Drinks! (2007–2009)

[Ufamizm]

I just got my first bottle of Black Maple Hill 23 yr! So thats what a manhattan can taste like

So far I've had a Brooklyn and a Manhattan, and life is good!

[KatieLoeb]

I just got my first bottle of Black Maple Hill 23 yr!

Stuff is pricey, but oh so delicious. It's astonishing just how good, really good hooch can be, isn't it? The rye is very dear, but the Black Maple Hill small batch bourbon is really good too, and much more affordable.

Although Ben Franklin quoted thusly about beer, I think really fine whiskey is God's way of telling us he loves us...

[deensiebat]

I cooked up some of KatieLoeb's delicious rhubarb syrup for a batch of rhubarb mojitos. Hello, Spring!

[thirtyoneknots]

Although Ben Franklin quoted thusly about beer, I think really fine whiskey is God's way of telling us he loves us...

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Well whiskey is naught but highly concentrated beer, with a commensurate concentration of love feelings.

[KatieLoeb]

Deensiebat, those sound good. I have a batch of strawberry-rhubarb syrup saved from a dessert the chef made that I was going to play with. Mojitos sound like a very good starting point.

[RobertM]

My drink of choice these days is Xtabentun (Shta-Been-Toon); a Mexican liquor I discovered on a trip to Cancun. Made from Honey and Anise - delicious served on the rocks -

[David Santucci]

I've been toying around with this recipe recently and am very pleased with the result:

Amaryllis

1 3/4 oz. Gin (Tanqueray)

3/4 oz. Bianco Vermouth (M&R)

1/2 oz. Apry

1/2 tsp. Orange Bitters (Hermes)

Since Hermes Orange Bitters are not exactly easy-to-find, I tried it out with all the other Orange Bitters I had on hand (Angostura, Regan's, Fee Bros.), and it worked nicely with each. Also presented an interesting chance to compare the different brands: Angostura was significantly more bitter than the others; the bitter notes in Regan's and Fee's were pretty much identical; Hermes and Regan's have a bit of color, while Fee's and Angostura are nearly clear; Fee's and Angostura have the most pronounced orange notes; Hermes is quite different from the rest and quite complex; Regan's has that pronounced secondary flavor/aroma that is so present in the nose (one could argue it is the primary flavor/aroma) but that I don't know what it is.

As you can probably tell, I am pretty excited about this drink. Give it a try and tell me what you think!

[KatieLoeb]

God help me. I've just returned from a session of Liquid Lab with Junior Merino and a group of Philly bartenders I put together at his request. If you click on that link and scroll down a bit, you'll see just a few of the metro shelves filled with more spirits than I've ever seen in a really well stocked liquor store. It's insane. And in addition to all that booze, there's all manner of crazy in season fruits and vegetables, fresh micro herbs, teas, purees, syrups, tinctures, bitters, salts, juices, etc. It's a bartender's wildest fantasy come to life. We tasted through 5 examples each of vodka, gin, cachaca, tequila and mezcal and then 8 of us each made two cocktails apiece with the spirit type we'd just tasted. We only made one cocktail each for the tequila and mezcal because it was running late. We passed around small tastes of each new concoction. That's 64 different cocktails my friends. Plus all that we'd tasted. Then had dinner/cocktails at Rayuela and a quick stop for "research" at PDT. I can't even wrap my head around all of it. I'm roadkill from all that's gone down my gullet today. Thank God we had a limo and driver. There was no way we could have done it differently. What a fun and educational day playing around with fellow cocktail geeks. Exhausting, to be sure, but utterly rewarding. My best effort today was a gin drink with muddled tarragon, strawberry nectar and Canton ginger liqueur. I'll have a recipe for it later when it's emailed back to me. Right now it's all kind of a blur, as I'm certain you can imagine.

I highly recommend this experience to others if you can arrange it. Junior is a most gracious host and eager to share both his knowlege as well as his passion for the art of mixology. His enthuiasm is quite infectious.

I think I shall send my liver to the dry cleaners in the morning...

Edited May 25, 2009 by KatieLoeb (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Had a Picon Punch this afternoon while doing some cleaning, using my bottle of old Torani Amer touched up with a few dashes of orange bitters. Way nicer of a drink than I remembered, but hooboy watch out for that brandy float! Gets to you before you even get to the rest of the drink if you're not careful.

[bostonapothecary]

i just put on some expirimental rock (gong's "angel's egg")

so i decided to whip up a challenging elixir of initiation. guiding my inebriation with abstract contrasts...

1 oz. batavia arrack van oosten

1 oz. kirshwasser

1 oz. lime juice

spoonful of sugar stirred in

peychaud's bitters

shaken

[jmfangio]

I strained and filtered this year's batch of Tequila Por Mi Amante today, and remembered something that Baker said:

We opine that handled in the same way as sloe gin, discoveries would be made . . .

So, I decided to try a Charlie Chaplin, with TPMA in lieu of sloe gin...

1 oz TPMA

1 oz Apricot liqueur (Rothman & Winter)

1 oz lime juice

The discovery? It's tasty. Mighty damn tasty.

Edited May 31, 2009 by jmfangio (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

I strained and filtered this year's batch of Tequila Por Mi Amante today, and remembered something that Baker said:

We opine that handled in the same way as sloe gin, discoveries would be made . . .

So, I decided to try a Charlie Chaplin, with TPMA in lieu of sloe gin...

1 oz TPMA

1 oz Apricot liqueur (Rothman & Winter)

1 oz lime juice

The discovery? It's tasty. Mighty damn tasty.

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Bravo to you sir, my purpose for my entire batch this year had been to test that line. Sounds terriffic.

[jmfangio]

Bravo to you sir, my purpose for my entire batch this year had been to test that line. Sounds terriffic.

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Any ideas yet on what else you want to try? So far, I really haven't done much with the sloe gin beyond Charlie Chaplins.

[Chris Amirault]

I am convinced that an Improved Holland Gin Cocktail made with Genevieve is the cocktail I'd order on my deathbed. I just wish I had some of the Marteau Daniel Shoemaker used in the version I had at Teardrop in Portland. As of now, I must settle with Kubler....

[jmfangio]

I am convinced that an Improved Holland Gin Cocktail made with Genevieve is the cocktail I'd order on my deathbed. I just wish I had some of the Marteau Daniel Shoemaker used in the version I had at Teardrop in Portland. As of now, I must settle with Kubler....

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If you haven't done so already, this is as good an excuse as any to make a rich demerara gum syrup. Puts the luscious in delicious.

OK, I know my little spelling analogy isn't quite correct, but just roll with it.

[KatieLoeb]

I strained and filtered this year's batch of Tequila Por Mi Amante today, and remembered something that Baker said:

We opine that handled in the same way as sloe gin, discoveries would be made . . .

So, I decided to try a Charlie Chaplin, with TPMA in lieu of sloe gin...

1 oz TPMA

1 oz Apricot liqueur (Rothman & Winter)

1 oz lime juice

The discovery? It's tasty. Mighty damn tasty.

←

I have apricot brandy and apricot schnapps, but no apricot liqueur, per se. Which is my better choice for faking this up?? I have a bit of TPMA left and I'm dying to try this drink. Looks delicious!

[jmfangio]

I have apricot brandy and apricot schnapps, but no apricot liqueur, per se.  Which is my better choice for faking this up??  I have a bit of TPMA left and I'm dying to try this drink.  Looks delicious!

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Start with the apricot brandy on hand, and go from there? The worst that could happen is, a) you may need to make another batch of TPMA, or b) you'll have to buy a bottle of the Rothman & Winter. Neither are scenarios to be feared.

[thirtyoneknots]

Bravo to you sir, my purpose for my entire batch this year had been to test that line. Sounds terriffic.

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Any ideas yet on what else you want to try? So far, I really haven't done much with the sloe gin beyond Charlie Chaplins.

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A tweak to the Millionaire perhaps? Somewhere a while back I did a bit on a drink called the Montana (I think) from Barflies and Cocktails...seems like it could be adapted. Many sloe gin drinks that also call for gin may need to be rejiggered to use tequila...also I would think (based on no empirical evidence) that bianco vermouth may fare better than dry in appropriate scenarios.

Lots of speculation, little real substance. Hopefully by the end of summer we'll know more!

[KatieLoeb]

Good point. I'll likely be starting a new batch of TPMA as soon as my life is my own again and the restaurant is finally opened. That ought to be just a week or two at most. The TPMA I have ought to last me that long if I hoard it a bit, and am then patient while the next batch infuses. The Rothman & Winter is a special order product here in PA, but I might be able to order it through the restaurant.

Meanwhile, I'm off to go cook myself one up with the apricot brandy I have on hand as a reward for finishing typing up the drink recipe cards for the bar...

[KatieLoeb]

I suspect the apricot brandy I have on hand is neither as fruity nor as sweet as the R&W. Drink was too tart in equal proportions. Easily remedied with a bit more brandy and a bit more TPMA as well as a pinch of demerara sugar. (quite surprisingly, I don't think I have any plain simple in the fridge right now, just Thai basil simple. Although that might have been tasty in a different and more savory way...) I began to see what jmfangio was talking about. This is a very delicious combination of flavors. I never would have thought to combine strawberry and apricot, but boom, there it is.

I've been futzing with quite a few more savory flavors and infusions of late, working on the house infused oyster shots for the opening of my new employer's restaurant. I am blessed to have the most glorious produce and herbs at my disposal from Green Meadow Farm out in Lancaster County. Yesterday the chef had some lovage you could smell from across the room. I was thinking about a lemon/lovage infused gin for the oysters. What do you all think?

[jmfangio]

...also I would think (based on no empirical evidence) that bianco vermouth may fare better than dry in appropriate scenarios.

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You're definitely onto something there. When I tasted Dolin Blanc my first thought was of pairing it with strawberries, and, indeed, munching on ripe strawberries while sipping on a chilled glass of the Blanc is a sublime combination. I also made some strawberry sorbet with the Blanc which was fantastic.

It's a little early in the day to start experimenting, but for a start I'm thinking maybe 50/50 TPMA/Dolin Blanc, with a dash of lime?

Edited June 1, 2009 by jmfangio (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

...also I would think (based on no empirical evidence) that bianco vermouth may fare better than dry in appropriate scenarios.

←

You're definitely onto something there. When I tasted Dolin Blanc my first thought was of pairing it with strawberries, and, indeed, munching on ripe strawberries while sipping on a chilled glass of the Blanc is a sublime combination. I also made some strawberry sorbet with the Blanc which was fantastic.

It's a little early in the day to start experimenting, but for a start I'm thinking maybe 50/50 TPMA/Dolin Blanc, with a dash of lime?

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My tpma is a few days away from straining still so I'm going to be a bit late in joining the party but I eagerly await your findings.

[RoyalSwagger]

"You're definitely onto something there. When I tasted Dolin Blanc my first thought was of pairing it with strawberries, and, indeed, munching on ripe strawberries while sipping on a chilled glass of the Blanc is a sublime combination. I also made some strawberry sorbet with the Blanc which was fantastic."

That's funny you say that, I have an old Dolin ad poster that is advertising Strawberry Vermouth or "Vermout Dolin a la fraise." Sounds pretty damn delicious.

Edited June 1, 2009 by RoyalSwagger (log)

[thirtyoneknots]

Test-driving the Abbott's replica over the course of the afternoon/evening. First was an Old-Fashioned with the Old Grand-dad detailed in the bitters thread, for comparison's sake. Then, a Martinez, based on recommendations from others who have made them:

1 oz Junipero

1 oz Martini & Rossi red

scant tsp Luxardo Maraschino

2 dashes bitters

stirred and strained up with a lemon twist. Fabulous, utterly transformed by the Abbott's. If I'm not mistaken this recipe originally called for Boker's, which snippets here and there have led me to believe may be closer wrt spice profile to Abbott's than Angostura. In any case they work incredibly well here.

Later watching tv, I tried a plain Applejack cock-tail:

2 oz Laird's Bonded

generous tsp demerara syrup

3 dashes "Abbott's"

stirred and strained up with a lemon twist. Another really great use of the bitters, the play with the AJ was really terriffic. As I recall, Chuck Taggart's Reveillon Cocktail was originally formulated with (old) Abbott's in mind and I can't wait to try it at Christmas time.

So between these three drinks I probably consumed about a tsp of the bitters today which is probably the most I would do in a 24 hr period and then only rarely. I know a few people at the university's Chemistry Dept. who could perhaps do an analysis for me but til then I think limiting myself a bit is the prudent course of action. That said, I remember on the old Drinkboy forums folks talking about putting a whole tablespoon of Abbott's into a drink (rare occurrence of course) and seemingly feeling no ill effects. Not advised though, at least until more is learned.

Edit: late-night typing issues.

Edited June 2, 2009 by thirtyoneknots (log)

[Chris Amirault]

I got turned on to Jeff Morgenthaler's Norwegian Wood one night at Clyde Common, and thanks to this blog post, I have a recipe that's less smeared with, well, the drink itself. It's bright, deep, and impossible to describe: a winner.

Norwegian Wood

1 oz aquavit (Aalborg)

1 oz applejack (Laird's BIB)

¾ oz sweet vermouth (Punt e Mes)

¼ oz yellow Chartreuse

1 dash Angostura bitters

Stir, strain, lemon twist.