I'm going through the PDT cocktail book this month whenever I decide it's time for a cocktail at home. My generaly choice involves flipping through the book until i come upon a recipe which I happen to have all the ingredients for and seems like a good winter drink.
Having gotten through the A's and B's over the last couple weeks (resulting in ~4 cocktails I wanted to make) I flipped through to the D's and came upon the Deshler, a drink credited to Hugo Enslin, author of Recipes for Mixing Drinks (1916). The drink, named after period lightweight boxer Dave Deshler, is a Dubonnet based variant of the Manhattan.
Deshler
1.5 oz Rye
.75 oz Dubbonet Rouge
.25 oz Cointreau
2 Dashes Peychaud's Bitters
Stir in a mixing glass, strain, and garnish with an orange twist.
So, no pictures of this one, seeing as I drank it with dinner before I remembered. The drink was quite good, although it really didn't compare to the elegant simplicity of a perfectly proportioned Manhattan made with quality ingredients. That being said the rye mellowed the quinine notes of the Dubonnet (which have offended my taste in previous cocktails) and stood above all the sugar present in this drink. Overall it tastes like a Manhattan with cointreau, except you also can't really taste the exact elements of the whiskey itself; they are masked by the other ingredients. Whereas in a truly good Manhattan the vermouth works to highlight the chosen whiskey.
I'm most certainly making this again, but I'm never going to be using any extravagantly good rye in it (whereas a Willet Rye Manhattan is, at the moment, one of the most tantalizing things I've ever tasted).
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Negroni - Round 2
Once upon a time, in a reality far far away, a younger version of myself ordered a Negroni, which was on special at a good bar. Upon tasting the potion served to me, I cried out in shock, oh-my-god this is bitter?! Who would drink such a travesty?...and then it was back to vodka cranberries for 2 months.
Not 2 months down the line I had my first whiskey sour (made w/o sour mix), which I still remember vividly. This introduction to the rabbit hole of cocktails lead me down an interesting road and I am now back to wrestle with the bitter Italian digestivo that is the oh so popular Negroni.
Composed of equal parts gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, stirred and garnished with an orange peel, this drink is, indeed, bitter. While my first sip reminded me of my previous experiences with Campari, I very quickly overcame the bitterness and noticed all the subtle floral and orange notes I had previously missed. Not only that, but my now emblazoned palate was now perceiving sweet notes in the drink as well....offsetting the bitterness. I think previously I was just overwhelmed by the quinine-bitter notes to the point of excluding all other flavors. As it is now I am still not sure how to characterize this drink exactly...but if you like bitter drinks or Italian stuff in general definitely give the Negroni a try, and if you don't like it keep an open mind and try it again in a year or two.
Below is my slightly modified version
Negroni
1 1/3 oz gin (Bombay Sapphire)
1 oz Campari
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Martini)
3 dashes Regan's orange bitters
Stir and garnish with orange peel
Not 2 months down the line I had my first whiskey sour (made w/o sour mix), which I still remember vividly. This introduction to the rabbit hole of cocktails lead me down an interesting road and I am now back to wrestle with the bitter Italian digestivo that is the oh so popular Negroni.
Composed of equal parts gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, stirred and garnished with an orange peel, this drink is, indeed, bitter. While my first sip reminded me of my previous experiences with Campari, I very quickly overcame the bitterness and noticed all the subtle floral and orange notes I had previously missed. Not only that, but my now emblazoned palate was now perceiving sweet notes in the drink as well....offsetting the bitterness. I think previously I was just overwhelmed by the quinine-bitter notes to the point of excluding all other flavors. As it is now I am still not sure how to characterize this drink exactly...but if you like bitter drinks or Italian stuff in general definitely give the Negroni a try, and if you don't like it keep an open mind and try it again in a year or two.
Below is my slightly modified version
Negroni
1 1/3 oz gin (Bombay Sapphire)
1 oz Campari
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Martini)
3 dashes Regan's orange bitters
Stir and garnish with orange peel
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Missouri Mule
I am currently making roast chicken with roasted carrots & onions plus some sauteed spinach. Having used the zest of one lemon to make an herb butter to roast the chicken with I got ambitious and decided to search kindred cocktails for a drink using Lemon Juice and Bourbon. The result? The Missouri Mule
Apparently created for President Truman the drink is named after his home state and the Democrat's mule mascot.
Missouri Mule
3/4 oz Bourbon (Bulleit)
3/4 oz Laird's Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Cointreau
Shake then serve up in a chilled glass
The resulting cocktail smelled predominantly of campari & lemon and those were the main things i tasted in the drink. Sweet cointreau, lemon juice and campari all worked to hide the bourbon and applejack in the background. This made the drink rather monotonic in my opinion, and while a refreshing summer or fall cooler to be sure, my own tastes harken towards stronger or bitter-er drinks. I added a tad bit of bourbon after tasting the concoction and that helped a bit. If i ever make this again I most certainly will experiment with adding various bitters to small samples.
Summation is that this is an interesting drink that balances campari lemon juice and triple sec well which is fortified with bourbon and applejack. I most certainly will try it again, but some tinkering is needed next time.
Apparently created for President Truman the drink is named after his home state and the Democrat's mule mascot.
Missouri Mule
3/4 oz Laird's Apple Brandy
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Campari
1/2 oz Cointreau
Shake then serve up in a chilled glass
The resulting cocktail smelled predominantly of campari & lemon and those were the main things i tasted in the drink. Sweet cointreau, lemon juice and campari all worked to hide the bourbon and applejack in the background. This made the drink rather monotonic in my opinion, and while a refreshing summer or fall cooler to be sure, my own tastes harken towards stronger or bitter-er drinks. I added a tad bit of bourbon after tasting the concoction and that helped a bit. If i ever make this again I most certainly will experiment with adding various bitters to small samples.
Summation is that this is an interesting drink that balances campari lemon juice and triple sec well which is fortified with bourbon and applejack. I most certainly will try it again, but some tinkering is needed next time.
Friday, January 6, 2012
The Latest Word
So I am back in Vancouver, which means access to my 60 or so bottles of accumulated booze and my newly aquired bitters. I've been meaning to try "The Last Word" for a loooong time, but since it's winter the time never seemed right for a cocktail made from equal parts Gin, Maraschino Liqueur, Green Chartreuse and Lime Juice. However, after imbibing a bit too much whisky last night (seeing as I had a couple new bottles to test from NY), I wanted something light and refreshing that would also give me enough of a buzz to head to a dance bar (try going to a dance bar sober...its not very fun, at all).
The Latest Word uses Genever instead of Gin, and I chose it b/c I'm not quite in the mood for my juniper forward Tanqueray, although I suspect that would taste good as well.
The Latest Word
1/2 oz Genever - Boomsma
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur - Luxardo
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2oz Lime Juice
Shake, serve up in cocktail glass
This is quite the amazing drink. My first whiff brought me back to my first memories of really good citrus sorbet (or gelato, I can't remember which) - which i now realize most likely had some gin or vodka in it. It smells refreshing and almost begs for a lightly crushed sprig of mint to be used as a garnish whilst sipped outside by a pool when pretentiously judging others for whatever vodka based silliness they just ordered.
When tasting the first thing one notices is a blend of maraschino liquer and gin, deliciously strong, but by itself almost offputting. The body, and essence in my opinion, of this drink is the moment when the heavy maraschino notes start to drift away and the funky herbal qualities of the chartreuse kick in. I am a huge chartreuse fan, yes, but it really is the star of this drink. The finish is a bold note of lime (which you realize has been there all along), which curbs the agressive herbal notes of the chartreuse and leaves me with a very complete feeling. I do not really want/need to reach for the glass again, i just want to wonder at every single taste this drink conveys and stand in awe of its complexity (and sheer simplicity). This truly is a fantastic creation.
I do note that my glass was not properly chilled and about half way through the drink i noticed that the complex balance was slightly upset by the effects of warmth. All of a sudden the sugar imparted by the maraschino liqueur and chartreuse became more prevalent and detracted from the earthy flavors i reverenced. Either drink quickly in small quantities or properly chill your glass like your supposed to in order to enjoy the true magnificence of this cocktail.
The Latest Word uses Genever instead of Gin, and I chose it b/c I'm not quite in the mood for my juniper forward Tanqueray, although I suspect that would taste good as well.
The Latest Word
1/2 oz Genever - Boomsma
1/2 oz Maraschino Liqueur - Luxardo
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/2oz Lime Juice
Shake, serve up in cocktail glass
This is quite the amazing drink. My first whiff brought me back to my first memories of really good citrus sorbet (or gelato, I can't remember which) - which i now realize most likely had some gin or vodka in it. It smells refreshing and almost begs for a lightly crushed sprig of mint to be used as a garnish whilst sipped outside by a pool when pretentiously judging others for whatever vodka based silliness they just ordered.
When tasting the first thing one notices is a blend of maraschino liquer and gin, deliciously strong, but by itself almost offputting. The body, and essence in my opinion, of this drink is the moment when the heavy maraschino notes start to drift away and the funky herbal qualities of the chartreuse kick in. I am a huge chartreuse fan, yes, but it really is the star of this drink. The finish is a bold note of lime (which you realize has been there all along), which curbs the agressive herbal notes of the chartreuse and leaves me with a very complete feeling. I do not really want/need to reach for the glass again, i just want to wonder at every single taste this drink conveys and stand in awe of its complexity (and sheer simplicity). This truly is a fantastic creation.
I do note that my glass was not properly chilled and about half way through the drink i noticed that the complex balance was slightly upset by the effects of warmth. All of a sudden the sugar imparted by the maraschino liqueur and chartreuse became more prevalent and detracted from the earthy flavors i reverenced. Either drink quickly in small quantities or properly chill your glass like your supposed to in order to enjoy the true magnificence of this cocktail.
Monday, January 2, 2012
New Years Day (Gingerale & Bitters)
This post in no way encourages drinking amounts of alcohol that vastly exceed the body's capabilities. However, if there were ever a time to do so it is/was New Years Eve, which makes New Years Day national hangover day.
Hangover cures and other such snake-oils have been marketed for ages and if there was one sure fire way to cure headaches resulting from lack of sleep, over-consumption and general supposed debauchery I'm sure we would have heard about it. The following, non-alcoholic suggestion was first imparted to me as such a remedy, which is first degree huey, but there is something great about ice cold Gingerale & Angostura Bitters after a night of fun...and as someone who avoids soda/juice because they really don't fit into any sort of diet, every time I drink gingerale nowadays it has bitters in it, because it, quite simply, tastes amazing.
So while it isn't a hangover cure, and only drinkable on "cheat" days, if ever there was a time for the, psycho-somatic, stomach settling effect of a cold gingerale and bitters, it is New Years Day. May 2012 be better than 2011, and drink in moderation ;)
Hangover cures and other such snake-oils have been marketed for ages and if there was one sure fire way to cure headaches resulting from lack of sleep, over-consumption and general supposed debauchery I'm sure we would have heard about it. The following, non-alcoholic suggestion was first imparted to me as such a remedy, which is first degree huey, but there is something great about ice cold Gingerale & Angostura Bitters after a night of fun...and as someone who avoids soda/juice because they really don't fit into any sort of diet, every time I drink gingerale nowadays it has bitters in it, because it, quite simply, tastes amazing.
So while it isn't a hangover cure, and only drinkable on "cheat" days, if ever there was a time for the, psycho-somatic, stomach settling effect of a cold gingerale and bitters, it is New Years Day. May 2012 be better than 2011, and drink in moderation ;)
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New Years Eve
This year was my first time in NYC for New Years Eve and it lived up to all expectations. Nothing especially noteworthy, however, a night of reconnecting with old friends and making new acquaintances in tandem with the sense of place that only NYC provides was amazing.
I was the "barkeep" of the evening, ruling my corner of a granite tabletop with a handle of Jim Beam, a bottle of Smirnoff, a 26 of Sauzo Blanco and a couple bottles of extra dry prosecco. While I spent the majority of the night drinking old fashioneds with various bitter combinations (usually Angostura and Regan's Orange #6) I was making drinks for a group that generally stuck to vodka highballs and that sort of drink.
Lacking any mixing ingredients aside from simple syrup, agave nectar, 8 different bitters, lemons, limes (only 4), oranges, cranberry juice, coke and gingerale I had to resort to making some things up as I went along to give them drinks that weren't your standard vodka cranberries. The result was, I believe, that some of them are going to buy a bottles of both Angostura and Regan's Orange bitters by next week...but then again I always enjoy talking about bitters. The drink of the night was what i temporarily dubbed variation on a theme (although, yes, I know it isn't original in the slightest).
Variation on a Theme (Cosmopolitan variant)
2.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
1.25 oz Squeezed Lime Juice (some were cut with Lemon after I got low on limes)
~1 oz Simple Syrup
~1 oz Cranberry Cocktail (Ocean Spray)
4-6 Dashes Regan's Orange Bitters
(optional: 2 drops Bitterman's Tiki Bitters or a dash of Scrappy's grapefruit bitters)
Shaken vigorously and garnished w/ Orange or Lemon Peel
The drink was actually rather delicious despite my very limited experience creating drinks on the spot, in fact some of the better ones that were made were much closer to my tastes than the "proper" Cosmopolitans I have had. I chose the Cosmo as my impetus merely because I believed it shows off exactly how good a proper cocktail can be to the habitual vodka highball drinker. The simple syrup and cranberry juice measurements varied wildly through the night as I couldn't quite keep track of everyone's tastes and the bottles were sitting on the counter to allow for some improvisation on the part of my friends. Overall I was very happy with the results (which is unusual for me considering the drink doesn't have whiskey in it) and I'm sure I converted a few people.
Other cocktails made through the night included
Margaritas
2.5 oz Tequila
1.25 oz Simple (or agave nectar syrup)
4 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters
Optional 1 dash Scrappy's Grapefruit Bitters.
Shaken for ~30 seconds and garnished with orange peel.
Bittered Whiskey Sours
2 oz Jim Beam
1.5 oz Simple
~1 oz Lemon
2-3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Shaken Vigorously 15-20 seconds
(I also made versions with 2:1:1, although overall wasn't really happy with any of my sours, but it introduced some people to whiskey in an approachable manner which made me feel better about making so many vodka cocktails :p)
Old-Fashioned
2.5 oz Jim Beam
.66 oz Simple
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
2 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters
Built and garnished with expressed Lemon Peel
This is one of my favorite drinks (instructions are a rough guideline) and I wish I had better whiskey, but I was the only serious whiskey fan in the room so I was making these quickly for myself while chatting and making other drinks, although I did make everyone taste the better variations that I made throughout the night and got some pretty positive feedback considering their drinking profiles.
The drinks were, of course, not the highlight of the night, but good cocktails and prosecco on New Years Eve is not something to turn one's nose up at. I hope everyone else had as good a time as I did last night and good luck in the New Year.
I was the "barkeep" of the evening, ruling my corner of a granite tabletop with a handle of Jim Beam, a bottle of Smirnoff, a 26 of Sauzo Blanco and a couple bottles of extra dry prosecco. While I spent the majority of the night drinking old fashioneds with various bitter combinations (usually Angostura and Regan's Orange #6) I was making drinks for a group that generally stuck to vodka highballs and that sort of drink.
Lacking any mixing ingredients aside from simple syrup, agave nectar, 8 different bitters, lemons, limes (only 4), oranges, cranberry juice, coke and gingerale I had to resort to making some things up as I went along to give them drinks that weren't your standard vodka cranberries. The result was, I believe, that some of them are going to buy a bottles of both Angostura and Regan's Orange bitters by next week...but then again I always enjoy talking about bitters. The drink of the night was what i temporarily dubbed variation on a theme (although, yes, I know it isn't original in the slightest).
Variation on a Theme (Cosmopolitan variant)
2.5 oz Smirnoff Vodka
1.25 oz Squeezed Lime Juice (some were cut with Lemon after I got low on limes)
~1 oz Simple Syrup
~1 oz Cranberry Cocktail (Ocean Spray)
4-6 Dashes Regan's Orange Bitters
(optional: 2 drops Bitterman's Tiki Bitters or a dash of Scrappy's grapefruit bitters)
Shaken vigorously and garnished w/ Orange or Lemon Peel
The drink was actually rather delicious despite my very limited experience creating drinks on the spot, in fact some of the better ones that were made were much closer to my tastes than the "proper" Cosmopolitans I have had. I chose the Cosmo as my impetus merely because I believed it shows off exactly how good a proper cocktail can be to the habitual vodka highball drinker. The simple syrup and cranberry juice measurements varied wildly through the night as I couldn't quite keep track of everyone's tastes and the bottles were sitting on the counter to allow for some improvisation on the part of my friends. Overall I was very happy with the results (which is unusual for me considering the drink doesn't have whiskey in it) and I'm sure I converted a few people.
Other cocktails made through the night included
Margaritas
2.5 oz Tequila
1.25 oz Simple (or agave nectar syrup)
4 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters
Optional 1 dash Scrappy's Grapefruit Bitters.
Shaken for ~30 seconds and garnished with orange peel.
Bittered Whiskey Sours
2 oz Jim Beam
1.5 oz Simple
~1 oz Lemon
2-3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Shaken Vigorously 15-20 seconds
(I also made versions with 2:1:1, although overall wasn't really happy with any of my sours, but it introduced some people to whiskey in an approachable manner which made me feel better about making so many vodka cocktails :p)
Old-Fashioned
2.5 oz Jim Beam
.66 oz Simple
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
2 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters
Built and garnished with expressed Lemon Peel
This is one of my favorite drinks (instructions are a rough guideline) and I wish I had better whiskey, but I was the only serious whiskey fan in the room so I was making these quickly for myself while chatting and making other drinks, although I did make everyone taste the better variations that I made throughout the night and got some pretty positive feedback considering their drinking profiles.
The drinks were, of course, not the highlight of the night, but good cocktails and prosecco on New Years Eve is not something to turn one's nose up at. I hope everyone else had as good a time as I did last night and good luck in the New Year.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Mai Tai
So I really never warmed up to rum, just haven't been a fan of the dry rum cocktails which I've had (The El Presidente comes to mind). However I was itching to give my organic orgeat syrup a spin, so a Mai Tai it was
Mai Tai
2 oz Rum -- (Appleton Estate V/X specified)
1 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1/4 oz Orgeat
Shake, serve up
If you haven't guessed by the tone of my introduction I am in LOVE with this cocktail, it is definitely on the sweet side and it really highlights the Orgeat syrup. Now if you don't know what Orgeat is it is essentially an almond emulsion, historically made with barely but in modern times it is made with orange or rose water and sugar. Overall the cocktail is not at all sickeningly sweet, the lime certainly cuts the sugar and blends really well with the orgeat. This has most certainly opened my eyes to sweeter rum cocktails and I'll have to branch out a bit.
At the moment this is one of my favorite drinks, up there with Whisky Sours, Old Fashioneds and Intro to Aperol.
Mai Tai
2 oz Rum -- (Appleton Estate V/X specified)
1 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1/4 oz Orgeat
Shake, serve up
If you haven't guessed by the tone of my introduction I am in LOVE with this cocktail, it is definitely on the sweet side and it really highlights the Orgeat syrup. Now if you don't know what Orgeat is it is essentially an almond emulsion, historically made with barely but in modern times it is made with orange or rose water and sugar. Overall the cocktail is not at all sickeningly sweet, the lime certainly cuts the sugar and blends really well with the orgeat. This has most certainly opened my eyes to sweeter rum cocktails and I'll have to branch out a bit.
At the moment this is one of my favorite drinks, up there with Whisky Sours, Old Fashioneds and Intro to Aperol.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Corpse Reviver #2
And so it begins, my first drink with an Absinthe rinse! I have never been a fan of anise flavors to be honest, but using absinthe as a bitter or rinse seems like a good enough idea.
The drink is a rather old one and requires proper preparation; it is credited to Henry Cradock of the Savoy bar and is first comes to print in the quintessential Savoy Cocktail Book (1930).
Corpse Reviver #2
3/4 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Lillet
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
Absinthe Rinse
To prepare the glass first chill it (I do this by giving it a rinse, letting it air dry, then throwing it in the freezer -- takes 4 minutes). While the glass is chilling combine the Gin, Cointreau, Lillet and lemon juice in a boston shaker and shake. Take chilled glass, put a small amount of Absinthe in, and then spin the glass in the air so the Absinthe travels up the sides of the glass. Ensure proper coverage and pour out excess absinthe (although some people prefer to leave it in...?). Strain shaken mixture into rinsed glass, enjoy.
I was very underwhelmed by this cocktail. Not being a huge anise fan the rinse really wasn't doing it for me, although i look forward to trying it in a Sazerac. The mixed ingredients really just tasted like a mediocre gin cocktail to me, but try try again as I see some potential in the drink...I think in general anise rinses just aren't my thing though.
Some very interesting suggestions came in from the eGullet board. EvergreenDan also of Kindred Cocktails commented that subbing Creole Shrub for the triple sec and Cocchi Americano for the Lillet you get a good drink. Also suggested Orange Bitters, which, i thought about adding at the time, but when tasting my brand of orange bitters (Fee Brothers) didn't feel like it would fit, will give it a shot next time though.
Lastly I notice on the KC site that this drink could be made with a green Chartreuse rinse...which I am looking forward to trying as I like Chartreuse better than I like Absinthe.
This classic is worth trying, especially for the Absinthe novelty, I guess, but not really going to come back to this one much unless I'm making drinks for others.
The drink is a rather old one and requires proper preparation; it is credited to Henry Cradock of the Savoy bar and is first comes to print in the quintessential Savoy Cocktail Book (1930).
Corpse Reviver #2
3/4 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)
3/4 oz Cointreau
3/4 oz Lillet
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
Absinthe Rinse
To prepare the glass first chill it (I do this by giving it a rinse, letting it air dry, then throwing it in the freezer -- takes 4 minutes). While the glass is chilling combine the Gin, Cointreau, Lillet and lemon juice in a boston shaker and shake. Take chilled glass, put a small amount of Absinthe in, and then spin the glass in the air so the Absinthe travels up the sides of the glass. Ensure proper coverage and pour out excess absinthe (although some people prefer to leave it in...?). Strain shaken mixture into rinsed glass, enjoy.
I was very underwhelmed by this cocktail. Not being a huge anise fan the rinse really wasn't doing it for me, although i look forward to trying it in a Sazerac. The mixed ingredients really just tasted like a mediocre gin cocktail to me, but try try again as I see some potential in the drink...I think in general anise rinses just aren't my thing though.
Some very interesting suggestions came in from the eGullet board. EvergreenDan also of Kindred Cocktails commented that subbing Creole Shrub for the triple sec and Cocchi Americano for the Lillet you get a good drink. Also suggested Orange Bitters, which, i thought about adding at the time, but when tasting my brand of orange bitters (Fee Brothers) didn't feel like it would fit, will give it a shot next time though.
Lastly I notice on the KC site that this drink could be made with a green Chartreuse rinse...which I am looking forward to trying as I like Chartreuse better than I like Absinthe.
This classic is worth trying, especially for the Absinthe novelty, I guess, but not really going to come back to this one much unless I'm making drinks for others.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Old-Fashioned's
It would be easy to consider this one of the oldest true cocktails around, that is, a drink with a base spirit, sugar, water, and bitters. I find the name of this cocktail interesting as the story behind the drink centers around its "creation" at the Pendennis Club in the early 20th century. However consider that the name very well may have been the bartender describing the drink as an old fashioned whiskey cocktail...that is eliminating any other superfluous ingredients that had been added to whiskey cocktails in the latter part of the 19th century.
There are a variety of ways to make an old-fashioned. However my preferred method is to use 1tsp of sugar, 2 or 3 dashes of Angostura bitters and muddle that with orange rind. Add 2 oz of your preferred bourbon or rye and stir.
Old-Fashioned
2 oz Bourbon -- (Maker's Mark)
1 t Sugar
Orange Peel
2-3 ds Angostura Bitters
Muddle the sugar, orange peel and bitters until a paste is formed, add whiskey and ice to mixing glass. Stir until combined (stirring is a VERY key step in this drink, and it doesn't mean give the drink a quick twirl, it means stir with a barspoon (or your finger if one is unavailable) until the drink is thouroughly combined, chilled and has a smooth texture. If you are unsure of how to do this use youtube ;). The result, a drink which shows off all the characteristics of the base whiskey and highlights them with gentle citrus notes and the wonderful unifying effect of Angostura bitters. I warn you though, order this drink in a bar at your own risk...most bartenders are haphazard in their construction of this venerable classic and do not do it justice (like by adding inordinate amounts of water).
There are a variety of ways to make an old-fashioned. However my preferred method is to use 1tsp of sugar, 2 or 3 dashes of Angostura bitters and muddle that with orange rind. Add 2 oz of your preferred bourbon or rye and stir.
Old-Fashioned
2 oz Bourbon -- (Maker's Mark)
1 t Sugar
Orange Peel
2-3 ds Angostura Bitters
Muddle the sugar, orange peel and bitters until a paste is formed, add whiskey and ice to mixing glass. Stir until combined (stirring is a VERY key step in this drink, and it doesn't mean give the drink a quick twirl, it means stir with a barspoon (or your finger if one is unavailable) until the drink is thouroughly combined, chilled and has a smooth texture. If you are unsure of how to do this use youtube ;). The result, a drink which shows off all the characteristics of the base whiskey and highlights them with gentle citrus notes and the wonderful unifying effect of Angostura bitters. I warn you though, order this drink in a bar at your own risk...most bartenders are haphazard in their construction of this venerable classic and do not do it justice (like by adding inordinate amounts of water).
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Intro To Aperol
This libation, "Intro To Aperol" comes to us from New York's Pegu Club. Created by Audrey Sanders as credited by both Kindred Cocktail and members of the eGullet Spirits forum this cocktail features the Italian orange liquer Aperol. While I previously commended Satan's Whiskers for being a great feature for orange flavored drinks the Intro to Aperol cocktail is much better and is most certainly the best cocktail of the ones reviewed so far (in fact out of everything I make this will be made nearly as often as whiskey sours I believe).
Intro To Aperol
2 oz Aperol
1 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 tsp white sugar
2 dashes Angostura
Shake well, strain, and serve. Honestly I can't think of one bad thing to say about this drink, for me it is near perfection. It is well balanced, complex, and features an ingredient I had yet to try as the base liquor, this cocktail is a serious winner! It is like drinking something a chef created as an homage to oranges everywhere...except a bartender had at it instead.
Intro To Aperol
2 oz Aperol
1 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1 tsp white sugar
2 dashes Angostura
Shake well, strain, and serve. Honestly I can't think of one bad thing to say about this drink, for me it is near perfection. It is well balanced, complex, and features an ingredient I had yet to try as the base liquor, this cocktail is a serious winner! It is like drinking something a chef created as an homage to oranges everywhere...except a bartender had at it instead.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
The Oriental
So browsing through Kindred Cocktails they gave me "The Oriental" as a similar drink to whisky sours and I decided to give it a spin. A margarita like concoction it was only marginally good, I'd really just rather drink a whisky sour or a Margarita. According to Kindred Cocktails (and my copy of the Savoy Cocktail book) the drink appeared there first and this version was reworked by Gary Reagan in "The Joy of Mixology".
The Oriental
1 1/2 oz Rye -- (Alberta Springs)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth -- (Martini)
3/4 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Lime Juice
The drink was reminiscent of a margarita, but it really fell flat. It wasn't very balanced, heavy on the citrus notes, vermouth didn't really seem to fit with the other ingredients in some regards, tasted very straightforward. I think bourbon would make the drink more drinkable...the rye really didn't work. If you're bored and feel like something new this is worth toying with, but otherwise it is completely unremarkable.
The Oriental
1 1/2 oz Rye -- (Alberta Springs)
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth -- (Martini)
3/4 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Lime Juice
The drink was reminiscent of a margarita, but it really fell flat. It wasn't very balanced, heavy on the citrus notes, vermouth didn't really seem to fit with the other ingredients in some regards, tasted very straightforward. I think bourbon would make the drink more drinkable...the rye really didn't work. If you're bored and feel like something new this is worth toying with, but otherwise it is completely unremarkable.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
A Time and Place
There is a time and place for everything, and yes, that includes vodka highballs and the array of quickly fashioned easy to make drinks that taste OK but generally you'd really rather be drinking something else. This often applies to spiked coffee (not Irish Coffee), where in most instances, a variety of toddies, post dinner sweet drinks or un-spiked coffee would be preferable. However, last night, upon having a bit of writers block, feeling tense and very tired, I added a small amount of brown sugar and a half ounce shot of both baileys and creme de cacao seeing as I had just ran out of milk into my 6oz coffee mug.
The result? A sweet, energizing beverage aided by some psycho-somatic effect aided in both loosening my writers block and giving me a nice boost of energy. There is something comforting about attempting to stay awake and write, coffee in hand, very subtle undertones of alcohol and a relaxing creme de cacao finish on the coffee, which i generally abhor, but that late at night was more than welcomed. So if you're tense and awake late at night needing to stay awake, maybe head for one of these.
I admit this wasn't really a cocktail of any sort, but it was interesting how this worked much better for my writing than just another coffee with milk and whilst this blog is about my adventure into craft cocktails I find the sentiment of having the appropriate drink (whether alcoholic or not) at the appropriate time important enough to the impetus behind this blog that it deserves comment.
The result? A sweet, energizing beverage aided by some psycho-somatic effect aided in both loosening my writers block and giving me a nice boost of energy. There is something comforting about attempting to stay awake and write, coffee in hand, very subtle undertones of alcohol and a relaxing creme de cacao finish on the coffee, which i generally abhor, but that late at night was more than welcomed. So if you're tense and awake late at night needing to stay awake, maybe head for one of these.
I admit this wasn't really a cocktail of any sort, but it was interesting how this worked much better for my writing than just another coffee with milk and whilst this blog is about my adventure into craft cocktails I find the sentiment of having the appropriate drink (whether alcoholic or not) at the appropriate time important enough to the impetus behind this blog that it deserves comment.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Dandy Cocktail
So I'm part way through Eric Felten's How's Your Drink? and stumbled upon this recipe for a Dubonnet and whisky based cocktail.
Dandy Cocktail
1.5 oz Rye Whisky or Bourbon -- (Bulleit)
1.5 oz Dubonnet Rouge
.5oz Cointreau
Dash Angostura Bitters
Lemon and Orange peel
Shake extra vigorously strain into a cocktail glass.
So the lemon and orange peel are very necessary in this cocktail, in fact, the more fresh citrus peel in the shaker the better. While not the most balanced drink and heavy on the Dubonnet flavor notes it is most certainly an evening drink. Heavy on the strong elements and the Cointreau provides plenty of sweet the drink was lacking citrus notes, I am tempted to try this cocktail with a little simple syrup and some lemon juice replacing half the Cointreau. As to using bourbon over rye, I used Bulleit, a rye heavy bourbon, and it worked very very well with Dubonnet's flavors and while I think using a pure rye like Alberta Premium would make a good drink, I think Bulleit will be my liquor of choice for this drink.
Recommended for wine lovers and those in search of a post-dinner cocktail. I will most certainly be making this again, despite the unfortunate name.
Dandy Cocktail
1.5 oz Dubonnet Rouge
.5oz Cointreau
Dash Angostura Bitters
Lemon and Orange peel
Shake extra vigorously strain into a cocktail glass.
So the lemon and orange peel are very necessary in this cocktail, in fact, the more fresh citrus peel in the shaker the better. While not the most balanced drink and heavy on the Dubonnet flavor notes it is most certainly an evening drink. Heavy on the strong elements and the Cointreau provides plenty of sweet the drink was lacking citrus notes, I am tempted to try this cocktail with a little simple syrup and some lemon juice replacing half the Cointreau. As to using bourbon over rye, I used Bulleit, a rye heavy bourbon, and it worked very very well with Dubonnet's flavors and while I think using a pure rye like Alberta Premium would make a good drink, I think Bulleit will be my liquor of choice for this drink.
Recommended for wine lovers and those in search of a post-dinner cocktail. I will most certainly be making this again, despite the unfortunate name.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Ward Eight Round Two
So after looking through some more Ward Eight recipes I happened across this one containing orange juice, and having just made and enjoyed a Satan's Whisker's i had a half oz of fresh OJ on hand as well as a yearning for a whisky cocktail
This round featured
2 oz Rye-- (Alberta Premium)
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon
1/2 oz Fresh Orange
1/2 oz Real Pomegranate Grenadine
So, this is from Eric Felten's How's Your Drink. I should've known better after my first attempt that too much grenadine is a bad thing, although its no where near as sweet as my first one, which had additional syrup in it. The orange juice does add a little something to the drink, however I'd rather stick to lemon juice and add some orange bitters possibly. This drink with 1oz lemon juice 2.25 oz Rye 1/4 oz Grenadine, 1/2 oz simple syrup and a dash of Orange bitters would be an interesting creation!!
Overall I prefer the recipe from DeGroffs book and will most likely keep tinkering with this worthy variant of the whisky sour.
This round featured
2 oz Rye-- (Alberta Premium)
1/2 oz Fresh Lemon
1/2 oz Fresh Orange
1/2 oz Real Pomegranate Grenadine
So, this is from Eric Felten's How's Your Drink. I should've known better after my first attempt that too much grenadine is a bad thing, although its no where near as sweet as my first one, which had additional syrup in it. The orange juice does add a little something to the drink, however I'd rather stick to lemon juice and add some orange bitters possibly. This drink with 1oz lemon juice 2.25 oz Rye 1/4 oz Grenadine, 1/2 oz simple syrup and a dash of Orange bitters would be an interesting creation!!
Overall I prefer the recipe from DeGroffs book and will most likely keep tinkering with this worthy variant of the whisky sour.
Satan's Whisker's
What seems to be a variation of the venerable Bronx cocktail and its child The Income Tax cocktail is a Satan's Whiskers. Made either "straight" or "curly" the gin based drink must be made with fresh orange juice (as most craft cocktails demand) and is a really crude thing if Angostura bitters are used in lieu of the called for orange bitters. As mentioned before most of the recipes I'm using are from Dale DeGroff's The Essential Cocktail
Satan's Whiskers (Straight)
1 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)1/2 oz Dry Vermouth -- (Noilly Prat)
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1 oz Orange Juice
Dash Orange Bitters -- (Fee Bro's)So this is clearly the straight version which uses Grand Marnier instead of Curacao and heavier on the gin than Ted Haigh's recipe from Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails which also uses a 1/2oz of orange juice. (this version to possibly be tried later tonight). I made 2 half batches, one with orange bitters, one with Angostura Aromatic bitters one with Fee Brother's orange bitters. The Angostura fought vehemently with the other ingredients and is better left out entirely than substituted in. The Fee Brothers brought very little to the table however and i will endeavor to try this drink again with another brand.
Overall the drink was quite soft and refreshing, not aggressively acidic, nor sweet, although i would have liked to have used a tarter style of orange, the Tanqueray played in the background a bit, but the overwhelming orange taste obscured any vermouth notes if you are a vermouth fan. For those who love fresh orange juice, this drink is for you, it highlights all the good notes of the fruit and is infinitely more complex and refreshing than the one note Screwdriver, or, god forbid, its parental unit, the Orange Blossom. Most certainly a spring and summer drink, but it would be worth waiting all winter for one of these.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Variations on Long Island Ice Tea
Last night I was still in the mood for lighter drinks and realized when flipping through Dale DeGroffs Essential Cocktail that it had bee a long time since I had a Long Island Ice Tea, remembering that they were light and ok I endeavored to correct this.
Long Island Ice Tea
1/4 oz Vodka -- (Smirnoff)
1/4 oz White Rum -- (Bacardi)
1/4 oz Tequila -- (El Jimador)
1/4 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)
1/4 oz Triple Sec
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3 oz Coke
+
3 Healthy Dashes Fee Brother's Orange Bitters
After placing ingredients in a mixing glass, adding ice and stirring thoroughly I found the drink fell flat, as I recalled it always does. I don't know why, but this drink has always seemed drinkable, and good to me, but I often find myself desperately wanting to drink something different next (whereas I will drink Whisky Sours all night). Its most likely because I have not balanced the ingredients quite correctly and the drink does taste somewhat confused, with no clear head body or tail. However upon my first sip I became a bit antsy with my bottle of Fee Brothers Orange Bitters, added 3 healthy dashes and stirred some more.
The result; a much improved Long Island Ice Tea, the Orange bitters paired well and dulled the strong Tequila undertones which had perturbed me slightly, and brought out the citrusy nature of the lemon juice and triple sec, which had become lost in the fray. The slight spice in these non-aromatic bitters played well with the Coke providing a fuller body (in a way similar to a dash of Angostura bitters in Gingerale). This drink with Orange Bitters added was hardly comparable to the previous libation and I will never, if given the opportunity, make a Long Island Ice Tea again sans Orange Bitters (or perhaps some other non-aromatic bitter).
And now on to a drink tailored for a mid-summers day in the way a Long Island Ice Tea is not (I would imagine myself drinking a Long Island Ice Tea as the sun is setting, the chill taking the heat off of a summer's day, the coke and only subtle hints of alcohol allowing me to slip into my evening). The California Ice Tea variant is more akin to a Collins or Rickey style drink, the removal of the Coke providing a much crisper, snappier and more refreshing drink (it almost feels colder)
California Ice Tea
1/4 oz Vodka -- (Smirnoff)
1/4 oz White Rum -- (Bacardi)
1/4 oz Tequila -- (El Jimador)
1/4 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)
1/4 oz Grand Marnier
~2 oz Simple Syrup
1.5 oz Lemon Juice
1.5 oz Lime Juice
Seltzer Water
One could certainly add orange bitters to this, but it isn't needed and I prefer the drink without honestly. The amounts of citrus and sugar can most certainly be adjusted to personal tastes, and I think this drink relies upon you knowing what your clientele want, although err on the side of sweetness, I have had this drink where too little syrup was used and it is amazingly sour, which is really not the feeling you want on a hot day.
Lastly I would really love feedback and for people to share recipes and engage in discussions about these drinks, so please leave comments if they cross your mind.
Long Island Ice Tea
1/4 oz Vodka -- (Smirnoff)
1/4 oz White Rum -- (Bacardi)
1/4 oz Tequila -- (El Jimador)
1/4 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)
1/4 oz Triple Sec
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
3 oz Coke
+
3 Healthy Dashes Fee Brother's Orange Bitters
After placing ingredients in a mixing glass, adding ice and stirring thoroughly I found the drink fell flat, as I recalled it always does. I don't know why, but this drink has always seemed drinkable, and good to me, but I often find myself desperately wanting to drink something different next (whereas I will drink Whisky Sours all night). Its most likely because I have not balanced the ingredients quite correctly and the drink does taste somewhat confused, with no clear head body or tail. However upon my first sip I became a bit antsy with my bottle of Fee Brothers Orange Bitters, added 3 healthy dashes and stirred some more.
The result; a much improved Long Island Ice Tea, the Orange bitters paired well and dulled the strong Tequila undertones which had perturbed me slightly, and brought out the citrusy nature of the lemon juice and triple sec, which had become lost in the fray. The slight spice in these non-aromatic bitters played well with the Coke providing a fuller body (in a way similar to a dash of Angostura bitters in Gingerale). This drink with Orange Bitters added was hardly comparable to the previous libation and I will never, if given the opportunity, make a Long Island Ice Tea again sans Orange Bitters (or perhaps some other non-aromatic bitter).
And now on to a drink tailored for a mid-summers day in the way a Long Island Ice Tea is not (I would imagine myself drinking a Long Island Ice Tea as the sun is setting, the chill taking the heat off of a summer's day, the coke and only subtle hints of alcohol allowing me to slip into my evening). The California Ice Tea variant is more akin to a Collins or Rickey style drink, the removal of the Coke providing a much crisper, snappier and more refreshing drink (it almost feels colder)
California Ice Tea
1/4 oz Vodka -- (Smirnoff)
1/4 oz White Rum -- (Bacardi)
1/4 oz Tequila -- (El Jimador)
1/4 oz Gin -- (Tanqueray)
1/4 oz Grand Marnier
~2 oz Simple Syrup
1.5 oz Lemon Juice
1.5 oz Lime Juice
Seltzer Water
One could certainly add orange bitters to this, but it isn't needed and I prefer the drink without honestly. The amounts of citrus and sugar can most certainly be adjusted to personal tastes, and I think this drink relies upon you knowing what your clientele want, although err on the side of sweetness, I have had this drink where too little syrup was used and it is amazingly sour, which is really not the feeling you want on a hot day.
Lastly I would really love feedback and for people to share recipes and engage in discussions about these drinks, so please leave comments if they cross your mind.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Real Pomegranite Grenadine
So last night was my first night with a bottle of real pomegranite grenadine sitting on my shelf (most all commercial brands are just sugar, food coloring and artificial flavoring with little to no pomegranite taste, and I abhor the stuff).
In honor of the occasion I made two rather similar drinks using my newfound product, The Ward Eight and the Jack Rose.
The Ward Eight has a fun story behind it, named after Boston's 8th district it is reported that Tom Hussion of Locke-Ober Cafe in Boston invented the drink to celebrate the victory of Democrat Martin Lomansey to the Massachusettes General Court in 1896. The drink is essentially a Whisky Sour with grenadine in it, although maybe some cocktail historian will correct me on that.
Ward Eight
2 Ounces Rye Whisky (Alberta Premium)
1 Ounce Simply Syrup (1:1)
1 Ounce Lemon Juice
1/2 Ounce Grenadine
Dash Angostura bitters
I need to try this again, the drink was certainly good, but I had to add some whisky after shaking to cut down on the sweet, most certainly less genadine (1/4 oz next time) and fresher lemon juice (I squeezed this stuff 2 days ago and had no fresh lemons). This would most certainly be an interesting drink with Bulleit Bourbon which is heavier on the rye than most bourbons, however I do like the biting nature 100% rye whisky gave this drink to overcome the cloying sweetness this drink could have had on the finish (given my poor mixing). I will post updates to this as I try new recipes in the future. Also I loved the addition of bitters to this drink...but i like bitters in moderation in just about any drink.
The Jack Rose on the other hand has no such story, and uses what is often a hard to get ingredient, Applejack (American Apple Brandy). I have a bottle of Laird's 7 1/2 yr 100% apple brandy I picked up from Astory Spirits (a FANTASTIC store if you're in NYC) but its availability in BC is non-existant. Applejack itself is possibly the earliest produced spirit in the United States, Laird Distillery hold Distillers permit #1 in fact. It drinks essentially like whisky with an apple flavor and makes a great old fashioned.
Jack Rose
This is my modified version of the resipe
1 1/2 oz Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Bulleit Bourbon
3/4 oz Simply Syrup
1 oz Fresh Lemon
1/2 oz Grenadine
Dash Bitters
Again, I overshot on the sweetness, 1/4 oz grenadine next time and FRESH lemon, not my 2 day old stuff, although I love the addition of bitters, gave the drink a refreshing spicy note, definitely need to tinker with this but I can see the majesty of the dirnk waiting to be revealed as in the Ward 8, it comes off as cloyingly sweet due to my mistakes, but the marriage of Apple Brandy and Pomegranite united by citrus is not the be overlooked, although its basically a variant of the sour family like the Ward 8 it has a certain elegance the Ward 8 will not regularly achieve, the apple pomegranite combination is truly fantastic.
That's all for now, I most certainly will be experimenting with these in the future as they are fantastic recipes.
In honor of the occasion I made two rather similar drinks using my newfound product, The Ward Eight and the Jack Rose.
The Ward Eight has a fun story behind it, named after Boston's 8th district it is reported that Tom Hussion of Locke-Ober Cafe in Boston invented the drink to celebrate the victory of Democrat Martin Lomansey to the Massachusettes General Court in 1896. The drink is essentially a Whisky Sour with grenadine in it, although maybe some cocktail historian will correct me on that.
Ward Eight
2 Ounces Rye Whisky (Alberta Premium)
1 Ounce Simply Syrup (1:1)
1 Ounce Lemon Juice
1/2 Ounce Grenadine
Dash Angostura bitters
I need to try this again, the drink was certainly good, but I had to add some whisky after shaking to cut down on the sweet, most certainly less genadine (1/4 oz next time) and fresher lemon juice (I squeezed this stuff 2 days ago and had no fresh lemons). This would most certainly be an interesting drink with Bulleit Bourbon which is heavier on the rye than most bourbons, however I do like the biting nature 100% rye whisky gave this drink to overcome the cloying sweetness this drink could have had on the finish (given my poor mixing). I will post updates to this as I try new recipes in the future. Also I loved the addition of bitters to this drink...but i like bitters in moderation in just about any drink.
The Jack Rose on the other hand has no such story, and uses what is often a hard to get ingredient, Applejack (American Apple Brandy). I have a bottle of Laird's 7 1/2 yr 100% apple brandy I picked up from Astory Spirits (a FANTASTIC store if you're in NYC) but its availability in BC is non-existant. Applejack itself is possibly the earliest produced spirit in the United States, Laird Distillery hold Distillers permit #1 in fact. It drinks essentially like whisky with an apple flavor and makes a great old fashioned.
Jack Rose
This is my modified version of the resipe
1 1/2 oz Apple Brandy
1/2 oz Bulleit Bourbon
3/4 oz Simply Syrup
1 oz Fresh Lemon
1/2 oz Grenadine
Dash Bitters
Again, I overshot on the sweetness, 1/4 oz grenadine next time and FRESH lemon, not my 2 day old stuff, although I love the addition of bitters, gave the drink a refreshing spicy note, definitely need to tinker with this but I can see the majesty of the dirnk waiting to be revealed as in the Ward 8, it comes off as cloyingly sweet due to my mistakes, but the marriage of Apple Brandy and Pomegranite united by citrus is not the be overlooked, although its basically a variant of the sour family like the Ward 8 it has a certain elegance the Ward 8 will not regularly achieve, the apple pomegranite combination is truly fantastic.
That's all for now, I most certainly will be experimenting with these in the future as they are fantastic recipes.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
My Liquor Cabinet
I think it is pertinent information for me to break down my liquor cabinet, you'll quickly notice I like Bourbon and am upset with how quality imports not sold by BCLS are unavailable or prohibitively expensive on my budget.
Give me suggestions for other bottles as well, I am aware that I need to fill out the Rum, get a good scotch (Glenmorangie Im thinking), Campari, Oude Genever, Pisco are the next things on my list
Whisk(e)y
Jim Beam
Jack Daniels
Maker's Mark
Woodford Reserve
Knob Creak
Wild Turkey
Bulleit
Alberta Premium (100% Rye Bill)
Canadian Club 12 yr
Bushmill's 10yr
Jameson
Grant's
Bell's
Jim Beam Red Stag
Spicebox
Laird's 7 1/2 yrApple Brandy (drinks like whisky)
Brandy/Cognac
Courvoisier V.S.O.P
St.-Remy V.S.O.P.
Rum
Bacardi White
Gosling's Black Seal
Appleton Estate V/X
Sailor Jerry
Tequila
El Jimador Reposado
1800 Anejo
Gin
Boomsma (Jonge Genever)
Tanqueray
Bombay
Hendrick's
Vodka
Smirnoff
Homemade Lemon infused Smirnoff
OTHER
Bols Blue Curacao
Triple Sec (Meagher's)
Cointreau
Grand Marnier
Drambuie
Disaronno
Apricot Brandy (Meagher's)
Martini Sweet Vermouth
Martini Dry Vermouth
Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth
Dubonet Rouge
Lillet
Chartreuse - Green
Aperol
Fernet Branca
Cynar
La Fee Absinthe
Kahlua
Bailey's
Frangelico
Creme de Cacao
Jagermeister
Fireball
And for the Syrups/Juices/Mixes, just to give you an idea of where im starting, definitely need a bit more stock here, restock my honey syrup, my demerrara simple syrup and get some more bitters for SURE
Syrups/Juices/Bitters
Orgeat (Giffards)
Grenadine (Rose's)
Real Pomegranite Grenadine (Giffard's)
Agave Syrup (Giffard's)
Simple Syrup (White Sugar)
Cranberry Cocktail (Ocean Spray)
Pineapple Juice (Boxed :( )
Club Soda
Tonic Water
Coke
Real Lemon (If I HAVE to use it...in case of real emergencies)
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Angostura Bitters
Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
Peychaud's Bitters
Give me suggestions for other bottles as well, I am aware that I need to fill out the Rum, get a good scotch (Glenmorangie Im thinking), Campari, Oude Genever, Pisco are the next things on my list
Whisk(e)y
Jim Beam
Jack Daniels
Maker's Mark
Woodford Reserve
Knob Creak
Wild Turkey
Bulleit
Alberta Premium (100% Rye Bill)
Canadian Club 12 yr
Bushmill's 10yr
Jameson
Grant's
Bell's
Jim Beam Red Stag
Spicebox
Laird's 7 1/2 yrApple Brandy (drinks like whisky)
Brandy/Cognac
Courvoisier V.S.O.P
St.-Remy V.S.O.P.
Rum
Bacardi White
Gosling's Black Seal
Appleton Estate V/X
Sailor Jerry
Tequila
El Jimador Reposado
1800 Anejo
Gin
Boomsma (Jonge Genever)
Tanqueray
Bombay
Hendrick's
Vodka
Smirnoff
Homemade Lemon infused Smirnoff
OTHER
Bols Blue Curacao
Triple Sec (Meagher's)
Cointreau
Grand Marnier
Drambuie
Disaronno
Apricot Brandy (Meagher's)
Martini Sweet Vermouth
Martini Dry Vermouth
Noilly Pratt Dry Vermouth
Dubonet Rouge
Lillet
Chartreuse - Green
Aperol
Fernet Branca
Cynar
La Fee Absinthe
Kahlua
Bailey's
Frangelico
Creme de Cacao
Jagermeister
Fireball
And for the Syrups/Juices/Mixes, just to give you an idea of where im starting, definitely need a bit more stock here, restock my honey syrup, my demerrara simple syrup and get some more bitters for SURE
Syrups/Juices/Bitters
Orgeat (Giffards)
Grenadine (Rose's)
Real Pomegranite Grenadine (Giffard's)
Agave Syrup (Giffard's)
Simple Syrup (White Sugar)
Cranberry Cocktail (Ocean Spray)
Pineapple Juice (Boxed :( )
Club Soda
Tonic Water
Coke
Real Lemon (If I HAVE to use it...in case of real emergencies)
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Angostura Bitters
Fee Brothers Orange Bitters
Peychaud's Bitters
One Foot Forward; Tentatively
Friday rolls around again; and I watch as vodka highball after vodka highball leaves the bar, occasionally a rum & coke or rye & coke break the monotony (although these really are Canadian Whiskey & Cokes, but more on that later).
At some point in time it became acceptable for drinks to be nothing more than a tasteless, colorless, odorless liquor and soda water/juice and it's not that people WOULDN't drink more complex or interesting (or dare I say it GOOD) drinks it's just that some people don't know better and since everyone is drinking beer and vodka highballs, they do too.
In the past 10 years (I've heard tell) the classic cocktail scene is being revived, in places like NY, LA, London and San Francisco it is still possible to get a real cocktail at numberous bars, however in Vancouver, your options for both home mixing and cocktail bars are severely limited.
If it is still unclear the goal of this blog is to take both myself and the reader on a journey through both the art of the classic cocktail up to the edge of the contemporary. However every endeavor needs a starting point, and for this blog it will be Dale DeGroff's magnificent work The Essential Cocktail; The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks. I will be systematically making my way through the recipes in the book, although some will be skipped & saved for a later date as I am lacking some ingredients.
At some point in time it became acceptable for drinks to be nothing more than a tasteless, colorless, odorless liquor and soda water/juice and it's not that people WOULDN't drink more complex or interesting (or dare I say it GOOD) drinks it's just that some people don't know better and since everyone is drinking beer and vodka highballs, they do too.
In the past 10 years (I've heard tell) the classic cocktail scene is being revived, in places like NY, LA, London and San Francisco it is still possible to get a real cocktail at numberous bars, however in Vancouver, your options for both home mixing and cocktail bars are severely limited.
If it is still unclear the goal of this blog is to take both myself and the reader on a journey through both the art of the classic cocktail up to the edge of the contemporary. However every endeavor needs a starting point, and for this blog it will be Dale DeGroff's magnificent work The Essential Cocktail; The Art of Mixing Perfect Drinks. I will be systematically making my way through the recipes in the book, although some will be skipped & saved for a later date as I am lacking some ingredients.
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