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Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Koaxke posted:

What kind of vodka do people here like? My go to was always Tito's but the last time I went to the liquor store one of the employees said there were much better brands for the price, but can't remember what he told me.

Stick with Tito's.

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Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Made a ghost flower per recipe on https://ohsobeautifulpaper.com/2015/07/friday-happy-hour-the-ghost-flower-tiki-cocktail-recipe/

Didn't feel it was balanced. Too tart. If I make it again, I'm probably cutting 1/4oz like juice, at least. Still tasty, and flaming lime halves is always fun.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Wanted to try a final ward riff that subbed out maraschino and rye for benedictine and Applejack. Well, it's as much a modified monte cassino as it is a final ward. Ended up real drat good. Surprised at how many interesting layers work around each sip.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



I wouldn't use the syrup at all, Mr Black is already chocolateyish, creme de cacao emphasizes it, and the syrup just is too much.

I also don't like drinking straight milk, esp not 4 oz, but I guess you're specifically aiming for a milkshake vibe?

My own drink would be
1.5 oz Mr black
1 oz bourbon
1 oz half and half
.5 oz sweet vermouth (carpano antica)
.25 oz creme de cacao

But that's a dessert cocktail, not a milkshake. If I had to do milkshake:

3 oz milk
1.5 oz Mr black
.75 oz sweet.vermouth
.25 oz creme de cacao
.25 oz creme de.menthe
1 drop vanilla extract
Shake with ice, garnish with one more small drop of extract.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Professor Wayne posted:

I would add .25 Louisa's in there too. But maybe that's a regional liqueur.

I just found out about this. I can't wait to make some orange peels without fear of slicing a finger open: https://jeffreymorgenthaler.com/my-new-favorite-citrus-peeler/
Huh. I've never come close to slicing my fingers. Maybe it's technique? I have a specific way of peeling that just involves rotating the fruit slowly as the peeler is held stationary. No fingers get anywhere near the peeler.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



The Maestro posted:

It happens. Do it enough times, especially under pressure and maybe with wet hands. I’ve shaved off half my pinky nail, or slipped and cut a chunk out of a knuckle. Mind you I’ve made thousands of twists and those are the only 2 I can think of.

It’s especially daunting for people who have never done it. Just takes practice. I’m sure you’ve all cut yourself in dumb ways while chopping something.

Yeah, I only garnish for myself at home, so I take my time. If I had to actually produce a volume of twists I'd eventually get careless, like when I took the tip of a finger off with a mandolin on the very last cucumber out of like 50 prepping for a luncheon.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Friend gave me a bottle of hpnotiq. Tried it straight and didnt like it much, too tart and a bit "off". The tropical flavors came across to me as yuzu mostly.

Having a bottle of it and never desiring to waste anything, I decided to find a cocktail that would work with it. This is the result:

Hpnotiki
1.5 oz hpnotiq
1 oz white rum
0.5 oz cream of coconut
0.25 oz creme de banane (tempus fugit)
0.25 oz maraschino
2 dashes elemakule tiki bitters
Add ice and shake, double strain over fresh ice

This is a balanced dessert drink that lets the tropical flavors of the hpnotiq sing through while the cream of coconut mutes the overaggressive tartness. Easily my favorite "make this spirit I don't like work" creation.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Human Tornada posted:

You can't buy Laird's Applejack in Ohio anymore, I guess to push locally made Watershed Apple Brandy, which is nearly twice as much and the bottle isn't nearly as cool. Oh well!

Curiada available there?

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



I've tried paper planes like 3 different ways, with different bourbons (as well as once swapping nonino with Montenegro).

Every single time it comes across as one-note, just tart lemon. Do I need a stronger bourbon? I've tried larceny, Yellowstone, and longbranch.

I see such glowing reviews and it just doesn't hit anything for me, and I like all the ingredients individually.

Separately, trip report trying a Jane Russell: real drat good. Mole bitters are so magical.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Data Graham posted:

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?

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.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



When you store the eggnog, do you just saran wrap the top of a glass container?

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



A God drat Ghost posted:

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.

I just made Alton's aged recipe too. I kinda wish I split the rum a bit, went all S&C and that's all I got from the nose. Used old Grand-dad bottled in bond and Pierre ferrand 1840. Only get S&C. I'm sure I'd miss the other flavors if they weren't there, but I'm hoping it mellows as it ages. Got the main batch I'm saving for Xmas in a growler, and taking tastes from a mason jar of overflow periodically before then cause I'm impatient.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



adnam posted:

Instructions unclear just drank all the S&C. But just to be clear, do you not recommend using S&C completely for the Alton Brown and splitting 1:1 w/ a Plantation or milder dark rum? I 'm a big fan of S&C, fernet, mallort but unfortunately this will probably be a mass distributed nog to friend and family and most (from my experience) are not down with the heavy S&C funk flavors.
I love S+C but I'd still recommend 1:1 splitting it with something. Rhum agricole sounds like a neat idea. Could also see a straightforward rum like plantation 5.

And to be clear the nog is still delicious, and I have hopes for the aging, it just has been a little too one note because S+C is so dominant. Even if it doesn't mellow it's still super worth making. The growler in the fridge shall tempt me every day til Xmas.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Toebone posted:

Are angostura cocoa bitters a close enough replacement for Xocolatl Molé bitters, or is it worth picking up both?

Without having tried angostura's specifically I would posit no. Mole bitters have extra spices that cocoa wouldn't, especially cinnamon. I have scrappy's and I wouldn't swap 1:1.

If you only wanna get one, get the mole bitters.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Hpnotiq is a terrible liqueur that should not exist and yet it is ridiculously good as a mixer in tiki cocktails. Just going half and half with hpnotiq, Smith and cross, and then adding some bitters and cream of coconut makes for a ridiculously drinkable drink.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Snow Cone Capone posted:

My rum collection now comprises:
Smith & Cross
Doctor Bird
Denizen
El Dorado 12 Year
Barbancourt 5 Star
Plantation 5 Year

:getin:

Also is it bad that I tried Kraken and it's actually half-decent in certain cocktails?

Not at all. Part of the fun of mixology is that when you are aware of the properties of what you're working with you can make adjustments to turn stuff like kraken into team players.

It'd just probably make a lovely traditional daiquiri.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Milo and POTUS posted:

Didn't see a dedicated soft drink thread but this thread would likely know, has cock and bull been discontinued? It disappeared completely from my area a while ago and no place seems to stock it any more. I can occasionally find some online (no idea if backstock) but several of them won't deliver to florida and the rest are comically expensive (hence the wondering if it was why the price was so high). I only kinda liked it for cocktails, which it was just fine at, but honestly I could knock it back just by itself all day long in summer

Talking about ginger beer? I see it at local stores, normal prices.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Pander posted:

I just made Alton's aged recipe too. I kinda wish I split the rum a bit, went all S&C and that's all I got from the nose. Used old Grand-dad bottled in bond and Pierre ferrand 1840. Only get S&C. I'm sure I'd miss the other flavors if they weren't there, but I'm hoping it mellows as it ages. Got the main batch I'm saving for Xmas in a growler, and taking tastes from a mason jar of overflow periodically before then cause I'm impatient.

Wow, just busted it out for a quick taste and it has absolutely changed. The Smith and cross has been very muted, and now cognac jumps out with nutmeg. It's delightful. Still can't find the bourbon, but I'm sure it adds depth somehow.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Data Graham posted:

If it's a drink you serve to someone else I bet they'd never have any idea a lemon was involved.

Gonna have to agree to disagree there, sport.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Comb Your Beard posted:

Castelvetrano jar brine

No idea what this is but build a drink around it and call it the Simon Belmont.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



my kinda ape posted:

Is there a good like, bitters or something I can use to substitute expressing a lemon twist in a cocktail? I don’t have lemons on hand a lot of the time and even when I do it seems like a waste to peel one just for one or two cocktails if they don’t actually have lemon juice in them. Is there an oil I can put in an atomizer or a bitters I can use a drop or three of for the same effect?

Just get a few lemons every other week. They keep in the fridge fine for a few weeks. Juice or peel as needed, replace when they get splotchy or dry out. When I peel one, I tend to keep it in an airtight bag to preserve it better.

Same with oranges and limes. I always have 2-3 on hand, and more if I know I'll be mixing specific drinks that need more (multiple margaritas or daiquiris etc). Not worth going down a different road imo.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Grand Fromage posted:

Get into the orange level. In my experience oranges last a LOT longer in the fridge than lemons and limes. I have a couple in there I've had for like two months and they still look fine. Limes would be the apocalypse after that long.

I make sure to use a fresh-ish unpeeled orange for juice, no older than a couple weeks or you really don't get much quality juice. Especially important for like a Harvey Wallbanger, a garbage cocktail made with carton OJ and solid with freshly squeezed.

But an orange I'm just using for peels can last for a month pretty easily, no difference in quality. I just like to get em in an airtight bag when they're not in use to resist drying out.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Doing dry Jan so hard to remember my exact pattern, but I think it was 1 cocktail every other night, one or two on Friday, then 0-3 Sat and Sun depending on what activities we're going on. Sometimes hiking or driving so 0, sometimes it'd be experimentation day so 3.

Wife is more consistent, one cocktail a day, every day. Usually a rosemary gin old fashioned or the hazelnut cocktail I invented a while back (rye, aperol, maraschino, and hazelnut bitters).

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Snow Cone Capone posted:

well poo poo lol

I have 2-3 cocktails daily :smith:

I've had weeks like that to be sure.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Recently Greg from HTD did an episode with AI generated recipes. One seemed interesting, but I didn't have a good bourbon so I decided to just go heavy on rum and riff a little.

Rum, rum, rum, and rum
1/2 oz overproof (lemonhart)
3/4 oz light (probitas)
3/4 oz moderate (plantation 5 yr)
3/4 oz funky (Appleton 12 yr)
1/2 oz maple syrup (mines bourbon barrel aged)
1 dash ea. tiki, bokers, and orange bitters.
Rinse double rocks glass with absinthe, keep in freezer while mixing drink
Finish with orange twist.

I sub some different rums (except lemonhart) and it's always great.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



My shelf is in the "haven't restocked anything in quite a while" phase, which is making me get pretty creative. It's kinda fun to make a classic sazerac because you have some cognac left but no whiskey.

Downside is that if I keep this up I'll reach the homer Simpson stage of mixing a pie crust, chives, and tom Collins mix.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



I'm the weirdo that loves harvey wallbangers.

The caveat is that it *has* to be freshly squeezed OJ. There is no such thing as a good store-bought OJ.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Okay needed to restock my cabinet and my office recently gave me a huge gift card for total wine, so went shopping today. Trip report:

Redbreast Lustau edition: most viscous mouthfeel in an Irish whisky. Not much nose, but delightful finish. I can't imagine it'll work in any cocktail, amazing sipper.

Old Forester 1920: at 115 proof this is the best bourbon mixer I've tried in a while. Peanutty rocket fuel that still has enough nuance to make a perfect old fashioned or similar bourbon cocktail. Might try a final ward with it.

Novo Fogo: never tried cachaca before, always on my list. Crazy how different the nose and flavor diverge. Can't wait to make a caipirinha. Delightful.

Flor de cana 18 yr: I shouldn't have had it after the 1920. I couldnt taste any alcohol. It was like caramel water with some nice round edges. Another probably sipper with limited cocktail appeal, I think it'd be too delicate. Oh well. Maybe makes a nice rum old fashioned?

Fernet-Branca: another "always meant to try but never had" contestant, I was amazed by how much I liked it straight. Wife loved it too. We'd seen so many people hate on it on the YouTube cocktail shows that we expected it to be...more objectionable? Maybe more bitter than campari or something? It's pretty delightful!

Also reupped Appleton 12 yr, tempus fugit banane, rittenhouse, plantation 5 yr, old grandad, cocchi di Torino, grassotti dry vermouth, powers, beefeater, and maraschino. So...hopefully good for another 6 months right?

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



M&R made such a bad Manhattan I swore them off for a decade.

Carpano antica and (especially) cocchi have saved them for me.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



So, trying the 18 yr Flor de Cana, and I'm not sure there's a cocktail worth making with it vs sipping. Did anyone have any cocktail advice? I've tried a daiquiri and a rum old fashioned, and neither really elevated the base spirit.

Also, does anyone have advice on making a caipirinha? I tried the traditional way, with a quartered lime, two barspoons of superfine sugar, and 2 oz of Novo Fogo, and it ends up WAY too sour after shaking, even without muddling. Next one I make is just gonna be a dacquiri with cachaca if nobody can point out anything I'm doing wrong. I love the cachaca, but the two caipirinhas I've made have been too tart and pulpy. Not fun.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



I can't imagine 2oz of chartreuse. That seems far too decadent.

Data Graham posted:

Dunno if I'm doing caipirinhas wrong or not, but it's the way I like 'em, and it's the way I make 'em for people, so take with necessary salt:

I do as much as a full lime, eighthed, and muddle it hard with fine sugar in a glass until every bit of juice is squeezed out and as much pulp as possible has been loosened. Then I pack the glass with ice (small cubes best) and fill it about 2/3 up the height with cachaça (or pisco or rum or in better times, Chartreuse).

Take a bar spoon and stir gently, up-and-down, being careful not to get ice everywhere, to get the lime wedges floating and the ice cubes all mixed throughout.

End result (this is after drinking a bit):



Pulpy, tart, and easy drinkin'. Might not be your goal or reading of the spec, but to me it feels like what the drink and its ingredients want to be.
I am not gonna say you're wrong, I just don't want lime pulp in my drink, and the first one I made where I muddled the lime heavily was FAR more tart and unbalanced than when I just shook the lime quarters with ice.

Am I not doing enough sugar? Two level barspoons just seems insignificant in the face of one fully juice lime. I put limes peel side down and muddled, and the sugar got dissolved into the juice, but it still seemed unbalanced. I guess I could try more?

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



1/2 oz rich simple seems like a bit much for a drink with no acidity or amaros, no bitterness beyond a few dashes of peychauds, doesn't it?

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Kingston negroni. Easy drinker, complex, build in glass in like 30 seconds. Hard to beat.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



my kinda ape posted:

Seconding that this is very good!

I wanted to like it but it just tasted tart and nondescript. Is beefeater a bad gin to use for it?

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Pander posted:

I wanted to like it but it just tasted tart and nondescript. Is beefeater a bad gin to use for it?

I just re-read my question and the ghost flower recipe and may have realized my issue.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



I have two mesh strainers, and I find one is SIGNIFICANTLY better for filtering ice while still allowing the drink to flow. The other gets jammed with ice shards and kinda sucks. Not sure why, maybe size of the mesh holes is different, or form factor.

I wanna get one that looks more vertically conical, mine are kinda rounded and flat.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Snow Cone Capone posted:

Well, I've had several at this point so detailed reviews will be forthcoming, but the Lazzaroni is fuller and sweeter than disaronno, it's really delightful. The Luxardo is also delicious, but significantly more complex, reminding me that amaretto means "little Amaro" if that makes sense?

As far as straight rankings, Woodford Reserve > Elijah Craig >>> Basil Hayden (EC is one of my go-to's, I love it but the Woodford beats it out IMO. The Hayden is eh. Certainly not worth the price).

For ryes I have to resample and get back to you, but really all 3 of them are superb. The Old Overholt Bonded stands out though, it's spicy but still sweet and omg. It's only $4 more than the regular stuff too!

They had the 114 proof but... Next time. I spent too much today lol

Goon reviews like this are why you fuckers bleed me dry when I go to total wine. I gotta go get the luxardo amaretto AND Bianco bitters and some rye.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Steve Yun posted:

I’ve done 2:1 and 1:1 and it would take months before they went bad, I think from yeast, in the fridge

My roommate moved out and left behind a bottle of retail simple syrup and that’s what I’m currently using. The magic of benzoates! sodium metabisulfite!
How is that poo poo? Noticeably worse or weird?

I typically make 2:1 Demerara simple once a month. Crystallizes pretty badly by week 3. I'm lazy enough to consider retail simple if it's not garbage.

Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



Mr. Wiggles posted:

Try it in coffee.

I have a cinnamon con crema tea from adagio that I add half an ounce of frangelico to. Tasty pairing.

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Pander
Oct 9, 2007

Fear is the glue that holds society together. It's what makes people suppress their worst impulses. Fear is power.

And at the end of fear, oblivion.



JUST MAKING CHILI posted:

Frangelico and ginger ale with a lot of lemon wedges squeezed into it is great for summer

Hmmm now you've got me thinking of trying to make ginger beer and frangelico work. It could add a nice nutty note to a Smith and cross mule maybe?

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