And jaxon i thought the el presidente was really good! I used this recipe from rum dood which i think is a lil different from the traditional ratios - 1.5oz aged rum0.75oz dry vermouth0.25oz curacao0.5tsp grenadineMaybe worth giving a go
― just sayin, Friday, 29 April 2011 12:16 (twelve years ago) link
I know it's a cliche already to find the flaws in mint juleps, but I'm trying to enjoy one right now because the mint in the supermarket was the freshest-looking I've seen (in a supermarket), and it's just ... eh. I think that I really need a cocktail to have either a tart component or a significant bitters presence - I've always liked Manhattans or gin and tonics more than martinis, for instance, even before I knew anything about cocktails.
Okay yeah, I dumped some citrus in and it's great now - the mint just comes alive.
― Bill, Friday, 29 April 2011 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
it just isn't hot enough out yet :)
― call all destroyer, Friday, 29 April 2011 18:57 (twelve years ago) link
Well there's that, too. I try to psych myself into thinking it's summer by drinking summer drinks even though I haven't even planted the garden yet.
― Bill, Friday, 29 April 2011 19:11 (twelve years ago) link
Would a mint daiquiri work, maybe?
― Christine Green Leafy Dragon Indigo, Saturday, 30 April 2011 23:19 (twelve years ago) link
at that point u are basically in mojito territory--not a bad place to be
― call all destroyer, Sunday, 1 May 2011 00:18 (twelve years ago) link
A bartender made me a champagne julep a few nights ago - holy wow.
― I DIED, Sunday, 1 May 2011 00:27 (twelve years ago) link
niiiiice
― call all destroyer, Sunday, 1 May 2011 00:27 (twelve years ago) link
still wondering what my next purchase will be. considering chartreuse, asked bartender to make me a Last Word. gonna be honest. wasn't totally felling it. wife got a Ninth Ward and it was pretty fantastic. making me rethink not wanting to get St Germain.
The Ninth Ward cocktail created by Brother Cleve
1-1/2 oz Bulleit Bourbon1/2 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur3/4 oz Fee Brother's Falernum syrup3/4 oz fresh lime juice2 dahes of Peychaud's bitters
Shake on ice and strain into a cocktail glass.
― jaxon, Monday, 2 May 2011 01:14 (twelve years ago) link
and speaking of ward drinks. this is one i get regularly at the bar around the corner and have made a few times at home
Ward Eight2 ounces rye whisky3/4 ounce lemon juice3/4 ounce orange juice1 teaspoon grenadine
― jaxon, Monday, 2 May 2011 01:17 (twelve years ago) link
Has anyone tried Thatcher's elderflower liqueur? How does it compare to st germain? It's half the price at bevmo.
― jaxon, Monday, 2 May 2011 16:32 (twelve years ago) link
i've seen scattered positive comments online but never tried it.
― call all destroyer, Monday, 2 May 2011 17:07 (twelve years ago) link
went to the alameda flea market this weekend looking for cocktail glasses. found some that i'm pretty stoked on.
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/5153/taill.jpg
made a Rattlesnake for the inaugural cocktail. love this drink.
The Rattlesnake
2 ounces Wild Turkey rye whiskey1 ounce lemon juice1/2 ounce Grade B maple syrup2 dashes Peychaud's Bitters1/2 ounce egg whites-- Lemon twist, for garnish
shake once w/o ice to breakdown egg. shake again with ice to chill. strain
― jaxon, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 05:47 (twelve years ago) link
oh nice--i got a couple antique-looking glasses over the weekend from a friend who is cleaning out a house. they're actually a little big for cocktails but still v. nice looking.
that recipe reminds me of this which i love and had posted previously in this thread:
illuminations
1.5 oz. reposado tequila1 oz. lemon juice.75 oz. dry sherry.5 oz. maple syrup.5 oz. egg white
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 14:01 (twelve years ago) link
shake once w/o ice to breakdown egg.
yeah! The dry shake has helped cocktails immeasurably over the past few years.
― I DIED, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 16:10 (twelve years ago) link
so once i square off some of the work i have to do over the next couple of weeks i really want to start committing myself to cocktailism. first order of business is actually acquiring barware though - any recs on a good starter set? the oxo 7-piece set looks nice.
― tInA-yOtHeRs (donna rouge), Tuesday, 3 May 2011 16:31 (twelve years ago) link
that set being: http://www.amazon.com/OXO-SteeL-7-Piece-Barware-Set/dp/B0001YH18O/ref=sr_1_7?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1304439276&sr=1-7
― tInA-yOtHeRs (donna rouge), Tuesday, 3 May 2011 16:32 (twelve years ago) link
hmmm...obviously the compact storage is nice. the two main probs i see are
1) no muddler--that seems like an obvious add2) the jigger is marked @ .75, 1, 1.5. i don't get that. .5 oz. and .25 oz. are very important measures, esp. if you're mixing one drink at a time.
this guy: http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Grips-Stainless-Angled-Measuring/dp/B000BGW3MQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top is the best but also seems to be unavailable.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 16:56 (twelve years ago) link
also missing a boston shaker!
― I DIED, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 18:07 (twelve years ago) link
hahaha yes!
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 18:08 (twelve years ago) link
The only special cocktail equipment I use is a cobbler shaker and a graduated shotglass (I have a jigger, I'm just used to the shotglass). The back of my citrus reamer works well as a muddler, so even though it's a pain to clean, I keep putting off getting an actual muddler.
But things like the bottle opener, citrus knife, bar spoon, those seem like things most people already have in their kitchen. (I mean, not a citrus knife specifically, but you don't need a special knife to cut limes.)
― Bill, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 18:14 (twelve years ago) link
(xpost) jiggers are great if you need accurate measurements in a fast paced environment (like an actual bar) but at home I use a small graduated glass and it works just fine, similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/Harold-21GM-Mini-Measuring-Glass/dp/B0000CFO3W/
I'd also suggest:
- boston shaker (w/ regular strainer, a julep strainer is nice too but not necessary for a basic set)- bar spoon (min 11" w/ twist)- muddler- tray for making big ice cubes, like: http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-80-5521-Jumbo-Size-Silicone-Ice-Cube/dp/B00395FHRO/- zester or microplane for garnishes (citrus and nutmeg)- small paring knife for garshishes (probably already have this)- a set of squeeze bottles for when you make syrups etc. http://www.amazon.com/Squeeze-Bottles-Set-3-8-oz/dp/B0026K7FZK/
probably missing a few things
― I DIED, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 18:20 (twelve years ago) link
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, May 3, 2011 12:56 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark
i should note that the plastic version of the above guy is still around and it's not bad, just don't melt it in the dishwasher like i did.
― call all destroyer, Tuesday, 3 May 2011 18:22 (twelve years ago) link
my microplane grater is on the other side of the country right now, pretty much my favorite kitchen utensil ever
― tInA-yOtHeRs (donna rouge), Tuesday, 3 May 2011 18:31 (twelve years ago) link
jaxon's rattlesnake in one of my new glasses (in bad light on a phone camera). this is a lovely drink!
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5185/5685353507_907f833bfb.jpg
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 02:15 (twelve years ago) link
So a boston shaker is one of those lidless cocktail shakers that fits snugly with a bar glass? I never knew the name for that.
― mh, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 02:54 (twelve years ago) link
yup, it refers to the metal tin + glass combo
― call all destroyer, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 02:58 (twelve years ago) link
wanted to buy some tequila for cinco tonight (pueblo viejo reposado), ended up buying a bunch of things. super stoked. st.germain, dolin dry, a 1/5th of g.chartreuse, lillit blanc
made dale degroff's margarita. one of the best i've had
1½ oz Tequila1 oz Cointreau¾ oz Lime Juice¼ Simple Syrup
and then made this from upthread and it was fantastic.
RECIPE FORTY-NINE: paris manhattan2 oz. rye (or bourbon i guess)1 oz. st germain.5 oz. dry vermouth2 dashes angostura
2 oz. rye (or bourbon i guess)1 oz. st germain.5 oz. dry vermouth2 dashes angostura
i guess i didn't like st.germain in the gin drink i made a while back (maybe i'll grow to like it, it's such a big bottle), but i think it goes so well w/whiskeys.
― jaxon, Friday, 6 May 2011 06:05 (twelve years ago) link
wld totally try that paris manhattan
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 May 2011 00:47 (twelve years ago) link
yeah that was a cool one! maybe i will make it tonite.
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 7 May 2011 00:51 (twelve years ago) link
so maybe i need to get some st. germain.
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 May 2011 00:59 (twelve years ago) link
i want this.
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 May 2011 02:15 (twelve years ago) link
holy shit i actually still have a meyer lemon which means i can make that
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 7 May 2011 02:57 (twelve years ago) link
do you also have pear brandy on hand?
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:06 (twelve years ago) link
yeah i have clear creek pear brandy. it's delicious!
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:07 (twelve years ago) link
awesome!catoctin is where i'm doing the bottling workshop next weekend.hope i don't spend $300 before i leave!
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:08 (twelve years ago) link
have also decided i want everything on this menu.
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:13 (twelve years ago) link
oh interesting--catoctin is again their pear brandy, clear creek's is more an eau de vie. recipe should still work tho.
you're going to have a blast and looking at their products i could pretty easily be tempted into coming home with one of everything.
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:15 (twelve years ago) link
the fact that they mention non-alcoholic versions on their menu is really rad imo.
mocktails are going to be a thing over the next couple years i think.
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:18 (twelve years ago) link
I'm making a small liquor run tomorrow -- checked out the rum poll thread for rum recs; I might get a whiskey as well, but I know zilch about it and don't know what I'd like. Maybe some rye.
― Stomp! in the name of love (WmC), Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:20 (twelve years ago) link
what are you planning on doing with the whiskey?
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:22 (twelve years ago) link
Is there something versatile enough for cocktails or straight sipping? I saw Eagle Rare mentioned in the whiskey thread.
― Stomp! in the name of love (WmC), Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:24 (twelve years ago) link
cocktails AND straight
yeah if you're not super-versed in american whiskey eagle rare would def be a nice choice; knob creek as well.
i use rye in 90% of my whiskey cocktails but i rarely sip rye, so if you're getting one bottle i'd go w/a bourbon.
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:27 (twelve years ago) link
i'm realizing that last sentence is sort of illogical; what i'm saying is i'll take bourbon as a mixer over rye as a sipper
― call all destroyer, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:30 (twelve years ago) link
otm
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 May 2011 03:39 (twelve years ago) link
Eagle Rare was on sale, $10 off. Got that, Jim Beam rye and Mount Gay rum.
― Stomp! in the name of love (WmC), Saturday, 7 May 2011 16:12 (twelve years ago) link
which mount gay?
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 May 2011 18:37 (twelve years ago) link
Eclipse (gold)
― Stomp! in the name of love (WmC), Saturday, 7 May 2011 19:35 (twelve years ago) link
An emergency rush job and a royalty check landing in the same week mean that I have a little money to play with, so I'm looking at DrinkUpNY for the stuff I can't get in NH. I need to refill maraschino and genever, so there's that...
Does anyone have any thoughts on Barolo Chinato, esp. Cocchi's? I've had a couple glasses of a non-Cocchi BC in the past, but that was 15+ years ago and I was drinking completely different things. $45 seems steep.
Are The Bitter Truth's lemon bitters legitimately *bitter*? Cause if it's just a lemon tincture, I can make that. Shit, I can make that by accident.
Clear Creek cherry liqueur vs Combier Roi Rene Rouge cherry liqueur vs Cherry Heering vs Rothman & Winter cherry? I like Clear Creek in general.
Esprit de June liqueur?
I'm leaning towards preemptively reupping my Smith & Cross and Punt e Mes, but all of the above are alternatives I'm considering.
― Bill, Monday, 9 May 2011 14:04 (twelve years ago) link