Means of Preservation

This lovely cocktail has a truly unusual taste, and it comes primarily from celery bitters. I don't know what brand John Gertsen, the drink's inventor, used, but my Fee Brothers celery bitters ($8) gave it a savory, spicy flavor with a lot of pepper on the nose. And this article comparing the various brands of celery bitters calls Fee's one of the milder of the bunch! Don't let the St. Germain fool you; this is not a sweet drink. The St. Germain just perfectly balances out the celery for this harmonious flavor that's layered on top of a gin martini. The grapefruit twist, another unexpected addition, adds another aromatic note to the mix.

Fee's is definitely on the cheaper end of the bitters spectrum, and maybe I should start splurging on Bittermen's, Scrappy's, or The Bitter Truth, but the low price tag makes it so easy to try a variety, and that's what I'm about right now. There will be time to test drive the various types when I have a better palate for it.

History: The Means of Preservation is a revamp of another cocktail called the Ephemeral, which was concocted by David Shenaut at the Teardrop Lounge in Portland. It has the same ingredients as the Means of Preservation except that it calls for Old Tom gin, which (as you know), is sweeter than the London Dry we commonly use today. The proportions of the other ingredients reflect that. Luckily for those of us who don't have a bottle of Old Tom on hand, John Gertsen of Boston's Drink developed the Means of Preservation, which alters the recipe for London Dry.

Means of Preservation

2 oz. gin (Beefeater recommended; I used Tanqueray)
1/2 oz. St. Germain
1/2 oz. dry vermouth (Dolin recommended; I used Martini)
2 dashes celery bitters

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and mix until well chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a grapefruit twist.

Recipe from cocktail virgin slut.