Adam George

Whether technically one process adds or subtracts character, I'm not interested in in this instance, I'm just pointing people's attention to an interesting article that highlights the legal standing of the Whisky.

I've got a couple of drinks to post. Speaking of Genever I finally made an Improved Holland Gin Cocktail I used about three parts Bols to one part Ketel One, a spoon of Curaçao and Maraschino with Angostura and Absinthe Bitters* And to right the wrongs at The American Bar, a White Lady 2:1:1 with Beefeater, Cointreau, lemon and a couple of dashes of Absinthe Bitters* * Absinthe Bitters Inspired by the recipe in The Employees Only book. Roughly 3:1 Absinthe : Chartreuse Vegetal Elixier, with Angostura, Peychaud's and Fernet to taste. Rather than use Fee's Mint Bitters, I steep fresh mint in the mixture.

Quick, someone come up with an ultra corny way to link Normandy, Scotland and NOLA and name it such!

Thanks for posting that link. It's a great site! I've just spent more than an hour browsing videos.

Exactly, in an ideal world, you're chilling either mixing vessel. In the bar we chill our shakers and mixing glasses and you'd be able to do the same at home, to greater effect. If you were going to choose one material over the other and titanium or such is out of your price range, glass would seem like the preference, provided you planned ahead by ten minutes to freeze your equipment. I however do not like shaking in glass because thermal capacity aside, I don't like how cumbersome and heavy glass boston shakers are. I could get used to that Yarai glass cobbler though....yum.

"Barf" ? Suntory's single malts and Hibiki blend get good press, but for those of us drinking lower down the market, there's the likes of Suntory Old and "Kakubin". ? I have not tried anything I would consider "lower down the market" so I wouldn't know.

I'll wait for news on the vat. Sansaire are estimating "the lower end of $20-50"

Uh... You had to tempt me with that glass Yarai Shaker again... must resist. Anyway, in the bar, with partially thawing ice a 500ml shaker is not big enough. You may get away with it at home with ice from the freezer. I've never seen that Deluxe Shaker in person, but you can see by the side by side photos that it is wider further down the body, whereas the Baron is slimmer. For that reason I favour the Baron. However, if you're short on barware, I'd recommend the Koriko tins paired with their Fine Strainer - which is excellent - and either an AG Hawthorn - the best of its type - or a CK Julep Strainer, which will allow you to throw drinks between tins.

"Hurry up and slow cook something!"

It's what I've used in place of it before. I just suggest proper Agricole given Jo's penchant for Overproof.

Though to be honest, other than the fact they look pimp as fuck, is there any reason you need such an item? Glass is a better insulator than stainless and if there is any chance you will mix more than one drink an once, the ridiculously cheap (comparatively) Koriko tins are a much better buy

You could give cocktail kingdom a ring and see what they have in stock.

Being proudly British my family has got lots of time out of Cole & Mason salt and pepper grinders.

Cool. I only ever manage two shakers at once.

No, try and find a really strong grassy Martinique.

And just because I'm a proud man and not so secretly like getting papped, here a shot of me smashing out a drink in a Baron Shaker. What are you shaking in now?

The Yukiwa are around the same price, but they have a series of cheaper shakers. At work I have 500ml AG (similar size and shape to the Usagi) and the 500ml Baron Yukiwa in gangster bling gold, of course. We all favour the Baron for its narrow shoulders and they seal and separate much more easily. I have small hands, so slimmer design is better for me. They also hold their gold colour better, with the AG fading. At home I use the silver and gold band Baron and 360ml AG. The latter is great for single drinks like daiquiris, especially with frozen ice. I think it's too small for bar use. I have left my Koriko tins at work and we use them for drinks with leaf sediment, egg whites and two drink shakes.

What Suntory product was barf apart from Midori? Really, inquisitive minds would like to know.

Lies: it's actually a miniature camera and audio recorder so that the NSA can gather information on how eGullet members sous vide their eggs!

I am still on the fence as to Anova or Sansaire but I've been using a 28 Litre Thermos Cool box that without a circulator only drops about 1Celius an hour from 55c. It cost £20 on Amazon. Obviously I'm not going to use the full capacity on this and although it has a lid, it's oddly not insulated, but it means I have used the top as a hot plate for drying clothes! When I finally get a circulator I will fashion some extra coverage for the gaps.

Those Parisians are always a gamble...

Has anybody ordered from Golden Age Bartending? They have a large selection of shakers at quite good prices, although I have no hands on experience with the cheaper ones.

Grab a bottle of 100 Proof Blanc or Vieux Agricole and make this: 1/2 oz Appleton 12 1/2 oz Agricole Rhum 1/2 oz Pusser's 1/2 oz Wray & Nephew Overproof 1/2 oz Cointreau 1 oz fresh lime juice 1/4 oz orgeat 1/4 oz syrup Shake over cubed ice, strain over fresh cubed ice and crown. If you also got a bottle of Pierre Ferrand at the same time, I'd say split the Cointreau in half with that also. Seriously, this shake with crushed and dump is just going to end up in a watery slushy. And the above drink will keep for 20minutes on cubed ice.

Can you adjust the target temperature on the Anova whilst it is running or do you have to stop and then reset it?