Odd Couple
I’ve tried a lot of split bases along the way. It might be a sickness, but if it is, I don’t want the cure. If nothing else, two primary spirits allow for more dots to connect to other flavors/ingredients. Sometimes, there is an amazing synergy— like here, for example, the grassy funk from the cachaça totally changes in the presence of the savory-leaning botanicals of the aquavit. Seriously, give this split a try. (I may also need to try with rhum agricole now too!).
Brujería
This drink (which means “witchcraft” in Spanish) is in the French ‘75 family, which also contains the Old Cuban (rum, lime, syrup, bitters, champagne). I chose the name because of the Old Cuban inspiration and inclusion of Strega (which means “witch” in Italian). Still with me?
Element of Surprise
I have a broad palate, but whisk(e)y still remains my favorite. Usually I gravitate to boozy/stirred drinks, almost to the point of ignoring sour-style drinks. And then a drink comes along like this one and I have to look myself in the mirror and ask: what are you doing, man?? Re: it’s incredibly delicious, refreshing, and such a great way to enjoy an awesome Irish whiskey.
Xmas Party Hop
I’m excited to be part of the latest volume of #soundtrackmyfriendsdrink volume 17: secret Santa edition. I got @offthewalljosh— a new account for me. Josh picked whiskey, and “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”. Off to a good start! I noticed a few agave spirits and a lot of fresh ingredients on his page though so I went with an unusual split of Irish whisky and añejo tequila to pair with a homemade berry/habanero shrub. The build is vaguely boulevardier-esque, but with some elements dialed back a bit. This allows the berry notes to shine through as well as the nuanced, slightly oaky base that includes delicious dried fruit notes from the whisky.
The Underground
Let me start off by saying that this drink is SO tasty. I love stirred agave drinks, in part because there just aren’t that many out there. Tequila is good for so much more than sour-style (re: marg/paloma) drinks! If you haven’t had many, then give this one a spin.
Not Harry’s Butter Beer
This is not a Harry Potter post. My #dothedont crew decided to create a new group post, the #dirtysodachallenge. This was based on a diabetes-inducing lineup of spiked soda drinks— see @what.i.drink.eat.see for the full list and description. I chose “buttery beer”, which includes root beer, butterscotch, and vanilla cream.
Sgt. Pepper
While I love making drinks that are clearly food-inspired, I also love making a simple 4-5 ingredient drink that I can quickly make for a group. Simple doesn’t have to mean boring, and this one is packed with flavor. The ingredients just seem made for each other: a spicy and refreshing syrup with habanero and cucumber; an intensely flavorful gin with notes of cilantro, cucumber, lime, and more; and a poblano chili liqueur that brings more vegetal pepper and spice. Bring in some lime juice and a bit of soda water, and you have a thirst-quenching drink that is great for the patio or with dinner. Check out the details below if you want a discount on some of the ingredients!
Board Flipper
[#ad] Today’s next sponsored drink for the @catanpisco and @settlersofcatan collaboration goes out to all the really competitive types. You know, the one that can’t stand to lose, who may even resort to showing their displeasure physically, flipping the game board and all its contents. I admit, I’m really competitive with games, though I can’t claim I’ve ever gone full flip.
PiscOasis
[#ad]
Hard to believe it, but we’re now up to Drink #8 of 10 in the @catanpisco and @settlersofcatan collaboration. Today’s drink is distinctly tropical and inspired by the Desert Hex in the board game. I envisioned something absolutely refreshing and thirst-quenching, which wasn’t hard to imagine given the current weather/heat.
Welcome to Port Pisco
[#ad] For our next #sponsored post showcasing the @catanpisco and @settlersofcatan collaboration, I have a stirred, almost martini-style drink. This one is inspired by the Port spaces in the board game where you can trade in resources— in particular the space where everything can be traded at a 3:1 ratio. You might even call this a firesale, where everything goes.