You might be a cocktail snob/geek if...

[eje]

Yea, Rob Roy, of course.  I was so deep into my rant at that point that there was just  no coming back    But I think you get the concept.

Audrey

[...]

←

Well, in your rant, it makes sense that a customer would order a "Hedonism Manhattan".

I doubt many people order Rob Roys* these days.

For the reasons Sam gives, it seemed like an interesting question to me. Is Hedonism a Scotch or is it a Whisky from Scotland, if you catch my drift. Which name is the most appropriate? And then I realized that was a pretty geeky line of thought.

*Bizarrely, when I was 19, or so, I decided Rob Roys would be "my" cocktail. Other people would order Margaritas or Gin and Tonics and I would go with the Rob Roy. Other than sheer perversity, I have no idea where that idea came from. In its previous incarnation as a cheesy Italian Supper Club, Lombardino's used to make a mean one.

[slkinsey]

For the reasons Sam gives, it seemed like an interesting question to me.  Is Hedonism a Scotch or is it a Whisky from Scotland, if you catch my drift.  Which name is the most appropriate?  And then I realized that was a pretty geeky line of thought.

You might be a cocktail geek if...

...you're following that line of thought.

[eje]

Wow, that was an amazingly impenetrable burp of stream of consciousness narration, even for me.

Sorry, it was a busy day at work, and last night's research was taxing.

I eagerly await the verdicts from the various East Coast Hedonism parties.

Scotch or not, I want to know! Is a cocktail made with Hedonism closer to a Manhattan or a Rob Roy? Or does it need a new name.

[Alchemist]

If...

You bring your own fresh lime, simple and shakers to parties.

You quote Craddock, Parker and Baker Jr. to people and your friends know the quotes.

The first place you go to in used book stores is the cook book section, and the hair raises on the back of your neck when you see a ratty, red book with Gentlemans...

[aesthete]

... if you realize, after reading this thread, that you can actually go behind the bar and mix your own drinks!? And bring your own ingredients!? And come to the realization that you can have the best of both worlds: being "out and about" with your friends, and yet still have the drink that only YOU can make to your own specifications?! Priceless.

I always learn something when I come here to visit.

[slkinsey]

...you take your turn with the shaker when you order a Ramos Fizz.

[Sneakeater]

It's about a quarter after six on a Friday (yesterday) evening. I'm sitting at a table in the Pegu Club, waiting for my date to meet me.

Suddenly, Johnder materializes by my table. He points to his incredibly lovely wife at the bar, and tells me that slkinsey is in the house, and that he can introduce me.

He introduces me to slkinsey. We then walk to the bar, where I hang out with Johnder and his incredibly lovely wife while waiting for my date to arrive.

My date arrives. We retire to my table.

MY DATE: I see you made some friends while you were waiting for me.

ME: No, I know those people. We talk about cocktails on the internet.

MY DATE: Oh.

After a few cocktails, it comes time for my date and me to leave, to pursue our other planned activities for the night. I stop back at the bar, to say goodbye to Johnder and his incredibly lovely wife.

On the staircase on the way down and out:

MY DATE: How do you know those people, really?

ME: I told you. We talk about cocktails on the internet.

MY DATE: No. I mean, really.

Doesn't seem so hard to believe to me.

Edited July 1, 2006 by Sneakeater (log)

[Dave the Cook]

. . . you could care less about slkinsey, johnder or his incredibly lovely wife. You don't even care all that much about Sneakeater's date. You just want to know what they all had to drink at Pegu Club.

[Snowy is dead]

...you buy old cocktail books, jiggers, and glasses on ebay with the same frequency that most people order coffee

[Libationgoddess]

Phil just handed me the prettiest Ramos fizz ever. And then he (knowingly) asked, "you wanted the cardamom on top, right? (it'something I have a weakness for)

yea, when you stare at your cocktail in loving admiration for at least 2 minutes, and then spend a good 10 - 15 seconds nosing it, the way you would smell your newborn nephew / niece, then you know you're in a strange place.

The head....it was like a guinness poking up a good 1/2" over the rim. Pure art.

Audrey

[ned]

. . . if you're charged with creating a drink for a friend's wedding, someone suggests getting input from the very fabulous Brian at Pegu Club and you think "Aw shit I don't need his help."

Oh wait, that's not snobbery. It's just hubristic poor judgement.

Edited July 1, 2006 by ned (log)

[Sneakeater]

. . . you could care less about slkinsey, johnder or his incredibly lovely wife. You don't even care all that much about Sneakeater's date. You just want to know what they all had to drink at Pegu Club.

←

Intros to Aperols (my current favorite) and Old Cubans for me and my date.

Can't speak for anyone else.

[johnder]

. . . you could care less about slkinsey, johnder or his incredibly lovely wife. You don't even care all that much about Sneakeater's date. You just want to know what they all had to drink at Pegu Club.

←

Let's see, I started with a Ramos fizz that was passed around the bar in the proper fashion -- ending up with Sam doing the last shake. (Hence his quote above). I also had a Pink lady and ended up with a preview of their new drink a lemon thyme daquiri. My lovely wife had a French Pearl and after eyeing my initial ramos jealously got one for herself. Promptly passed around the bar for the proper shaking time.

Oh man, good time.

[Sneakeater]

That's "incredibly lovely" wife.

OMIGOD. A lemon thyme dacquiri.

[Ed Hamilton]

Although I have to admit guilt on more than one of the above counts, I've never brought my own bitters to a bar, my next coat will have a larger pocket.

The true cocktail geek wouldn't be seen on a second date with someone who

ordered grey goose in their presence at the Pegu Club or anywhere else,

suggested they go to a bar where their best rum drink was a mojito

or ordered the same drink twice at any place to which a cocktail geek would go.

[Alchemist]

... A bartender from out of town (S.F.) and you sit at Little Branch and talk about ice for over an hour. Then we talked about shaking, and stiring for half an hour. Then it got all esoteric about east coast/west coast schools of bartending. It got a little heated at that point and almost turned into one of those warring rapper things, but we ended up having a cocktail and agreeing to disagree.

Edited to fix major tense problems.

Edited July 11, 2006 by Alchemist (log)

[MJN]

You make your own bitters from scratch...

Chicago's Master Mixologist

[DrinkBoy]

...I've never brought my own bitters to a bar, my next coat will have a larger pocket.

←

Ed, no need for large pockets.

Just pick up some small "eye-dropper" bottles like this: http://capricornslair.stores.yahoo.net/12ozamglasbo1.html (or even smaller)

I regularly carry Peychaud, Orange, Peach, Angostura, My own "House", and sometimes Abbott's with me... you never can tell when you have a hankering for a cocktail that the joint might not have the bitters to make properly. A Sazerac without Peychaud's just isn't right.

-Robert

[Alchemist]

The Container Store on 6th Ave. around 18th has the tincture bottles as well. So, Ed you could swing by there and then have a cocktail at Flatiron.

[slkinsey]

I regularly carry Peychaud, Orange, Peach, Angostura, My own "House", and sometimes Abbott's with me...

Okay. As if we didn't know already. . .

But you, Robert, have officially reached "über-geek" status with respect to cocktails.

[donbert]

... you've canvased all the bodegas within walking distance to find the one with the best ice in case of emergencies.

... you've purchased eye droppers by the case online for bitters.

[Alchemist]

You decide where to have dinner on being able to go for a (real, crafted) pre and post cocktail somewhere close. Dinner is an afterthought. I'ts all about the cocktails that bookend it.

[daisy17]

Dinner is an afterthought.

←

Oh dear. I'm afraid you've lost your mind. Or had one too many gimlets.

Edited July 13, 2006 by daisy17 (log)

[Alchemist]

When you go shopping for shakers you have to go to a couple of stores to get the right Winco/Johnson Rose combination.

[johnder]

When you go shopping for shakers you have to go to a couple of stores to get the right Winco/Johnson Rose combination.

←

What is the perfect combo anyway? Winco 30oz and a JR 15 oz?