As with many things in life, if you want to get a glimpse into what makes for a truly unique cocktail, you're better off asking someone who makes cocktails for a living. They've put their 10,000 hours in to get good at their craft, and all you have to do to reap the benefits is hear them out. In the interest of discovering what kinds of drinks are on the cutting edge, we reached out to Jordan Hughes, cocktail and spirits author and content creator behind @highproofpreacher…
Read MoreIf you’ve got an Instagram or TikTok account and an interest in cocktails, you’ve likely heard of Jordan Hughes—if not by his given name, then because of the Parmesan espresso martini that he ushered into viral fame in 2023. But well before that briefly inescapable becheesed drink, Hughes was already well known online as the photographer, videographer, and recipe developer behind High-Proof Preacher, the award-winning Instagram account he started in 2017. Hughes brings the enthusiasm and energy…
Read MoreA good cocktail becomes unforgettable when you infuse it with a little smoke. If you're new to crafting smoke-infused cocktails at home, it's important to know the best spirits to experiment with. To help answer this question, Tasting Table spoke with Jordan Hughes, author of "Twist: Your Guide to Creating Inspired Craft Cocktails" and content creator behind @highproofpreacher.
Read MoreCocktails are about big flavors and bold ingredients, and nothing embodies that ethos better than smoke. When done well, a hint of smokiness can take a drink from mid-tier to top-shelf. Since smoke is a gas rather than a liquid, imparting the flavor into your drink…
Read MoreLearning how to balance the five elements of flavor — umami/salt, bitter, sweet, sour and spice — is one of the fundamental tenets of both cooking and mixology. For many cocktail lovers on Instagram, seeing a reel of a drinks influencer cheekily sprinkling microplaned parmesan cheese atop an Espresso Martini may seem like pure chaos, but it is, in fact, the opposite: It’s a quintessential example of umami from the cheese balancing the bitterness of coffee.
Read More“We’ve gone to great lengths this year to help you find the best whiskeys of 2021. We’ve ranked them by type (bourbon, scotch, rye), en masse, and even shamed ourselves for the bottles we missed (bourbon, scotch). Now, we’ve taken our search further afield — reaching out to the wider world of whisk(e)y writers, influencers, photographers, and even historians…”
Read More“Before you post on social media, think through if what you are posting adds value to your followers or not. Does it educate? Does it entertain? Does it fit your brand / aesthetic?”
Read MoreWhile photographers agree that shooting near a window and using natural, diffused light is ideal, what happens at night or when inside a dark bar or restaurant? Jordan Hughes, also known as High-Proof Preacher, is a drink recipe developer, consultant, and photographer in Portland, Ore. He specializes in cocktail photography and knows a few things about shooting in the dark…”
Read MoreReady for a drink? (Of the alcoholic or non-alcoholic variety?) So are we. But how should we stock our home bars for 2020 and beyond? Welcome to Kitchn Essentials: Bar Edition, a guide (from us and a fabulous panel of experts) to the very best beer, wine, liquor, gear, and more.
Read MoreSince most of us are missing our local bartenders as much as our friends and family during the ongoing pandemic, many of us have taken to our kitchens in an attempt to make our favorite drinks ourselves. But while G&Ts and vodka sodas are great every now and again, where do we turn when we’re craving something a little more complex? Enter: the “drinkstagrammer.”
Read MoreWhile the concept of ice is simple, a decent ice cube tray can do wonders for your cocktail game. The first step towards better ice? Ditch the chunky plastic ice trays that come with your fridge. “Avoid using those foggy ‘half-moon’-shaped ice that comes out of your freezer door,” explains Jordan Hughes, the cocktail expert behind High Proof Preacher. “Partly because of aesthetics, but mainly because they break down and melt easily, diluting your cocktail too quickly.”
Read MoreJordan Hughes, founder of High-Proof Preacher and a bar industry photographer well-versed in the home-bartending game, agrees that quality ice matters as it can play a crucial part in your cocktail or rocks pour. “So it makes sense to use the best ice I can make, or get,” he says.
Read MoreGorgeous drinks have infiltrated our Instagram feeds. There are frothy sours, meticulously-placed garnishes and perfectly frosted highballs, made not for sipping, but for the thirsty eyes of scrollers. Welcome to the world of drinkstagramming… For years, Jordan Hughes, behind High Proof Preacher, was a preacher. But Instagram opened the door for Hughes to become one of the most regarded cocktail photographers in the industry.
Read More“When it comes to taking good photos, lighting is everything,” says Jordan Hughes, an industry photographer and Instagrammer at @HighProofPreacher. “If you have good lighting, it doesn’t matter if you’re shooting on your smartphone or a fancy camera.”
Read MoreWhen asking Jordan how it felt to be an expert in the spirits world, he proudly served us a glass of humility: “I’m definitely not an expert and honestly I don’t think I ever want to be one.” Fair enough. The former preacher-turned-content creator currently finds joy in educating himself, as well as his IG audience on craft spirits and cocktails. The cultures. The production methods. The traditions. He’s all about sharing the experience just as much as the backstory…
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