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22 Eargesplitten posted:Yeah. Next time I go out (which will probably be a while, since I'm trying to be a responsible adult), I need to remember to ask the bartender for a Sawyer. A gimlet is one of my favorite gin cocktails (although I'm a philistine and use Rose's at home). It's kind of citrusy and pleasantly bitter at the same time. Vaguely like an orange peel. Any recommended books on cocktails, other than the one in the OP? I'd like to learn more about their history, chemistry, etc. Edit: Also looking for cocktails that use lavender in any way. Elderbean fucked around with this message at 07:48 on Apr 14, 2015 |
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Apr 14, 2015 06:15
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Thanks for the gin tips earlier - I brought a bottle of Terroir gin to my bartender buddy and he really seemed to enjoy it (as well as the others there). The more I go to Japan, the sadder I become when I think of American bars. The discrepancy is so big that it's depressing. So guys, help me change my opinion on this. What's the best, highest quality American bar you've been to? A place that made you really go "wow, that was loving amazing" when you order something simple like a gin & tonic or gimlet. I know "best" bar is pretty subjective, so I want to go by the standards of - Quality of drinks - well made, well balanced drinks with good ice and quality mixers - Service - prompt service by friendly bartenders that know their poo poo - Environment - an atmosphere that makes you feel comfortable and always welcome Go ahead and shoot any non-American bars as well and I'll try to make a visit if I'm ever in that neck of the woods. I'll start with Bar Canon in Seattle. The bartenders were incredibly friendly and engaging. The passion for their craft was obvious when you see their eyes light up talking about cocktails. The quality was superb as each drink was made with care and balance in mind. Environment was simply beautiful and cozy - and definitely one of the most beautiful bars I've ever seen (rows and rows and rows of unique bottles). The only downside is that I haven't visited in the last few years and desperately hope the quality level hasn't dropped since then.
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Apr 14, 2015 19:17
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In Fort Collins, CO, I really like Ace Gillett's. It's in the basement of a local hotel, I think they are going for a '30s art deco theme. It would work better if the servers didn't wear t-shirts with the bar logo. The bartender knows every drink I've asked for. Drinks are 8.5-11 dollars, so on the expensive side. They do seem to make everything a double, though. So you are getting a good amount of alcohol for your money. It probably is just average for a bigger city, but this is a college town. Most bars here make their money off of Jaeger shots and vodka red bulls.
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Apr 14, 2015 19:44
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22 Eargesplitten posted:Drinks are 8.5-11 dollars, so on the expensive side lol I gotta get out of nyc
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Apr 14, 2015 21:48
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Cleveland is 12-18  With that in mind, the best cocktails I've gotten in this city are at: Velvet Tango Room Society Black Pig
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Apr 14, 2015 22:04
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Really loved both Death & Company and Booker & Dax when I visited NYC a couple weeks ago. Here in Nashville: Patterson House Pinewood Social Rolf and Daughters Husk Have also had very good drinks at 308 though not as consistently. We just set up our keezer for home brew and now have a tap for seltzer and a line for force carbonation. Anyone have any favored carbonated cocktail recipes?
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Apr 15, 2015 00:16
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mich posted:We just set up our keezer for home brew and now have a tap for seltzer and a line for force carbonation. Anyone have any favored carbonated cocktail recipes? Try a carbonated gimlet or gimlet highball. I went to a bar called Bar Orchard that specialized in carbonated cocktails (the bartender won a cocktail competition with one), I'll try and see if I can get in touch with him for some recipes. They were phenomenally good. EDIT: I just remembered the competition cocktail now - it was gin, simple syrup, lemon juice and a magical "secret ingredient" they made daily in a little bottle, which was apparently a blend of herbs/spices. Not quite as strong as bitters. My memory got pretty minced up that night. Also found a pic I took of it:  The glass of ice water was to keep the glass chilled... overall crazy amazing drink. Also for "best bar" suggestions, please list just ONE bar that you think is the very best. Like the one place you'll never regret going. Not just all the good bars you can think of... which could be endless. tynam fucked around with this message at 01:27 on Apr 15, 2015 |
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Apr 15, 2015 01:06
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I got a handheld lemon/lime juicer today and it's made my life so much better. Friends are having a party saturday and I wanted to make some cocktails but nothing too crazy. I have Gin, limes, lemons, Vodka, Cointreau, Rye, Campari, Bitters (Angostura, Orange, Peychaud's) and Sweet Vermouth. Any suggestions?
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Apr 15, 2015 01:59
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Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Negroni, Gin or Vodka Gimlets or Whiskey Sour to start. Lesser known variations could be Boulevardier (rye negroni) or White Lady (Gin Lemon Cointreau) Just make yourself up some simple syrup as well to bring along. tynam posted:Try a carbonated gimlet or gimlet highball. I went to a bar called Bar Orchard that specialized in carbonated cocktails (the bartender won a cocktail competition with one), I'll try and see if I can get in touch with him for some recipes. They were phenomenally good. If you want to do carbonated stuff I'd highly recommend picking up Liquid Intelligence by Dave Arnold. Carbonating cocktails is a little bit more complicated than it seems. swimming anime fucked around with this message at 05:08 on Apr 15, 2015 |
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Apr 15, 2015 05:06
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Separate some eggs for whites and sour the poo poo out of the rye.
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Apr 15, 2015 05:41
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If anybody has specific carbonated cocktail recipes to recommend, I'd be interested to see them. I've got a bunch of CO2 but haven't experimented too much yet. I did discover that mixing some rum and liqueur (my favorite so far is Heering) into heavy cream and carbonating that produces a delicious rich foam you can eat with a spoon (or even a fork, if you are so inclined). Carbonated Manhattans are pretty good, too.
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Apr 15, 2015 06:23
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tynam posted:Also for "best bar" suggestions, please list just ONE bar that you think is the very best. Like the one place you'll never regret going. Not just all the good bars you can think of... which could be endless. Bars wax and wane just like great restaurants. People come and go, the guy in charge get's bored or involved with other projects... PX used to be my favorite bar but it seems like they've gotten comfortable and aren't really bringing it like they used to. I've been to Room 11 6 times now and have had great drinks every single time so they are my favorite at the moment (D.C. area)
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Apr 15, 2015 12:21
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tynam posted:I'll start with Bar Canon in Seattle. The bartenders were incredibly friendly and engaging. The passion for their craft was obvious when you see their eyes light up talking about cocktails. The quality was superb as each drink was made with care and balance in mind. Environment was simply beautiful and cozy - and definitely one of the most beautiful bars I've ever seen (rows and rows and rows of unique bottles). If you aren't aware, Canon's owner Jamie Boudreau had a nice series of videos called "Raising the Bar". And on the topic of drinks with a shot of bitters from the last page, he did one for the "Aromatic Collins". He doesn't seem to make them any more, sadly.
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Apr 15, 2015 12:48
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Maybe you shouldn't romanticize the Japan bar scene too much though. I've lived in Tokyo for 8 years and for every place with a bartender who cares, there are about 50 where the "bartender" can only pour whiskey in a snifter and charge you 2500 yen + 10% non-optional "service charge." The NBA (Nippon Bartenders Association) and Suntory (the biggest importer of spirits) dictate an awful lot of what goes on, while bartender education essentially boils down to an apprentice system. There is a lot to admire but good luck finding a Japanese bar making their own bitters, for example. Sure you can order a nice gimlet from Tanaka-san who has been making gimlets the same way for 20 years. But ask for a Ramos Gin Fizz and guess what, he's never even heard of it. Just like a lot of other industries in Japan, there isn't really a whole lot going on to advance things here. All you get is a handful of bartenders coming up with new cocktails that use whatever new liqueur Suntory decides to import this quarter.
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Apr 15, 2015 16:28
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zmcnulty posted:Maybe you shouldn't romanticize the Japan bar scene too much though. I've lived in Tokyo for 8 years and for every place with a bartender who cares, there are about 50 where the "bartender" can only pour whiskey in a snifter and charge you 2500 yen + 10% non-optional "service charge." Sure there are plenty of bars that are pretty crappy. On the other hand, it's so easy to get to good bars there that there's literally no reason to go to the lovely ones. Every good bartender I've met knew nearly every drink I requested, with the only problems being the pre-prohibition drinks (which seems to be fairly rare in Japan). Also the bar scene seems to be divided into classic and modern varieties. I'm much more of a fan of the classic, but the modern ones are certainly pushing the industry forward as well - for example Gen Yamamoto in Azabu-Juban, Tokyo. It was also pretty entertaining making fun of his stint in New Jersey. Honestly I haven't been to a single bad bar in Japan (except a "lounge" somewhere in Shikoku that was more of a host club). There definitely were a few that felt like American bars - soda guns and all, except those had extremely cheap prices too, so I didn't expect much to begin with. I've been going back for the past 6 years or so each year (or more) for a variety of reasons, been hitting up bars all around Japan, and have seen nothing but amazing stuff. Not sure why you're disillusioned, maybe you've just had worse luck finding good bars than me? I usually ask a good bartender where to hit up next and they'll give me a laundry list of amazing places to try.
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Apr 15, 2015 17:57
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Elderbean posted:I got a handheld lemon/lime juicer today and it's made my life so much better. I prefer the non-sour version of a Derby, but I never have Benedictine anyway and a sour Derby is a great use for your lime squeezin's. I use Bourbon but go ahead and use your Rye: 2 parts whiskey 1 part Sweet Vermouth 1 part orange liquer (your Cointreau is fine) 1 part lime juice (a little more if you want) shake and pour into a chilled cocktail glass or coupe. Maybe an orange twist garnish? You could throw in a lime wedge, in which case go light on the lime juice and people can adjust their own drink to preference.
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Apr 15, 2015 20:25
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swimming anime posted:lol I gotta get out of nyc Yeah, Colorado is going to be distinctly cheaper than NYC. For comparison, wells at the gastropub I usually go to are 5, they are 3 at the quieter dive bar I go to. 12 is the most expensive cocktail I've seen in this city, and IIRC it was using yamazaki 12 year.
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Apr 15, 2015 21:19
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Is Luxardo the only brand of cherries that aren't awful dyed monstrosities? Are there cheaper alternatives?
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Apr 16, 2015 05:44
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Elderbean posted:Is Luxardo the only brand of cherries that aren't awful dyed monstrosities? Are there cheaper alternatives? There are other brands but far harder to find. Making your own is probably the best less expensive alternative. Theres lots of tutorials around the net, and it's not too hard. Bonus is you don't have to feel bad eating two or three for each you use in a drink.
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Apr 16, 2015 06:31
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Toschis are good but aren't cheap either.
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Apr 16, 2015 07:13
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In Chicago there are 4 cocktail bars that I've never regretted going to, and will always get a perfect drink when I'm there. Aviary Violet Hour Scofflaw The Whistler
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Apr 16, 2015 16:39
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Two friends unafraid to drink coming by for a weekend cookout and schlocky movies. There will almost certainly be a growler of local golden ale and a handful of random bottles. But I feel it needs a bowl of punch on the deck to truly usher in spring. A Limmer's seems perfect. Think a 10 oz. of gin scaled bowl would do well enough for three drinkers with other drinks to be had? If I could time the punch for the warm daylight and beer to come out when the sun sets and the chill creeps in, it would be perfect.
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Apr 16, 2015 18:48
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I've never had a bad time at death&co. With milk and honey home to seed, it's kind of set the bar (heh) for the whole cocktail thing.
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Apr 16, 2015 20:53
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So what makes a proper Old Fashioned? People seem to be goony as gently caress about it.
Elderbean fucked around with this message at 00:38 on Apr 17, 2015 |
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Apr 17, 2015 00:03
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Whiskey, bitters, sugar muddled with water if you want authenticity or simple/strong syrup if you want easy and still delicious, orange zest misted or muddled. Ice is best but neat is also fine.
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Apr 17, 2015 01:15
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Elderbean posted:So what makes a proper Old Fashioned? People seem to be goony as gently caress about it. What do you mean goony?
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Apr 17, 2015 03:35
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Halloween Jack posted:With an Old Fashioned, it's also important not to take advice from people who type up long screeds about the right and wrong way to make an Old Fashioned. It is the gooniest loving cocktail for some reason.
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Apr 17, 2015 05:01
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Butch Cassidy posted:Two friends unafraid to drink coming by for a weekend cookout and schlocky movies. There will almost certainly be a growler of local golden ale and a handful of random bottles. But I feel it needs a bowl of punch on the deck to truly usher in spring. A 10 ouncer for 3 people will be an admirable kickoff to an evening of drinks and kicking it.
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Apr 17, 2015 10:44
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Elderbean posted:Is Luxardo the only brand of cherries that aren't awful dyed monstrosities? Are there cheaper alternatives? Fabbri is relaunching in the states, tasty and significantly less expensive.
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Apr 17, 2015 16:51
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Elderbean posted:Is Luxardo the only brand of cherries that aren't awful dyed monstrosities? Are there cheaper alternatives? http://www.livinghomegrown.com/homemade-maraschino-cherries/ It's very easy to do and they keep reasonably well if you keep them in the syrup. I highly recommend a cherry pitter, even though it's an overengineered tool good for only one job, which I usually hate. It just does that job so much better than any other tool or technique I've tried. I've also had good results with just tossing pitted cherries in some brandy along with vanilla and almond extract and letting them steep for an unknown amount of time. Maybe 2-5 weeks? We took them to Burning Man and stored them unrefrigerated and handed them out to people. The brandy kept them very well and made them deliciously boozy. Maybe not the effect you're going for if you're going to toss them into a brandy-incompatible cocktail, but still worth a try for an even simpler version. Pile of Kittens fucked around with this message at 20:14 on Apr 17, 2015 |
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Apr 17, 2015 20:12
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22 Eargesplitten posted:A gimlet is one of my favorite gin cocktails (although I'm a philistine and use Rose's at home). Don't feel like a philistine! It's a whole tradition as described by Raymond Chandler in The Long Goodbye, https://tohaveandhaveanother.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/have-a-gimlet-tonight-to-honor-raymond-chandler/. quote:As for Chandler, the Gimlet practically steals the show in the Chandler’s 1953 classic The Long Goodbye. The drink plays an integral role in the relationship between Marlowe and his tragic friend, Terry Lennox:
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Apr 17, 2015 20:26
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So, my mother bought me some sour mix. I was thinking it's good for tom collins on the porch. Right? What else?
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Apr 17, 2015 21:38
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Whisky (or ______ ) sour. Manhattan sours are cool for looks.
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Apr 18, 2015 01:19
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...you mean a New York Sour, yes?
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Apr 18, 2015 03:33
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A Manhattan Sour (NY sour with vermouth float instead of wine?) would be a cool drink and I'm gonna go ahead and say I invented it.
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Apr 18, 2015 05:20
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Carillon posted:Don't feel like a philistine! It's a whole tradition as described by Raymond Chandler in The Long Goodbye, https://tohaveandhaveanother.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/have-a-gimlet-tonight-to-honor-raymond-chandler/. Just because Raymond Chander wrote it once doesn't make it actually a good idea, nor does Chandler's description reflect any dominant tradition in gimlet-making. To quote myself from July 2012 quoting SubG quoting me sometime in 2010: SubG posted:
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Apr 18, 2015 07:07
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zmcnulty posted:Maybe you shouldn't romanticize the Japan bar scene too much though. I've lived in Tokyo for 8 years and for every place with a bartender who cares, there are about 50 where the "bartender" can only pour whiskey in a snifter and charge you 2500 yen + 10% non-optional "service charge." The NBA (Nippon Bartenders Association) and Suntory (the biggest importer of spirits) dictate an awful lot of what goes on, while bartender education essentially boils down to an apprentice system. There is a lot to admire but good luck finding a Japanese bar making their own bitters, for example. Sure you can order a nice gimlet from Tanaka-san who has been making gimlets the same way for 20 years. But ask for a Ramos Gin Fizz and guess what, he's never even heard of it. Just like a lot of other industries in Japan, there isn't really a whole lot going on to advance things here. All you get is a handful of bartenders coming up with new cocktails that use whatever new liqueur Suntory decides to import this quarter. As a bartender who is currently traveling Japan and has spent way to much money in various temples to bartending all over the country i partially agree. I think what Japanese bartenders do best is make drinks. It's not a spectacle, it's not some new drink with 14 home made tinctures in it and he's not gonna talk to you whilst he does it. But the drinks they know how to make, they make with 20 years of practiced perfection. You will get perfect Gimlets and Sidecars and Manhattans and weird but great drinks only big in Japan like a Bamboo or a Stinger. Your point about lack of stock and liquer of the month is a huge tick of mine. When these bartenders are committing 10 years to getting the right size bubbles in their Sidecar (real example), but they are still using inferior products and aren't trying to get better ones that truly boggles my mind. I have to say the "apprentice" system is astonishing to me too. I would never go through that, it's 3+ years of polishing tins and setting up bottles and jiggers and then your dude sweeps in shakes/stirs/glasses and you clear it up and repeat. It's very odd to me that these younger bartenders go through this. I feel like it probably hurts the industry in that some kids with promise leave out of boredom. That said if you stick it out you also really love the industry and the job. Want house bitters, go to Bar Ben Fiddich.
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Apr 19, 2015 11:33
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Trip Report: I did crank out a Limmer's and served it in my grandmother's '70s as hell chip bowl. Capillaire is goddamned delicious. Muddling thick lemon zest with sugar and leaving to work its magic for an hour makes the kitchen smell like pure bliss and I spent a while just sniffing the bowl. One friend was significantly delayed so the other friend and I drank the whole bowl. While grilling porkchops and pinwheels on a second floor deck. It was a hysterically awful idea and I am now under orders to make punch for all of our cookouts. Next will probably be another gin punch with Maraschino in place of the capillaire the name of which eacapes me and I need another coffee before I go look it up in my copy of Punch. My wife came downstairs somewhere after the end of the punch, a bottle of PBR, and a few half-pints from a growler of locally brewed wheat beer to make sure I was alive and coming to bed. And I wound up playing Black Flag until four before dragging my rear end up and passing out. Oh, a pretty intense game of hungry hungry hippos took place somewhere in there.
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Apr 19, 2015 16:49
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Wolfgang Muthspiel posted:As a bartender who is currently traveling Japan and has spent way to much money in various temples to bartending all over the country i partially agree. I think what Japanese bartenders do best is make drinks. It's not a spectacle, it's not some new drink with 14 home made tinctures in it and he's not gonna talk to you whilst he does it. But the drinks they know how to make, they make with 20 years of practiced perfection. You will get perfect Gimlets and Sidecars and Manhattans and weird but great drinks only big in Japan like a Bamboo or a Stinger. Your point about lack of stock and liquer of the month is a huge tick of mine. When these bartenders are committing 10 years to getting the right size bubbles in their Sidecar (real example), but they are still using inferior products and aren't trying to get better ones that truly boggles my mind. If you get to the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo, they are currently hosting a real, live Gaijin bartender. He's a rad dude, and they're trying to bring their beverage program in line with the rest of the world. Order a ramos. And don't skip Bar Hi-Five.
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Apr 19, 2015 17:04
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I'm yet to find a hotel bar in Tokyo that tops the Mandarin. Everything about it is wonderful. The fact that there's no service/cover charge probably leads me to end up spending way more there than I would otherwise. If you go and you're a dude, order a Nihombashi cocktail and DO NOT MISS the restroom. You'll see. I think the whole Japan cocktail scene can sort of be summarized like a lot of other Japanese industries: less about originality than it is about "refinement." Often to a degree that most people aren't even close to caring about...
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Apr 19, 2015 20:12
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