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So, my roomie got me some Niagara Bench Brandy for my birthday back in January. I don't normally drink brandy. However, I';m getting tired of my manhattans, and gin bucks, so I want to try something different tonight. I got some cointreau and lemon juice, and some boston bittas. (bitters). Is the ratio for a good sidecar 4:2:1 Brandy, cointreau, lemon? Or should I be trying a different one.
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Mar 2, 2013 23:36
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| # ? May 21, 2024 01:54 |
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2:1:1 brandy Cointreau lemon juice. Bitters optional.
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Mar 3, 2013 00:15
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Vegetable Melange posted:2:1:1 brandy Cointreau lemon juice. Bitters optional. Too much lemon juice. Couldn't even taste the brandy or the cointreau.
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Mar 3, 2013 02:17
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I like 4:1:1 for a Sidecar. Maybe just a drop more lemon and Cointreau. And use an egg white.
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Mar 3, 2013 12:14
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So, I'm going to try barrel aging cocktails with my dad this weekend. We're going to char some hickory chips he uses for smoking, put them in airproof jars, and pour manhattans in there (Think 2:1 ration Jim Bean to Martini and Rossi Red Vermouth). Good idea? Bad Idea? I figure a cheap bourbon or whisky would benefit the most.
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Mar 5, 2013 00:23
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Whiskey is already barrel aged. Char those chips for maximum smoke then get crazy on some white spirits.
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Mar 5, 2013 01:13
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I'll post a better write up when I'm not on my phone, having done this before.
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Mar 5, 2013 01:14
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This guy has (had) a great blog and wrote a post on barrel aging cocktails, including Manhattans. http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2010/barrel-aged-cocktails/
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Mar 5, 2013 01:20
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Vegetable Melange posted:If you're not going to call your favorite supplier and try to wheedle a barrel out of them and buy new, be sure to coat the inside with an overproof spirit and flame it out. Can you elaborate on what this does? I just bought a barrel to experiment with and I'm looking for any advice or tips from anyone who's fooled around with them before. I got it from Modern Bartender in Vancouver and after hearing great things about them from a whole bunch of people, when I walked in I found that like a quarter of their shelf space was taken up with fedoras and I just stared at it for like a minute thinking what am I doing with my life.
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Mar 6, 2013 08:58
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nrr posted:Can you elaborate on what this does? I just bought a barrel to experiment with and I'm looking for any advice or tips from anyone who's fooled around with them before. The "char" in a barrel is responsible for a lot of the flavors you get when barrel aging, so it's important to have some of that. I'm guessing they used to do it to sterilize the barrel and now it's just part of the flavor profile. In fact it's possible that Vegetable Melange was suggesting it just for the sterilization part, now that I think about it.
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Mar 6, 2013 19:32
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It's not to sterilize, not so much. As long as the wood is dry, it shouldn't be harboring pathogens. You char to develop more complex flavors than just plain oak; think cognac oak (french, tight grained) vs bourbon (american oak, charred; vanilla, caramel). It's a choice with regard to what kind of flavor profile you want to develop. What kind of cocktail are you thinking about aging, and have you had a barrel aged cocktail before? e: Fine, effortpost. Barrel aging cocktails are going to do two or three things, depending on the spirits involved. One, it will transfer some of the flavor of the barrel, depending on the level of char and whether it was used to house another spirit before hand. If you're using a virgin barrel, which I will assume for the sake of argument is American, wide-grained oak, you will get some vanillin notes and possibly a bit of the wood sugars, depending on the proof of the alcohol. If it's charrred, you'll get additional caramel and carbon/smoke notes, and if it was a used bourbon barrel, some bourbon-y notes as well. Same if it's a used rum/ron/rhum barrel. Your cocktail, and what it's made of, is going to have the biggest sway on the process. Any time you put a brown liquor into a barrel, remember that unless it's caramel colored, then it's already spent years in a barrel, and won't get much from a few weeks in your rig except additional exposure to evaporation. This is why I like to favor white spirits or vermouths, which will oxidize (for better and/or worse). My first barrel cocktail was a sazerac, because I knew it would sell. The flavors married nicely, but the base was rye whiskey, so the only thing that really got volitile was the bitters and absinthe. If you want my two cents, something like a white negroni (gin, suze dry vermouth) is going to get more interesting in a barrel than a Manhattan. Still the Manhattan is going to be drat tasty, and it's a nice process and story. tl;dr tell me what you like to drink and I'll give you advice on using the barrel. bloody ghost titty fucked around with this message at 20:05 on Mar 6, 2013 |
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Mar 6, 2013 19:54
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I love manhattens. I can get white whiskey
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Mar 6, 2013 20:40
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White manhattan (easthampton)! 2:1 white whiskey : dry vermouth, 2dsh orange bitters (I like a 1:1 mix of fees and regans here, and there are about 40 dashes to the ounce). Scale that up to the volume of your barrel and remember to fill it all the way and keep it at a relatively consistent temperature, because evaporation (the angels share) is affected by surface area and temp. You want less evaporation, I presume.
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Mar 6, 2013 22:07
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I assume cooler = less evaporation. Not gonna put it in the fridge but might put it in cabinet
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Mar 6, 2013 22:19
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Thanks Veggie. I'll match your effortpost with one of my own. I was thinking that toasting the barrel could do a number of things besides just imparting a little of that char, from opening up the fibers of the wood to actually take on/release more flavours with whatever is sitting in it, all the way through to the complete opposite and effectively sealing it up so that it doesn't take on too many of the characteristics of its contents to impart to the next batch. More complex flavour is what I'm after though, and those caramel/vanilla notes should go well with what I had planned for it: Broadside. 1oz Spiced Rum .5oz Giffard Abricot .5oz Giffard Ginger 1oz apple juice 1 dash Fee Bros Rhubard Bitters 1 slice of fresh ginger, bashed a little 4 fresh mint leaves Shaken, served on the rocks with a small mint sprig. This is a more ingredients than I normally roll with for a drink, so apart from the flavours that I think will work well with barrel aging, it's also going to be a bonus to simplify the drink a little so that it's easy to bash out when we're getting smoked. Basically, for what's going into the barrel, I'm thinking the booze and maybe some apple juice. From what I've read, so long as I keep the ABV above 20% then I'm not going to have to worry about the juice fermenting. I'm going to leave the bitters out because when batching cocktails, I've found that bitters react differently and become a lot more volatile than you'd expect by just using the same ratio at a higher volume. Originally for this drink, I wanted to infuse my own spiced rum and I'd had good results with just using vanilla bean and cinnamon sticks in a bottle of Havana Club Anejo Blanco but when I tried it again specifically for this purpose and compared it side by side with Sailor Jerry's, it just didn't hold up. I'm really curious about seeing if I can use a white rum with cinnamon and vanilla and essentially spicing the rum in the barrel, but I'm not sure if it's going to be too much and overpower the other flavours. I got a 5L barrel because that's all they had left and I couldn't be bothered waiting for another order of barrels to come in. 5L is a lot, so I'm thinking to just use the Sailor Jerry's and play it safe to start with so I can see how things play out and then tweak it later on. On top of that, there's more than just the rum as well, and I think that the apricot liqueur and apple juice especially are going to benefit from the barrel, too, and I'm hoping to get a nice toasty, smokey subtleness to it. Also thought about maybe adding some flat Fentimans Ginger Beer to the mix as well to help bring out the Giffard Ginger liqueur as well and make sure it doesn't get overpowered by all that caramel and vanilla but I haven't really decided yet and I haven't bothered doing any math yet to figure out how much room I'm going to have for juice/non alc either. I'm also really interested in the contrast that's going to be created with the aged liquor and the fresh ingredients as well. Anyway, that's enough rambling for the moment. Let me know if you've got any other ideas or things to consider.
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Mar 7, 2013 00:17
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Choom Gangster posted:I'm a bartender. Well, most call what I do mixology, but I really don't like that title. I work at Scott & Co in Tucson, Az. Proper cocktailing is what I do. Quoting this old as hell post by Choom to say: Scott & Co is brilliant. Tucson is my home town, and I was visiting in Decemeber. Got a few drinks with a friend at Scott & Co and they were all fantastic. I got to talking to one of the bartenders (possibly you, Choom?) about some of the cocktail spots around Portland, which is where I am now. Highly recommend the place if anyone is in Tucson anytime soon.
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Mar 9, 2013 02:33
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Is there a name for a Boulevardier with rye? Does it remain a Boulevardier?
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Mar 11, 2013 02:54
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icehewk posted:Is there a name for a Boulevardier with rye? Does it remain a Boulevardier? That's a good question. In my opinion, changing the base spirit would definitely warrant a new name. The closest thing to a Boulevardier with rye I can think of is an Al Capone Al Capone - 1.5oz rye, .75oz sweet vermouth, .25oz Campari. Stir/iced double old fashioned/orange peel
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Mar 11, 2013 20:48
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Maybe with the increased Campari of a rye-substituted Boulevardier could be called the Bitter Al?
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Mar 11, 2013 22:48
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door Door door posted:... And I don't know; I just want to find a bar with knowledgable bartenders who can offer good recommendations based on my tastes without the place trying to turn the whole thing into an 'experience.' From end of last page, but I agree completely on this. To get my cocktail fix when I am in an unfamiliar place I look to restaurants rather than bars. Most higher end restaurants are putting more effort into their cocktail programs now. I find that going into a nice spot (usually with a more modern menu where it is difficult to get a reservation) and sitting at the bar gives you good access to a bartender that probably enjoys mixing a drink. It can be hit or miss, you may pay a little more for a drink, but they should have a pretty broad selection of liquors and are usually looking to break out something interesting rather than another grey goose martini or X and tonic. A usual plus is you won't be surrounded by people who are only going to the speakeasy for the speakeasy vibe, and there is probably awesome food at a good price if there is a bar menu.
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Mar 15, 2013 15:18
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Has hating on Speakeasys been a thing long enough to like them again? Some are good, some try to hard, but they all know how to make a Negroni. I've been to $100 person fancy steak houses where they couldn't make a Negroni, and I was very sad.
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Mar 16, 2013 02:49
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Jahoodie posted:Has hating on Speakeasys been a thing long enough to like them again? Funny you mention this, I was having a similar conversation with some friends a few weeks back. One of the best places I've found to get a decent cocktail is bars located in nice hotels. It suprised me how often you get a decent bartender at a hotel bar. When I'm on a business trip, we all usually end up at the hotel bar after dinner and whatnot. I find myself ordering an Old Fashioned or a Manhatten most of the time, and I end up with a pretty good cocktail most of the time. If I'm in a bar and order an Old Fashioned I poften end up with some bourbon, a sludge of of mashed up fruit, undisolved sugar, and what seems to be a half a dash of bitters topped off with soda water. The hell is the deal with bartenders thinking soda water belongs in a proper cocktail anyway?
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Mar 16, 2013 17:11
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I'm viciously appalled by yr description of an old fashioned you've been served in some lovely bar but let's not fly off the handle and bad mouth the fine upstanding category of the fizz, huh?
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Mar 16, 2013 21:53
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Jahoodie posted:Has hating on Speakeasys been a thing long enough to like them again? How can you possibly gently caress up a negroni? It's 1:1:1 with a peel.
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Mar 17, 2013 01:25
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Glottis posted:How can you possibly gently caress up a negroni? It's 1:1:1 with a peel. Rocks glass full of crushed ice, Campari and Gin in equal amounts to fill. Unmixed, and LAYERED. And it was $15. Good thing I wasn't paying.
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Mar 17, 2013 02:59
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I bought a bottle of Carpano Antica today to replace my old Martini & Rossi. Just used it to make a Manhattan with some Redemption rye and a brandy soaked cherry, and it is by far the best Manhattan I've ever had. I think I'm going to work my way through all my other recipes that use sweet vermouth and see how much better they are with the Carpano.
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Mar 17, 2013 07:48
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Jahoodie posted:Rocks glass full of crushed ice, Campari and Gin in equal amounts to fill. Unmixed, and LAYERED. Jesus. I had it in my head that I could order that drink in even the shittiest of bars and still get something decent, but I think I need to recalibrate. Flashbacks of that "mint julep" video are in my head.
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Mar 17, 2013 08:14
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Is this the place to ask about gin?
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Mar 17, 2013 08:30
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Chuck Biscuits posted:I bought a bottle of Carpano Antica today to replace my old Martini & Rossi. Just used it to make a Manhattan with some Redemption rye and a brandy soaked cherry, and it is by far the best Manhattan I've ever had. I think I'm going to work my way through all my other recipes that use sweet vermouth and see how much better they are with the Carpano. This stuff kicks rear end. If you want it to disappear in under a week, try it in a negroni.
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Mar 17, 2013 09:38
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Herr Tog posted:Is this the place to ask about gin? Yeah, we know some gin hereabouts. What's on your mind?
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Mar 17, 2013 09:56
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Just stumbled across this sweet thread, and thought I'd share a couple things - Made a cocktail for my podcast's latest St. Patty's Day special - a Rocky Road-flavored Shamrock Shake called the Shamrock-y Road:  2 parts marshmallow-flavored vodka 2 parts white creme de cacao 2 parts amaretto 1 part creme de menthe vanilla ice cream ice Combine in blender; mix well. It's super gimmicky, but it actually turned out quite well.
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Mar 17, 2013 16:40
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MC Eating Disorder posted:I'm viciously appalled by yr description of an old fashioned you've been served in some lovely bar but let's not fly off the handle and bad mouth the fine upstanding category of the fizz, huh? My apologies, I forgot about the fizz  . However, I swear to god every other person behind the rail thinks it appropriate to "top off" every drat thing with soda, and it's blowing my mind. I half think it may have been started by customers and not the bartenders, but i'm not sure. And, possibly, it's a New England thing as this mostly happens to me in New England, as that is where most of my travels take me for business. I'm not sure if this is a new, as I hadn't been going to bars very often (Over 10 years) with being married and having kids and all until a couple years ago when I started travelling for work. Little side story: My first trip a couple years back we were at this Tex-Mex restaurant in a very small town in western Mass. They actually had a great bar, their whiskey selection was phenominal so I go and I was chatting up the bar manager about it when a patron walks up and orders a Manhattan. Nothing odd with such an order, and it's a great cocktail. I watch as it's being made, and it's being made like a traditional Manhattan. The patron isn't watching, as they are chatting up an associate of theirs a few steps away at a table near the bar. Drink gets served, patron takes a sip, and makes a face like somethign is wrong. The patron makes a motion at the bartender who made the drink and they come over and ask if something is wrong. The patron nods and says "Can you add a splash of soda to this please?". The bartender, without batting an eye, does as asks and carries on. All I do is and ask the manager WTF. Manager just shrugs and tells me it wasn't the first time. 
Smokewagon fucked around with this message at 17:03 on Mar 17, 2013 |
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Mar 17, 2013 17:00
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Couldn't agree more, Smokewagon. I got a mint julep a coulple of weeks ago that was a sloppy, soda drowned mess, and it made me want to hurt people. The context was the restaurant we were at kind of owed us for always taking care of their owner and occassionally their staff. To make things worse, their bartender came in and sat at the bar one night for dinner and then complained that he got "bad service." I wasn't on that night so I don't know what happened but I was the guy who was designated to make him forget his last experience on his return visit and he was one of the biggest douches I've ever had the pleasure of dealing with. We told him tonight was going to be on us to make up for last time, so he racked up a loving $600 bill. So yeah, in the interest of not being "that guy" and making myself (and of course, my restaurant/bar team) look like a petty little bitch, I shut up about his joke of a julep and took one for the team. I reserve the right to complain about it on the internet though. Anything that calls for a dash of soda, (remembering that a mint julep doesn't call for ANY soda) should be given just that. A mojito only needs a little spritz, don't drown the thing and kill all those beautiful fresh flavours in it, and a fizz only needs a tiny bit to set it off as well.
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Mar 17, 2013 20:34
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I was looking at my stainless steel shaker, and I noticed some small orange spots on the cover. Is that normal or am I going to get metal poisoning?
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Mar 17, 2013 20:46
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Kenning posted:Yeah, we know some gin hereabouts. What's on your mind? Thanks for answering. I usually don't like gin that much but I want some decent gin for a proper Martini (dry). I heard Plymouth is good but I really don't know much than what I see or here on British TV.
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Mar 17, 2013 21:41
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that Vai sound posted:I was looking at my stainless steel shaker, and I noticed some small orange spots on the cover. Is that normal or am I going to get metal poisoning?
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Mar 17, 2013 22:47
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Is it typical for bars to use store-bought sour mix? I ordered a gin sour on Friday at a fairly nice bar here in Charlotte, and was very disappointed to see the bartender pull out a bottle of "Finest Call Sour Mix". The drink was pretty bad.
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Mar 18, 2013 02:25
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Can I Phaser You posted:Is it typical for bars to use store-bought sour mix? I ordered a gin sour on Friday at a fairly nice bar here in Charlotte, and was very disappointed to see the bartender pull out a bottle of "Finest Call Sour Mix". The drink was pretty bad. Not normal for a bar with a reputation, at least.
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Mar 18, 2013 07:01
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"Finest Call Sour Mix" is the best name ever
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Mar 18, 2013 09:29
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| # ? May 21, 2024 01:54 |
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Can I Phaser You posted:Is it typical for bars to use store-bought sour mix? I ordered a gin sour on Friday at a fairly nice bar here in Charlotte, and was very disappointed to see the bartender pull out a bottle of "Finest Call Sour Mix". The drink was pretty bad. So poo poo on speakeasy type bars if you want, but at least you know their pretension means they are squeezing citrus fresh.
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Mar 18, 2013 10:04
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