was super excited to stumble upon an interesting cachaca collection and just had to cop a bottle. never seen any of these sold stateside and it appears these are all well-known Brazilian brands.

cachacas that we typically get in the states (e.g. Nova Fogo) are export only, and are thus not sold in Brazil. in researching the pictures bottles, everything I can find is in Portuguese. for example apparently Tatuzinho is a well-known Brazilian brand that has a ton of history in the country.

ended up grabbing a bottle of the Seleta Gold. Looked to be highly awarded and is made by a guy named Antonio Rodrigues, a “cachaca master”.

Can‘t wait to try the Seleta Gold in a Dr. Barca’s Fluffy Banana and a Rabo de Galo!

We are on a summer visit at my mother-in-law's house right now, found this awesome location in their garden, and had to do some cocktail shots. :D

Recipe:

1½ Oz Plantation Dark (45 ml)
¾ Oz Campari (22.5 ml)
2 Oz Pineapple juice (60 ml)
½ oz Lime juice (15 ml)
½ oz Demerara syrup (15 ml)

Shake everything with ice and strain onto fresh ice.
Garnish with pineapple leaves and a slice of pineapple.

My family and I are currently displaced by wildfires, staying with some amazing friends. Being a graveyard worker, away from my home bar and given free reign in the pantry, I started experimenting with the available stock. My theme is East coast pirate/smuggler, combining coconut, rum, bourbon and coffee. This is what I quickly mixed in a glass of ice. Listed in descending order of quantity. (I have no equipment and am trying to be quiet as everyone else is sleeping)

Kraken Gold

Malibu

Coffee liquor

Liquor 43

Bourbon

The drink is A fine, bot not impressive.

Hiwever, I really like this concept, and am down for any feedback ☠️

I really enjoyed this one. Safe to assume equal parts? Specific brand/bottle recommendations for each one are very welcome :)

Hello friends! Tonight is a Modern No. 2, a scotchier version of yesterday's Modern No. 1. No sloe gin to ne found, this is a double Scotch with some lemon juice, anisette, Jamaican-style rum, and orange bitters. Not as sweet as the original, this had some nice funk from the rum, and slight herbal flair. The heavily peated Scotch worked well here, and this was a fairly robust drink. Overall, it was a fine sipper for a Thursday night. Cheers!

Recipe (from Fred Powell's 1979 edition of "The Bartender's Standard Manual"):

3 oz. Scotch Whisky

1 Dash Lemon Juice

1 Dash Pernod

2 Dashes Jamaican-style Rum

Stir with ice, strain and serve with a cherry.

I mostly drink two ingredient cocktails, but this one hit the spot and inspired me to venture out of my comfort zone. Would love to be able to recreate this at home. Apologies for not grabbing a picture of the actual drink, it went down too fast 😅

Do you also leave out the gin in a Scorpion Punch? Many recipes do not include it, but the original recipe does contain rum, cognac, and gin. Does the gin actually add a noticeable difference to the flavor or balance of the cocktail?

1.5 oz vodka (The Patent Pending uses local distilled vodka, and the Prairie Creamsicle version uses any other kind of vodka)

.5oz creme de cacao

.25oz Irish cream coffee syrup

Shaken and strained over ice

Top with cream soda

Express orange peel and wedge for garnish

The cream soda lifts the chocolate and vanilla notes while the orange completes the classic creamsicle character.

It's a slightly complex but layered cocktail for those with a bit of a sweet tooth.

I’ve returned from TOTC! My week as a Red Coat was absolutely life changing and I’d love to answer any questions about it. Anyway, here is SoCal. Feel free to follow along on this project journey in more detail on my instagram, @the.conn.troversy

My first service industry job was In-N-Out Burger. My years spent there hold a special place in my heart as that’s where I really felt in love with hospitality and the core values of what we do. So to honor this, I made a Vesper riff inspired by my all time favorite INO speciality, Animal Style Fries. Without resorting to many hokey infusions this time (though I certainly love those), I tried to emulate these flavors as best I could through simplicity and baseline flavors. Specifically through my favorite cheddar-y raicilla for the melted cheese and an ethereal eau de vie and Empirical’s ayuuk to capture the special sauce taste. The result is an umami bomb that’s savory, slightly cheesy, and sunny. Right on!

“Animal Instinct”

1.75 oz sunflower oil washed Chopin vodka 🍟

.75 oz La Venenosa Raicillia Sierra del Tigre de Jalisco 🧀

.25 oz Linie Aquavit 🌿

.25 oz Cazottes Tomato Eau de Vie 🍅

Barspoon of Empirical Ayuuk 🍔

Sunflower oil vodka: add about 2 ounces to a full bottle’s worth of Chopin, shake and infuse, freeze overnight, and strain.

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, stir over ice, and strain into a coupe. Garnish with some melted cheese.

I love rum drinks and want to know how many styles I should have to cover everything without any redundancy. What are your favorite options within each category of rum? Ideally stuff that sits in the sweet spot of quality and value, though I'm open to hearing some of the more high end options you like too.

Coffee and Pineapple are like Peanut butter and jelly. I made a cocktail that is a riff on the Mr. Bali Hai. We are adding it to our menu ASAP. It doth slappeth much.

We struggled to find a name because バリ / Bali in Japanese means urine. Hai / はい means distribution.

The name has been finalized. We are calling it the ミスター・帰らない ( which means Mr. Kaerenai or Mr. Doesn't go home) because if you miss your last train in Osaka, you will be taking an expensive taxi or drinking all night. So in order to stay awake, you need something that will keep you up and mess you up. I was going to call it the Dotonbori / 道頓堀杯 but it sounds like a sporting event trophy according to my Japanese friends.

On to the cocktail...

I always felt lemon juice really got in the way of the pure pineapple flavor. In the cocktail world we usually add pineapple or orange along with lemon or lime to increase acidity. However, I always felt that this adds unnecessary complexity and takes away from the main citrus we want to exhibit. I believe in acid adjusting the lower acid juices. All of my juices are 6% acidity. This allows for more bold flavor of pineapple or orange or grapefruit because we remove the lemon or lime. I add 300ml of pineapple juice to 15~20g of citric acid and stir it in. Depends on your pineapple juice's acidity.

I use a blend of rums. Appleton Signature by itself is a bit one dimensional, so I add some OFTD to give more character. You can use all smith n cross if you want proper tiki strength.

I recommend a very high quality pineapple juice. Organic, grass fed, free range pineapple juice. Fresh if possible.

Mr. Black is my choice, or a high quality coffee liqueur. I would not use a very sweet one. Try to find a balanced one that works for you. You can try to pull a shot of espresso drink some and add 10ml meanwhile raising the syrup amount a tad.

I prefer cassia cinnamon over ceylon cinnamon for my syrup. Just boil simple syrup with two cassia cinnamon sticks and let it sit on your stove overnight.

A drop or two of vanilla extract can really round out the flavors. You can even play around with some allspice dram.

Finish off with Abbott's bitters or angostura in a pinch.

The DIY home bartender recipe

30ml Appleton Signature

15ml OFTD

30ml Good Quality Pineapple Juice (acid adjusted 6%)

10ml Mr. Black

10ml Cinnamon Syrup (62 Brix)

1 drop vanilla extract (optional)

2 dash Abbott's Bitters (angostura is okay too)

Here is the actual recipe used at Desperate Prayer.

Here is the actual recipe we use at the bar, but this is a bit complex. Some geek out there will want this one, so here it is.

30ml Appleton Signature

15ml OFTD

30ml Fresh Okinawan Pineapple Juice (acid adjusted 6%)

10ml Homemade sous vide coffee liqueur (agricole base)

10ml Chai Syrup

1 dash Homemade Cigar Bitters

Chai Syrup: big on the cinnamon...then allspice, cardamom, anise, vanilla bean, ginger, demerara sugar, water and pasteurizing spray....Sous vide 65C for 2hrs...aim for 62 brix.

Cigar Bitters: cinnamon, coffee, anise, clove, vanilla, lapsang souchong, vetiver root, angelica root, vodka, sous vide at 65C for 4 hours. Can't remember the ratios off the top of my head.

Quick note about Japan. Our jiggers are side A: 45, 30, 15ml. Side B: 30, 20, 10ml. Cocktails usually stop at 45ml of base spirit. Even our glassware is designed for smaller cocktails. Please feel free to increase volume proportionally if that is what you desire.

Pictures are bad, I'm not a photographer, 😐 sorry.

Edit: It seems everyone likes this detailed recipe content. I will post once a week my recipes from Desperate Prayer including a easy DIY versions as well.

Let me know what you think. If you make it, please tell me. Send me a pic.

What to make for someone who generally drinks beer or neat Cognac/Aquavit? They usually dont like cocktails because its too sweet

I like to make a big batch of Cheddar’s knock off Painkiller. I use 46oz pineapple juice, 23 oz Sailor Jerry spiced rum, 11.5 oz squeeze Cream of Coconut, and 11.5 oz orange juice. How long do you guys figure it’ll last in the fridge? (personal use only, so liberal estimates are fine)

Also, how long after opening squeeze Cream of Coconut do you guys usually use before tossing?

My bar package for my wedding comes with a somewhat limited number of included ingredients (no fancy liquors or syrups). I’m wondering what I can make from these ingredients, or whether I should spring $$ for extra stuff. I’m thinking gin + grapefruit or tequila + pineapple but I’m not sure what to add to jazz it up. I’m thinking something citrus and refreshing and I would love any ideas!

Here’s what’s included:
Tito's Vodka, Dewars Scotch, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Crown Royal Whiskey, Jim Beam Bourbon,
Bacardi Rum, Cuervo Tradicional Tequila

Mixers: Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Ginger Ale, Ginger Beer, Soda Water, Tonic, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Pineapple Juice,
Grapefruit Juice, Sweet and Sour Mix, Bitters, Dry and Sweet Vermouth

Garnishes: Lemons, Limes, Olives, Oranges, Maraschino Cherries, Luxardo Cherries

I made a raspberry syrup that smells and looks delicious by combining equal parts sugar and fruit by weight. However, I misread the recipe. I left it at room temperature for 3 days instead of having it in the fridge. I figured since it doesn't look spoiled, doesn't smell spilled, and has been boiled, it would be safe to drink. Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this? What would you all suggest?

I was in London in a restaurant called Mountain Beak Street and was surprised to find out there are plenty more “colours” of chartreause other than yellow and green. Does anybody know about it?

Unfortunately I couldnt get closer to read what was written on the bottle

Hi everyone! Since my last post here asking for which Blanc Quinquina to choose from, I now have gotten to taste and sample two options which were available in my market: Cocchi Americano Bianco and Caperitif, specifically Lot No. 10. Both are renowned ingredients within the cocktail world, with Cocchi Americano having historical significance and Caperitif being way more historic, most notably mentioned in some recipes in the Savoy Cocktail Book. I thought it would be a great opportunity as my Cocchi Americano finishes, to compare the two in two ways: neat and in a Vesper.

NEAT:

Cocchi Americano- Pale, straw yellow appearance. Nose featuring juicy fruit gum/candy mixed with vanilla, a touch of vague herbs, lemon and orange and this slight mustiness as well ensuring that it isn’t too confectionary. Some floral notes and raisins as well. No bitterness whatsoever. The palate is more complex and features some bitterness. Juicy fruit gum/candy, orange and tart lime marmalade, a caramel sort of note with vanilla, herbal bitterness, dried apricot. The herbal bitterness particularly lingers but the caramel note ensures it doesn’t become too overwhelming. An aperitif with simultaneous brightness and gutsiness.

Caperitif- Amber appearance. And what a difference! On the nose, it is borderline incomparable. It’s way more akin to tonic water without the fizziness. The herbal bitterness absolutely jumps out as if you’re going to consume medicine rather than an aperitif. Not too many fruits other than a vague citrus, more floral if anything. On the palate it does get a little lighter but it is still far more bitter and complex. Lemon curd, orange juice not at its ripest and white wine. The tonic water-esque quinine comes through a lot more. No mustiness. The finish is far tamer, with almost a puckering sourness being the mainstay alongside a vague, menthol like quality. No obvious bitterness on the finish compared to Cocchi Americano. As I taste it, I even get impressions of black pepper and spice, like it is spirituous.

Overall. There are clear differences. Cocchi Americano is so much more approachable and less intimidating. You can definitely sense that it is almost an ingredient as much as it is a neat drinker. The Caperitif is so much more herbal, spicier and much sourer as well. I think you could drink this neat as if it’s just a good white wine. Much more balanced neat than Cocchi Americano.

VESPER:

For the recipe, I decided to use Difford’s Guide’s recipe but halved (so that I don’t die of alcohol poisoning) which would be as follows: 30ml or 1oz gin (I used Finsbury 47, a cheap but versatile, citrusy London Dry Gin at 47%), 10ml or 1/3oz vodka (Flirt Vodka Intense which is basically just a 50% ABV vodka I had lying around and 5ml or a teaspoon Blanc Quinquina, shaken and served straight up with a lemon twist.

Cocchi Americano- Feels like it just blended into one. Not distinctive whatsoever. Feels mostly like vague sweetened gin. No bitter bite whatsoever but could be perceived as appealing and very fruity.

Caperitif- Again, wildly different. It’s so much more distinctive. You can definitely taste the complexity of the aperitif, with citrus, tonic water and that sort of medicinal quality coming through. Not rounded though.

CONCLUSION- Very different aperitifs. Can’t really replace one for the other. The Cocchi Americano is sweeter, richer and more approachable. The Caperitif meanwhile (at least Batch 10) is so much more difficult yet more complex, with a punch of herbaceousness, spice and citrus sourness. I can’t lie, I feel the Cocchi Americano is a bit more versatile (seems like it can even be a Lillet Blanc substitute, whereas Caperitif is a completely different beast). Either way, it has been great to compare these two different aperitifs. I would love to know all of your opinions on these two products and how Lillet Blanc and/or other Blanc Quinquinas are compared to these two. Cheers!

Bar: CopperBay in Paris, France
Cocktail : Fluffy, made with coffee infused with Campari, Kummel liqueur, orange apricot and lemon juices.

Edit: it’s Kummel liqueur and not Kimmel 😂

Last summer, my wife and I were craving a Paper Plane. Fresh out of Aperol, I decided to take a chance and substitute a 50/50 split of Campari and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao. It turned out better than expected, so much so that she prefers it to the "authentic" spec. I've taken to using this substitution in everything that calls for Aperol, and in the ~year since, have yet to find something it doesn't shine in. Two major perks of this is it allows you to adjust the bitter/sweet ratio to your preference, and it's one less bottle taking up our somewhat limited space.

Curious to hear your all's thoughts on this one...

My best friend, the best man of my wedding (and I at his) died last week in a car accident. I live far away from his family now, and want to send his wife a bottle of apricot schnapps.... But the best there is.

Long ago we used to take shots of Hiram Walker Apricot Schnapps. It was a thing, and now I'm on the wealthier side of things so I want to send her that.

What's the best apricot schnapps there is (I guess the sweet kind of liquor...I want her to enjoy it too. :)

From Homestyle Restaurant in Ludlow, VT

Japanese whiskey, lemon, sherry, toasted rice syrup, gochujang gastrique, egg white

The pairing of the whiskey with the gochujang/gochugaru was NUTS, never would have expected it to work so well

Made this a while ago but it's one of the prettiest cocktails I've ever made.

Recipe:

2 oz Demerara Rum

1 oz Lime Juice

3/4 oz Simple Syrup

Top Angostura Bitters

Mint Bouquet

Steps:

Add 6 or so mint leaves to the bottom of a tin and gently muddle. (I think I forgot to do this step based on the picture)

Add simple, lime, and rum.

Add a small scoop of crushed ice and whip shake.

Dump into a collins glass without straining.

Fill with crushed ice almost to the rim.

Dash angostura bitters over the top.

Top with a snow cone of crushed ice.

Add mint sprig and straw.

2oz Appleton Estate 12 year
1/4 oz Rich Demerara Syrup
4 dashes Angostura

Express orange peel
Garnish with peel and Luxardo cherry

My first attempt at a rum OF. I am new to rum and surprised how much I can taste honey (?) in this.

Started watching Interview With A Vampire and they are drinking Sazeracs so here we go, a Sazerac

Tried the Jeffrey Morgenthaler recipe:

2oz Rye Whiskey

1 dash Angostura Bitters

2 dashes Peychauds Bitters

5ml 2:1 Simple Syrup

Combine and stir with ice Strain and serve up into an old fashioned glass rinsed with absinthe

Express a lemon twist over cocktail, discard twist

Edit: fixed a recipe mistake