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Help for a Couple of Cocktail Novices (Part 1)


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#301 EvergreenDan

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Posted 01 October 2011 - 06:47 PM

To be honest, the first time I made it, I thought "Hmmm, I can't get my head around Caribbean rum and Italian amaro." The second time I made it, I loved it.

Smith & Cross is a bit of an acquired tasted. My wife used to hate it, but now likes it just fine. It is sort of the Limburger of the rum world.
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#302 curls

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Posted 01 October 2011 - 09:16 PM



No picture tonight - but made the Brother's Perryman again. Beefeater, St Germain, Campari, flamed orange rind. Yum!

Sounds good, I would like to try this! What ratios are you using?

Ounce and half of gin, 1 ounce each of St germain and campari.

Thanks Kerry!

#303 sbumgarner

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Posted 02 October 2011 - 05:25 PM

I love the bitter mai tai, but i think proper dilution is key to bring the flavors completely together.
I believe it was intended to be served over shaved ice, and I think it makes a big difference.


The Bitter Mai Tai might be one of the best drinks I've had all year, but Campus Five is right - it needs some extra dilution to help tame all the aggressive, rich flavors going on. Another excellent drink to try with Smith & Cross and Campari is the Kingston Negroni from Death and Company - equal parts S&C, Campari, and sweet vermouth, stir, strain into rocks glass over ice, orange twist. Perhaps I have a weird predilection towards that that combo, but that drink also really does it for me.

#304 campus five

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Posted 02 October 2011 - 07:45 PM

Oh, I'm so making that right now.

#305 thirtyoneknots

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Posted 02 October 2011 - 07:48 PM


I love the bitter mai tai, but i think proper dilution is key to bring the flavors completely together.
I believe it was intended to be served over shaved ice, and I think it makes a big difference.


The Bitter Mai Tai might be one of the best drinks I've had all year, but Campus Five is right - it needs some extra dilution to help tame all the aggressive, rich flavors going on. Another excellent drink to try with Smith & Cross and Campari is the Kingston Negroni from Death and Company - equal parts S&C, Campari, and sweet vermouth, stir, strain into rocks glass over ice, orange twist. Perhaps I have a weird predilection towards that that combo, but that drink also really does it for me.


Buddy of mine did that same drink with Bonal. Called it "Negroni, Please". Winner.
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#306 campus five

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Posted 02 October 2011 - 11:21 PM

Kingston Negroni was delicious, though I went with the lemon twist. Delicious. Good call.

#307 sbumgarner

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Posted 03 October 2011 - 03:42 AM

Thanks - as soon as I posted that last night I decided I needed to make one as well. Tried adding 2 dashes of mole bitters to change it up a bit, turned out to be a very pleasant addition.

#308 Kerry Beal

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Posted 05 October 2011 - 03:25 PM

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Not sure of the name on this one - it's Pimms with gin, angostura bitters and fizzy lemon. Enjoyed a first sip then set it down next to the child.

Heard it hit the ground. My mouse was under the mess - don't think it's ever going to work the same again. Kinda sticky this one.

Anyway hubby seemed to enjoy his!

#309 EvergreenDan

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Posted 05 October 2011 - 05:03 PM

Call it Sticky w/ Kid?
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#310 Kerry Beal

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Posted 05 October 2011 - 05:06 PM

Call it Sticky w/ Kid?

Good name!

#311 tanstaafl2

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Posted 06 October 2011 - 07:04 AM

Not sure of the name on this one - it's Pimms with gin, angostura bitters and fizzy lemon. Enjoyed a first sip then set it down next to the child.

Heard it hit the ground. My mouse was under the mess - don't think it's ever going to work the same again. Kinda sticky this one.

Anyway hubby seemed to enjoy his!


Never had Pimm's #1 but my understanding is that it is a 50 proof gin based drink to begin with so if you add more gin that would be a lot of gin! I see from looking up a couple of recipes that gin is a common companion to Pimm's. Is it pretty typical to add more gin to drinks containing Pimm's? I suppose if it works then that's OK!


Does this drink have a preponderance of the fizzy lemon part of the equation?
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. ~Mark Twain

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#312 EvergreenDan

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Posted 06 October 2011 - 07:18 AM

Yes, Pimm's is 50 proof, which isn't so high -- comparable to Campari for example. You'd add gin to Campari, right?
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#313 Kerry Beal

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Posted 06 October 2011 - 07:23 AM

Not sure of the name on this one - it's Pimms with gin, angostura bitters and fizzy lemon. Enjoyed a first sip then set it down next to the child.

Heard it hit the ground. My mouse was under the mess - don't think it's ever going to work the same again. Kinda sticky this one.

Anyway hubby seemed to enjoy his!


Never had Pimm's #1 but my understanding is that it is a 50 proof gin based drink to begin with so if you add more gin that would be a lot of gin! I see from looking up a couple of recipes that gin is a common companion to Pimm's. Is it pretty typical to add more gin to drinks containing Pimm's? I suppose if it works then that's OK!


Does this drink have a preponderance of the fizzy lemon part of the equation?

This particular version did have a preponderance of fizzy lemon - I don't think it necessarily needs to. Was just the size of the glass I chose. More sticky stuff for the floor, the papers, the check books, the computer mouse, the TV remote...

#314 tanstaafl2

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Posted 06 October 2011 - 10:29 AM

Yes, Pimm's is 50 proof, which isn't so high -- comparable to Campari for example. You'd add gin to Campari, right?


True enough. It was just the gin on gin thing I guess that got me. Kinda like the Rusty Nail of gin... :biggrin:
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. ~Mark Twain

Some people are like a Slinky. They are not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs...
~tanstaafl2

#315 thirtyoneknots

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Posted 06 October 2011 - 07:34 PM

Unlike Drambuie, which is unmistakably based on Scotch, I doubt "gin" is the first thing very many people think of when tasting Pimms by itself.
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#316 tanstaafl2

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Posted 06 October 2011 - 07:51 PM

Guess I need to add Pimm's to my long list of things to try!
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man. ~Mark Twain

Some people are like a Slinky. They are not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs...
~tanstaafl2

#317 Anna N

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Posted 08 October 2011 - 01:33 PM

Last night I had a Banff cocktail: Whisky, Grand Marnier, Kirsch and Agnostura bitters. No photo as my camera battery was dead.

Tonight a Caipirinha. I did not expect to like this at all but felt I should at least try it. Surprisingly I really enjoyed it. I used only 2 ozs of Cachaca so I could at least stay upright until after dinner. :biggrin:

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#318 Kerry Beal

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Posted 10 October 2011 - 11:30 AM

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My first Sazarac - simple, peychauds, Fourty Creek John's Private Cask (I know it's not the right kind of rye - but damn it's smooth!), absinthe spritz in the glass and a lemon twist (now residing in the glass but don't tell anyone).

#319 Kerry Beal

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Posted 23 October 2011 - 04:21 PM

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A 'Little Italy' tonight. I used canadian whiskey in place of the rye, punt e mes, cynar, a bit of maraschino cherry syrup and a flamed orange rind. Most excellent!

#320 Beth Wilson

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Posted 23 October 2011 - 04:51 PM

Ok, I admit to being a little light in the knowledge on cocktails so I am even more of a novice than you Kerry, but what the heck is a flaming orange? Does it make a big difference in the taste?

I just had my first attempt at flambe desserts so now I may need a new challenge!

#321 Tri2Cook

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Posted 23 October 2011 - 05:22 PM

Nice one Kerry, sounds tasty. I'm still trying to convince the local store that they want to order a thing or two for me (rittenhouse and yellow chartreuse). I think they didn't read the part of the LCBO site that says "your local store will be happy to order anything the LCBO carries". But I can make that drink minus the punt e mes... if I can figure out a good sub.
It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

#322 Kerry Beal

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Posted 23 October 2011 - 05:28 PM

Nice one Kerry, sounds tasty. I'm still trying to convince the local store that they want to order a thing or two for me (rittenhouse and yellow chartreuse). I think they didn't read the part of the LCBO site that says "your local store will be happy to order anything the LCBO carries". But I can make that drink minus the punt e mes... if I can figure out a good sub.

Recipe calls for sweet vermouth - it should work just fine with whatever you've got.

There is yellow chartreuse at a couple of the Toronto stores - let me know if you want me to grab it for you. Ditto on the Rittenhouse.

#323 Kerry Beal

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Posted 23 October 2011 - 05:31 PM

Ok, I admit to being a little light in the knowledge on cocktails so I am even more of a novice than you Kerry, but what the heck is a flaming orange? Does it make a big difference in the taste?

I just had my first attempt at flambe desserts so now I may need a new challenge!

Beth - gotta try this - I think it does make a difference in the flavour.

Check out the video here.

#324 Tri2Cook

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Posted 23 October 2011 - 05:32 PM

Sweet vermouth I have, I'll give it a try.
It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

#325 Kerry Beal

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Posted 28 October 2011 - 03:24 PM

The boys decided they wanted Manhattans tonight - Canadian whiskey, carpano antica, dashes of angostura, absinthe, orange liqueur and grenadine. It was dad's 94th birthday - so we had cake, but no candles so we didn't burn the house down.


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#326 Kerry Beal

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Posted 29 October 2011 - 03:56 PM

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Doesn't get any more basic than a martini.

#327 Tri2Cook

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Posted 29 October 2011 - 05:08 PM

But it's a good basic! Although, at the risk of being pelted with large ice cubes, I confess that I actually prefer a G&T over a martini.

Edited by Tri2Cook, 29 October 2011 - 05:08 PM.

It's kinda like wrestling a gorilla... you don't stop when you're tired, you stop when the gorilla is tired.

#328 Kerry Beal

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Posted 29 October 2011 - 05:14 PM

But it's a good basic! Although, at the risk of being pelted with large ice cubes, I confess that I actually prefer a G&T over a martini.

They'll be pelting me too - I'm not really a martini fan. Do love a good G&T though!

#329 Kerry Beal

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Posted 03 November 2011 - 04:24 PM

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Over on the drinks thread the 3G was mentioned. Noticed I had everything to make it - G'vine gin, St Germain, Domaine de Canton and a little spritz of absinthe. Sadly no dill in the garden for garnish - next time if I do lime zest I'll do a chunk rather than little bits.

Very tasty - bet it would be even better with about 1/2 an ounce of lime.

#330 brinza

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Posted 04 November 2011 - 12:36 PM

I just want to comment on the cocktail porn in this thread. Kerry's photos are making me so thirsty. I just want to reach through the screen and grab these drinks! Damn.
Mike

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