The Cocktail Thread: Help, I Bought Grappa

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Goons with Spoons > The Cocktail Thread: Help, I Bought Grappa

goferchan: Feb 8, 2004; It's 2006. I am taking 276 yeti furs from the goodies hoard.

tonedef131 posted:

I was looking at this one.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MO4YYKW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=YRFGCEF0ASJ5&coliid=I2YAFP6Z03MJ12

gently caress don't make me buy a centrifuge

# ? Mar 1, 2016 20:05

Adbot: ADBOT LOVES YOU

# ? Jun 8, 2024 21:52

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

Halloween Jack posted:

So what kind of cocktails can I make with blood? I assume I'll need Carpano Antica.

It wasn't a cocktail, it was for cooking. There was an episode of Hannibal on TV where he talked about centrifugating blood and using the plasma as a sweet sauce over tomatoes. Jose Andr�s was the food consultant on the show, but none of his cookbooks has any mention of cooking with blood. The only information I could find was that he gave a lecture where he hinted that he knew a lot about the culinary applications of blood, but since he's holding all this info close to his vest I decided to get a centrifuge and try centrifugating blood for myself to see if I could unlock his secrets. Unfortunately the blood I tried wouldn't separate. The butcher shop that supplied the blood for me said they didn't add any anti-coagulants, but who knows, maybe they did and the guy who talked to me on the phone didn't know what he was talking about. I asked Dave Arnold about it but it made him scratch his head too. The only solution I can think of is buying a $4000 centrifuge with way more g-force, or waiting for the centrifuge kickstarter that Dave keeps hinting about. So, for a while the centrifuge sat in storage until I recently got Liquid Intelligence and decided to try out some cocktails.

If I were going to play around with plasma in cocktails: supposedly plasma carries your blood sugars so it is sweet to the taste. It might be worth investigating whether it could be used as a sweetener in a savory cocktail (pasteurized first, of course). I dunno, maybe a bloody bloody mary.

Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 23:59 on Mar 1, 2016

# ? Mar 1, 2016 23:55

The Hebug: May 24, 2004; I am a bug...

Steve Yun posted:

It wasn't a cocktail, it was for cooking. There was an episode of Hannibal on TV where he talked about centrifugating blood and using the plasma as a sweet sauce over tomatoes. Jose Andr�s was the food consultant on the show, but none of his cookbooks has any mention of cooking with blood. The only information I could find was that he gave a lecture where he hinted that he knew a lot about the culinary applications of blood, but since he's holding all this info close to his vest I decided to get a centrifuge and try centrifugating blood for myself to see if I could unlock his secrets. Unfortunately the blood I tried wouldn't separate. The butcher shop that supplied the blood for me said they didn't add any anti-coagulants, but who knows, maybe they did and the guy who talked to me on the phone didn't know what he was talking about. I asked Dave Arnold about it but it made him scratch his head too. The only solution I can think of is buying a $4000 centrifuge with way more g-force, or waiting for the centrifuge kickstarter that Dave keeps hinting about. So, for a while the centrifuge sat in storage until I recently got Liquid Intelligence and decided to try out some cocktails.

If I were going to play around with plasma in cocktails: supposedly plasma carries your blood sugars so it is sweet to the taste. It might be worth investigating whether it could be used as a sweetener in a savory cocktail (pasteurized first, of course). I dunno, maybe a bloody bloody mary.

As weird and gross as this sounds, I think you have it backwards. If the blood is allowed to coagulate, I don't think you aren't going to be able to separate out the red cells. When you collect human blood or animal blood for medical/research use, it is usually kept from clotting with heparin, which binds up the Ca2+ that the clotting factors require. I think you can also accomplish this with EDTA, but that's just a vague recollection. If it's unclotted blood, a quick google leads me to believe 200g or above should be sufficient. Basically I think you're probably starting with poor quality blood that has either clotted or lysed, so you can't achieve separation. You'll need it either fresher or with anticoagulant.

# ? Mar 2, 2016 01:52

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

Thanks for the info, that's the best lead I've had in over a year

# ? Mar 2, 2016 03:07

Halloween Jack: Sep 12, 2003; I WILL CUT OFF BOTH OF MY ARMS BEFORE I VOTE FOR ANYONE THAT IS MORE POPULAR THAN BERNIE!!!!!

Steve Yun posted:

It wasn't a cocktail, it was for cooking. There was an episode of Hannibal on TV where he talked about centrifugating blood and using the plasma as a sweet sauce over tomatoes.

Oh Christ, the mere thought of that makes me gag. Why would you waste perfectly good blood on tomatoes?

# ? Mar 2, 2016 03:37

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

... says the guy named Halloween Jack! :downsrim:

*****

Okay so my friend is throwing a party in two weeks and asked if I could do cocktails since she saw me posting some photos of cocktails I made. I've never bartended before. It's going to be about 35 people in an apartment. She'll pay for all the ingredients.

I was thinking of doing mostly pre-batched drinks and a few for show:
- Banana rum justino (fruit blended in liquor, then centrifugated) - can be pre-batched
- Some other fruit/liquor justino - can be pre-batched
- Manhattans - can be pre-batched
- Gin and tonics - can be partially pre-batched
- Tea Time (Carbonated milk-washed vodka Arnold Palmer) - can be pre-batched
- Rum martinez - this one's for show
- Old fashioned/Kentucky mule yes/no?
- Some carbonated centrifugated juices for the non-drinkers

I also want to do a couple red hot poker drinks, but that might be too dangerous in a crowded apartment...

I'm thinking of putting these on a menu to steer people towards ordering these things since I don't know poo poo about bartending in general.

Any advice for someone who has never done this before?

Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 03:58 on Mar 2, 2016

# ? Mar 2, 2016 03:54

Waci: May 30, 2011; A boy and his dog.

Why would you put blood on tomatoes instead of using it for something sensible like pancakes?

# ? Mar 2, 2016 08:06

The Maestro: Feb 21, 2006

Sweet Custom Van posted:

My husband's 35th birthday is coming up and he wants to try a flight of tequilas. I'd like to pick up six small (750 mL) bottles so he hand his friends can have a bit on the rocks each. He's currently into aged tequilas but the last one he tried was aged in bourbon casks and he can't stand bourbon, so I'd need to steer clear of anything along those lines. A new or "middle-aged" (I don't know tequila terms) to throw into the mix would be nice for contrast. Currently, his favorite is the aged Herradura, and my price range is roughly $30-$40 a bottle. Suggestions? I already know to stay away from Tito's.

Tequila is a weak spot of mine, but I really like Fortaleza reposado (reposados are the "middle-aged," spending from 1-11 months in oak) and Tequila #2 (which is the repo of the lineup Tequila 123). Both are 40-50 though, I believe. I also like Tequila #1, which is the blanco and will be 30-40. Haven't tried Fortaleza Blanco and but I imagine it's good.

# ? Mar 2, 2016 08:28

bunnyofdoom: Mar 29, 2008; [b]BUNNIES ARE CUTE BUT DEADLY/b]

Waci posted:

Why would you put blood on tomatoes instead of using it for something sensible like pancakes?

Tomatoes and pancakes sounds terrible

# ? Mar 2, 2016 16:56

tonedef131: Sep 3, 2003

Steve Yun posted:

the centrifuge kickstarter that Dave keeps hinting about.

As in the Booker and Dax searzall follow up project? That may be worth waiting for.

Steve Yun posted:

Gin and tonics - can be partially pre-batched

Not sure if you're set up for carbonation but I've been entirely pre-batching these for years. I always delabel and keep those little 6.5oz clear glass bottles with pry off caps that tonic and soda water come in. Then dump a gallon of gin into a corny keg and 3 gallons of tonic (or whatever ratio you prefer). The large soda stream concentrates make exactly 3 gallons, so I usually just dump one of those in with 3 gallons of RO water. Fully carbonate in the keg, then counter-pressure fill the bottles and cap. These can be left on the bar in a pail of ice with a bottle opener and tray of sliced up limes next to them, so if you have to step away for a while there is still something ready to serve. People absolutely love these because people love drinking out of bottles and you can stick the lime wedge right in the neck alla lovely mexican beer so it washed over it with every gulp. You can decant over ice if preferred, which is obviously the proper way to consume them, but the novelty of bottled G & T usually wins peoples hearts and gets them completely shellacked.

# ? Mar 2, 2016 18:23

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

I'm going to carbonate most of the gin & tonic, and add centrifuge clarified lime juice just before serving

# ? Mar 2, 2016 20:39

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

tonedef131 posted:

As in the Booker and Dax searzall follow up project? That may be worth waiting for.

Yeah, so far all the tidbits that he's given is "under $1000" and a swing bucket rotor that might not need to be balanced? They were originally going to come out with it Christmas 2015 but I guess they found some issues with the early test models and are making adjustments.

# ? Mar 2, 2016 21:23

silvergoose: Mar 18, 2006; IT IS SAID THE TEARS OF THE BWEENIX CAN HEAL ALL WOUNDS

Well, trying some campari on the rocks for the first time and yuuuup that's pretty bitter. Definitely a good mouthfeel, though, orangey and just a little sweet.

Definitely looking forward to making negronis with this. I'll try both my nice gin and my kirkland gin and report back when I do. :3:

...huh, it got noticeably more palatable once the ice melted a little.

silvergoose fucked around with this message at 02:01 on Mar 3, 2016

# ? Mar 3, 2016 01:42

syntaxfunction: Oct 27, 2010

I love Campari with a splash of soda. It's funy, I really hated Campari when I first had it. I've since gone through about three bottles of the stuff.

If you want something not as biter go for some Aperol. It was a winner for my friends who can't stand Campari.

# ? Mar 3, 2016 02:35

silvergoose: Mar 18, 2006; IT IS SAID THE TEARS OF THE BWEENIX CAN HEAL ALL WOUNDS

syntaxfunction posted:

I love Campari with a splash of soda. It's funy, I really hated Campari when I first had it. I've since gone through about three bottles of the stuff.

If you want something not as biter go for some Aperol. It was a winner for my friends who can't stand Campari.

Naw, I'm fine with it, I thought the feel was really cool and can't wait to try it in drinks. Should probably get some soda too, for when I feel like Campari but don't feel like gin.

# ? Mar 3, 2016 02:37

Kenning: Jan 11, 2009; I really want to post goatse. Instead I only have these🍄.

Steve Yun posted:

... says the guy named Halloween Jack!

*****

Okay so my friend is throwing a party in two weeks and asked if I could do cocktails since she saw me posting some photos of cocktails I made. I've never bartended before. It's going to be about 35 people in an apartment. She'll pay for all the ingredients.

I was thinking of doing mostly pre-batched drinks and a few for show:
- Banana rum justino (fruit blended in liquor, then centrifugated) - can be pre-batched
- Some other fruit/liquor justino - can be pre-batched
- Manhattans - can be pre-batched
- Gin and tonics - can be partially pre-batched
- Tea Time (Carbonated milk-washed vodka Arnold Palmer) - can be pre-batched
- Rum martinez - this one's for show
- Old fashioned/Kentucky mule yes/no?
- Some carbonated centrifugated juices for the non-drinkers

I also want to do a couple red hot poker drinks, but that might be too dangerous in a crowded apartment...

I'm thinking of putting these on a menu to steer people towards ordering these things since I don't know poo poo about bartending in general.

Any advice for someone who has never done this before?

I actually wrote up a guide about how to do this several years ago when I was making drinks for parties in college. I'll post the whole thing tomorrow if I remember, but here are some basics:

1) Set up near a sink.
2) prepare your juice and syrups in advance. You don't wanna be cutting citrus and measuring out sugar on the spot.
3) Make sure you have at least two, ideally three sets of mixing glasses/shakers, as well as spare jiggers and spoons.
4) 35 people is a lot. I highly recommend trying to find someone to barback for you: replace ingredients, wash equipment, keep track of bottles, etc.
5) Work slowly, close your bottles properly and keep them ordered. You don't wanna lose stuff in the middle of the night.
6) make drinks in batches of 2 or 3. Especially at the beginning of the night, announce which cocktails you're making and let people sign up for one, rather than having them order off a menu. Making 3 Manhattans takes the same amount of time as making one, but a Manhattan, a G&T, and a Margarita will take forever (relatively speaking).
7) Get 3 times as much ice as you can imagine needing. Ice is cheap and running out is a disaster.
8) Take time to make yourself a drink. Something long and stiff is best. Don't get caught making drinks for 2 hours and winding up thirsty.
9) I recommend having a batch of Limmer's ready to put out once you've made 2 rounds. That way you can take a break, have some fun, and people will still have drinks.

Let me know if you have any more questions, I've done this at parties a number of times. It's fun but quite tiring.

# ? Mar 3, 2016 09:10

goferchan: Feb 8, 2004; It's 2006. I am taking 276 yeti furs from the goodies hoard.

silvergoose posted:

Naw, I'm fine with it, I thought the feel was really cool and can't wait to try it in drinks. Should probably get some soda too, for when I feel like Campari but don't feel like gin.

Negronis are nice but Campari and soda is my ideal go-to drink. Flame an orange peel or throw a dash of bitters on that sucker if you're feeling fancy but either way it's gonna be very nice and easy-drinking

# ? Mar 3, 2016 09:16

Fart Car '97: Jul 23, 2003

Steve Yun posted:

... says the guy named Halloween Jack!

*****

Okay so my friend is throwing a party in two weeks and asked if I could do cocktails since she saw me posting some photos of cocktails I made. I've never bartended before. It's going to be about 35 people in an apartment. She'll pay for all the ingredients.

I was thinking of doing mostly pre-batched drinks and a few for show:
- Banana rum justino (fruit blended in liquor, then centrifugated) - can be pre-batched
- Some other fruit/liquor justino - can be pre-batched
- Manhattans - can be pre-batched
- Gin and tonics - can be partially pre-batched
- Tea Time (Carbonated milk-washed vodka Arnold Palmer) - can be pre-batched
- Rum martinez - this one's for show
- Old fashioned/Kentucky mule yes/no?
- Some carbonated centrifugated juices for the non-drinkers

I also want to do a couple red hot poker drinks, but that might be too dangerous in a crowded apartment...

I'm thinking of putting these on a menu to steer people towards ordering these things since I don't know poo poo about bartending in general.

Any advice for someone who has never done this before?

I think you're severely underestimating how much work this is going to be and you should simplify your menu to 3-4 items with only one not prebatched, because with what you've got there and the fact that you've never bartended before as it stands I just imagine a lot of people standing around waiting for you to Get to them

# ? Mar 3, 2016 10:32

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

On average, how many drinks do you think an average person is going to drink in a night? I can kind of figure out how much to pre-batch if I can get a rough estimate of how many servings to make per person

Should I roughly estimate 4oz per drink?

Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 11:36 on Mar 3, 2016

# ? Mar 3, 2016 11:15

Kenning: Jan 11, 2009; I really want to post goatse. Instead I only have these🍄.

For a mixed group of people that are drinkers you can assume 3 drinks per person on average. Mitigating factors (weekday party, older people, work-related) will knock it down to two per.

The ounces per drink depends on the drink. A Tiki punch is always higher in volume than an Old Fashioned. Calculate the pour size of your various drinks and write it on the bottles if you wanna batch stuff.

Incidentally, this is why I started making punch instead.

# ? Mar 3, 2016 18:32

goferchan: Feb 8, 2004; It's 2006. I am taking 276 yeti furs from the goodies hoard.

Fart Car '97 posted:

I think you're severely underestimating how much work this is going to be and you should simplify your menu to 3-4 items with only one not prebatched, because with what you've got there and the fact that you've never bartended before as it stands I just imagine a lot of people standing around waiting for you to Get to them

Yeah even with access to like an actual bar and commercial juicing equipment/kitchen stuff I would be extremely overwhelmed trying to throw together a menu of that scale all by myself, let alone in someone's apartment. Pick like 2 punches and one special cocktail and that'll be plenty for 35 people.

# ? Mar 3, 2016 19:42

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

Well most of the prebatch stuff will literally be "pull jar out of ice chest, pour into glass with a big ice cube, serve." That should be fine, right?

# ? Mar 3, 2016 20:33

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

Kenning if you have that guide I'd love to read it!

# ? Mar 3, 2016 21:04

Steve Yun: Aug 7, 2003; I'm a parasitic landlord that needs to get a job instead of stealing worker's money. Make sure to remind me when I post.; Soiled Meat

Okay it sounds like it's going to be 40 people, maybe more.

I'm going to simplify it down to a lot fewer drinks, maybe 4-5, all pre-made except for one. The host said that making fewer drinks will give a chance for everyone to try each drink once, which is a good point.

Steve Yun fucked around with this message at 01:24 on Mar 4, 2016

# ? Mar 4, 2016 01:19

Fart Car '97: Jul 23, 2003

Steve Yun posted:

Well most of the prebatch stuff will literally be "pull jar out of ice chest, pour into glass with a big ice cube, serve." That should be fine, right?

What's the fun in that though? Even prebatched stuff should involve a shake or stir if only for showmanship's sake. They're hiring a bartender. People will appreciate it a lot more if you have a deceptively simple menu but it 'feels' like having a bartender (deceptively being the operative word).

What we're trying to impress upon you is that the challenge isn't the act of making the drinks, the challenge is keeping the logistics running smoothly. It's keeping everything organized, stocked, cleaned, and ready for the next drink while ALSO making drinks (and being spocial) that makes bartending hard.

# ? Mar 4, 2016 03:25

Kenning: Jan 11, 2009; I really want to post goatse. Instead I only have these🍄.

Steve Yun posted:

Kenning if you have that guide I'd love to read it!

Let's see if I can make the formatting work...

quote:

How to Mix Drinks
For a DPhiE Party

It's pretty simple to make excellent drinks for a party of 20-60 people. This guide will describe the equipment, ingredients, and skills necessary to run drinks for a top-notch party.

General Principles

� Buy mid-shelf liquor. A fifth should cost somewhere between 15 and 25 dollars.
� Use fresh citrus. Bottled lemon/lime juice is most foul.
� Assume 3 standard drinks per person, 4 if it looks like a long party, though that's a lot.
� Assume 0.6 oz. of ethanol per standard drink. 750 ml ≈ 25 oz., 1.75 L ≈ 60 oz.
     - Use this formula: 25 (or 60) � 0.%ABV � 0.6 to determine drinks/bottle
     - Thus a 1.75 l (60 oz) bottle of 80 proof (40%) spirits yields 40 drinks (60 � 0.4 � 0.6)
� You need more ice than you think.
� Always shake vigorously. Don't hold back.
� Use clear plastic rather than red cups if at all possible.
� Know who you're serving. Most people don't know what they'll like � know for them.

Cocktails vs. Punch

The first step in party planning is deciding whether to serve cocktails or punch. Though either choice will yield delicious potations, the preparation, work, and effect on the party will be different.

Cocktail mixing is very impressive. People love seeing someone shake up drinks, and it's pretty easy to offer a nice selection. However, offering cocktails means you'll be working pretty much throughout the party. This can be fun, but also tiring. Also, a cocktail-based party tends to leave behind at least a bit of leftover liquor. One person can make cocktails for 20 people pretty easily. A 25 to 40 person party really needs 2 people on the shaker. More than 50 people and you'll probably want 2 people mixing and one barbacking (i.e. fetching ice, tossing spent lemons/limes, delivering drinks, etc.).

Punch parties are much easier to manage. For smaller parties, there will be no need to do anything once the party starts. Bigger parties might require the bowl be refilled once or twice, which is pretty easy to do, even for those who have drunk deeply of the flowing bowl. The pre-party prep work for punch can be extensive, and may occasionally take several hours, depending on the size of the party and the number of people helping. Punch, being often light and sweet, can be more broadly appealing than cocktails, though a punch party will only be able to serve at most 3 sorts of punch, usually just 1 or 2. Punch leftovers are more easily managed than cocktail leftovers, and post-party cleanup is easier.

Beyond all of this, cocktail-based parties behave differently than punch-based parties. Cocktails are strong � people either down them quickly and are quickly felled, or sip them for a while. In any case, it's simple to track how much you've had. Punch is easy to quaff and light in alcohol, and the cups will be ladled forth over and over � the slide into intoxication is more gradual, and potentially more devastating (and more fun!). With cocktails people are being served, with punch they are serving themselves. On the one hand, sophistication, on the other, bonhomie � though at a certain point every party winds up in bonhomie. Punch presupposes a somewhat more protracted time spent at leisure, while cocktails can be whipped up even for brief gatherings. These are just a few things to consider when choosing the one over the other.

Cocktail Planning

When you serve cocktails, you must plan your menu. Basically there are a few modules that can be mixed and matched to produce certain cocktails while remaining within a basic price range. Parentheses indicate optional ingredients/cocktails. They are as follows:

1. Gin module
      � Requires London Dry gin, dry vermouth, tonic water, limes.
      � Produces Martinis, Gimlets, Gin and Tonics, John Collinses.

2. Whiskey module
      � Requires bourbon/rye, sweet vermouth, lemons, (mint).
      � Produces Manhattans, Whiskey Sours, Old Fashioneds, (Mint Juleps).

3. White rum module
      � Requires white rum, Coke, limes, orgeat, (mint).
      � Produces Daiquiris, Cuba Libres, Mai-Daiquiris, (Mojitos).

These three modules are probably the ideal combination of cost, variety, and appeal. There are others, however, that can be subbed in and out or added as appropriate.

4. Dark rum modules
      � Requires Cruzan Black Strap rum, ginger beer, limes.
      � Produces Dark and Stormies, better Cuba Libres.

5. Applejack module
      � Requires Laird's applejack or bonded apple brandy, grenadine, lemons.
      � Produces Jack Roses, Applejack Old Fashioneds.

6. Tequila module
      � Requires blanco/reposado tequila, Cointreau, limes, kosher salt.
      � Produces Margaritas.

7. Brandy module
      � Requires VS cognac or nice California brandy, orgeat, Cointreau, lemons
      � Produces Japanese Cocktails, Sidecars, Brandy Old Fashioneds.

As you can see, these modules produce fewer different drinks each, meaning they are in some respects less useful. However, Dark and Stormies, Jack Roses, and Margaritas are all so popular that choosing to add one of these modules won't be a bad choice in any respect. Two final modules includes all the ingredients that will be necessary for any arrangement of cocktail service, and the gear needed to make them.

8. Background module
      � Requires 1:1 simple syrup*, ice, soda water, orange/Angostura bitters.
      � Produces Everything.

9. Gear module
      � Requires shaker set, barspoon, jiggers, knife, cutting board, juicer, straws, muddler
      � Produces Well you know what.

*Simple syrup is simply a mix of sugar and water. To prepare, mix the two ingredients in your desired proportions in a small sauce pan over low heat until combined. If you're doing 1:1 water:sugar, you can also just put them both in a jar and shake to combine.

When using recipes, most that call for syrup assume a 1:1 mixture. If the recipe is using table sugar, use 1.5 times the volume (so 1 tsp sugar = 1.5 tsp 1:1 simple).

**Addendum** Now, almost 6 years later, I can say that I favor 2:1 turbinado sugar in every case. 2:1 syrup can be used in equal volume to table sugar. It's nice to get a small squeeze bottle to dispense it with.

Cocktail Serving

Being that cocktails are made-to-order, you need to stay organized for a party so that people don't have to wait too long for their drinks. The following step-by-step guide will take you through setup, service, and cleanup.

1. Find a location.
      � Always and only set up near a working, empty sink. You'll need to wash stuff.

2. Set out your stuff.
      � Make sure everything's near at hand.
      � Make room for the citrus, and find a waste container for the spent halves.
      � Make sure you have a plan for the ice � be near a freezer, or find an ice container.

3. Either start taking orders, or announce the first drink.
      � This depends on how big the party is, and how thirsty the guests are.
      � Usually 3 drinks can fit in a shaker at once � make them 3 at a time.
      � Feel free to conscript someone to deliver drinks if the party's jumpin' and people wander.
      � "Next up is Daiquiris, who wants in?" is perfectly reasonable.
      � As is, "Lorenz is having a Manhattan, anyone else want one?"

4. Don't forget to have one or two yourself.
      � Otherwise you'll eventually play catch-up, and that's a problem.
      � Gin and tonics and other long drinks are perfect for this.

5. Keep your stuff in order.
      � Keep bottles capped, and pause periodically to re-arrange if possible.
      � Don't let anyone take bottles away from the mixing area.

6. Start clean-up when the party starts winding down.
      � Find all the bottle caps you've lost, throw away your used citrus.
      � Put things in order so they'll be easy to pack up in the morning.
      � At this point you can start doing drinks one at a time.

7. If a bottle is nearing empty, try and finish it.
      � A little extra gin in a G&T never hurt anybody.
      � Neither did a little less.

8. Leave it for the morning.
      � You're probably tired and/or tipsy.
      � Go to sleep.

This basic checklist will probably be sufficient to guide you through your average cocktail party. Circumstances, of course, vary, so be prepared to improvise.

Punch Planning

A cocktail party can be conceived, planned, and executed all in an afternoon. Punch, on the other hand, requires at least a day or two. For a big party, you may need as much as a week to get your ice in order, and an entire evening to prepare your stock. Here's the way it goes.

1. Conception.
      � Countdown to party: 3-7 days.
      � Punch recipe/s chosen.
      � Ice freezing* begun.

2. Acquisition.
      � Countdown to party: 1-3 days.
      � Purchase citrus, alcohol, sugars, and miscellaneous ingredients.
      � Make sure bowls and such are in order.

3. Preparation.
      � Countdown to party: 4 to 24 hours.
      � Recruit people to help.
      � Prepare punch; alternatively, prepare stock.
      � Refrigerate until party.

4. Takeoff.
      � Countdown to party: minutes.
      � Set out punchbowl/s somewhere safe and stable.
      � Pour punch into bowls; alternatively, mix stock with water/soda/champagne.
      � Stir, add nutmeg if appropriate, taste, and adjust if necessary.
      � Slip in ice block, let sit for a minute or two. **UPDATE** More like 10 minutes ideally.

5. Party.
      � Ladle forth small-ish portions, between 2 and 4 ounces.
      � Re-fill bowl once empty, if needs be.
      � Quaff the nectar cup.

6. Post-party.
      � Don't handle the punch bowls until the morning.
      � Seriously, clean-up is easy and if you're drunk you'll break something.

*Ice blocks are easy to prepare, and are ideal for lengthy parties. Find a plastic or metal bowl (metal is ideal) between 1 and 2 quarts in size, fill with water, and keep in freezer overnight or for 24 hours, depending on size. To remove, turn bowl upside down in sink and run hot water over the back. Return ice block to the freezer, and repeat as necessary. If the bowl will not be re-filled, one block will suffice. Otherwise, plan for a new block for every two refills or so.

Punch Prep

Preparing punch requires quite a bit of forethought. Firstly, punch proportions are sort of big and unwieldy, and recipes must be adapted to the situation. Secondly, the volumes in question can be quite large, which can require some juggling of containers. Finally, it just takes a long goddamn time, especially if you have to juice 60 lemons. Also some steps in punchmaking require you to sit and wait. Let the following be a guide to you.

1. Assemble ingredients.
      � Check and doublecheck you have everything.
      � Make sure you have containers.
      � Tip: buy cheap 1-gallon water containers from Walgreens/CVS.
      � You can use the water for syrups/shrubs, and the empty container is big.

2. Prep any ingredients that will need to cool.
      � If you're using a funky block sugar like jaggery, make it into a syrup.
      � Note that 1 part sugar plus 1 part water yields 1.5 parts syrup.
      � Also note, 1 oz. sugar by weight is essentially the same as 1 oz. by volume.
      � This is also the time to make your tea.
      � Remember that unrefined sugars often need to be fine-strained before use.

3. Prepare the oleo-saccharum.
      � This is when you muddle citrus peels in sugar to get the oils.
      � It is explained in greater detail elsewhere, and in Wondrich's Punch.
      � Trim as much of the white pith as you can, but don't stress.
      � Let it sit for 30-60 minutes, then muddle again to combine. **UPDATE** Let it sit for several hours if possible.

4. Juice your citrus.
      � This is the worst, try and get someone to help.
      � Don't forget to double-strain � once with large mesh, once with fine.
      � If applicable, after this make the shrub (juice+sugar), depending on the recipe.

5. Assemble the stock.
      � "Stock" refers to everything except water/soda/champagne.
      � This step often requires some pot/jug juggling.
      � You can stop here and finish the punch on the day of the party.
      � Stock keeps longer in the fridge than properly diluted punch.

6. Add water to the punch.
      � This can be done in advance, or at the party, as above.
      � Do not add soda or champagne until you're actually at the party, for obvious reasons.

7. Refrigerate.
      � Good luck finding space.

Concluding Remarks

Hopefully this document provides a clear path to great drinking. Use it as a guide, and expand/alter it in practice as you see fit.

I designed this as a guide for people in my professional foreign service fraternity, but frankly throwing a good party is pretty much the same no matter who you are. I'm honestly surprised by how little my understanding of party-throwing and drinks-making has changed. The system works!

Kenning fucked around with this message at 08:38 on Sep 30, 2016

# ? Mar 4, 2016 08:07

goferchan: Feb 8, 2004; It's 2006. I am taking 276 yeti furs from the goodies hoard.

ABC finally got some Cherry Heering in stock after I pestered them for months. I just wanted to make Blood & Sands but anything else cool I should play around with?

edit: and now it's time to play the same game again and bug them for Rothman Apricot

# ? Mar 4, 2016 23:25

The Maestro: Feb 21, 2006

goferchan posted:

ABC finally got some Cherry Heering in stock after I pestered them for months. I just wanted to make Blood & Sands but anything else cool I should play around with?

edit: and now it's time to play the same game again and bug them for Rothman Apricot

I made a Remember the Maine the other night. I think it's out of the PDT book. 2 oz rye, .75 oz carpano, .5 oz heering, barspoon absinthe, couple dashes peychauds, stir, lemon twist. Fruity with a chocolaty finish.

# ? Mar 5, 2016 08:36

WaffleZombie: May 10, 2003; "Identity Crisis" Murderer Wild Guess #333:Prince "Lady Killer Charming "Well, I AM the Adversa"

syntaxfunction posted:

Aside from Aviations what are some good simple cocktails that call for Maraschino? I have a full bottle and although I don't hate it I'm not super fond of it right now either. Any good ones to ease me into it? Going straight up for it on the rocks or neat isn't going to do it for me.

Also loving the Campari. I'm almost out of my bottle although I have been having it with ice.

I got some Maraschino recently, and I was excited to find this cocktail: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016392-the-catcher.
3 ounces rye whiskey
1 ounce maraschino liqueur
1 � ounces lime juice
1 ounce simple syrup
Dash grapefruit bitters
Lime wedges, for garnish

I enjoyed the mix pretty well, and I was excited to find a use for my grapefruit bittters. I do have a grapefruit itself at the moment for the express purpose of finally making a Papa Doble, hopefully later today.

# ? Mar 6, 2016 22:47

MAKE NO BABBYS: Jan 28, 2010

3oz rye and 1oz maraschino? Good loving lord.

# ? Mar 6, 2016 23:32

bloody ghost titty: Oct 23, 2008

If that's what's catching I shudder to see who's pitching.

# ? Mar 7, 2016 00:41

Totally Reasonable: Jan 8, 2008; aaag mirrors

Welp. All you fuckers finally made me get a centrifuge and like $130 of liquor for last words and special projects.

e: at least last words are worth it.

# ? Mar 8, 2016 04:05

Thoht: Aug 3, 2006

gently caress yeah they are.

# ? Mar 8, 2016 08:57

22 Eargesplitten: Oct 10, 2010

I know this is probably heresy, but I like aviations a lot better than last words. Last words are more bitter than I was imagining them.

# ? Mar 8, 2016 09:37

tynam: May 14, 2007

It's called a balanced drink you plebian.

No but really aviation's are amazing. Playing with different maraschino liqueurs and creme de violettes keeps it fresh too. You can also try a different brand of maraschino if the last word is too bitter. Luxardo will be drier than, say, Cristiani. Cristiani is much more cherry-like though, and cuts through a lot of the more subtle flavors in part.

# ? Mar 8, 2016 16:54

Halloween Jack: Sep 12, 2003; I WILL CUT OFF BOTH OF MY ARMS BEFORE I VOTE FOR ANYONE THAT IS MORE POPULAR THAN BERNIE!!!!!

I just got back from spending $450 to replenish my depleted liquor cabinet. First thing I made when I got back was Aviations with the last of my Cristiani maraschino. I got Lazzaroni this time, as I'm a big fan of their amaretto.

Sadly, they no longer carry Rothman & Winter, so my creme de violette will have to last awhile, and no apricot liqueur until I can find another source.

# ? Mar 8, 2016 17:03