Stoplight
Yes, this is one of those Instagram Drinks that is unnecessarily complicated in order to get visual appeal (stay tuned for @bestcocktails League Finals tomorrow!). Sorry not sorry. With that being said, this drink is actually really tasty and refreshing and even after stirring it up there is still a bit of a gradient (as opposed to a murky brownish color, which often happens after disrupting layered drinks).
‘75 Southsidecar
I’m actually curious what this car would look like, if it were real. I’m thinking… generic muscle car? Classic towncar that’s realistically too big to parallel park? Use your imagination. It’s actually the name of my submission to this month’s awesome @homebarawards challenge: cocktail mashups.
Herbazerac
Though I admit the anise flavor profile has not always been my favorite, I’m coming around to it. If you feel the same way, the Sazerac is a great classic cocktail to give you just a hint of the flavor, especially if you like the boozy/Old Fashioned style of drink. I’ve learned that I much prefer anise if it’s in an herbal context— so this riff tries to take the classic Sazerac and make it more herbal.
Cuke Cooler
It’s August… which just means More Summer here in Texas. It’s oppressively hot, which calls for refreshing drinks like this one. Think cucumber margarita, subbing out tequila for poítin. I love tequila but the clean and slightly funky taste of poítin works beautifully with cucumber and makes for an incredibly refreshing drink.
Jaiquiri
Two words: jackfruit daiquiri. Combining words is a big part of my pun repertoire, probably my wife’s favorite type (jk it’s definitely not). But this drink is more than just a clever word play, it’s a fabulous daiquiri that celebrates jackfruit— which is a delicious fruit with a healthy dose of tropical/banana and an almost floral-like quality. It’s also versatile and can be used as a meat substitute!
Malt & Brick
This delicious Old Fashioned riff was created to feature a 100% rye whiskey that was kindly sent to me by @dentedbrickdistillery. I love playing with unusual split bases and I’ve used whiskey/genever before, but not specifically rye whiskey. This works super well— the maltiness of the genever is an awesome complement to the spice of the rye. Apricot and ginger fit the profile just right, and a bit of lemon oils make it pop.
Tom Kha Gai
It’s been far too long since I’ve had a food-turned-cocktail post, so I’m really excited to share this one. This drink is my submission for the @bestcocktails @bluestembotanicals contest, where we got to choose three of their awesome products to incorporate into a cocktail. I chose savory-leaning ingredients (lemongrass syrup, savory bitters, and lions mane mushroom tincture), initially not quite sure what I wanted to make.
Royal J
Tiki Underworld
Today I have a boozy, stirred, tropical-leaning cocktail. It brings a rum blend, 3:1 aged rum and unaged rhum agricole, bringing rich sugar notes and some grassy funk for a diverse rum presence. The sweetness and spices come from delicious golden falernum and aromatic bitters (gifted to me by @thebittertruthcompany) tie it all together. I wanted to highlight some of the darker notes from the rum and balance out the sweetness with just a touch of Cynar.
