Appearance– ruby garnet, red blood orange gradient. Sun-soaked
Aroma– lemon peel, orange blossom, sweet marjoram and summer savory thyme, blood orange peel, savory hibachi toasted Japanese mushrooms. Sweet pomegranate and cranberry compote, clove baking spices, pine nut and sweet star anise.
Taste– bitter blood orange peel entry, lemon verbena floral lift, maraschino cherry, orange black tea spice, savory mushroom and toasted walnut weight filling out the mouth, crisp red endive and woody grape stalk finish.
Bitters are incredibly complex products to produce, requiring precision, patience, and an excellent palate. Hypatia includes nearly 20 different botanicals ranging from savory to sweet. Each addition must be carefully considered and executed in order to achieve overall balance. We use both maceration and distillation techniques to extract specific flavor and strength from each unique ingredient. The final spirit is proofed down with pure spring water from our Napa Valley Estate and naturally colored with hand-crushed cochineal beetles.
Our Water is special in so many ways
As with all earthly Biology, H20 is the main ingredient. Hypatia is 24% abv so 76% water. Water is an integral component of both flavor and mouth feel in any potable spirit.
Our water is special in so many ways. It springs from an extinct volcano located on the Coppola’s family property in the Napa Valley. Located at the base Mount St John, the water that springs from our property is naturally filtered through lava rock high in carbon, a natural and efficient filter. Physically, our water contains low levels of dissolved solids that contain minerals that add character and mouth feel to our finished spirits. Abstractly, our water holds a special place in the heart of our founding family. Surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, rose gardens, eucalyptus, berry patches, cherry trees and redwoods, the sweet and clean water springs up between the family’s vegetable garden and life size dollhouse which was the pride and joy of a young Sofia Coppola.
Not artificially colored
Hypatia is not artificially colored. The majority of the red colored bitters today are made with artificial coloring. Important to Francis is that Hypatia stayed true to the original formulation of bitters back in Italy in the 1800s. The red pigment is extracted from the bodies of female cochineal beetles that are found on cacti.
We start the process with a maceration of all botanicals in a wheat base spirit. A portion of this maceration is than saved to be blended back into a distillate from the remaining spirit. Maceration provides Hypatia with its bold and bitter backbone while the distillate allows us to capture more of the aromatic and subtle qualities from our raw materials. This mixture is then finely filtered before adding organic cane sugar and cochineal for authentic carmine coloring.
Steps
Receive Wheat Base Spirit
Maceration of all botanicals. Wormwood and gentian are our main bittering agents, but other botanicals stand outs would be a trinity of citrus peels, rosemary, sage, anise, marjoram and grape stalks.
Save portion of the maceration for back-blending after distillation
Proof down remaining maceration liquid
Add proofed liquid and botanicals to still
Distill via an Alembic still
Add distillate to maceration
Filter maceration and distillate mixture
Hand crush cochineal
Add Sugar and Cochineal
Proof down to 24% with our Napa Valley estate spring water
Final Polish Filter
While our full ingredient list is under lock and key, we are able to share a handful.
Wormwood: The most bitter of all plants is said to have hallucinogenic properties affecting the brain in a similar way as THC. It is best known for its use in the making of absinthe which was illegal in many countries including the US. The above ground part of the plant and oil are used for medicine including digestive problems, treating fever, liver disease, depression and muscle pain.
Gentian: Stimulates liver function and improves digestion process. Works to relive heartburn. The root has antiseptic properties and can help to remove harmful microorganisms in digestive system or can be used as a topical remedy for wounds.
Bitter Orange Peels: Used for upset stomach, exercise performance and the oil when applied directly to the skin can be effective for the treatment of fungal skin infections
Angelica Root: Can help balance hormones, remove tension, detoxify the liver and support clear skin complexion
Lemon Peel: Help rid your body of carcinogenic elements. The peels are high in calcium and Vitamin C which can improve your bone health and lower your cholesterol.
Anise: Rich in antioxidants which fend off early aging and diabetes. Helps to fight off the cough and flu. Also improves digestion and relieves cramps.
Cloves: High in antioxidants to help improve overall health including preventing liver disease. High in antimicrobial properties which may help kill off harmful bacteria.
Marjoram: Commonly used to treat colds, infections and various digestive problems. Helps in lowering blood sugar, enhances heart function and helps combat stress and anxiety.
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Stems: How could we resist including some of our very own grape stems? We selected stems from Pinot Noir Clone 777, a certified clone from Dijon in Burgundy, France that is known for producing dark, rich wines.
