Time for a cocktail! (5 Viewers)

[RichMahogany]

What did you make?

I made a twist on a Bee’s Knees. I had to use a gin made by a company out of LA called Greenbar. Their partnering with the local chapter of a group that feeds the homeless. All participating bars are putting a cocktail on their menu using Greenbar’s City Bright Gin and for every cocktail sold a burrito gets donated to the homeless. We carry a lot of Greenbar products and have tons of space so they asked us if we would be interested.

I didn’t find out about it until last night while working. Came up with some ideas on the fly and my version of the Bee’s Knees was by far the winner. The gin has a lot of citrus notes up front and tons of pepper in the finish, I wanted to highlight both of those in a simple, easy to make cocktail. Here’s what I went with:

5-6 jalapeño slices
1 dash house made hellfire bitters
2 dashes orange bitters
0.75 oz 2:1 honey syrup
0.75 oz citrus
1.5 oz Greenbar City Bright Gin

Shaken, double strained into a rocks glass that contains a whiskey cube. Expressed orange peel garnish. It came out reall, really well. The Greenbar reps and the TV crew were pretty impressed

There’s a really cool story behind the gin too that ties in with everything so I decided to call it the All-City cocktail. We’re about to put it on our house menu.

 

[v1pe]

I made a twist on a Bee’s Knees. I had to use a gin made by a company out of LA called Greenbar. Their partnering with the local chapter of a group that feeds the homeless. All participating bars are putting a cocktail on their menu using Greenbar’s City Bright Gin and for every cocktail sold a burrito gets donated to the homeless. We carry a lot of Greenbar products and have tons of space so they asked us if we would be interested.

I didn’t find out about it until last night while working. Came up with some ideas on the fly and my version of the Bee’s Knees was by far the winner. The gin has a lot of citrus notes up front and tons of pepper in the finish, I wanted to highlight both of those in a simple, easy to make cocktail. Here’s what I went with:

5-6 jalapeño slices
1 dash house made hellfire bitters
2 dashes orange bitters
0.75 oz 2:1 honey syrup
0.75 oz citrus
1.5 oz Greenbar City Bright Gin

Shaken, double strained into a rocks glass that contains a whiskey cube. Expressed orange peel garnish. It came out reall, really well. The Greenbar reps and the TV crew were pretty impressed

There’s a really cool story behind the gin too that ties in with everything so I decided to call it the All-City cocktail. We’re about to put it on our house menu.

Nice! Love the Bee's Knees and also spicy cocktails...I'll have to try this with a different gin!

What are in the hellfire bitters? I haven't played around with creating my own bitters concoctions yet. Been thinking about doing some pepper/herbal cordials.

 

[RichMahogany]

Nice! Love the Bee's Knees and also spicy cocktails...I'll have to try this with a different gin!

What are in the hellfire bitters? I haven't played around with creating my own bitters concoctions yet. Been thinking about doing some pepper/herbal cordials.

I have to check the recipe for the bitters when I get home, they aren’t my recipe. I do remember there’s 3 different chiles, chocolate and orange as support.

 

[RichMahogany]

I have to check the recipe for the bitters when I get home, they aren’t my recipe. I do remember there’s 3 different chiles, chocolate and orange as support.

Couldn’t find the recipe but I do seem to recall that there’s a bit of cardamom in there too. Although I don’t own it, I’ve heard lots of great things about this book

http://btparsons.com/bitters/

 

[v1pe]

Couldn’t find the recipe but I do seem to recall that there’s a bit of cardamom in there too. Although I don’t own it, I’ve heard lots of great things about this book

http://btparsons.com/bitters/

Nice, thanks!

Made one of my favorites last night, Corpse Reviver no. 2

 

[v1pe]

Gonna make a habanero infusion tonight when some vodka.

Any recommendations for how many peppers to use for ~12oz of vodka? How long to soak? I want it pretty spicy mostly to be used for just spicing up other cocktails, not as a base spirit. Should I mascerate the peppers or just slice in half and soak?

 

[RichMahogany]

Gonna make a habanero infusion tonight when some vodka.

Any recommendations for how many peppers to use for ~12oz of vodka? How long to soak? I want it pretty spicy mostly to be used for just spicing up other cocktails, not as a base spirit. Should I mascerate the peppers or just slice in half and soak?

For habaneros, I’d default to 2-3 peppers, 4 if your’re feeling spicy! With something like peppers, maceration isn’t really necessary. Maceration works better when making fruit infusions. Adding peppers to a cocktail and shaking for 10-12 seconds is plenty to get the heat you want, that’s one of the reasons I’d default to less peppers when infusing.

3 days should work for infusing but make sure you do a taste test sometime during day 2. Another thing to try would be a pepper infused simple syrup. I’ve wanted to try a jalapeño ginger syrup for a while

 

[v1pe]

For habaneros, I’d default to 2-3 peppers, 4 if your’re feeling spicy! With something like peppers, maceration isn’t really necessary. Maceration works better when making fruit infusions. Adding peppers to a cocktail and shaking for 10-12 seconds is plenty to get the heat you want, that’s one of the reasons I’d default to less peppers when infusing.

3 days should work for infusing but make sure you do a taste test sometime during day 2. Another thing to try would be a pepper infused simple syrup. I’ve wanted to try a jalapeño ginger syrup for a while

That would be good. I just made some Ginger syrup that is awesome. Infused simple is a great idea. Would you boil the peppers in with the syrup as you disolve the sugar, or just let it soak? Something to experiment with....

 

[RichMahogany]

That would be good. I just made some Ginger syrup that is awesome. Infused simple is a great idea. Would you boil the peppers in with the syrup as you disolve the sugar, or just let it soak? Something to experiment with....

I would soak the peppers in the finished syrup then strain them out. I would avoid “cooking” your simple syrup too.

I don’t think it’s widely realized out side of the industry, but it’s possible to make simple syrup with room temp water. Make sure that you use even parts sugar to water (or 2 parts sugar to 1 water if you want a silkier syrup) and use a wire whisk to blend the two together. It takes longer but it also creates a more consistent syrup. Due to fluctuations in air pressure, ambient temperature and heat applied, the amount of syrup/water that boils off can vary greatly leading to differing levels of sweetness per batch. I mean, it’s obviously more important for the pros to make their syrup this way but you seems pretty serious about your cocktails so I figured the suggestion wouldn’t hurt.

 

[v1pe]

I would soak the peppers in the finished syrup then strain them out. I would avoid “cooking” your simple syrup too.

I don’t think it’s widely realized out side of the industry, but it’s possible to make simple syrup with room temp water. Make sure that you use even parts sugar to water (or 2 parts sugar to 1 water if you want a silkier syrup) and use a wire whisk to blend the two together. It takes longer but it also creates a more consistent syrup. Due to fluctuations in air pressure, ambient temperature and heat applied, the amount of syrup/water that boils off can vary greatly leading to differing levels of sweetness per batch. I mean, it’s obviously more important for the pros to make their syrup this way but you seems pretty serious about your cocktails so I figured the suggestion wouldn’t hurt.

Yeah thanks, I appreciate that. I didn't end up boiling my ginger syrup, just mixed with a whisk...but some of the sugar settled out. A bit different since I just used ginger juice with no water, so probably much more difficult to dissolve.

I say "boil" but I really just mean warm up until the sugar disolves, I try not to let it boil because I don't want much evaporation as you mentioned. Although when I made orgeat I did bring the almond paste and sugar water to a boil and let it simmer for awhile to really extract all of the almond.

I think you would be okay if you were consistent with making sure you measured the water level pre-boil and maybe added some extra water and boiled back down to that level, if you were going to do something infused that needed more time and heat to extract?

I need to make another batch of simple today actually, I'll try the whisk method instead of heating (y) :thumbsup:

 

[v1pe]

It's really too bad I didn't get into cocktails until my adult "career" life. Could have made a lot more money working a bar than being a barista in college

 

[RichMahogany]

@v1pe ypu could also experiment with shrubs, which are ‘drinking vinegars’ if you aren’t familiar. Did I mention them previously ITT? Don’t remember.

Anyhow, fruit shrubs are great as n/a beverages on a warm day and they’re so good on their own all you’d have to do is add the spirit of your choice to make a very delicious, basic cocktail.

Here’s a great book about them

TRK chips shown for size reference

 

[RichMahogany]

It's really too bad I didn't get into cocktails until my adult "career" life. Could have made a lot more money working a bar than being a barista in college

Funny, I was a barista before getting into bartending. I guess you could say that beverages are my thing

 

[v1pe]

@v1pe ypu could also experiment with shrubs, which are ‘drinking vinegars’ if you aren’t familiar. Did I mention them previously ITT? Don’t remember.

Anyhow, fruit shrubs are great as n/a beverages on a warm day and they’re so good on their own all you’d have to do is add the spirit of your choice to make a very delicious, basic cocktail.

Here’s a great book about them

View attachment 202120

TRK chips shown for size reference

Funny you mention that, my wife just sent me this recipe yesterday and I had been looking at Shrubs since you mentioned the Hellfire Bitters and Bittermans makes a Hellfire Habanero Shrub.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/07/bourbon-peach-smash/

Shrubs sound kind of like Kombucha?

I also haven't dove at all into the world of punch or clarified punch, which is some crazy looking science-y stuff. So much to learn and experiment with :

 

[RichMahogany]

Funny you mention that, my wife just sent me this recipe yesterday and I had been looking at Shrubs since you mentioned the Hellfire Bitters and Bittermans makes a Hellfire Habanero Shrub.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/07/bourbon-peach-smash/

Shrubs sound kind of like Kombucha?

I also haven't dove at all into the world of punch or clarified punch, which is some crazy looking science-y stuff. So much to learn and experiment with :

Now that you mention it, kombucha does remind me of a shrub but not as tasty lol. I can’t stand kombucha.

Yeah there’s a lot of crazy science in the cocktail world that I mostly avoid lol. For now I just try to apply some of the basic concepts. The effort would be wasted at my main job. Our clientele wouldn’t know or care.

And btw, your back and liver thank you for not becoming a bartender

 

[detroitdad]

 

[v1pe]

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Looks like a tasty marg!

 

[DoubleEagle]

I need a Manhattan...

 

[Klobberer]

Need! That's a problem...Want? Perfectly acceptable!

 

[DoubleEagle]

Need! That's a problem...Want? Perfectly acceptable!

I need to want one.

 

[mattduck]

Spicy old fashioned

Made with Blanton’s + homemade Demerara simple syrup + muddled Fresno chili slices + orange bitters

 

[v1pe]

Classic Daiquiri with Plantation Stiggins Fancy Pineapple Rum.

Delish.

 

[RichMahogany]

 

[v1pe]

View attachment 207119

View attachment 207120

Oh that sounds good.

 

[RichMahogany]

Oh that sounds good.

It’s slightly tart and overly citrusy but incredibly good. Presentation can’t be beat either

Absinthe takes it to another level. Super subtle

 

[v1pe]

It’s slightly tart and overly citrusy but incredibly good. Presentation can’t be beat either

Absinthe takes it to another level. Super subtle

I love a good mule/buck.

Did you make it? I wonder how much absinthe? I would think a wash or just 1/4oz would be sufficient to get a subtle flavor across.

 

[RichMahogany]

I love a good mule/buck.

Did you make it? I wonder how much absinthe? I would think a wash or just 1/4oz would be sufficient to get a subtle flavor across.

No, a new co-worker and I went out for a few after work. We went to see some bartenders that he knew and wanted to show me that drink. He loves presentation and wanted to pick up some ideas for his other job.

I think 0.25oz would be right. The ginger beer they used was really spicy and flavorful so I’d imagine that an absinthe wash would get a little lost in there

 

[v1pe]

No, a new co-worker and I went out for a few after work. We went to see some bartenders that he knew and wanted to show me that drink. He loves presentation and wanted to pick up some ideas for his other job.

I think 0.25oz would be right. The ginger beer they used was really spicy and flavorful so I’d imagine that an absinthe wash would get a little lost in there

Yeah I figured you would need to balance against the ginger, especially is using ginger juice or ginger beer. Makes me want to experiment with absinthe in some mules!

 

[Polochris]

I love this drink! James Bond would be happy, however, I think he uses Gordon’s Gin. You should try it. It’s not that bad actually.

Totally agree! He does use Gordon’s. It’s actually pretty decent and not expensive.

 

[Steamtrain]

Any clear ice suggestions/tips?

I don't have access to a cold draft ice maker