Drinks! (2007–2009)

[Alcuin]

sounds tasty, Katie.

I just used Bourbon and peach myself.

Peach Bourbon Old Fashioned

muddled some fresh diced peaches in turbinado sugar and angostura bitters.  Added ice, and topped up with Knob Creek bourbon.  Stir to mix it all up.

←

A drink that nearly ruined me for any other last summer was a similar concoction:

In a tin, muddle a 1/6 - 1/4 of a peach with 2 oz of bourbon (I like Old Pogue, but Buffalo Trace works, too) and 1/2 - 3/4 oz of demerara simple syrup (adjust to the sweetness of the peach, I use less as the peaches peak). Add 5-6 mint leaves and shake gently with ice. Pass through a relatively loose strainer into an ice filled glass, top with a sprig of mint and top with club soda (optional). Use a collins glass if adding soda, a rocks glass otherwise.

←

All these peachy drinks remind me of Degroff's Peach Whiskey Smash from Imbibe! It's very similar to this except he adds curacao and strains into a double OF glass with no soda, if I recall correctly. It is delicious.

[bostonapothecary]

just got a bottle of el dorado 5 year demerara rum for $15 / 750 at gordon's in waltham. they also had numerous other older el dorados which i've never seen around here which is strange because their rum selection is kind of lacking relative to their other collections.

2 oz. el dorado 5 year

1 oz. lemon juice

spoonful of demerara sugar

2 dashes angostura

2 dashes peychaud's

a nice rum for the money but the drink needs more contrast for my taste. the bitters aren't cutting it. i should have slipped in a spoonful of chartreuse.

[brinza]

Had people over - not a drinking crowd but a couple of people appreciated the knickerbockers.  I was in the mood for something bitter, bitter, bitter so I had:

2 oz Campari

1 tsp Fernet

ice,

stir,

top with Italian Bitter lemon soda

3 shakes Fees Aromatic bitters

Puckering and refreshing.

←

I'm going to have to give this a whirl. I've been wanting to make something that was decidedly bitter put tasty and this looks like it would fit the bill and sounds like a great aperitif. Is this your own recipe? I've got Fever Tree Bitter Lemon and everything else you list. Now I know what tonight's first drink will be.

←

I'm not sure I'd call it a recipe - I just tossed it together. Let us know what you think or what you would do differently. I've been playing with small amounts of Fernet Branca to add an interesting dimension without bowling you over after having a Toronto cocktail at Zig Zag.

←

Sorry I didn't report back sooner. I did make this that night and I really enjoyed it. Funny thing was that it didn't even seem all that bitter! The one I made was fine just the way you laid out. Nothing comes to mind that I would change, but now that I think of it, I might try it with Peychaud's in place of the Fee's just to see what that would be like.

[bostonapothecary]

1.5 oz. aquardente velha de santo antao

1 oz. 2004 jean de lillet

1 oz. lemon juice

scant spoonful of demerara sugar

so far the jean de lillet hasn't really impressed me in any classic lillet drinks. its just not really similar to lillet or vergano's "luli". too saunternes-esque... but here it is augmented by the lemon juice and sugar to create an interesting shade of grapefruit. other drinkers perceived some sort of salinity which may have been from the interesting style that is cape verdean rum. there wasn't a huge amount of angular contrast so i'm sure a dash of angostura would make it better...

[Ufamizm]

Just had a cocktail that I wish we sold more of; probably the most under appreciated drink on my list.

Sophisticated Irishman (I know it needs a better name, but I'm in a naming slump!)

1.5 oz Finian's Irish Whiskey

.5 oz Lorenzo Inga Amaro

1 tspn Benadictine

.5 oz simple syrup

.5 oz lemon juice

1 oz orange juice

2 dashes Angostura Orange Bitters

1/2 of an egg white

Orange Peel on empty cocktail glass & discard peel

Extra shake and strain up

Its got some nice complexity combined with the texture that makes it one of my favorites at the moment.

[bostonapothecary]

2 oz. aquardente velha de santo antao

1 oz. john d. taylor's velvet falernum

1 oz. lime juice

2 dashes angostura

i tried the drink first with a 1990 demerara rum but the contrasts didn't do much to flatter the decadent spirit. switching to cape verdean rum did the trick as its unique fino-esque character had more affinity for the bluntly spiced falernum. yet the drink would probably be even more fun with a larger rum quotient...

any falernum drink recommendations out there?

[KatieLoeb]

Today at my local Farmer's Market, one of my favorite vendors gave me this:

Prettiest and most fragrant bouquet of basil you'd ever want to see. In addition to making an enormous batch of pesto that's resting in the fridge and freezer in separate containers, I decided to revisit an old favorite summer cocktail. I can't remember the name of this one, but it's always refreshing...

Lightly muddle 3 basil leaves with a small amount of agave nectar in the bottom of a Collins glass. Add 2 oz. tequila, .75 oz. fresh lime juice and ice. Stir to incorporate and top with 1.5 oz. ginger ale. Sip and sigh. Repeat.

[mkayahara]

Last week, I made a Chrysanthemum for the first time, using the "new" Noilly Prat and Kubler absinthe. It was certainly enjoyable, but didn't blow me away.

Then, last night, I made another one, with the same vermouth, but with my recently acquired bottle of Taboo Absinthe from Okanagan Spirits. Much nicer drink. Clearly the particular absinthe is an important factor here; I'd love to try it with St. George!

Still, I'm curious what people think of the Chrysanthemum made with the new Noilly Prat versus its previous incarnation.

[db_campbell]

2 oz. aquardente velha de santo antao

1 oz. john d. taylor's velvet falernum

1 oz. lime juice

2 dashes angostura

i tried the drink first with a 1990 demerara rum but the contrasts didn't do much to flatter the decadent spirit.  switching to cape verdean rum did the trick as its unique fino-esque character had more affinity for the bluntly spiced falernum.  yet the drink would probably be even more fun with a larger rum quotient...

any falernum drink recommendations out there?

←

Took your challenge and last night adapted the last word formula to cask strength Connemara, lime, Falernum & St. Germain, cheating down a smidge on the liqueurs and up on the citrus & whiskey. It was still a bit too sweet, but the 120 proof-backed peat did a good job of cutting through to make the drink enjoyable.

[bostonapothecary]

2 oz. aquardente velha de santo antao

1 oz. john d. taylor's velvet falernum

1 oz. lime juice

2 dashes angostura

i tried the drink first with a 1990 demerara rum but the contrasts didn't do much to flatter the decadent spirit.  switching to cape verdean rum did the trick as its unique fino-esque character had more affinity for the bluntly spiced falernum.  yet the drink would probably be even more fun with a larger rum quotient...

any falernum drink recommendations out there?

←

Took your challenge and last night adapted the last word formula to cask strength Connemara, lime, Falernum & St. Germain, cheating down a smidge on the liqueurs and up on the citrus & whiskey. It was still a bit too sweet, but the 120 proof-backed peat did a good job of cutting through to make the drink enjoyable.

←

another attempt.

1 oz. velvet falernum

1 oz. lemon juice

1 oz. dolin dry vermouth

1 oz. st. james royal amber

float of goslings 151

i wanted to make something last word-esque but as i poured out the falernum i realized it was too sweet for my tastes to pair with another liqueur. dolin dry seemed like a great idea adding acid, and gorgeous fruit to the drink. without the float the drink is really integrated but not too distinct and memorable... the floats adds a memorable grotesque juxtaposition.

[vice]

1 oz lemonhart 151

1 oz lustau manzanilla papirusa

1 oz lustau east india

2 dashes angostura orange

stir, up, lemon twist

rum provides a solid anchor. dry sherry brings nice acidity to balance two rich ingredients. solera smooths out the other two, which i find can be troublesome to mix with on occasion. pretty satisfying.

eta: bitters

Edited July 4, 2009 by vice (log)

[Mike S.]

Interesting twist on an Old Fashioned, made with agave syrup, Fee Bros. Rhubarb Bitters, Tequila por Mi Amante and a thin slice of lime.

[NadyaDuke]

To celebrate summer weather, we made simple Pimm's cups: 1 part Pimms, 2 parts Lemonade, on ice with a slice of orange. A friend was visiting who doesn't like boozy cocktails, and this was a hit and perfect for a summer afternoon.

[Varmint]

I have no idea what this is called, and I'm sure it's been done is some form or another.

3 oz Junipero gin

1 oz St. Germain

1 oz lime juice

1 tsp mint simple syrup

Club soda

That's it. If there is a name for this, let me know, but it's a great summer cooler.

[Mattmvb]

Navy Grog - it's long been a favourite of mine, I think I've just hit my ideal combination of ingredients:

20ml Bacardi superior

20ml El Dorado 5yo

20ml Pussers Blue label (the 109 proof version)

15ml grapefruit

15ml lime

3 bar spoons runny heather honey

Add rums and honey to Boston glass, stir until honey has dissolved, add juices, shake and strain into rocks glass full of fresh ice.

Enjoy!

[thirtyoneknots]

Finally following up on the TPMA/Bianco Vermouth discussion upthread today, while cooking a big pot of Jambalaya I wanted something to drink. Not having really dipped into the infusion yet this summer I poure 1 part of the Tequila to 2 parts of M&R Bianco over rocks. A touch of sweetness but holy moly it hit the spot. When my guests began to arrive I ended up making 3 more. With some tweaks this has major potential to please crowds.

[David Santucci]

...1 part of the Tequila to 2 parts of M&R Bianco over rocks...

←

I like about 2:1 blanco:bianco, with a dash of orange bitters. I have taken to calling this a Bianca.

I need to get some good strawberry syrup/liqueur. And some creme de cacao, which also goes pretty nicely with Tequila.

[David Santucci]

Speaking of Tequila drinks, I found this combination to be particularly delightful:

1 oz. Reposado or Anejo Tequila (I used Orgullo de Pueblo Viejo)

1 oz. Islay Scotch (I used Laphroaig Cask Strength)

1 oz. Honey Syrup (1:1)

1/2 oz. Lemon Juice

1/2 oz. Dubonnet

[thirtyoneknots]

...1 part of the Tequila to 2 parts of M&R Bianco over rocks...

←

I like about 2:1 blanco:bianco, with a dash of orange bitters. I have taken to calling this a Bianca.

I need to get some good strawberry syrup/liqueur. And some creme de cacao, which also goes pretty nicely with Tequila.

←

The double infusion of TPMA sounds like it would serve as a liqueur. You could base it on some other spirit as well if desired. Wray & Nephew Overproof would provide a funky contrast and help keep the proof high.

[eje]

...1 part of the Tequila to 2 parts of M&R Bianco over rocks...

←

I like about 2:1 blanco:bianco, with a dash of orange bitters. I have taken to calling this a Bianca.

I need to get some good strawberry syrup/liqueur. And some creme de cacao, which also goes pretty nicely with Tequila.

←

1 1/2 oz tequila, 3/4 oz dolin blanc with 1/4 oz yellow chartreuse and orange bitters. stir, strain, orange twist. I call it a "Death & Co". Though, if I call it a New York cocktail, it really should have at least 2 oz of base spirit and less vermouth.

;-)

[bostonapothecary]

summer is finally in effect around here.

caipirinha

entire cut up lime

generous spoonful of raw sugar

2 oz. armazem vieira "rubi" (8 years old apparently)

muddle limes and sugar then add the rum and stir.

fill with crushed ice

i keep hearing that armazem is not going to be available anymore. and its distributor (commonwealth) just merged with another so their portfolio is getting shook up regardless. well i found a nice cache of the rubi in somerville for only $20. its either a typo or a very ancient price.

i like the raw sugar because the structure of the drink changes as you sip. from refreshingly tart to slightly sweeter at the end. the fruit and fino sherry like notes of the rubi are awesome subtle contrast to the lime.

makes me wonder if any lean finos or manzanillas would taste good juxtaposed with lime cordial or falernum.

[KD1191]

Staring at the French Pearl recipe, I realized I had no mint. I'd been wanting to try a version with ginger in place of the Pernod, so started subbing things and ended up with this, which I will sheepishly call the Gin Gin Rose:

2 oz Gin (I used Tanqueray)

3/4 oz Lime

3/4 oz Homemade Grenadine

1/2 oz Koval Organic Ginger Liqueur

Given the pedigree of the various drinks this is ripping off, I'm not surprised it's tasty. Now, I just need to get my hands on some of Koval's Rose Hip liqueur, to try the Gin Rose Rose.

[bostonapothecary]

so i kegged a gallon of lemon juice to see if an oxygen free environment (i purged everything with CO2) would help retain freshness. i'm slowly drinking my way through it all... cocktails, lemonaide, etc. and i haven't quite made up my mind as to how preserved it is exactly. (a decent amount of oxygen is probably absorbed as it drips from the juicer but maybe not the terminal amount that turns lemon juice into pinesol). it is still definitely enjoyable.

anyhow. i've got a couple liters to go.

1 oz. three day old kegged lemon juice

1 oz. cape verdean orange liqueur (22% alc.)

2 oz. force 53 cognac (53% alc.)

very cool. i used the force 53 to add a little more alcohol to the drink and maintain an average closer to a classic side car. the cask strength cognac also adds more "cognac fruit" intensity augmenting the orange into something really interesting. i'm pretty sure this orange liqueur is sweeter than a triple sec and is probably more akin to the sweetness of simple syrup or grenadine.

[haresfur]

Ante from Robert Hess' Essential Bartender's Guide (As I'm at home, am I demonstrating that Bartenders are not essential? Not in the slightest).

1 3/4 oz calvados or apple brandy (I used Lairds 12 yr apple brandy @ ~84 proof)

3/4 oz Dubonnet (3/4 oz Cinzano red vermouth)

1/2 oz Cointreau

1 dash Angostrura bitters (several dashes Regan's orange bitters)

Tasty, with quite an alcohol burn. I'd maybe try Gran Gala next time instead of the Cointreau.

Thanks Robert!

[phlip]

I covet everyone's beverages - sounds so good! Especially the Montana Cocktail that thirtyoneknots is having. Gin is a great vehicle for a good mixed drink.

Alas, I'm in a red wine mood coinciding with a budget mood - three buck chuck cab for me tonight...

←

Hey Chris where did you get that Big Ben recipe from? We had a Big Ben on the D and C menu 1 or 2 years ago. A variation on Regans Dubliner, which I turned into the Londoner and in turn into the Big Ben. More so for Big Ben in London but didn't mind the duplicity of name since I do bleed black and gold, anyway my Big Ben was

2 Beefeater

.5 Dry (old Noilly or Dolin)

.5 Grand Marnier

Dash of Orange