Drinks! 2015 - 2016

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Mississippi punch since it's summer and I had not mixed one in a while:

 

2 oz PF 1840 Cognac

1 oz S&C

1/2 oz arrack

juice of 1 lemon (after an all too alkaline afternoon assaying the Harvard edx pH lab)

1 Tablespoon sugar

[lesliec]

Three Dots and a Dash:

 

 

Not bad for something with citrus in it.  But I need to work on my pineapple spears.  Any tips?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Leslie, is that a paper straw?

 

Embrace citrus.  Pineapple is evil.

[lesliec]

It is indeed paper (well, it burned like paper when I threw it in the fire when I'd finished with it).  And very splendid they are, being green and all.

 

No argument about the evilness of pineapple in some circumstances (on pizza, for example).  As a decoration on a drink I can live with it, but citrus (for me) seems to just make a drink thin and ungenerous.  I realise I may be in a minority with this view.

 

I'm much happier with the bitter end of the spectrum than the sour.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

It is indeed paper (well, it burned like paper when I threw it in the fire when I'd finished with it).  And very splendid they are, being green and all.

 

No argument about the evilness of pineapple in some circumstances (on pizza, for example).  As a decoration on a drink I can live with it, but citrus (for me) seems to just make a drink thin and ungenerous.  I realise I may be in a minority with this view.

 

I'm much happier with the bitter end of the spectrum than the sour.

 

Per the recent NY Times article, scurvy is a horrible way to go.  I worry about you,  My problem with pineapple is a bleeding mouth, which just makes the drink more red and salty.  I agree, in context, bitter sometimes has its place.

 

Tonight for me, after a particularly rewarding repast, a goodly glass or two of Colonel Taylor to settle the digestion.

[Jstern35]

Wanted a negroni only to find out I had no gin left! So instead a take on a boulevardier tonight ....

1 1/2 oz high west rye

1 oz campari

1 oz sweet vermouth

1/2 oz luxardo amaretto

Chartreuse rinse

Hit the spot!

Edited July 12, 2015 by Jstern35 (log)

[Hassouni]

Been working the Green Zone two nights a week for the last several weeks. On the menu:

 

The Vişnezade, with Green Hat Spring/Summer Gin, sour cherry syrup, bitters, and garnish:

 

 

The Janissary Corps, Green Hat gin, pistachio syrup, lemon, etc:

 

Lebanese No. 1, cognac, apricot, lemon:

 

Mint Lemonade & More, a spiked riff on the classic Levantine blended mint lemonades:

 

Maté Martini, with yerba mate infused Lillet and of course Green Hat:

 

Rivas Julep: rhubarb, rye, lemon, rose, mint, Persian bitters:

Edited July 14, 2015 by Hassouni (log)

[Adam George]

I had to make a chocolate martini, (mainly due to the wife) 

 

 

 

Grounds for divorce.

[Adam George]

Joking aside, my manager recently came up with a very simple, yet complex, GPtastic drink to try and use up some Amer

 

40ml Martini Dry

20ml Amer Picon

10ml Cynar

Some Bitter Truth Grapefruit Bitters.

Stirred, Up

Probably had a lemon twist.

 

Banging.  Really impressive for something with next to no alcohol in it.

[EvergreenDan]

 use up some Amer

On behalf of every cocktail nerd in the US, fuck you. In the nicest possible way, of course.

[tanstaafl2]

On behalf of every cocktail nerd in the US, fuck you. In the nicest possible way, of course.

 

What he said!

 

Would love to have "real" Amer Picon to "have to get rid of"! I have used several alternatives including Torani Amer and the formula offered by Splificator as a substitute. But never had the real thing.

 

Current Picon Club and Picon Biere don't really count for me (not that I wouldn't try them if I had them!) meaning at this point it would have to be about 50 years old to be as close as possible to the real thing before the proof got slashed down from the original 78 proof.

 

I wonder if the Amer Picon "Black" available at TWE at a slightly higher 42 proof is a similar formula and would be better than the current day Amer Picon at 36 proof.

[KD1191]

I found two ~40 year old bottles (78 proof) on a dusty shelf in Houston a few years ago, so don't give up all hope. One is still sealed, so if anyone in NYC wants to try the real thing, it can certainly be arranged.

[ChrisTaylor]

In Zimbabwe I didn't have access to my kit and I was limited to whatever was sold at a reasonable price in the supermarket, but I still managed to make a few things. I wasn't so happy with the Manhattan variation I made using Three Ships Select (a blended South African whisky--I couldn't find the costlier single malt, despite looking high and low), M&R and a locally-made cocktail bitters. The whisky was a bit harsh for an Old Fashioned. I ended up gaining a fair amount of traction--relatives liked it, I mean--with the Collins format. The Ian Collins: 2.5 oz Mainstay cane spirit (that much of the plastic bottle stuff would probably kill you), 1 oz lime juice and .75 oz simple topped with soda water. 

[Hassouni]

Made a daiquiri last night...A Numero 4, from the Floridita menu.

 

Old hat right?

 

2 oz Bacardi Heritage 1909

3/4 oz key lime juice

1/4 oz 2:1 white simple syrup

teaspoon-ish Luxardo Maraschino

 

Best daiquiri I have EVER had. The Bacardi, key limes, and Luxardo are like magic together. I'm down to 3.25 bottles of the rum remaining, I must find more!

[pistolabella]

Last night was Three Dots and  Dash and upon sip Number One all I could think/say was "daaaaaaamn". Who knows what I was saying by the end. It was delicious!

http://punchdrink.com/recipes/three-dots-and-a-dash/

[Hassouni]

Not to be all political and shit, but today was a big day in DC - the US reestablished diplomatic relations with Cuba and the Cuban flag was raised over the restored Cuban Embassy for the first time in over 50 years:

 

 

So what did I do?

 

Celebrated with my three favorite Cuban cocktails, because they're what got me into this whole mixology lark:

 

The one that got me into it in the first place, the humble mojito:

3/4 key lime, teaspoon or so superfine sugar, bunch of mint, muddled, 1.5 oz Havana Club Añejo 3 Años, stir w cracked ice, top w 1.5 oz soda (ratios from Potions of the Caribbean except for the extra lime) - not my usual ratios, but very light and refreshing. Nice.

 

The King of Cocktails, in the number 4 variant from La Floridita...the Daiquiri No. 4, because I wanted a slushy drink (it's probably hotter in DC right now than in Havana) and I don't have any grapefruit lying around.

2 oz HC3A, 3/4 key lime (the Floridita spec is 1/2 oz, and I think in the blended version, that's the way to go, cf Liquid Intelligence), teaspoon superfine sugar, teaspoon Luxardo, blended with several Kold Draft-style ice cubes in my Blendtec for 20 seconds on max speed - perfect texture.

 

Finally, a drink I don't make often, but fuck it. El Presidente:

1 oz Don Q Gran Añejo (thanks Rafa!), 1 oz Dolin Blanc, bought just this evening for this drink, 1/4 oz Ferrand Dry Curaçao, stirred with orange peel in the mixing glass, per Berry's instructions in Potions. Garnished with a Green Zone brandied cherry. Delicious! I highly vouch for these ratios and these ingredients specifically.

 

¡Viva Cuba!

Edited July 21, 2015 by Hassouni (log)

[lesliec]

And a Cuba Libre for dessert?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Not that I'm much into politics, I just want to know when we can buy the rum.

 

 

 

Edit:  oh, and I'm imbibing Mississippi punch at the moment.  After a hot and painfully exhausting day.  A great and I suppose historically accurate beverage for a filibuster!  Don't know why I don't drink Mississippi punch more often...I think I forgot how strong this is.

Edited July 21, 2015 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)

[Hassouni]

And a Cuba Libre for dessert?

 

Well, let's not push it!

[tanstaafl2]

 

Finally, a drink I don't make often, but fuck it. El Presidente:

1 oz Don Q Gran Añejo (thanks Rafa!), 1 oz Dolin Blanc, bought just this evening for this drink, 1/4 oz Ferrand Dry Curaçao, stirred with orange peel in the mixing glass, per Berry's instructions in Potions. Garnished with a Green Zone brandied cherry. Delicious! I highly vouch for these ratios and these ingredients specifically.

 

Not sure who gets credit for really reviving this drink with the realization that Dolin Blanc was the key as I first learned about the drink from an Imbibe article by Professor Wondrich, although given the article was from 2012 and the book didn't get published until late 2013 perhaps the nod goes to Splificator on this one. Although who knows how long it took to write the book! 

 

Don't have the magazine with his specific recipe in front of me but I did find this one online. Pretty similar except you used a dark aged rum and didn't include a touch of grenadine. I have tended to use Havana Club Anejo Blanco when I had it or the Flor de Cana 4yo extra dry when I didn't as it is pretty good and not quite as spendy.

 

1½ oz. rich white rum

1½ oz. Dolin Vermouth Blanc

1 barspoon orange Curaçao or Grand Marnier

½ barspoon real grenadine

Thinly cut orange peel

Garnish: maraschino cherry (optional)

 

Anywho I absolutely agree this is a real winner!

[FrogPrincesse]

I also first read about it from David Wondrich I think, tried it at the time and didn't care for it. Tried it again at Bar Agricole a couple of years ago and still didn't get what the fuss was about (here is their version below in the front, and a little write-up about how the drink represents their philosophy about ingredient sourcing). Wayne Curtis previously wrote about this cocktail in 2006.

 

Maybe it's time to revisit, although I have a fear of grenadine.

 

 

[Hassouni]

Yeah next time I might add a touch of grenadine, though Berry's recipe is superb (he calls for aged Cuban, DQGA is as close as I had)

[ChrisTaylor]

Be Forewarned: a boozy brandy:tequila:Cynar 1:1:1. I subbed the bergamot bitters with Scrappy's orange.

[Fernwood]

Not to be all political and shit, but today was a big day in DC - the US reestablished diplomatic relations with Cuba and the Cuban flag was raised over the restored Cuban Embassy for the first time in over 50 years:

 

Finally, a drink I don't make often, but fuck it. El Presidente:

1 oz Don Q Gran Añejo (thanks Rafa!), 1 oz Dolin Blanc, bought just this evening for this drink, 1/4 oz Ferrand Dry Curaçao, stirred with orange peel in the mixing glass, per Berry's instructions in Potions. Garnished with a Green Zone brandied cherry. Delicious! I highly vouch for these ratios and these ingredients specifically.

 

¡Viva Cuba!

Is there any grenadine in your recipe?

[Hassouni]

Is there any grenadine in your recipe?

 

In that one, which is the Potions of the Caribbean recipe, no. I've since made a couple with, and I'm not sure which version I like more.