Matchbook Distilling, "Field Trip, Squash Amaro" 750ML

Squash Amaro macerated with cacao nibs, vanilla beans, cinnamon & star anise. 17% ABV. 

Process: "The squash had been curing for a matter of weeks before they were dropped off for us at the distillery. We had to run to the hardware store to pick up saws to cut them open. We'd saw them. Steam them. Roll them in brown sugar with cacao nibs, vanilla beans, cinnamon, star anise.. and then we'd torch them, caramelizing the sugar and toasting the spices. We then added the caramelized squash to the mash tun, covered them with water, and boiled them to release the sugars and flavors and spices.

We racked off the liquid and allowed it to ferment for 4 days. Until we cut into the squash, we had little idea of what we were going to do. But we found ourselves guided by the size and apparent make up of the squash. For one, as we cut into them, we could tell these squash were full of pectin, which would create problems like methanol during the fermentation. We had to figure out how to get the sugars and the flavors and leave the pectin behind. Hence the steaming, caramelizing, boiling and racking.

The fermentation lowered the pH, creating a really bright acidity, and created this big passion fruit flavor, which only highlighted the spices further. We decided we wanted to only highlight the spices in the fortification process -- so aging the spices in an old cask would lend more spicy, vanilla, char qualities. We chose an amber Belgian candi syrup to bring up the sweetness, but only a touch, and we wanted it to lend some weight and flavor. We added orris root and quassia for some woody, bitter structure."

From Matchbook: "We never would have imagined that a wine made from giant, gourd shaped squash would taste like passionfruit once fermented. Maybe caramelizing them with vanilla beans and cacao nibs, star anise and cinnamon, drew out those flavors. It definitely didn't start out that way. But as the sugars in the juice of the caramelized squash began to ferment and the acidity began to climb - we were suddenly and delightfully surprised by the tart, juicy and vanilla flavors that just jumped out at us. Growing Boston Marrow Squash had been a gamble."