02-17-2024

Meet a wonderful sipper created by the brilliant Phil Ward in 2008 for Death & Co. (@deathandcompany). This martini variation has added complexity of cherry and herbal notes. The original calls for Beafeater gin, which makes sense as Beafeater is a nickname given to the Yeoman Warders (guardians of the Tower of London). Cheers y’all!

02-16-2024

Meet a classic loved by many. Although there are few ingredients, letting the whiskey shine, the specs may vary depending on the person and their palate. This may mean using bourbon instead of rye, upping the vermouth to a 2:1 ratio, or using an orange twist instead of cherries. As always, make sure you mix something that YOU like. Cheers y’all!

02-15-2024

This is an original of mine, which is a Trinidad Sour riff. The name comes from the scientific name of the Scarlet Ibis, a red tropical bird, and also the name of the rum I used here. This Trinidad rum is particularly dry which works well with the two sweeteners: pineapple and orgeat. Cheers y’all!

02-14-2024

Let’s pretend it’s not still winter and we can enjoy a refreshing spritz. They’re fun and easy, plus you can build it in the glass (yay, for less dishes!). Here, I use a citrus infused vodka (infused with bergamot, grapefruit, and oranges). A botanical gin would be lovely here as well. Go ahead and call this an ANY Day Spritz because why limit yourself to a holiday designed for commercialization, excessive consumerism, and the pressure to express love through material gifts…I mean 😬 Cheers y’all!

02-13-2024

This old fashioned riff was created by Cody Goldstein (@muddlingmemories) and this adjusted recipe is by Prankthik Samal (@parttimemixologist). The original uses bourbon and baked apple bitters. The spice of the rye paired with the apple (Calvados) and cinnamon are perfect and tastes like an apple pastry. Cheers y’all!

02-12-2024

This tiki drink was created by the one and only Don The Beachcomber. This is an adjusted recipe by Matthias Soberon (@servedbysoberon). Although it is traditionally blended, here the specs have been adjusted to be shaken and served over crushed ice. Anyone else ready for spring/summer? Cheers y’all!

02-11-2024

If you’ve opened up Cocktail Instagram over the last week, you’ve likely seen this refreshing Mexican cocktail: Batanga aka Charro Negro. This simple and delicious concoction is Mexico’s take on the Cuba Libre (rum and coke). It was created in 1961 by Don Javier Delgado Corona in Tequila, MX. I decided to complicate things by making, clarifying, then recarbonating it…and oh my, it is DELICIOUS. It is dangerously easy to drink and the deep Coke flavors are there but subtle. It is deliciously different! Cheers y’all!

02-10-2024

This robust sipper was created by Joe Briglio (Chicago) and is featured in the book, “Nightcap: More Than 40 Cocktails To Close Out Any Evening.” He describes the drink as, “my interpretation of the flavors of the early American West and possibly a cowboy’s campfire.” Cheers y’all!

02-09-2024

I LOVE making espresso martinis. This is an original I made the other night. Here, I use a blanco tequila (always go for additive-free if you can!), that I sweeten with agave. I added chocolate and spice in the form of bitters for depth. Saline or a pinch of salt makes it POP. Cheers y’all!

02-08-2024

I stumbled across this Last Word riff on Ed’s (@ed_tales) page the other day. The recipe is from Difford’s Guide, who attributes the recipe to a Reddit user named Scarecrow1779. Though not equal parts, the recipe follows the original closely, swapping out Chartreuse for dry vermouth and a touch of Aperol. Cheers y’all!

02-07-2024

This cocktail was created by Doug Phillips for Slippery Slope (Chicago). Cynar, an artichoke amaro, adds some bittersweet depth to this rather simple gin cocktail. The pomegranate syrup adds a nice balance of sweet and tart (plus a gorgeous color!). Give this one a reshake! Cheers y’all!

02-06-2024

This margarita (or maybe daiquiri?!) riff by @empirebrickofgin is beautiful! The rose liqueur adds a delicate floral flavor to the mix, which pairs well with the brightness you get from the lime. I used Combier Rose liqueur here — a fun bottle to play with. A perfect drink for Valentine’s Day…or any other day 🥰 Cheers y’all!

02-05-2024

This cocktail was created by Toby Maloney, author of, “The Bartender’s Manifesto.” This was the first and only vodka drink on the opening menu at The Violet Hour (Chicago). He wanted the drink to be unexpected — pretty, pink, and bubbly, but with a bitter punch. Cheers y’all!

02-04-2024

This stirred cocktail was created by Pat Ray for The Violet Hour (Chicago). In “The Bartender’s Manifesto,” Ray describes that his goal was to create a vodka drink that people would order at The Violet Hour. It is inspired by his time in Japan where cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) is popular. Cheers y’all!

02-03-2024

This drink has a long (and often debated) history, with first reports of juleps being referenced in the late 1700s to early 1800s. It is now associated with the deep south and famously served at the Kentucky Derby. Bourbon is the star here, which is brightened up with fresh mint and balanced with some sugar. Since you are using pebble or crushed ice, which melts faster, try and use a higher proof bourbon that will hold up to the dilution over time. Though not traditional, I find floating bitters on the top adds some extra depth. I have heard it be called a summer old fashioned. Cheers y’all!

02-02-2024

This drink was created by Jake Powell, bar manager of Death & Co. in Denver. Powell longed to make an equal parts cocktail for a menu and this was it. He used Probitas rum (so good!), which pairs so well with the Caribbean spices found in falernum. Chareau is a lovely aloe vera liqueur that has hints of watermelon and cucumber. Cheers y’all!

02-01-2024

I stumbled across this cocktail by Fred Yarm (@fredericyarm) the other day and had to reshake it. The split base of pineapple rum and cognac work so well together. Both pair so well with coffee, and the Cynar brings some earthy complexity. Mole bitters adds some subtle spices and heat to the drink. Cheers y’all!

01-31-2024

This classic cocktail is named after the 1923 silent movie directed by John Ford, which originated as a play in 1908. This cocktail first appeared in the 1933 book, “Jack’s Bar Manual 5th Edition,” by Jacob Abraham Grohusko. It reminds me of a Clover Club without the egg white and with lime instead of lemon. Delicious! Cheers y’all!

01-30-2024

Meet another great cocktail by Sam Ross. You’re likely familiar with some of Ross’s other popular cocktails: Paper Plane, Penicillin, and Too Soon. This drink is very similar to a whiskey sour, but Ross uses a split base with the Italian liqueur, Fernet. This gives the drink a big medicinal punch of herbs and root. Cheers y’all!

01-29-2024

This cocktail, by Kevin Ludwig, is the house daiquiri at one of my favorite Portland bars: Rum Club. This is considered an “industry bar,” as it is frequented by many bartenders when they have nights off. The folks here are genuine and phenomenal, and this daiquiri is one of my favorites. The template is very similar to a standard daiquiri, but there are a few key additions/changes. They opt for a rich Demerara sugar, which pairs well with the aged spirits. This is cut with some maraschino, to bring some brightness, and some bitters and herbsaint (or sub absinthe). I now can’t stop myself from adding absinthe and bitters to my daiquiris 🤤 I was so happy to see this recipe in Jordan Hughes’ book, “Twist.” Though, nothing beats having it in-person at Rum Club! Cheers y’all!