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.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
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.
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