The Sage Hen is a light, refreshing cocktail with notes of apple, lemon, and a hint of sage. I’ve wanted to do an herbal cocktail using Yellow Chartreuse for a while. This incredible cocktail showcases this lesser-known sister of its more well-known green sister. Both Chartreuses are produced with closely guarded recipes by monks in a monastery in France. I absolutely love the herbal flavors these two liqueurs bring to the table. I often make The Lumierè using Green Chartreuse, and it is my go-to to serve at parties. But I wanted to explore the yellow, more subtle Chartreuse, too. This cocktail originated from the Educated Barfly, a popular YouTube channel with an excellent collection of cocktails from historical to modern concoctions that are always fascinating. The host, Leandro DiMonriva, a bartender in Los Angles, used to work at the famous bar Cole’s French Dip which is the originator of the French Dip Sandwich. He and some friends started The Educated Barfly, and it is now one of the most-watched cocktail channels on YouTube.
Leandro came up with this cocktail last fall, but I think the flavors are delicious even in the Spring or any season. It is named after the Sage Hen that lives out here in the wild west. You can check out his story on his website or YouTube channel. On his web page, he forgot to add the apple to the ingredients. He uses it in the video, so I have rectified that here. It is a fantastic and fun cocktail to make and serve as something different than the norm that is refreshing and tasty.
This cocktail needs a muddler. It looks like a small baseball bat or a thick wooden spoon. It is excellent for muddling or mashing ingredients for cocktails such as the mojito, Caipirinha, and this Sage Hen. You can find one on Amazon or many gourmet cooking stores, and it is a great thing to have in your bar set-up. You will need to double strain this cocktail, as there is a lot of pulp from the apple. Use a small fine-mesh strainer along with the hawthorn strainer if using a Boston shaker (2 cup shaker), Or you can use the fine mesh strainer with the strained top from your cocktail shaker such as this awesome Elevated Craft one I adore or use the many fantastic ones on Amazon. (I get a small commission at no cost to you from Amazon. If you use any link on this page, please consider helping fund my food journey.)
That is all for this week. I hope everyone is staying well and safe. Times can be troubling. But there is always a bright light ahead, and we will get through whatever is thrown at us if we are kind and think of others in our choices. And especially if we have a delicious Sage Hen in our hands. Until next time!
A light and lively cocktail with well balanced flavors of lemon, muddled apple, and sage honey syrup using Yellow Chartreuse and Spring44 Gin
- 1.5 oz. Gin I used Spring 44
- 1/4 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
- 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 oz.) sage-infused honey syrup see attached recipe or below
- ½ cup chunks of red delicious apple with peel but seeded
- Sage leaf for garnish
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Chill a coupe glass by placing it in the fridge, freezer, or filling it with ice.
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Place the red apple chunks into a cocktail shaker, and using a muddler, smash and muddle the apple to make it into a coarse pulp.
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Add the gin, Yellow Chartreuse, fresh lemon juice, and sage-infused honey syrup to the muddled apple.
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Fill the cocktail shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously for 10-20 seconds until the shaker is very cold.
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Double strain into the chilled coupe glass. This will take a bit more effort in straining than usual because of the muddled apple.
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Garnish with a sage leaf.
- ¾ cup honey
- ¼ cup water
- 5 sage leaves
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Combine honey and water in a small saucepan to make a 3:1 honey syrup.
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Over low heat, combine the honey syrup and sage leaves - simmer for 5 minutes.
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Remove from heat and steep for up to 24 hours.
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After 24 hours, remove sage leaves and store sealed in the fridge for up to 2 months.
