I feel like the Last Word was a super hip cocktail a few years ago (like 2017-2018?) but I’ve hardly made one since. A friend recently asked me for a refreshing gin cocktail and I decided to shake one up for her– then I promptly made one for myself too. It actually made me kinda nostalgic for simpler times.
Read MoreThis is one of those rare cocktails where I will tell you it doesn’t matter that much how precise you are with measuring. Yeah you want to get the general proportions right, but a little extra pineapple juice or a little less Campari isn’t going to hurt anything.
Read MoreI’ve been enjoying a fun new ingredient in my home bar: Pineapple Gum syrup. It’s made from freshly pressed pineapple, cane sugar & “gum arabic”– which is apparently like sap from Acacia trees. It has a really nice viscosity and lots of bright pineapple acidity; and it’s another tasty way to incorporate pineapple into more drinks.
Read MoreOf course, the drink itself doesn’t actually freeze. Since a martini is mostly spirit (in my case gin, but sure you can go with vodka) the liquid will just get nicely chilled without solidifying. When you’re ready to serve or enjoy, just remove the bottle from the freezer and pour into a glass along with lemon zest.
Read MoreOnce referred to as a “forgotten classic,” the Aviation became one of the most popular gin cocktails in bars across America for a time. The earliest written mention of the drink was in Hugo Ensslin’s book published in 1916, titled "Recipes for Mixed Drinks." The recipe called for gin, lemon juice, Maraschino and a then-obscure French liqueur, crème de violette.
Read MoreIs there a more quintessential warm weather cocktail than the Aperol Spritz? Okay there are a lot of sunny day cocktails, but the Aperol Spritz is at least in the top 5 on everyone’s favorites list. It’s a simple recipe that’s easy as 1, 2, 3– which is actually a great way to remember the recipe proportions. Although this simple cocktail does not require shaking or stirring (or even measuring– you can “eyeball” this one and be okay), it is helpful to add the ingredients to your glass in the right order.
Read MoreThere are few other cocktails that have the unique ability to transport the imbiber to faraway beaches with a single sip. Behold the humble (or not-so-humble) Mai Tai. Like the margarita, daiquiri and a whole slew of other famed tropical-ish cocktails, the Mai Tai’s popularity was also its downfall. Chain restaurants and cruise ships have rendered this Tiki classic almost unrecognizable from its former glory.
Read MoreYou can find a few slightly different specs floating around the internet, but I personally find the below recipe to be the most enjoyable and balanced. I attended a Bacardi training a few years back where the instructor recommended adding a pinch of sea salt to your Espresso Martinis to round out the rich and bitter notes of the espresso.
Read MoreThe Sour is a standard cocktail template that you can use with nearly any spirit. It simply calls for: spirit, citrus and sugar. For this particular recipe I am using gin– so we’re calling this a Gin Sour. However, simply by swapping out the gin for whiskey, you’d have a Whiskey Sour. Makes sense, right? Other popular drinks like the Margarita and Daiquiri are also considered Sours because they follow that same formula: spirit, citrus, sugar.
Read MoreBack in the day, it was just referred to as a cocktail, consisting of some sort of spirit, sugar, water and bitters. As drinking culture developed, the word cocktail came to refer to any sort of mixed drink. To get this now classic concoction, people had to ask their bartender specifically for “an old fashioned cocktail.”
Read MorePersonally, the Boulevardier is my go-to cocktail for batching. Since it calls for equal-parts of each of the three ingredients, it’s super easy to scale up and make in large quantities. The Boulevardier also tends to be favored by people who aren’t usually cocktail drinkers– vs. the Negroni which can come off as a bit abrasive the first time you try it.
Read MoreA classic daiquiri is one of the most delicious and simple cocktails you could make. Sadly a lot of people hear “daiquiri” and immediately picture a sugary, frozen boat drink that is meant to be consumed aboard an overcrowded cruise ship. Although this classic drink has certainly been bastardized by restaurant chains and cruise lines alike, you simply have never had a real daiquiri until you’ve made one like this.
Read MorePlenty of bars nowadays put out menus of classic cocktails with a “new spin.” Generally this means they just added an ingredient to an Old Fashioned 🤷♂️ However, Palomar owner Ricky Gomez is a master at making subtle tweaks to classic recipes that help elevate them vs. creating “new” riffs. It’s a fine line for sure, but it’s a noticeable difference.
Read MoreThe Margarita is without a doubt my favorite cocktail and I don’t think I’m alone in that. However, like so many other great classic recipes, the Margarita went through the dark ages of mixology in the 80’s and 90’s and barely made it out alive. However, making a quality margarita is not hard, and only requires a few simple ingredients. When done right, it’s a truly incredible drink.
Read MoreIt’s a simple process and recipe, but it really is the little details that make or break a quality Old Fashioned. Because there are so few ingredients, it’s even more important to be attentive to the details; like the type of sugar, the proof of the spirit or expressing the orange oil over the top. Poor quality ingredients will obviously make for a sub-par cocktail, but even too much (or too little) of the right ingredients can diminish the overall experience. Making cocktails is all about adding different elements together to create unique and balanced flavors, and a well-made Old Fashioned is likely the best example of the craft.
Read MoreThis tiki-classic is made with Green Chartreuse as the base spirit. It might sound a little weird at first but this French herbal liqueur combined with pineapple, lime and Falernum, is just one of those special combinations. Add a few dashes of absinthe or maybe even a 1/2 oz of overproof rum for some extra fun.
Read MoreThe origins of the Sazerac go way back to the early 1800’s, so the exact specs have undoubtedly changed in that amount of time. Early on it was made with brandy or cognac before bartenders started subbing in rye whiskey (which was a little more plentiful in the US). Lately, I’ve been enjoying splitting the base and using both cognac and high-proof rye.
Read MoreJudson Winquist is an industry veteran who has been hard at work building out Normandie’s beverage program. He was willing to share this recipe for one of their most popular cocktails. According to Winquist, it drinks like a smoky Old Fashioned, featuring a split base of high-proof rye whiskey as well as mezcal.
Read MorePeople have been spiking their coffee with booze since the dawn of mankind… or something like that. Point being, throwing a shot of something into your cup of joe isn’t exactly an exciting cocktail. But hey, if you feel like making things a little more interesting and showing off for your friends a bit, make a Spanish Coffee.
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