Our friends over at Swizzzlestick reintroduced us to the Vermouth Panache for the MxMo XCI – Shims.  A drink first described by Hemingway, it is light, refreshing and low ABV.  I used Carpano Antica and Dolans Dry vermouth.  I also changed the ratio slightly adding more sweet vermouth less dry – more like a 2:1 1/2 ratio rather than 2:1.  Here is the original recipe:

• 2 oz. Dry French Vermouth
• 1 oz. Sweet Italian Vermouth
• 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
• 1 Lemon peel

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
2. Strain into a chilled double old fashioned with fresh ice
3. Express the lemon peel and float.

Now for the revisiting part:

I decided to try this substituting Lillet for the dry vermouth.  This I did 1:1 but I think it would be equally good as 2:1 Lillet to Carpano.  I also used Orange Bitters.

• 1 1/2 oz. Lillet
• 1 1/2 oz. Sweet Italian Vermouth
• 1 Dash Angostura Orange Bitters
• 1 Lemon peel

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
2. Strain into a chilled double old fashioned with fresh ice
3. Express the lemon peel and float.

You should check out Swizzzlestick, our fellow MxMo’r

Cheers!

This cocktail combines spicy Rye with a hint of apple from the bitters.  Add to that a touch of smooth honey syrup and you have a drink that is light on the tongue but still bitters forward.  You may want to adjust the ratio of bitters to syrup depending on your taste.

Notice that this is essentially a built cocktail.  I stir it in a mixing glass without ice to combine the ingredients prior to pouring it over a large ice cube in an un-chilled single old fashioned.  Similar to scotch on the rocks.  Initially the flavors will be strong with very little dilution.  As you sip the cocktail and gently swirl it, the drink will chill and dilute.

• 2 oz. Rye whiskey such as Templeton or Sazarac
• 1 generous dash of Bar Keep Apple Bitters
• 1 barspoon of honey syrup (1 part honey, 1 part water)
• Lemon peel for garnish

1. Combine the rye, bitters and honey syrup in a mixing glass without ice.  Stir to combine.
2. Pour over a large ice cube in an un-chilled single old fashioned.
3. Express the oil from the lemon peel and drop it into the drink.

Cheers!

Mixology Monday

The theme for this month’s Mixology Monday, chosen by our host Andrea at Ginhound, is “Blue.”  The experts are predicting that blue cocktails are set for a resurgence.  Thus, this theme for the first Mixology Monday of 2015 is perfect.  We ended up going with blueberries, which are purple, but hey, BLUEberries.  So, for starters, I wish to pay respects to the first blue drink, the Blue Hawaii. Invented  in 1957 by Harry Yee of the Hilton Hawaiian Village.  It was an instant hit and, yes, the movie was named for the drink! (Source: the imitable Beachbum Berry)  The recipe follows.

I found this theme to be quite a challenge, or at least I made it one.  I wanted to avoid the ubiquitous blue curacao.  So I tried using Creme de Mure and turn the purple to blue by adding green.  I used Midori, (major fail on multiple levels!) and muddling parsley or cilantro – also fail!  Nothing came up blue.  I might have pulled those off with vodka, but I was using gin.  Plus, I read the labels to discover that creme de mure and creme de violet are both artificially colored, so what the heck!

I attended the gin seminar at the recent San Antonio Cocktail Conference.  The discussion covered aromatics, gin and tonic.  Thus was born our Blueberry Sage Gin and Tonic.  I tried several gins and settled on St. George Botanivore and Fords.  Both are excellent.  I can’t decide which I like better.  So you can make each and choose for yourself!

Blueberry Sage Gin & Tonic

Blueberry Sage Gin & Tonic

• 2 oz. Gin – either Fords or St George Botanivore
• 3 oz. Fever Tree Tonic Water
• 1/2 oz. Blueberry simple syrup – see below
• 5 Blueberries plus 2 for garnish
• 1 small sage leaf plus one medium to large for garnish
• 1 dash Fees Brothers Mint Bitters
• 1 lemon peel

1. Muddle the blueberry simple syrup, the 5 blueberries and 1 small sage leaf in the bottom of a mixing glass.
2. Add the gin, tonic water, bitters and ice – stir to chill
3. Double strain into a chilled old fashioned glass over fresh ice.
4. To garnish, pierce each of the remaining blue berries with a tooth pick and slide them onto the sage leaf.  Drop onto the drink
5. Express the oils from the lemon peel and discard.

Blueberry Simple Syrup

• 1 Tbl. Blueberry Preserves
• 1 Tbl. Filtered water

1. Place both ingredients in a small dish and microwave for 20 seconds.
2. Stir to combine and pass through a fine mesh strainer.
3. Allow to cool slightly.

Blue Hawaii

• 1 ½ oz. vodka
• 2 oz. pineapple juice
• ¾ oz. lemon juice
• ¾ oz. blue curacao
• ¼ oz. simple syrup
• ½ t. cream

1. Shake with crushed ice
2. Pour unstrained into tall glass
3. Garnish with fruit stick

Cheers!

We had a magnificent time at the Cured – Belle Meade Bourbon Paired Dinner this past week in San Antonio.   A meal at Cured Charcuterie is always a treat and this 5 course pairing was no exception. Visiting with Andy Nelson of Green Briar Distillery and hearing about the resurrection of his family’s legacy was fascinating. (You can find the complete story on their web site here). The cocktails, featuring their Belle Meade Bourbon, Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon and Tennessee White Whiskey, were excellent and complimented the, as usual, superb food.

Well, this set me to creating some libations with Green Briar Distillery‘s most excellent Bourbon.  At Cured, they served a sour and a bourbon/amaro cocktail.  The “Chas Sour” contained their Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon, cardamom syrup and lemon juice.  The bourbon/amaro, the “Old No. 5”, used Belle Meade Bourbon, Averna and bitters.  I guessed at and came up with my version of the “Old No. 5.  However, I decided to also make a bourbon sour and a Manhattan both using Belle Meade Bourbon.

First, lets talk about Belle Meade Bourbon.  I tasted this neat, both at the Paired Dinner and home.  Let me start by saying that the Nelson brothers have a winner out of the gate!  Belle Meade bourbon is worth drinking neat, on the rocks or in cocktails.  Full disclosure note: I am partial to high rye bourbons which includes Belle Meade.  That being said, here are my tasting notes:

• Nose: Maple syrup and caramel with grapefruit
• Taste: Rye spice with caramel, smoke and tobacco with vanilla
• Finish: Smooth.  Several reviewers report that it has a short finish but I disagree.  It is a smooth, long finish with distinct cherry and spice.  If you “chew” it, you up the spice.

Old No. 5

So, on with the drinks.  Here is my version of the Old No. 5:

• 1 1/2 oz. Belle Meade Bourbon
• 3/4 oz. Averna
• 1 dash Fee Brothers Barrel Aged Bitters
• Orange peel for garnish

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled
2. Strain into a chilled coup
3. Express the orange peel over the drink and float

Belle Meade Manhattan

Belle Meade Manhattan

This bourbon has legs, so I went straight to a 2:1 bourbon:vermouth ratio.  You can go with more vermouth, but I like the flavors of the Belle Meade and prefer that the vermouth complements and not over powers.  I used Angostura for the bitters and Grand Marnier for the sweetener.

• 1 1/2 oz. Belle Meade Bourbon
• 3/4 oz. Carpano Antica Vermouth
• 1 dash Grand Marnier
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters
• Orange peel and maraschino cherry for garnish

1. Add everything but the garnish to a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
2. Strain into a chilled coup
3. Express the orange peel and float then drop the cherry into the drink.

Belle Meade Sour

I like my whiskey sours 1:1 bourbon and lemon sour.  For the lemon sour, I prefer 2:1 lemon to simple syrup.  I also like the mouth feel of egg white.

• 1 1/2 oz. Belle Meade Bourbon
• 1 oz. Fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. Simple syrup
• 1 large egg white (can use 3 Tbl. pasteurized egg whites but it will not be the same)

1. Add all ingredients, in order to a shaker and shake for 30 sec without ice to emulsify the egg white.
2. Add 3 regular sized ice cubes plus on large cube (1 1/2 – 2 inches)* to the shaker and shake to chill 10 – 15 sec.
3. Double strain into a chilled coup and serve

* using a large ice cube creates a silky finish that complements the egg white.  You can omit this and use regular ice but you should get a large ice cube tray!

So there are three drinks using Belle Meade Bourbon.  I will soon be posting cocktails using Green Briar Distillery‘s Tennessee White Whiskey.

Cheers!

Our daughter was gifted with a bottle of Ciroc Red Berry Vodka at a Christmas Party and asked me to use it to create a cocktail.  I like champagne cocktails and ’tis the season.  So this is a rif on the  French 75.

• 1/2 oz. Ciroc Red Berry Vodka
• 1/2 oz. St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur
• 1 oz. Fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 oz. Simple syrup
• Chilled prosecco or champagne
• Sprig of fresh thyme for garnish

1. Combine first four ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
2. Strain into chilled champagne flute and top with the prosecco
3. Smack the thyme sprig in your hands to release the oils then float it in the drink.

Cheers!