Tag: lime juice

Ginger 46

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Well, well, well…here we are again just a month out from my annual Christmas party. So to get back into posting again (hopefully) here’s the last cocktail I designed and the first one to post. As per usual I pick one cocktail for each core spirit to highlight and make for my guests throughout the evening. I found this year however, that picking a solid whiskey drink to be the most challenging. Thusly, after a few iterations I settled on this spirit forward creation using Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon and some homemade ginger syrup.

The Ginger 46 is all about the right presentation, since it’s a simple brown bourbon sour style drink it doesn’t looks like much on it’s own. Adding a skewer of crystalized ginger not only adds a little extra flair, but creates a difference in the flavor experience entirely. On the nose you’re mostly just smelling the bourbon. Maker’s 46 has a wonderful oaky sweetness that is a pleasant start. The cocktail (like any good one) has a threefold layer of flavor. It begins with sweet ginger, moves to the mellow but complex taste of the bourbon, and finishes with another round of ginger, but a bit more tart thanks to the lime and bitters. This cocktail really transforms however, when you take a nibble of the crystalized ginger and chase it with a sip of the cocktail. The ginger comes in sweet thanks to the coating of sugar, but by the time the cocktail hits its tail flavor notes, the spice of the root comes full force at you! Like a slap of gingerbread in the face, the experience is sure to delight your guests this holiday season.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 7.8/10
Overall Rating: 8/10

To be begin start by making a batch of the ginger syrup:
1.5 Cups (360mL) of Water
2 Inch (5-6cm) Peeled Ginger Root
2 Cups (400g) Granulated (White) Sugar

Slice the ginger and add it to a pot of water. Bring to a boil and be sure the water has taken on a light brown color from the ginger. It should also be very fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour into a glass container (preferably disinfected with a little vodka), and seal. Store in fridge and use within 2-3 months.

Ginger 46
2 oz (60mL) Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon
1/2 oz (15mL) Ginger Syrup
1/4 of a Lime (Squeezed for Juice)
3 Dashes of Orange Bitters
Crystalized Ginger

Mix everything but the ginger in a shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a small cocktail glass or coupe. Skewer 2-3 pieces of Crystalized Ginger on a pick, and balance on the edge of the glass. Serve and enjoy responsibly!

“It’s pronounced Ginga'”

Pink Lemonade

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Really? Pink Lemonade? Yes, but it’s a bit better than the syrupy fountain bubble from your favorite casual restaurant.

The appearance is similar to how you’d expect the common “virgin” version of the cocktail to be, but with a slightly darker color. On the nose it’s very clean and citrusy with not much else going for it. The cocktail starts sweet from the sprite/7up, moves to a clean mix of cranberry and citrus, then finishes with whatever liquor variants you used. The finish and in many ways star of this cocktail will all be about which vodka and which orange liqueur you add. For this evening’s recipe I went with my Boyd and Blair Potato Vodka and some Grand Marnier, the latter of which really classes up an otherwise simple (and frankly boring) recipe. Alternatively I think this cocktail could really benefit from a dash or two of orange bitters and/or some orange flower water to round out the flavor. Overall it’s a very simple drink, but a good starter if you’re new to mixing. A little extra attention to things like fresh juice and higher end spirits really can make this cocktail a bit better, but if you cheapen out on everything you’re going to get a mediocre experience.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 3/10
Overall Rating: 7.5/10

“Pinky and the Booze”

Pink Lemonade

1 1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Triple Sec (or other orange liqueur)
1 oz Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
4-5 oz Chilled 7up or Sprite
Lemon Wedge

Shake all liquid ingredients except 7UP. Strain into an iced collins glass and top with pop. Stir gently. Squeeze in lemon wedge and drop it in.

The Lusty Lady

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So, earlier today I was digging through my recipe book, looking for something else when I came across the recipe for “The Lusty Lady.” It was a featured cocktail on the back of a sampler pack of bitters, and given the elegant design of the cocktail I decided it would be worth featuring here on the blog…and it does not disappoint!

Though the recipe isn’t a super easy one in it’s execution, it is a good test of the home bartender to give a little extra class to a simple gin based recipe. Now in advance this cocktail calls for an egg white, and subsequently a dry or reverse dry shaking method. Although it is perfectly safe to consume egg whites in cocktails as the alcohol kills off any latent bacteria, it is worth noting that if it bothers you, you might want to pass this one by.

That said this is an impressive and deceptively simple cocktail. Any drink with egg white is going to create a nice foamy head and be velvety smooth on the tongue and this drink certainly fills that standard out nicely. The texture is extremely light and smooth from start to finish. The aroma is mostly blocked by the egg white foam, but there is a slight hint of the lavender bitters that comes through. It begins with simple and sweet tastes, but without a lot of distinguishing flavors, it then moves to a warm gin on the mid palette, and finishes with a slight hint of citrus and lavender with very little burn. Do note that I opted for an American Gin, which is significantly milder and than a traditional London Dry or Ginever. With that change up you can expect an earthier and more pronounced flavor to come through across the entire cocktail.

This is simply an OUTSTANDING cocktail, and with fresh ingredients it really takes a simple recipe to a new level. If you’re looking to impress a friend or date (with restaurants being closed) this will certainly do the trick.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 3/10
Overall Rating: 9.5/10 (Could be higher with a London Dry)

The Lusty Lady

2 oz Gin
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/8 oz (A bar spoon) Cranberry Juice
1 Egg White
2-3 Dashes of Lavender Bitters
2 Cherries

Shake all ingredients without ice for 8-10 seconds to emulsify egg. Add ice and shake for an additional 15 seconds to chill. Double Strain into a chilled coupe glass, and garnish with two cherries on a pick.

thelustylady
“Oh, whoa, whoa, she’s a lady!”

Blue Christmas

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Well I decided I better come back for at least once cocktail before the end of the year. The “Blue Christmas” I created specifically for my annual party, and based the color/title off of the old Elvis Presley Song of the same name. I went through a couple iterations creating the drink, but settled on potato vodka and the highlight special ingredient Rosemary Simple Syrup.

Base presentation is key here. A stemless cocktail glass makes for a short easy to hold but elegant designed drink. As the name suggests it’s a bright blueish/green cocktail, garnished with a lime wedge for some seasonal green. On the nose you’re greeted with mild citrusy notes. The palette on first sip is where things get interesting. If you go with a potato vodka (vs wheat like Absolut or a corn like Titos) you’ll get smooth refreshing start, which quickly moves to a sweet rosemary and vermouth flavor, and finishes with a slightly sweet and sour citrus from the lime. If you opt for a different vodka, you’ll likely get a little more burn on the back end. Either way this is a very easy drinking cocktail for your seasonal parties. If you’re less of a vodka fan and want to push the juniper flavor out more, I’d highly suggest trying the same recipe with a London Dry Gin such as Bombay or Beefeater!

Alcohol Taste Rating: 6/10
Overall Rating: 8.9/10

Blue Christmas

1 1/2 oz Vodka (Can also use Gin)
1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
1/4 oz Blue Curacao (Increase to 1/2 if you want it bluer)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Rosemary Simple Syrup*
Lime Slice

Shake all liquid ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Float a thin lime slice on top.

*Rosemary Simple Syrup – Boil 1 cup of water with 2 large springs of rosemary for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Stir until dissolved and pour into a clean glass jar. (Optionally add the boiled rosemary springs into the syrup for further maturation of flavor) Refrigerate once cool.

“I’ll have a blue Christmas without you”

Blackbeard’s Curse

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So after a long break from posting new cocktails I’m back with a new MoM original that I’ve been making for a majority of the year. Blackbeard’s Curse highlights two main ingredients Rum and Bitters, in this case it has to be Bittercube Blackstrap in order to make the flavor just right. Visually you’re looking at a cloudy dark rum, brightened up with the lime wedges floating in the drink and on the nose are hints of lime, vanilla, and cinnamon. On the palette you’re greeted with a sweet lime flavor which moves quickly to the blend of rum and bitters giving you a molasses, nutmeg, cinnamon vibe. It finishes with a little burn as it’s still pretty much just straight Kraken on ice but it’s a refreshing punch with the lime making a sour comeback near the end.

I created this as a simple drink for after work, and it’s become a new favorite rather quickly. For a long hard day keep the recipe as is, but if you’re looking for a slightly sweeter variant substitute in 1/2 oz simple syrup or 2 teaspoons of superfine sugar in place of the cubes. Outside of that pick up your blackstrap bitters and enjoy!

Alcohol Taste Rating: 8.8/10
Overall Rating: 9/10

Blackbeard’s Curse

2 oz Kraken Rum
1/2 Lime, cut into wedges
2 Sugar Cubes
3-6 Dashes Bittercube Blackstrap Bitters

In an old fashioned glass place 1/2 a lime cut into 4 wedges. Toss in 2 sugar cubes and give a healthy douse of bitters. Muddle together until sugar is well incorporated. Top with ice and add rum. Stir well.

blackbeards curse
“Yo ho, yo ho, A pirates’ life for me!”

Revali’s Gale Cocktail

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I’ve been off and on returning to my “wandering around” in the game Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and I was struck with inspiration on the 4 “powers” you get in the game (Incoming SPOILERS). Revali’s Gale lets you glide upward with a gust of wind, making it easier to traverse mountains. For this original cocktail I wanted to play with both the visuals of the power and the flavors of the game’s region. Specifically using Grey Goose vodka to mimic the Rito (bird-like race) and the regional wheat flavor (wheat vodka); I played with various iterations of a mix of flavors to get the desired color and flavor. It had to be green, light, airy, and in a tall glass. Thinking about it more and more I wanted to also incorporate some mint to reflect the tall mountains and snow shown in the game. For that reason I decided to do a riff on the classic Mojito.

The “Revali’s Gale” is a light summer style drink, with refreshing flavor that will elevate you to new heights. The drink looks very similar to a classic Mojito, but is considerably greener and the bottom. It has a light minty aroma and paired with a few visual mint leaves a very inviting presentation. Like any Mojito you’re greeted with a light taste of your choice spirit and club soda which moves quickly to a little sweet lime. With this variation you get a finish of melon and mint which keeps you going back for more. As you drink to the bottom and start to mix in the darker liqueur components, you get more melon and citrus, but it’s not overpoweringly sweet. Overall this is a nice twist on the summer classic, and can really be enjoyed in any season. If you’re not a huge rum person and want to go for a vodka variant, this might be the cocktail for you!

Alcohol Taste Rating: 4/10
Overall Rating: 7.7/10

Revali’s Gale

2 oz Grey Goose Vodka (or other Wheat Vodka)
1 oz Lime Juice
2 sugar Cubes
6-8 Mint Leaves
Club Soda
Splash Blue Curacao
Splash Midori

Muddle Lime Juice, Mint, and Sugar in a mixing glass. Add ice, and vodka. Shake well. Strain into an iced collins glass and top with club soda. Add a splash of blue curacao, then a splash of Midori. Serve to a wandering hero.

Revali's Gale Cocktail
“Revali’s Gale is now ready!”

2 for 1: Torani Frozen Daiquiri

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So, a few months back I was starting to make and review enough drinks for another blended cocktails week, but things got in the way and I ended up with only a couple daiquiris and a bunch of banana drinks (banana cocktail coming next post). Around that same time I also picked up a number of the Torani flavor syrups to supplement flavors in the bar. Among the few I got 2 of them created very unique and interesting variations on the traditional frozen Daiquiri. For these recipes I used the traditional Daiquiri recipe, but replaced the simple syrup with one of the Tornai Syrups, and of course blended with a handful of ice.

Frozen Strawberry Torani Daiquiri
Taste Profile: Equal parts sweet and sour. Tastes like concentrated springtime!

Frozen Green Apple Torani Daiquiri
Taste Profile: Strong candy flavor. Sweeter than what you’d expect from a Sour Apple Pucker. Tangy and sour.

Red berry goodness!
Red berry goodness!

 

Green Machine!
Green Machine

This is not a cocktail

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No name. No fancy setup. No witty comments.

I came home from work the other day and just wanted some dark rum. However, being summer I didn’t want it straight, nor was I in the mood to mix up a tiki style drink. So I thought simple. VERY simple, and modeled this drink after the old fashioned.

1 1/2 oz Kraken Dark Spiced Rum (or your favorite rum)
1 sugar cube
Scrappy’s Chocolate Bitters
1/2 a Lime

Start with a single sugar cube in a short glass. Add chocolate bitters until cube is saturated (and brown). Squeeze on 1/2 a lime (fresh juice only). Muddle sugar for easier mixing. Add ice, rum, and stir. Enjoy

not a cocktail

Green Whiskey Mojito

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Well I would be an idiot if I didn’t post some kind of green drink for St. Patrick’s Day, so here’s a little Mojito variation to quench your thirst. The Green Whiskey Mojito works with any kind of whiskey, but if you really want to be festive get some Irish Whiskey. In my stock I’ve only got Canadian so it will have to do. Just like a regular Mojito it’s got a strong minty and lime core flavor with a bubbly start to the palette. The biggest taste difference is that where you would be looking for a sweet undertone you get a more complex whiskey finish. The mint bitters I added here (mostly for color) round out the sweet to a slightly more bitter aftertaste.

Even if you’re not Irish, I bet you’ll enjoy this!

Green Whisky Mojito

1 oz Lime Juice (Fresh Preferred)
5 Sugar Cubes
6-8 Mint Leaves (Big ones!)
2 oz Whiskey
Club Soda
3-4 Dashes Fee Brother’s Mint Bitters (Or any green mint bitters)

Muddle bitters, sugar cubes, lime juice, and mint together in the bottom of a Collins glass. Add ice and Whiskey. Top with club soda. Stir gently until remaining sugar is dissolved.

Green Whiskey Mojito
“OOO Weeee Meee boy!”

Frozen Raspberry Mojito

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For today’s blended cocktail I decided to combine 2 recipes and make something of a variation and a hybrid (Mojito and Raspberry Daiquiri).

Depending on who you are you might find the top of the drink appealing or revolting. The blended mint creates a mossy top for the drink which isn’t the most visually pleasant thing out there, but it does give you a nice minty aroma to the start of the drink. The drink starts with a sweet and icy raspberry flavor, it moves the a refreshing lime and rum, then finishes with a bit of mint. I’m not sure if I can actually call this an original cocktail, but it certainly is a great hybrid recipe that I highly recommend.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 5/10
Overall Rating: 9/10

Frozen Raspberry Mojito

2 oz Gold Rum
3/4- to 1 oz Lime Juice (1 lime)
12-15 Fresh Mint Leaves
1 oz Raspberry Syrup
1 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
Club Soda

Blend all (but the club soda)  with a cup of ice. Pour into a large pint glass, top with club soda and garnish with a lime slice and a mint leaf. Note: Use raspberry syrup not actual raspberries unless you want seeds in your drink.

Dojito
“So…a Dojito then?”