October 25, 2019
Hey pals, Halloween is just around the corner of the calendar! It’s the eeriest (in the fun way) time of the year, and leads to lots of costume and generally spookily jolly parties, at which of course if the host or hostess is one with the mostess, they’ll have a cocktail or two that matches the holiday – in fun and in mood – a cocktail like this devilish delight. It starts with a classic cocktail mixer, Bacardí Superior white rum. Sometimes, sadly, in our modern world of many choices, people forget just how good this white rum is in cocktails – it’s light, dry, and flavorful with vanilla and nutty notes, without overwhelming. Yummy, really. And fun, as demonstrated by a special bottle they’re releasing for Halloween, one with a glow-in-the dark jack-o-lantern on it! I was ghoulishly lucky enough to receive one in the mail recently (don’t pull any tricks on me because of it), and I just had to come up with a cocktail featuring it: All the Devils is that cocktail!
To go along with the legendary and scarily garbed rum, I brought in a few other uncannily delightful additions, starting with one made right here in WA: Brovo’s Orange Curaçao, made from three types of dried orange peel, and carrying a layered orange-ness. Then, to deliver a hint of ghostly-good zing (it is a devilish drink), spicy Ancho Reyes ancho chile liqueur knocks at the door. And then, for some underling un-nerving (in the best way) herbal hints, Regan’s Orange bitters. Altogether, a cocktail that’s not scary at all – but one that is scary good for your Halloween-ing.
All the Devils
Cracked ice
2-1/4 ounces Bacardi Superior rum
1/2 ounce Brovo Orange Curaçao
1/2 ounce Ancho Reyes
Dash Regan’s orange bitters
Lime twist, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add everything but the twist. Stir well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with the twist. And a small skull or pumpkin if you want.
Tags: All the Devils, Ancho Reyes, Bacardi Superior rum, Brovo Orange Curaçao, cocktail recipe, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, Halloween cocktail, Halloween drink, Regan’s orange bitters, Rum, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: bitters, Cocktail Recipes, Liqueurs, Recipes, Rum, What I'm Drinking
October 18, 2019
Let’s start with the title inspiration here, and the base of this drink that you’ll want to make all your drink-loving pals, cause it’s serious only in how seriously anyone who has it will love it (the drink, as well as the base), that base being Monkey 47 Schwarzwald Dry Gin. If you haven’t had this gin (what’s up with you?), it brings a lovely smooth juniper-ness swirling on the tongue with citrus, spice, pepper, botanicals, and berries accents on all sides. Also, their website is so darn cool, in an old-timey newspaper style (the Monkey Drum is the name), with articles, information, recipes, neat-o images, and more (they also do a magazine where some of this is available). It is so cool and well done I almost want to see if I can work there. And that level of care of course is also what drives the gin! It’s a gin that needs to shine, and it certainly does so here, in this (as you’ll see!) Martini-esque beaut.
Of course, with a good base, you’ll also want some good other players, and here we have two Washington-state numbers that if you haven’t had, you’ll want to track down. First, Brovo’s Pretty vermouth. A blanc style vermouth, Pretty is, well, pretty, and pretty darn good, with a Pinot Gris wine base and spice, floral, and lemon notes. Then, I added perhaps my favorite ingredient of the year so far, Scrappy’s Black Lemon bitters, which has a unique earthy lemon-ness. Buy why am I still typing – let’s get to this cocktail.
Simian Seriously
Cracked ice
2-1/4 ounces Monkey 47 gin
3/4 ounce Brovo Pretty vermouth
2 dashes Scrappy’s Black Lemon bitters
Lemon twist, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add everything but the twist. Stir well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with the lemon. Be serious (about enjoying the drink, not about things in general, that is).
Tags: bitters, blanc vermouth, Brovo Pretty vermouth, cocktail recipe, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, Gin, lemon twist, Monkey 47 gin, Scrappy's Black Lemon bitters, Simian Seriously, vemouth, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: bitters, Cocktail Recipes, Gin, Recipes, vermouth
October 11, 2019
I recently wrote about a drink called The Mighty M, which featured a trio of Washington-made treats, one of which was Salish Sea’s Maple liqueur. Which is delicious, and perhaps the only maple liqueur? The only one I’ve had at least! It’s just very lush, rich, maple-y, nutty-ish, and delish. I was trying to think of more things to do with it, and had one of those booze-y light bulb moments – why not try subbing it in for the crème de cacao in a classic Alexander? Boom! Light bulb boom! So, I brought in another Washington pal (Seattle Distilling Company’s gin, which is an ideal gin, made with eleven botanicals, and a swell and welcoming juniper, spice, nut, thing happening), and the cream, and it all turned into a dessert-y dream. A dream I tell you!
The Mapleander
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces Seattle Distilling Company gin
1-1/2 ounces Salish Sea Maple liqueur
1-1/2 ounces heavy cream
Sprinkle of chocolate powder
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin, liqueur, and cream. Shake well.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass. Sprinkle with a light dust of chocolate.
Tags: cocktail recipe, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, Gin, heavy cream, Salish Sea Maple liqueur, Seattle Distilling Company gin, The Mapleander, Washington distilleries, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Gin, Liqueurs, What I'm Drinking
October 4, 2019
Okay, hopefully this isn’t annoying (too much), but I’m going to lay out a perfect chilly-fall-night drink, but it has not one, but two ingredients that might not be easy for all to get – however, they are worth getting, so get on your buggies (or whatever you use for transportation) and perhaps time machines (or whatever you use to travel through time). The first is from the swell sweethearts at Seattle Distilling Company, a whiskey made from Washington-grown rye (the best rye, I’m guessing), called Brockway Hill, which has a lovely rye spice flavor and umph and is well worth sipping solo as well as in this cocktail. However! That’s not the end of the story, as this delight was named for a Vashon Island bootlegger from back during the sad time called prohibition. Does that story make it taste better? Yep, yep it does! Our second ingredient alluded to above is another WA-made delight: Scrappy’s Seville Orange bitters. A seasonal Scrappy’s (hence the harder to get, and maybe the need for time machines), it as-you’d-expect utilizes Seville oranges, the peels specifically, and delivers cozy marmalade and winter spice action. Watch for it as the snow falls. Our last ingredient in this Manhattan-y trio is actually more available now than it was – because it’s fairly new and wasn’t available at all in the dark days of the past: Cynar 70. If you haven’t had the amazing and fairly-legendary Italian artichoke-based amaro Cynar, then shame on you. Have it now, and then have its higher-proof sibling, Cynar 70. The latter still brings the herbally goodness, but with a bit of a stronger kick, a kick that can be nice to have in cocktails such at this one. Drink up (but not when driving that buggy).
Rye on Earth
Cracked ice
2-1/2 ounces Seattle Distilling Company Brockway Hill whiskey
1/2 ounce Cynar 70
2 dashes Scrappy’s Seville Orange bitters
Blackberry, for garnish*
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ices. Add our trio of stalwarts. Stir well.
2. Add your blackberry to a cocktail glass. Strain the mix into said glass.
*You could go a cherry here. But blackberries are cool. And you wanna be cool, right?
Tags: blackberry, cocktail, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, cynar 70, Friday Night Cocktail, Rye, Rye on Earth, Scrappy's Bitters, Scrappy's Seville Orange bitters, Seattle Distilling Company, Washington distillers, What I’m Drinking, Whiskey
Posted in: bitters, Cocktail Recipes, Italy, Recipes, Rye, What I'm Drinking, Whiskey
September 24, 2019
Hey kids, you like laughs right? Well, recently (if you think about the grand breadth of time that us ridiculous humans have been on earth, super recently) I got to go down to new-ish Seattle hotel bar Ben Paris and have a Last Laugh cocktail made by Abigail Gullo. Now that’s a laugh worth savoring – and you can savor, too, cause I then wrote about it for Seattle magazine, and they printed what I wrote, and all that. For reals! Go check it out now, why dontcha.
Tags: Abigail Gullo, Bars, Ben Paris, Cava, Cocktail News, cocktail recipe, Gin, green Chartreuse, Last Laugh, Last Word varient, lime, maraschino liqueur, Seattle Bars, Seattle Magazine
Posted in: Bars, Cocktail News, Seattle Magazine
August 2, 2019
Holy where-does-the-time-go! It was eleven years now that I wrote on this very blog (you can pat me on the back for my longevity later) about drinking Margaritas via a trolley in my backyard. ELEVEN YEARS! My mind is blown. And the trolley has fallen to ruin, and I haven’t had a Margarita since.
No, no, I kid, cause that would be insane. I’ve had a fair amount of this classic tequila charmer that’s known near and far and then near again. However! I hadn’t until sort-a recently had one made with wonderful WA distillery (sidenote: WA has the best distilleries in the world) Brovo Spirits wonderful Orange Curaçao. And I feel bad (though many weren’t bad) for the various me’s from history who drank their Margs without it, as this orange curaçao brings said classic drink up even another level when used as the crucial orange component, thanks to a trio of dried orange peels: sweet Californian, bitter Laranha from Curaçao itself, and legendary Seville from Spain. Those mingles with spices and Maui brown sugar on a base of neutrals: cane and grain. End result: rich and balanced orange action underpinned by just the right amount of spice. Try it in your next Margarita, but be warned. You’ll like it so much, you’ll want to make a giant jug of it.
The Margarita with Brovo Spirits Orange Curaçao
Ice cubes
3 ounces tequila blanco
2 ounces Brovo Spirits Orange Curaçao
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime slice, for garnish
1. If making one, fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add the tequila, Brovo Spirits Orange Curaçao, and lime juice. Shake well.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the lime slice.
A Note: My Margaritas tend to be pretty and strong. Just as an FYI.
Tags: Brovo Spirits Orange Curaçao, cocktail recipe, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, lime, Margarita, Tequila, The Margarita, this Margarita is better than yours, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Distillery, Liqueurs, Recipes, Tequila, What I'm Drinking
July 19, 2019
Recently, I was talking about bottles to buy dad for Father’s Day on the mighty and mighty fun New Day Northwest. It was great, as I got to highlight some fantastic spirits and liqueurs made right here in way-out Washington state. And, I also got to make a special cocktail for dad using a number of those bottles. But here’s the thing – the drink, which is called Thy Noble Father (from Hamlet, you know), is a dandy one for any time of year, any day, with Woodinville Whiskey straight bourbon, Brovo Spirits Orange Curacao, Seattle Distilling Company brandy, and Scrappy’s Black Lemon bitters. I’m not sure I can conjure many better quartets than that for you, if you’re the type of person who like cocktails layered with flavor, underlined by two base spirits, cocktails with lots of earthy and celestial citrus, along with spice notes, and a little friendly sweetness that isn’t overly sweet, just an echo. And, you can make it for dad whenever you want – it’s not like he doesn’t deserve a good drink multiple times a year, right?
Thy Noble Father
Cracked ice
1-1/2 ounces Woodinville Whiskey Co. Straight Bourbon
3/4 ounce Brovo Spirits Orange Curaçao
1/2 ounce Seattle Distilling Company Brandy
Dash Scrappy’s Black Lemon Bitters
Wide orange twist, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with cracked ice. Add everything but the twist. Stir well.
2. Strain into a cocktail or coupe glass. Garnish with the twist. Toast all the dads!
Tags: bitters, bourbon, Brandy, Brovo Spirits Orange Curaçao, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Drinks named from Shakespeare, Friday Night Cocktail, orange curaçao, Scrappy's Black Lemon bitters, Seattle Distilling Company Brandy, Thy Noble Father, Washington distillers, What I’m Drinking, Woodinville Whiskey Co. Straight Bourbon
Posted in: bitters, Brandy, Cocktail Recipes, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking, Whiskey
July 12, 2019
This is a nice summertime buzzer, though one that in the past I’ve gone a route that equals a fairly substantial shaking, which can be a bit much if the ol’ sun is beating down and the Mercury’s risen up. Meaning, it’s hot, friends, and so shaking a ton is a little much, but since it’s needed when using honey, that was the situation. Until, however, I decided to make a honey simple syrup, which I should have done anyway cause it makes the mixing much smoother overall. I just went basically 1:1 on the syrup, and it was dreamy. Some use a bit more lemon juice and honey then in the recipe below, and that is okay, too! But I was using the marvelous Sipsmith gin here, and I wanted to let that gin shine just a little brighter, by toning down our other players without toning them out. Not a bad idea, really, and just the thing for a July day in the pleasant Pacific Northwest.
Bee’s Knees
Ice cubes
2 ounces Sipsmith gin
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 ounce honey simple syrup
Lemon twist, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway up with ice cubes. Add everything by the twist. Shake well, but not so well as you’d have to with pure honey, which takes some serious shaking.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass. Garnish with the twist. Kick back, buzz, buzz.
Tags: Bee’s Knees, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, Friday Night Cocktail, Gin, honey, honey simple syrup, lemon juice, Sipsmith gin, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Gin, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
