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Nov 8, 2022 15:57
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Jesus. Thats another thing Im curious about. How much does freshness matter with some of these ingredients? Like the gin and campari bottles I had laying around were probably each a year or two old easily. The only "fresh" stuff I keep on hand is sweet vermouth and bourbon and thats just because we drink those regularly.
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Nov 8, 2022 15:58
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I like how all the bitters on the middle shelf are trying to keep their distance from the Southern Comfort, and the SoCo is like "hey guys, you wanna hang?"
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Nov 8, 2022 16:03
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The dynamic is Roommate 1: I would like to learn how to mix cocktails Roommate 2: I drink SoCo 100, don't put anything in my way
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Nov 8, 2022 16:08
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I'm a big fan of "Drink what you like", but also, some friendships aren't worth saving.
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Nov 8, 2022 16:45
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Jesus. If you don't store the bottles terribly, like in direct sunlight sitting on top of a radiator, hard alcohol (above 20% OR purely spirits-based, like Aperol) will last indefinitely on your shelf and will stay as "fresh" as it was when you bought it. You may get some cloudiness if your house gets very cold, and liqueurs may generate some sugar crystals on the lips of their bottles (or even bind themselves shut with the sugar), but it's all fine. If you've got anything stoppered with a cork make sure the cork hasn't dried out and started letting your booze evaporate away. Keep your wine-based stuff below 20% (like vermouth) in the fridge and use it within a couple of months. -- I keep around 15 bottles at home at a time and rotate them based on the season/my mood when one empties; they take up around 2 square feet of shelf space next to some books. I keep two each of coupes, Nick & Noras, DOFs, and collins glasses in the freezer, my mixing glass and shaker (with the strainers and jiggers inside them) and my metal straws and cocktail picks next to the wine glasses in my kitchen cabinet , and a couple bottles of wine-based stuff, a soda siphon, and a squeeze bottle of simple syrup in the fridge. It's not a lot of space.
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Nov 8, 2022 16:52
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Between glassware and bottles a built in wet bar became a critical house feature when we moved a couple years ago. We were lucky enough to find one with a 100” back bar which I built three shelves to go above. I’ve only hung one of them so far and I’m running out of space again. I should be able to install the other two soon and I think the middle one will just be rum, and the top probably just books, mugs and decorative poo poo. Best part of having significant space is you can always buy large bottles and the price per oz plummets. But we host a lot and don’t really drink out, so maybe that doesn’t apply to most people.
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Nov 8, 2022 16:53
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I had an empty wall in my new living room when I moved. I always wanted a bar, and an interior decorator friend said I needed a big mirror. So I kind of DIY'ed a console table into bar shelves (top shelves off etsy, drilled hooks for copper mugs, added a rack for hanging glasses), hung a mirror behind it, and filled it up over time with bottles. There's an outlet there, so I thought about adding dumb lights or something. Luckily I was talked out of it.
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Nov 8, 2022 17:16
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Super jealous of that huge bottle of Ango. I want to try making a Trinidad Sour but I'd need to buy way more than I currently have.
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Nov 8, 2022 17:21
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I see your doubles of Benedictine
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Nov 8, 2022 17:25
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Not enough rum.
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Nov 8, 2022 17:54
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I also have a huge pile of bottles but they are not arranged in a way that looks pretty, just an embarrassing mass on a desk.
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Nov 8, 2022 17:57
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Grand Fromage posted:I also have a huge pile of bottles but they are not arranged in a way that looks pretty, just an embarrassing mass on a desk. Same.  Let's play guess the rum. Some are obvious.
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Nov 8, 2022 18:00
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Data Graham posted:I see your doubles of Benedictine I have a good half an ounce left in one bottle, and I'm not just going to throw it out like some animal 
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Nov 8, 2022 18:04
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Professor Wayne posted:I had an empty wall in my new living room when I moved. I always wanted a bar, and an interior decorator friend said I needed a big mirror. So I kind of DIY'ed a console table into bar shelves (top shelves off etsy, drilled hooks for copper mugs, added a rack for hanging glasses), hung a mirror behind it, and filled it up over time with bottles. There's an outlet there, so I thought about adding dumb lights or something. Luckily I was talked out of it.
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Nov 8, 2022 19:03
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Roku rules for negronis.
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Nov 8, 2022 19:05
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Roku’s good in martinis also. I make a ripoff of the “sakura martini” from Bar Goto with it (use sake instead of vermouth, real one has a dash of maraschino and a salted plum blossom, I use a dash of cherry bark bitters and an umeboshi). Also that bar cart is a nice setup.
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Nov 8, 2022 19:23
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Waltzing Along posted:Same. I was going to say wtf I don't see any Smith & Cross in there but oh hey I spy with my little eye..
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Nov 8, 2022 19:26
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Incidentally on my ongoing AmaroQuest I picked up one of these on a whim the other day: And I really like it, but I can't identify what its primary flavor component is. Anyone have any handy? It tastes like something I've had in weird old-timey candies or bonbons or something, like I'd expect to run across it in a liqueur chocolate. What the hell is it that I'm tasting? Google says it's rhubarb and gentian but like ... ehh? Maybe?
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Nov 8, 2022 19:29
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Data Graham posted:Incidentally on my ongoing AmaroQuest I picked up one of these on a whim the other day: Ooh I want this now. To the negroni hater: when you make a boulevardier do 2:1:1 whiskey, campari, vermouth
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Nov 9, 2022 01:13
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I made an Up to date. 2 oz rye 0.75 oz sherry 0.5 oz Cointreau 2 dashes ango Very pleasant.
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Nov 9, 2022 02:37
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Data Graham posted:Incidentally on my ongoing AmaroQuest I picked up one of these on a whim the other day: I like it, very similar flavor profile to Montenegro. Maybe a touch sweeter. I recently got convinced by the thread to try a legend, so I got a bottle of lustau and ended up underwhelmed. I just wasn't quite finding the strong flavors. It made Smith and cross MUTED somehow. And I think I'm still not a big fan of cognac, even Pierre ferrand 1840. Tried a different spin with the lustau, and I LIKE it. Southern/Italy 1 oz Lustau amantillado 0.5oz Campari 0.75oz Old Grand-dad BiB 0.75oz Havana club rum 0.25oz agave I just mixed poo poo together and it worked super well. Balanced and delightful.
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Nov 9, 2022 03:11
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Wow, Chambord tastes uncannily like berry-flavored cough syrup. I sipped it and got a flashback Ratatouille style to the terrible feeling of being a sick child. I ended up making pomegranate margaritas with it but I can't understand people who recommend that you have it neat or on the rocks.
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Nov 9, 2022 04:52
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Kevin DuBrow posted:Wow, Chambord tastes uncannily like berry-flavored cough syrup. I sipped it and got a flashback Ratatouille style to the terrible feeling of being a sick child. I ended up making pomegranate margaritas with it but I can't understand people who recommend that you have it neat or on the rocks. I keep Chambord on hand 100% to pour into champagne.
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Nov 9, 2022 05:05
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Is there a sake thread? I was given a bottle of Jozen Hiyaoroshi Jumai Ginjo Namazume and I wish to learn more.
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Nov 9, 2022 05:12
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obi_ant posted:Is there a sake thread? I was given a bottle of Jozen Hiyaoroshi Jumai Ginjo Namazume and I wish to learn more. No. What do you want to know? Hiyaoroshis are only lightly pasteurized once, fresh sakes released in fall, so keep it in the fridge. Junmai means it's made only with rice fermentation, no added alcohol (this does not necessarily mean better). Ginjo is the grade. A ginjo is likely to be on the fruity side, and since it's a hiyaoroshi it's going to be fairly strong. Generally ginjos should be served chilled. I like hiyaoroshis quite a bit, you can only get them at this time of year. Namazume also means fresh, indicating it's not fully pasteurized--kind of redundant with hiyaoroshi. Jozen is the brewery. E: If you want to learn sake there are some good books. I've read all these and would recommend: Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake, Nancy Matsumoto and Michael Tremblay The Japanese Sake Bible, Brian Ashcraft The Sake Handbook and Sake Confidential, John Gauntner Grand Fromage fucked around with this message at 05:35 on Nov 9, 2022 |
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Nov 9, 2022 05:23
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Mr. Wiggles posted:I keep Chambord on hand 100% to pour into champagne. My man, you just reminded me to pick up some cassis and drink kirs for a few weeks.
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Nov 9, 2022 08:16
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I like passion fruit in my cheap champagne. Thug Passion like Tupac. I use my prepared passion fruit syrup rather than Alize. And Peychauds goes nicely too.
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Nov 9, 2022 14:10
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Grand Fromage posted:If you want to learn sake there are some good books. I've read all these and would recommend: Thanks for these recs! I've been meaning to learn more about sake (I know 101-level stuff, but any knowledge that makes it easier to find funkier stuff beyond just looking for "kimoto" or "yamahai" on the label is useful).
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Nov 9, 2022 16:00
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Kenning posted:My man, you just reminded me to pick up some cassis and drink kirs for a few weeks. Kir is my apéro of choice in non-summer months (summer is for pastis)
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Nov 9, 2022 16:39
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Grand Fromage posted:No. What do you want to know? Hiyaoroshis are only lightly pasteurized once, fresh sakes released in fall, so keep it in the fridge. Junmai means it's made only with rice fermentation, no added alcohol (this does not necessarily mean better). Ginjo is the grade. A ginjo is likely to be on the fruity side, and since it's a hiyaoroshi it's going to be fairly strong. Generally ginjos should be served chilled. I like hiyaoroshis quite a bit, you can only get them at this time of year. Namazume also means fresh, indicating it's not fully pasteurized--kind of redundant with hiyaoroshi. Jozen is the brewery. Thanks! This is the type of stuff I was looking for. I don't have an intro to sake at the moment so the books will be a great start.
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Nov 9, 2022 18:02
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Just made a big batch of Alton Brown's aged eggnog recipe. I used Hennessy, Maker's, and split the rum between Gosling's black rum and a smaller proportion of Smith & Cross. I would've preferred Hamilton or a mix with Plantation dark, but my local liquor store had a really abysmal rum selection this time so I did my best.
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Nov 9, 2022 18:15
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Ive been making the old chowhound eggnog recipe for nearly 10 years now, usually experimenting with a batch each year. The single biggest factor always comes down to the bourbon used, for me at least.
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Nov 9, 2022 19:51
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When you store the eggnog, do you just saran wrap the top of a glass container?
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Nov 9, 2022 20:02
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I always used growlers
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Nov 9, 2022 20:08
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BaseballPCHiker posted:The single biggest factor always comes down to the bourbon used, for me at least. I personally think the biggest factor is process related, not ingredient dependent. You gotta cook your nog. Uncooked is good, but really suffers from not having any strong custard flavor. Egg nog really is just a loose custard and the only way to generate that flavor is through heating eggs. Take it only up to 160°F, slowly, and then fine strain and you will have the creamiest and tastiest nog. Sous vide is the easiest way to do this without overshooting the temp and having to constantly whisk for long periods of time.
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Nov 9, 2022 20:16
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Pander posted:When you store the eggnog, do you just saran wrap the top of a glass container? I just store mine in the fridge in old liquor bottles and shake up about once a week. tonedef131 posted:I personally think the biggest factor is process related, not ingredient dependent. You gotta cook your nog. Uncooked is good, but really suffers from not having any strong custard flavor. Egg nog really is just a loose custard and the only way to generate that flavor is through heating eggs. Take it only up to 160°F, slowly, and then fine strain and you will have the creamiest and tastiest nog. Sous vide is the easiest way to do this without overshooting the temp and having to constantly whisk for long periods of time. Now this is news to me. You cook yours!?!?! Like the whole mixture and then you age? Or you just cook the eggs before dumping into the booze?
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Nov 9, 2022 21:02
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BaseballPCHiker posted:Now this is news to me. You cook yours!?!?! Like the whole mixture and then you age? Or you just cook the eggs before dumping into the booze?
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Nov 9, 2022 22:29
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Comb Your Beard posted:Yeah we need a trip report. I did two different tests. The rum ration was half a pint per man per day, diluted into 1 quart of water. This is a 1:4 ratio with 57% ABV rum, with the ration divided into late morning and early evening (about 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM) portions. An imperial pint is 20 oz. rather than 16, and something like the Townsends pint cup based on the period mugs will perfectly suit your half portion. I tested both drinking the entire ration steadily as my main fluid source over the day, and having one mug in the morning and one in the evening and not drinking at all except plain water between them. The former gets you steadily more drunk throughout the day until you're trashed. The latter, which is apparently how it was intended to be done, gave you a pleasant mild drunkenness that would wear off and not leave you stumbling overboard by dinner. You also really want to use the funky rums like Smith & Cross. That flavor still comes through when diluted so much.
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Nov 9, 2022 23:44
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obi_ant posted:Thanks! This is the type of stuff I was looking for. I don't have an intro to sake at the moment so the books will be a great start. No prob. When I try a new sake I like to do different temperatures, even though a ginjo is generally intended to be served chilled that might not be the way you like it. I try to do any new bottle at fridge temp, slight chill, room temp, and warmed (about 40-50 C--some sakes are good even hotter than this but generally something like a ginjo is going to lose everything if it's too hot). If you don't have a good way to warm it, you can just microwave it in a mug. It seems like sacrilege but it's fine. If you can't bring yourself to do that then boil a saucepot of water and stick the mug in there until it's heated up.
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Nov 10, 2022 01:29
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