Cocktails with Gentian liqueur
Gentian liqueur is a French aperitif liqueur of vivid yellow, defined by its core ingredient: gentian root. Sugar is low, so it works structurally more as a bitter than as a classic sweet liqueur.
ABV15–20%(market dependent).
Substitutes for Gentian liqueur
Another gentian liqueur works one for one. Suze is 15–20%, and its main 15% bottle carries about 137 g of sugar per liter. Salers is 16%; Avèze, at 15–18%, is sweeter. Luxardo Bitter Bianco is the usual stand-in from outside the family. At 30% and about 250 g of sugar per liter, it is stronger and sweeter. Start with half the measure, cut any syrup the recipe has, and taste.
Gentian eau-de-vie / Enzian
A distillate of fermented gentian root, at least 37.5% and unsweetened. Use about half the measure, plus about a barspoon of 2:1 syrup for every 30 ml replaced.
Gentian is usually one herb among many, and most amari are sweeter (Averna has over 200 g of sugar per liter). One for one, the drink turns sweeter and loses its pale color.
