Hard Drinkers, Lets Drink Hard (Spirits, Liquors and Cocktails)

[mclaincausey]

This was a successful experiment.

[scooter]

Replaced this dying soldier….

This has become my "daily" sipper. Don't get me wrong, I still love sipping a good Bourbon, or rye. But, the Irish definitely know how to put me at ease, at the end of a long day. It was a four finger night, tonight.

[mclaincausey]

For once, I don't have rye but am heavy on bourbon. Thus, the appropriately-named Bourbon Scofflaw.

[tvenuto]

@mclaincausey nice. And by heavy on bourbon I assume you mean a dozen or so bottles on hand?

[mclaincausey]

No, for me that just means 7. I keep a lean bar because I drink em down faster than I probably should.

Made a really nice one with some almost overripe peaches , I call it The Panic:

Muddle like a fifth of a large peach without skin on broken ice with real grenadine

Stir in 2oz whiskey, 1 oz dolin Blanc, 1/2oz fresh lemon, ango (I used a bittercube version) dash, shake like it owes you money, strain over a highball with ice, float some Pellegrino lemon soda. Really really good.

[tvenuto]

Ha I’m in the same boat. I buy em as fast as I can and I drink em almost as fast  I was just musing about how many bottles I’d have to have before I considered myself “heavy on bourbon.”

Much experimenting tonight:

First one:
"The Solution"
1.5 oz Tequila
1.5 oz Mezcal (or other smoked liquor)
1 oz lime
.75 oz syrup
1 egg

This one was me figuring out what to do with a Baltimore distilled apple brandy, where the apples are smoked before distillation.

Second:
"Goldenrod"
3 oz white whiskey (VA distilled rye in this case)
2 oz triple sec
2 oz lime
0.5 oz simple

A white whiskey Margarita.  "Margarita" is Spanish for "Daisy" and goldenrod is the state flower of KY so it seemed appropriate.  This makes a BIG drink, so gird your loins.

Third:
White American
1 oz white whiskey
1 oz Kahlua
2 oz coconut milk

A riff on the white russian.  I can't drink dairy so this is what I came up with.  Freaking delicious, and I'm pretty smashed at this point.

[tvenuto]

^boy I needed some amaretto coffee on Sunday, let me tell you.

It’s expensive but a really standout rye. Highlights the mint/green apple/fennel zone that’s possible with rye.

[mclaincausey]

I like that one as well

This is an interesting mezcal with a chalky vibe. Very enjoyable.

[mclaincausey]

This one uses blue agave (like tequila) and thus is an interesting comparison of the methods behind that subtype and mezcal. So it tastes like a premium unrested tequila with a touch of terroir and smoke. Quite nice and an illustration of why I prefer the broader universe of mezcal.

[mclaincausey]

I should probably just move to Oaxaca and get it over with… They failed to build the wall in time last time I was south of the border.

[tvenuto]

Apologies for the lack of posting.  Rest assured that I haven't been slaking on my drinking, just my chronicling of said drinking.  Trying out cider cocktails tonight.  This one's a fail (as is, I know how to fix).

Rambling Man
2 oz Peated Bourbon (I used hickory smoked malt whiskey from Corsair)
2 oz OJ
1 tsp honey (as written, normally honey syrup is prescribed, given that honey doesn't mix well)
1-2 dash orange bitters

Shake with ice, then top with 6 oz dry cider.

Too smokey.  Also my lone orange was crap and somewhat sour, which adds to the one note of the drink.  Here's my fix, which I can't try at the moment (no more oranges) but you can trust me that this will work:

Brambling Man
1 oz Wild Fire
1 oz Apple Brandy
2 oz OJ
1 tsp honey syrup
2 dash orange bitters

[tvenuto]

Next up, the Drunken Pumpkin…

What was written:
0.75 oz Allspice Dram (St. Elizabeth)
2 oz Templeton Rye (don't they know Templeton adds "flavor"?  Weak)
0.5 oz lemon juice

Shake and strain in a collins glass, top with Pumpkin/Apple cider (which I find to be 6 oz, like the last recipe).  Also it's worth noting that this supposed pumpkin/apple cider probably contains "flavor."

What was done:
0.75 oz homemade allspice dram (see below)
2 oz Wild turkey 101 rye (the premier mixing rye of 2018)
0.5 oz lemon juice (missing from photo, because, you know, last lemon)
1 tsp simple syrup (my cider is bone dry, like all sugar is fermented out)

Shake and strain into collins glass, top with dry apple cider, and a few grinds of nutmeg.

Much more successful than the last drink.  Tart, but allspicey.  A good late summer choice, or if you just feel like something different than straight dry cider.

Allspice dram recipe here

I coulda hung out with Yul Brynner.

[Stuart.T]

Found this incredible wild Gorse flavoured gin in Cornwall. I really enjoy a small batch gin or rum, and if I'm buying a really good quality spirit I personally don't want to mix it with anything other than maybe a little ice.

[tvenuto]

Today’s arrival. Some decent cassis that I can’t source locally. A 14 year old single barrel selection of Knob Creek. MGPs first house label.

Drink is a Kir Breton
2-3 tsp cassis
2 tsp apple brandy
12 oz very dry cider

[mikebarhoot]

[mclaincausey]

Oh boy…

[sabergirl]

Now THAT'S a list.

[sabergirl]

What'd you get, @mclaincausey ?

[mclaincausey]

@sabergirl:

What'd you get, @mclaincausey ?

Couldn't justify anything on that page but the place had tons and tons and tons of whisk(e)ys from around the world. Wound up going with a 12 year uncut Weller. This place (Jack Rose in DC) made me wish I were rich. I've never seen such a ridiculous catalog of booze.

[sabergirl]

I definitely can't afford to drink like that, either, lol.  In DC it's probably our representatives and lobbyists rubbing elbows with them that are able to take advantage of it.

Back when I bartended, my favorite perk (and there were so many) was getting to try expensive and/or rare stuff I normally wouldn't even see.