January 17, 2020
Yes! Football is happening. Important professional football. Football, football, football! And, it’s nearing the time when football isn’t happening (oh, btw as the texters txt, here I am referring solely to USA-style football, and not the football played around everywhere else in the world. Though that kind of football is most-likely happening, too, in some form, which I admit, and if you are watching the original football, and want to have this delicious drink with a passel of pals, that would be amazing and you would be able to say “score!” loudly when drinking, too), so if you haven’t yet had your football punch yet this professional football season, well, rah-rah-rah-ers, now is the time for you to have it! With a team of friends – though perhaps not as big a team as a full professional football team, unless you can make multiple batches, that is, in which case, do that – cause this is a drink scaled for more than just one. And it’s so awfully tasty, that even if – and I do hope with every pigskin inch, whatever that means, that this isn’t the case – your team of choice isn’t playing anymore, having bowed out already in ignominy, you will still be able to smile after sipping. If not the first glass, at least the second. Let the football-ing and Football Punch-ing commence!
Football Punch, recipe from Dark Spirits
Ice cubes
One 750-milliliter bottle dark rum
16 ounces apple juice
10 ounces sweet vermouth
5 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
Two 25.4-ounce bottles chilled sparkling apple cider
2 apples, cored and sliced
1. Fill a large punch bowl halfway full with ice cubes. Add the rum, apple juice, vermouth, lemon juice, and orange juice. Stir with a pennant from your team of choice.
2. Add the sparkling apple cider, but in a sustained drive, not in a sprint (meaning, slow and steady wins this game), and the apple slices. Stir well. Serve in punch glasses, mugs, or little plastic footballs.
Tags: apple cider, apple juice, apples, Cocktail Recipes, cocktails, dark rum, Football Punch, Friday Night Cocktail, lemon juice, orange juice, sweet vermouth, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Dark Spirits, Recipes, Rum, vermouth, What I'm Drinking
September 20, 2019
Fall officially starts in three days, and I can feel it (this happens when you get to be my age – it could also just be a good thing to say) deep inside. And what does one sip when the fall is about to start and you can feel it, and winter behind it, always, coming? Well, a Whiskey Sour seems like a good choice, with that heft of whiskey and the citrus zing underneath, and then an echo of sweet (to remind you and spring, also always, follows winter). At least that’s the route I’m running today!
The Whiskey Sour
Ice cubes
2 ounces Four Roses straight bourbon
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
Lemon slice, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the bourbon, lemon juice, and syrup. Shake well.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon slice.
Tags: cocktail, Cocktail Recipes, Four Roses Bourbon, Friday Night Cocktail, lemon juice, simple syrup, The Whiskey Sour, What I’m Drinking, Whiskey
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, 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
January 18, 2019
Haha, I stole this drink name from a line in a comic written by genius writer and all-around good chap Paul Tobin. It’s such as momentous name! And this is such a springtime-y drink, one you might have as the sun goes down in early May with your feet up on the porch railing, or one you might have in January when you’re dreaming of that springtime scene. So, sorta opposite of the name, which I find delightful. Of course, you could also have this when battling for time itself, and in a way you might need to, as one of the ingredients is Bluewater Distillery’s Organic Elderflower Cardamom liqueur, so you’ll need to bend time to visit WA if you don’t live here, specifically the city of Everett, which is where Bluewater is located. It’ll be worth it, cause this singular liqueur is a vision, with the botanical elderflower and citrus-y spice of cardamom all mingling together like that spring day I mentioned above. Yummy.
And, while you’re here, you’ll want to pick up the other awesome WA ingredients that make this cocktail so dynamic, starting with Wildwood Spirits’ Läka gin. Though you might not be able to find it, as it’s a limited release (battling for time again!). This gin is/was made from a host of localities, and has a lovely classic gin profile, with strong juniper and spice notes. If you can’t find it, sub in its sibling Kur gin, which is an award-winning gin charmer you don’t want to miss — a touch more citrus, a smidge more lofty botanicals. You also don’t want to miss our third WA star: Scrappy’s Black Lemon bitters. I’ve talked about a bunch this already (in a recipe called Pina’s Potion, and in a recipe called A Moment of Unmixed Happiness, and in an article for Seattle magazine), so all I’ll say here is, it’s one of those ingredients that might change your life. Probably will. Lemony, floral, earthy, there is nothing like it! And I need a bigger bottle today!
All those together, plus a little lemon juice, and I believe you may well win the dynamic battle for time itself! Try a few of these and see.
The Dynamic Battle for Time Itself
Ice cubes
2 ounces Wildwood Spirits’ Läka gin
3/4 ounces Bluewater Organic Elderflower Cardamom liqueur
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 dashes Scrappy’s Black Lemon bitters
1. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass halfway full with ice cubes. Add everything. Shake.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass. Drink. Think about time!
Tags: bitters, Bluewater Organic Elderflower Cardamom Liqueur, cocktail recipe, cocktails, Distillery, Friday Night Cocktail, Gin, lemon juice, Scrappy's Black Lemon bitters, The Dynamic Battle for Time Itself, Washington distillery, What I’m Drinking, Wildwood Spirits’ Läka Gin
Posted in: bitters, Cocktail Recipes, Distillery, Gin, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
November 16, 2018
Okay, yes, you caught me. I’m having a Golden Frog, and Italian-ing it in name. I’m apologize, but I just returned from Italy (or maybe I’m on my way back still, sometimes when traveling and taking time away it’s nearly dreamlike, and time does strange things to you, especially in Umbria I believe, when you’re on a hillside and the sun in bright and the air is crisp and you have a drink of vodka, Galliano, Strega, and lemon juice, and everything is so gold, gold, gold), and am craving a little more Italian vacation in my day, and so here I am with a La Rana d’Oro and you’re hassling me about the name? You probably won’t get one, then.
La Rana d’Oro
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces vodka
1-1/2 ounces Galliano
1/2 ounce Strega
1/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway up with ice cubes. Add the vodka, Galliano, Strega, and lemon juice. Shake well.
2. Strain through a fine strainer into a cocktail glass. Serve in an Italian manner.
Tags: cocktail recipe, cocktails, Friday Night Cocktail, Galliano, La Rana d’Oro, lemon juice, Strega, vodka, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Italy, Liqueurs, Recipes, vodka, What I'm Drinking
October 26, 2018
Here’s a haunting favorite I hadn’t made recently – which was foolish of me, because it’s a Halloween hit that’s good year round. But, especially due to the headless nature of the eerie moniker, it’s a chillingly good choice this time of year. Luckily, it’s not scary to make, and the taste isn’t scary at all, and your spooky party pals will love it. Heck, they might even say it’s boo-tiful. Hahaha!
Sleepy Hollow, from Good Spirits
Ice cubes
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
2-1/2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce apricot liqueur
1. Add the mint, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a mixing glass or cocktail shaker. Using a muddler or hefty wooden spoon, muddle well.
2. Fill the cocktail shaker or glass halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin and apricot liqueur. Shake well, but don’t lose your head.
3. Strain into a large cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a swizzle stick topped with a plastic head. Or other appropriate Halloween fun.
Tags: apricot liqueur, cocktail, cocktail recipe, Friday Night Cocktail, Gin, Good Spirits, Halloween cocktail, lemon juice, mint leaves, simple syrup, Sleepy Hollow, spooky cocktail, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Gin, Good Spirits, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
June 29, 2018
This should be your go-to this summer (or one of them, at least), as it’ll transport you all over Europe without you having to leave the yard, while at the same time serving as a cool cooler, just as you want when the temps are tempting the higher digits. It was created by an old pal and bartending legend, Jeremy Sidener (who owns the Eighth Street Taproom in Lawrence, KS), who was genius enough to bring together the herbally Italian amaro Averna (which is about in the middle of the bitter scale when looking over the amaro family) and French herb-y Bénédictine, along with cherry brandy, lemon juice, and soda. I myself said in Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz that “the result will break any hold a dusty, hot summer’s day has on you.”
The Sicilian Sling
Ice cubes
1-1/2 ounces Averna
1/2 ounce cherry brandy
1/2 ounce Bénédictine
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
Chilled club soda
1 or 2 fresh basil leaves, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the Averna, cherry brandy, Bénédictine, and lemon juice. Shake well.
2. Fill a highball glass three-quarters full with ice cubes. Strain the mixture into the glass. Top with chilled club soda, filling it almost to the top. Gently smack the basil leaf or leaves and let them rest on the drink’s top.
Tags: Averna, basil, Benedictine, cherry brandy, club soda, cocktail, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, cocktails, Eighth Street Taproom, Friday Night Cocktail, Jeremy Sidener, lemon juice, Taproom, The Sicilian Sling, What I’m Drinking: What I’m Drinking
Posted in: Cocktail Recipes, Ginger Bliss and the Violet Fizz, Italy, Liqueurs, Recipes, What I'm Drinking
June 8, 2018
Recently, I was on a trip – the actual physical kind, mind you – that took me away from my home bar and home region, and led me, let’s just say, to a different state, and while there I was really craving Brancamenta, and couldn’t find any anywhere. Anywhere! What kind of place or region or locale or spot doesn’t have this Fernet Branca sibling, which adds Piedmontese peppermint oil and a little sweetness to the legendary bitter-and-herb digestif?
Well, I was missing the minty mint-ness indeed by the time I got back, especially as we’re heading into summer and Brancamenta is a summertime hit of special proportions, especially with soda, and even moreso when mingled with dark rum (another summer fav) and a few other choice choices in the below drink. Try it and see! And if you have to travel anywhere that might not have Brancamenta, even just maybe might not have it, take your bottle with you. You don’t want to run into the situation I did, believe me you.
The Mint Meridian
Ice cubes
2 ounces dark rum
3/4 ounces Brancamenta
1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Chilled club soda
Mint sprig, for garnish
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway up with ice cubes. Add the rum, Brancamenta, lemon juice, and bitters. Shake well.
2. Fill a highball or closely comparable glass up with ice cubes. Strain the mix from Step 1 into the glass through a fine strainer.
3. Top with 3 ounces club soda. Stir. Garnish with the mint spring. Enjoy your afternoon.
Tags: #brancamenta, Branca Menta, club soda, cocktail, cocktail recipe, Cocktail Recipes, cocktails, dark rum, Friday Night Cocktail, lemon juice, Mint, Peychaud's bitters, Rum, The Mint Meridian, What I’m Drinking
Posted in: bitters, Cocktail Recipes, Italy, Recipes, Rum, What I'm Drinking
