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Halloween Jack posted:You probably already know this, but if you shake it really really cold, the top frosts over. Uh, that's just tiny chips of ice that didn't get strained out. That's the only sort of "frosting" thing I can think of. Kenning fucked around with this message at 21:59 on Feb 3, 2013 |
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Feb 3, 2013 21:42
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AgentF posted:Is there a way to make a thin layer of ice over a cocktail? I want to make a drink called "Death or Exile". Freeze a layer of ice beforehand, then place it on top?
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Feb 3, 2013 21:47
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Quick trip to the blast freezer and a low % of alcohol.
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Feb 3, 2013 21:58
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Hi, Coctail Thread. There's one question that has been bothering me for a while andI haven't found a better place to ask it than here. I'm really fond of Gin, especially Gin & Tonic. That's pretty much the only alcohol I drink. I've been trying to nail a perfect Gin & Tonic for a while now and I think I've gotten pretty good at it but there's one think that is bothering me. What I usually do is that I fill a glass with ice, half-way, squeeze a slice of lime, pour the Gin (1/3 or 1/4 of the glass), fill the rest with Tonic and then on top I pour a little bit of berry juice. Half of the time, berry juice floats on top of the glass, creating a smooth taste where the drink gets more and more bitter with every sip, because the lower you get the more Gin there is and less juice. The problem is that other half of the time it layers itself other way around. Gin floats on top and the juice falls down to the bottom, even though I do the same steps every time. I think it has something to do with ice but I haven't managed to nail it. Does any experienced Goon have any advice to me on why it happens? EDIT: Also, if anyone has recommendations on tasty Gin cocktails, I'm all ears.
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Feb 4, 2013 12:59
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Don't know much about floating berry juice (Bar spoon if you don't already do that?) but I love me some Gin. Some standouts aside from the classic G&T you mentioned have got to be, for me at least, the Gimlet and a Tom Collins. A Gimlet is just a measure of lime juice cordial (Rose's or Schweppes is what I use) and some Gin, ratio to taste. A Tom Collins is, as I know it, a shot of lemon juice, a bit of simple syrup and 1.5 shots of gin, topped with soda water. Simple and delicious.
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Feb 4, 2013 13:19
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AgentF posted:Is there a way to make a thin layer of ice over a cocktail? I want to make a drink called "Death or Exile". You could freeze little discs of ice in a muffin tin.
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Feb 4, 2013 18:18
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Jack Trades posted:Hi, Coctail Thread. Are you using the same juice every time? My bet is on different juices having different specific gravity due to sugar content and thus layering differently.
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Feb 5, 2013 18:30
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Jack Trades posted:Hi, Coctail Thread. It sounds like your method has a lot of leeway in how much of each ingredient actually goes into each drink. The point of all these drink recipes being written with with .25 oz precision is to get a consistent result. The amount of gin, the amount of lime, and the amount of tonic will all affect the way the berry juice is going to sit "on" or "in" the drink. The engineer in me wants to see you try the same amount of gin/lime/tonic then vary the amount and type of berry juice to get some data on what works the way you want it to, and what to do to affect the outcome.
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Feb 5, 2013 20:46
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I don't think a gin and tonic necessarily calls for the sort of precision you're talking about, honestly. Don't get me wrong, I'm a jiggerman all the way when it comes to drinks that need it, but a G&T has always been about easy refreshment, rather than fiddly precision. The berry juice is more likely to float if it's warmer than the G&T. You could try building the drink and then letting it sit for just a minute so the ice cools it down more and then adding the berry juice. edit: Also a berry juice with less additional sugar will have a lower specific gravity and therefore be better able to float. Kenning fucked around with this message at 00:42 on Feb 6, 2013 |
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Feb 6, 2013 00:28
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KWC posted:It sounds like your method has a lot of leeway in how much of each ingredient actually goes into each drink. The point of all these drink recipes being written with with .25 oz precision is to get a consistent result. Kenning posted:The berry juice is more likely to float if it's warmer than the G&T. You could try building the drink and then letting it sit for just a minute so the ice cools it down more and then adding the berry juice. Thanks a lot for suggestions, I'll try them out and see if it helps my case. EDIT: One more question. How does carbon dioxide in tonic or lack there of, affect G&T? Jack Trades fucked around with this message at 11:04 on Feb 6, 2013 |
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Feb 6, 2013 10:41
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Kenning posted:I don't think a gin and tonic necessarily calls for the sort of precision you're talking about, honestly. Don't get me wrong, I'm a jiggerman all the way when it comes to drinks that need it, but a G&T has always been about easy refreshment, rather than fiddly precision. I agree completely. If the question was something other than "what makes it do different things" I would not have suggested measuring for control the way I did. quote:The berry juice is more likely to float if it's warmer than the G&T. You could try building the drink and then letting it sit for just a minute so the ice cools it down more and then adding the berry juice. This here is very interesting and much better advice! Does this hold for most drinks that have a float? Temperature differentials (easier to float on colder bases) and sugar content (less sugar floats better)?
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Feb 6, 2013 14:05
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KWC posted:I agree completely. If the question was something other than "what makes it do different things" I would not have suggested measuring for control the way I did. Colder liquids are more dense, so when I refridgerate my port to sink it into my celery/gin cooler, it sinks more easily. The opposite applies for a float, which is to say keep it at room temp or even body temp to ensure that it floats over the icy drink. Also, .25 precision? poo poo. We go to .125 on my menu, and we likes it. And we check our jiggers against a graduated cylinder for accuracy; more than 2ml variation get binned. And my syrups are going over to metric by weight, because volume doesn't make any goddamn sense anymore. The only thing keeping me on ounces is that it works as a ratio and is easier to remember for our vodka and mcdonalds-soaked American brains.
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Feb 6, 2013 23:11
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Veggie you sound like you run a delightful operation.KWC posted:I agree completely. If the question was something other than "what makes it do different things" I would not have suggested measuring for control the way I did. Yeah, this is how all layered drinks work pretty much. The other main factor in achieving layers (for example, in something ridiculous like a Pousse Café) is the viscosity of the liquids in question. Usually this falls mostly under the domain of additional sugar (which also means higher specific gravity) but a number of commercial liqueurs also incorporate glycerine into their formula to thicken up their mouthfeel. Offhand I think Benedictine is one, and I think Marie Brizard might do it as well. Not all liqueurs use glycerine that way, but some do, and it's a consideration.
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Feb 7, 2013 01:55
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I cracked into my homemade version of Amer Picon the other night and made a Picon Punch. I was never that crazy about the ones made with Torani Amer that I've had at the Basque hotel, but this one was really tasty. My Dad has been drinking them for 40 years and said that it was the best one he's ever had. If anyone was thinking of using the recipe on spiritsandcocktails.com I highly recommend it. Also tried out Jamie Boudreau's recipe for the Nirvana Cocktail, which I liked even more than the Picon Punch. 2 oz rye 1 oz Amer Picon 1/4 oz maraschino 1/4 oz benedictine orange twist I'm realizing that herbal liqueurs like benedictine and chartreuse goes really well with maraschino.
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Feb 7, 2013 03:23
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Went out to Smuggler's Cove for my girlfriend's birthday last night. Everything was delicious, some things were on fire, but there were a few standouts. Their Daiquiri #3, which started my night off and included a bit of maraschino and grapefruit, was made with an amazing Trinidadian white rum called Denizen, which is apparently pot-stilled, and had some of that great funk to it. Spectacular drink, made that way, and apparently Denizen can be had for like 18 bucks, so I know what my next rum purchase is gonna be. Later on in the night I got a Chadburn, off of their "new and contemporary" list. It used their house rum blend, tawny port, pear liqueur, and chocolate mole bitters. I liked it not only because it was delicious (which is definitely was), but because I feel like it struck an excellent balance between innovation and elegant simplicity. It didn't have some elaborate, overdeveloped syrups or weird tinctures sloshing around, just a small palate of unexpected and delightful flavors, which each got highlighted at a different point in the drink. Wonderful. Anyway, every time I go to Smuggler's Cove it makes me want to go back again.
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Feb 7, 2013 18:27
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Denizen is blended in the Netherlands, I believe. Still, good stuff, and a nice tropical drink without being too tiki is always refreshing.
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Feb 7, 2013 18:30
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Kenning posted:Went out to Smuggler's Cove for my girlfriend's birthday last night. Everything was delicious, some things were on fire, but there were a few standouts. Their Daiquiri #3, which started my night off and included a bit of maraschino and grapefruit, was made with an amazing Trinidadian white rum called Denizen, which is apparently pot-stilled, and had some of that great funk to it. Spectacular drink, made that way, and apparently Denizen can be had for like 18 bucks, so I know what my next rum purchase is gonna be. I think Denizen is a blend of 2 or 3 Trinidadian and Jamaican rums. I first heard about it on the Speakeasy podcast, which is a pretty decent podcast. I haven't seen it at any of the Bevmos in the Bay Area I visited, but if you find it let me know where because it's been on my list of things to get for a few months now. I really need to make a trip to Smuggler's cove, at least I found an excuse to visit the Alembic recently. edit: here's the link to the denizen rum episode. http://www.heritageradionetwork.com/episodes/2799-The-Speakeasy-Episode-66-Denizen-Rum
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Feb 7, 2013 18:57
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Kenning posted:Went out to Smuggler's Cove for my girlfriend's birthday last night. Everything was delicious, some things were on fire, but there were a few standouts. Their Daiquiri #3, which started my night off and included a bit of maraschino and grapefruit, was made with an amazing Trinidadian white rum called Denizen, which is apparently pot-stilled, and had some of that great funk to it. Spectacular drink, made that way, and apparently Denizen can be had for like 18 bucks, so I know what my next rum purchase is gonna be. drat, now I want to go there.
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Feb 7, 2013 20:01
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Everyone should go to Smuggler's Cove. Considering the quality and innovation in their drinks the prices aren't bad either. $9-$14 for individual drinks, or $36 for a 4-person bowl drink.The Hebug posted:I think Denizen is a blend of 2 or 3 Trinidadian and Jamaican rums. I first heard about it on the Speakeasy podcast, which is a pretty decent podcast. I haven't seen it at any of the Bevmos in the Bay Area I visited, but if you find it let me know where because it's been on my list of things to get for a few months now. I really need to make a trip to Smuggler's cove, at least I found an excuse to visit the Alembic recently. You can get Denizen at Cask.
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Feb 8, 2013 01:04
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Kenning posted:Everyone should go to Smuggler's Cove. Considering the quality and innovation in their drinks the prices aren't bad either. $9-$14 for individual drinks, or $36 for a 4-person bowl drink. Figures. I haven't gotten around to visiting there yet but I'll know to find it there.
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Feb 8, 2013 01:09
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Cask is brilliant, well worth a visit. The staff there, though often initially standoffish, are very knowledgeable. I do still prefer K&L, but I am more of a wine guy ultimately, so I suppose it's a given.
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Feb 8, 2013 04:54
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So tonight I had a bottle of Jameson, bitters, and sugar, but no ice. I decided to go all early 19th century and make my cocktails with water instead of ice and honestly they were not bad at all. I'd probably prefer ice, but if push comes to shove it's worth it to go without. I used half as much water as spirits and it wound up being a nice balance.
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Feb 10, 2013 11:06
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Kenning posted:Everyone should go to Smuggler's Cove. Considering the quality and innovation in their drinks the prices aren't bad either. $9-$14 for individual drinks, or $36 for a 4-person bowl drink. Their Corn N' Oil is delicious and is what got me into Falernum. Now I need to go and try the Chadburn; sounds incredible.
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Feb 12, 2013 04:08
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I would like to sing the praises of Heering's cherry liqueur and promote its inclusion in any drink that might possibly accommodate it, up to and including using it as a substitute for creme de cassis in a Kir. That is all. I've also recently purchased some DeKuyper O3 and found that I agree with the reviews; it's not identical to Cointreau but succeeds on its own merits. It's sweeter and has more orange flavour, though it is unfortunately more syrupy. It makes a fine margarita, and obviates my customary need to include a touch of simple or agave nectar. Halloween Jack fucked around with this message at 04:20 on Feb 12, 2013 |
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Feb 12, 2013 04:17
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Kenning posted:Also a berry juice with less additional sugar will have a lower specific gravity and therefore be better able to float. I solved my cocktail problem by buying sugarfree juice instead, thanks.
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Feb 12, 2013 15:54
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If anyone is near LA you should make a trip to 'Bar Keeper' in Silver Lake. They have a really great selection of liquor and bar tools and also have probably at least 50 types of bitters, each of which you can sample before you buy. The owner gave me a couple sips from some bottles behind the counter while I shopped, which I thought was pretty cool. I ended up buying: W.L. Weller 12 year Smith and Cross Plymouth Sloe Gin Fees grapefruit bitters Fees peach bitters Bitter Truth Xocolatl Mole bitters The W.L Weller is very sweet and tastes awesome with the peach bitters. The Plymouth surprised me with how sweet and syrupy it is, but I think that it will make some really tasty summer cocktails once it warms up. Does anyone have suggestions for how to use the Xocolatl?
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Feb 14, 2013 03:04
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Bourbon and mole bitters play well together. Try a Left Hand: 1.5oz bourbon .75oz Campari .75oz sweet vermouth 2 dashes mole bitters Stir/coupe/cherry garnish
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Feb 14, 2013 14:06
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Chuck Biscuits posted:If anyone is near LA you should make a trip to 'Bar Keeper' in Silver Lake. They have a really great selection of liquor and bar tools and also have probably at least 50 types of bitters, each of which you can sample before you buy. The owner gave me a couple sips from some bottles behind the counter while I shopped, which I thought was pretty cool. Oh man you are in for a treat with that Smith and Cross. I've got a great idea on how to drink it too. Clyde River Punch This is just Wondrich's Glasgow Punch scaled down for a single glass. The River Clyde, of course, runs through Glasgow. 2.5 oz. Smith and Cross 1 oz. strained lemon juice 2.25 oz. syrup* 4 oz. water 1/2 lime nutmeg In a 16 oz. tumbler or cooler glass, mix rum, lemon juice, syrup, and water. Rub the rim of the glass with the lime half, then squeeze directly into the glass. Stir briefly, then add ice. Grate nutmeg on top and drink with a straw. If you use the Tovalo King Cube tray then 2 cubes will fill the glass perfectly. *The syrup I typically use for this is a 1:1 syrup of jaggery, which I recommend trying out if you're willing to do a bit of work to render it out. Remember, jaggery needs to be fine-strained to get out the dross. A 1:1 turbinado syrup would also be perfectly fine, and if you're using a 2:1 turbinado, use 1.5 oz. instead and then add an extra ounce of water to the mix.
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Feb 15, 2013 05:47
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That sounds awesome. Thank you. I've only tried the Smith and Cross neat so far but can tell that it will be great mixed.
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Feb 16, 2013 03:05
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So, I just picked up a bottle of Bombay Sapphire East. Well, two bottles. One bottle was used to make G&t's and bucks, and now I'm wondering what more adventurous or fun cocktails to take advantage of the lemon grass and other flavours.
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Feb 16, 2013 05:41
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Booties posted:Seems like lemons are in season now because I got about 3 oz. out of a normal sized one from the bodega. I only have cointreau and plymouth gin right now so I made white ladies for me and mine. It was really, really good. As a huge newbie to all this, I'd like to know, why brand name the triple sec and not the gin?
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Feb 16, 2013 07:07
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bunnyofdoom posted:So, I just picked up a bottle of Bombay Sapphire East. Well, two bottles. One bottle was used to make G&t's and bucks, and now I'm wondering what more adventurous or fun cocktails to take advantage of the lemon grass and other flavours. Speaking of unusual gins, I've been hearing about Tanqueray Malacca for a couple weeks. Has anyone had the fortune of picking up a bottle?
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Feb 16, 2013 07:27
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Saint Darwin posted:As a huge newbie to all this, I'd like to know, why brand name the triple sec and not the gin? Cointreau is sort of its own thing. Though it is, in fact, the original triple sec, it's usually just referred to as "Cointreau," since most non-Cointreau triple secs are more syrupy and less refined. Also, while there is variation between gin brands, unless you're mixing with something super particular (like Hendrick's, for example), they're fairly interchangeable.
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Feb 16, 2013 07:47
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LCBO is finally stocking sloe gin! What are the best things to make with it? e: I also got lavender water! Suggestions for that as well? Invalid Octopus fucked around with this message at 01:19 on Feb 17, 2013 |
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Feb 17, 2013 01:05
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Any recommendations for a sparkling wine for highballs? Related, what measures does everyone prefer for French 75s? I had one that was absolutely delicious at the bar on Valentine's day, although I think it may have been heavier than usual on the simple. It was pretty much lemonade with gin and champagne instead of water.
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Feb 17, 2013 04:14
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I can't find orange blossom water anywhere. Suggestions?
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Feb 17, 2013 06:44
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King Hotpants posted:I can't find orange blossom water anywhere. Suggestions? Check ethnic grocery stores. I got mine at a tiny Mexican grocery, but Middle Eastern places should stock it as well. Worst case, buy online.
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Feb 17, 2013 07:06
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King Hotpants posted:I can't find orange blossom water anywhere. Suggestions? I found some at my local upper income grocery store. That and rose water. Give that a shot too if you have one nearby.
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Feb 17, 2013 07:16
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Invalid Octopus posted:LCBO is finally stocking sloe gin! What are the best things to make with it? Make a Millionaire! From Haigh's Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails: 1.5 oz. dark Jamaican (I like Coruba, Meyer's is a good choice too) 3/4 oz. sloe gin 3/4 oz. apricot brandy the juice of 1 lime (1-1.5 oz.) Shake, strain, coupe (or cocktail glass). King Hotpants posted:I can't find orange blossom water anywhere. Suggestions? Amazon has it. 22 Eargesplitten posted:Any recommendations for a sparkling wine for highballs? Related, what measures does everyone prefer for French 75s? I had one that was absolutely delicious at the bar on Valentine's day, although I think it may have been heavier than usual on the simple. It was pretty much lemonade with gin and champagne instead of water. When I use sparkling wine for mixing I typically reach for Chandon. It's affordable (bottles can be had for between $11 and $16 depending on your luck/the volume of your purchase), quite nice for the price, and not all sweet like cheap California brut can be. As for a French 75, I like to shake up a Gimlet and then just dose it with the sparkles. I like to use 2 oz. spirit, 3.4 oz. lemon/lime juice, and .5 oz. 2:1 syrup for my sours, so I would start with that.
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Feb 17, 2013 08:58
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I've created what I'm pretty sure is the perfect cocktail, the December '69: 1 oz rye (Old Overholt) 1 oz cognac (Maison Surrenne) 1/2 oz Carpano 1/2 oz fernet 2 dashes bitters Citrus garnish, stir and serve up Feel free to thank me later. 
Josh Lyman fucked around with this message at 08:02 on Feb 24, 2013 |
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Feb 17, 2013 09:52
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