Cocktails Please

[roseyscot]

i've been enjoying vodka, ginger beer, with a splash of lime juice on ice. clear and stormy perhaps?

[AJPM44]

That sounds hella good! But hey, stir it don't shake it.

Pedantically yours,
Chris

Simple primer on shaking vs. stirring. Stir a drink of all spirits, like a Negroni, Martini, Manhattan etc. Shake anything with juice or cream. Reason being, most spirit drinks should be clear looking; juice or cream drinks are easier mixed when shaking, and also cloudy, so it doesn't matter.

[MacLaughlin]

3:2:1
Garnish with lime if you want style points.

[spopepro]

Good to know.

Anyone want to do a bitters exchange? I have much leftover from the last batch I made,

bitter.jpg

Sorry about the cloudyness--my iphone lens was scratched up.

They are from right to left: Sour Cherry, Lemon Spice, Caffe Mocha, and WTF (everthing that was left over after blending the other flavors).

Simple primer on shaking vs. stirring. Stir a drink of all spirits, like a Negroni, Martini, Manhattan etc. Shake anything with juice or cream. Reason being, most spirit drinks should be clear looking; juice or cream drinks are easier mixed when shaking, and also cloudy, so it doesn't matter.

[AJPM44]

Wow, the lemon and cherry sound really cool. I have the New Orleans Coffee Bitters, still trying to figure out some more uses for them. My wife also got me the Teapot Bitters, those are really good. I live somewhat close to a really good store so I have never bothered to make my own.

[Octave]

Knob Creek has a rye now, too, but I haven't had it.

It's good. I promise.

[C.Dyer]

Let's keep this afloat...

Made some classics last night:

Le Vieux Carre: 0.75oz Rye, 0.75oz Cognac, 0.75oz Sweet Vermouth, 0.25oz Benedictine, dash of Angostura, dash of Peychauds, stirred and strained into a rocks glass with big ice, orange peel

Martinez: 1.5oz Old Tom Gin, 0.75oz Sweet Vermouth, 0.25oz Maraschino, dash of Angostura, dash of orange bitters, orange peel, up.

Champs Elysees:1.5oz Cognac, 0.75oz lemon juice, 0.5oz Green Chartreuse, 0.25oz 2:1 simple, dash of Angostura, shaken, up with a lemon twist


Also, we had a taste test between two similar drinks, The Last Word, a per-prohibition classic, and The Final Word, a modern variation that subs whiskey for the gin, and lemon for the lime. Turns out you cannot go wrong with either.

The Last Word: 0.75oz Gin, 0.75oz Maraschino, 0.75oz Green Chartreuse, 0.75oz lime juice, shaken, up with a lime wheel

The Final Word: 0.75oz Rye. 0.75oz Maraschino, 0.75oz Green Chartreuse, 0.75oz lemon juice, shaken, up, lemon peel

See also La Ultima Palabra, a tequila based variation.

[Ben]

Things I had this weekend:

*Parker's 18 + water (delicious - seems a touch hot until you remember it's 94 proof)
*Van Winkle 12 + water (tasting notes: mmmmmmmm)
*A dark and stormy, which I love hopelessly.

Best surprise of the weekend: I had these (both bourbons were generous doubles), plus a round of three more D&S's for friends, plus a Maker's old fashioned, plus some weird beer my gf drank, and the tab was $34. I looked at the check, and all the drinks were on there. Holy crap thats the cheapest drunk of all time. Sons of Liberty Tavern, Rutherfordton, NC. Cool place in an old jewelry store, so the building is probably 10' wide. I'm never drinking anywhere else.

[AJPM44]

Ephemeral Cocktail last night:

2oz Old Tom Gin
1oz Noilly Pratt Dry
.25oz St. germain
I have no celery bitters, so I mixed up some celery seeds and lemon peel.

Really nice drink

[C.Dyer]

Last night:

Aviation: 2oz Gin, 0.5oz Maraschino, 0.5oz Lemon, 0.25oz Creme De Violette, shaken, up, cocktail cherry.

Trinidad Sour: 1oz Angostura bitters, 0.75oz orgeat, 0.5oz lemon, 0.5oz Rye, shaken, big rock, orange peel and slapped mint

[AJPM44]

Last night:

Aviation: 2oz Gin, 0.5oz Maraschino, 0.5oz Lemon, 0.25oz Creme De Violette, shaken, up, cocktail cherry.

Trinidad Sour: 1oz Angostura bitters, 0.75oz orgeat, 0.5oz lemon, 0.5oz Rye, shaken, big rock, orange peel and slapped mint

After looking at the Trinidad Sour, I had to try that. Really not what I was expecting. Pretty cool drink.

download (1).jpg

[WadePatton]

Things I had this weekend:
...
*A dark and stormy, which I love hopelessly.

... Sons of Liberty Tavern, Rutherfordton, NC. Cool place in an old jewelry store, so the building is probably 10' wide. I'm never drinking anywhere else.

two things: fill us in (the innocent bystanders who live on beer and wine and eau de mason jar) with the details of "dark and stormy". (sounds like a girl i used to date)

and how far is Rutherfordton from Bryson City?

[spopepro]

A Dark 'n Stormy (TM) is goslings black seal rum and ginger beer. Seriously... they own the name. My favorite is cruzan blackstrap rum and reeds extra ginger. If I'm pouring for guests I'll somewhat float the rum so the glass looks like an approaching storm in the gulf.

A question for the crowd: the local market has some great looking sparkling elderflower drink. I'd love to get some... but whatever shall I do with it?

[AJPM44]

Elderflower is the MSG of the cocktail world; it makes everything better. Try it in a Sazerac or a Negroni

[Nathanrtaylor]

Elderflower is the MSG of the cocktail world; it makes everything better. Try it in a Sazerac or a Negroni

Also a small pinch of salt added to the shaker before stirring/shaking. Not enough to notice SALT, but enough.

One of my favorites is the Clapless Belle from the Patterson House in Nashville.

The version I make at home is pretty close. Something like this:
.5 oz Fresh squeezed ginger juice
.5 oz simple syrup
1 oz lemon juice
2 oz Bulleit Bourbon
Shake well
Rinse highball glass with Laphroig
Serve with a few big ice cubes

[AJPM44]

Also a small pinch of salt added to the shaker before stirring/shaking. Not enough to notice SALT, but enough.

One of my favorites is the Clapless Belle from the Patterson House in Nashville.

The version I make at home is pretty close. Something like this:
.5 oz Fresh squeezed ginger juice
.5 oz simple syrup
1 oz lemon juice
2 oz Bulleit Bourbon
Shake well
Rinse highball glass with Laphroig
Serve with a few big ice cubes

Sounds a lot like the penicillin cocktail from Sam Ross at Milk & Honey.

A really nice cocktail with some salt is equal parts Genever, Sweet Vermouth, Green Chartreuse, and White Grapefruit. Add a pinch of salt and shake.

[spopepro]

Elderflower is the MSG of the cocktail world; it makes everything better. Try it in a Sazerac or a Negroni

Inspired by the vieux carre and AJPM44:

1oz rye (currently using rittenhouse)
.75oz pineau des charentes (conac-ish stuff)
.75oz vya sweet vermouth
.25oz herbsaint
Dash of my lemon spice bitters
Stir with ice
Pour into highball glass, top with elderflower presse
Two cherries

It's good.

[AJPM44]

Making my wife a Marconi Wireless

1 3/4 oz Applejack
3/4 oz Vermouth

2 Healthy Dashes of equal parts Fee Brothers Orange Bitters and Regan's #6 Orange Bitters

Stir, serve up with a flamed orange peel

[VA_MEL]

Go to drink of the moment: the paloma.

1 1/2 ounces tequila
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 can grapefruit soda (using sanpellegrino)
Couple grinds of salt directly into glass
Stir with ice

[newellbt]

Classic Brown Derby

2 oz Bourbon (or Rye for less sweet)
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
3/4 oz Clove Honey Syrup