Mr.Duck on 20/11/2010 at 06:28

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This thread convinced me to buy me a bartender starter kit and mix drinks....at least the shaker for starters.

:cool:

Also...


*Shags Queue in ways that make the Catholic Church add 2 extra capital sins due to it. MrDuck walks away from the smoldering crater that was once Queue's ass and house*

Served, m'lud :)

Nothing else to see here, folks, move along. Back to the drink mixing, plz!

:cool:

Mr.Duck on 20/11/2010 at 16:03

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That bad, eh?

Thanks for the advice :)

Rita, Rita, where are you my sweet Margarita?

Rug Burn Junky on 20/11/2010 at 17:17

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More generally. About the process of good drinks.

After spending so much time in speakeasies in NYC for the past half decade or so, and having a full bar and lots of free time on my hands for the past year, I've come up with some pretty good recipes (including two that I was commissioned for for Thanksgiving with my girlfriend's family this year).

And yes, I am a purist and there are RULES dammit. So far everything original in this thread is a mixed drink or a shooter, but not a cocktail (by "original" I'm carving out the Zombie*/Grand Margarita - two classic cocktail recipes). Which is fine. There's a place for that, drinking doesn't always have to be An Experience. My weapon of choice is a simple Jack and Ginger when I'm out drinking, but if you're bothering with a "recipe" there needs to be pay-off, not just some slapped-together concoction of dubious value.

In any event, a real honest-to-goodness cocktail is a combination of

1. A Base Spirit. There are 5: rum, whisk(e)y, gin, tequila, and if you hate yourself, vodka
2. A liqueur or fortified wine: too numerous to mention. This would be any sweetened liquor, like schnapps, wines like vermouth or port. Brandy is technically a spirit, but in cocktails can be used in either role.
3. A mixer (or combination there-of): non-alcoholic stuff. Usually fruit juices and the like.
4. Incidentals: Just to balance flavors - garnishes, bitters, twists, syrups (grenadine, simple syrup, agave, infused).

Start with a basic ratio of base : liqueur : mixer of about 3:2:1, or 2:1:1. From there just sip it and tweak until it's balanced in a way that you like - adjust ratios, add bitters if it's too sweet, syrups if it's too tart. Drop the mixer down to a mere whisper for martini style drinks. Add a neutral mixer like club soda to dial it down into a Collins or highball style drink. Over time you learn to anticipate what each flavor will do, and you can get more complex and ambitious.

I really build my recipes at home on the choice of liqueur, not the base, since it's the signature of the drink (comparing to cooking - the base spirit is the meat, the liqueur is the sauce). Right now, my favorites are: Maraschino - (pronounced mar-uh-SKEEN-o) a sweet italian cherry based liqueur that really opens up different flavors based on what it's paired with. Similar to amaretto, but less cloying. My second favorite is Canton's Ginger, but I'm a whore for ginger. Those aren't tremendously useful because they're so distinctive, you buy them to fine-tune your bar, not to make it maximally useful for entertaining. Triple sec is so versatile that it's probably the most important one to get, and vermouth is a necessity for martinis/manhattans, but then you start filling in the blanks with others - Midori (melon), St. Germaine (Elderflower), Kahlua (coffee). Most of this comes down to personal taste.

Bitters are essential for good cocktails. Angostura is the baseline staple, and can be used for most purposes. Having that is non-negotiable. Peychaud's is associated primarily with the Sazerac, but it's a good alternative to Angostura if you want a more open, spicy flavor. Regan's orange bitters are a little more popular these days, and add some good subtle citrus notes to a drink. Once you get hooked on what they can do to a drink, you can even start making your own (or experimenting with other "tinctures" for flavor - drink I'm working on now uses a drop of cinnamon essence).

Syrups are where you can be really creative - simple syrup is just that: boil water and sugar in equal parts and let it cool. You can use different sugars (demerara adds a good caramel-like undertone) or even juices. From there you can add your own flavors: vanilla, ginger, fruits (Another recipe I'm working on right now uses home-made cranberry syrup). You can have a syrup made in 20 minutes, and keep it in your fridge for weeks.

And Ice. Ohmigod ice. I'm obsessed with ice. Good ice makes such a difference, and I use different styles for different drinks.

First of all, filtered water is a must. You can make a good product if you don't clean up the pollutants. But that's the easy part.

The really important part is the density. All water has oxygen absorbed in it - that's what creates all of those ugly air bubbles in your ice cubes at home - especially in that shit you get from your refrigerator door. The key to this? Get that air OUT. And it's pretty simple to do - boil your water. Not long, Just get it to reach the boiling point, and sit there for a minute, before removing it from heat (Personally, I just use a 4-cup measuring cup and 7 minutes in the microwave). Let it cool, then do it again. once it cools a second time, pour it into your trays.

This gets most of the air out and gives you a really clean, clear, dense ice cube. One that will melt slower, and provide a better ratio of cooling to dilution. If you REALLY want to go nuts, you take those ice cubes, crush them, and pour more twice boiled (and COOLED!) water over them, before refreezing them. This will give you virtually crystal clear, uncracked ice cubes. Perfect for a good cocktail.

Once you get the process down, you can get picky about your trays. I have a basic set of square silicon trays, that give perfect cubes. On top of that I have a couple of sets that make ice balls about 3" in diameter, which work great for old fashioneds and other similar drinks.

Finally, bar tools.

Everyone needs a shaker. I personally prefer a boston shaker, because they're less likely to freeze shut on you (like Ulu mentioned, that can be a bitch. But you don't even have to wait overnight. I have a shaker which freezes shut immediately if I'm not careful. It took me two months to get it open last time, but it's a vintage 50's silver shaker, so I still keep it around). With a boston shaker, you'll need a strainer. You can even make your own boston shaker with a pint glass and the bottom of a regular shaker.

The other vital piece is a jigger, because if you're not measuring out proportions, you're just guessing.

After that, a muddler and juicer are important, but can be worked around if you're inventive (in a pinch, I'll juice a half-lime or lemon with a fork).

OK, THAT should be enough to get you all started.


*an ACTUAL Zombie is a classic tiki recipe. I don't know what the fuck that thing is that SE posted, but a zombie has pineapple juice, and absinth shouldn't go near a Zombie, and it shouldn't go near ANY drink in that quantity.

Scots Taffer on 21/11/2010 at 00:16

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Read this thread title and anticipated RBJ post.

Was not disappointed.

CCCToad on 21/11/2010 at 02:46

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My favorite drinks are mostly on the simple side (Rum and Coke, Cider, and home-made beer to be exact), but I do have one recommendation that comes from a buddy of mine.

Liquid Cocaine:

equal parts:

Rumple Minze Peppermint
Bacardi 151
Jagermeister