Drinks! (2007–2009)

[auds]

So I've been playing around with trying to make a variation on a Dark and Stormy in honor of my friend Elaine, whose favorite drink it is and who is being thrown a party on Friday. Why not just make actual Dark and Stormys? I dunno. Too easy! But here's what I've got so far (if anyone's got comments, please, I'd appreciate the help):

Light and 'Liane-y

1.5 oz Barbados Plantation Rum

.75 oz lime juice

.5 oz (scant) Canton ginger liqueur

2 dash angustura

stir, strain, top with champagne (or actually Cristalino, given my budget)

It's good, but maybe could use something? Better with a dark rum? It's got a nice fizziness and a good gingery bite, but not as much complexity as I was hoping for. I've been messing around with proportions and different types of bitters, and this was the best so far.

Cheers,

Audrey

[bostonapothecary]

Light and 'Liane-y

1.5 oz Barbados Plantation Rum

.75 oz lime juice

.5 oz (scant) Canton ginger liqueur

2 dash angustura

stir, strain, top with champagne (or actually Cristalino, given my budget)

It's good, but maybe could use something? Better with a dark rum? It's got a nice fizziness and a good gingery bite, but not as much complexity as I was hoping for. I've been messing around with proportions and different types of bitters, and this was the best so far.

Cheers,

Audrey

←

i wish i could try it out but i don't have any ginger liqueur... but on paper it looks very tart... a 1:1 liqueur to lemon/lime acid is a good starting point for most products but you are .25 over the limit plus more acid in the form of very tart sparkling wine (brut cristalino??)... a little more sugar could be a flavor enhancer... or subbing out a fraction of your lime juice... dry vermouth could add some of the complexity you desire and is carribean approved IMO... dry vermouth is an acid but far less tart than lime juice...

ginger, angostura and any of the plantation rums sounds like my kind of drink... you just need an acid / sugar balance within the average of most people's tastes...

cheers.

[auds]

Thanks bostonapothecary--some Noilly Prat and a bit of simple fixed her right up. I forget that sugar is more than just sweetness, that it can help meld the flavors together.

Light and 'Liane-y

1.5 oz Barbados Plantation Rum

.75 oz lime juice

.5 oz (scant) Canton ginger liqueur

2 dash angustura

stir, strain, top with champagne (or actually Cristalino, given my budget)

It's good, but maybe could use something? Better with a dark rum? It's got a nice fizziness and a good gingery bite, but not as much complexity as I was hoping for. I've been messing around with proportions and different types of bitters, and this was the best so far.

Cheers,

Audrey

←

i wish i could try it out but i don't have any ginger liqueur... but on paper it looks very tart... a 1:1 liqueur to lemon/lime acid is a good starting point for most products but you are .25 over the limit plus more acid in the form of very tart sparkling wine (brut cristalino??)... a little more sugar could be a flavor enhancer... or subbing out a fraction of your lime juice... dry vermouth could add some of the complexity you desire and is carribean approved IMO... dry vermouth is an acid but far less tart than lime juice...

ginger, angostura and any of the plantation rums sounds like my kind of drink... you just need an acid / sugar balance within the average of most people's tastes...

cheers.

←

[birder53]

From Drinkboy - Strega Daiquiri. So good!!!

Strega Daiquiri

1 ounce light rum

1 ounce Strega

1/2 ounce lemon juice

1/2 ounce orange juice

1/2 teaspoon orgeat

Shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

[campus five]

Tonight I had a Left Hand Cocktail, introduced to me by Damian Windsor from the Seven Grand, here in LA. It's essential an Old Pal, but with more whiskey.

Left Hand Cocktail

2 oz. Rye (in my case, 1 oz WT Rye, 1 oz. WT Russell's Reserve Rye)

3/4 oz. Campari

3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth (in my case, Carpano Antica)

Stir, cook, strain, rocks glass with a big 2" ice cub, lemon twist.

That really took the edge of my week.

Edited May 3, 2008 by campus five (log)

[jsmeeker]

While researching the Southside cocktail, I came upon this post from Alchemist for a cocktail named "King Sour". The only simple syrup I had on hand was mint infused simple syrup, so that is what I used.

REALLY good. I don't have really huge chunks of ice, so I shook it "dry" first, but decided to add the wire spring from my Hawthorne strainer (can't recall where I saw this trick, but I saw it someplace). Then, I added my ice and did a second shake. really helped to develop the creaminess from the egg white.

I really love sours, and also like the idea of egg white in them. This drink is going into my standard rotation. (It will be interesting to try it with bolder gin sometime. I made this one with Plymouth)

[Chris Amirault]

If done right, the Final Word should have been Rittenhouse in place of the gin and lemon juice in place of the lime juice.  Its Phil Ward's variation, I think.

←

It's a damned fine libation -- Rittenhouse, green Chartreuse, lemon, maraschino (Luxardo) -- one of those sorts of remarkable drinks that are hard to fathom in your mouth. Thank you, Phil Ward.

[kitchensqueen]

I'm enjoying a glass of the aptly-named Relax Riesling. I don't usually like white wines, but this one is great. And it should pair nicely with lemon-herb poached halibut we're having for dinner.

[bostonapothecary]

i think it was in the middle of last summer i was working on mango rum punch... but i gave up... something appeared to be curdling... my flavors in theory were good but the mediums became quite tricky... i scrapped the project and left the frightening looking stuff in canning jars until today... apparently what was happening was just the precipitation of pectins forming jello like particles but not a solid mass... and from wine makers i've learned you just need to add pectic enzyme... and nearly instantaneously it started breaking up and the pulp solids could be effortlessly strained...

equal parts lemonheart 151 (briefly infused with black tea) and mango pulp (for sorbet makers) then a cocaine spoonful of wine makers pectic enzyme...

the well strained (yet super dark like lemonheard) booze is over the top aromatic... it must be slightly more than 80 proof yet doesn't really feel like it. i can't really seem to differentiate the alcoholic heat from the acidity... there is a strange out of place citric acid taste that i think is a flaw...

the power of this simple pectic enzyme may renew my interest in the modern rum punch...

Edited May 9, 2008 by bostonapothecary (log)

[KatieLoeb]

i think it was in the middle of last summer i was working on mango rum punch... but i gave up... something appeared to be curdling... my flavors in theory were good but the mediums became quite tricky... i scrapped the project and left the frightening looking stuff in canning jars until today... apparently what was happening was just the precipitation of pectins forming jello like particles but not a solid mass... and from wine makers i've learned you just need to add pectic enzyme... and nearly instantaneously it started breaking up and the pulp solids could be effortlessly strained...

equal parts lemonheart 151 (briefly infused with black tea) and mango pulp (for sorbet makers) then a cocaine spoonful of wine makers pectic enzyme...

the well strained (yet super dark like lemonheard) booze is over the top aromatic... it must be slightly more than 80 proof yet doesn't really feel like it.  i can't really seem to differentiate the alcoholic heat from the acidity... there is a strange out of place citric acid taste that i think is a flaw...

the power of this simple pectic enzyme may renew my interest in the modern rum punch...

←

I've never had any problems using Goya mango nectar from the can. Seems to be relatively stable. Also the Boiron or Perfect Puree fruit purees that pastry chefs use for sorbets work well in cocktails. If the turnover is high enough and you keep them refrigerated they'll keep for a few days. A little squeeze of fresh lemon helps extend that refrigerated shelf life.

[birder53]

Tonight we tried the Applejack Rabbit. I was worried about the maple syrup overpowering the drink but it was quite tasty. Laird's bonded was the star of the show!

1½ oz applejack

½ oz fresh orange juice

½ oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz maple syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a stemmed cocktail glass

[mbrowley]

equal parts lemonheart 151 (briefly infused with black tea) and mango pulp (for sorbet makers) then a cocaine spoonful of wine makers pectic enzyme...

←

So that's...what? A tablespoon? You sure you don't mean a dime bag? Joking aside, that's a nice little trick. Pectic enzyme shows up pretty regularly among home distillers working with fruit as a way to get greater yield. Ian Smiley sells some here and Brewhaus America here.

[bostonapothecary]

equal parts lemonheart 151 (briefly infused with black tea) and mango pulp (for sorbet makers) then a cocaine spoonful of wine makers pectic enzyme...

←

So that's...what? A tablespoon? You sure you don't mean a dime bag? Joking aside, that's a nice little trick. Pectic enzyme shows up pretty regularly among home distillers working with fruit as a way to get greater yield. Ian Smiley sells some here and Brewhaus America here.

←

i just tried to drink the aged rum punch in 2:1 with punt y mes... the mango fruit quality was cool but there is a strange taste like citric acid that is a total flaw... i really think its because the pulp was preserved with citric acid. so if i ever make another batch i'm going to use real ripened mangos... i think they are a fruit without any citric acid. if so then they are only malic and tartaric which is good because those acids can be manipulated the easiest with potassium bicarbonate if you don't like what you get.

hmm. the PH is 3.42... that is higher than orange juice... maybe i have no idea why it tastes that way...

[bostonapothecary]

so i really liked the "gilroy" cocktail from the savoy and have drunk it several different ways... swapping out the heering for elisir gambrinus or swapping out the gin for anything assertive...

1 oz. st. james amber

1 oz. cherry heering

.5 oz. lemon juice

.5 oz. dry vermouth (M&R)

couple dashes hermes orange bitters

stir

this drink has got some beautiful flavor contrast going on... cherry vs. an over the top rhum agricole... and anywhere you use lemon juice i recommend experimenting with it in conjunction with dry vermouth...

i need to figure out which dry vermouth is the dryest... botanicals profile aside the dryest seems the most useful in cocktails with sweet liqueurs...

i even got to use my japanese spherical icecubes from the MOMA... thankyou jmfangio...

[jsmeeker]

Tonight we tried the Applejack Rabbit.  I was worried about the maple syrup overpowering the drink but it was quite tasty.  Laird's bonded was the star of the show!

1½ oz applejack

½ oz fresh orange juice

½ oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz maple syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a stemmed cocktail glass

←

what kind of maple syrup are you using? Obviouslly the real stuff, but are you using Grade A Dark Amber (which seems to be the most common type in the stores) or are you going for something a little lighter?

[bostonapothecary]

so i snagged a bottle of the rogue spirits dark rum...

its ok but nothing special for 30 dollars a 750ml...

very toffee, caramelly... not that complex. it has a uniquely rich mouthfeel and is very smooth... but kind of lacks some character... i think i'll just have to make sure its mixed with the most adult ingredients i have...

[auds]

It being high strawberry season, I've been messing around with the little guys in everything. Strained and bottled my first batch of Tequila por Mi Amante of the year and man is that stuff amazing. Anyway, I'm not normally a huge fan of the "muddle some fruit in the bottom of something and call it new drink" school of mixology, because sometimes it seems like the fruit (or herbs or whatever) take over the entire drink, but tonight I tried this combination of the French Kick and the Vie Rose:

3/4 oz gin

3/4 oz kirsch

1/2 oz lemon juice

1-2 small strawberries

muddle berries and juice, add booze, shake and strain, float yellow Chartreuse on top. It seems to me that fresh strawberries and yellow Chartreuse have an affinity for each other. Something in strawberries (pectin?) gives a nice body to a drink. Since I had them lying around, I dropped a tequila-soaked strawberry in the bottom for a chest-hair-encouraging last bite.

[Nishla]

Just made this up to go with a dinner of pork chop with apples:

2 oz calvados

1 oz benedictine

0.5 oz lemon

Shake with ice, strain, and top with a champagne float (~2 oz?)

[chappie]

Created this at some friends' brunch yesterday and it was a hit. Called it the Redbeard (after my red beard). Contents:

Vodka (1 to 2 oz.)

Pomegranate/cherry juice

Coca Cola

Champagne, sparkling wine or prosecco.

Throw in a few fresh raspberries for garnish. Delicious.

[bostonapothecary]

1.5 oz. st. james ambre

.5 oz. yellow chartreuse

.5 oz. plymouth sloe gin

1 oz. lemon juice

dash angostura

i wanted to test drive the new sloe gin but didn't find anything to satisfy my mood in the cocktaildb...

this drink is about as tart as a classically made 2:1:1 margarita... the sloe gin brings really sinister color to the drink... using it anywhere would endanger a matador. diluted quite well it provides good and exotic scenery for some flavor contrast... i would easily drink this again...

[campus five]

Tonight I made a Rosita variation I got from Christine D'Abrosca, formerly of the Seven Grand and now of Malo.

Rosita (variation)

2 oz. Reposado Tequila (she called for Gran Centenario, I used Partida)

1/2 oz. Dry Vermouth (NP)

1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica)

1/2 oz. Aperol

2 dashes Orange Bitters (fee's)

stir, cook, stain, flamed orange peel

Mmm..... so good. The orange accent is really nice.

The original goes something like this:

Rosita

1 1/2 oz. Silver Tequila

1/2 oz. each dry and sweet vermouth

1/2 oz. Campari

dash angostura

stir, cook, strain, lemon twist

[bostonapothecary]

1.5 oz. seagram's distiller's reserve gin

.5 oz. plymouth sloe gin

decent barspoon of sugar

1 oz. dry vermouth as tart as lemon juice*

.5 oz. cynar

this drink was really fun. i think i can parse all the ingredients quite well. i'm still using the rest of a bottle of gallo dry that i added malic acid to (details are on my blog), but as soon as its gone i'm switching to stock or noilly prat for more character... the fruit character of the vermouth is definitely evident in the drink... the sloe gin is so powerful i can't imagine much more of it in a cocktail but i do like it so much i think i'm going to buy a backup bottle...

[thirtyoneknots]

One of my best regulars was in Chicago last week and was able to snag me a bottle of Plymouth Sloe Gin. After dinner and a few cocktails and wine I decided to try out the only cocktail I could come up with offhand aside from the Sloe Gin Fizz; the Millionaire from Dr. Cocktail's book:

1.5 oz Dark Jamaican Rum (he calls for Meyer's, I used Appleton Extra)

.75 oz Apricot Brandy (Brizzard Apry)

.75 oz Sloe Gin (Plymouth)

juice of one lime (~1.25 oz)

Shake/strain/up (split 'tween two glasses)

That's what we call a seamless drink, extraordinarily delicious with no flavor dominating. The imported sloe gin is clutch, though. I tried it a few years ago with DeKuyper's. No.

In fact we tasted the two side by side. It's remarkable that they can even market the two products under the same name.

I noted from the essay on the drink that the original reicpe is from the Savoy. Might have to try the original preportions with a dry apricot eau-de-vie instead of the liqueur. I can't imagine it being offensive.

-Andy

[Mickael]

By mistake, yesterday we tried @ Lab something we shouldn't.

We mixed 3 parts Drambuie / 2 parts Stone's Ginger Wine / 1 part Angostura Bitters. Lets call it Free2One and it is built on the rocks. Served like an OF.

We used Jamie's S way of playing with AAB during the Trinidad comp.

Just thought to share it here, and see if you like it?

Cheers

Mick

[lancaster]

If done right, the Final Word should have been Rittenhouse in place of the gin and lemon juice in place of the lime juice.  Its Phil Ward's variation, I think.

←

It's a damned fine libation -- Rittenhouse, green Chartreuse, lemon, maraschino (Luxardo) -- one of those sorts of remarkable drinks that are hard to fathom in your mouth. Thank you, Phil Ward.

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Ha! That's what I'm sippin' on right now. Damn tasty.