Sweet Vermouth

Vermouth is meant to have a bitterness, even sweet vermouth. But if you find this one too bitter for your taste, it’s OK to add simple syrup to the finished vermouth to tone down the bitterness to your desired taste.

Makes 5 cups (44 oz.)

Total time: 30 minutes + steeping

HEAT:

1

1 1 1 1

1/2

1/2 1/2

1/4

HEAT:

3/4 3 3/4

STIR:

1 1/2

bottle pinot grigio (750 ml), divided dried bay leaf cinnamon stick (3-inch) vanilla bean, scraped

Tbsp. dried bitter orange peel tsp. each dried wormwood leaf, orris root, angelica root, and chamomile tsp. grated ginger tsp. each coriander seeds and dried thyme tsp. each rubbed sage and dried oregano

cup sugar Tbsp. water cup brandy

cup cream sherry cup ruby port

Minced zest of 1/4 a lemon

Heat half the wine, bay leaf, cinnamon, vanilla bean and scraped seeds, orange peel, wormwood, orris root, angelica, chamomile, ginger, coriander, thyme, sage, and oregano in a pot over medium just until wine comes to a simmer, 6–7 minutes. Cover wine mixture, refrigerate, and let steep at least 12 hours, and up to 24 hours.

Heat sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high until sugar dissolves, then cook until caramel reaches 350° (light amber color), about 5 minutes. Off heat, slowly whisk in brandy. (Caramel may solidify. Whisk until caramel melts back into a syrup.) Cool syrup completely.

Stir remaining half bottle of wine, caramel syrup, sherry, port, and zest into steeped wine. Strain vermouth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, pressing to extract as much vermouth as possible; discard solids.

Store vermouth in an airtight bottle or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Per 1 oz.: 43 cal; 0g total fat (0g sat); 0mg chol;

1mg sodium; 4g carb (0g fiber, 3g total sugars); 0g protein