|
I've got the Pierre Ferrand curaçao and frankly I think it's less refined than Cointreau and Gran Marnier. The flavors aren't as well structured.
|
#
?
Oct 15, 2014 09:25
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 30, 2024 04:09 |
|
|
pgroce posted:Anyone else here like Solerno? I wouldn't use it in a White Lady (I would use the PF in a New York minute), but it makes a fine Sidecar.
|
|
#
?
Oct 15, 2014 15:39
|
|
|
Can somebody give me a Mojito recipe that works for idiots? I just can't get them right. I try to do them off YT recipes but so far they always taste too watery or too sour and bitter.
|
|
#
?
Oct 19, 2014 19:56
|
|
|
http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2007/mojito/ In a 16 ounce mixing glass, gently muddle together: 1 large sprig spearmint .75 oz simple syrup Add: Half a spent lime hull, and 1 oz of lime juice (no less, no more) 2 oz white rum 3 oz sparkling mineral water Top with crushed ice and mix with a straw until drink is combined and glass is frosty.
|
|
#
?
Oct 19, 2014 22:30
|
|
|
Btw "crushed ice" means "really loving pulverized." The best ice for mojitos is almost shaved ice.
|
|
#
?
Oct 20, 2014 08:10
|
|
|
Watched Hogfather with the kids last night and decided to break into a bottle of sherry. This, of course, means I have some leftover today. So my lunch features an Adonis: - 2 oz. sherry - 1 oz. sweet vermouth - A few dashes of orange bitters. I used some blood orange bitters I had kicking around. Shaken for ice and strained into a wineglass with ice because it is about the only glassware I have yet to pack in a box.  The raisiny quality of the sherry plays well with the sweet and spice of the vermouth while the orange rounds things nicely. It would be a nice little cocktail around Christmas.
|
|
#
?
Oct 20, 2014 17:37
|
|
|
I've always wondered what people mean by "sherry." A fino and an Amontillado and a PX are radically different. It's like just saying "rum."
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 02:13
|
|
|
Yyyyyyyup. Recipe called for "dry sherry" and I used Drysack because it was cheap/decent/no one else stocks anything better in my county.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 03:02
|
|
|
Butch Cassidy posted:Yyyyyyyup. Recipe called for "dry sherry" and I used Drysack because it was cheap/decent/no one else stocks anything better in my county. I think his point was you didn't specify. I thought an Adonis is supposed to be made with a nuttier sherry like an Amontillado, but I'm no sherry expert.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 03:15
|
|
|
The Hebug posted:I think his point was you didn't specify. I thought an Adonis is supposed to be made with a nuttier sherry like an Amontillado, but I'm no sherry expert. I don't know what the classic calls for, just what the cocktail book I was flipping through stated. And I thought I had typed "dry" in there 
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 04:28
|
|
|
I don't know anything about sherry and I would love to know some stuff about sherry. You guys seem to know some stuff. Tell me some stuff about sherry?
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 05:09
|
|
|
Sherry is like rum in that it covers a massive range and gets generalized. It is also a dying spirit that has to cope with the decline of fortified wine and port's current dominance of the American market. And I have had a hell of a time trying to get into it in Northern NH  At least port was easy to find some limited selection of quality examples. But I really want to learn more because the nutty/dried earthy fruit flavors are very neat. If someone who actually knows sherry could do up an effortpost, I would love them longtime.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 05:22
|
|
|
I'll do an effort post on sherry when I get home tonight. It's definitely not a dying style, it just doesn't have the export strength it had in the 18th century. The good people of Jerez won't be giving up their sherry any time soon.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 16:15
|
|
|
Here's a short blurb I wrote on the basics of sherry for a wildly unpopular write-up on the Sherry Cobbler. Sherry is made with Palomino grapes, with a couple exceptions, and hails from Andalucia, the southern region of Spain, with its chalky soil and close exposure to the Atlantic Ocean. This terroir makes sherry a unique wine with bright fruit notes and a focused acidity, though these characteristics can vary widely within the family of sherry wines. Sherry is generally classified into two types, fino (dry) and oloroso (sweet). The finos are lean with nutty and mineral notes and also include the manzanillas and amontillados. After fermentation, fino sherry is fortified with unaged grape brandy to ~15% alcohol. Part of what makes finos unique are that unlike most wine, they are aged open to air and are protected from oxidation by “flor”, a layer of indigenous yeasts that form on top of the wine which contribute to its unique nutty character. Oloroso sherry is much richer and is fortified up to 18% alcohol, which prevents the growth of “flor”. These are much darker in color and also include Pedro Ximenez and Moscatel sherry, which are sweet dessert wines made from special varietals of grape that are dried to concentrate their sugars before fermentation. Sherries are fermented in the solera tradition, in which the new sherry is mixed with older sherries and regularly continues to combine with older sherries as it is allowed to age to what is stated on the bottle. The commonly seen cream sherry that is probably the reason people don’t enjoy sherry are sweetened varieties of the lower quality fino (pale cream sherry) or oloroso (cream sherry) sherry, so don’t get or use those.
|
|
#
?
Oct 21, 2014 18:43
|
|
|
Thanks for that. My experience with sherry is limited. I have some PX, that I don't like, to my dismay. I had no idea fino was open air fermented. I am a big fan of beer that is fermented that way, so I'll have to check it out.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 02:33
|
|
|
Klauser posted:Thanks for that. My experience with sherry is limited. I have some PX, that I don't like, to my dismay. I had no idea fino was open air fermented. I am a big fan of beer that is fermented that way, so I'll have to check it out. This isn't the wine thread, but... PX sherry is way too sweet for me, try going to a wine shop with staff who know a thing or two and ask for a dry sherry. It's a great aperitif, straight or perhaps with orange twist and an ice cube, as you might drink an aromatized aperitivo wine like Cocchi Americano.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 05:09
|
|
|
My local wine shop is no help with sherry and any special order for me is going to be way spendy after their markup
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 06:35
|
|
|
Nobody really drinks PX, it's much to treacly. I love a proper amontillado. Lustau makes a number of fantastic amontillados. It's worth paying a bit more for a nice one, they are truly fantastic.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 20:28
|
|
|
Saying nobody really drinks PX is a bit of a stretch. I drink PX and i'm 25 (it's classically stereotyped as grandma's drink), it's phenomenal and has ridiculous amount of depth to it. The Toro Albalá Don PX Convento Selección 1946 is one of the most insane things i've ever tasted. PX is great in desert cocktails & flips, pairs with rum, amaro and whisky really well. If you have old PX lying around try the Manhattan variant: Up To Date: 1.5 oz rye, 1.5oz sherry , 2 dash angostura bitters, 1 barspoon grand marnier. stir, strain into coupe or big rock. (i like mine on the rocks with an orange twist with if made with PX) If you think of it as a manhattan your fino and manzanilla's are your dry vermouth and your olorosso's are sweet vermouth.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 21:41
|
|
|
How does armagnac differ from cognac, apart from region? I came across a bottle of a VSOP armagnac called Chateau de Laubade on clearance for about $30 and decided to pick it up as something a little out of the ordinary, but I really don't know too much about it other than it being another type of controlled-domain style of brandy. I also managed to snag some Bols Genever (which I didn't know that they had ever carried in the past, yet here it was) and some yellow Chartreuse from the same clearance sale. I know the green is generally preferred around here, but is it really different enough that I should have skipped out on getting some Chartreuse on the cheap?
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 22:56
|
|
|
The Hebug posted:Here's a short blurb I wrote on the basics of sherry for a wildly unpopular write-up on the Sherry Cobbler. Where does "almond sherry" fit in? I kinda like it, as I find Disaronno to be too strong to drink straight.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 02:49
|
|
|
God, I've been haunted by the Pinkhouse Punch ever since the party. Since I don't always have an occasion for whipping up a whole bowl o punch, I was thinking about bottling and capping a batch. I think if I drink it within a week the citrus shouldn't get weird, and the barleywine brings the carbonation. Slight segue, is there any good rule for using beers in punches? Dallas has a booming craft beer scene, and making punches out of them sounds awesome. Especially this Indian Red Ale made by Peticolas Brewery called Velvet Hammer.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 03:02
|
|
|
I'm glad you like it so much! I am very pleased myself. It would absolutely be good for at least a week. And if you bottled up a measure of the stock (everything except water and citrus juice) it could store basically forever. Then whenever you want a drink take 4 oz. stock, .5 oz. citrus, and 2.5 oz. water and have at ye. Adjust to taste of course...this approximation somewhat low-balls the citrus.Meaty Ore posted:How does armagnac differ from cognac, apart from region? I came across a bottle of a VSOP armagnac called Chateau de Laubade on clearance for about $30 and decided to pick it up as something a little out of the ordinary, but I really don't know too much about it other than it being another type of controlled-domain style of brandy. You made good purchases all around. Armagnac goes through fewer distillations then Cognac and is therefore nuttier and fruitier. I usually prefer it honestly, and it is often a steal (as you found). Bols Genever is a classic ingredient. Try it in an Improved Old Fashioned (i.e with maraschino and absinthe). Yellow Chartreuse is lovely, especially in a Widow's Kiss.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 10:15
|
|
|
Thanks! That worked much better. I think it's because this uses syrup instead of granulated sugar, which I can't get to properly dissolve and then I've got sticky goo at the bottom of a sour Mojito. But now I wonder how a lot of 'authentic recipes' don't seem to use the syrup and work with sugar. Is it just a matter of muddling/stirring like a maniac?
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 13:02
|
|
|
If you like grit, muddle. If you dont, use syrup. I like the grit in an old fashioned, but most other drinks are better with syrup.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 15:35
|
|
|
Keep in mind that the sugar you should be using when mixing drinks is bar sugar/superfine sugar. It has significantly smaller crystals and dissolves more easily. That said I think most use of sugar in cocktail-making is a misguided attempt to be authentic or to avoid dilution. Some people like to use sugar when muddling so it will act as an abrasive element but I doubt it makes much of a difference compared to the big stick you're smashing stuff with.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2014 18:35
|
|
|
When the only ingredients are an orange peel, some bitters, a few drops of soda water and sugar, the added abrasive element of sugar really does factor in. When I did a side by side comparison I got more citrus from the sugar than the syrup. Then again it was also highly likely to be a placebo since I kinda expected that result. So welps. I've been trying to get back into mixing cocktails recently and need something to motivate me again. Any suggestions? I feel like using my shaker, something without so much citrus, and gently caress tequila. I've only been making gin & tonics recently with the odd sidecar/aviation/last word, and I feel like I need to mix things up.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2014 19:24
|
|
|
You should get Beach Bum Berry Remixed, 4 or 5 new rums, and start getting Tiki.
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2014 19:59
|
|
|
tynam posted:When the only ingredients are an orange peel, some bitters, a few drops of soda water and sugar, the added abrasive element of sugar really does factor in. When I did a side by side comparison I got more citrus from the sugar than the syrup. Then again it was also highly likely to be a placebo since I kinda expected that result. So welps. Hate to derail slightly, but what maraschino did you use for your aviations?
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2014 22:57
|
|
|
George Zimmer posted:Hate to derail slightly, but what maraschino did you use for your aviations? Either Luxardo or Cristiani maraschino liqueur, depending on the gin, my mood, the position of the stars etc. Rums sounds pretty good actually, especially with the dumb heatwave in so-cal right now. Time to start my rum journey a bit early!
|
|
#
?
Oct 27, 2014 23:28
|
|
|
Kenning posted:You should get Beach Bum Berry Remixed, 4 or 5 new rums, and start getting Tiki. Yesssssssssssssssss... pgroce posted:Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao is a delicious alternative to Cointreau as well. It is also brandy-based, but I don't find it nearly as brandy-forward as Grand Marnier. I get more dry citrus and floral notes from it than Cointreau (which I also like). Just for fun, it is super, super easy/cheap to make your own curacao at home, with whatever spirit you prefer. All of what follows is straight lifted from Beachbum Berry's latest book "Potions of the Caribbean", which is impossible to over-recommend. He says you can use either brandy (brandy is more "authentic") or a gold rum (he says he prefers it with rum, so I went with Flor de Cana, my vote for the highest taste/price ratio for really popular easy-to-find rums). However, I want to try another batch made with the Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, that hopefully will make my face melt. Anyway, recipe: 3 cups booze (see above) 10 oz 2:1 demerara sugar (which is everywhere now, even Costco):water syrup .25 tsp powdered cinnamon .25 tsp crushed clove .25 tsp ground coriander Peels of 2 super large or 4 small navel oranges, free of pith (use veg peeler) Bake peels in oven for 30 mins at 200F. Remove and let air-dry over night (not sure if this is actually necessary...). Throw everything but sugar syrup into a glass container, let it sit for 3 weeks, shaking it occasionally. After the hardest part, strain solids out with a coffee filter (or super fine mesh, or cheese cloth, or whatever) and add the syrup. Let it sit another month (the longer you let it age, the better it tastes). Prepare for glory. tynam posted:Rums sounds pretty good actually, especially with the dumb heatwave in so-cal right now. Time to start my rum journey a bit early! I love making and drinking cocktails and mixed drinks. I love all bases. But rum is my favorite and always will be. I apologize for this rant, but: For all that is holy, if you can find Smith and Cross Jamaican Rum, use only this when a recipe calls for "gold Jamaican". Oh, also use it in everything. If you can find the Ed Hamilton series of rums, all are out of confuckingtrol, even the "cheap" ($30/bottle) ones. The rums from St. Martinique like Clement VSOP are earthy as gently caress, so different and delicious. The final rum I freak out over is Rhum Barbancourt. It hails from Haiti, and has a sex-cognac like taste. There's even a balls-to-the-wall drink in "Potions of the Caribbean" that calls for a gently caress-yeah 3 oz of booze, 2.5 of which is this elixir, that comes with the warning that no other rum will work as a substitute. Dammit, okay, two more for white rums: Bacardi Heritage and Banks 5 Island. Both are righteous, and both work swimmingly in daiquiris.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2014 01:41
|
|
|
Oh, what a coincidence. I just made a couple Aviations with Cristiani a half-hour ago.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2014 02:22
|
|
|
Kenning posted:You made good purchases all around. Armagnac goes through fewer distillations then Cognac and is therefore nuttier and fruitier. I usually prefer it honestly, and it is often a steal (as you found). Bols Genever is a classic ingredient. Try it in an Improved Old Fashioned (i.e with maraschino and absinthe). Yellow Chartreuse is lovely, especially in a Widow's Kiss. Made one of these while watching Packers/Saints since TJ's had cheap armagnac. It was fitting to be drinking a New Orleans-tinged brandy old fashioned.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2014 04:52
|
|
|
Yesss improved Old Fashioneds are the straight bomb. Marmot are you still in the Bay? I still think we should drink together. I'll let you know the next punch I'm making.
|
|
#
?
Oct 28, 2014 10:54
|
|
|
So I generally don't cross-promote the "Not Cocktail of the Week" stuff I write for the /r/cocktails subreddit, but I recently launched a preorder campaign for a book with the help of redditmade. My usual entries focus on the history, recipes, and my taste notes for each cocktail, which will all be updated for the book. Additionally, in the vein of a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, I'm adding what I think is a unique feature where I suggest drinks to try next based on similarity and minimizing the number of new ingredients needed. It's also going to have a foreword by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, which I think is pretty cool. Anyways, whether you happen to follow my work on reddit or not, please take a look and perhaps lend me your support. I'm also happy to answer any questions as best I can here. redditmade campaign: https://redditmade.com/campaign/not-cocktail-of-the-week-book More detail in my reddit post here: http://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/comments/2kp92f/the_not_cocktail_of_the_week_book_is_coming/
|
|
#
?
Oct 30, 2014 19:40
|
|
|
http://summitsips.com/2013/03/drink-of-the-week-church/ I have been drinking the gently caress out of this lately. Good god, is this amazing. I am working to get more and more into the classier side of cocktails. I worked as a bartender for ten years(just recently got an adult job,) and am gladly expanding my horizons into a whole new realm of cocktail making.
|
|
#
?
Oct 31, 2014 00:44
|
|
|
What's everyone serving at their parties tomorrow? Our menu includes pitchers of margaritas, apple-pear vodka cider, gibsons, rum & cokes, and 7&7s, plus stuff made to order if people want something else. Homemade pickled onions and a little lemon bitters really make those gibsons, let me tell you. Tasty.
|
|
#
?
Oct 31, 2014 04:25
|
|
|
Van Dis posted:What's everyone serving at their parties tomorrow? Our menu includes pitchers of margaritas, apple-pear vodka cider, gibsons, rum & cokes, and 7&7s, plus stuff made to order if people want something else. Homemade pickled onions and a little lemon bitters really make those gibsons, let me tell you. Tasty. Nothing, I'm going to an open bar party and drinking lovely White Russians and whiskey sours all night EDIT: while dressed as Ziggy Stardust
|
|
#
?
Oct 31, 2014 04:53
|
|
|
I made a punch for my girlfriend's workplace party thing on Wednesday and it was exceedingly well-received. It's an original that was designed to evoke the harvest and the sometimes gloomy chill of autumn (even though I live in the Bay Area and it's been 70 degrees all week). I call it Lost Souls Punch 2 750 ml bottles Calvados 1 750 ml bottle Belgian-style quad (use something brewed with plums or the like – I used Judgment Day Ale by the Lost Abbey, which uses raisins) 1 lb. turbinado sugar 16 oz lemon juice Optional: the peels of 2 or 3 citrons 1 oz. absinthe (I used Mansinthe by Marilyn Manson, which is 66.6% abv.) 2 qt. water Muddle the citron peels (or just use lemon peels it will be fine) with the sugar and let sit as long as possible. Bring 2 cups of the water to boil and then use to dissolve the sugar. Strain out the peels and allow to cool, then add the lemon juice, Calvados, and Belgian quad. Pour into a 7 quart bowl over a large block of ice and add the remaining water to taste. Allow to chill before service if possible. If you want to do it up, a bit of dry ice chucked into the bowl makes it fog over and sizzle mysteriously.
|
|
#
?
Oct 31, 2014 08:29
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 30, 2024 04:09 |
|
|
Kenning posted:
How much Maraschino do you add in the Improved Old Fashioned? I assume the absinthe is just a rinse.
|
|
#
?
Oct 31, 2014 23:10
|
|