I had the worsts drinks of my life thanks to Critical Role | How to Drink

Give the people what they want, this is Part 2 of my venture into Critical Role, the Cursed Cocktails of Exandria. I'm making Sandkheg's Hide and Eldermancy. If you're looking for Part 1 it is here: • I made REAL drinks fro...
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01:05
Eldermancy
In tin
E - 2 oz. or 60 ml. Greg's Elderberry Liquor*
L - 1 oz. or 30 ml. Lemon Juice
D - .5 oz. or 15 ml. Dry Vermouth (Dolin)
E - 1 shot of espresso
R - 1.5 oz. or 45 ml. Rum (Bacardi Silver)
M - 3 oz. or 90 ml. Mezcal (Dos Hombres)
A - 4.5 oz. or 135 ml. Absinthe (St. George Absinthe Verte)
N - New Castle Brown Ale (do not add this to shaker, top off drink after pouring)
C - Add Cherry to shaker
Y - Yogurt
Shake
Pour into mug (and top with New Castle)
*Greg's Elderberry Liquor
In a jar that seals
Add 400g Everclear
400g Elderberries
Let sit overnight
Squeeze through a nut milk bag
Add 300g of water
300g of white sugar
stir until sugar dissolves
12:20
Sandkheg's Hide
Put a jar on a kitchen scale
Add 250g of Malort
90g of white sugar
5g of dry powdered ginger root
2.5g of dry bitter orange peel
126g of buzz buttons
use immersion blender until it looks like a nightmare sludge
Strain through a nut milk bag
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#dungeonsanddragons #criticalrole #mixology

[@howtodrink]

Welcome to the Nine Hells Critters, I'll be your bartender, what'll it be? Critical Role Cocktails Part 1: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6OUc61npZ2CmpI Guide to the Twisted Taverns: bit.ly/2Z4qHw5 Sandkheg's Hide Bottle (affiliate): amzn.to/3aUyn6d Bitter Orange Peel (affiliate): amzn.to/2YZGThC Dried Elderberries (affiliate): amzn.to/2YXZwCT Nut Milk Bag (affiliate): amzn.to/3lTyQfe Powdered Ginger Root (affiliate): amzn.to/3AS5rXj Buzz Buttons (affiliate): amzn.to/3n1O5Ct Cursed Vol 3: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2rNZYaKi6mSi9U Cursed Cocktails: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqXbl4OAj6-ngZI Twitch: bit.ly/2VsOi3d H2D2: bit.ly/YTH2D2 twitter: bit.ly/H2DTwit instagram: bit.ly/H2dIG Blog: bit.ly/H2DBlog Patreon: bit.ly/H2DPatreon Gear: amzn.to/2LeQCbW

[@robinthrush9672]

I'm a little surprised you didn't pare the Eldermancy down to not overflow a bit.

[@JonManProductions]

Oh boy I hope less cursed stuff is ahead... actually, I'd think that Alligator Sperm from Vol.3 should be revisited at some point when your mouth isn't wounded by half a bottle of Tabasco and cursing out a glass so hard it broke. XD

[@davidmathieson8661]

Honestly I think you should try and make a "good" Eldermancy drink, for science, wait no....for ARCANA!

[@robinthrush9672]

@@davidmathieson8661 For Alchemy!

[@JonManProductions]

@@davidmathieson8661 Though I wonder if Nitro Infusion of the buzz buttons might have done something differently for the flavor of the hide... seems like blending them gave the fishy-ness out.

[@samriegel1130]

Truth time! I had no idea the ingredients I was using were real. But in fact, they were all real and I was genuinely shocked.

[@Shezestriakis]

Please have Greg on to serve you all some Sandkheg's Hide!

[@AltessiaSilentarrow]

Wonderful!!

[@br1qbat]

Love ya Sam! You guys kick ass.

[@kbowen2251]

So I'm assuming that since you've seen this you'll have him as a guest on campaign 3 right? Right??? I want to see a Sandkhegs Hide actually used on the set 😂

[@moloy559]

Sooo… You didn’t actually drink this? You sneaky sun of a bitch.

[@rhaegnarok]

"I put way more effort into this than I should have." Literally the exact spirit of Sam Reigal's sponsor ads. Proceed.

[@lazice]

Proceed.

[@justjust5580]

Proceed.

[@picachufan2000]

Proceed.

[@dekkard4982]

Proceed

[@KingWoop72]

Proceed.

[@br1qbat]

Greg: "Should I drink these concoctions?" Mercer's disembodied voice: ". . .You can certainly try. . ."

[@AzraelThanatos191028]

"Make a CON save"

[@nathanrandomized3593]

Roll a con save

[@GopeeWanKenobi]

Grog*

[@markeschen]

@@AzraelThanatos191028 ... at disadvantage.

[@j.b.5422]

@@markeschen on a dice with only 1s an 0s

[@realafan888]

"Worst thing in the universe" This man just drank an Eldermancy. He fears nothing anymore

[@theeatherlash69]

He did not drink 'an' Eldermancy, he drank SOME Eldermancy. Strong distinction. >:D

[@cxfxcdude]

@@theeatherlash69 even the man who invent the Eldermancy did not finish the Eldermancy

[@drengr2759]

The gods now fear him.

[@Sir_Bucket]

@@cxfxcdude to finish your Eldermancy can only have two outcome: death, or ascension into Godhood

[@saorse5918]

@@Sir_Bucket i would take the risk with look would become a god of drunkenness

[@starsgears9200]

And here we see a side-by-side of the Matt Mercer Effect, and the Sam Riegel Effect.

[@DTux5249]

There's a Sam Riegel Effect?

[@MetFreak42]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 ❤

[@starsgears9200]

@@DTux5249 Yes. It's this slow descent into madness.

[@emilyarmstrong83]

@@starsgears9200 It's what happens when you play too much Ace Attorney lol

[@Ajehy]

@@emilyarmstrong83 OBJECTION!!!

[@NWolfsson]

"Cursed cocktails of Critical Role" Me: Well, I don't remember much cocktails, I'm a bit surp- "Eldermancy." Me: Thank you, I had that memory suppressed...

[@Dantevonlocke]

What's even better about that? They actually included it in the Seekers Guide bar menus.

[@Senorfacetube]

Yeah, I saw the yogurt and coffee in the intro and immediately got flashbacks

[@danielmcgillis270]

That memory in me was not suppressed, after I saw it I began drinking Absinth until I no longer remember that evening.

[@pendingauthor2536]

The moment I saw yogurt-it all came rushing back.

[@FyreDrac]

same here

[@DisneyLover258]

I love how Sandkheg's Hide gets the exact same reaction that Percy and Keyleth give. "Does it taste good?" " *UH-UH* " "Do you recommend it?" "Ehhhhhhh." Makes it totally feel real and that Greg hit that drink spot on.

[@DarkAngelCookie]

The way they synced up when they answered is still one of my favorites 🤣

[@TheNerfer]

When he drank the Eldermancy, I just watched that silence and thought "That's the face of a man who's regretting everything that led him to this moment."

[@patticake5367]

His face went so red.

[@b3rz3rk3r9]

You've yet to know how horrifying something is when you see a man question everything that led him to this moment. The catharsis, Schadenfreude, and pure empathetic sadness.

[@thefissers194]

I would happily throw money at the idea of watching the CR cast try that Sandkheg’s Hide

[@lornaburns1862]

SAME

[@juliehamel8330]

Yes!

[@xavierforget]

YES Please, helps that Campaign 3 is in the same area that Sandkeg's Hide is created!!!

[@issotti482]

YES PLS! Make that a stretch goal or something!

[@thebetterbard]

If they don't they are all cowards

[@abaddonarts1129]

"That tasted like a fucking ashtray" Text: Descent into Avernus Holy shit I was cackling at that bit

[@witchBoi_Connor]

Saaaame

[@euronimo34]

"Got that W.A.M" did it for me

[@jackielinde7568]

Oh, you KNOW someone's a D&D nerd if they got that reference. And, yes, I have that tomb in a backpack kicking around my house.

[@leonardogomez8812]

Avernus AKA The largest ashtray lol

[@kalebnolan8343]

We made it to the first layer of hell, the game died after I did because I was the last surviving party member

[@Martintheauthor]

The Seeker's Guide to Twisted Taverns is out now and the Eldermancy is in it! It's served in a tavern owned by Death and staffed by and catering to departed souls with a note in the menu that reads, "This cocktail should only be consumed by the dead, as enjoying a full glass will remind one what it feels like to die." So thank you Greg for showing us this most cursed of cursed cocktails and thank you Sam for creating this truly monstrous drink.

[@alticia]

downing the entire mug of eldermancy would actually result in you being able to use necromancy and other forms of magic, probably. can't imagine many things being impossible in the afterlife

[@WinterWindow30]

you would die IMMEDIATLY and come back as a revenant with the sole purpose of kicking sams ass.

[@HugoGojibiter]

That’s funny because I imagine everything would be impossible in the afterlife

[@charrydog22]

*if you survived Probably

[@timesthree5757]

With the added affect of voiding yer stomach.

[@Mare_Man]

It's probably one of the steps to becoming a lich

[@caleblecrow2207]

If I remember right, SandKhegs Hide is made from the Venom of a Ankheg. A giant bug with acidic spit. So the fact you were able to get something this close is wild.

[@zherron42]

Yes, it's Matt's homebrew desert subspecies of the Ankheg.

[@zoebaz6969]

I came here to comment that it's entirely appropriate that bug juice looks like that 😂

[@caleblecrow2207]

Okay who let in the cultist?

[@zherron42]

@@caleblecrow2207 take your meds, kids. Remember, if you can't make your own neurotransmitters, store bought is always fine.

[@Ajehy]

Honestly, the texture and the “buzz buttons” totally made it look like it came out of a giant bug’s abdomen.

[@ColmRMcGuinness]

Man out here doing the lord's work!

[@harrymorris2361]

The godly voiced Irishman!

[@daymonross6406]

He very much is also love the shanty you did

[@jonathanwalker3231]

Good to see the one and only Mr. CR Music himself here!

[@disconnected7737]

Two of my favorite content creators here? Very good

[@nbv6975]

Well I’m not sure that the Eldermancy “cocktail” could ever be considered anything close to the lord’s work, but agreed.

[@SpaceCowboy57]

This recipe feels like someone got to the rum part, tasted it, and said "oh fuck, that's gross, let's drown it in something strong." then tasted it with mezcal and said "... how much absinthe do I need to mask this disgusting mess." and it just grew from there.

[@DarkAngelCookie]

Yup. Ending it with "fuck it, let's slap some yogurt in it. What's the worst that could happen?!"

[@BeatlesNinja]

The kitchen sink mentality

[@jamesgilbert124]

Watching Greg suffer through his second sip of the Eldermancy had me wheezing. "OMG, it tasted like a fucking ashtray!" That's the mezcal finally showing up.

[@Lord_necromancer]

I think that's the old espresso lol espresso has to be drank quickly, of you wait and let it sit it tastes like ashes and ass lol

[@crushingvictory]

The drinks may be cursed, but that bottle you used for the Elderberry Liquor is cool as heck!

[@jasonminnis3850]

i agree. i've been trying to find it since this episode came out

[@arespectableaccountname4481]

Remember, uncooked elderberries are poisonous Do what you want with that knowledge

[@jasonminnis3850]

@@arespectableaccountname4481 I didn’t know that. Thanks for that little tidbit of knowledge

[@r.f.switch5847]

I'm also a fan of that stone bottle he used for the Sandkeg's Hide

[@naturalist10000]

Hey Greg, if you see this can you give us an Affiliate link for the bottle? I've wanted something nice for a wildberry liquer i'm making.

[@DungeonVoice]

Funnily enough, the Sandkheg's Hide came out just about the same brown color as the chitin of an ankheg, the species of bug monstrosity that the sandkheg is part of. So it also checks out from a color perspective!

[@randomnumbersequence]

"pre-war chocolate milk" really got me. Nearly choked on my drink

[@JikuAraiguma]

So did he.

[@bagochips834]

The thing that got me was "tastes like a fucking ashtray"

[@TrollingWolfGaming]

If it helps, he did too :D

[@andrewbernal9957]

@@bagochips834 “Descent Into Avernus”. Perfection. And just after he was talking about the layers it had.

[@anusername8350]

“Was choccy milk a pre war thing or a pre pre war thing?”

[@sphealingit222]

"This is a very fancy drink for a discerning individual" Yeah is the same way human flesh is an exquisite meat according to Hannibal Lecter

[@davidpitts5522]

Meat from a cow = beef Meat from a deer = venison Pig = pork Bird = fowl (or just the bird ie chicken/turkey) What is Meat from a human called?

[@jonathandoe1367]

@@davidpitts5522 Long pig. The more you know.

[@spudthepug]

Long pig. Seriously.

[@lshaw303]

@@davidpitts5522 long pig, and now you too unfortunately know that fact.

[@MsKathleenb]

@@davidpitts5522 Long pork.

[@EthalaRide]

Sandkhegs Hide looks like the forgotten FIFTH humor of Galen's Four humors: sanguine, choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic, And finally _Regret._

[@Stukov961]

Re: "it should be called wormwood bitters": Malört is the Swedish name for wormwood, so it basically already is. And fun fact, the literal translation for malört is "moth herb"

[@scouttyra]

Or the bad herb

[@baseballjustin5]

And one of Critical Role's main sponsors is Wyrmwood Gaming. So it fits

[@VanNessy97]

Does it taste like mothballs?

[@nonblondified]

@@scouttyra not from swedish it doesnt?

[@theangryholmesian4556]

"Holmes what's the worst cocktail?" "Why it's Eldermancy my dear Watson."

[@GaldirEonai]

From the effects, I'd say the fictional Sandkheg's Hide's secret ingredient is probably tetrodotoxin or a very similar compound. In very small doses it provides a pleasant tingling sensation followed by numbing. It's why _very_ traditionally-prepared fugu is so prized...if there's _just barely enough_ of the toxin left in the fish as you eat it, you get a pretty incomparable sensation with your otherwise fairly ordinary fish. If there's a little bit more than that what you get instead is paralysis and probably death.

[@MandrakeFernflower]

I read somewhere that TTX is said to taste minty and numbing so maybe taking some toothache buds and soaking them in Peppermint Pastille might be a way to make an imitation of that flavor

[@VanNessy97]

TTX and BTX cancel each other out like pemdas

[@spudthepug]

Well…it is originally made with sandkheg bile, which is acidic.

[@blueeyesredlipstick4228]

Greg, bless you for attempting to drink the Eldermancy cocktail. You are a hero for our times. Please let your liver rest and also maybe donate it to science.

[@gamemasteranthony2756]

That’s assuming there is any liver LEFT after the Eldermancy!

[@beanhamienpebble9522]

As soon as he said “wormwood”, Matt’s voice started playing in my brain “big thanks again to our lovely sponsors Wormwood!”

[@baseballjustin5]

I know! And according to other comments Malort means Wormwood So more fitting stuff And the company is Wyrmwood

[@proto303]

The bones of trees and skins of beasts! Offer not valid in the Forgotten Realms! *table slap*

[@NBFAN00B]

10:52 I lost my shit, laughing hysterically at the La Fée Brun bit. It’s French for ‘The Brown Fairy’. Which is a play on what Absinthe is nicknamed which is ‘La Fée Verte’ or ‘The Green Fairy’.

[@anonymouspotato3453]

If you wanna split hairs, it should be La Fée Brune, with an e (French is like that) but the joke still stands. Also Brown Fairy sounds like a euphemism for /something/.

[@NBFAN00B]

😂 Yeah you’re right. I forgot about the e.

[@colinmacaoidh9583]

Yeah, my GF and I both lost it, cackling uncontrollably, at that

[@devynthurman8444]

Secretly Artagan?

[@UponThisAltar]

"Suddenly Skeksis" as a descriptor of Sandkeg's Hide absolutely killed me.

[@crystalpyr0997]

Chamberlain

[@DaveTh3Ninja]

Sandkheg's Hide: The closest thing to traveling to the Elemental Demi-Plane of Salt without being brutally killed by dehydraton.

[@midg3tninj4]

your handle is everything, thank you

[@Ajehy]

@@midg3tninj4 I read it as “Gilmore’s Yogurt Stash”, which would be GLORIOUS!

[@midg3tninj4]

@@Ajehy if you haven't seen Fantasy High over on Dimension 20, i strongly recommend it, and this handle will take on another level of excellence

[@Ajehy]

@@midg3tninj4 I’ve seen a bit of it, but I haven’t gotten to them yet.

[@plewelly]

The active ingredient in the buzz buttons is called spilanthol. Perhaps a NileRed collaboration with some extracted spilanthol could make an interesting and even appetizing variant of the second drink.

[@The_Keeper]

Extracted? Nah. Knowing NileRed, he'd probably synthesize it from gasoline or something.

[@plewelly]

@@The_Keeper True. He's gonna make it from shoe laces and the dreams of children.

[@stephensteele3553]

Until it turns yellow and then they are all screwed.

[@Reynevan100]

NileRed collab would be SICK!

[@codyhughes7267]

I wonder if Greg ever worries about potential chemical reactions with these episodes. This seems like how people went about making history's first poisons.

[@lightningkitten]

they _are_ poisons

[@cyanyde4950]

Alcohol literally is a poison in of itself, it's literally a legalized narcotic lmao

[@charlestoncooper5265]

i mean alcohol technically is a poison

[@paulfrakher5586]

After describing Sandkheg's Hide so much and how you definitely shouldn't try it I can't help but feel a sense of morbid curiosity sweep over me

[@YaamFel]

"I don't know how much is the right amount here" None, none is the right amount

[@JKSSubstandard]

The moment I saw the word eldermancy I just whispered to myself "please God no, spare this man"

[@williamreely3455]

"The universe tastes like salt" Huh, maybe someone could invent a twist on this drink called Lot's Wife 😂

[@owlmage]

Ouch I like this video, I like critical role and I like you but the last like makes me want to not like the video because I don't know if I am liking you sincerely enough, on the other hand make Lot's Wife and drink it for our amusement! I will see myself out good luck and have fun.

[@polymorphmedia]

The degree of effort and cost that went into making incredibly painful cocktails, when your job is to make the opposite of that, you're a trooper for this one.

[@ZagorTeNayebo]

The Sandkhegs hide is actually genius, I can totally imagine being 16 and ordering that at the local pub to prove who's the bigger man, hell we did that with grosser and less interesting stuff

[@goldengrandeur4639]

That's basically what Grog used it for!

[@benvoliothefirst]

@@goldengrandeur4639 Buddy and I challenged ourselves to eat an entire roll of ShockTarts. We drooled profusely, every color of the rainbow. Ah youth

[@arielshuffield4188]

I would desperately love for him to send the Cast a bottle of this for them to drink, that'd be amazing XD And I mean, they ate durian candy, so this can't be much worse right?

[@zoinomiko]

... yeah... totally not much worse.... XD

[@gabimurray5955]

Durian is delicious

[@nullproxy9639]

Mmm durian candy, yummy

[@disconnected7737]

Durian is tame The eldermancy breaks or makes warriors. Sandkheg’s hide seems like something different, but not inherently shit.

[@JadeofallTrades88]

the moment of Travis' realization of his bad decision to eat the candy and then the way he spit it out lives rent free in my head. lol.

[@shingshongshamalama]

That thing you said about Miracle Berries and blocking taste receptors? Laureth Sulfate also does that to your sweet receptors, and also over-stimulates your bitter tastebuds. Laureth Sulfate is a surfactant (lowers surface tension) used in cleaning products and also toothpaste to make them foam more. It's the reason you can't drink OJ after you brush your teeth because your sweet tastebuds literally turn off and you can't taste anything but the bitterness.

[@FeliciaKorvo]

you just reminded me of the huge elder plant we had in our garden when I was growing up and every other year we had this huge harvest of elderberries and usually turned them into jam. as a kid I absolutely loved that, now as an adult I'm mourning he loss of that plant because holy damn I would love to make some good (and cheap) elderberry liqueur, it sounds like it would taste so good, my gods...

[@mylesmurf]

Hey Greg, here's a tip for you: there's actually a kind of liquor made with buzzberries called Tingala. It gives you that electric effect out of the bottle, plus some other flavors. Unfortunately, it's actually pretty nice, so it may not be great in Sandkheg's Hide, but of you ever need buzzberries in anything else, might be worth checking out

[@ratzeflummi6372]

i don't think the eldermancy was ever supposed to be inflicted on anyone other than its evil creator

[@ViktoriousDead]

I FULLY expect to see Greg as a bartender on a western movie one day. And I’m pumped

[@michaelrabon1189]

You deserve to be a guest on Critical Role just for enduring 2 sips of Riegel's concoction

[@OffbeatWorlds]

The "suddenly skeksis" reaction had me CACKLING. Sounds like you totally nailed the Sandkheg's Hide, and I'm not gonna lie, I'm super curious about it.

[@JH-cs5py]

...aaaaand now I need to watch Dark Crystal. It would make sense to watch that in October, right?

[@furisado4396]

😄 Same !

[@everythingalldwight4939]

We just gonna ignore Sam may have had to make his own Elderberry Liquor for that monstrosity?

[@curtisholsinger6023]

Nope. That was an excellent piece of info and I don't doubt it for a moment.

[@spidermanmyers]

@@curtisholsinger6023 Unfortunately Sam has a posted comment confirming what he had said in the clip, he didn't know that the ingredients were real. So sadly Sam did not go through the same work this beast of a man did, though the assistant or whoever got him the ingredients might have done even more work and actually found a commercial Elderberry Liquor.

[@JubioHDX]

@@spidermanmyers may have also just been some sort of elderberry or grape juice, considering the insane amount of absinthe noone would ever know in the finished drink😂😂😂

[@spidermanmyers]

@@JubioHDX True but I like the idea that they went through all of that effort for a gag, because that means I'm not alone in this universe.

[@TheArcher20]

now i wanna see how you'd handle making a good version of the eldermancy, i wanna horrify my friends with homemade elderberry syrup and yogurt in a drink

[@rynoyak]

In Szechuan (or Szechwan, Sichuan), this peppercorn is in EVERYTHING! Powders, sauces, sweet, candies, savory, etc. etc. It is truly a sensation worthy of a try.

[@sarahjo9975]

I'm not much of a drinker, but the fact that you replicated what ended up in-game being the glandular secretions of a dangerous fantasy creature (sandkheg) and also put so much effort into making ingredients for something so unholy as Sam's insane drink creation, you, sir, have earned my respect and my subscription! That was amazing. Thanks for all your hard work! 😄

[@Gahbagedog]

"Oh my god, that tasted like a fucking ashtray" is my favorite HTD line to date.

[@TempestasAurum]

I know there's an elderberry liqueur in Poland at least. I tried some elderberry liqueur on a bottle with Polish written all over it, but I don't think there's any available in America at least.

[@thederpstate3330]

I bought an elderberry liquor in tacoma about 5 years ago

[@albinlundberg5583]

"A death rattle" and "but is it any good" got me real good. Holy shit

[@DragonHoardingKush]

“…Very, very gourmet, well stocked grocery store… Run by a woods witch.” I wanna shop there.

[@jacobwhitfield5885]

God, when he created the "good drinks" episode, and announced the "bad drinks" episode, I was praying he would do the sandkheg hide

[@delcox8165]

5:21 Well, I can tell you one thing, that espresso tasted like a smoker's ass. Having worked at a coffee shop once upon a time, I can tell you there is a _world,_ a GALAXY of a difference between fresh espresso and old espresso. Fresh espresso tastes full, and smooth, and caramel-y, and chocolatey--I hate coffee and I would drink the extra shots happily. But it needs to go in a drink within about 30 seconds, or (I assume the reason is) it starts absorbing oxygen or _something_ from the atmosphere and turns into something akin to old cigarette smoke and metal. It gets bitter, and sour, and coppery, and just... _awful._ I would sit and stare in utter horror over my bar at people that would sip at their espresso over the course of many minutes while they read the paper. I'm convinced those people had no souls and were just trying to blend in. _Edit:_ 11:39 Hah! Yep. There it is. Ash tray. Called it.

[@yilvoxe4017]

Yeah agreed. I mean not like he had a choice, but I saw him adding old espresso from a paper cup and cringed. It didn't even look like it was _ever_ good espresso. To be fair, the whole drink was always going to be a mess, so I can forgive him.

[@Caro-cg8gt]

i was about to comment about this too, espresso thats been sitting for a bit is HORRIBLE

[@mlynn998]

While I agree that very old espresso is generally not great tasting, the 30 seconds thing is a myth started by an old Starbucks employee handbook. Presumably started to increase productivity and profits. Espresso is good as long as it stays within the necessary temp.

[@delcox8165]

@@mlynn998 Nope. Absolutely not a myth. I worked the bar for years. It wasn't a hard 30 seconds; yes the time was a guideline, but if you couldn't tell the difference between a fresh shot and one that sat in the glass for two minutes, you didn't have a soul. This wasn't a connoisseur thing like telling the year of a wine, it was the difference between molasses and a battery acid-dirt cocktail.

[@mlynn998]

@@delcox8165 idk I really don’t care what you do, but you might want to look into it. It seems like the determining factor is coffee quality, so shots that “die” within a couple minutes are generally low quality compared to those that keep their taste. Heat masks bad flavors, so it makes sense that allowing a bad shot to cool will show it’s true colors. There is a reason every barista at championships ask the judges to allow their espresso to cool for a couple minutes. That way, they can actually taste the flavor notes instead of just chugging it down and burning their mouths.

[@OotsyyTTV]

I really never comment on videos, but I just want to say the Avernus reference when he says: "Tastes like an ashtray" is extremely clever, not only because Avernus is literally Hell, but also because there's a note in the book that says all food and water tastes ashy or acidic, or generally disgusting (up to the DMs discretion). Great easteregg

[@typervoxilations2311]

"cursed critical role cocktails" me: is it elderma-- yep

[@pandorawolf8239]

You can see the exact moment the Eldermancy took his soul for the D10 eldritch blast cantrip at 10:15

[@scouttyra]

New warlock subclass? Pact of the drink?

[@pibb2474]

Can I just say, I deeply appreciate your attention to detail in making these drinks for which you don't have a lot to go off. There's something so satisfying about your dedication to these fictional things by not just following the recipe but listening to the description and trying to achieve that description. Thank you for your content.

[@timothyhayes2726]

I had a drink in my game I found online I would love to see you make for real. It's called the Banshee's Breath. It's a white swirling liquor made from a special translucent wild berry. Tastes sweet, has and effect similar to mint gum in that it always feels cold. It would be cool to actually make a real drink like this for my game.

[@bladecruiser.]

I honestly don't know if the Eldermancy would have been better or worse if you did as Sam did vs what he said. And that's why this is so beautiful.

[@Vespuchian]

I'm genuinely wondering which ingredients should be removed to make it not-awful. Like, would it be a half-way drinkable stunt drink if you left out the espresso or yoghurt? It's clear that drink has way too much absinth, so the other ingredients are essentially irrelevant, but what if you could float the coffee/yoghurt mix on top to make a layered drink?

[@SilverScaleMA]

When I watched that episode I honestly don't think he thought it was actual alcohol. The regret was palpable.

[@nathanielranney9163]

@@Vespuchian Lots of people have suggested using the absinthe as a rinse

[@frederikjuhl7929]

Their next campaign is in Marquet so they should start it with a sip of Sandkheg's Hide

[@dantevalehuntik28]

Yessss

[@leonardogomez8812]

Should taste like crabmeat stock from hell lol

[@Lordofgiraffes]

Unfortunately, they are still prerecording, so it has probably already been taped. And even if they were live it probably wouldn't make it in time

[@frederikjuhl7929]

@@Lordofgiraffes I thought their prerecording was on the day they go live but just in the morning. Or at least the same week as it goes live

[@DjImpossibility]

Funny you should propose that Malört should be called wormwood bitter, since malört literally means wormwood in swedish :)

[@anewhero1216]

One of the most memorable things about the original Eldermancy clip is the genuine panic in Laura Bailey’s voice when Sam went to actually drink it lol

[@snackiz]

Malört, pronounced [maul eart] is actually the swedish name for wormwood, so it IS called a wormwood bitter or a wormwood schnapps, only in swedish. Fun fact: Malört literally translates to moth herb, because it was said to be effective against moths destroying your clothes.

[@fruustles]

it's basically the chicagoan version of bäska droppar

[@scouttyra]

@@fruustles Bäska droppar is also Swedish, means bitter drops. Uses Malört.

[@alphared6843]

Absolutely love this recreation of the Sandkheg's Hide! I just thought that it was worth mentioning that it could also be based off of Kava root, which is a really bitter root that is steeped in water like a tea that also makes your entire mouth and throat go numb and provides a similar intoxication to alcohol.

[@PaulGarnerBlueskiwi]

Yeah I thought of Kava too when it was first described!

[@NwyfreCD]

I've recently looked this up, but it's unadvised to mix kava root with alcohol as it can increase the risk of liver problems and potentially double the side effects that come with drinking alcohol by itself. Which is why kava root is mainly used as a replacement for alcohol in its stead. Thought it'd be a interesting little tidbit for you. ^-^

[@fearrection4465]

your commitment to actually drinking The Eldermancy is enough to earn my vote.

[@perrycarters3113]

Malort is the most delicious, refined liquor by comparison to the Eldermancy Nightmare Concoction.

[@nbv6975]

You are braver than any US Marine for making the Eldermancy “Cocktail”. That’s the kind of thing you drink in proper to kill god, I bow down in awe.

[@Ignorethis12345]

So all they had to do was give that to Lucien and they wouldn't have had to deal with any of that Astral sea murder city stuff?

[@jackielinde7568]

No, he's brave for drinking the damned thing. He's flipping nuts for making it in the first place.

[@shaggy4real97]

Showed this to my grandfather, a Korea war vet, and even he looked at him with respect and fear after that drink

[@ltrocola2740]

Any Marine that has chugged a glass of Grog during a Mess night will welcome a tall glass of Eldermancy as a chaser.

[@themastermason1]

That two shots of mezcal has the same energy as the "two shots of vodka" with Sandra Lee.

[@fgsfds121]

The fact he's visibly poured out two drinks here has convinced me that he does in fact finish the rest of his drinks off-screen. Maybe between takes.

[@s1mp_licity38]

I do now want these drinks, but redone so they taste good. Or at least palatable so long as you like Elder berries and the actual ingredients themselves

[@jem5636]

Yeah I love elderberries so I'm curious what it would taste like if you could actually, you know, taste the elderberry.

[@yamuda]

We have good and evil. Now we need Neutral, Lawful, and Chaotic.

[@schooltechnology]

Neutral cocktail: Vodka and distilled water served at body temperature.

[@cheekyghost2284]

The Eldermancy cocktail looks so much like an ordinary coffee drink that it's almost offensive. It has no right to look that normal.

[@PumpkinKing1312]

iirc sand kegs hide was made with stomach acid, so it probably looks accurate lmao

[@kelleymcmahan6457]

I want that decanter you have the elderberry liqueur in. That thing is gorgeous!

[@gordol66]

6:35 You know what they say, Absinth makes the heart grow fonder. Also, Red Ale and Brown Ale do have different flavor profiles. IMO, you should have gone with another Brown even if it didn't start with N to maintain the same flavors.

[@ronpagep6234]

I wouldn’t put it past Sam to make a liquor for a bit

[@Armlessartist]

After seeing c3 e1 I fully believe he made Elderberry liquor

[@KodiakRaven]

It’s been a year. I watch this video when it came out and I’m coming back to it now. I would still absolutely love nothing more than to see Matt, Travis and Laura (specifically) try this drink, even the whole cast. I will forever await that day, even if it may never come

[@YakYo]

I love the reactions from Matt during this, the inventor of the Scotch and Coke

[@reneedemers8218]

I would *love* for you to send the Sandkheg's hide to the staff of Critical Role

[@EvelynnEleonore]

"Mint tastes like mint, it doesn't have a sensation-" OBJECTION! Mint contains Menthol, which does activate your cold receptors, which is a sensation, not a flavor! :B

[@wolfofsummerbreeze]

This

[@King_of_Red_Lions]

Honestly this reminds me of the time my friend was making practice cocktails and having me try them... eventually he made a mix that was just everything he had on the counter and... well... it didn't combine well, it ended up looking like someone had kicked up silt at the bottom of a pond, it was a murky brown and looked like sand was swirling around in clouds inside it... I have since affectionately referred to it as "The Sandy Butthole"... to be fair, I couldn't taste anything for two hours after the fact so all in all, not actually that bad a drink, kind of a nightmare going down but it passes XD

[@corinneqofhearts5069]

If you set a snuffed cigarette butt on top (that you then filter through your teeth when taking the shot) it's a Keith Richard's Slammer, and is proof of why my friend group should never be trusted.

[@giantrising1785]

You take so much of the pain out of commercial breaks by announcing them! I love that about your channel

[@captainzamzabam]

Seeing 'Descent into Avernus' in the Eldermancy tasting notes nearly killed me.

[@moopert86]

Eldermancy: When you're already drunk and don't care what you drink, but want to get much more durnker.

[@chalor182]

Never heard of you before but this got an instant sub lol, really good presence and a lot of fun

[@ThatRagamuffin]

When you said "absinthe, cream, yoghurty, curdled badness" I actually shuddered irl. Chilling.

[@Eric-sy1xu]

GREG! So Malört literally means Wormwood in Swedish, Carl Jeppson was a Swedish immigrant who came to Chicago and for one reason or another made Malört, (pronounced Mall (like shopping mall) err (like to err is human) and cutting off the err Early with the t) I imagine cause Jeppsen was Swedish he wanted something which tasted of Home, and Scandinavia uses a lot of wormwood in its spirits, looking at Aquavit, looking at Gammeldansk, looking at Underborg (it's German but close enough), there is a pretty present bitterness in all these which I imagine partially inspired Jeppson to make the drink initially. And NOW we have Chicago which loves the stuff, so it's a happy ending for everyone.

[@fruustles]

looking at bäska droppar

[@rheonotic]

I didn’t see anyone mention the mislabeled Absinthe as Mezcal again. Just a fun Easter egg now.

[@giannareeve2529]

I was looking for this comment haha

[@giantcabbage6904]

Also the sugar in sandkhegs hyde was mislabeled as malort

[@icannotchoose]

I was struggling to remember Critical Role specific cocktails other than sandkegs hide, then you said Eldermancy and I had terrible flashbacks. I haven't gone further in the video yet, but I pray to the Exandrian gods you do NOT put yogurt in that drink! Edit: You did it. You madman. I don't know whether to respect, pity, or fear you.

[@clairerichards4936]

This a great episode! First you make Sam's jungle juice, then you bring Sandkheg's Hide to life, wonderful!

[@Tuton25]

Honestly Sandkheg's hide sounds exactly like something that would come out of rural Southeast Asia. Along those lines you should do a video on some of the various snake wines that are from various parts of Asia.

[@MrHodoAstartes]

One Google search gives me Hödl Hof Holunder, a elderberry liqueur from Styria. They only ship to Austria and Germany, but I'm sure an importer for the American market could get their hands on a few crates.

[@littlebridge3025]

A true underrated KZbinr..no matter the title or pinned pic, this guy always delivers. The wonderful jazz music and amazing, homey, set is so appealing to watch. Always love to watch Greg, please keep your episodes coming!

[@Ceastment]

It is rare that a video makes me laugh until I cry, but the description of the Elderberry one was perfect.

[@LaminarTurbulence]

It would be interesting to see an improved version of eldermancy where you chose the ingredients (they still have to spell eldermancy of course).

[@CED99]

Yup

[@thepopulargirl1784]

That's what I hoped he would do after making Sam's cursed version.

[@redmist6131]

It would have to have the elderberry liquor and yogurt in it though

[@CommonApathy]

Or at least have it in more reasonable proportions.

[@imalsoscarlet8466]

The ad for Eldermancy was absolutely hilarious. I'm so glad you made the drink you brave brave man.

[@mattiasjohansson1575]

@15:50 It’s already named for that. Malort is from Malört, the Swedish name for wormwood, it’s called malort because it’s from a Swedish emigrant. Here in Sweden it’s used in several kinds of aquavit, like Bäska droppar (bitter drips) or Piratens besk (the pirates bitter). Fun fact, is a big tradition in the student towns to drink Bäska as snaps at gasques (student dinners), and often told that you hate it until you’ve had around 20 in your life, after that you’ll crave it

[@Tintelinus]

"Its told you will hate it untill you had it 20 times then you will crave it" I think thats just Alcoholism