Egg Nog time, bitchasses.

[spanky]

I posted this in the holiday baking thread but figured I’d follow up here. I quickly realized my initial 6 quarts of eggnog weren’t going to be enough. Especially since half of it was already gone. So, I made a few more and wound up with 3 gallons...

[buildakicker]

Here's to your Holidays!

Fresh and Deep.

[spanky]

Bump. I saved one gallon of eggnog from last year's batch (1 quart from each of the 4 batches I made). The first quart I opened this evening was one of the lighter colored jars in the picture above. Drinkable? Yes. But not very enjoyable... strong alcohol and not much "cream". I just opened a second quart this evening and... OH YEAH! This jar was one of the more "yellow" jars in the picture above. So smooth. So creamy. What an awesome dessert!

This leads me to believe that the quality of eggs used makes a big difference in the resultant product. The more yellow jars were made from local farm eggs. The whiter jars were made with store-bought (albeit organic) eggs.

I need to start making room in my beer fridge for this year's batch.

Aged eggnog for the win!

[wyeaster]

eggnog scares me

[KQ]

eggnog scares me

Eggnog: Better—and Safer—with Age
By Cook's Illustrated Published November 2013

Uneasy about using raw eggs in your eggnog? This method will put you at ease.

The usual approach to making eggnog is simple: Mix together eggs, sugar, cream, and hard liquor, and then enjoy. But when we heard of a way to improve on the appeal of this drink—and at the same time dispel any concerns over using raw eggs—we had to give it a try. The idea? Make a batch of eggnog and let it age for at least three weeks in the refrigerator before drinking. The rest period supposedly drives off eggy taste while giving the other flavors a chance to meld. At the same time, the alcohol has a chance to kill any potential pathogens in the mix.

This latter benefit was conclusively proven by microbiologists Vince Fischetti and Raymond Schuch at New York City’s Rockefeller University. They deliberately added salmonella bacteria to a batch of eggnog and analyzed the bacteria content over a three-week period. By the three-week mark, the alcohol had rendered the eggnog completely sterile. When we tried their recipe, we indeed found it smooth and drinkable, though at 14 percent alcohol it packed quite a punch.

Satisfied with the sterility of the drink, we set out to produce an equally safe (but less potent) nog. Our solution? Waiting until serving time to add the dairy. This way, we could use enough alcohol to properly sterilize the eggs during storage and then temper the booze-egg base with dairy for serving. We stirred together a dozen eggs, 1 1/2 cups of bourbon, 1/2 cup of cognac, and 1/3 cup of dark rum; added 1 1/2 cups of sugar; and refrigerated the 18-percent-alcohol mixture in an airtight container. After three weeks, we poured the base through a sieve to remove any egg solids and then mellowed out the mixture with 6 cups of whole milk and ½ cup of cream, bringing it down to about 8 percent alcohol. The unanimous verdict: Alongside a fresh batch, which tasted comparatively boozy and harsh, our aged nog went down more smoothly. To age your favorite eggnog recipe, be sure to use 1 1/2 ounces of 80 proof liquor for every egg, and leave out the dairy until serving.

[riser4]

To each their own. Pass the J, Not the nog.

[OregonDead]

My parents and my brother make the real stuff. Brother started making first and turned my parents on to it. Scares me but I drink it. Think it's a little different from the one KQ posted but same idea. They use multiple types of hooch and it is stored at a pretty potent proof. They seem to think it keeps indefinitely which is a little spooky but it's probably safer than the mixer in the dairy case.

eggnog scares me

Eggnog: Better—and Safer—with Age
By Cook's Illustrated Published November 2013

Uneasy about using raw eggs in your eggnog? This method will put you at ease.

The usual approach to making eggnog is simple: Mix together eggs, sugar, cream, and hard liquor, and then enjoy. But when we heard of a way to improve on the appeal of this drink—and at the same time dispel any concerns over using raw eggs—we had to give it a try. The idea? Make a batch of eggnog and let it age for at least three weeks in the refrigerator before drinking. The rest period supposedly drives off eggy taste while giving the other flavors a chance to meld. At the same time, the alcohol has a chance to kill any potential pathogens in the mix.

This latter benefit was conclusively proven by microbiologists Vince Fischetti and Raymond Schuch at New York City’s Rockefeller University. They deliberately added salmonella bacteria to a batch of eggnog and analyzed the bacteria content over a three-week period. By the three-week mark, the alcohol had rendered the eggnog completely sterile. When we tried their recipe, we indeed found it smooth and drinkable, though at 14 percent alcohol it packed quite a punch.

Satisfied with the sterility of the drink, we set out to produce an equally safe (but less potent) nog. Our solution? Waiting until serving time to add the dairy. This way, we could use enough alcohol to properly sterilize the eggs during storage and then temper the booze-egg base with dairy for serving. We stirred together a dozen eggs, 1 1/2 cups of bourbon, 1/2 cup of cognac, and 1/3 cup of dark rum; added 1 1/2 cups of sugar; and refrigerated the 18-percent-alcohol mixture in an airtight container. After three weeks, we poured the base through a sieve to remove any egg solids and then mellowed out the mixture with 6 cups of whole milk and ½ cup of cream, bringing it down to about 8 percent alcohol. The unanimous verdict: Alongside a fresh batch, which tasted comparatively boozy and harsh, our aged nog went down more smoothly. To age your favorite eggnog recipe, be sure to use 1 1/2 ounces of 80 proof liquor for every egg, and leave out the dairy until serving.

[t-the-east]

Pass the J, AND the nog.

Exactly

[Gravity's Gone]

Snow on the ground and post Halloween. Nog season is almost here.

[Bobby Stainless]

My first batch is in the fridge. Probably do one more for aging.

[sb]

NOG

[reckless toboggan]

NOG

[irul&ublo]

Waste of good brandy and rum

[m77b54]

Waste of good brandy and rum

Good use of bad brandy and rum....?

[Wondo]

Besides skiing, this is the 2nd reason why this time of the year is the best!! 🎅🏼

[sb]

Still no nog at Costco.

sad face

[Bobby Stainless]

Shit had some heat on it at first. One week in and it's really mellowed nicely.

[spanky]

I’m a little late with my 2018 eggnog making season. But, I made three gallons of it this evening! I would’ve kept going but I ran out of eggs. I still have jars for another 6 quarts.

[splittin]

Rum or bourbon for the nogg?

[smartyiak]

Rum or bourbon for the nogg?

Yes.

"1 1/2 cups of bourbon, 1/2 cup of cognac, and 1/3 cup of dark rum"

[Bobby Stainless]

Yes.

"1 1/2 cups of bourbon, 1/2 cup of cognac, and 1/3 cup of dark rum"

I did a cup of each. I might go this route on the next batch.

My brother in law had never had eggnog and drank a bunch the other night. Got the shits real bad. Mission accomplished.

[east or bust]

My brother in law had never had eggnog and drank a bunch the other night. Got the shits real bad. Mission accomplished.

lol.

[evasive_MT]

Yes.

"1 1/2 cups of bourbon, 1/2 cup of cognac, and 1/3 cup of dark rum"

The Ruhlman recipe above is 1/2 cup rum, 3/4 cup cognac, and a liter of bourbon.

[spanky]

I follow the Alton Brown recipe of 1 cup each of bourbon, rum and cognac.

[splittin]

Yes.

"1 1/2 cups of bourbon, 1/2 cup of cognac, and 1/3 cup of dark rum"

Thanks! I think I will make a few different batches. Bourbon (light and heavy batch), Rum and your suggestion.