***The Not Even Slightly Official SW+D Booze and Cocktail Thread***

[Parker]

I haven't seen this mentioned here, but a margarita is a solid, easy-to-make summer drink:

2 shots white tequila (i like espolon)
juice of half a lime
1 shot cointreau

fill shaker glass with ice, shake 25-40 times depending on how strong you want your drink. strain & serve

I love margaritas, but that's too much Cointreau for me. Best margaritas for me highlight the Tequila, so I usually go with just lime juice and splash of agave nectar (or sometimes if I'm lazy, Tommy's mixer which is just fresh lime and agave).

Limes are so acidic that the juice can keep a fairly long time in the fridge without spoiling. So I don't think you need to freeze them.

Recently we had some friends over for an impromtu party. I had this really nice bottle of reposado, but only a few limes and no sweetener. But I had some South African guava juice. Bam! Tropical margarita. Was super good.

 

[KingJulien]

I'll give it a shot your way!

 

[thewho13]

I made some margaritas the other day, but I can't remember the quantities I did for each pour. Don Julio Blanco, agave nectar, Cointreau, lime juice. I mainly just tipped the bottles into the shaker ("yeah, I think that looks good"), sloshed it all around with ice for a while, added a few vigorous shakes, and strained everything into an undersized rocks glass. Forgot to rim the glass with salt. It was delicious.

I've heard that white tequila is the easiest tequila to use in margaritas since the flavor isn't as complex as reposado or añejo. Is this necessarily true? or do any of you fellas prefer mixing with "oakier" tequilas?

Apart from that, French 75s and Kir Royales are awesome summer drinks, and they're super easy to make. And since Moscow Mules are so damned good, I had to order some Russian Standard mugs to serve them in.

 

[cthip]



I haven't seen this mentioned here, but a margarita is a solid, easy-to-make summer drink:

2 shots white tequila (i like espolon)
juice of half a lime
1 shot cointreau

fill shaker glass with ice, shake 25-40 times depending on how strong you want your drink.  strain & serve

I love margaritas, but that's too much Cointreau for me. Best margaritas for me highlight the Tequila, so I usually go with just lime juice and splash of agave nectar (or sometimes if I'm lazy, Tommy's mixer which is just fresh lime and agave).

Great basic recipe, but I agree it's a little heavy on the Cointreau. Usually I just pour Cointreau and simple syrup (1:1) into the 1 oz side of the jigger so I get roughly half of each. Agave nectar would probably be better than the simple syrup, but it's not strictly essential.

Espolon is a great choice for margaritas. Affordable 100% blue agave tequila, and wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy smokier than other tequilas at that price point. I find the smokiness a big overpowering when it's served neat, but mellowed out with a little lime and shaken into a margarita, it's perfect.

 

[thewho13]

I made a variation of the Last Word tonight that calls for Fernet Branca instead of gin—it was pretty good, although I'll have to play with the quantities a little bit before I'm entirely satisfied. Also made a 20th Century. Definitely gonna make more of those in the future.

Oh, and I picked up a bottle of Four Roses Single Barrel OBSK. Reeeeaaaaaally looking forward to drinking that one.

 

[tropics]

i do tequila:lime:cointreau:syrup in a 1.5:1:1:0.5 ratio for margarita.

getting a vitamix delivered during the week, looking fwd to whizzing up some frozen limes in it.

recently been making aperol spritz at home but finding it hard to balance the "fizzyness" with ice etc. any tips out there?

 

[fireflygrave]

Can you clarify what you mean by balance the fizzyness with ice? if it's too fizzy, add more aperol, or cut your soda water with flat water, or sub the soda water with orange juice (will make it sweeter though).

(This assumes a recipe of roughly 1:2:1- aperol : prosecco : soda water, adjusting to taste)

 

[Biggskip]

This may seem like heresy, but this stuff is the truth:

 

[Krish the Fish]

Been drinking a lot of bourbon recently. OBSK Four Roses, Old Weller Antique... I think Barrel proof bourbons might be my new thing. Have a bottle of George T Stagg (and potentially other BTAC bottles) on the way at some point too.

 

[cyc wid it]

If you're looking for a value bubbly in anticipation of Valentine's day, Roederer L'Ermitage '06 Brut is a pretty good option around ~$40-45.

 

[Krish the Fish]

Man. I have been drinking (and buying) a lot of Demi Sec champagne. I never really liked brut champagne or any of the extra dry stuff, and this seems to be the ideal sweetness for champagne for me. Bought Gruet, Laurent Perrier, and Veuve Clicquot demi secs... Fell into this because the LP was on sale at my local grocery store for $40.

Anyone have any good recommendations for other Demi Secs, or any other champagnes/sparkling wines like this? It's curious because although I don't like dry whites, I really don't care for sweetness in my reds or in my drinks in general.

 

[Synthese]

WOw, been a while. What's good, compatriots?

I've been obsessed with negronis for like a year now - but who can recommend me some excellent variations? Or at least excellent and interesting ingredients?

Also, dunno if you guys have seen these, but we have had some excellent drinks-related articles in the newsletter:

Bourbon

Scotch

Gin

 

[js0930]

@Synthese how about a boulevardier? I like 1 part Black Grouse, 1 part Campari and 1 part Martini Rosso, slice of orange in the glass and orange peel squeezed over the top. Takes the edge off like nothing else.

 

[Krish the Fish]

I've been drinking quite a bit of bourbon recently when I do drink. Ohio's getting some of the less rare limited bourbon releases, which is kind of nice. The OYO bourbon that is distilled here in Columbus is quite good as well. Had it at a tasting and it was remarkably good. Wheated bourbon. I had some Col. EH Taylor Barrel Proof at the whiskey bar yesterday before my girlfriend's cousins' band's show. The owner of the dive bar I frequented in college purchased the floundering whiskey bar and turned it into a cool spot with a decent whiskey selection and a good kitchen. An alright local beer selection on tap too.

Had an Aperol Spritz (maybe it's just called a Spritz. I don't know. The server at the resort in Italy didn't know a whole lot of English) on vacation in Tuscany. It was strong, and I like my cocktails strong.

 

[ghdvfddzgzdzg]

@Synthese http://www.styleforum.net/t/339124/...-d-booze-and-cocktail-thread/300#post_6997971