Saving the world one drink at a time
You know a cocktail has to be a classic if it’s on “The World’s 10 Most Famous Cocktails in 1934” list. Some things evolve over time, but this recipe is more or less the same as what it was back then. This drink is actually a little older than that, though, and dates from somewhere…
I usually despise anything that calls itself a “martini” that isn’t gin and vermouth, but this cocktail just seems so classy and delicious I’ll let this one slide. I was looking for a solid coffee-influenced cocktail for the winter months, especially one that could be served after a nice big meal in lieu of a…
What came first: The Martini or the Martinez? If you dig into the history there are a few different legends surrounding the origin of the Martinez, mostly from the San Francisco area in the mid-late 1800s. It definitely appeared around that time, since it’s in the 1862 Bon Viviants guide. The question is, did the…
When I was a kid I loved Terry’s Chocolate Oranges, and not just because the label says “Whack and Unwrap”. The instructions seem pretty simple. I usually got these guys around the holiday season, and the orange-milk-chocolate flavor is something that’s been ingrained into my taste buds for quite a few years. Coming into…
I’ve been on a coffee kick, thanks to Durham Distillery’s Damn Fine Coffee Liqueur, so I’ve been finding more and more great cold coffee drinks. This one is relatively new, sometime in the last few decades, attributed to Jon Santer, of the Prizefighter bar. Of course I had to experiment a little bit with it, and…
The Brothers Vilgalys also make a liqueur called Beatnik that includes the flavor of Beets, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, Fennel Seed, & Orange Zest. It has a great sweet, earthy taste that lends itself well to some fall cocktails. To start us off I made a version of a classic Manhattan, with a rooty beet kick!…
This beautiful looking drink is another concoction using Brothers Vilgalys Beatnik liqueur. The sweet and earthy taste of the Beatnik pair perfectly with the Rye and Aperol. There is just something to me in the beet flavor that asks to be paired with a little grapefruit-like bitterness, which the Aperol provides. A splash of mint…
This is a minimalistic cocktail that subs in the Brothers Vilgalys Zaphod liqueur for Dubbonet Rouge in the original Deshler recipe. I also use orange bitters instead of Peychaud’s just because I think it pairs better with the Zaphod. This is a pretty easy drink that an Old-Fashioned lover should easily enjoy. Ingredients: 1…
I really couldn’t come up with a good name for this, simply because this experiment doesn’t fit into any good category. This started off as a crazy experiment in a mixing glass, and I kept going with it until I found the taste I was looking for. This drink tastes like a negroni, but has…
This weekend I had the opportunity to tour the Brothers Vilgalys production facility and taste some of their Krupnikas as well as some of their delicious cordials. This drink is made which the their Zaphod cordial, which is a mix of flavors of Guava, Starfruit, Mint, Sage, Lemongrass & Peppercorns. Of course my favorite sage…