Episode 107 Malort
Ep. 107 – Malort... what the hell is going on here?
Welcome to Season 7 episode 107 of The Art of Drinking with Join Jules and Your Favorite Uncle
Join Uncle Brad and Jules as they brave the notoriously face-contorting Malort. Listen as these courageous libation explorers transform Chicago's favorite liquid punishment into surprisingly palatable cocktails, including Uncle Brad's recreation of the Swedish Seed that might actually make you want to drink Malort (trust him on this one, it’s like Root Beer for grown-ups).
Discover the twisted history of this infamous spirit, from its Swedish origins to its Chicago cult status, and learn how this beverage—described by critics as tasting like "grapefruit rind steeped in gasoline"—became both a beloved cultural touchstone and the city's favorite practical joke on unsuspecting tourists. We'll track Malort's journey from immigrant staple to near extinction, and its phoenix-like revival in the 2010s that cemented its status as Chicago's most masochistic rite of passage.
Whether you're a Malort veteran with the facial scars to prove it or a curious newcomer wondering "how bad could it really be?" (spoiler: bad), this episode promises equal parts history lesson and liquid courage. Listen in and discover why sometimes, the worst-tasting traditions are the ones we cherish most.
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🧠 A Brief (and Bitter) History of Malört
Malört’s story begins not in Chicago—but in Sweden, where wormwood-based bitters known as besk were traditionally consumed as medicinal tonics. These extremely bitter spirits were believed to aid digestion, boost appetite, and even ward off parasites. The defining ingredient? Artemisia absinthium, or wormwood—the same botanical that gives absinthe its edge.
Fast-forward to Carl Jeppson, a Swedish immigrant who brought his taste for besk with him to the U.S. in the early 1900s. Settling in Chicago, he began making his own version and selling it during Prohibition, claiming its intense flavor was medicinal (wink, wink). According to lore, Jeppson himself was a cigar smoker who had lost much of his taste and smell—so if he could taste it, it had to be strong.
After Prohibition, Jeppson formalized production under the Jeppson’s Malört brand. For decades, Malört maintained a low profile, consumed mostly by loyalists in working-class Chicago bars. Its bitter bite made it something of a novelty, a dare, a test of toughness—or just something to haze your out-of-town friend with.
📉 Nearly Extinct, Then a Comeback
By the early 2000s, Malört was nearly extinct. The brand changed hands a few times, and for years it was contract-distilled in Florida. But something was happening in Chicago: a grassroots revival. Bartenders and drinkers—ironically or earnestly—began embracing Malört again. It became a meme, a mascot, a badge of honor. The local bar scene rallied around it.
In 2018, CH Distillery, a craft spirits producer based in Chicago, acquired the rights and brought production back home. For the first time in decades, Malört was made in Chicago again, now with a new generation of bartenders exploring its potential in actual cocktails—not just punishment shots.
🤯 Fun Facts You Can Sip On:
Malört literally translates to “wormwood” in Swedish.
It’s one of only a few U.S.-produced spirits that includes real wormwood.
Jeppson’s Malört contains no sugar—making it technically a schnapps, not a liqueur.
It was once described in a legal battle as "an old man’s face collapsing in on itself." (No notes.)
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