Yes I realize the precious ethanol is burning off, but look how cool it looks!
To tell you about Stroh, I have to tell you about schweinshaxe.
Years ago, when I was in Germany for the first time I had something called schweinshaxe. It's a hunk of roast pork with the skin on and it's... well it's fucking delicious. The first time I had schweinshaxe I thought, "Oh my god, this is the best thing ever." When I got back to the US, I found that German cuisine isn't very common. Furthermore, any place that says they serve German food just serves sausages and sour kraut. Bullshit. If you don't serve schweinshaxe you're not serving German food.
Long story short, I found a place in manhattan on 2nd ave between 86th and 85th st called Heidelberg and that is where I discovered Stroh 80. After a big meal of roasted pig, they brought out the dessert menu that had after dinner drinks. Being the macho asshole I am, I of course ordered the strongest thing on the menu, which was the Stroh 80.
Now, you might be thinking the 80 means 80 proof, and you'd be wrong. Very wrong. the 80 means it's 80 percent alcohol. 80 percent as in 160 proof.
I'd only had it there, but last Friday, I was making a beer run and I spotted the bottle so of course I had to buy it, along with my new flatter flask. (Fits easily in my pocket). I carried it around all weekend. The Stroh was sloshing around, first in my flask, then in my stomach. Being that it's 160 proof a little obviously goes a long way.
The details: It's a rum. It's Austrian, and it's 80 percent alcohol. It's artificially flavored and has yellow dye number 5. Yeah.
The taste: It burns.... A LOT. But at the same time, the flavor is very strong, and it has a very herbal nose. My friend insists it tastes like butterscotch, and I'm inclined to agree but it tastes very herbal as the same time. It's very thick... very syrupy.
That about wraps it up for today. Apparently people don't drink this stuff neat. It's going to be a regular in my flask rotation from now on as far as I'm concerned. Try some, it's great.
Have you tried Stroh or schweinshaxe before? What's the strongest drink you ever had?
Yes I realize the precious ethanol is burning off, but look how cool it looks!
True
Comments (52)
Dude, awesome! Glad you're posting these to IRLF now. Thank you. :)
151 is my regular drink of choice. Mostly I drink it straight, in an old fashioned glass, neat. Though I do a cocktail with Grand Marnier, Lillet Blanc and a dash of Angostura Bitter sometimes too.
This 160 proof sounds like it'd be right up my alley.
I meant to ask you if you've ever tried the Balkan 176.
I haven't seen that one yet... and it sounds like radioactive to me.
Hell yes. I'll give that a try, even if I can only drink a half-shot at a time.
Dear Santa
Please send me a box of Stroh 80 on Xmas. Thanks!
Sincerely :
Ashley
I'm a lightweight when it comes to drinking...I'm pretty sure I'd be drunk on the fumes of this stuff
whoa...I want to try stroh 60 first.
hmmm...I've tried 80 -120 proof Baijiu before and I was fine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baijiu.
The first time I had Stroh 80, my renewed obsession with cold desserts that burned your mouth was reignited. I had played around with spicy cantaloupe sorbet, spicy foams to top ice cream, but I could never get the burning just right. The spice needed to be front heavy, and then it needed a very cool finish. Stroh 80 seemed like an awesome possibility for ice cream that burns and then cools. Just a dash on the tip of a spoon would be enough to light your mouth on fire.
It could be really fun.
Sounds good. I normally drink slivovitz, which is only 90 proof, but I'd definitely be willing to give this a try.
Wooo... maybe I'll try a half shot?
i don't like schweunshaxe, but i;ve tried strohm and with my low alcohol tolerance i was under the table after half a shot. i;ve also gotten drunk off apfelwein. those 2 r the reason i don;t drink!
I am intrigued, I'll have to check and see if my neighborhood liquor store carries this stuff...
Looks good. I'll have to try it. Strongest for me, Everclear 190 - I prefer 80, 90 and 101 proof whiskies though
Sounds amazing and tasty! I'll have to look for it.
The strongest for me would have to be Everclear, Nikoli or absinthe.
i'd take it.
Im down for 180 proof, but dye in my booze?
I dont think so.
just to clear that up, it's not like Germans drink that stuff all the time.
i don't think i've ever seen anyone drink it besides after a really fatty meal or someone who's borderline alcoholic.
don't feed the stereotypes. ;)
haha what a coincidence. read my latest entry...
It's not the strongest I've had in terms of liquor, but my personal favorite is and has been for a long time absinthe.
cheers ~
I've drunk straight everclear once. But it was also because I had a toothache and it helped. A LOT. I think I would die if I tried this.
@arenadi@xanga - Hmm, never heard of Balkan 176. Having some Glenkinchie now....
@foggysunnymorning@xanga - Is Baijiu really smelly? If it is, I've had it. Man... that stuff burns!
@orcofdoom@xanga - Holy shit what a good idea. If it wasn't so late, I'd try that right now.
@AllthePerfect_Words@xanga - Don't be such a wuss. Yellow dye number 5 is in practically everything.
@insert_label_here_003@xanga - Never drank everclear. It's just alcohol and has no taste I hear. I like to taste my booze.