G&T

QUOTE (farmteam @ Aug 8, 2011 -> 11:41 PM) I'm bookmarking this thread for a few years from now, when I (hopefully) actually have many to buy a variety of liquors. It's so hard to experiment when I can only buy one standard bottle (i.e. 1 fifth of Bacardi, 1 of Smirnoff, etc.). Money is always a problem for us normal people so there are trade offs. The biggest is that I don't do any drinking at bars (very rarely anyway). Interestingly, my switch from beer to spirits is essentially chronicaled in this thread.

QUOTE (JoeCoolMan24 @ Aug 9, 2011 -> 07:49 PM) Just tried Woodchuck last night. Not sure if it's considered a "beer", but if so, it's the only beer I like. And 7% alcohol? Yes please. Isn't it cider? I didn't know it was 7%.

QUOTE (SoxFan1 @ Aug 9, 2011 -> 02:02 AM) Don't know if I posted this, but I spent nearly my entire vacation in Naples, FL drinking Yuengling. I can't stand Yuengling. Not because of the taste, but the massive hangover it gives me. Meanwhile, I was bored at work and started cruising the webs and found this drink I had to make. It's nothing special yet hits the spot. Not exactly a thinking man's drink, but good is good. I upped the Wray to 1.5oz so I could get a bit more of the funk against the sweet. Could have gone to 2 oz probably. Notice their measures are odd so I rounded up. Anyway, that's a simple totally tropical crowd pleaser.

Homer vs. the Eighteenth Amendment

Suggestions on making pimento dram? Specifically what sugar and rum? I considered Wray but the blogs seem to side with Lemon Hart (I haven't seen that around here though I haven't looked that hard). I am thinking of mixing Wray and ED12 and using demerara sugar.

Some of them were the same unit that killed Bin Laden

Tried out a mai tai with Appleton 12 and ED12. This one is definitely sweet. Nice brown sugar flavor with the fruitiness of the Appleton. To me, however, this lacks the depth and intrigue of a contrasting rum. I find the ED to be complementary. That's not to say that this is bad. It is certainly delicious. But it isn't as complex as other combinations. I don't know why I never tried mai tai combos before. This is fun.

I understand. The top shelf in our pantry is all booze...then there's the fridge with syrups and beer. It's not like we weren't stretched for space as it was before I got all this stuff.

Speaking of orgeat, I just mixed up a mai tai using Appleton 12 and Wray overproof. Stellar. I know Jim mentioned using Wray before with VX, but I feel the fruit complexity of the mai tai is captured in the 12 year and, well, if you have it, drink it! This baby is smooth as hell. The fruit and almond come forward here in a very clean drink. The Wray provides a nice viscosity. This is all sorts of dangerous. I haven't made a lot of variations of the mai tai, but I plan on one with demerara.

I follow the very simple Kaiser Penguin recipe (here). If the Penguin is right, then I'm just not sure why you would blanch the almonds then do 3 extractions. Leave the skins on and you will likely get the same flavor. But now, of course, I am thinking of trying the blanching and extracting just to find out.

Actually I meant that after 2 weeks without a drink I would have about anything to get a buzz going. But sure let's call it funk which segues nicely into... BELGIUM COMES TO COOPERSTOWN which I attended yesterday. Ithaca's Le Bleue stole the show with the most sour American beer I ever tasted. Lip puckering sour. The blueberry was essentially hidden by the mound of lemon and grass. Ommegangs offerings were also outstanding. Particulary the 11 by Volume (Fruit, orange, fresh cherry, chocolate and a touch of heat at 11%) and the Belgian Independence Day Ale which was brewed with white pepper. That would have been a great food beer. Very spicy but not blowing you pallette out. their Aphrodite was also a solid Brett beer. Unfortunately many beers were destroyed by the heat. Allagash and South Hampton in particular did not travel well. Brooklyn's Local 1 was a honey forward mess. Overall though, a pretty cool day and it was gorgeous out in central New York.

Back off the wagon after 2 weeks sober. Whipped up a Spindrift subbing in Mount Gay for a Puerto Rican. I like how it turn out actually. I have done it with a light jamaican in place of the Puerto Rican before and it was a touch sweet. This is nicely balanced though a touch spicy. Of course, I'd basically drink turpentine at this point...I have a problem.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Jul 11, 2011 -> 12:08 PM) One of the most frivolous lawsuits in history? One that was a flashpoint for Tort reform? Ha, its a great example. Sometimes people are just stupid. Uh...no. As I recall the facts, McDonalds had been intentionally keeping the coffee dangerously hot in order to prevent people from actually tasting their terrible coffee. There were memos that proved it. The coffee was so hot, in fact, that it completely burned her reproductive organs through her clothes.

Mixed up a Spindrift. Dark rum, demarera rum, light rum, passion fruit, orange juice and vanilla extract. Oh this is deep and rich and absolutely dangerous. The batch of passion fruit syrup I mixed last week is really good for reasons I don't understand. The fruit and rich molasses notes are enhanced by the vanilla. Basically, its a sidewinder's fang on steroids.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Jul 8, 2011 -> 05:27 PM) How much head is acceptable on a pint of beer, say an IPA for example and is it unreasonable to ask a bartender to add more beer if there is too much head? 2-3 fingers. I'm sure there is some level where the bartender is just being an ass.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Jul 1, 2011 -> 06:31 PM) I don't get it? Evidence that he believes in global warming because he fears the wrath of God?

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Jun 27, 2011 -> 10:24 AM) A trade can most certainly be arranged, but I think Coruba is pretty easily had through a few online outlets. Classic though it is, the Jack Rose has always left me a little flat using the 80 proof Laird's. I think you have confirmed my suspicion that the Bonded Laird's is needed to really put that cocktail over. So is the Lairds: Drinkupny

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Jun 26, 2011 -> 08:56 PM) Wow, I am totally jealous. I was actually looking for pisco when I found this. I'd happily take the Coruba from all I hear about it. We may have to trade.

Alright, mixed up the Jack Rose with the 80 proof applejack and really there is no comparison. This is like drinking candy. The applejack doesn't stand up to a good grenadine and is basically a Red Tide. Now, certainly I have nothing against the delicious concoction, but it lacks much complexity. The 100 proof holds its own in both apple flavor and a touch of heat. Can't imagine drinking it straight, though. The nose leaves no mistaking the proof. But mixed, this is definitely what it is cracked up to be so far. For $20 it's about the same price as the 80 proof.

QUOTE (knightni @ Jun 26, 2011 -> 08:09 PM) Are you familiar with finding the properties/info of an image? I right clicked the image but saw no properties option. I opened the full image and copied the url but that didn't seem to work (at least when I tried to preview). So I uploaded it again.

obviously I did that wrong. I'll rely on your post of the pic.

Look what I found at the bottom corner of the brandy section of the only good liquor store in the area: (look at knight's post cuz I screwed that up) Drinking a Jack Rose with this bad boy right now. The apple is very apparent along with the heat. I will be testing it against the 80 proof applejack tonight.

I guess I'll give it a shot...

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Jun 20, 2011 -> 01:23 AM) Cinnamon and/or nutmeg do sound like they would be good additions to this or any drink with calvados or applejack. But your note that you are bringing the Cointreau down to 1 oz. makes me wonder what recipe you were using that had it starting out so high. CocktailDB only calls for 1/4 oz, while Ted Haigh and Gary Regan call for 3/4 and 1/2 oz. respectively. Even where the 1930 Harry Craddock version calls for 1.5 oz, he also notes that the recipe was for six small servings so the ratio of calvados to Cointreau is 2:1 and the absolute amount in a single serving is only 1/4-1/2 oz. Gary Regan's version also calls for lemon juice, and when mixed up that way the drink comes off very much like a Sidecar. When I did it up that way (subbing Laird's for want of a calvados), the drink was so Sidecar-esque that I went with a sugared rim on the glass to good effect. Finally, you did not specify in your notes, but I am assuming you are using orange bitters in the Calvados Cocktail and not plain Ango, yes? All four of the recipes I consulted specify orange bitters exclusively for this one. There are close to 90 recipes in the Cocktail DB for drinks made with Calvados, so if you want to give that neglected bottle a workout you should find plenty of inspiration there. The Atlas Cocktail made with Calvados and Demerara rum has caught my eye and I think I'll give this one a go in the near future. Happy Mixing! That was a mistake in typing on my end. It was 3/4 for Cointreau and yes, I used orange bitters (another ingredient I forget I have!). I feel like some honey might work well in it, though calling it a Calvados Cocktail would certainly be a stretch at that point. I will have to try the Atlas. That looks great. Thanks for the links!

QUOTE (FlaSoxxJim @ Jun 19, 2011 -> 09:53 AM) Now that is a margarita I could drink all night. And yes, Cabo is a surprisingly very good line despite being mostly known as the brand that made Sammy Hagar insanely rich. I took the aguave suggestion from you. I sampled it without and it was very bitter. My wife couldn't handle it. I threw in a full teaspoon and it was perfect. I could always use more sweet, but that isn't the point of the drink. Meanwhile, I've been trying my hand on the calvados cocktail. A drink that I feel like I should like, but I always regret making. I decided to up the calvados to 2 oz and drop the orange juice and cointreau to 1 oz a piece. Shaken, poured over rocks and added bitters until it tasted good. And, for me, it finally did. But it was still missing something. I added a dash of cinnamon to round out the flavor and it came together. I imagine nutmeg would work very well too. The aroma here is like apple pie and the flavor is, at first glance, similar. As it lingers, it devolves to the sour orange flavor that I usually taste in this cocktail. Something similar to eating fruit before it is ripe. I find the ice a necessary because my Calvados is probably not the best quality. I bought it because I hadn't seen it elsewhere. I now know where to find better stuff. Here, however, the ice works to ease the sourness and helps the drink. Still probably a drink I will continue to tinker with, but whenever I see the Calvados in the back of my cabinet I feel like I have to do something with it. But I always find this cocktail to be too orange heavy. I need a better apple balance. Perhaps a squeeze of lemon to clean up the alcohol and brighten the flavors? Cut back on the orange elements? This could be a favorite if I can get it right...