Aftershock
The Aftershock is Joe Rinaldi’s bright, vegetal take on the margarita. Blanco tequila provides the peppery backbone; St. George basil eau-de-vie and Clear Creek pear brandy layer in herbal and orchard-fruit notes through the mid-palate. A housemade celery syrup keeps things crisp and green, while a serrano-infused tequila and a teaspoon of Green Chartreuse dial in the heat and complexity. The spice doesn't announce itself upfront—it's the aftershock.
Aftershock
½ ounce Lalo blanco tequila
½ ounce Serrano-Infused Blanco Tequila (see Note)
½ ounce St. George basil eau-de-vie
½ ounce Clear Creek pear brandy
¾ ounce fresh lime juice
¾ ounce Celery Syrup (see Note)
1 teaspoon Green Chartreuse
Garnish: 1 lime wheel
Shake all ingredients with ice, then strain into a double old-fashioned glass over 1 large ice cube. Garnish with the lime wheel.
Note: To make the serrano-infused tequila, thinly slice 1 serrano pepper and combine with one 750 ml bottle of blanco tequila. Let stand, tasting frequently, until the tequila reaches your desired heat level (as little as 10 minutes). Strain and return to the bottle.
To make Celery Syrup, juice 1 bunch celery and strain into a container. Weigh the juice. Add the same amount of sugar by weight to a blender. Calculate 0.5 percent of the weight of the juice (multiply by 0.005) to get X grams. Add X grams of ascorbic acid to the blender, along with the celery juice. Process until the sugar has dissolved. Pour into a storage container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.
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