Squashface
I’ve enjoyed all the spooky/seasonal posts lately, so it’s about time I gave one back. Not that is spooky, but certainly appropriate for Halloween. The drink stars a squash-infused whiskey (using a lovely rye aged in bourbon barrels gifted from @ewingyoungdistillery). I used kabocha squash, which I think has a richer, earthier flavor compared to, say, butternut or pumpkin (though either would work just fine). I dehydrated thin slices of the squash and infused a few in the whiskey for ~2 days.
Seasonal Envy
Oh September… that pesky time of the year in Texas where my mind wants it to be Fall but it’s still hot and not quite Fall. Here’s one that keeps me eagerly waiting those cooler temps.
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.
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.
Still On Vacation
Last week you saw a pre-vacation drink: something super tropical to get into the mood for the beach. This is the drink to have once you're back from vacation-- something boozy to sip while relaxing on the couch, with enough tropical-ness to keep those vacation vibes going for a *little* bit longer.
Barnum Flip
If I had any flair bartending skills, I’d do a video for this drink. But I don’t. So just imagine me riding a unicycle in a creepy clown costume while I flip a bunch of bottles around to make this drink. What’s that? You’re glad I didn’t actually do that? Yeah, me too, friend.
Beeramos: Lord of the Creamsicle
This is a riff on a Ramos gin fizz for my submission to the @homebarawards challenge this month. My mind quickly went to alternatives to soda for the bubbles as a starting point. I love beer in cocktails, and it led me to the awesome word combo of Beer + Ramos = Beeramos. This name evoked regal, epic, almost mythical-like qualities to me, thus the ridiculous(ly awesome) full title.
Old Thyme-y
Some ingredients are just too hard not to pun. Pear is a great example, followed closely by thyme. So I was basically obligated to include a time/thyme pun in the title, especially for this delicious old fashioned riff. #notsorry about it though.
Blue & Brewed
If you’ve never had blueberry-flavored coffee, let me tell you, you’re missing out. I realize it sounds like an unusual flavor pairing but it works out beautifully. As with any good flavor combo, why not make it into a cocktail??
Vespermania
This sounds a bit like a bunch of cocktail nerds got out of hand and held a WWF-style brawl. Don't lie, you would totally watch that, wouldn't you? What I actually have for you today, as with many of my drinks, is something born out of curiousity and availability. What was available: a LOT of barrel-aged (pink) vesper (check out my post from 1/5/22 for details). It turns out that when you barrel-age a cocktail, you get... (checks notes) a barrel FULL of cocktail. As someone who infrequently makes the same drink more than a couple times, that is a *lot* of vesper.