Craig E

Inaugurated my first batch of homemade pineapple syrup with Rafa's curious Death is Not the End.

Peat-er and the Wolf Laphroaig 10 (Bowmore Legend) St. Elizabeth dram (homemade) Lime juice Ginger syrup Brown ale (Summit Frost Line Rye) Candied ginger garnish (forgot it for the pic) A fun drink, with the really intense ingredients (sour, spicy, smoky) blanketed by the beer, peeking out here and there as you sip.

Asked this elsewhere on this forum but didn't get any bites: Has anybody here tried Amaro Sibona? At my local shop I had planned to try Amaro Montenegro about which I've heard so many good things, but the guy said he was no longer able to carry it, and Sibona was taking its place on the shelves.

Sounds surprisingly garnish-intensive. And also delicious!!

After three nights of experiments I think I have found the right proportions for this drink, an original inspired by this month's Mixology Monday challenge: Fourteen 2 oz Rye, Rittenhouse 1 oz Falernum 3/4 oz Lemon juice 2 ds Bitters, Angostura 1 oz Club soda 1 twst Lemon zest (as garnish) 1 Maraschino cherry (as garnish) Shake whiskey, falernum, juice, and bitters. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Top with soda and briefly stir. Garnish. The theme this month is "Drink of Shame." The idea is to revisit, and maybe rehabilitate, one of those horrible drinks from our younger and less sophisticated days. I chose the first mixed drink I can remember learning about from my first year of college: The Seven and Seven--a generous pour of Seagram's Seven (unremarkable blended whiskey) topped with 7-Up (lemon-lime soda). What would a craft version of that sweet, citrusy, poundable drink be? I'd need whiskey, lemon, lime, sweetness, and bubbles. So I reached first for some homemade falernum, which could provide syrupy sweetness as well as a lime component (albeit more zest than juice). Added lemon juice to complete the lemon-lime requirement, and to provide sourness. Since the falernum introduced spiciness I thought I'd push further in that direction by using a rye, and I liked the high proof of Rittenhouse to stand up to the other ingredients. Bitters to hold it together, a little soda to give some bubbles, lemon oil and cherry lend a nice nose. In the end I've produced something that's really not too far from a regular whiskey sour. A more intentional inspiration was Lliam Dominic's Revelator. It's not a jaw-dropping invention, but I think the 18-year-old me would be impressed with this sweet, sour, and deceptively strong concoction.

For that era this Mad Men guide might actually be a good place to start!

The red/white analogy seems sound to me. It's probably obvious but geographical origin of the spirits or other ingredients could be tied to the cuisine too. I think of mixed drinks being naturally suited to before or after meals (aperitif and digestif functions), but maybe not such a clear fit alongside a big meal. Perhaps a shim would fit the bill as a wine replacement. For the retro party it'd be helpful to clarify to what era it was retrospective. There's a big difference between 20s/30s drinks, 50s/60s, or 80s/90s! But the quickstart list at Kindred is not a bad place to start if looking for classics.

Just made it and you're right, it's good! Thanks for the suggestion. I'll get through this damn 1.75l yet!

Captain Morgan (a leftover from my more ignorant bar-stocking days) and Plantation 3 Stars (from a more enlightened time).

Leftmost three are restocks. Funny that I'm so excited about this haul--a couple of years ago not a single one of these names would've meant anything to me. Had planned to try Amaro Montenegro about which I've heard so many good things, but the guy said it's no longer imported (at least through his distributor I guess). They were carrying Amaro Sibona in its place--anyone here ever tried that?

My recent, pitiful first attempt at a flaming lime shell, for a Cradle of Life. Too residually juicy to get very good pyrotechnics going. Had I seen FrogPrincesse's photo before making it, I would have known that inside-out shells could've solved that problem.

Also of interest in the story, the reopening of the Museum of the American Cocktail in new digs. Did anybody here visit it in its former location?

You could do worse than making some Existential Heroes with your amaretto. Should be able to squeeze 152 of them out of your bottle. For the pimento dram, I'd prescribe the Dead Man's Mule. I think you'd like both; I definitely do!

Enjoyed a yummy Long Faced Dove. Silver tequila (reposado), Campari, pink grapefruit and lime juices, simple, topped with ginger beer (Q).

I noticed this 3 Archers blog post worked out a Poitin old-fashioned variant for the most recent Mixology Monday.

"needs," maybe not. Might be worth trying without to see. One could also try boosting the Scotch to make it a little drier (and to add a little volume--it's a small drink per spec). It wasn't too sweet for me to enjoy it. But the sugar likely contributed to the aforementioned chocolatey phenomenon. Maybe the niche for this drink is as a "dessert Sazerac."

Tried a Little Easy. Blended Scotch, Averna, sugar, Peychaud's & orange bitters, Herbsaint rinse, orange twist. I subbed Ramazzotti for the Averna. A Sazerac riff with an unexpectedly strong chocolate flavor.

I was surprised to learn that Beefeater gin is made at a lower proof for markets outside the U.S., based on just such a tax-avoidance calculation.

I find that aligning the shaker and glass true (straight up and down, rather than in a banana-like bend) gets me a better seal for dry shaking.

If you grill chunk salmon and put it on a toasted roll, is that a burger? It's not what anyone means when they just say "burger." But all the same, the purists who would argue that it shouldn't go on a burger menu are probably fighting a losing battle. I'd call vodka and vermouth a vodka martini.

Cocoa Puff Smash (or rather Cocoa Krispie Smash). Green Chartreuse, lemon, creme de cacao, mint, Cocoa Krispies. (I muddled the cereal—couldn't commit to infusing a bottle of Chartreuse!)

I tried this one, also with Vida. The first sip boosted my confidence in my growing belief that smoky mezcals are just not for me. But the second and subsequent sips I enjoyed without reservation. I've had a similar experience with Fernet-heavy drinks--the initial, unenjoyable sip forces an adjustment on my sense of taste, and then I really like the drink from there on out.

Sounds like those are flavors that some allspice dram could contribute in the absence of tiki bitters?

Funny enough, I only have hop bitters! Too bad we're not closer.

I'll have to try that. Already on my to-do list was Rafa's Locandiera, which is a similar idea complicated by some Cherry Heering, hopped grapefruit bitters, and a Campari rinse. Have you tried that one?