Caribou Cocktail

[monsonmooch]

On a wonderful trip to Quebec City we had the above cocktail in a small restaurant in 'old town'. No one seems to know what we're talking about when we search for the recipe...just get 'how to cook caribou steaks' etc. Any help out there ???

[lroberts]

Any ideas about what might have been in it?

[kpzoo]

Maybe it was some sort of house special. Could you try contacting them and asking?

[carswell]

Here's a fairly common version: 3 oz (9 cl) red wine + 1.5 oz (4 cl) rye + dash of maple syrup. Variants include subbing white wine for red and bourbon or other spirits for rye.

[alixium]

Some make caribou by mixing equal parts red wine and sweet brandy, and warm it up a bit. But Caribou is also the brand-name of a sweet, wine-based liquor manufactured by Maison des Futailles...

[monsonmooch]

Thanks for the replies; but, no idea of contents/base or the restaurant but know it wasn't warm nor very sweet. Guess we'll just have to go back to Old Quebec City and spend another wonderful get-a-way searching out the restaurant. Whatta' great place !!!!

[heliotrope]

You've reminded me of a variant on the Caribou Cocktail presented in a Quebec TV cooking show. The cocktail is called "La biche"* or "Le caribou réinventé"**

*biche translates into meaning "doe" but I think it is also the word "hind" as in your "behind", ha ha.

**"Caribou Reinvented" because they've swapped in cider for the red wine and apple brandy for the spirit.

Here's the link to the show/recipe:
http://curieuxbegin.telequebec.tv/ficherecette.aspx?id=180

3/4 part cider (suggestion: La Bolée du Minot)***
1/4 part apple brandy (suggestion: Brandy from the ciderie "Michel Jodoin"
)Maple syrup to taste (my guess, make it just a drop at first!)

***But I also have had a sparkling cider from "Michel Jodoin" that was fantastic and might work really well here to make the cocktail sparkling (instead of the Bolée du Minot, which I haven't tasted, but it is a dry, non-sparkling cider, 6.5% alcohol). Here's the link: http://www.cidrerie-michel-jodoin.qc.ca/site/projet_light.htm

I don't know where you are, but perhaps you have local ciders that could replace. Do realize that Quebec ciders are usually quite a bit different from something like strongbow. I've tasted some similar cider from France, if that helps you.

Websites of the cidreries:
http://www.duminot.com/
http://www.cidrerie-michel-jodoin.qc....

[themakeupguy]

I realize your post is old and this may come too late, but I just came across it. I also don't see an image, so I'm just telling you this based off of other peoples lack of knowledge on the subject. Sorry, if this is not what you were looking for.

I have spoken to many people who have had a "caribou" while on ski trips or other cold-weather based excursions. They are typically a warmed red wine, often spiced with citrus and cinnimon. The name is a gimmick used across the united states (and I'm supposing, canada) in ski lodges and taverns to make the drink sound more appealing and memorable. it's real name: Glühwein (pronounced glue-vine).
Glühwein is a type of mulled wine, this one German in in origin. Its typically served warm, in a warm glass or hand blown glass mug, spiced with a cinnimon stick and an orange slice or two. It is a traditional wine, usually served around the holidays, and is hard to find due to its limiyed and only seasonal debut. If you're lucky, you can find it in December at a wine store, while supplies last. If that fails you, you can go to the lodge on your next trip to the slopes and order yourself a Caribou.
Hope this helps. :)

[carswell]

In Quebec, which is where the original poster referred to, caribou isn't mulled wine à la Glühwein but a mixture of wine (often sweet fortified wine, such as port or, more likely, mock port) and spirits (often brandy but sometimes grain alcohol, rye, vodka, etc.), usually sweetened (with maple syrup, sugar, liqueur, etc.). There are many variations, so it's quite possible that some recipes involve spices, but spices aren't traditional. Also, Quebec caribou is usually drunk cold.