Drinks! 2014 (Part 2)

[FrogPrincesse]

No day drinking, just some daydreaming while looking at Dandelyan's beautiful cocktail menu (it's the new bar from the White Lyan team, at the Mondrian hotel in London). A lot of cool ideas. The Evil Manhattan and its botanical beer "vermouth" has me particularly intrigued.

There is a nice night/day rich/light decision matrix at the end that's a bit reminiscent of Pouring Ribbons'.

Edited October 15, 2014 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Rafa]

Dammit. I foolishly assumed I'd be one of the first to get a beer "vermouth" on a menu.

[lesliec]

Délit de Fuite, created by our very own Plantes Verdes.  Gin (mine), Cynar, Cocchi Americano, Campari, our newly-acquired Orange Cream Citrate and a strip of orange zest, but perhaps not looking its best as I'd already had a couple of slurps before I thought to take the photo:

 

 

Yum!  Definite Negroni family resemblance, which is rarely a bad thing.

 

 

[pto]

2 oz Wild Turkey 86.8

1/4 oz Guanche Arhucas Honey Rum

1 small barspoon demerara sugar

2 dashs TBT chocolate bitters

orange peel'

large rock

 

Man that's good

[ChrisTaylor]

Rebannack. I like it.

 

EDIT

 

And looking on Kindred Cocktails for the American Trilogy landed me at this recipe: Rafa's Border Trilogy. Rafa's McCarthy schtick was hilarious so I made it. Kind of dig it, although the Ilegal Reposado kicks the shit out of the Elmer Lee bourbon (which is the bourbon I have on hand at the moment). 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

French 75, Bombay and methode rotuts.  "Thank you, perhaps I oughtn't have another just quite yet."

[ChrisTaylor]

Boulevardier. For some reason, as a Negroni and rye fan I have not made this. At least, to the best of my recollection I haven't made it. But, yeah, the Boulevardier. What's not to like?

[FrogPrincesse]

Dammit. I foolishly assumed I'd be one of the first to get a beer "vermouth" on a menu.

 

More details on DandeLyan's beer vermouth courtesy of BarChick.

they've created their own version of ‘vermouth’ by ‘nuking’ a selection of aromatic English botanicals into a beer base, resulting in a herbal, rich and aromatic take on the traditional Manhattan. 

 

How do you make yours, Rafa?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

After an afternoon of apple picking, an autumn in Jersey.

[tanstaafl2]

Attended a Chartreuse themed dinner last night. All 5 variations that I am aware of made an appearance (including the 138 proof Elixir Vegetal) which made for a good opportunity to compare side by side. Didn't really learn too much as the yellow is a bit too sweet on its own for me and I much prefer green and especially green VEP. First chance to try the Yellow VEP which was better than standard yellow but still not as good as green.

 

 

We also had a few cocktails. We started off with Cava with a splash of green. OK but I think I would have liked a slightly more vigorous splash...

 

Then a Last Word variant with a bar made ginger/fenugreek shrubb replacing the maraschino. Good but hard to duplicate of course. Shrub & Co Spicy Ginger might work but I think I still prefer the original.

 

Final cocktail was yellow chartreuse with Botran white rum, Bonal, lime juice and Peychauds. Thought it might be too sweet but itturned out pretty good to me with a moderately dry bitter finish. Unfortunately forgot to ask for the proportions.

 

Food was good as well to include a truly lovely foie gras torchon that was as light and buttery as any I have had and yet still pleasantly savory.

 

 

[KD1191]

Attended a Chartreuse themed dinner last night. 

 

Did they serve Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly?

 

All 5 variations that I am aware of made an appearance (including the 138 proof Elixir Vegetal) which made for a good opportunity to compare side by side.

 

Oh, there are so many more than 5...and that's not counting the original 142 proof EV or special blends bottled for various bars and clubs...not to mention the way each year's release seems to taste slightly different (perhaps due to recipe variation, or changes to infused elements as they age in the bottle). Sometimes I think Chartreuse is a rabbit hole just as deep as rum or bourbon.

[EvergreenDan]

Rafa's Border Trilogy. 

Epic recipe and comment.

[tanstaafl2]

Did they serve Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly?

 

 

Oh, there are so many more than 5...and that's not counting the original 142 proof EV or special blends bottled for various bars and clubs...not to mention the way each year's release seems to taste slightly different (perhaps due to recipe variation, or changes to infused elements as they age in the bottle). Sometimes I think Chartreuse is a rabbit hole just as deep as rum or bourbon.

 

 

Nope, nothing quite so "titanic".  As to the other variations I expect I will have to go to France, if not the monastery itself, to have a decent chance to try them.

[Rafa]

Epic recipe and comment.

 

I may or may not have recited some McCarthy while building this for a guest, à la Chris McMillian and the Mint Julep, the very dream of drinks.

[KD1191]

I expect I will have to go to France, if not the monastery itself, to have a decent chance to try them.

 

I've seen the 9th Century and 1605 for sale in the U.S. The MOFS is a bit more scarce...my first bottle did come from the distillery in Voiron, but more recently I found it at CDG Duty Free. The Whisky Exchange in London sells all of them...and, samples are certainly available at Pouring Ribbons in NYC.

[KD1191]

Trying to finish some of the emptier bottles to make room on the bar, have been sipping on a lot of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (68.5%, 2nd Release) and Weller 107. Intriguing though they are straight, I'd love some suggestions for favorite over-proof/barrel strength bourbon cocktails. I'm fond of the Staggerac and the Boulevard Des Rêves. The Reverse Brooklyn (aka Reverse Stagghattan) might get made tonight. Any other suggestions for mixing with high(er) proof bourbon, other than a few drops of water?

[Adam George]

Flips.

[Rafa]

^^ Less seasonally appropriate, maybe, but juleps. 

[KD1191]

Flips.

 

Roger. Reminds me that I really enjoy this template...will see what I do with that.

[bostonapothecary]

doubleplusgood

 

1 oz. campari

1 oz. greenhook ginsmiths beach plum liqueur

1 oz. asbach uralt brandy

rinse of laphroaig cask strength

 

the beach plum liqueur has an commonly low sugar content, almost to the point that it might be a regret or a missed opportunity, but cocktails just don't care. they can fix anything. flaws can become features and a plane is a fragment of the architecture of space so we can just assemble a bunch of fragments being sympathetic to all the planes and voila! this drink is doubleplusgood delicious.

 

the Asbach is some special stuff and resembles Armagnac most closely, I'd say. only one creative importer/liquor store in Boston seems to sell it and we won't rat them out because they don't even bother to put a surgeon generals warning on it. in a post modern cocktail world where most people can't drink past cute things like Pierre Ferrand 1840 after they read about them five times in junk magazines, we have no trouble still finding the gems.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

What's wrong with Pierre Ferrand 1840?

 

 

Edit:  I drink past a lot of it.

Edited October 30, 2014 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)

[bostonapothecary]

What's wrong with Pierre Ferrand 1840?

 

 

Edit:  I drink past a lot of it.

 

not a lot of value. there is this illusion that bar programs explore all their options to bring you the most extraordinary stuff to drink but when you really start talking to people you find they've actually only had very few different options in their life.

 

it happens in wine a lot especially with young buyers. there is often talk about viognier or cornas like someone has really had thirty plus experiences with them across many years and then it really turns out they've only had tastes of three or four and never really made love to any of it.

 

Its all my overly critical reaction to cocktail lists being covered in combier and pampelmouse. when you see certain products decorating a list, its pretty much a flag no really explored anything.

[KD1191]

The Reverse Brooklyn (aka Reverse Stagghattan) might get made tonight. Any other suggestions for mixing with high(er) proof bourbon, other than a few drops of water?

 

I give you the Reverse Crooklyn (aka Reverse Craighatten)...it was...robust.

 

2 oz Punt e Mes

1 oz Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

1/4 oz Amer Picon

Scant barspoon Leopold Bros Maraschino

 

A coin of lemon zest let the thinnest ray of sunshine through a crack in the door of an otherwise dark and brooding saloon.

 

Edited October 30, 2014 by KD1191 (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

not a lot of value. there is this illusion that bar programs explore all their options to bring you the most extraordinary stuff to drink but when you really start talking to people you find they've actually only had very few different options in their life.

 

it happens in wine a lot especially with young buyers. there is often talk about viognier or cornas like someone has really had thirty plus experiences with them across many years and then it really turns out they've only had tastes of three or four and never really made love to any of it.

 

Its all my overly critical reaction to cocktail lists being covered in combier and pampelmouse. when you see certain products decorating a list, its pretty much a flag no really explored anything.

 

Pierre Ferrand 1840 is 90 proof cognac.  I don't know of a lot of others from which to choose.

[Hassouni]

It's also not cloying like so many sub $50 cognacs*. 1840 is the real deal as far as I'm concerned.

 

*Ansac VS Cognac, for example, while nice and cheap, is also so sugared/boissed that it is LITERALLY sticky if some of it spills.