Archives for the 'Spirits' Category

Absinthe Tasting & Cocktail Workshop

November 8, 2009

Join a group of Absinthe experts and aficionados as we taste absinthe from various producers, test some cocktail recipes and, in general, just have a good time.

Presenting:

  • Jay Hendrickson, Legendre Herbsaint historian/collector
  • Damian Hevia, Absinthe aficionado and photographer
  • John Martin, Certified Specialist of Spirits

This event is open to all who will imbibe, but please RSVP so we’ll be able to accomodate all comers. There will be plenty of free tastings and light snacks, but be prepared to buy additional drinks.

Avantgarden will be holding a much larger Absinthe event on December 5, 2009. That event will include presentations by several Absinthe luminaries including Ted Breaux from Lucid.

The November 8th event is a preliminary tasting and recipe testing, in part to prepare for December 5th.

Here’s a copy of my handout.

11/08/2009 | Events, Spirits | No Comments

The Classic 25 Drinks Every Bartender Should Know

I don’t know how many times I’ve had a bartender ask me, “What’s a Negroni?”

BarSmarts Online

Any bartender who really wants to understand the basics of the craft should pay the $45 and take the four online training modules at www.BarSmarts.com.

Here are the 25 classic drinks that BarSmarts thinks every bartender should know:

  1. Aviation Cocktail. Gin, Maraschino, lemon juice.
  2. Bellini. White peach puree, champagne.
  3. Blood and Sand. Scotch, cherry liquor, sweet vermouth, orange juice.
  4. Bloody Mary. Tomato juice, vodka, spices.
  5. Caipirinha. Cachaça, lime, sugar.
  6. Collins (Tom, John or Vodka). Gin, bourbon or vodka, simple syrup, lemon juice.
  7. Cosmopolitan. Citrus vodka, orange liquor, lime juice, cranberry juice.
  8. Daiquiri. Rum, simple syrup, lime juice.
  9. Gimlet. Gin, Rose’s lime juice.
  10. Gin Fizz. Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, club soda.
  11. Irish Coffee. Irish whiskey, brown sugar syrup, coffer, whipped cream.
  12. Mai Tai. Rum, lime juice, orange curaçao, orgeat syrup.
  13. Manhattan. Bourbon or rye, sweet vermouth, bitters.
  14. Margarita. Tequila, orange liquor, lime juice, simple syrup.
  15. Dry Martini. Gin, dry vermouth, orange bitters.
  16. Mint Julep. Bourbon, sugar, mint.
  17. Mojito. Rum, lime juice, simple syrup, mint, club soda.
  18. Negroni. Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth.
  19. Old Fashioned. Bourbon or rye, sugar.
  20. Pisco Sour. Pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, bitters, egg white.
  21. Rob Roy. Scotch, sweet vermouth, bitters.
  22. Sazerac. Rye, Peychaud’s bitters, absinthe, simple syrup.
  23. Sidecar. Cognac, orange liquor, lemon juice.
  24. Stinger. Cognac, white crème de Menthe.
  25. Whiskey Sour. Bourbon or rye, simple syrup, lemon juice.

Full recipes are online, plus there’s a video that shows Dale DeGroff, David Wonderlich and others making each of the drinks.

09/04/2009 | Spirits | 4 Comments

Mixologist or Bartender?

These polls are unscientific and don’t mean a thing.

mixologist.JPG

Here’s the poll from Imbibe Magazine: Which term do you prefer?

Personally, one who stands behind a bar and makes drinks is a bartender. One who finds or creates recipes and uses those recipes to help make drinks is a mixologist. That’s two different things altogether.

08/25/2009 | Spirits | 2 Comments

Tales of the Cocktail 2009

July 7, 2009 toJuly 12, 2009

2102.jpg


It’s that time of year once again.

This will be my third trip to “the Spirited Event of the Summer.” Five+ days of adventure in New Orleans as more than 15,000 people explore the world of cocktails and fine spirits.

I’m on the “Founder’s Day Pass” so I’ll be at almost all the big events.

I’ll be posting regularly on my twitter feed. Follow me at http://twitter.com/jm9900.

Tags: ,

06/10/2009 | Events, Spirits | No Comments