While this classic cocktail is white, it isn’t from Russia.  Nor was it invented by a Russian or even for a Russian!  The black Russian was created by a bartender in Brussels for an American Diplomat in 1949.  The White Russian first appeared in the 1960’s.  Whatever the origins, it is delicious and decadent.

Technically, this should be shaken.  However, the streaks of white and brown are mesmerizing.  So add the cream last, serve it with a stir stick and allow your guest to gawk in awe before they stir in the cream.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Kahlua
• 1 oz Cream

Directions:

1. To a chilled Old Fashioned glass, add a large cube of ice.
2. Add the Vodka and Kahlua and stir gently to chill and combine
3. Add the cream on top.
4. Serve immediately with a stir stick.

Cheers!

Memorial Day is the perfect time for simple, low ABV, thirst-quenching drinks.  Since beer says summer and barbecues, nothing is better than celebrating the weekend with beer cocktails.  The classic is the Shandy – equal parts lemon soda and beer.  But you can get really creative by just combining your spirit of choice, fruit juice, simple syrup and beer.

One of our favorite beers, Highwheel Betty, is a Kölsch style brew from San Antonio.  Mexican beers are a good alternative and also Dogfish Namaste.  For spirits, we use gin, vodka, tequila, and Kinsman Rakia – an apricot eau de vie.

Here’s a glass lifted to all those service men and women who gave their all!

For recipes, scroll down or clink the links.

Old Glory Kinsman Grog

Old Glory Gin or Vodka Grog

Old Glory Tequila Grog

Gin and Beer Tonic

Kinsman

This cocktail is refreshing and light.  The taste is apricot, lemon and beer.  To create this cocktail, I tried first lemon, then lime then grapefruit juices.  I put a splash of Rakia in a shot glass along with each different juice and simply tasted them. After making the choice of lemon, I added the Rakia and lemon juice to a shaker without ice.  To that I added 1/4 oz simple syrup and tasted the drink.  I felt it needed more simple so I added another 1/4 oz.  This taste was slightly sweet – which means the finished cocktail, after chilling, will be well balanced.  You can use the same methods to create cocktails with the other spirits below.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Rakia
• 2 oz. Fresh lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup (1/4 oz – 1 1/2 oz per your taste)
• 6+ oz. Highwheel Betty or your favorite
• Lemon wheel for garnish (Optional)

Directions:

1. Add the Rakia, lemon and simple syrup to a shaker with ice.  Shake to chill.
2. Strain into beer glass
3. Top with beer
4. Garnish with lemon wheel

Gin or Vodka

The flavor of your beer cocktail will be significantly different depending on your choice of Gin or Vodka.  Going deeper, your choice of Gin will also effect the flavor.  The use of a flavored vodka will add even more layers of flavor.  Whichever of these spirits you choose, the ratios of ingredients are fairly constant: 1:1 Spirit to Juice

The beer you use will effect your choice of juice and the quantity of simple syrup.  Which fresh juice is a personal preference but I suggest lemon, lime or grapefruit.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 – 2 oz. Gin or Vodka
• 1 1/2 – 2 oz Fresh citrus juice
• 1/4 – 2 oz. Simple syrup
• 6+ oz beer
• Garnish to match your choice of juice – optional

Directions:

1. Add spirit, juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice.  Shake to chill
2. Strain into beer glass, with or without fresh ice, and top with beer
3. Garnish

Tequila

For Tequila beer drinks, we like to use lime, pineapple or grapefruit.  The ratios are similar to our Kinsman cocktail.  The amount of simple syrup will primarily be determined by the tartness of the juice.  Generally more simple with lime and grapefruit and less to none with pineapple.  If your pineapple concoction is too sweet for your taste, try using equal amounts of pineapple and lime juice.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Plata tequila
• 1 1/2 – 2 oz. Fresh juice
• 1/4 – 1 1/2 oz. Simple syrup
• 6+ oz beer
• Garnish to match your choice of juice – optional

Directions:

1. Add Tequila, juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice.  Shake to chill
2. Strain into beer glass and top with beer
3. Garnish

Enjoy!

Whether fruit or vegetable, rhubarb heralds Spring. The Rhubarb Blush is fresh and light like the new season.

This a simple pomegranate gin sour.  Pomegranate juice is tart and not overly sweet.  It pairs well with rhubarb and ginger, which is why we chose Whitley Neill Gin.  The Whitley Neill Gin is distilled with rhubarb and ginger along with other botanicals, or you can substitute your favorite gin.  The nose is pomegranate, juniper, and herbs.  The taste is gin and pomegranate with subtle rhubarb and a touch of ginger.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Whitley Neill Gin
• 1 3/4 oz. Pomegranate juice
• 1/4 oz. 2:1 Simple Syrup
• 1 bar spoon Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
• Lemon peel

Directions:

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Express the lemon peel over the drink and discard the peel

Cheers!

This is a simple and elegant drink.  The candied hibiscus flower adds the perfect touch to this dry cocktail.  We used Kinsmen Rakia* and a very dry prosecco.  The Kinsmen is a bone dry, apricot eau de vie. The nose on the Brandy Bubbly is mildly fruity.  The flavors are floral, stone fruit and a touch of almond.  The finish is dry and aromatic.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Rakia
• 4-6 oz Sparkling Wine- we used Zonin Prosecco*
• dash of 2:1 Simple Syrup to taste
• 1 candied hibiscus flower

Directions:

1. Add the Rakia and Simple Syrup to a champagne flute
2. Select an hibiscus flower from the jar, allow as much syrup as possible to drip off and gently place it in the bottom of the flute
3. Pour the sparkling wine into the flute and serve

Raise a glass “to L’Amour”

*Doc Elliott’s Mixology receives no compensation for brands mentioned

I think that Flips, in all of their forms, are an interesting type of cocktail.  This drink is kind of a grownup eggnog – rich and creamy but not cloyingly sweet, with a bittersweet component which creates an intricate cocktail that speaks rum, coffee and the deep, earthy flavors of Amaro Nino. Perfect for the Holidays!

• 2 oz White rum
• 1 oz. Amaro Nino
• 3/4 oz Cream
• 1/2 oz 2:1 Simple Syrup
• 1/2 oz Coffee Liqueur – I used Starbucks
• 1 Lg Egg

1. Chill a large Coup with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker without ice and dry shake for 30 seconds (Make 4 of these and you can have an extra slice of pie!)
3. Add ice to the shaker and shake to chill
4. Double strain into chilled glass
5. Allow the foam to rise to the top for 15-20 seconds then grate a little nutmeg on the top.

Cheers!

I love pumpkin and I’ve always been a fan of pumpkin bisque.  I like mine to be savory.  Save the sweet for the pie!  Since I have a more than passing infatuation with rum, I simply looked to combine two of my favorite flavors.  I tried this warm, with bourbon and with dark rum.  Not great in any combination.  But cold bisque and gold rum were the perfect match.  The bitter sweet flavor of the apple brandy foam is perfect with the savory, slightly spicy pumpkin bisque.

I have included the recipe for my pumpkin bisque below, but you can use your own or even your favorite prepared brand.

For 2 Shooters:

• 2 oz. Cold Pumpkin Bisque – see below
• 1/2 oz. Gold rum such as Cruzan or Mount Gay
• 1 dash Simple syrup
• 1 Dash Angostura Bitters
• Apple Brandy Foam – see below

1. Combine pumpkin bisque,rum simple syrup and bitters in a mixing glass without ice and stir to combine.
2. Divide between 2 tall shooters
3. Gently float the Apple Brandy Foam on the shooters
4. Serve immediately

Apple Brandy Foam

• 3 egg whites (4 1/2 oz pasteurized egg whites)
• 3 oz. Applejack Brandy
• 2 oz. Fresh Orange juice – double strained
• 2 Dashes Bar Keep Apple Bitters

1. Add all ingredients to an iSi Whipper
2. Seal the whipper and shake to further break up the egg whites
3. Double charge the Whipper with N2O, shaking after each charge
4. Refrigerate for 2 hours before use.  Will keep refrigerated for a few days.

Pumpkin Bisque

• 1 tsp Cayenne
• 2 Cups Diced Onion
• 2 cloves Chopped Garlic
• 1 1/2 Tbls. Butter
• 1 – 15 oz. Can Pumpkin Puree
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1/4 tsp. Ground Allspice
• 1/2 tsp Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. Salt to Taste
• 1/4 Cup Dry Sherry
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream

1. Saute the onions in the butter until translucent – about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 30 sec.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients except the cream and simmer for 30 min
3. Place the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth.
4. Return the puree to the pot, add the cream and continue to cook until heated through.
5. Serve immediately or cool for the above shooters.

Cheers!

A Spritz is one of those perfect summer cocktails.  We wanted to keep the light, clean taste of the classic while adding a little tang.  After trying several liqueurs and even an amaro, we settled on Suze.  The full-bodied citrus and herbs coupled with the long, spicy, bitter finish make Suze a perfect base for a spritz.  Of course, a Suze spritz is nothing new, but we weren’t planning on stopping with Suze and prosecco!  Enter Ancho Reyes Verde.

Spritz Picante is all citrus and herbs to the nose.  On the palate it begins slightly bitter.  The ancho chili joins in the middle with a light touch of heat.  The finish satisfies long and clean.  Here’s the recipe:

• 1 ¾ oz. Suze
• ¼ oz Reyes Ancho Verde
• 3 oz. Prosecco
• Splash of Topo Chico
• Lime peel for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Add the Suze and Ancho Verde to the cocktail glass over fresh ice. Alternatively, you can chill them in a mixing glass and strain into the cocktail glass over fresh ice.
3. Add the Prosecco and top with the Topo Chico
4. Garnish with the lime peel.

Well, we have chocolate covered peanuts and chocolate covered espresso beans and chocolate covered everything else so why not chocolate covered rum? I made a chocolate simple syrup with coconut nectar and drinking chocolate.  It is really deeply chocolate and very thick.  This cocktail has the flavor of rum and coconut but the dark chocolate predominates.  The spice of the chipotle and bitters keeps the sweetness at bay.

• 1 1/2 oz. Rum
• 1/2 oz Coconut Liqueur
• 1/4 oz. Chocolate Simple Syrup – Recipe here
• 2 pinches chipotle powder
• 1 dash Fees Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and stir with a spoon to dissolve the chocolate syrup
3. Add Ice to the shaker and shake to chill
4. Double strain into chilled glass and serve

Cheers!

When I think of a dessert drink, my mind usually lands first on coffee. When I think of dessert, chocolate usually wins, (like everyone else, right?). So, my dessert cocktails frequently incorporate coffee and chocolate.  My list of after dinner drinks includes several sweet cocktails.  I prefer my dessert cocktail to be not overly sweet.  That’s probably because, while I might start out thinking the cocktail is my dessert, I usually end up eating something sweet as well.  So, I like dessert cocktails that do double duty as a stand alone dessert or as an accompaniment to a dessert, (read chocolate cake).

The Nectar de Café uses apricot brandy, amaretto, Ancho Reyes, crème de cacao, molé bitters and coffee syrup.  I used Kinsman Rakia for the apricot brandy.  Depending on the brand you use, you may want to adjust the sweetness.  The coffee syrup is house made, (go here for the simple recipe),  but you can use whatever brand you like for your cold coffee.

Nectar de Café

This cocktail is a touch on the sweeter side.  It alone can be dessert, but not so much that you couldn’t enjoy it with your favorite sugary delight, (chocolate cake).  The nose is sweet apricot, tropical fruit and coffee.  The taste is fruit, coffee with background of nuts, chocolate and chilies.  It doesn’t taste as sweet as your nose told you it would.  The finish is chocolate and coffee.  Shaking the drink creates the coffee foam and gives the cocktail a pleasant mouth feel.  After shaking and double straining into the glass, let it sit for about 30 seconds to allow the foam to form and the drink to clear.

• 1 oz. Apricot brandy
• 1 oz. Cold coffee syrup
• 3/4 oz. White crème de cacao
• 1/2 oz. Ancho Reyes Liqueur
• 1/2 oz. Amaretto
• 4-5 drops molé bitters

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake to chill and create a foam – about 30 seconds.
3. Double strain into the chilled cocktail glass
4. Let the drink sit for about 30 seconds to allow the foam to form and the to drink clear.

Cheers!

Mixology Monday

It’s already Mixology Monday for October!  This Month we are hosted by Frederic of the  Cocktail Virgin and the theme is “Mashups.”  The challenge is to combine 2 cocktails into one Monster.  I started thinking of Scotch drinks, but nothing seemed to be anything special.  Looking at the Blood and Sand, a cocktail made with equal parts Scotch, Cherry Heering, Sweet Vermouth and Orange Juice, I was reminded of several other equal parts cocktails.  These included the Last Word, the Negroni, the Corpse Reviver,  the Vieux Carré (sort of) and the Blood and Sand.   I played around a bit and settled on “Monster Mashing” the Corpse Reviver (No 2) and the Blood and Sand.

As noted above the Blood and Sand, which was named after the popular movie of 1922, is made with equal parts Scotch, Cherry Heering, Sweet Vermouth and Orange Juice.  The Corpse Reviver (No 2), which dates back to Harry Craddock, is made with equal parts gin, maraschino liqueur, Lillet, and lemon juice with a dash or wash of Chartreuse.  My initial attempt was to use the Blood and Sand recipe and substitute gin for the Scotch and lemon juice for the orange juice.  so the drink was:

• Gin
• Cherry Heering
• Sweet Vermouth
• Lemon Juice

This drink was good but was pretty much Cherry Heering with citrus and some other background flavors.  So I decided to use maraschino liqueur rather than the Cherry Heering.  This works very well.  The herbals of the gin and vermouth are allowed to come through, but it’s really just a Corpse Reviver with sweet vermouth instead of Lillet.  So I decided to bring back the Scotch.  I did this with a Scotch wash and a shot back.  Now the Scotch plays along in the background bringing back the Blood and Sand like that other voice in the monster’s head!  Serving the Scotch along on the side re-enforces it’s presence as you enjoy the cocktail.

The Corpse in the Sand (No 2)

• 3/4 oz. London Dry Gin
• 3/4 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
• 3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth – I used Dolin
• 3/4 oz. Fresh lemon juice
• 1 – 1 1/2 oz. Single Malt Scotch – I used Cragganmore a Speyside Scotch.  I wouldn’t suggest anything too peaty or smokey.

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Pour the Scotch into a Shaker tin with enough ice to chill the whole cocktail.  Stir briefly to coat the ice and slightly chill and dilute the Scotch.
3. Strain the scotch into a whiskey or shot glass and set aside
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the shaker and shake to chill.
5. Double strain into the chilled cocktail glass.
6. Serve the cocktail with the Scotch along side.

Cheers!