For anyone whose only experience with Egg Nog has been the syrup that comes in a milk carton and is available in your super markets dairy section, it’s not surprising that you don’t like Egg Nog. After all, how many good cocktails are available at any supermarket in a cardboard container? I’ve never been a huge fan of Egg Nog, but at the Repeal Day Ball, Jeffrey Morgenthaler of Clyde Common in Portland, Oregon made one that I couldn’t get enough of. It was light and sweet, not cloying or heavy. I really couldn’t get enough of it.
Since it’s now holiday times – prime Egg Nog season – I tracked down Jeffrey’s recipe on his blog. I’m not certain that this was the one he used (though since Sailor Jerry was a sponsor of the Ball, I think it’s likely).
Egg Nog (Morgenthaler Recipe)
2 large eggs
3 oz (by volume) granulated sugar
½ tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
2 oz brandy
2 oz spiced rum (I use Sailor Jerry’s)
6 oz whole milk
4 oz heavy creamYields 2 servings
Beat eggs in blender for one minute on medium speed. Slowly add sugar and blend for one additional minute. With blender still running, add nutmeg, brandy, rum, milk and cream until combined. Chill thoroughly to allow flavors to combine and serve in chilled wine glasses or champagne coupes, grating additional nutmeg on top immediately before serving.
If you’re not a fan of the eggs in Egg Nog, a great holiday alternative is Atholl Brose. This centuries-old Scottish cocktail is made with scotch, oats, cream and honey. It’s a fantastic alternative for Egg Nog, though ideally should be aged for a few days before serving. I made a big batch last year and it was a hit with folks I’ve served it to. The end result is a cocktail that tastes like a thick, creamy, scotch and honey liqueur. Trust me, it’s not bad at all.
A Jigger of Blog 
I too have been obsessed with Egg Nogg after the Repeal Day Ball (and Cosmopolitans, oddly enough but that’s a different story).
Before having the sense to just search the Morganthaler blog, I was messing around with the Jerry Thomas recipe in Imbibe, and like Jeffrey found that version to be too thin and watery. That same day I also was mixing up Milk Punch and noticed it was essentially the same drink sans egg. I just got O.H. Byron’s The Modern Bartender’s Guide from Santa and the recipes for Imperial Egg Nogg and Egg Milk Punch are essentially identical. So Egg Nogg could have possibly evolved from either the Flip or Milk Punch, which begs the questions … Which came first the cream or the egg?
Along the same lines, the Pegu Club now has Tom and Jerry on the menu, and I found it similar to Egg Nogg as well, though a different consistency.
I am excited to come across this Morganthaler recipe, which now gives me a project for today to avoid my mother screaming about setting up for the Christmas party! I will probably use the more typical 2:1 cognac to rum ratio. I picked up a bottle of Chairman’s Reserve spiced rum but will probably leave that sealed for transport home and use El Dorado 12. I can only hope it comes out nearly as good as the Nogg from Repeal Day. Cheers and Merry Christmas!
By: Chris Cetta on December 25, 2010
at 1:19 pm