thirtyoneknots

Good point. How do bartenders expect to get tipped if they don't make change? When I was starting out I didn't do this mostly because it was something that always annoyed my father--he doesn't like having a wallet full of small bills and figured if he needed some for change, they could always be traded out later. It sort of stuck with me for a while and though it doesn't come up often where I work now, every time it does I feel a small pang of guilt for giving lots of ones back in change.

In my world, bitter alcoholic beverages are definitely all part of a spectrum, with Angostura on one end and vermouth on the other. There are almost certainly semantic ways to dismantle this pov, and it may not work for everyone, but that is the way that works for me to explain the role of bitter flavors in cocktails to my customers and co-workers alike. Plenty of room for agreeing to disagree but I'm not so sure that it is possible to categorically call the premise false. Perhaps I should have clarified that when I include in "that category" it is of bitters, not amari.

Is this what contributes to the occasional soot on the surface of the drink? I thought it was from holding the peel too close to the surface.

Amazon doesn't do international shipping for this kind of item. It seems I will have to wait 'till someone goes to the US or Europe and try to smuggle some for me Are you looking for a certain brand or does that matter? If you have access to Orange Blossoms, then making Orange Flower Water is quite easy, it's just simple distillation. I can't help but notice that this discussion has gone off the rails a bit. If you can't even get pomegranates, then distilling your own orange flower water seems like overkill, especially since I would argue that orange flower water, while a nice fillip, is not essential to the flavour of grenadine. Hahaha, much-needed reality check. You might be a cocktail geek if...

I kind of feel dopey asking this, but why does it matter if there is a little paraffin on a lemon? I normally rinse the stamps off with warm water but as long as the peel expresses oil I never give it a second thought when using for garnish. And if the wax helps it stay oily longer, then I'm all for it. Am I missing something here?

Oh of course, I just find it humorous. I'm sure some residual jealousy at my inability to purchase any decent Genever in this state has something to do with it.

One giveaway is that proper Arrack will not be clear, though beware as there are other aged arracks from Sri Lanka made from coconut sap. These are not clear, but also not what you are looking for (though I'd be surprised if you come across one by accident).

Unfortunately that is not at all the kind of "Arrack" (note the spelling difference) you want for punch. The stuff in the photo is an anise-flavored liqueur that falls into the same spectrum as Ouzo and Pastis. The Arrack used for punch is a type of very funky rum from Indonesia, aka 'Batavia Arrack' (Batavia is the old name for Java). Van Oosten is the brand available in the States. Though the names are related (both come from the Arabic word for 'sweat'--as in the product of a still) the flavors most definitely are not.

Interesting that they specify that ingredients should be readily available/carried at most bars and then have Bols Genever as the first sponsor (not that there's anything wrong with it). Indeed, looking at the sponsor's list I'd say that the bar that carries both Hypnotiq and Bols Genever would be quite a rarity.

Lemon, or citrus of some kind, anyway, would be a defining ingredient of punch as it was originally understood.

So, like, Campari, creme de cacao and cream? I can almost see it working. Cocoa solids are quite bitter. Maybe it will taste like a bar of 70+% dark. Those are the ingredients, yes, done in a 2:1:1 preportion if I am recalling correctly (not certain by any means--went there after a Woodford Reserve promotion). Garnish was a light dusting of dehydrated Campari powder, though I think this probably isn't clutch. I'm not sure if I would say this resembles dark chocolate. Not sure if I would say it resembles anything, actually.

Any idea what pineapple water is? Also curious as to what kind of Madiera is being employed here, if you happen to know. One of my favorite beverages. The pineapple water, whatever it is, gave a light taste, similar to my infused rum. Sorry, I didn't think to check for any more details about the madiera. I'm pretty sure it isn't the $50/glass stuff Andina has on their desert menu, though. Yeah I figured, I just wondered what level of sweetness it had.

Does that mean that there are wine-based amari? Some, including myself, include Vermouth in the category, particularly the heavily aromatized ones like Carpano. Punt e Mes is considerably more bitter, to my palate, than something like Averna. Interesting. I wouldn't include vermouth as amari, not because it's not bitter, but because it seems like an entirely different category to me as a fortified wine. I can see how you could go there though, especially since I often switch out vermouth in cocktails in favor of (what I consider to be) amaro. The bitterness of vermouth is often, or even normally, not readily apparent, but they are typically flavored with bitter components such as quinine or even wormwood (the origin of the name). In the same way that a properly made Manhattan or Old Fashioned contains bitters without tasing as bitter as, say, a Negroni, good vermouth is balanced in flavor while still having an almost imperceptable bitter quality as part of its profile. But yes, it is not overly bitter on its own, especially if your palate is accustomed to bitterness in your beverages.

And since this is the thread on Campari Cocktails, I thought I'd take this opportunity to throw in there that Anvil in Houston has its new menu out as of a couple of weeks ago, including--get this--a Campari Alexander. Mind-Blowing. eta: While I originally said "Mind-blowing" I think "Mind-bending" actually describes this drink better.

Does that mean that there are wine-based amari? Some, including myself, include Vermouth in the category, particularly the heavily aromatized ones like Carpano. Punt e Mes is considerably more bitter, to my palate, than something like Averna.

As Alcuin and daisy17 noted, Amaro (pl: amari) means 'bitter' in Italian, same as amargo in Spanish or amer in French. The base of the beverage is incidental, I'd say, and broad interpretation would include vermouths as well as the more traditionally understood items like Campari, Fernet, etc. Since bitter flavors help aid digestion, they can be taken as aperitifs (Camapri, Aperol, Vermouth) or digestifs (Fernet, Averna). Some I think have flexibility in this regard (Cynar, Ramazotti). But the term itself has no bearing on the alcohol base involved.

Any idea what pineapple water is? Also curious as to what kind of Madiera is being employed here, if you happen to know. One of my favorite beverages.

That is pretty much the original preportion, and Appleton V/X works marvellously I would have to agree (and can be had for such a bargain on sale). The only change in the Drinkboy recipe now vs the older one is it used to include a float of dark rum.

I guess I'll let it slide this time

Even better, use the Goslings 151 to blend instead of the Cruzan. Goslings "115" one of my favorites! edit: clarification

Yes there are, and yes it is. The consensus seems to be that most apple brandies on the market are tasty in their way, though they all have their own distinctive character. You'll find lots of fans on this board of the Laird's line of apple brandies (particularly the 100 proof version) from New Jersey, though they tend to be more whiskey-like in character and are best when treated that way. A snoop around the board should dig up some other topics on apple distillate if you are so inclined. edit: grammar

The Daron 'Fine' is always a solid choice. I didn't care much for the Drouin ones I've tried. If you are never ever going to want to sip it on its own, the Pere Ferand is serviceable for the kitchen and the odd Widow's Kiss and such, and a bit cheaper.

Amen! I was beginning to wonder if I was the only person who had ever heard of El Jimador...it is sort of an "under label" of Herradura and is indeed, imo, comaprable to Rittenhouse BIB in terms of qpr--100% agave and about $17 for a 750 ml, buying it in the 1.75 knocks that down to about $12-14 for the same volume. Not the Tequila afficionado that some here are but it makes a damn tasty Margarita. Kent, take a hard look at the labels next time you are at Specs...there are quite a few 100%ers cheaper that Milagro, tho nothing wrong with it. I confess I have not ever bought the nicer Tequilas with my own money, because frankly it is not as versatile for my taste and wallet, and I'd rather buy whiskey with that money. $$$ do buy superior Agave spirit though.

Had a plain cock-tail with some of my stash of old (green bottle) Bols Genever tonight, using Peychaud's supplemented with a few drops of Angostura. I think I may have actually been setting out to make something more Sazerac-y but forgot the absinthe...oh well. Drank that while deboning a whole duck for a friend's colinary project (some kind of duck/rabbit sausage...I have no idea) and decided that sauteeing the liver in butter and snacking on it with some Kelt VSOP might be a good idea. I was right.

'Proper' cocktails less so but punches definitely, including the Planters you mention.