What if we told you there was a cocktail hiding in Charleston that’s out selling espresso martinis by over 150 orders a month? And the secret ingredient is… Cheese.
Meet the Black Sheep, a goat cheese-infused gin cocktail that’s the most popular drink at the bar at The Archer. The recipe, which pairs gin with blackberry, grapefruit, thyme and lemon, was the brain child of Damien Edens who’s been curating the The Archer’s cocktail program since the restaurant opened 2024.
“Over the years, I’ve watched trends come and go, but the main thing I’ve learned is to be successful in bartending there needs to be a balance between the nerdy or complex cocktails being easy and very drinkable,” says Edens, who has been bartending in Charleston for over a decade. “For example, my prep at The Archer is very in-depth but by the time I’m done no one would ever know that the cocktail they’re enjoying took 2 days and has 9 ingredients.”
It’s safe to say that now Edens is the one setting cocktail trends in the Holy City, the latest of which is pairing cocktails with everyone’s favorite charcuterie cheeses — and goat cheese is just the beginning.
The Method Behind the Madness of Cheese Cocktails
“Using cheese in a cocktail is a technique called fat-washing: you take a fat, like cheese, butter, bacon, or olive oil, and infuse the spirit with it,” Edens says. “Depending on the cheese, you can get flavors that are salty and funky or tangy, plus this really velvety mouthfeel that something like egg white just can’t replicate.”
Along with the Black Sheep, Edens has the El Mancheguito 75 on his phenomenal cocktail menu, another gin cocktail with apricot, marcona almond, lemon, and lambrusco which stars manchego cheese in not one but two ways: infused in the gin and served up on the rim in the perfect snackable slice. Edens recommends taking a sip of the cocktail, a nibble of the cheese, then another sip of the cocktail for the full taste experience.
Ultimately, cheese is just another fat used to craft unique cocktails and Edens was determined to push himself creatively when creating his own cocktail program at The Archer.
“Honestly, it’s only stupid if it doesn’t work,” Edens says. “For these drinks, I used Manchego for its salty, funky character from the rind, and goat cheese to add a tangy flavor and that smooth, velvety texture.”
When we ordered our first Black Sheep at The Archer, Edens’ described the taste headed our way as a “gin sherbet with a sour, funky, tangy twist.” After the first sip, the description was spot on. The only thing he left out was the word delicious.
How to Plan a Charcuterie and Cocktail Night at Home
It’s easier than you think to infuse gin with cheese at home, according to Edens, and the results are always worth it. Want to make things even more fun? Add the cheese of choice to your charcuterie board so guests can take a sip and then a nibble for an awesome tasting experience like you get at The Archer.
Edens shared the recipe for his signature pink goat-cheese cocktail with us so you can bring a taste of the magic home. And feel free to get creative! Swap in other cheeses and see what happens. As a wise mixologist once said: It’s only stupid if it doesn’t work.
The Black Sheep Recipe: The Archer’s Goat Cheese-Infused Gin Cocktail
Recipe courtesy of Damien Edens
Cocktail Ingredients
- 1.75 oz Goat Cheese Gin*
- .75 oz Lemon Juice
- .50 oz Blackberry-Thyme Syrup**
- .25 oz Pamplemouse
- .25 oz Demerara
- 1 Dash Saline
How to Make Cheese-Infused Gin
Ingredients:
- 1 L Gin
- 4 oz of Goat Cheese
Add ingredients to an airtight container (mason jar, tupperware) and whisk until goat cheese is dissolved. Place the sealed container in the freezer for 24 hours. This allows the fat to solidify and separate from the liquid. Remove from the freezer and strain the gin through a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or coffee filter into a clean jar or bottle. Press gently on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.
How to Make Blackberry Thyme Syrup (Yield: About 1½–2 cups syrup)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh blackberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1–2 sprigs fresh thyme
Add the blackberries, sugar, water, and thyme to a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture reaches a gentle simmer. As it heats, gently mash the blackberries with a spoon to release their juices. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a jar, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Let cool completely before using. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Method to Make the Cocktail
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake. Add to coupe glass. Garnish with a skewered fresh blackberry.
