Programming note: Just after relaunching the blog a few months ago, work got really busy for a while. Since my last post, I have done a few taste tests but haven't found the energy to write them up. They will be posted soon, but to get some momentum going, here is what I tried out a few nights ago.
The Boulevardier is one of my favorite variable cocktails. To begin with, it is already a variation on a Negroni, and like a Negroni each of the three ing...
]]>I try to always have a bottle of Stagg Jr. Bourbon in the house. Unfortunately, it is not so easy to find, so the only reliable way to keep it in stock is not to drink very much of it. So is it worth "wasting" on a cocktail? Let's find out.
]]>Note: I have decided not to go deep into the history and specifications of the whiskies I review. All of that information is readily available on the rest of the Internet.
I will, however include any personal anecdotes I might have. In the case of...
Let me begin with an understatement, it's been a while since I last posted. I could make all kinds of excuses, but there's really one major reason for my neglect: I haven't been making anything new to write about. It's not that I haven't been making anything at all. It's just that I have been happy with my selection of vermouth and amari, so I haven't been doing any experimentation.
So, no new experiments means no new blog posts. What can I do about that? Come up with a new focus for the...
]]>I was minding my own business, while a few others were making hummus nearby. Someone offhandedly asked me how I would incorporate tahini into a cocktail. A few minutes later, I found myself shaking a jar full of gin and tahini.
Tahini is quite oily, so my mind went immediately to fat-washing. I wasn't sure that gin was the best choice (more on that later) but it was the best match that I had on hand (see travel bar.)
When planning a vacation in a dry town on the far end of a small island, it is very important to carefully plan out your drinking. (Editors note: Food, clothing, and cat toys are also important, but those aren't the subject of this blog.) There is a delicate balance between volume, va...
]]>Now that you've returned from reading the article that I linked to, you know that some sherry bodegas make vermouth from a base of Amontillado or Oloroso s...
]]>Following through on an earlier threat, today I started to make two out of the four amaro recipes from Brad Thomas Parsons' Amaro.
Disclaimer
Now here's the slightly awkward part. I believe in sharing information, but these recipes are not mine to share, so I don't feel comfortable writing about them in very much detail. If you want the full recipes, you should buy the book.
I wanted to try these recipes because I realized I was in a bit of a flavor rut. Using someone else rec...
]]>I recently tasted an interesting dram from Wyoming Whiskey called Outryder. It is a blend of two different mash bills. To quote their website:
The first mash bill contains 48% winter rye, 40% corn, and 12% malted barley and the second reflects a traditional bourbon mash bill of 68% corn, 20% winter rye, and 12% malted barley.
They do not specify the ratio of the two mash bills, but we can assume that the result is something like a high-rye bourbon, which is exa...
]]>This was pretty good, but a bit too subtle. For my next batch, I'll try more oil. The salt is actually a nice addition, I might do this occasionally for regular Martinis.
T...
]]>As I just mentioned, my first and only attempt at fat washing was a few years ago, and was a complete failure. When trying to make bacon-washed bourbon, I used far too much bacon fat, and did not filter it very well. The result just tasted like grease.
After listening to the most recent episode of The Speakeasy, I was inspired to try again. The guest talked about her Coconut Negroni, made with coconut oil-washed pisco, and also mentioned the idea of olive oil-washed gin. So I decided to...
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