Tag: whiskey

209. Stone Fence

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#209 Stone Fence - Hero

Back to Jerry Thomas! Finally! That’s all I’ve got in the way of an introduction this week. But it’s good to be back. I will say, however, that I really like this name for a cocktail, even though it is not super descriptive, and even though I kind of hated the cocktail itself.

In fence news, some Virginian convicts discovered this weekend that breaking out of prison is harder in real life than it is in the movies. They used a propped up bench to start their climb over two razor wire fences, but quickly got so tired and frustrated that they just sat down and waited to be apprehended. Wah wah.

#209 Stone Fence Ingredients

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The Irish Derby

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The Irish Derby

I’ll get back to Jerry Thomas soon, I promise! This is another dinner party drink, this one St. Patrick’s Day themed. I found this gem of a cocktail when investigating drinks that weren’t Irish coffee, car bombs, or generally green in color.

Probably the most important (American, as opposed to Irish) news that came out recently is of course the fact that the Republicans in Congress could not agree on their own health bill, and Obamacare / the ACA remains in place for the foreseeable future. I actually like this news for two reasons: one, I am a fan of Obamacare, but two, I actually appreciate that for once people were not just blindly voting on party lines. Granted, some of the Republicans that would have voted no would have done so because it was TOO similar to Obamacare, so that’s not quite what I’m going for, but at least it’s a start.

The Irish Derby - Ingredients

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134. Whiskey Toddy

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134. Whiskey Toddy - Hero

Ol’ Jerr-Jerr is playing fast and loose with these cocktail names. First a Flip that doesn’t seem to be a flip. Granted, I don’t really know what a flip is supposed to be, but still. Now, it’s a… cold toddy? Since a hot toddy is basically any alcohol with water, sugar, and maybe citrus, I guess this is an acceptable cold toddy but who really wants to drink that?

Neither of these words lends itself to even a vague connection with the news, so instead, a top story today. A shooting at a mosque in Quebec yesterday left six dead and many others wounded or in critical condition. However, they’ve now detained two people in connection with the attack, one a suspect, and the other a witness (the man who dialed 911). To me, though, it seems odd to detain a witness, is that a typical procedure? I don’t know much about police work, and I know even less about police work in Canada, but hopefully it will lead to resolution quickly and effectively. I should have made this drink with Canadian whiskey, in solidarity.

134. Whiskey Toddy - Ingredients

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Saloonbox Vermont Old Fashioned – News Flash

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SaloonBox Vermont Old Fashioned - Hero

In August, I happened to win a one-month subscription to SaloonBox, which was awesome! I’d been interested in the service before, but wasn’t sure if the price point was justified. (Note: I’m still not quite sure if the price point is justified.) Either way, it was great to be able to try it out.

The service sends you, each month, everything you need to make two servings each of two different cocktails. In September, it was the Vermont Old Fashioned and the Ginger Piña (which I’ll discuss tomorrow).

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The box arrives packed full of an insane amount of padding, and various small-serving containers of whatever you’ll need, including the alcohol (there’s another service I’m intrigued by, Shaker and Spoon, that gives you the mixers/etc. but not the spirits).

The Vermont Old Fashioned was a pretty simple drink, basically an Old Fashioned with maple syrup (yum!) instead of simple syrup. I actually received extra maple syrup accidentally; they had packed two bottles of that and only one of the rye to mix in — it was supposed to be the other way around. Thankfully, their customer service was lightning quick and immediately sent me out another bottle of the rye.

On to the drink!

SaloonBox Vermont Old Fashioned - Ingredients

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8. Scotch Whiskey Punch

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8. Scotch Whiskey Punch - Hero

Sometimes, Jerry Thomas is kind of a douche. This is one of those times. You’ll see why in the description for this drink, of which there are minimal details. Of course, he then turns around and gives specific details in the very next recipe, so he really waffles a bit. I used the rough proportions from the next drink (out tomorrow) to make this one.

Not a huge amount of related news, but in an effort to be informative, a few stories about Latin America. Donald Trump met with the Mexican president, in a meeting I wish I had been there to see. Meanwhile, Dilma Rousseff of Brazil was (finally) impeached. It’s a one-two punch of leadership stories!

8. Scotch Whiskey Punch - Ingredients

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109. Whiskey Cocktail

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3-Whiskey-Cocktail

I finally got my gum syrup! Which allowed me to start testing out a whole number of new cocktails from Jerry Thomas, including the following classic. Generally, this is regarded as one of the earlier recipes for what ended up becoming the Old Fashioned. So, yum. Of course, it’s not called the Old Fashioned because it wasn’t old-fashioned yet. And, the gum syrup is really not necessary, if you don’t have it, but it does add some nice smoothness.

There is really very little in the news that’s not cocktail related. I tried “old fashioned,” too, and that was way too broad. So, instead, let’s see what I can spin. Mainly, I just want to wish everyone a great Memorial Day — remember those who have fallen, and also have a good old-fashioned barbecue! This is a classic American drink, so it seems only right to post it today.

2-Whiskey-Cocktail-Ingredients

109. Whiskey Cocktail

(Use small bar glass.) [He kind of contradicts this later. I say, use a rocks glass.]

  • 3 or 4 dashes of gum syrup. [Again, you can use simple syrup if you don’t have gum syrup.
  • 2 dashes bitters (Bogart’s). [“Bogart’s” is a corruption of “Boker’s,” which did not exist for a while, and only fairly recently came back. I don’t have this, so I used the classic Angostura. Supposedly should be a little more cardamom-y, maybe.]
  • 2 oz. of whiskey, and a piece of lemon peel.
  • Fill one-third full of fine ice; shake and strain in a fancy red wine-glass.

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Tasting Notes:

BN: This was nice. I mean, it was pretty much an Old Fashioned so honestly there’s not much to say. I missed the big ice cube typical of the OF nowadays, but the gum syrup made it a little smoother, and melded the flavors better together than I’ve seen previously with OFs. Stay tuned, as I’m going to make a post all about comparing gum syrup to simple syrup.

PiC: This was good, if you like that sort of thing. Which I don’t.

1-Whiskey-Cocktail

205. Scotch Whiskey Skin

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Don't make this.

Hoo boy. Well, you can’t win ’em all. That’s really the only intro I have for this drink.

On the current events front, in something that will be old news by the time this goes up, Scotland is really sucking in the Six Nations rugby tournament. Sucking almost as bad as this drink does (eight straight losses). Rugby, though, is really cool actually, and the USA’s own Pro Rugby league is starting up this spring! Just don’t drink this while you’re watching.

Use these for something better.

205. Scotch Whiskey Skin

(Use small bar glass.) [Or a mug, because it’s hot. Or just don’t make this.]

  • 2 oz. Scotch whiskey.
  • 1 piece of lemon peel.
  • Fill the tumbler one-half full with boiling water.

Please don't make this.

Tasting Notes:

BN: In case it wasn’t abundantly clear, I hated this. It tasted like really hot watered-down scotch that was slightly bitter (from the lemon peel). So, exactly what it was. I generally like toddies, but they really need a sweetener in there. I’m not sure how anyone can drink this. There’s a small chance a stronger-flavored scotch could have made it better, like a Caol Ila, but I sincerely doubt it.

PiC: Eugh.

Intolerable Heat – Heat Wave #2

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Heat Wave Shot 1

It’s that time of year again, I guess. Spring has sprung and therefore it’s in the 90s here in Los Angeles. For some of you, this may be a good thing, but for people like me, I am unhappy. Therefore I took it upon myself to make a drink that embodied my feelings about the heat. That is, I set out to make a drink that I was pretty much certain I wouldn’t like. It’s a shot (not my favorite method of alcohol consumption), and contains two things I’m not a huge fan of. The result? Well, let’s see.

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Intolerable Heat

  • 2 parts Fireball cinnamon whiskey (shudder)
  • 1 part Southern Comfort Pepper (now I’ve never had the pepper version before, but Southern Comfort is pretty gross. So, shudder)

Mix ingredients together in a shot glass. Enjoy?

Heat Wave Shot 2

Tasting Notes:

BN: Wow. This was, weirdly, actually kinda good! While both ingredients by themselves were not pleasant at all, the two heats of the cinnamon and the pepper cancelled out the sweetness of the whiskeys. I’m not going to go around making these every day, but I was pleasantly surprised, and I liked it much better than going outside this weekend. It wasn’t the prettiest drink, but it served its purpose.

PiC: It’s not bad! I mean, it still totally makes me make my “shot face,” but as far as shots go, I sort of enjoy the aftertaste. The spiciness is kind of like a built-in chaser.

Heat Wave Shot 3

The Rick Grimes – The Walking Dead Premiere

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Zombie3

At this point, the zombie apocalypse is probably inevitable. Whether through some weird variant of ebola, enterovirus 68, or something as yet unknown (bath salts?), we’re eventually going to have to fight against a horde of the living dead, either surviving for just one more day, or turning against our friends after we pass.

To me, that’s way too stressful. So, instead, let’s just watch other people do that on TV. This Sunday, the Walking Dead returns to AMC for its 5th season, and we’re all ready to watch. In honor of the show, I’ve made the Rick Grimes, which is just the thing wind you down from your post-apocalyptic murder haze. In keeping with the theme, I tried to use only things that you might be able to find after civilization has ended, with the possible exception of ice because, well, let’s just say it’s in winter and they cut it out of a lake. Or whatever.

For those of you who don’t know, the show is set mainly in Georgia, hence the peaches — the cornerstone of the drink. Anyways, without further ado:

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The Rick Grimes

  • 3 oz bourbon (whichever will pair best with your particular dish of brains, served warm)
  • 1.5 – 3oz lemon sparkling water (this is up to you. If you want a strong drink after a day of zombie-fighting, use 1.5. If you want to relax and chill and sip for a while, use 3.)
  • 1.5 oz heavy peach syrup (open a can of peaches, and drain out the syrup. That’s what you’re using!)
  • all the peaches from the above can

Mix together the three liquid ingredients in a mason jar or other appropriately end-of-the-world-type glass. Add some ice (if you’re okay with breaking the illusion) and fill up the rest with the peaches from your scavenged canned goods. Enjoy!

Zombie2

Tasting Notes:

BN: I couldn’t decide which version of this I liked better — with more or less sparkling water. I think I lean towards the 3 oz version, because the flavors mix together a little better, with the bourbon being less overpowering. I was surprised as to how much of the syrup I had to put in to make it taste like peaches, so the solution of using the peaches itself worked out pretty well. Now that I think of it, though, it might be cool to drain out a bit of the syrup from the can, just pour the booze and the seltzer straight into it, and drink from that! Dang, I wish I had thought of that before. But still, pretty good drink, nicely fruity without being too much so. And definitely Southern.

PiC: I liked this better after you added more sparkling water, but I think it might actually be a better drink with less (I’m just not a huge whiskey girl). The sweetness was perfect, though, and it got more peachy as it went on which was nice.