It’s late December, the kids are on their best behavior and Old Man Winter has been camped outside for a few days. It’s also a time when family get-togethers can have you stressed out, your bones are chilled to the marrow and a beverage offering a bigger kick than coffee is really what you need to make all right with the world. What better way to relax than with a winter themed drink?

Mulled wine is one of the easiest drinks to make and is quite tasty when you need to warm your cockles. The recipe is very easy because there really isn’t a “recipe” per se. The most important thing to do when making a mulled wine is to use a red wine that you would enjoy drinking with dinner. This isn’t the time to use that swill that’s been in the fridge for the last six months.

Add your bottle of wine to a pot with half a cup of orange juice. Add in some cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise or any other baking spices you have around the house, in any combinations you think taste good. Turn the heat to low and allow the spices to infuse into the wine and juice as it slowly heats up. At this point you have mulled wine. If you want to increase the kick, add some orange curacao and a splash of brandy. You don’t want to add too much that you lose the flavor of the wine and spices; add just enough to give it a backbone.

Another favorite winter drink is hot chocolate. Luckily, hot chocolate is a beverage that is easy to customize with a belt of booze. Do you like orange and chocolate? Add some curacao. Enjoy chocolate and peppermint? Add some peppermint schnapps. But those seem kind of run of the mill, no? One of my favorite additions is mezcal. The earthy, smoky character of the mezcal is a natural fit with chocolate. Another favorite is the addition of my favorite liqueur in the world, Chartreuse. The herbaceousness of the Chartreuse adds an alluring flavor to hot chocolate that is hard to describe but amazing in a glass.

These are great cold weather drinks with a kick, but what are your favorites? Let us know in the comments!

“Mulled wine” photo by Charlie Beldon

So how does this relate to chain restaurant cocktails? Their cocktails, which can be tasty, are made quickly and seem to be created in order to please a crowd in a short amount of time. A majority of the time, bottled sour mixes, juices and syrups are used instead of natural ingredients. Rather than creating something that is both fresh and complex, cocktails are often artificial and sweet so that the customer can easily knock-back the overly fruity beverage and order another. Quite frankly, I haven’t been to a chain restaurant where I have found a cocktail that I would want to order again. Because of this, I rarely order cocktails at chain restaurants.

So why do I mention this? It has to do with the cocktail featured in today’s post. I chose this particular cocktail for two reasons. First, this cocktail is from a chain restaurant. The cocktail was a signature drink at the Brown Derby in Los Angeles circa 1926. Most people do not realize this, but the Brown Derby was a chain (albeit not to the same level as a Chili’s or a TGIFridays) and its signature drink was served in all the locations. Additionally, opposite of my earlier contention, this is a drink from a chain restaurant that is well crafted using fresh ingredients that has stood the test of time. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for this cocktail because it gives hope that chain restaurants can create great cocktails.

Honeymoon Cocktail
2 ounces Applejack or Calvados
.5 ounce Benedictine
.5 ounce Orange Curacao
.5 ounce fresh lemon juice

Shake all ingredients in an iced shaker and double strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Oh, and the other reason I chose this cocktail? You may have noticed a lack of cocktail posts recently. That’s because in early November I was married to a wonderful woman and took some time for my own honeymoon and spending some time with my new family over Thanksgiving. So I chose this cocktail because I’m thankful for my new wife and new family.

Cheers!

Luckily, there is a fantastic book that I highly recommend to anyone interested cocktails or cocktail culture written by David Wondrich titled “Imbibe!” Mr. Wondrich’s book details the history of the first barman to write a cocktail guide, Jerry Thomas. Jerry Thomas wrote “How to Mix Drinks, or The Bone Vivant’s Companion” in 1862.

While looking through Imbibe! I came across a cocktail called the “Star Cocktail.” The ingredients -apple brandy and sweet vermouth -sounded very appealing.

Star Cocktail
1.5 ounces Apple Brandy (I suggest using Applejack)
1.5 ounces sweet vermouth
0.5 tsp simple syrup
3 dashes Angostura bitters
(optional dash of orange curacao)

Add all ingredients into a mixing glass half filled with cracked ice, stir roughly 30 times or a slow count to 15. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and twist a small piece of lemon over the top.

The drink may look very similar to a Manhattan, and truth be told, it is very similar. This mixture in the “Star Cocktail” is absolutely fantastic. The vermouth and bitters provide an herbal note that do not overpower the sweetness of the apple brandy. The curacao plays a note that is almost imperceptible, but brings a brightness that would sorely be missed.

Mr. Wondrich tells us that this cocktail was in vogue just before Prohibition was enacted. He also explains that one of the establishments serving the drink preferred using orange bitters. I’ve made the cocktail with Angostura and orange bitters; both are great options. In my opinion, if you want to gild the lilly just a bit, use two dashes of Angostura and one dash of orange bitters when making the drink.

Do you have a favorite recipe book for cocktails? Or old tomes in the book case? Share them with us in the comments.

Cheers!

The most recognizable hot beverage is the hot toddy. I think just about every has, or at least knows of, a recipe for the hot toddy. Here is a basic, yet tasty version:

Hot Toddy
2 oz whisky/rum/brandy
.5 oz simple syrup (to taste)
3 dashes of bitters
large swaths of lemon and/or orange peel
4 oz Hot Water

Combine the spirits, simple syrup, bitters, lemon and/or orange peel into a mug or other heat proof vessel. Add about 4 ounces of hot water and stir to combine. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or some grated nutmeg.

A few quick notes to help make your toddy taste even better. First, when peeling your lemon or orange, be careful not to peel too deeply and get into the pith of the fruit. The pith is the white part between the peel and the flesh of the fruit. The pith is very bitter and when added to the hot drink, will impart that bitterness into your cocktail. Without the pith, you get the fresh essential oils from the peels.  Second, watch the temperature of your water. If it’s too hot, the alcohol will evaporate and when you take a big whiff, you’ll end up in a coughing fit. Remember, you want something warm, but not so hot that you can’t drink it right away. Finally, the type and amount of sweetener is completely up to your own taste. Want to use honey instead of sugar? What about maple syrup? A teaspoon verses a half ounce? Sure, whatever you like, go for it!

Do you have a favorite hot toddy recipe? Let us know in the comments! Cheers!

One of my favorite sources of these flavors is a dash or two of Angostura bitters into a cocktail. Angostura is probably the most popular and widely available type of bitters on the market. However, as with most bitters, you won’t get a whole burst of flavors, merely a nice undertone.  Oddly, one of my favorite ways to get these baking spices in a cocktail during the winter months is by using a tropical ingredient: pimento!

No, I’m not talking about the red peppers, rather I’m talking about the Spanish “pimiento” which is used widely in the Jamaican islands. You may know it better by another its other name: allspice. Allspice berries were named such because their flavor incorporates all of these baking spices I’ve mentioned. In Jamaica, the berries were added to rum and sweetened to create a type of liqueur. This liqueur was called Pimiento Liqueur or Allspice Dram. While traditionally used in island-style drinks, this liqueur brings baking spices for winter cocktails front and center.

Allspice Dram was unavailable to U.S. consumers for many years. However, thanks to a Minnesota importing company, Haus Alpenz, you can now find St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram in many markets. Below is one of my favorite cocktails using Allspice Dram and a great cool weather cocktail.

The Lion’s Tail
2 ounces bourbon
.75 ounce Allspice Dram
.50 ounce fresh lime juice
.50 tablespoon simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Add all ingredients to an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for a slow ten count and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Do you have a favorite winter spice? Do you use it in cocktails or other drinks? Let us know in the comments.

Cheers!

One of the United State’s biggest losses during Prohibition was of bar men. And please note, I’m not being sexist when I say bar “men” -it was simply very rare for a woman to work behind the bar. Once Prohibition was enacted, many bartenders who studied, took great care in the cocktails they were crafting, and saw bartending as a noble profession, left the U.S. to apply their art and trade in a country where it was legal to do so.

Canada, Great Britain, and France were three locations many bartenders fled to. One of the most famous destinations was the Savoy Hotel in London, England. Maybe in a fit of premonition, the Savoy’s bar was named the American Bar in 1893 and it quickly became a destination for American bar men during Prohibition. Most famously, this is the bar where Harry Craddock plied his trade in 1930 and subsequently wrote one of the most influential cocktail books in history, the Savoy Cocktail Book.

However, prior to Mr. Craddock, there was a female bartender, Ada Coleman, who was the bartender at the Savoy beginning in 1903. In fact, for the first five years Mr. Craddock worked at the Savoy, he was stuck working the service bar while Ms. Coleman was the “face” of the hotel’s bar.

According to the fantastic tome Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh, the Hanky Panky was created for Sir Charles Hawtrey who was the mentor for one Noel Coward. Upon taking his first sip, Sir Hawtrey exclaimed “By jove! That is the real hanky panky!” Without further adieu…

Hanky Panky
1.5 ounces gin
1.5 ounces sweet vermouth
2 dashes or one half a bar spoon Fernet Branca
Orange peel for garnish

Add gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet Branca into an ice filled mixing glass. Stir for a slow count to 30 and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Press the orange peel over the drink to coat the top with the orange essential oils and add as a garnish.

Fernet Branca is an Italian Amaro (i.e. bittersweet liqueur) that tastes of herbs and a touch of mint. It can be an acquired taste, but in such small quantities in the Hanky Panky, it functions as cocktail bitters and adds just a touch of bewitching flavor. As for the garnish, don’t skip the orange peel because the oils really bring this cocktail together!

Cheers!

WAIT!

Hear me out!

To begin with, why did bars start serving all sorts of up drinks (meaning without ice) and tacking “-tini” on the end? My guess is that the V-shaped glass these drinks are served in has something to do with it. Originally, the V-shaped glass was called a “cocktail” glass. However, since it was the serving vessel of what became the wildly popular martini, it was later called a “martini” glass. Because of the popularity of the martini, I believe that bartenders simply add “-tini” to the end of their fruity, sickly sweet concoctions to A) create a sense of familiarity to their drinks and B) utilize the V-shaped vessel.

The martini must be made with gin, never vodka. The botanicals of the gin play harmoniously with the vermouth. If you use vodka, the vermouth would be too overpowering and the drink would be out of balance. Regarding the vermouth, as I wrote in the Manhattan article, you have to use fresh vermouth. I think most people don’t like martinis for the same reason they don’t like Manhattans -the vermouth used in their drinks was old and oxidized which made the final drink taste horrible. Simply stated, the interplay between gin and a good quality, fresh vermouth is amazing.

Finally, let’s talk a little bit about the history of the martini. It began showing up several years after the Manhattan around 1895.  Many cocktail books printed in the late-1800′s simply replaced the rye of the Manhattan with gin and the martini was born. If you simply ordered a “Martini” at the bar, it was made with sweet vermouth. If you ordered a “Dry Martini” it was made with dry vermouth. Notice the lack of fruit or veggies. My biggest problem with using onions or olives as a garnish in your martini is because 9 times out of 10, these garnishes are at room temperature. Martinis should be served ice cold. If you take an ice cold martini and drop a room temp olive in, you no longer have an ice cold martini.

When if comes to a martini, this is my favorite recipe:

Martini
1.5 ounces gin
1.5 ounces vermouth (sweet or dry)
2 dashes orange bitters

Add all ingredients to an ice filled mixing glass. Stir well for 30 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Have you had a true martini? What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments!

While Chartreuse can be drunk year round, it tends to come into it’s own during the fall and winter months. A very popular drink is to add some Green or Yellow Chartreuse (to taste) to hot chocolate during the winter. The herbaciousness of the liqueur mixes with chocolate in a way that is simply magical.

In keeping with sharing cocktails that bridge the gap between summer and fall, Chartreuse is a perfect liqueur to use with summery gin as well as wintery brandies and whiskies. The cocktail below first appeared in 1882 with the recipe found in Harry Johnson’s New & Improved Bartender’s Manual. This cocktail should be stirred in order to keep its clear, crisp, jewel-like color. After all, the cocktail’s name is French for “jewel.” It is said that each ingredient represents a particular precious stone; gin for diamonds, sweet vermouth for rubies, and green chartreuse for emeralds.

Bijou
1.5 ounces gin
.75 ounce Green Chartreuse
.75 ounce sweet vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters

Add all ingredients to an ice filled mixing glass and stir for 20-30 seconds. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a lemon peel.

Enjoy!

This lead me to the Manhattan Cocktail. The Manhattan Cocktail was created near the end of the 1800′s, most likely at the Manhattan Club in New York City. Around the same time, you’d often find a lot of drinks with the same recipe but with a names such as the “Jockey Club” or the “Turf Club” cocktail. Basically, these were other clubs who wanted to get in on the deliciousness of the drink served at one of their competitors.

Often, when ordering a Manhattan at a bar or restaurant, what I get is a shadow of what the cocktail should resemble. Even though the recipe is so simple, there are many ways it can be, well, messed up. But first, the recipe:

Manhattan Cocktail
2 ounces Rye Whiskey
1 ounce sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine all ingredients in an iced mixing glass and stir for 20-30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.

Let’s look at where this cocktail can go wrong. First, while bourbon is the most widely used whiskey in the Manhattan, Rye whiskey is more traditional. Most distilleries in the Northeast created rye whiskey (using 51% rye grains versus the 51% of corn used in making bourbon) while bourbon was much easier to get in the Southern states. Second, you have to use fresh sweet vermouth. Vermouth is a fortified wine and, like wine, will begin to oxidize once opened. The bars that keep an open bottle of vermouth on the shelf for months are basically serving spoiled wine. For best results, vermouth should be stored in the refrigerator,  preferably after using a wine saver vacuum to remove the air from the bottle. This will keep it fresh for 1.5 to 2 months.

The third thing that can go wrong with a Manhattan is not using bitters. Bitters bring together the various flavors of the bourbon and vermouth and create a harmony that isn’t there otherwise. If you don’t believe me, make a Manhattan with and without bitters to see what I mean. Luckily, Angostura Bitters are easy to find and more importantly, delicious. Check your local grocery store, I bet they have Angostura.

Finally, too many Manhattans are shaken rather than stirred. Your Manhattan should be crystal clear with a beautiful red hue. If you shake the drink, you end up aerating the liquids, giving it a cloudy and muted appearance. Plus, when you shake, tiny ice crystals will end up floating on top of your cocktail which will continue to add water as they melt, thus muting the flavors.

So while the Manhattan seems like a deceptively simple drink to make, often you only find bad ones. So what do you do? Make yours at home the right way and enjoy all that is great about the Manhattan Cocktail.

Photo: Courtesy of Naotake Muayama.

With that in mind, I went about finding classic cocktail that had that summer-turning-to-fall feel. While perusing several of my cocktail books, I came across this little cocktail in Ted Haigh’s Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails.

Golden Dawn
1 ounce Calvados
1 ounce dry gin
.5 ounce apricot-flavored brandy
.5 ounce orange juice
Grenadine*

-Combine everything except the grenadine into an ice-filled shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass. Drop a stemless cherry into the bottom of the glass. Drizzle a small amount of grenadine into the drink, but do not stir.

In Haigh’s book, he tells us the Golden Dawn was named for the 1927 Rogers & Hammerstein operetta named the same. In 1930, the United Kingdom Bartender’s Guild named the Golden Dawn the “World’s Finest Cocktail.” Furthermore, it’s creator, Thomas Buttery, the head barman of London’s Berkeley Hotel, was a teetotaler!

What drew me to this cocktail was the use of a spirit I associate with summer, namely gin, and one that I associate with fall/winter, Calvados. Calvados, if you aren’t familiar, is a French brandy made from apples. In the United States, we have something very similar called Applejack, the most widely available is Laird’s. The use of the two, really seem to follow this summer giving way to fall time of the year.

I don’t have any Calvados, but I do have Applejack in my home bar. So when I went to make this drink, I wasn’t very worried. However, I forgot that I didn’t have any apricot-flavored brandy as the recipe calls for. Generally, apricot-flavored brandy is a brandy made from the juice of apricots with additional apricot juice added after distillation. What I did have in my bar was pear-flavored brandy.

With the couple of recipe changes, I named the new drink:

Golden Fall
1 ounce dry gin
1 ounce Applejack
.5 ounce pear-flavored brandy
.5 ounce orange juice

-Follow the same directions from the Golden Dawn above.

Do you have a favorite drink that usher’s in Fall? Let us know in the comments.

Cheers!

A Note on Grenadine – As we talked about using fresh juice last week, the same goes for grenadine. Real grenadine is simply pomegranate syrup. It’s very easy to make your own and follows the same recipe we used earlier for simple syrup. Simply mix together 100% pomegranate juice (such as POM Wonderful) and sugar in equal proportions until all the sugar is dissolved. That’s it. Better than 95% of the bottled red-colored high-fructose corn syrup labeled “grenadine” you’ll find in the store