Drinks! (2011–2012)

[Tri2Cook]

Tried the Joy Division last night. I don't know how close to the actual recipe it was, the blogger states that this is his take on it and I couldn't find it anywhere else, but I enjoyed it.

[bostonapothecary]

1.5 oz. smoke paprika aromatized tequila (25g/l spanish paprika)

.75 oz. sour orange juice

.75 oz. 1:1 simple syrup

the idea was faux mezcal but the smoke is tricky. heavy molecules. you have to go to higher temps than you normally would. i would even go to 40 or 50 g/l next time.

[EvergreenDan]

Went to Lord Hobo and had this gem. One of the best drinks I've had in a long time:

Coasta de Morte

by Lord Hobo, Cambridge, MA

1 1/4 oz Blended Scotch (John Barr)

1 1/4 oz Lillet Blanc

1 1/4 oz Maurin Quina

1 ds Orange bitters

Stir, strain, chilled lowball, straight (no ice)

Fantastic. The use of the blended whiskey keeps the scotch flavor in check with the Lillet and Maurin Quina. A really fabulous drink, even for the non-Scotch lover. I might try Cocchi when I make it myself.

--

Kindred Cocktails | Craft + Collect + Concoct + Categorize + Community

[thirtyoneknots]

Got any further notes on the Maurin Quina, Dan? I don't think we have that one in TX.

[EvergreenDan]

Got any further notes on the Maurin Quina, Dan? I don't think we have that one in TX.

Ha! I first learned about it from the Kindred Cocktail's ingredient editor (Zach Pearson), who lives in Texas. I'm pretty use you can find it somewhere. It's not hard to find here in Boston.

It is an aromatized wine, mildly bitter, with a strong cherry flavor. It is quite sweet (although not like a liqueur) and 32 proof. I like it quite a bit. I paid $38. It is not a direct sub for sweet vermouth as the cherry is quite strong (unless that's what you're after). Last night I played with a white rhum agricole, Maurin Quina, Cocchi Americano, and lemon -- sort of like the above, but rum based. It was good. I'll try gin next.

[bostonapothecary]

a rendering of cocktail epic: norwegian wood

1 oz. linie aquavite

1 oz. double fermented apple brandy**

.75 oz. sweet vermouth (carpano antica because it was all i had)

spoonful yellow chartreuse

**the double fermented apple brandy is made from ascetic acid neutralized apple cider vinegar that is redistilled 8:1 with vodka (and re-soured with non volatile acid (citric) so as not to react with copper). the second fermentation improves the chance of producing extraordinary aromas.

[Tri2Cook]

Sounds tasty. I've wanted to try the original Norwegian Wood for some time but yellow Chartreuse is yet another thing I can't get where I live, only the green.

[KD1191]

Got any further notes on the Maurin Quina, Dan? I don't think we have that one in TX.

I was introduced to Maurin Quina by Mike Ryan at Sable here in Chicago a few months back...he's had it in a couple drinks on their menu, mostly sours such as:

Darwin's Radio : Bols Genever, Maurin Quina, Lemon Juice & Muddled Blackberry.

It's "created by macerating wild cherries, quinine and bitter almonds in fortified white wine, and then blending it with cherry brandy, lemon juice and cherry juice." I found the cherry flavor is noticeably more 'natural' than something like Heering. I seem to recall being told it is not technically a 'quinquina'...I believe it's the juice that disqualifies it.

[Sunny&Rummy]

Scofflaw with always dependable Old Overholt Rye. I originally encountered this as a cocktail calling for blended Canadian whisky, and when I got around to making it I was pretty unimpressed. Made proper with rye and real grenadine, though, this is everything a classic cocktail should be.

[Zachary]

Andy,

Maurin Quina is brought in by Preiss, who is brokered in Texas by Momfrey & Associates:

Monfrey & Associates

Mark Monfrey

Dallas , TX 75244

Phone: 972-387-4531

Fax: 972-386-4480

Email: monfrey@artisanal-beverage.com

For personal use, I think Austin Wine Merchant has it.

Thanks,

Zach

[Tri2Cook]

Tried this one. I don't have the Miracle Mile bitters so I used a chocolate-chili bitters I picked up from House Made...

Clockwork Orange

1 1/2 oz. gin

1 oz. Irish whiskey

1 oz. orange juice

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. simple syrup

2 dashes Miracle Mile Chocolate-Chili Bitters

Shake, strain, grate nutmeg.

[mukki]

New York Flip from Joseph Schwartz (Little Branch) via the Speakeasy Cocktails app. I had one at Silver Lining a few weeks ago and this was just as good.

1 oz bourbon

3/4 oz tawny port

3/4 oz simple (I used 1:1 demerera)

1/2 oz cream

1 egg yolk

Shake with ice and grate nutmeg on top.

[EvergreenDan]

Scofflaw with always dependable Old Overholt Rye. I originally encountered this as a cocktail calling for blended Canadian whisky, and when I got around to making it I was pretty unimpressed. Made proper with rye and real grenadine, though, this is everything a classic cocktail should be.

Agreed. I just made it again with the classic Ted Haigh ratios. I made it before with the drier Drink, Boston ratios, and I think that's what I'll use in the future. I used Wild Turkey Rye and Scrappy's Grenadine. A very nice drink.

[KeystoneNate]

I made the same Scofflaw last night with Old Overholt and homemade grenadine, and I thought it was a great drink. Nicely balanced, in my not-at-all expert opinion.

Also, I tried Katie Loeb's "My Best Negroni" this past weekend, and again found another winner. I added it to my Kindred Cocktails book, but as a private recipe. Katie, if you see this post - do you mind if I change it to a public searchable recipe? I entered your name for you to receive proper credit.

[tanstaafl2]

That Scofflaw sounds nice and I have a bit of NP vermouth left over that is crying out to be used soon! Went with a Chrysanthemum cocktail last night to help solve that little problem.

Just had another "My Favorite Mechanic Is A Woman" at the delightful Cakes and Ale in Decatur, GA. It’s a lovely drink for a warm steamy evening even though the recent front has cooled things down a bit here the past few days. It is a 1/1/1/1 blend of bourbon, limoncello, lemon juice and Canton ginger liqueur with an egg white for texture and topped off with a Luxardo cherry in a tall glass over ice.

It gets occasional mention in Atlanta area cocktail blogs such as this one - Decatur "Cocktail Crawl"

Don't recall off hand what the bourbon the restaurant used but I will probably not be using anything super fancy at home given the mixture with limoncello and Canton. Perhaps the Knob Creek 9yo would work well to give it a little extra bite. My current limoncello brand is Pallini.

Might try what I did with the Tequila Mockingbird 2 and substitute the Pallini raspicello for the limoncello to see what effect that has. I liked it in the TM2 but it did make it a sweeter concoction as compared to the more tart version with limoncello. Haven't tried the Pallini peachcello but that might be worth a try as well.

Just need more freezer space...

Edited September 9, 2011 by tanstaafl2 (log)

[plattetude]

What I've come to call a "Hemingway Mocquiri":

2 oz white rum (Matusalem)

1 oz lime

1/4 oz Campari

1/4 oz maraschino

simple syrup to taste

float of Wray and Nephew's overproof rum

Basically (and one assumes obviously) a riff on a Hemingway Daiquiri, with the lime+Campari standing in for the lime+grapefruit, which is useful when one's larder has limes far more often than grapefruit.

And it's so tasty, mock or otherwise.

Christopher

(edited to add float)

Edited September 9, 2011 by plattetude (log)

[Sunny&Rummy]

That Scofflaw sounds nice and I have a bit of NP vermouth left over that is crying out to be used soon! Went with a Chrysanthemum cocktail last night to help solve that little problem.

Just had another "My Favorite Mechanic Is A Woman" at the delightful Cakes and Ale in Decatur, GA. It’s a lovely drink for a warm steamy evening even though the recent front has cooled things down a bit here the past few days. It is a 1/1/1/1 blend of bourbon, limoncello, lemon juice and Canton ginger liqueur with an egg white for texture and topped off with a Luxardo cherry in a tall glass over ice.

It gets occasional mention in Atlanta area cocktail blogs such as this one - Decatur "Cocktail Crawl"

Don't recall off hand what the bourbon the restaurant used but I will probably not be using anything super fancy at home given the mixture with limoncello and Canton. Perhaps the Knob Creek 9yo would work well to give it a little extra bite. My current limoncello brand is Pallini.

Might try what I did with the Tequila Mockingbird 2 and substitute the Pallini raspicello for the limoncello to see what effect that has. I liked it in the TM2 but it did make it a sweeter concoction as compared to the more tart version with limoncello. Haven't tried the Pallini peachcello but that might be worth a try as well.

Just need more freezer space...

Going to have to try that ASAP, it sounds really interesting. I have some very good homemade limoncello courtesy of a friend and also a really interesting surinam cherrycello from another friend. I will have to try it with both and see what comes of it.

[EvergreenDan]

What I've come to call a "Hemingway Mocquiri":

...

And it's so tasty, mock or otherwise.

Yes. Yes it is. Thank you very much. I used Cruzan white. I think I'll try Rhum JM. I just got a bottle and have been enjoying its funkadelic grooviliciousness.

I took the liberty of suggesting 1/4 oz of simple. Mocquiri on Kindred Cocktails.

Edited September 10, 2011 by EvergreenDan (log)

[tanstaafl2]

That Scofflaw sounds nice and I have a bit of NP vermouth left over that is crying out to be used soon! Went with a Chrysanthemum cocktail last night to help solve that little problem.

Gave the Scofflaw a try using the Sazerac rye.

A very nice way to use up a bit of vermouth before it goes to waste!

[vice]

What I've come to call a "Hemingway Mocquiri":

...

And it's so tasty, mock or otherwise.

Yes. Yes it is. Thank you very much. I used Cruzan white. I think I'll try Rhum JM. I just got a bottle and have been enjoying its funkadelic grooviliciousness.

The best Hemingway daiquiri I've ever had (and one of the best drinks I've ever been served by just pointing at a bottle and letting the bartender decide the rest) was at Nopa in San Francisco and used the Rhum JM 1997. I need to get a bottle of the white.

[Vieux Carré]

Spent the WHOLE day finally finishing my 2010 income taxes (feds, state, city, schools)! Whew! Definitely called for the Income Tax Cocktail! In fact, I think I'll have 2 or 3 more before the night is through!

[EvergreenDan]

Notgroni-like thing: Tanqueray, Cocchi Americano, Cynar. Pretty tasty.

Then Rye (manly McKenzie Rye from Finger Lakes Distilling -- maybe too manly), Sutton Cellars Brown Vermouth, Punt e Mes, Bittermens Mole bitters -- sort of a Perfect Manhattan. Very good. Might be better with a more subtle rye.

[Tri2Cook]

Stumbled across, tried and enjoyed this one while browsing the Jeffrey Morgenthaler blog...

Caneflower

1 1/2 oz cachaça

3/4 oz oz Aperol

1/2 oz St. Germain

Stir, strain, generous twist of lemon.

Edited September 12, 2011 by Tri2Cook (log)

[JAZ]

Having a somewhat limited stock of ingredients for a while, I stumbled across this drink -- Bronx Terrace -- which is also in Harington's Cocktail book. It was actually quite good, kind of a cross between a martini and a gimlet, if that makes sense. It's made it into my rotation in those instances when I want a martini-like drink but not quite a martini.

[KatieLoeb]

I made the same Scofflaw last night with Old Overholt and homemade grenadine, and I thought it was a great drink. Nicely balanced, in my not-at-all expert opinion.

Also, I tried Katie Loeb's "My Best Negroni" this past weekend, and again found another winner. I added it to my Kindred Cocktails book, but as a private recipe. Katie, if you see this post - do you mind if I change it to a public searchable recipe? I entered your name for you to receive proper credit.

Nate:

By all means feel free to spread the gospel of the tasty Negroni. Thank you for the professional courtesy. Much appreciated. For me, the difference in these recreations/reinterpretations of classic recipes is in the details. Use the high end vermouths, better bitters and real organic, high quality garnishes. Seems a bit of a no brainer, but all those little things add up to a cocktail that is greater than the sum of its usually very few parts. You have to pay attention to the details when there are that few ingredients making up the whole. Each small substitution with a better quality ingredient lifts things up to a new plane. Still simple and straightforward as most classic recipes are wont to be, but BETTER.