thompson schneider

1 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
1 1/2 oz Cocchi Vermouth di Torino

Build on ice in a rocks glass and stir. Top with less than 1 oz of ginger beer and float a dash of absinthe (Kübler?) on top. Add a straw.

On New Years Day, we made our way over to the Citizen Public House in Boston, one of the handful of places that were thankfully serving on this day of rest. For an opener, I asked bartender Jess Li for the Thompson Schneider as it seemed like a delightful twist on the Half Sinner, Half Saint, one of my favorite aperitifs. When I asked Jess who Thompson Schneider was, she explained that it was not a person but two people. Bartender Chad Arnholt named the drink after his two roommates, Will Thompson of Drink and Jack Thompson (not a bar or restaurant worker). Strangely, Will showed up as I was drinking this, and while he was aware of the libation on the menu, he had never tried one before.
The Thompson Schneider began with an absinthe aroma; while the small bottle with the absinthe was unlabeled, its aroma and flavor did remind me of Kübler. Next, the carbonated sip contained citrus-grape notes, and the swallow presented the ginger balanced by red wine flavors. Later as the absinthe halo integrated into the drink, anise notes began to populate the swallow as well. My only complaint was that I was hoping for a greater absinthe amount in the drink similar to what I am used to in my Half Sinner, Half Saint experiences.