Why do Chicagoans drink Malört?

It's a Swedish-style schnapps distilled with the flavor of wormwood. (deeply ironic YUM sound) The word itself is actually just Swedish for wormwood. The drink was first used as a medicine in the Middle Ages. Much later, Malort made its way to Chicago by way of one particular Swedish immigrant, Carl Jeppson.

Why do people in Chicago drink Malört?

In the 1930s Carl Jeppson, a Swedish immigrant to Chicago, began marketing his homemade brew. He sold it from door to door for medicinal and other purposes, and one legend says he preferred the strong taste because years of smoking had dulled his taste-buds.

What kind of alcohol is Malört?

"It's a rite of passage," my father once said, "though I'm not sure to what." Introduced to Chicago in the 1930s by Swedish immigrant Carl Jeppson, Malört is distilled in the mode of a classical Nordic brännvin, which is made from potatoes, grains, or wood cellulose.

What does Malört taste like?

It has an intensely bitter and astringent taste, which is why it's often served neat over ice iced tea. It tastes like licorice, which sounds tasty enough, but it's not sweet licorice; there's an herbal bitterness to it. What is this? That bitterness is most likely what gives Malört its signature taste and color.

Do people actually drink Malört?

During almost 60 years of American distribution, we found only 1 out of 49 men will drink Jeppson Malort. During the lifetime of our founder, Carl Jeppson was apt to say, 'My Malort is produced for that unique group of drinkers who disdain light flavor or neutral spirits.

Chicago's Grossest Drink, Explained

What alcohol is Chicago known for?

The Old Fashioned. Arguably the most popular of Chicago's famed drinks, the Old Fashioned is a cocktail pretty true to its name. The first-recorded mention of this cocktail was in an 1803 newspaper, where the editor mentioned a drink made with a combination of spirits, sugar, water and bitters.

Can you buy Malört outside of Chicago?

Up until recently, you could get the stuff only in the Chicago area, where it was produced by a single family-owned company, but the brand sold in 2018 to the CH Distillery (still located in Chicago), and it's slightly more available now. In Seattle, you can find it at the Black Cat Bar downtown (2132 First Ave.).

What is the Chicago handshake?

In the Chicago drinking world, the Chicago Handshake is slang for a drink special involving a shot of Jeppson's Malört paired with an 'old-school' Midwestern beer, most typically Old Style Beer. Although Old Style originated in Wisconsin, it became Chicago's beer after crossing state lines in 1935.

What does Malört smell like?

"This smells like a combination of burning garbage and Ricola, with a massive wallop of alcohol ... on first taste, nothing but rubbing alcohol and smokey rubber ...

What is Malört made of?

While classical brännvin is traditionally made from potatoes, grains, or wood cellulose, Malört is made entirely from distilling wormwood, a bitter herb known for its ability to kill stomach worms and parasites. Malört translates to “moth herb” and is the Swedish word for wormwood.

What is the state drink of Illinois?

The answer is no sadly. So we don't have an official beverage but The Daily Meal says we have Signature Cocktail. And that would be Malort (aka The Swedish Seed). Yeah, that bitter bitter demon juice your so-called friends dare you to shoot on a night of one-too-many drinks.

How do you drink a Chicago handshake?

Chicago Handshake is tasteful mild cocktail at 1.8 standard drinks. Built with 30ml jeppsons malort and 290ml beer and best with lunch. Just pour shot glass of jeppsons then add beer to tall glass and drink shot in one go then sip beer. and served in a highball glass cold.

Is Malört good for your stomach?

Malört, on the other hand, is soothing on the tummy. It was originally used to cure indigestion and nausea, which makes sense considering that its key ingredient is wormwood (Malört is the Swedish word for the plant). In Europe, wormwood is traditionally used for medicinal purposes.

What percent alcohol is Malört?

Malort is still 70 proof, or 35 percent alcohol.

What does wormwood taste like?

Raw Wormwood is bitter with a bitter aftertaste. If you don't have a drink or eat something, expect the flavor to stay with you for up to 15 minutes.

Does Absinthe make you hallucinate Reddit?

Absinthe is not a drug or poison and it never was. It won't make you “trip”, hallucinate, cut your ear off, or do anything else you wouldn't ordinarily do when intoxicated with liquor. Like any form of alcohol, it should be indulged in responsibly, but its only toxic properties are due to its high alcohol content.

What is similar to Malört?

What Street in Chicago has the most bars?

Far and away the street with the most places to grab a drink in Chicago is Clark Street. The 12-mile-long street that stretches from Rogers Park to Chinatown has 203 places that serve alcohol, about 17 per mile.

What happened to old style beer?

Old Style was eventually acquired by Pabst Brewing Company, and is featured as part of their "Local Legends" portfolio. Old Style lost its Cubs sponsorship to Anheuser-Busch in 2014, so when the Cubbies won the World Series in 2016, they celebrated by spraying each other with champagne and Budweiser.

Where can I buy Chicago handshake?

May the real Chicago hardcore fans shine. Chicago Handshake, A Drinking Card Game is available for presale online ($22) and at Transit Tees' stores in Wicker Park (1371 North Milwaukee) and Andersonville (5226 North Clark).

What do you mix with Malort?

How much is a Malort shot?

The 100 proof blend provides quite the bang for your buck, coming in at just $25 and garnering a bevy of solid reviews.