Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster

Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster

A month or so ago someone mentioned this drink in a response to my Pairings post for Galaxy Trucker. Having no idea what a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster was supposed to be or even what strange realm of geekdom from whence it originated, I ignored the reference and moved on. I mean really, who would have thought that such a cocktail actually existed outside the sub-culture of Sci-Fi nerds as anything but an obscure reference? You know what I'm talking about, those utterly annoying bits of useless trivia that science fiction types whip out during conversations in an attempt to "One-Up" you with their super knowledge. These geeks can tell you the exact episode of Star Trek, even quoting the lines, in which Captain Kirk fell victim to a Klingon Sphincter Punch. Yet, they do not possess the most basic of personal hygiene, or understand why you just kicked them in the groin. (Just because).

So yeah I tend to ignore the little tid bits of nerd quiz trivia as they annoy me to no end.

However, as I have recently been assaulted with no less than three different references to the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster on three separate occasions I decided to look into it further. I will still probably "Rochambeau" anyone who decides to go into high cant nerd speak when talking around me, but on this item my curiosity got the better of me. So here is what I found:

"The Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster was invented by Zaphod Beeblebrox, a major character in Douglas Adams' novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. The fictional version of this drink is described as "like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon, wrapped 'round a large gold brick." It has also been described in the novel as the "alcoholic equivalent to a mugging; expensive and bad for the head."

Zaphod Beeblebrox the inventor of this wonderful drink.

Fortunately for us, the Earthly version of this drink is as far from a mugging as you can get, in fact it is really quite good.

Our friend Mike found a recipe for the cocktail on Geek and Sundry by accident and shared it with me. After looking over the ingredients I was rather intrigued. The color of course catches the eye and I can actually imagine some odd alien being sipping one in a busy lounge in outer space.

Ingredients:
.75 oz Gin
.50 oz Bourbon
1.0 oz Lemon Juice
1.0 oz Sour Apple Pucker Schnapps
.50 oz Blue Curacao
.50 oz Simple Syrup (optional)
Lemons for garnish

Method:
1. Fill a Martini/Cocktail glass with Ice to chill it. (always first ) 2. In a cocktail shaker half filled with ice add your Gin, Bourbon, Apple Schnapps, Blue Curacao, Lemon Juice, and simple syrup. 3. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds. 4. Strain into your chilled cocktail glass. 5. Garnish with a bit of lemon peel, twist the peel over the drink then run it around the rim quickly before dropping it in.

 

Caution Drink Carefully.

The mixing of flavors really works well in this recipe. You get a nice little taste of the Juniper from the gin and the lemon overtones somehow, work well with the apple schnapps. I served these to Mike and Tuna last game day and they liked the tartness that comes from the lemon juice. I personally find this pretty cocktail very refreshing and light. Which surprises me to no end, for I always associate colored drinks with overpowering sweetness. I think the best way to describe the complex flavor of a Gargle Blaster is this; "It's the first taste you get when popping a brand new green apple Jolly Rancher hard candy into your mouth. Sharp and tart but not painfully so." The beauty of the cocktail is that unlike the candy which becomes sickly sweet rather quickly, the drink just keeps giving you that first tart pop over and over again.

Warning!!!! These are so good you will want more than one, so be very careful. Both Mike and Tuna had two of these each, and I noticed a bit of slurred speech coming from my friends soon after. Not sloppy drunken hobo slurring, but a subtle catch here and there.

 So the next time you have some geeks/nerds over that you have not managed to maim, or alienate by kicking them in their soft parts, you should mix up a bunch of Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters, I assure you it will be worth the effort.

Cheers
AL