Raspberry, coconut, and lime – oh my!

Labor Day is knocking on the back door, imploring you to bask in its sunshine and grill untold pounds of meats. One last romp, for old time’s sake, before entering the bitter cold of winter.

But I’m not quitting on you yet, summer. This combo of raspberry, coconut, and lime, which highlights the freshest ingredients of the season, is pretty much synonymous to sunshine and beach time.  Making this drink even more of a winner, the ingredients to purchase are incredibly light on the wallet and the recipe itself is far from ‘labor’ intensive.

….

I can’t believe I actually cracked that joke.  Forget I said that and go enjoy the cocktail!

Summer State of Mind

• 2 parts Malibu Coconut Rum
• 1 part Hiram Walker Raspberry Schnapps
• Juice of one lime
• Lemon-lime soda

Build first three ingredients over ice in a Collins glass and top with lemon-lime soda. Optional garnish with a lime peel.

Cheers!
SJ

In case you missed it:

I recently was extended the opportunity to join the team of talented booze-y bloggers and writers at Bar None Drinks and am proud to be included in this wonderful spirits community.

I am thrilled to let you all know that my first column is up online! And you should go read it! Like, right now! This month’s post is a discussion surrounding absinthe and the lesser known Bohemian Style that is making headlines for its mixability in cocktails.

So continue to check back here and at Bar None Drinks for cocktail and spirits news. If there is a particular topic you’d be interested in learning more about, leave me a comment. I’m always eager to dig up the goods on the spirits you are most excited about.

Cheers!
SJ

A How To on Making Bourbon

A humungous component of my job is reading and participating in the discussions happening online in the spirits community. So you can bet that I’m spending time reading up on the many talented and knowledgeable cocktails and spirits bloggers.

One of my favorite reads from this past week comes from Ryan over at Boozeblogger and his storied attempts at making his own Bourbon at home. But, as one can only imagine, there are innumerable steps of prep work before getting to the booze making itself. Part One of Ryan’s adventure finds him curing the two oak barrels before any spirit can be aged (this all takes place from the comforts of his home bathroom, despite his best attempts to disguise it…).

But, alas, I’ve probably said too much already. Go give Ryan’s story a read.

Cheers!
SJ

Whiskey Sour Variations

Labor Day and – dare I speak its name – autumn are right around the corner. My past weekend of SUN, SUN, and SUN has shifted to gloom and rain and took a major temperature dip in my corner of New England.

However, I’m not quitting on you yet, summer. And the celebration of National Whiskey Sour Day is the perfect cocktail to keep me in the spirit. The Sour in general has been my go-to drink this summer, perfect for patio drinks and dining. I’ve explored mixing it in a multitude of base spirits: brandies, orange liqueurs, and bourbons have been among the major players.

Today, with a company end-of-summer picnic as the backdrop, I’m feeling the mood has been set to try a Jameson Whiskey Sour.

Jameson Whiskey Sour (recipe from Bar None Drinks)
2 parts Jameson Irish Whiskey
1 dash Bitters
1 part Egg White
1/2 part Lemon Juice
1/3 part Simple Syrup

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake over ice. Strain into a rocks glass and garnish with an orange twist. (I personally enjoy a cherry or two thrown in as well)

What other whisk(e)y varieties and/or recipe ratios do you use when making the perfect Whiskey Sour? I’d love to hear your feedback!

Cheers!

SJ

Your Weekend Cocktail: Mango Tango

SUN, SUN, SUN! That’s what the weekend forecast is telling me right now. Lots of SUN! Goodness knows it doesn’t take more than that to make me a happy camper, but throw in a cocktail and I’m sure to be over-the-top elated.

This weekend I’m planning to stir up a Mango Tango cocktail (or two) as I soak in some sun. There’s a couple of reasons why I really enjoy this cocktail; besides the fact that it is built around my favorite base spirit, the Mango Tango is a super-easy cocktail to assemble and is super-easy on the wallet, which is something we are all watching these days. Plus, it tastes remarkably fresh – not syrupy or processed like some cordials can tend to be. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do!

Mango Tango

• 1 ½ parts premium tequila
• 1 part Hiram Walker Mango Schnapps
• ½ part Hiram Walker Triple Sec
• 3-4 parts pineapple juice

Serve over ice in a rocks glass. Optional garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Cheers!
SJ

Prep for Rum Day: Beachcomber

Photo from Hawaiiangatherings.com

You can’t talk about rum and its post-prohibition popularity without mentioning the name Ernest Beaumont-Gantt.

“Ummm…Who?” you may ask.

Gantt, better known as Donn Beach, was one of the pioneers of the Tiki phenomenon of the 1940s and 50s. He opened a successful Hollywood restaurant, Don the Beachcomber, and concocted such famed drinks as the Zombie.

It seemed more than appropriate to dedicate a post today to Donn Beach as today is National Rum Day; Beach’s cocktails turned the rum category from the foreign and exotic to something of a staple. So today, I’m offering up the Beachcomber cocktail as a fitting Tiki tribute to Donn Beach.

Beachcomber (from our friend Robert Plotkin’s recipe database at AmericanCocktails.com)
1 ½ oz. Light Rum
¾ oz. Raspberry Liqueur
½ oz. Triple Sec (I use Hiram Walker)
½ oz. Rose’s Lime Juice
1 ½ oz. lemon sour mix
Pour the ingredients into an iced mixing glass. Shake and strain into a specialty glass with ice. Garnish with a limed wedge.

Cheers!
SJ

Prep for Rum Day: Between the Sheets

Cocktail Culture is bringing you a slew of rum-based recipes in preparation of National Rum Day on August 16. This first post is a reprint of a previous CC entry, as it is one of the most widely read posts on our site.

Google “Between the Sheets” and you’ll probably find an ad from Bed Bath & Beyond, a lingerie fashion show article, and a few NSFW sites. Learn from the mistake I made and google “Between the Sheets cocktail” instead if you’re looking to find a few great articles on this tasty tipple.

I first read about Between the Sheets on the White On Rice Couple blog. It sounded delicious, yet simple, and their wonderful photography made it look all the more appealing. A variation on the Sidecar, this cocktail was created at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris during the 1930’s (according to Jay over at Oh Gosh! And trust me, he knows what he’s talking about). Here it is—

Between the Sheets

¾ oz. Cognac (I like Colleen’s suggestion to use Apricot Brandy instead!)

¾ oz. Light Rum (Appleton Estate White)

¾ oz. Triple Sec (Hiram Walker)

½ oz. Lemon Juice

Shake ingredients well in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Cheers!
SJ

BarSmarts Wired Now Open!

Bartending enthusiasts rejoice! BarSmarts Wired has gone viral for a third time, with the next wave of the online bartender training program starting back on July 1. And, yes, while my announcement on Cocktail Culture certainly is late, there is still plenty of time to participate – the program is live until October 31.

We’ve spoken plenty of BarSmarts programs (just click on the tag “BarSmarts” to read some of our other coverage), so here’s your nickel-and-dimed version: Pernod Ricard USA and Beverage Alcohol Resource, LLC, continue to team together to present the BarSmarts Wired and Advanced courses. Under the tutelage of the likes of DeGroff, Pacault, Wondrich, Olson, and Seymour (so almighty and powerful they don’t even need their first names listed), “students” in the program cover topics such as spirits and cocktail knowledge, tips on tasting, and industry history. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Much of the program also focuses on cocktail technique and best service practices for those in the bartending profession.

There are still more perks! Signing up for Wired will earn you a complimentary messenger bag and complete set of professional bar tools (as pictured above). Dually for you cocktail enthusiasts, Wired is an exciting program in that you get to learn and practice the craft from the comfort of your own home and on your own schedule. It doesn’t get much more practical than this!

If you have more questions about BarSmarts Wired or Advanced, I encourage you to visit the FAQ page or feel free to leave me your questions in the comments or via email. I was given the opportunity to go through the Advanced program in April and had a wonderful experience! Plus, you get one of these nifty-looking thingies upon completing the program. That’s worthy of a toast right there…

Cheers!
SJ

National Root Beer Float Day

Step aside A&W - today we're serving Grown Up Root Beer Floats!

Another arbitrary, yet goofy national food holiday has clamored its way across my computer screen. Today is National Root Beer Float Day. And you bet I can turn this childhood treat into an alcoholic beverage to enjoy this Friday night – where there’s a will there’s a way!

A (Big Kid) Root Beer Float Recipe:
1 part Hiram Walker Root Beer Schnapps (I like HW for the all-natural ingredients, rather than flavorings, that recreate that Root Beer taste)
2 parts milk or cream (skim milk if I can have things my way)
4 parts lemon-lime soda

Combine ingredients in a blender with ice. Blend until smooth.

I’ve found this drink to be best served in a beer mug, but you can easily get away with using a pint glass as well.

If Root Beer Floats don’t quite “float” your boat, I would recommend a post-date celebration of any of the following monumental holidays that took place this week:

8/4 – National Champagne Day
8/5 – International Beer Day

Cheers all around!
SJ

Tales of the Cocktail 2010

At the Beefeater Welcome Reception. You bet I brought the hat home with me!

Tales of the Cocktail has come and passed for its eighth year (and my first) and I’ve finally interpreted my glazed over notes to share some more insights of what I learned during my five-day stint in New Orleans. As a Tales newbie heading into this trip, I came back with quite a few thoughts (not sure I can call them words of wisdom!) that I don’t think any one individual’s personal advice could have prepared me for:

• Nobody will look at you funny for spiking your coffee at 8:30 in the morning. The Kahlúa Coffee Bar was a dream come true for the non-bartender like me who is used to being up with the sun on a daily basis. Iced coffees were among the barista’s specialties, along with Rick Stutz’s tequila-spiked Black Paloma cocktail.
• Multiple Bloody Marys do equate to a well-balanced lunch. Nothing says getting your full day’s serving of vegetables like with a Bloody Mary. And boy, did these cocktails fit the bill at the Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone! Making your brunch-time booze even more delectable was the opportunity to see Pernod Ricard ambassadors Simon Ford and Chris Pattino dressed as a tomato and celery stalk, respectively. Darcy O’Neil over at Art of Drink also introduced me to a fascinating new spin on this classic cocktail – The Bloody Caesar. Setting this drink apart from its kin is the use of clamato juice with your booze, which kicks up the Umami factor in your beverage.
• Breakfast at Brennan’s is a meal of epic proportions. Delicious, yes. But believe me when I say I didn’t eat again until 8 pm!
• The pit stop at Café du Monde is definitely worth the wait. With that said, do I think “OMG BEINEIGTS ARE THE BEST FOOD EVAHHH!!!”? No, thanks. I usually like to curb my fried dough eating habits at once a year – at the state fair.
• Beefeater really knows how to ring in a party. I heard last year’s Welcome Reception was great. But this year’s shindig at the Contemporary Arts Center went above my expectations! With a Tim Burton inspired, Alice in Wonderland-on-LSD feel going on, we ushered in the start of Tales with classic Beefeater Gin & Tonics, along with a slew of creative cocktails served by some of the biggest names in the biz: Beefeater Global Brand Ambassador Dan Warner, Audrey Saunders, Roberts Hess, and Kenta Goto of Pegu Club were among the masses slinging drinks.   
• Serving Chartreuse Swizzles out of flower vases is only appropriate beginning at 2 am. Just ask the guys and gals of the Mixo House.
  

  Enjoying a muffaletta lunch and a Pimm's Cup at The Napoleon House.

• Hit up Napoleon’s House for a Pimm’s Cup. Don’t ask questions. Just do it.
• No matter how much you plan ahead, plans change. I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from Tales is to not overbook your schedule. Allot extra time in your day for traversing through the Monteleone lobby & Carousel Bar – it’s a time warp! And expect the unexpected, life is more fun that way.  

Cheers!
SJ