Drinks! (2011–2012)

[Chris Amirault]

Moderator note: The original Drinks! topic became too large for our servers to handle efficiently, so we've divided it up; the preceding part of this discussion is here: Drinks! (2009–2011)]

I made a batch of "tortilla tequila" that is mindblowingly good, and tonight I made my first drink with it. It's quite a dry drink, the lime (citrus) and the lime (chemical) interacting in a really amazing way. I could drink thirty of these. Extra points to anyone who gets the name, a reference to the need for the slightly round, slightly spicy Fundador:

Cardinal Ximénez

1 sugar cube
3 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl bitters
1 oz Fundador Brandy de Jerez
1 oz Chinaco añejo tequila
1 oz tortilla tequila

Dash the bitters onto the sugar cube and muddle until dissolved. Add the spirits and cracked ice; stir until combined. Squeeze a Ti Punch slice of lime over the top; stick the slice into the drink.

Edited April 8, 2013 by Mjx (log)

[Sparafucile]

Canton Cocktail

1 1/2 oz rum (I've been using Doorly's XO or Barbancourt 5-star)

1/4 oz Cointreau

1/4 oz maraschino liqueur

I've really been enjoying these...

[Mayur]

That's funny. I'm putting cacao-infused mezcal (although I'm using the entire [hulled] bean) in a menu cocktail:

Chocolate Jesus

0.75 El Dorado 12 year rum

0.75 cacao-infused mezcal (Del Maguey Vida)

0.75 house vermouth

0.5 creme de cacao

0.5 cynar

dash Bittermens mole bitters

Just in time for Easter...

[thirtyoneknots]

Healthy pour of Wray & Nephew White Overproof, heavy squeeze of lime, top with Jarritos Fraises (Straberry soda). Oh yeah. Not many things can tame and balance that legendary funk, but this is one.

[Dan Perrigan]

A Royal Union -- Carrie Cole, Cragie on Main, Boston -- as described on Paul Clarke's Cocktail Chronicles

1 oz Calvados (used Laird's Bonded, since I'm out of both Calvados and Laird's 7 1/2 year old apple brandy)

1 oz Averna

1/2 oz Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur

1/2 oz Amaro Nonino

2 dashes (used 16 drops) Xocolatl Mole Bitters

(Stir and strain. No garnish)

Wow. This is a glass of smooth. It's rich. It's silky. It's bittersweet chocolate and coffee and walnuts. The only thing more amazing than the drink is the fact that I actually had all the ingredients on hand.

Dan

[andiesenji]

Today's Gear Patrol dispatch included

this item for those who might imbibe too much.

I don't drink but there have been a few mentions of morning after effects here on the forum so I thought I would pass the info along.

[EvergreenDan]

I sooooo wanted to like A Royal Union, but I just couldn't get past the sugar. I realize it's my issue and I'm sure many people like like it as is.

I added some Fino Sherry, which helped a lot, and I think the nutty flavors are compatible. The flavors are good, but Averna is very sweet, as is Nux Alpina. I think with Fino and some different ratios it would appeal to a sucrophobe like me. I also might try only one dash of mole bitters as they are potent.

I'd love to know others' thought and variations on this promising cocktail. I'm might try something like

1 oz Calvados

1 oz Nonino

1/4 oz Averna

1/4 oz Nux Alpina

1/4 oz Fino Sherry, only if needed

1 d mole bitters

[bostonapothecary]

.75 oz. lime juice

.75 oz. cynar (actually bitter)

.75 oz. bianco vermouth

.75 oz. kirshwasser

dash angostura (not a significant source of bitterness)

a synthesis of something grapefruit like. quite extra-ordinary in its tonal effect. bitter sours have been a never ending source of amusement.

[Tri2Cook]

.75 oz. lime juice

.75 oz. cynar (actually bitter)

.75 oz. bianco vermouth

.75 oz. kirshwasser

dash angostura (not a significant source of bitterness)

a synthesis of something grapefruit like. quite extra-ordinary in its tonal effect. bitter sours have been a never ending source of amusement.

I think I'm going to give that one a try this weekend.

[Tri2Cook]

I did try the bostonapothecary creation... and I liked it.

Tonight was a 50/50 with Tanqueray, Noilly Prat and Twisted & Bitter orange bitters. I think I'll stick with a little more on the dry side but I didn't hate it.

[Yajna Patni]

A Ramos fizz! I had everything i needed! I did not shake it for 5 minutes, only one and a half, till my arm nearly dropped off, but it was SO DELICIOUS. I will repeat the experiment. Even though alcohol + cream+ egg seems like so so many more calories than I need. ahahhaha. When did that ever put me off?

[campus five]

Bought a bottle of Bonal a couple weeks ago, but there don't seem to be many recipes calling for it specifically.

I know I could have experimented, but I was just feeling lazy, so I googled "bonal recipe" and the 7th link down was from www.cocktailchronicles.com - perfect, a trusted source.

The first recipe on Paul's post was called "Bonal & Rye" (credited to Todd Smith, Dalva, San Francisco). It fits Dave Wondrich's no fail formula of 2 spirit/1 fortified or aromatized wine/.5 liqueur, and it's delicious:

2 oz Rye (rittenhouse bib)

1 oz Bonal

.5 oz Cointreau

2 dash Orange Bitters

stir, strain, up, orange twist.

It was slightly sweet, so I think you could lower the liqueur to 1/4 oz.

[vice]

It was slightly sweet, so I think you could lower the liqueur to 1/4 oz.

I think David Wondrich's template uses a teaspoon of liqueur as a starting point. More than anything else, the sweetness of the wine component probably governs the quantity of liqueur you can get away with.

[campus five]

Good god, of course you're right.

[EvergreenDan]

Bought a bottle of Bonal a couple weeks ago, but there don't seem to be many recipes calling for it specifically.

I'm rather fond of the Hoots Mon that I got from Chris Amirault (http://egullet.org/p1731534). Chris -- what's the origin / attribution of this?

I also like an unnamed drink by Chowhound user 'pb n foie', which I jokingly named after him/her. Hey, the drink needed a name:

Lead and Liver

3/4 oz Batavia Arrack

3/4 oz Cynar

3/4 oz Maraschino Liqueur

1/2 oz Bonal Gentiane Quina

3/4 oz Lime juice

Shake, strain, rocks, lowball.

Bonal is great stuff. Make a delightful aperitif.

Here are some other Bonal Gentiane Quina cocktails.

[Chris Amirault]

I'm rather fond of the Hoots Mon that I got from Chris Amirault (http://egullet.org/p1731534). Chris -- what's the origin / attribution of this?

A blog entry by Erik Ellestad (eje here) on Thad Vogler.

[EvergreenDan]

Ah. I can see that the Hoots Mon might be most accurately made with Cocchi Americano, rather than Bonal Gentiane Quina. That said, it was delicious with Bonal and Carpano Antica. Thanks Chris for the reference.

[cadmixes]

.75 oz. lime juice

.75 oz. cynar (actually bitter)

.75 oz. bianco vermouth

.75 oz. kirshwasser

dash angostura (not a significant source of bitterness)

a synthesis of something grapefruit like. quite extra-ordinary in its tonal effect. bitter sours have been a never ending source of amusement.

I really dig this! Definitely reminiscent of white grapefruit with the fresh citrus followed by a strong bitter tail. It's a little jarring, but I think that's part of the appeal.

[Tri2Cook]

Okay, I'm a bit hesitant to even post this... but what the heck. Doing pork in the smoker today and wanted something cold and refreshing. So I shook 1 oz Boulard Calvados, 1.5 oz Jameson's, .5 oz fresh lemon juice and a couple muddled apple slices with ice, strained into a glass with fresh ice and topped it up with about 4 oz Magner's Irish Cider. I dubbed it Apple of My Irish (a cheesy drink deserves a cheesy name, right? ) and it went down nicely. I'm sure the experts could make some suggestions that would improve it (although they might also suggest pouring it down the sink ) and I welcome them but it was really just a spur of the moment thing. I debated over .5 oz of simple in the shaker and decided against it. Maybe I'll try one with it just for comparison but I didn't feel like I missed it.

[Chris Amirault]

Atty variation:

1 1/2 oz (Plymouth) gin

1 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano

dash (R&W) Creme de Violette

dash (Luxardo) Maraschino

dash (Leopold) absinthe

Stir; strain; lemon twist.

Splendid. Whenever I have it in the house, I wonder why I don't always have the Cocchi in the house....

[evo-lution]

With the news that the French government is lifting the ban on the sale of Absinthe (see the following BBC article for more details) I'll be raising this drink I created just a few days back;

Panacea Cocktail

Created by Adam Elmegirab, 22nd April 2011;

50ml BOLS Genever

10ml Tanqueray

12.5ml Sugar syrup

3 Dashes Dr. Adam Elmegirab's Dandelion & Burdock Bitters

1 Dash Bitter Truth Creole Bitters

Rinse Jade Nouvelle Orleans Absinthe

Method: Add a few drops off the absinthe to glass and pop in freezer. Add remaining ingredients to mixing glass and stir with hand-cracked block ice for 15-20 seconds. Remove glass from freezer, shake off excess absinthe and single strain

Glass: Frozen Old-Fashioned

Garnish: Strip of white grapefruit peel

Ice: N/A

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13159863

[sbumgarner]

Tried this last night and really enjoyed it.

1.5 oz Plymouth

.75 oz lemon

.5 oz Cynar

.5 oz juniper/sage syrup

3 dashes celery bitters

Tasted like spring to me.

[campus five]

Went to 1886 in Pasadena, Ca last night a finally got to try a couple cocktails that are debuting on their spring menu that I'd heard about while they were in the planning stages.

Both feature coffee infusions, and both were delicious and pretty darn deep.

The first featured coffee-infused Gran Classico bitter, along with Bols Genever and Antica. 2 bols / .75 infused Gran Classico / .5 Antica

The second was a chicory-coffee infused rye Sazerac.

Intriguing stuff to be sure.

[Yojimbo]

1 1/2 oz Rittenhouse BIB

1/2 oz. Maraschino

3/4 oz. Punt e Mes (more or less)

One Calamondin orange, squeezed and dropped in. Stirred and served over ice. Nice.

[campus five]

I've picked up quite a few things in the last 6 weeks or so: Cardamaro, Rabarbaro, Scarlett Ibis, Willett 3yr Rye, Buffalo Trace White Dog, Bitter Truth JT Bitters, Miracle Mile Forbidden Bitters, and Jade Edouard Nouvelle Orleans.

Several of the purchases have turned out very well, but the best thing to come along lately was something homemade: Gomme Syrup.

I bought some powered Gum Arabic of ebay, and followed Paul Clarke's instructions at cocktailchronicles.com. It has been AMAZING. Oh, and it was way easier than I had thought it would be.

So by combining some recent acquisitions and gomme syrup, I have made several astounding cocktails. The mouthfeel of each cocktail was so luscious. So far I've made:

Sazerac - rittenhouse BIB, gomme, 4 dashes Creole Bitters, Nouvelle Orleans - possibly the best Sazerac I've had

Scarlet Ibis Old Fashoined - Scarlet Ibis, gomme, forbidden bitters - amazing, and so deeply flavored

Willett Rye Old Fashioned - Willett, gomme, 2 dashes ango, 2 dashes 50-50 orange - again one of the best Old Fashioneds I've had

Lastly, I've been pretty down on the white dog/moonshine trend, but a friend introduced my to the BT White Dog with a stellar old fashioned: White Dog, Dr. Adam Elmegirab's Bokers Bitters, white sugar syrup, orange twist (unflamed). The Bokers bitters and white sugar were key to keep from overpowering the flavor of the white dog. Delicious.