This Whiskey Repels Bugs While You Drink It
It's all thanks to a surprising ingredient.
Image Courtesy of Quaker City Mercantile
I don’t know about you, but personally, I love grapefruit and hate mosquito bites. But what if you could enjoy that refreshing citrus flavor while simultaneously repelling bugs?
Well, there’s a fascinating new invention from Tamworth Distilling that allows you to kill two birds (or bugs?) with one stone. I spoke to its creators to learn how exactly how it works.
What is Tamworth Distilling?
Tamworth is a New Hampshire-based distillery that prides itself on playfulness and innovation.
"I wanted it to be like an experimental test kitchen to see what's possible, just because to me, doing weird, creative stuff is just what we do," founder Steven Grasse tells Food Network. “I think that not enough people are having fun. I think the whole industry got too serious and too pretentious.”
And weird, creative stuff is a good way to put it. Tamworth has a whiskey called Deerslayer, which is made from a smoked venison and mushroom sausage. There's another one called Crab Trapper, made from an invasive crab species. They've even got a whiskey called Graverobber, which is... um, not for the superstitious.
"There's a — I don't know what you call it, a myth or warning or whatever — in New England that you shouldn't tap maple trees that grow next to graveyards," Grasse says. "I have a graveyard on my farm that's from like the early 1700s, with maple trees, and we went ahead and tapped those bad boys. And we take the syrup and we put it into a nice rye whiskey ... It's delicious. Plus, it's haunted."
So, when Tamworth's head distiller Matt Powers, who's also a chemist, realized it could be possible to make a bug-repelling whiskey, it seemed like the perfect project for the brand — especially considering Tamworth's location.
“It’s in the White Mountains in a very rural part of New Hampshire, and during bug season we joke that the mosquitos are the size of pterodactyls," Grasse says. "The weather’s pleasant, but it’s hard to sit on your front porch and have a cocktail because there’s so many bugs.”
Jennifer Bakos
What is Skeeter’s?
Skeeter’s Nootkatone Flavored Whiskey is meant to solve the front-porch cocktail hour problem. It's a cocktail modifier, similar to bitters. It’s very high proof and comes in a spray bottle. To use it, you spritz it a couple of times over the top of your drink. The high proof means the alcohol will evaporate quickly, leaving a bit of alcohol and some aromatic oils behind — and in this case, that aroma repels bugs.
The key ingredient is a molecule called nootkatone, which is found in a few plants, including grapefruit.
“Grapefruit juice is so unique — it has this very deep, deep fruitiness,” Powers tells Food Network. “When it was determined that the FDA and the EPA had passed nootkatone, this material from grapefruit, and approved it as an insect repellant, then it was really, really compelling.”
How does nootkatone work?
Nootkatone is a natural insect repellant that's edible for humans.
"A lot of aromas in plants are made by the plant as defensive compounds," Powers says. "And this nootkatone stuff is one of those."
The compounds harm or kill bugs to protect the plant. There are nootkatone-based insect repellants on the market, but only Tamworth's is meant for consumption.
“I think it tastes like a campfire," Steven Grasse, founder of Tamworth Distilling, tells Food Network. "It doesn’t have the smokiness to it, but it does have the woodsiness to it.”
How should you use Skeeter's?
Tamworth has a few recipe suggestions, including a spin on an Old Fashioned, a martini and a spritz. Grasse's personal favorite is simply spraying Skeeter's onto seltzer.
"I just call it a Skee-Ball," he says. “It’s a nice refreshing way to have a very low-proof highball.”
How does Skeeter's taste?
I made myself a Skee-Ball and sat on my balcony on a hot, sunny day to test it myself. It had a very pleasant woodsy, grapefruity aroma, as promised — a little piney, a little citrusy and a tad sweet. If you've ever had caramelized grapefruit, it's got a similar quality.
I was surprised that even on an unflavored seltzer, the taste is very subtle. It's slightly brighter and crisper than before with a faint grapefruit note. I don't mind — that's exactly what you want in a cold, bubbly drink sitting outside in the summer. The flavor combo of citrus and pine is sort of like a West Coast IPA.
Also, three sprays only gave me a little bit of a buzz. I think Skeeter's would be compatible with many drinks since it doesn't alter the flavor or alcohol content very much.
As for its bug-repelling qualities? It's hard to say for certain, but no mosquitos came near my drink — and they did come for my ankles.
Where can you buy Skeeter's?
You can order Skeeter's online to 44 states. It's priced at $24 per bottle, plus shipping.
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