Mixology Monday

The theme for this month’s Mixology Monday is “Drink Nerdy.’  Our host, Rebecca of The Shrubbery blog, challenges us to embrace our inner cocktail nerdyness.  From her Announcement Post, “The thing that unites everyone who participates in MxMo is our love of of cocktails. We love the history, the alchemy, the artistry, and of course the drinking. Loads of us go to conventions, collect memorabilia, read books about all manner of boozy subjects, and tour distilleries like they’re sacred places. One might say, we’re nerds.”  Well, I pretty much resemble that remark!

For starters, if you catch the movie reference in the name, “Thermian Mist,” your SciFi nerd credentials are complete!  So, in addition to a nerdy reference in our drink’s name, I wanted to try to incorporate as many cocktail nerd moves I could get into one cocktail.

• Nitrogen Cavitation
• Barrel Aging
• Homemade Bitters

Thermian Mist

There is a lot going on in this cocktail.  We combine sherry barrel aged gin, Lillet, Aquavit, cardamom syrup and homemade gin bitters.  The gin was aged 4 weeks in a barrel that had been used to age Sherry, several Manhattans, including a Tequila Manhattan and bourbon.  The Sherry went back into the barrel between each Manhattan and before and after the bourbon.  So, it had last been used for Sherry just prior to the Gin.  What came out was straw colored.  The Gin looses some of the brightness of the botanicals but gains a touch of charred oak, a bit of bitterness, clove, cinnamon, dried fruit herbs from the vermouth in the Manhattans along with a bit of spice from the Bourbon.  There is a definite touch of Sherry. This, combined with the herbal Lillet, the caraway from the Aquavit and the cardamom in the syrup came out nearly perfect.  The “nearly” part is due to the loss of the fresh botanicals in the barrel aging process.  In comes our Gin Bitters to replace those lost botanicals.  The nose is herbs and lemon oil with a hint of gin.  The flavors are gin, the herbal Lillet and Aquavit with a background of oak, cinnamon and sherry. Here is the recipe:

• 1 1/2 oz. Sherry Aged Gin
• 1/2 oz. Lillet
• 1/4 oz. Aquavit
• 2 dashes Cardamon Syrup
• 1 dash Gin Bitters – see below
• 1 lavender leaf and a sprig of thyme for garnish
• Lemon peel

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine the gin, Lillet, Aquavit, syrup and bitters in a mixing glass with ice.  Stir to chill
3. Strain into the chilled cocktail glass.
4. Spank the herbs in your hand and float them on the drink.
5. Express the lemon peel over the drink and discard.

By Grabthars Hammer!

Cheers!

Gin Bitters

This is a simple staged infusion.  It will take about 2 1/2 weeks.  You infuse gin with various things, then boil the solids in water to extract the oils.  You then combine the oils/water back with the infused gin.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz Gin
• 6 oz. Each Lemon and Grapefruit peel
• 4 oz. Lime peel
• 2 tsp Coriander
• Cardamom 2 pods cracked
• Star Anise 1 pod cracked
• Dried Hibiscus 3 flowers – Available on Amazon
• Dried Chamomile 5 flowers – Available on Amazon
• 4 gm Fresh Lavender tied in a bundle with a string
• 1/2 Cup water
• 1 TBL Dried Wormwood – Available on Amazon
• 1 Tbl 2:1 Simple Syrup

1. In a 1 pint mason jar combine gin and coriander.  Set aside in a cool place.  Shake the jar every day.
2. On day 3, add the cardamom
3. On day 4, add the anise, flowers and lavender
4. On day 5, add the citrus peel
5. On Day 7, filter the solids, reserving everything except the lavender.  Pour the gin back into the mason jar, seal and set aside.
6. In a small sauce pan, combine the solids and the water.  Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Allow to cool and pour the liquid and solids into a second mason jar.  Seal and set aside for 7 days.  Shake the jar daily.
7. After the 7 days, strain the liquid from the solids into the gin.
8. Put the wormwood in a fine mesh sieve and tap it with your hand to remove as much dust and small particles as possible.
9. Add the wormwood to the bitters and let steep for 30 minutes.  Strain first through a fine mesh sieve and then through a metal coffee filter.
10. Working quickly, begin straining the liquid through a paper coffee filter.  When the liquid stops going through the paper filter, replace the filter with a new one and keep moving.  You need to get the wormwood out of the liquid as quickly as possible.  The small particles will make your bitters, too bitter!
11. Add the simple syrup.  Set aside for an additional 3 days.
12. At the end of 3 days, skim off any scum floating on the surface.  It will keep indefinitely.

Mixology Monday

This month’s Mixology Monday is hosted by Adam of the Mr. Muddle blog.  He has chosen the theme of vinegar, as in the Shrub.  A shrub is simply fruit, sugar and vinegar.  They are generally sweet/tart and you can enjoy them with a little carbonated water or mix them in cocktails.  This month I’ve gone a bit overboard and am offering 4 cocktails using vinegar.  Three using shrubs and one vinegar, (specifically pickled jalapeno juice).

A few years ago, I ventured into making a shrub at home.  I don’t often have total failures, but that was one of them!  Jump forward to a few months ago and, while wondering through the liquor store, I came across a Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Shrub from Shrub Drinks.  I started playing with it and came up with the following:

Fords Gin with Balsamic Shrub Shots

The Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Shrub is tart like you would expect but it is also pretty sweet.  To offset the sweetness, I added Salers.  In addition to bitterness, Salers also has serious botanical flavors that go well with the Fords and a touch of earthiness. Salers is a bit of an acquired taste so you might want to reduce it to 1 tsp.  The purpose of the few ice cubes is to chill and dilute only slightly.  The flavors are the gin, the sweet/tart shrub, the Salers’ botanicals and a touch of savory from the black pepper garnish.  The recipe makes 2 shots:

• Lemon peels plus additional for garnish
• 2 oz. London Dry Gin such as Fords
• 1/2 oz. Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Shrub
• 1/4 oz. Salers
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Prepare the shot glasses by expressing the lemon peels over the glasses and then wiping the inside and rim of the glass with the peel.  Discard the peels
2. Combine the gin, shrub and Salers in a mixing glass with 1 or 2 ice cubes
3. Gently stir to slightly chill and dilute
4. Strain into 2 shot glasses.
5. Top the shots with 1 turn of black pepper
6. Garnish with an additional lemon peel

 Tequila Shots with Tomatillo Lime Serano Shrub

These are similar in concept to the above.  Obviously, tequila and lime go together.  This shrub has the tartness of the vinegar, but is not as sweet as the balsamic shrub.  The tartness adds to the drink and the fresh pepper brings just a touch of tingle.  This recipe also makes 2 shots.

• 1/2 oz. Fresh lime juice
• 2 slices fresh serano jalapeno – seeded or not
• 2 oz. Plata Tequila
• 3/4 oz. Tomatillo Lime Serano Shrub from Shrub Drinks
• 3 drops 10% Saline or a few grains of salt – optional
• Lime wedge for garnish

1. In a shaker tin, muddle the jalapeno and lime juice
2. Add the tequila and shrub and shake briefly with a few ice cubes.  Don’t over dilute or chill.
3. Double strain into 2 shot glasses.
4. Garnish with the lime wedge and serve

Shrub Collins

This is a twist on the classic way to drink shrubs – just add water.  This cocktail brinks the complexity of sweet vermouth and fresh lemon juice to the sweet/tart shrub.  You can use any shrub for this and can substitute a different fortified wine and/or add a spirit.  The concept makes for a refreshing summer drink.

• 1 oz Sweet Vermouth – your favorite brand
• 1 oz Fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 oz. Strawberry Balsamic Black Pepper Shrub
• Carbonated water
• Lemon wheel for garnish

1. To an Ice filled Collins or highball glass add the first three ingredients.
2. Top with the carbonated water
3. Garnish with the lemon peel and serve

Dirty Cajun Martini

Where the dirty martini meets the Cajun martini: Hendrick’s Gin, dry vermouth and pickled jalapeno juice. Guaranteed to tickle your tongue.

• 2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
• ½ oz. dry vermouth
• ¼ oz. pickled jalapeno juice

1. Chill cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice
3. Stir to chill 10 – 15 sec.
4. Strain into chilled glass
5. Garnish with jalapeno stuffed olive or jalapeno spear

Cheers!

Mixology Monday

It’s Mixology Monday May 2016!  This month’s theme, hosted by Nick of the Booze Barn, is “Dry.”  Around here, we like dry, (maybe why we live in South Texas)!    The idea this month is to make a cocktail using a dry base spirit with no more than 10% sweetener/juice and 10% fortified wine, or no sweetener and 20% fortified wine.  The word “Dry” immediately brought to mind a local distillery here, but I’ll come back to that in moment.  I’m going to start with an Old Fashioned.

Speaking of preferring dry cocktails, I make Old Fashioneds bitters forward with minimal sweetener.  After reading the requirements for this theme, I got to thinking about how often I have difficulty making drinks sweet enough for some people.  The classic Old Fashioned is a bit sweet.  Most of my Old Fashioned recipes call for 1/4 – 1/2 tsp sweetener such as simple or honey syrup or agave in a 2 ounce pour with 2-3 dashes of bitters.  This is less than half of the above requirements for this theme.  So here is one of my favorites, the Apple Old Fashioned:

Apple Old Fashioned

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, but this month keep it dry!

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
• 1/2 tsp 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.

Desert Kiss

When I’m thinking of combining a base spirit, especially gin, with a liqueur, I usually go first to the ‘Golden Ratio’ of 1 1/2 spirit: 3/4 fortified wine: 1/4 liqueur.  With the requirements for this month’s MxMo, I decided to mess with one of my favorites: Gin, Bianco vermouth and Chartreuse.  Reducing both the vermouth and Chartreuse really alters the drink in a very good way.  There is London Dry Gin, the unmistakably qualities of the vermouth and the herbal notes of the Chartreuse.  Add a little lemon oil and the fragrance of sage and it’s all good!

• 1 1/2 oz. London Dry Gin
• 1/4 oz. Carpano Bianco Vermouth
• 1 tsp Chartreuse
• Lemon peel and fresh sage leaf for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine the gin, vermouth and Chartreuse in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass
4. Express the lemon peel over the drink and discard
5. Spank the sage leaf in your palms and float it on the drink

Now, back to my comment above that the word “Dry” immediately brought to mind a local distillery here in San Antonio.  Dorçol Distillery, located in Southtown has been making an apricot brandy or ‘Rakia.’  The nose on their Kinsman Rakia is, as you would expect, sweet and fruity just like a brandy should be.  But, it is bone dry.  I even measure the brix and it came in between vodka and London Dry gin.  I obviously like their product.  Added to that, is my appreciation for what these guys are doing with the community, helping to revitalize an historic part of the City.  They have a small bar at their distillery which is quickly becoming a serious attraction.  Among the many offerings is a Rakia Martini:

Rakia Martini

This cocktail has the dry fruity apricot flavor of the rakia which is enhanced by the herbal notes of Lillet.

• 2 oz. Kinsman Rakia
• 1/2 oz. Lillet

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine the Rakia and Lillet in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled glass
4. Ask your liquor store to order some Kinsman Rakia

Cheers!

Barrel aging at home is fairly simple, not ridiculously expensive and seriously worth doing.  The in’s and out’s of getting started are covered in our Barrel Aged Cocktails page.   While simply barrel aging cocktails is reason enough to get started, the real magic occurs when you age something in a barrel previously used for a different cocktail or spirit.  For instance, tequila aged in a barrel previously used to age sherry, bourbon, Manhattans and gin.  Or White Whiskey aged, first in a new charred barrel, then aged further after Negroni’s and a Martini.   Each of these take on flavors far beyond those found in a charred barrel alone.  Thus, the fun!

Here are some examples of what we’ve been putting in our barrels.

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Hudson White Whiskey

We used Hudson White Whiskey to flavor a new, charred oak barrel.  It went in, first for 1 month, then back into the barrel for 2-3 week stents between Negroni’s.  A Martini also spent some time in that barrel as well.  The Whiskey came out with a nice color.  The nose is caramel, vanilla, clove, herbal with a touch of corn whiskey.  The flavor is slightly sweet corn whiskey with the oak, caramel, vanilla and herbs.  There is a background of gin with a touch of bitterness on the finish.  We used it to make an excellent Boulivardier:

Boulivardier with Negroni Aged White Whiskey

• 1 oz. Negroni Aged White Whiskey
• 1 oz. Dolen Sweet Vermouth
• 1 oz. Campari
• Fat orange peel for garnish

1. Chill an old fashioned glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients, except the garnish, in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled old fashioned over fresh, large ice
4. Express orange peel over drink and float the peel

Barrel Aged Sherry

We used Lustau East India Solera Sherry to flavor a second new, charred oak barrel.  The barrel was then used to age Bourbon Manhattans.  These were aged alternating with the Sherry 3 or 4 times.  The barrel was then used to age bourbon, a Tequila Manhattan and gin.  The sherry revisited the barrel for 2 – 3 weeks between each cocktail or spirit. The sherry has a bit of color added.  The nose is sherry with vanilla, clove and a bit of caramel.  The flavor is dried fruits: current, apple, apricot and raisin.  I have used it in a number of cocktails that call for sherry.  It imparts a slightly mellow flavor along with the sherry you’d expect.  Here is our Sherry’d Manhattan:

Manhattan 2.0 with Manhattan/Bourbon/Tequila Barrel Aged Sherry

For the the bourbon in this cocktail, we tried Basil Hayden and Belle Mead.  Both were excellent.  The bourbon brings flavors of maple, tobacco, smoke and vanilla.  This blends well with the rich, earthy Carpano Antica’s tastes of herbs, spice and slight bitterness.  The aged sherry intermingles with the Italian Vermouth, smoothing the bitterness and adding to the richness.  Here is the recipe:

Manhattan 2.0

• 1 1/2 oz. Bourbon
• 3/4 oz.  Carpano Antica
• 1/4 oz. Manhattan/Bourbon/Tequila Barrel Aged Sherry
• 1/8 tsp. Grand Marnier
• 1 dash Angostura Orange  Bitters
• Garnish: Luxardo Maraschino Cherries and an orange peel

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Add the ingredients, except the garnish, to a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into the chilled cocktail glass
4. Add the cherries, (or place them on a pick), and express the orange peel over the drink and discard.

Sherry Cask Aged Bourbon

This is one of my favorites.  The Sherry Cask Aged Bourbon alone makes barrel aging at home worth while!  I used Russel’s 10 yr Old Bourbon.  For an aged bourbon, Russel’s has a lot of spice.  Aging in a Sherry Cask which had previously been used to age Manhattans mellowed the spice.  There are significant flavors from the charred oak barrel: oak, clove, vanilla, and caramel.  You can also taste the sherry along with dried fruit, possibly from the Manhattans.

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Manhattan 3.0 with Sherry Cask Aged Bourbon

This cocktail is similar in concept to a barrel aged Manhattan cocktail.  However, since the bourbon has taken on flavors from the Sherry barrel while the vermouth was not exposed to the barrel or allowed to oxidize, the flavor is significantly different.  As noted above, the Sherry Cask Aged Bourbon brings flavors from the charred oak barrel: oak, clove, vanilla, and caramel with a touch of aged Sherry.  The unaged Carpano Antica maintains its rich flavors of fruit and almonds with spice and a slight bitterness on the finish.  Together, they create a fabulous cocktail.

• 2 oz. Sherry Cask Aged Bourbon
• 1 1/2 oz. Italian Vermouth (sweet)
• 1 tsp Grand Marnier
• 1 – 2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
• Orange peel and Maraschino cherries for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water.
2. Stir to combine all ingredients, sans cherries, in a mixing glass with ice.
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass, express the orange peel and garnish with the cherries

Negroni/Whiskey Barrel Aged Tequila

I used Milagro Plata Tequila and aged it for 2 weeks.  The barrel was the one described above with Hudson’s White Whiskey alternating with Negroni and a one time Gin Martini.  With this aging, I had placed the aged White Whiskey in the barrel just prior to the Tequila.  I suspect that the flavor profile might be significantly different if the Tequila had followed a Negroni instead.  In the 2 week time, the Tequila took on a little color and a  lot of flavor.  I was aiming for a primary Tequila flavor with background barrel notes.  I was not trying to create Repasado from Plata.  After the 2 weeks, the flavor of charred oak was fairly prominent but it was still Tequila and it had picked up vanilla and clove from the oak and spice from the whiskey/Negroni.  There was also some dried fruit and herbs from the Negroni.  After a few weeks in the bottle, the charred oak flavor diminished some while the rest of the flavors remained.

Whiskey/Negroni Barrel Aged Tequila Manhattan

In our standard Tequila Manhattan, I use Lillet Rouge instead of vermouth.  This cocktail calls for a much lighter touch so Dolin Sweet Vermouth fits nicely.  Sticking with the Tequila theme, I used Agavero Orange Liqueur as the sweetener.  It has a nice orange flavor and is a little sweeter than Grand Marnier.  If you need to substitute, use more Grand Marnier or add a dash of simple syrup.  I wanted to keep the “Manhattan” flavors as much as possible so I went with Bitter Truth’s Jerry Thomas Own Decanter Bitters.  The maraschino cherry brings the last touch of sweetness while the bitters up the complexity.

• 1 1/2 oz. Whiskey/Negroni Barrel Aged Tequila
• 1/2 oz. Dolin Sweet Vermouth
• 1/4 oz. Agavero Orange Liqueur
• 4 drops Bitter Truth’s Jerry Thomas Own Decanter Bitters sub Angostura
• Maraschino cherry

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingedients but the garnish in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the cherry.

 Sherry Barrel Aged Gin

The most distinctive thing about gin is the fresh, herbal flavor.  This is true whether you prefer a heavy juniper London Dry or one of the New American Styles.  In my use, barrel aging any gin cocktail flattens those herbal notes.  They are still there, but the bright, fresh aspect is gone.  What is added by the barrel aging process depends almost entirely on what was previously in the barrel and how long the gin is aged.  The process works very well for a Negroni – not so much for any type of Martini.

I have seen Sherry Aged Gin on the market, so I wanted to try this with my Sherry barrel.  I chose Ford’s Gin, one of my favorite London Dry’s.  The barrel had been used to age Sherry, several Manhattans, including a Tequila Manhattan and bourbon.  The Sherry went back into the barrel between each Manhattan and before and after the bourbon.  So, it had last been used for Sherry just prior to the Gin.  Of note, this barrel was reaching the end of its life.  Ultimately, you extract all of the flavors – just like a tea bag.  After the Gin, I put the Sherry back in the barrel for 4 weeks, then followed it with Bourbon.  The Bourbon required 8-10 weeks to achieve the flavors that previously had taken only 4 weeks.  After that, the barrel was done!

The Gin was aged for 4 weeks.  What came out was straw colored.  As noted earlier, the Gin looses some of the brightness of the botanicals but gains a touch of charred oak, a bit of bitterness, clove, cinnamon, dried fruit herbs from the vermouth in the Manhattans along with a bit of spice from the Bourbon.  There is a definite touch of Sherry.  All in all, aging the Ford’s Gin in the Sherry/Manhattan/Bourbon Barrel was one of our best outcomes.  Definitely worthy of a repeat!

Sherry Barrel Aged Gin Wet Martini

I wanted to enhance all of the flavors of the aged Gin and you’ll notice that this goes very light on the sweet vermouth.  With so little sweetener, the bitterness of the charred oak comes through.  The overall nose is Gin with a touch of oak.  Flavors are London Dry Gin with a flattening of the herbal notes and a bittersweet background of Sherry/Charred Oak.  The barrels previous Manhattan occupants add some dried fruit, herbs and spice.  I tried this with and without expressing a lemon peel, but couldn’t decide which I liked better.  So, I’ll leave the garnish to you!

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• 1 1/2 Sherry Barrel Aged Gin
• 1/4 oz. Dolin Sweet Vermouth
• 4 drops Regan’s Orange Bitters
• Lemon peel for garnish – optional

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Garnish with the lemon peel if using

Well, these are some of my ideas for barrel aging.  In reality, and part of the adventure, is that none of these will be 100% reproducible!  I highly recommend that you try this at home.  The barrels are not expensive and the outcomes are definitively worth the little effort involved.  The process will require you to frequently sample some tasty cocktails and spirits as they age.  It’s a tough job…

Cheers!

It’s Girl Scout Cookie season and the little girls, with Mom’s in tow, can be found in front of grocery stores and pharmacies across the Nation.  The ones I met were very pleased to sell me 2 boxes of each variety.  Of course I wasn’t purchasing all of those boxes just to fuel a cookie binge.  I was interested in a more scholarly pursuit:  What cocktail will go with my favorite Girl Scout cookie and which Girl Scout cookie will best pair with my favorite cocktail?

Once home with my boxes, I quickly realized that, with 8 different cookies and hundreds of possible cocktails, this was going to require more than one person’s liver!  So I assembled a tasting panel.  My panel was comprised of foodies and cocktail geeks.

First on the agenda was to taste and rank the cookies.  Not surprising, the Samoa was rated highest with 5 stars.  Tied for second were the Rah-Rah-Rasins and Thin Mints with 4 stars, followed by Savannah Smiles.  The Tagalongs, Do-si-dos and Trefoils rounded out the field.

Pairing the cookies with cocktails came next. The cocktails, listed nearby, were served in the order shown.  The panel first rated each cocktail, then tasted the cookies with that drink.  The best parings for that cocktail were then noted.  This meant that each cocktail could pair with multiple cookies and each cookie might go with several cocktails.  When all of the cocktails had been served, the panel then went back and selected the best cocktail for each cookie.

The highest rated cocktail was the Irish Coffee followed closely by the Irish and Tequila Manhattans.  The Bourbon Manhattan and the St. Hubertus’ Fix were also favored.  The remaining cocktails rated fairly equally except, on the other end of the spectrum, let’s just say this was not a big gin crowd!

Prior to the tasting, I spent some time figuring out what cocktails might work with these cookies.  It was immediately evident that fruit, citrus and sour weren’t working.  I included the Ten Four, Cynar Sour and Rakia Ximenez to see if the panel agreed.  While the panel liked these cocktails, they didn’t find much to pair them with.

I was a bit surprised by a few of the results.  The Tequila Manhattan was a panel favorite, but paired with very little.  Except, it was the runaway favorite to pair with the Thin Mint.  I expected the Irish Coffee to pair with the Thin Mint, but only one panel member selected that pairing and then not as a favorite.  There were some other surprises, but let’s get on with the pairings.

Open the tabs below to see the results:

Martini

I made both the Gin and Vodka Martinis in a mid century style with very little vermouth.  As I noted earlier, none of the panel members are gin drinkers.  They did, however, like the Vodka Martini and thought that it paired well with the buttery Trefoil and sugar dusted, lemon of the Savannah Smiles.

Mid Century Vodka Martini

• 1 1/2  oz. Premium Vodka such as Cinco
• Premium Vermouth such as Carpano Dry
• Garnish of your choice

1. Chill a martini glass with ice and water
2. Pour a dash of vermouth into a mixing glass and swirl to coat.  Discard the vermouth
3. Add the gin to the mixing glass, fill with ice and stir to chill
4. Strain into chilled martini glass and garnish

Mid Century Gin Martini

To make this, substitute Gin for the Vodka and proceed.  I used Ford’s.  Now, I like gin a lot and regardless of the tasting panel, I thought that the Gin Martini went very well with the Savannah Smiles!

The Manhattan

There were 3 different Manhattans: Irish, Bourbon and Tequila.  All were rated highly by the panel and paired well with several of the cookies.

Irish Manhattan

This version of the classic received 4.5 Stars from the panel.  They chose it has the hands down favorite to pair with both the chocolate peanut butter Tagalong and the Oatmeal raisin Rah-rah-raisin.

While rye and bourbon are the classics in the Manhattan, I don’t see any reason not to try an Irish Whiskey.  Specifically the Tullamore Dew 10 year old Single Malt.  As I’ve noted before, the Tullamore Dew has the earthy, grassy flavors of Irish whiskey with the flavors of fruit, (apricot, pineapple, raisin) and wood.  Just the depth of flavors that blend with vermouth.

• 1 1/2 oz. Tullamore Dew 10 year old Single Malt Irish Whiskey
• 3/4 oz. Sweet Italian Vermouth
• 1 dash Grand Marnier (1/8 tsp)
• 1 – 2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
• brandied cherries for garnish

1.  Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water.
2. Stir to combine all ingredients, sans cherries, in a mixing glass with ice.
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the cherries

Bourbon Manhattan

The panel paired this classic Manhattan with the Rah-rah-raisin as well but did not think it went as well as the Irish Manhattan.  They did, however, pair the Bourbon Manhattan as best cocktail with the coconut caramel Samoa.

For the bourbon Manhattan, I used Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old.  This is a bit of a lighter bourbon, but still has the sweet and spicy notes you expect from a quality aged bourbon.  Note that in addition to using a higher ratio of vermouth, the recipe includes more Grand Marnier.

• 2 oz. Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon
• 1 1/2 oz. Italian Vermouth (sweet)
• 1 tsp Grand Marnier
• 1 – 2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters
• brandied cherries for garnish

1.  Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water.
2. Stir to combine all ingredients, sans cherries, in a mixing glass with ice.
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the cherries

Tequila Manhattan

This cocktail was rated as the favorite match up with the Thin Mint.  As I noted above, I was surprised but have to agree that it pairs very well.

Definitely not a chocolate martini, this is a southwestern makeover of the Manhattan.

• 2 oz. Milagro Añejo Tequila
• 1 oz. Lillet Rouge
• bar spoon (1/8 oz.) of agave nectar
• dash chocolate bitters
• Orange zest

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass and stir with ice
3. Strain into chilled glass
4. Garnish with a wide orange zest

Old Fashioned

I did not include a classic Old Fashioned.   Each of the 3 I did, have some significant variation.  The Old Fashioned Tent Revival has agave syrup and is spicy.  The Tequila Old Fashioned obviously switches the spirit and uses agave and molé bitters.  The Barbancourt Old Fashioned with aged rum was rated as the best pairing for the peanut butter sandwich Do-si-do.

Barbancourt Old Fashioned

The spice of the habanero shrub and the touch of sweetness of the agave complement the dark complex flavors of the aged rum.

• 2 ozs. 15 Year Old Barbancourt Rum
• 1-2 dashes Bitter Truth Habanero Shrub
• 1/8 oz. Agave Nectar

1. Chill an old fashioned glass with ice and water
2. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and stir with ice
3. Strain into chilled old fashioned glass over fresh ice

Irish Coffee

This was the unanimous favorite of the evening.  The panel thought it went with everything except the Savannah Smiles.  It tied the Barbancourt Old Fashioned for best with the Do-si-do and the Bourbon Manhattan for paring with the Samoa.

Irish Coffee

I make these with strong coffee, Bushmill’s, very little sweetener and lightly whipped, unsweetened heavy cream.

• 1 1/2 oz. Bushmill’s Irish Whisky
• 1-2 dashes 2:1 simple syrup
• 4-6 oz. very hot dark coffee (I use Starbucks Sumatra Blend)
• 2-3 Tbl. Lightly whipped cream

1. Prepare the coffee
2. Lightly whip a small amount of heavy whipped cream – about 1/4 cup, until it just peaks
3. In an Irish Coffee mug or other mug of choice, add the Whisky, simple syrup and coffee.
4. Stir gently and top with the whipped cream

St. Hubertus Fix

This was a bit of a surprise for me.  I wasn’t sure what my panel might think of this cocktail.  I found this drink at Cool Hunting. Its primary flavor is bitter coffee, but the aged rum and the herbal Jägermeister really balance that bitterness and the spice of the Pimento bitters rounds it all out.

The panel paired this cocktail as best with the Toffee-tastic.  They also thought it went well with the Rah-rah-raisin.

St. Hubertus Fix

• 3/4 oz. Aged Rum – I used Zaya
• 3/4 oz. Jägermeister
• 3 oz strong cold coffee – I used 1:1 cold coffee syrup and water
• 2 dashes of Dale Degroff Pimento Bitters

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass

Rakia Ximénez

My tasting panel liked this cocktail and gave it 4 Stars.  They did not pair it well with any of the cookies.  In retrospect, it might have fared better if I had served it earlier.  I’m pretty sure everyone’s taste buds were getting saturated.  I think that the dry apricot brandy, the sherry and the touch of heat in this cocktail go well with the Toffee-tastic.  But that’s just me!

This cocktail combines the fruit flavors of Dorcol’s Kinsman Rakia Apricot Brandy with the sweet sherry flavors of Pedro Ximénez.  Then the dried chile notes of the Ancho Reyes weigh in.  Finally, on the finish, the slightest heat from the Habeñaro Shrub can be appreciated.

• 1 1/2 oz. Kinsman Rakia Apricot Brandy
• 3/4 oz. Pedro Ximénez Sherry
• 1/4 oz. Ancho Reyes
• 4 Drops Bittermans Habeñaro Shrub
• Orange peel for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients, except the garnish, in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Express the orange peel over the drink and discard the peel

Well, there you have it.  You have a few more days to score some Girl Scout Cookies and try a few pairings for yourself.

Cheers!

This cocktail is simply a Blood and Sand with a little smokey twist.  According to an article by Gary Regan on Liquor.com, the Blood and Sand first appeared in Harry Craddock’s The Savoy Cocktail Book and was probably named after the 1922 silent movie.  History aside, the Blood and Sand is an elegantly simple cocktail.  It’s equal parts scotch, Cherry Herring, sweet vermouth and orange juice, shaken and served straight up.  You can change the flavor of this drink a little by switching around different types of vermouth but the key ingredient is scotch.  I prefer a Highland Single Malt or a smooth blend for this cocktail.  The complexities of a Speyside are lost in this drink and an Islay can be over powering, but a touch of smoke is a great addition.  This version of a Blood and Sand gets that smokey twist from a mist of Laphroig as a garnish.  Just fill an inexpensive atomizer, (available here) with Laphroaig and you’re good to go.

• 3/4 oz. Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch
• 3/4 oz. Cherry Herring
• 3/4 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
• 3/4 oz. Fresh Orange Juice
• Mist of Laphroaig Single Malt Scotch
• Orange peel for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
3. Double strain in to the chilled cocktail glass
4. Express the orange peel over the drink and float the peel
5. Apply 2 or 3 mists of Laphroaig from the atomizer over the drink
6. Serve immediately

Cheers!

Mixology Monday

The theme for January’s Mixology Monday CV was Brace Yourself: to create a cocktail that will fortify the will against that moment just before you step out into the cold.  Yes, I live in San Antonio where people bundle up because it’s 54 degrees.  However, I grew up in the frozen North, so I know cold.  Besides, we have winter in San Antonio.  It lasts for a week or two, but not all at once.  Usually a half day at a time!

Ok. Enough of that.  The thing I love about Mixology Monday is the creativity.  Keeping up with this crowd is a challenge unto itself!  Every month I am pushed to make a cocktail that not only fits the theme, but is a great drink on it’s own.  This month is no different.  The contributions are, once again awesome!  There are cold and hot drinks, smokey scotch, spice, herbs, tea, coffee and stout.  So here are 14 cocktails sure to warm your cockles, (whatever those are).

First up, Katie at garnishblog brings us the Blood and Smoke.  Since she is from Boston, where we know it’s not 75 degrees today, we can be pretty sure that Katie knows cold!  She “combined the bright taste of blood orange with the spicy and smoky flavors of rye whiskey and Scotch.”  Rye whiskey, blood orange juice, Angostura and a Scotch rinse: I think I might blow off the cold and sit down to have another!

Second in, Andrea who blogs from Denmark at ginhound, gives us a rif on the Last Word with the Clementina Caliente.  She shakes up Ilegal Joven mezcal with yellow Chartreuse, Ancho Reyes chile liqueur and fresh squeezed clementine juice.  This should help prior to scraping your windshield at -15C!

Next, our German Mixologist, Pete Barmeister of Meticulousmixing brings us a recipe for homemade Rosemary Bärenfang, a honey liqueur.  He then combines the clove, vanilla, cinnamon and rosemary flavors of the Bärenfang with hot water and Tatratea, a tea liqueur, to create the Carpathian Honey.   Pete further encourages us to combine the Bärenfang with a German-style Pilsner for a “Lazy Man’s Braggot.”  The Bärenfang I need to try, but I’m not sure it will be enough to make me want to hunt bears in winter!

Stacy Markow, our Dallas sommelier, brings us Coffee Milk Punch.  She combines a cold brew coffee simple syrup with Rye whiskey, whole milk and pecan bitters.  This should make Dallas’ next ice storm a little more tolerable!

Next, Craig joins in with the Winter Cap.*  For this cocktail, Craig warms up Bonal with 151 proof rum then rounds it out with Calvados and the herbal Becherovka.  I’m always fond of amari and quin quina drinks, and this one sounds fascinating with the addition of the apple flavors of cider and Calvados.

*Depending on your browser, you may need to scroll up or down to find the post.  Just look for the Mixology Monday logo!

Frederic Yarm of Cocktail Virgin Slut,  Mixology Monday’s fearless leader and world famous cat herder, weighs in with Hot Tiger’s Milk.  Since he too hails from Boston, a certain level of experience with the bitter cold can be assumed!  His approach is to distract yourself and bring Don the Beachcomber to the rescue.  This 1937 hot Tiki drink combines the flavors of rum, coconut, cloves and butter.  As Frederic says, “The Hot Tiger’s Milk greeted the nose with a butter and honey-floral aroma. The rum’s caramel danced with the honey on the sip, and the swallow roared with rum, orange, and clove notes. The flavors, especially the orange and clove, built over time as they steeped into the Toddy.”  Just might cause one to forget where they are and try stepping out in surf shorts and sandals!

Joel DiPippa,of Southernnash, Mixology Monday’s resident Arkansas gentleman and scholar, brings us an Irish Coffee run a muck with his Hoar Frost’s Fall.  The fact that Joel can pull 100 proof bourbon, allspice dram and Becherovka out of his cabinet in the middle of a snow storm speaks to his mixologist bonafides.  Then, in true scholarly fashion, he creates the recipe while pondering shoveling the snow!  This hot coffee cocktail will definitely make snow shoveling a little less painful.

The Le Restaurateur No. 2, brought to us by Ian of Tempered Spirits, is another cocktail with 151 proof demerara rum and Calvados, but this time with yellow Chartreuse and the spices of Angostura and 18-21 Black Currant-Cocoa Bitters.  This cocktail has the flavors of baked apple pie with a little funky rum notes thrown in.  I agree with Ian that the 18-21 Black Currant-Cocoa Bitters can be hard to find, but they are worth the search!

Boozenerds, Seattleites Shaun and Christa, bring us the Corbie.  This is an oatmeal stout based cocktail with the spice of rye whiskey, the complexity of amaro and the sweetness of maple syrup.  I’m not sure if the name “Corbie” is supposed to evoke thoughts of Northern France or of ravens but the cocktail sounds delicious and is now on my things to make list!

I have always enjoyed Sazaracs, but a Sazerac Hot Chocolate?  Brilliant!  Dagreb at Nil Utopia creates an amazing cocktail by substituting a Sazarac for the milk in a hot chocolate and makes an absinthe whipped cream for the top!  Gunner, our Chesapeake Bay Retriever, will appreciate me having one of these, since I’ll probably decide to stay inside and have another thus enabling him to lie by my chair in front of the fire.  Which is where he’d rather be!

Thiago Ceccotti, our Brazilian mixologist who writes at Bartending Notes,  gives us a recipe for Quentão.  “Quentão (literally means:Very Hot) is a cachaça based Hot Toddy-style beverage which also resembles a cachaça based Mulled Wine.”  Made with ginger tea, cachaça, vermouth, vanilla liquor, lime juice and Angostura, it sounds like there is a good reason it is popular in Brazil!

Adam, aka Mr Muddle, joins Mixology Monday for the first time with his 32 Degrees.  Another Bostonian, he seems to be well schooled. not only on cold weather, but in cocktails, (check out his blog).  As Adam points out, this drink is a Scaffa, which is not technically a cocktail, but a mixture of alcoholic components, mixed in a glass and served unchilled, without ice.  The 32 Degrees, made with Dark Rum, Amaro Montenegro, Aquavit and an Absinthe rinse will decidedly “steel the will!”

Next in was Robin of the Kitchen Shamanism Blog.  Don’t believe Robin when he says he mixes cocktails with “low knowledge!”  He presents us this month with another interesting drink, the Sjörök.  Smokey Islay Scotch, sweet Cherry Heering, dark muscovado sugar syrup, Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters and hot Lapsang Souchong tea.  I may not be able to pronounce “Sjörök,” but this smokey cocktail looks like it will keep you warm and smiling!

Well, there are 13 cocktails that should help get you through the winter.  Lastly, our contribution this month is two shots: Into the Wind and Frost Buster.  Both are made with barrel aged Fireball Whiskey!  Why, you might ask, would we do that to a barrel?  Well, click here to read and find out!

PS:  Marius Iordache who blogs at Arcane Potions and attends the Citadel, comes in with a late contribution: a delicious looking Mulled Wine.  That should keep you warm on a 0600 march, but then again, I’m pretty certain that drinking is worth at least 150 demerits!

We really have enjoyed hosting this month’s Mixology Monday.  Thanks, as always, to Frederik for keeping this most excellent online cocktail party on track and for allowing us to host.

So, until next month,

Cheers!

We offered a number of libations this Christmas Season.  A few were favorite cocktails that we rechristened with seasonal names, we added some new ones that we found, and we created a couple of original recipes.  Some can be made Zero Proof so everyone can be in on the fun!

Berry Delicious

I got this idea from Porter’s Fire, which is a Canadian Whiskey with “cinnamon and hints of vanilla.”  I haven’t been able to find Porter’s Fire so I used Fireball.  The combination of cinnamon spice and the nutty Amaretto is awesome.

• 3/4 oz. Fireball Whiskey
• 3/4 oz. Amaretto

1.  Combine in a shot glass and serve

Blazing Prancer

If Amaretto works, why not Jägermeister?  Especially if the Fireball has been barrel aged.  I aged the Fireball in a small jar with a barrel stave for 2 weeks.  A little clove and vanilla to go with the cinnamon blends with the herbs in the Jägermeister.

• 3/4 oz. Barrel Aged Fireball Whiskey
• 3/4 oz. Jägermeister

1.  Combine in a shot glass and serve

Three Wise Men

Gold, frankincense and myrrh. Too many of these and you’ll act like Larry, Moe and Curly!

• 1 1/2 oz. Ford’s Gin
• 3/4 oz. Carpano Bianco Vermouth
• 1/4 oz. St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur
• Edible Gold Stars (available here) for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine gin, vermouth and St. Germaine in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Gently float a few gold stars on the surface and serve

Elf Magic

Better than dessert—Chocolate mint cream.  (Yes, it’s a Grasshopper)

• 1 oz. Crème de Menthe
• 1 oz. Crème de Cacao
• 2 oz. Heavy Cream

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass

Frosty Night

A Holiday version of a Cosmopolitan. This cocktail is pretty and sophisticated.

• 1 ½ oz. vodka
• 1 oz. White grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz. Cointreau
• 1/2  oz. Simple Syrup
• 4-6 fresh cranberries for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients, except garnish, in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Either float the cranberries on the drink or skewer them on a pick.
5. Serve

Rudolph Bubbly

Even Champagne can use a little dressing up!  This is from Chris Tunstall at abarabove.  I am re-posting it here because making a syrup from jellied cranberry sauce is a great idea, (for other awesome ideas, you should check out their site).

• 2 oz. Cranberry Syrup – see below
• 4 – 6 oz. Champagne (or Sparkling Cider)

1. Chill a cocktail glass champagne flute with ice and water
2. Add Cranberry syrup to glass and top with Champagne or cider

Cranberry Syrup

The syrup is extremely easy.  It will take about 15 minutes, including time to cool.  You will need:

• 1 – 14 oz can jellied cranberry sauce
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup water

1. In a quart sized microwavable container, melt the cranberry sauce on high in 30 second intervals, stirring in between.
2. Meanwhile, using a small sauce pan on the stove, dissolve the sugar in the water.
3. When the the sugar is dissolved, add the melted cranberry sauce and stir to combine.
4. Allow to cool.  This will keep refrigerated in a sealed glass bottle for at least a week.

Santa Sparkle

Mint with a little sparkle!  Can be Zero Proof.

• 2 oz. Crème de Menthe or Crème de Menthe syrup
• 4-6 oz. Champagne or Sparkling Grape Juice

• Chill a cocktail glass champagne flute with ice and water
• Add Crème de Menthe to glass and top with Champagne or Grape Juice

 Holly Leaf

Creamy mint richness.

• 1 oz. Crème de Menthe or Crème de Menthe syrup
• 2 oz. Heavy Cream

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass

Cheers!

I’m sure most of you know that this past October 21, 2015 was “Back to the Future Day.”  That was the date that Marty McFly traveled to the future in the second movie.  (and the Cubs won the World Series!)  Well, in the first movie, Marty traveled to the past – specifically November 5, 1955.  So, to mark this auspicious date, I would like to share my version of a Mid Century Martini.  You know, the type where you say the word, “vermouth!” **  Since Marty’s father was in High School at the time and was too young to drink, I’m assuming his father, Marty’s Grandfather, would be the one to enjoy a 1950’s Martini.  Thus the name “Grandfather McFly 55.”

This cocktail calls for a whisper of dry vermouth and a London style Gin.  I have chosen Bombay Sapphire.  Ford’s, Beefeater or your favorite will all work just fine!  Any dry vermouth will also do as well.  To make it truly authentic, you can open the vermouth, re-close it and let it sit at room temperature for a few months, (just kidding – sort of!).  So, here’s to Space-Time Continuum’s, Flux Capacitors and really cool Deloreans!

Grandfather McFly 55

• 1 1/2 oz. London dry Gin
• Dry vermouth
• Olive for garnish

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Pour a little vermouth into a mixing glass and swirl to coat.  Empty the mixing glass into the sink.
3. Add the Gin to the mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
4. Strain into the chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the olive.

** During WWII, the World’s supply of vermouth was held hostage by the Axis Powers.  Tradition has it that Winston Churchill would raise his Martini, sans vermouth, toward France and say “Vermouth.”  It wasn’t because he didn’t like vermouth, it wasn’t available!

Cheers!

This, in retrospect, is a play on the Perfect Martini.  One that combines both dry and sweet vermouth.  I came up with this idea after the vermouth seminar at Tales with Jared Brown.  He had us combining various types of vermouth and discussing how to make them.  After combining Carpano Dry and Carpano Bianco, I was hooked.  These two styles of  vermouth have become my go-to for anything calling for ‘dry.’  At first the Carpano Bianco seems slightly sweeter than the usual premium dry vermouth.  I attribute this to the rich wine flavor that comes through along with citrus and a little tropical fruit.  The Carpano Dry is a bit surprising.   The nose is wine, lemon, candied fruit and spices, but the taste is bone dry.  Alone, or in combination, these fortified wines are amazing.

I like my martini’s 2 1/2:1 or 3:1 Gin to Vermouth.  Obviously you should use your favorite ratio.  However you make them, try combining the Carpano Dry and Bianco 50/50 for the vermouth.  I have tried this with Ford’s, Plymouth, 209, Aviation, Hendrick’s and Botanivoire.  I like them all!

When it comes to the garnish, I think that citrus and olives, individually or together, drastically alter this martini.  I prefer one or two fresh herbs floating on the surface.

The Carpano Squared

• 1 1/2 oz. Gin – You’re favorite premium brand
• 1/4 oz. Carpano Dry Vermouth
• 1/4 oz. Carpano Bianco Vermouth
• Fresh herbs such as thyme and/or sage

1. Chill a cocktail glass with ice and water
2. Combine the gin and vermouth’s in a mixing glass with ice and stir to chill
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass
4. Spank the fresh herbs and float them on the cocktail

Cheers!