There's something spirited and spicy that just made its way into Chicago and it's called The Big O. No — not that big O, we're talking about an incredible new hand-crafted spirit guaranteed to put a little zip into all of your holiday imbibing. The small-batch liqueur is produced locally in the Midwest and is made with hand-chopped ginger and a blend of other yummy hand-selected spices that'll warm up your insides all winter long.
What's it taste like? The brand describes it as "blending the warmth of ginger and exotic spices, the sweetness of tropical sugars, the coolness of citrus, and the liberation of fine, artisan-crafted spirits." Sounds like a vacay in a bottle to us, but why not taste the stuff for yourself? It's currently available at Binny's, the emporium of all things boozy. But since this isn't your average libation, we gathered three tasty recipes from local bars that currently have The Big O on their drink lists. We have a feeling you may forget about that spiked nog this time around. Happy mixing!
Redemption from SmallBar Division
.75 oz The Big O ginger liqueur
.75 oz Peach Street pear brandy
1.5 oz Ron Zacapa rum
4 drops Bittercube Jamaica #1
Mix all, stir and strain, garnish.
Newton Pippin from SmallBar Division
1.5 oz Laird's Apple Jack
.75 oz The Big O ginger liqueur
.75 oz Benedictine
.5 oz maple syrup
Baked Apple bitters
Lime zest for garnish
Mix all, stir and strain, garnish.
Rum Emanuel from Encore Liquid Lounge
1.5 oz Appleton Rum VX
1oz The Big O ginger liqueur
Equal parts orange juice and pineapple juice
Shake and pour over fresh ice.
Photo: Courtesy of Smallbar Division