dear) to keep everyone happy.
Just keep making them, and keep enjoying them!
Funny enough I'm not aware of a single family that I've ever come across that even knows hot toddies exist, I admittedly was one of them before I stumbled across this channel.
Passive aggressive New York Mom Greg is a vibe.
Tea Toddy is the goat toddy. So good. I typically just brew the tea first and leave room for the lemon, honey, and scotch though.
I think there are two kinds of Hot Toddies. 1 is when you're sick, and for that I like something close to the first one in this video. The other is for when you just want a drink. For that one, I actually really like your formula with the bitters, or if not bitters with tea (I hope its not too controversial to say bitters and tea serve a similar role in my head).
Hey Greg, can we get some more D&D themed drinks? They're always extremely fun to watch.
I use nutmeg every day, coffee, tea, stew, pork, steak, soups, etc... I love nutmeg and have for 3 or 4 decades... My grandmother used nutmeg in many things also...
The tea toddy is my go to, unless I'm sick, I add ginger and rosemary.
the second version is damn near exactly how i make it but i steep the tea/cinnamon/star anise/cloves before in little water. then the whiskey or scotch and honey, then more hot water to fill up the rest of the cup. i love hot toddy’s so much. i live in the midwest, so it feels like a warm hug.
I love to use turmeric and ginger with honey and apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper with garlic and onions powder.
Hot toddys were always a “kick the cold outa ya” drink. My dad makes them very simply: cup of english breakfast, shot of whatever whiskey is in the cabinet, lemon juice and honey to taste. Well the other day I was feeling sick and thought to make some. I used 2 cups of Harney and Sons Hot Cinnamon Spice tea (black tea with orange peel, cinnamon, and clove), some honey, 2 ounces of bullet bourbon (cause that’s all I had), and 2 cap fulls of orange juice (cause I don’t have lemons). Turned out great! Right out the gate it tastes like hot bourbon, then goes into a warm cinnamony throat feel, then finishes with oranges. Lost the honey and could have been spicer, but like I said I was sick and couldn’t be bothered 😅. Thanks for inspiring me to spruce up my dad’s cowboy cure Greg!
My family is the tea, and Honey group. I'm usually also putting Whiskey or Bourbon instead of Scotch...but still the same general idea. Fun episode glad you did it.
Great video Greg - love watching you experiment on the fly and have it work out!
Love your videos dude! You need to release a book with all bar recipes, from syrups to cocktails!
I love Hot Toddies. There's nothing quite like a Hot Toddy to warm you from the inside, when you're feeling under the weather. I love your videos so much, so many interesting drinks. ^^
It's also an awesome drink to just have while you're relaxing on the couch after a long day.
@@kmidst_kn6329 Oh yes for sure ^^ I am just for the most part making toddies as cold remedy. But I do also enjoy them once in a while, just because they are quite tasty.
Did this one the other week. Only had hibiscus tea available … and it was pretty amazing with the hibiscus. I did make the tea separately and added it to the rest of the toddy in order to have the proper tea temperature.