🍸 Drink of the Week & Drink#1

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By Dahni
© 2026, all rights reserved

Ginger Jazz

(House Ginger Liqueur)

By Dahni Hayden © 2026

 

Introducing Drink of the Week

Each week, we’ll share one recipe from Sips with Susan — A Gathering Place Companion. Some will be simple, some a little more involved, but all are meant to be shared — one to enjoy and one to pass along to a friend.

We begin where many of the drinks begin — with Ginger Jazz. Drinks in Sips with Susan feature ginger liqueur — often shown using a familiar commercial bottle. Ginger Jazz is our homemade version, crafted right here at The Gathering Place.

Ginger Jazz is a bright, spicy house liqueur that brings warmth and character to your cocktails. Once made, it quickly becomes a favorite to keep on hand.

Ingredients

• 2–3 oz fresh ginger root
  (2 oz = milder | 3 oz = hotter)

• 1 whole vanilla bean

• 1 cup orange blossom honey

• 1 tsp cinnamon (ground)

• 1 tsp cardamom (ground)

• Zest from ½ orange

• 1⅜ cups water

• 1⅜ cups V.S.O.P. brandy

• ¼ cup neutral spirit (190 proof grain alcohol = 95% alcohol)
  (see note below for substitute)

Directions

1. Peel ginger and slice thin.

2. Slice vanilla bean lengthwise.

3. Add ginger, vanilla bean, water, and honey to a pan and simmer about 20 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

5. Pour cooled syrup into a sealable jar.

6. Add orange zest, cinnamon, cardamom, brandy, and neutral spirit. Shake well.

7. Seal and steep 24 hours.

8. Remove vanilla bean and steep another 24 hours.

9. Strain through fine mesh lined with a coffee filter into a bottle.

10. Allow to mellow 24 hours before use.

Makes approximately 2½ cups of Ginger Jazz.

⚠️ Note on Neutral Spirits

Grain alcohol (190 proof = 95% alcohol) is extremely strong and should never be consumed straight. It is used in small amounts to help extract flavors during infusion.

If neutral spirits are unavailable or not preferred, substitute:

¼ cup mixture made from:

• ⅛ cup water

• ⅛ cup brandy

Finished Ginger Jazz averages about 56 proof (28% alcohol) once diluted.

ENJOY! 😉 Use your Ginger Jazz responsibly! 🍸
From Sips with Susan — A Gathering Place Companion

🎥 Some drinks from Sips with Susan are demonstrated on our YouTube channel, with more to come.
Visit here: https://www.youtube.com/@the_gatheringplace