Drinks! 2014 (Part 1)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Since I had a pasturized egg yolk that needed immediate attention,  my after dinner libation is a Bosom Caresser:

 

2 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840

3/4 oz Cointreau

1/4 oz raspberry syrup

1 egg yolk

 

 

I just love to say it over and over.

[Hassouni]

For those who have run out of ice, in order to avoid this direful fate I find it a good discipline to empty out the ice-cube trays into a Tupperware and refill the trays every time the ice in the Tupperware runs out. Of course you have to sacrifice some extra space in your freezer, but I've never regretted that call.

 

Sadly I haven't any ice because of other demands on my freezer right now 

[EvergreenDan]

Sadly I haven't any ice because of other demands on my freezer right now 

Bernet Frankenstein

You will thank me or curse me. No other options.

[Hassouni]

I despise fernet. I don't have any at hand,  obviously, so neither thankings nor cursings bestowed! Although perhaps a thank you for thought, after all that's what counts 

[FrogPrincesse]

I've got two suggestions for you - Hotel Room Temperature and Heart of Glass. Both from beta cocktails and both completely ice- and Fernet-free.

[Czequershuus]

Bernet Frankenstein

You will thank me or curse me. No other options.

 

Well, I don't have an ice problem, but this post did remind me that this has been on my list ever since I acquired Punt e Mes. 

 

Wow, how to describe this. It smells like a leather bound book soaked in gasoline. It is important to note that this is not a bad thing for me. It tastes - beautifully medicinal. Not like modern medicine, no, this was devised to knock out a truly demonic prehistoric plague. The menthol from the Fernet is very strong, but there is so much else going on. I get cherry for some reason, and an odd sourness. I love the complexity here. It may not be something I have often, but when I am in the a contemplative mood and want to be smacked in the tongue with flavor, this would be one to go for.

[EvergreenDan]

Wow, how to describe this. [ blah, blah, l loved it but it almost killed me, blah blah]

Thanks. May I quote you?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Ward Eight, surprisingly enough:

 

3 oz Taylor rye

3 oz valencia orange/lemon juice

1/4 oz grenadine

 

 

No complaints here, the rye spice still shines through!

[lesliec]

Bernet Frankenstein

You will thank me or curse me. No other options.

 

I tried it last night, because how could one not?

 

What was remarkable about it is how the Laphroaig and PeM between them sent the Fernet to cower in the corner.  I could barely taste it!

 

Think I'd prefer it with ice, really ...

[KD1191]

I made a batch of this Hibiscus Milk Punch, which Erik credits to the fine people of Drink in Boston. I mixed up the base a bit...a little more than half was Caña Brava rum, with the rest split between a couple of nearly empty bottles of pisco (Mosto Verde de Quebranta and Moscatel from Estirpe Peruana), with a splash of Wray & Nephew Overproof added to the mix. The finished result is pretty stellar. The lime, in particular, presents a really fun character after the milk clarification...like that jello and sweetened condensed milk creation that your wacky aunt would bring to Thanksgiving, but in a good way. It certainly doesn't hurt that the final product is a gorgeous pink color with an amazing floral aroma.

 

ETA Photo:

 

On the right, punch over ice with grated nutmeg & cinnamon. On the left, 1:1 with coconut water. Both delicious.

 

Edited March 23, 2014 by KD1191 (log)

[Adam George]

Retro Cointreau.

[Hassouni]

Retro how?

[KD1191]

Retro Cointreau.

Yeah, tax stamped for Montana (1981, if I'm reading it right)...found in my dad's liquor cabinet a few years back.

Edited March 23, 2014 by KD1191 (log)

[EvergreenDan]

Adapted from the 4, 5, 6 at Brick & Mortar, Cambridge MA

 

1 1/2 oz Islay Scotch (Bowmore legend)

3/4 oz Luxardo Abano

1/2 oz El Dorado 15

 

Stirred, rocks. They served it up with demerara syrup, Sheep Dip, and unknown ratios. I like my version a bit better. Also made it with rye, which was excellent. Maybe a little lemon bitters or expressed peel would be nice next time.

[ChrisTaylor]

What do you know? I came home from work today and a mysterious package was on my door step. A bottle of an utterly and totally snobbishly exclusive organic (right?) nano batch spirit: Colonel Hawthorne's Jolly Good Gin. Using as much creativity as a teacher can possibly possess on a Monday evening, I stirred together a gin and tonic: a generous amount of Jolly Good gin and just a bit of Cascade tonic water. No citrus/cucumber/capsicum/et al. 

 

It has a maltiness that reminds me of, yes, genever and the St George dry rye gin but it's more restrained, more subdued. It actually plays well with tonic water. I mean, it plays well with a bitter tonic water. I could see it being maybe a little unfriendly with a sweeter tonic.

[lesliec]

Sounds like remarkable stuff. Now everybody will want some.

Glad it survived the trip.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Ward Eight, this time with Whistlepig.  And unlike two nights ago, I took particular care to keep the ratio of lemon and valencia orange juice even.

 

2 oz Whistlepig

3/4 oz lemon juice

3/4 oz valencia orange juice

1 teaspoon grenadine

 

 

Please note that this is not exacly the same recipe I used to test the Taylor.  For one thing I used less alcohol.  Forgive me that I just had five (smallish) glasses of rye (for science), and plan to enjoy wine with dinner.  I have work tomorrow.

 

Anyhow, I must confess I liked the previous Ward Eight better.  There is a bitterness here that I did not have using Taylor.  But at least with Whistlepig I still taste the rye, which was not the case with Rittenhouse.

[Hassouni]

Doing some experimentation on Clover Club variations (I haven't had an actual CC yet, but let's overlook that)

 

1.5 Beefeater

.75 meyer lemon juice

.25 Lebanese mulberry syrup

1 egg white, which came out to 1.5 oz!

 

Dry shake then wet shake, luscious foam for days...except....not a v good drink. The Beefeater didn't play so nice with the rest, and 1.5 fucking ounces of egg white has me feeling literally nauseated. Blargh. So much for that experiment. It's one thing when you drink so much you wanna hurl, but another when a single drink takes you there 

 

(For what it's worth, the exact same batch of eggs was used recently for a Ramos gin fizz, and no issues...)

Edited March 25, 2014 by Hassouni (log)

[lesliec]

Although it breaks the 'JRRT' mould, Inner Circle rum (from Australia) makes a particularly fine Tolkien. Thanks, Chris T.

[liuzhou]

Found this today.

 

 

It is a 56% by volume (112 proof) spirit distilled from sorghum. From Beijing. It comes in a 100ml bottle and there are three grades / strengths. This one is the highest. $1.60 (USD), £1.00 (GBP). It is but one brand of 'erguotou' (二锅头) which means 'second distillation'.

 

Probably not advisable to attempt to take onto a plane.

 

(Actually, not advisable to even buy. It is rank!)

Edited March 25, 2014 by liuzhou (log)

[Adam George]

Get some Jager and make some Bomb Bombs.

[EvergreenDan]

The 100ml size looks like it's ready for a rag to be tucked into the neck.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Tonight I was excited because I took delivery of a new, larger mai tai tumbler.  Finally I could assemble a generously proportioned mai tai!  Alas, it arrived with the rim chipped.

 

Nonetheless have been consoling myself with mai tais.  So many combinations!  For what it's worth, the current version is:

 

1 oz Appleton 12

1 oz Pusser's

1 oz W&N

1/2 oz Cointreau

1 oz lime juice

1/2 oz orgeat

 

 

As long as I hold Cointreau to half an ounce it works.  More than that it overpowers everything else.  I have plenty of ice, limes (tragically at a dollar each), with an abundance fresh mint...and the morning is yet young.  No shortage of rum either.  Or peanuts.

 

 

Edit:  how could I forget the lime juice!

Edited March 26, 2014 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)

[Hassouni]

Saziraq. The Middle East-inspired Sazerac, experimenting for my pop up bar concept

 

• 2 oz Pikesville rye
• a good blob of what I'm guessing was reconstituted evaporated cane juice syrup (it's been in my fridge for ages...too dark for refined sugar syrup and too light for Demerara syrup)
• a dash or two of my newly minted Arabian Bitters (future batches need a new recipe, but I'm pleased at how the ad hoc recipe I devised turned out)
• a spritz of Sharqtreuse (my homemade Arabic-flavored Chartreuse analogue - Sharq meaning "east" in Arabic) instead of the absinthe rinse
• The oils from a swatch of Meyer lemon peel (cos I had half of one lying around)

Damn good if I say so myself!

Edited March 26, 2014 by Hassouni (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Current mai tai in progress:

 

1 oz Appleton 12

1 oz Atlantico

1 oz S&C

1/2 oz Cointreau

1 oz lime juice (generous)

1/2 oz orgeat

 

 

Seems a little bit too sweet and the half ounce Cointreau is now too much.  Not sure why.  Hard to beat Appleton, Pusser's, and W&N.  Not complaining too much however.

 

I like S&C in a mai tai but I think W&N trumps it though.