This seemed like a good idea: The Rhinestone Wrangler
2 days ago • 3 min readThis seemed like a good idea... The Rhinestone Wrangler A twist on the Rhinestone Cowboy with bourbon, peach liqueur, chocolate mint, lemon, Angostura, and ginger beer. Get the Recipe Why I Tried This The Rhinestone Cowboy has been popping up lately, and bourbon, peach, lemon, mint, and spicy ginger beer sounded like a pretty damn good summer combo. There was just one minor complication: the only fresh mint I had handy was chocolate mint. It's still very much mint, but it has a slightly...
READ POSTSavoy Revisited: The Corpse Reviver #2
16 days ago • 3 min readSavoy Revisited Welcome to Savoy Revisited, where I'm making my way through Harry Craddock's 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book to find out which cocktails still deserve a place in a modern home bar... and which ones are best left in 1930. The Original (1930) Corpse Reviver #2 Bright, citrusy, herbal, and remarkably balanced for a cocktail approaching its 100th birthday. "Four of these taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again." See the Original Savoy Recipe My Version of the Recipe...
READ POSTThis seemed like a good idea: a Bourbon Fernet Cocktail
29 days ago • 3 min readThis seemed like a good idea... Bourbon Fernet Cocktail A bourbon-based riff on the Toronto cocktail featuring Fernet-Branca, rich demerara syrup, and plenty of herbal complexity. Get the Recipe Why I Tried This This Bourbon Fernet Cocktail is inspired by the classic Toronto, but uses bourbon instead of rye for a slightly richer, rounder profile. The Fernet starts out bold, then slowly blooms in the glass until everything comes together into a nicely balanced cocktail. It's still unmistakably...
READ POSTThis seemed like a good idea: The Tortie Cat
about 1 month ago • 3 min readThis seemed like a good idea... The Tortie Cat A refreshing bourbon Campari cocktail with lime and ginger beer that's equal parts bourbon-forward, bittersweet, and dangerously drinkable. Get the Recipe Why I Tried This Built on bourbon instead of the more common vodka or rum, the Tortie Cat balances Campari's bittersweet orange notes with fresh lime before finishing with spicy ginger beer. The result is bright, refreshing, and surprisingly complex without being complicated to make. Tortie cat...
READ POSTThis seemed like a good idea: The Second Bloom
about 2 months ago • 3 min readThis seemed like a good idea... I made a new cocktail: The Second Bloom A limoncello-forward Fancy Free variation that quietly transforms as it rests in the glass. Get the Recipe Why I Tried This One of my favorite parts of experimenting with cocktails is when something unexpected happens. Second Bloom started as a simple Fancy Free variation with limoncello swapped in for the maraschino. However, after letting the drink rest for just a few minutes, the limoncello slowly "blooms," becoming...
READ POSTThis seemed like a good idea: Lamar's Libation
2 months ago • 3 min readThis seemed like a good idea... I made a new cocktail: Lamar's Libation Inspired by my dad's occasional Jack and Coke. Get the Recipe Why I Tried This Father's Day had me thinking about my dad, who occasionally enjoyed a Jack and Coke. That got me wondering what would happen if I tried to build those familiar flavors without actually using any cola. The result is Lamar's Libation: bourbon, demerara syrup, bitters, citrus oils, and a touch of vanilla working together to recreate the caramel,...
READ POSTThis seemed like a good idea: The St. John Sour
2 months ago • 3 min readThis seemed like a good idea... I made a new cocktail: The St. John Sour Coconut rum, pineapple, lime, and a cabernet float somehow work together. Get the Recipe Why I Tried This I came up with this one while spending time on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The original thought was simple: what happens if you take the idea of a New York Sour and send it on vacation? The answer is the St. John Sour. Coconut rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and fresh lime create a bright tropical base,...
READ POSTThis Seemed Like a Good Idea: The Tandy Tonic
4 months ago • 2 min readThis seemed like a good idea... I made a new cocktail: The Tandy Tonic A gin and tonic… but with tequila and a little heat. Get the Recipe Why I Tried This This was a special request from a new friend who liked "gin, something a little sweet, and it needs to be 'tonic-y.'" She also liked tequila and spicy peppers. So rather than create two drinks, I decided to throw it all together and see what happened. Did you try this recipe? Tips greatly appreciated! How It Turned Out What happened was...
READ POSTThis Seemed Like a Good Idea: Velvet Abbey
5 months ago • 2 min readThis seemed like a good idea... I made a new cocktail: The Velvet Abbey The Velvet Abbey cocktail is a gin-based sour that combines Chambord, B&B, and lemon juice for a balanced mix of raspberry, herbal, and citrus flavors. Get the Recipe Why I Tried This Chambord and B&B felt like a risky combination. Too much sweetness, not enough structure. Which made it worth trying. The idea was simple: bring in gin, keep the sugar low, and see if it could be pulled back into something resembling a real...
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