go-to cocktail for young ladies

[wannabe chef]

Wow, I am blown away at how helpful everyone is. I honestly was expecting a lot of cynicism, as I would be cynical of myself-was I not an opportunist:)

This has evolved into exactly what I was looking for, The Legends Cocktail sounds like a show stopper, and I am excited to try many of the others. It seems there are quite a few gin fans here which makes me happy. I have Dale Degroff's book, maybe I need to buy the second one.

[daisy17]

Actually, I think the way to impress the ladies (young or of a certain age) is to make a proper classic cocktail, just as I have for many a friend, female and male.

Totally agree. There's nothing about a gin gin mule (my first real cocktail), southside or French 75 that young ladies who know nothing about cocktails wouldn't like. (I'm not sure an Aviation would have won me over as my first cocktail because of the maraschino.) I just hope that you're not dumbing it down because they're girls. Got to start somewhere. Maybe it'll be revelatory for them as it was for me in my early 30s. I only wish I'd known earlier. Five years later I'm a diehard brown/bitter/stirred cocktail drinker.

[avocado]

as a 20-something lady who would in fact be QUITE impressed by a well-crafted cocktail, i give you major points for trying this tactic. while there's lots to be said for classic cocktails, the kind of girl who would enjoy that sort of thing might also be impressed by a unusual but tasty drink with some retro or kitchy charm. i am, in fact, that kind of girl, so here are some things that i would enjoy and also would spark some interest in the person who thought to offer them...

-prosecco in a proper glass, or a real bellini (not of that champagne-and-peach-schnapps business).

-cheap-ish red wine mixed 50/50 with sparkling lemonade, and be sure to call it "tinto de verano," it's a legit beverage served in spain and trust me, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

-mad men is so hot right now, so a gimlet or a tom collins would be fun to offer someone who watched the show- bonus points for cool thrift-store glassware.

-infuse some vodka! do some googling, the sky really is the limit, and it's an interesting thing to talk about while you enjoy your beverage.

[nikkib]

clover club, Brandy crusta, earl grey marTEAni and ramos gin fizz - any man whos going to show the stamina desired to shake this little beauty would surely impress me (not quiiiiiiiiite 21 but still ;-) )

[EvergreenDan]

Chris- Another very accessible sloe gin cocktail is the Charlie Chaplin:

Charlie Chaplin

1 oz Apricot liqueur

1 oz Sloe gin

1 oz Lime juice

1 Lime peel (as garnish)

Shake, Rocks, lowball

Edited September 16, 2010 by EvergreenDan (log)

[jmfangio]

I'll add The Jasmine to the list. It's one of my go-to drinks for people who say they hate gin (along with the Aviation and Corpse Reviver #2), and it hasn't failed yet.

1 1/2 ounces gin

3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/4 ounce Campari

1/4 ounce Cointreau

Shake, strain, garnish with a lemon twist.

It's also a very forgiving recipe - when you get it exactly right, it tastes surprisingly like pink grapefruit juice. When you don't, it's still pretty darn delicious.

And, while you're mixing, you could woo them with poetry:

I like to have a Martini,

Two at the very most.

After three I'm under the table,

After four I'm under my host.

- Dorothy Parker

[goldie]

When dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was in college, I preferred less sweet drinks. Actually, I still really dislike sweet sticky drinks. I think you need one show-stopper sweet drink and one less sweet drink.

On the sweet side, I think the Legends cocktail sounds fabulous. Another good one is a litchi martini (yes, I know it is not a real martini, but you have to have a name for it)- sexy and exotic. I personally would have been thrilled to meet someone who could make a mint julep. A good late night drink is an espresso martini.

For the less sweet drinks, I recommend going to the classics- gimlet, old-fashioneds, Manhattans, and a true gin martini (my college drink of choice). You might not have many takers, but knowing how to make them well is a skill you can enjoy forever.

Shiny cocktail shakers and real ice are sexy, as are appropriate glassware. And for the love of g-d, don't serve these cocktails in Solo cups!

[Corinna]

The Jasmine

1 1/2 ounces gin

3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/4 ounce Campari

1/4 ounce Cointreau

Just what I needed, one more wonderful drink that uses Campari! I will have to see if they carry it at Costco.

Three are the things I shall never attain--

Envy, content and sufficient champagne.

-Parker

[thirtyoneknots]

The Jasmine

1 1/2 ounces gin

3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1/4 ounce Campari

1/4 ounce Cointreau

Just what I needed, one more wonderful drink that uses Campari! I will have to see if they carry it at Costco.

Three are the things I shall never attain--

Envy, content and sufficient champagne.

-Parker

Even more novice friendly than that is the Bitter Elder; 1.5 gin, 3/4 St Germaine, 1/2 Campari, 1/2 lemon. Wish I had a name to credit this one to, I've made hundreds in the past couple of years.

[evo-lution]

I am a college student, therefore I often find myself in the company of young ladies, 21 lets say. I am wondering if anyone could throw out some cocktails that would really wow a such a young female. Looking through cocktail books can be overwhelming and I would like to have one or two drinks that I can craft that would really impress and be enjoyed. Anything from the simple to the extravagant, or one of each perhaps. Let me know what you guys think.

Thanks!

This thread's interesting to me as I recently did some work regarding bulletproof cocktails; those that are liked by all or in the worst case scenario the large majority.

I have been hosting a number of cocktail trainings recently and have formed a structure that explains and showcases the number of drinks families alongside the development of cocktail culture going right back to the 1700s, so I was looking for the most accessible drink from the various cocktail eras/families. So for example start with gin & bitters and move onto punch > cock-tails > crustas > collins > and so on.

This does crossover with your question as I'd find the best way to approach this (from both a bartending perspective but also recommending drinks to friends) would be to find a cocktail (or cocktails) that fits with the various taste groups and go from there, so for example...

Dry - Champagne Cocktail (Sugar cube, bitters, Champagne)

Fruity - Millionaire Cocktail (Aged rum, apricot brandy, sloe gin, fresh lime juice, egg white)

Sweet - Clover Club (Gin, raspberry syrup, lemon juice, egg white)

Floral - Elderflower Collins (London Dry, elderflower cordial, fresh lemon juice, soda water)

Sour - White Lady (Gin, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice)

Spicy - Dark & Stormy (Aged rum, fresh lime juice, spicy ginger beer, bitters)

Creamy - Silk Stocking (Tequila, white cacao, grenadine, cream)

Strong - Corn & Oil (Aged rum, falernum, bitters, fresh lime juice)

Hope that helps.

[EvergreenDan]

I am known as "the man who puts Campari in everything" -- including dessert -- but I did not enjoy the flavor at a tender age. Vermouth and egg whites aren't totally accessible, either.

St. Germain (elderflower liqueur) is a brilliant idea. Tastes like lychee, likely to be something she's never had, flexible (use it in place of any orange liqueur, for example).

[thirtyoneknots]

I am known as "the man who puts Campari in everything" -- including dessert -- but I did not enjoy the flavor at a tender age. Vermouth and egg whites aren't totally accessible, either.

St. Germain (elderflower liqueur) is a brilliant idea. Tastes like lychee, likely to be something she's never had, flexible (use it in place of any orange liqueur, for example).

If you want to introduce someone (or yourself) to the joys of Campari, the Bitter Elder is the place to start. Only the most absolutely bitter-phobic will turn it down.

[haresfur]

I think Tiki drinks are a good suggestion - fun, easy to drink, and you can pack a ton of alcohol in if that is your wish . I'll probably get slammed for suggesting it, but you can sub in amaretto for orgeat if you don't want to go to the effort of making or acquiring the latter.

But if you are going for more "sophisticated" any of the classic sours should work. Nothing wrong with a good mojito, either (and someone who plucks their own mint right off the plant should make anyone swoon). Clear drinks are probably more of a challenge but there are some good suggestions here.

[slkinsey]

Even more novice friendly than that is the Bitter Elder; 1.5 gin, 3/4 St Germaine, 1/2 Campari, 1/2 lemon. Wish I had a name to credit this one to, I've made hundreds in the past couple of years.

Interesting. As far as I can tell this "Bitter Elder" (there is a different cocktail with the same name from the UK) originated in an anonymous response signed as "Ameture Hour" to this post on the Oh Gosh! cocktail blog. The drink seems to have become fairly popular, so it's a shame the creator isn't known. I wonder if the blog owner might be able to take a look at the IP address information for the post and figure out who it was.

[technogypsy]

Bourbon Presse? My son says that works...