A Derby Cocktail

After reading the Cocktail Hacker post on the Derby mash-up drink, I was intrigued enough to want to make a few.  They fit his billing exactly - close enough in flavor to a whiskey sour that it would be tough to call out the vermouth without knowing it was there.  With the ingredients he listed, however, I think you would be hard pressed to list any flavors but lime!  Maybe it was because I used my well bourbon, or maybe it was because the drink was 40% citrus flavor, and only 40% whiskey.

The Derby Cocktail (Cocktial Hacker)                  Derby # 2
1.5 oz Bourbon                                                          1.5 oz Bourbon
.75 oz Sweet Vermouth                                           .75 oz Sweet vermouth
.75 oz Lime Juice                                                      .5 oz Lime Juice
.75 oz Triple Sec                                                       .75 oz Triple Sec

Either way, the drink satisfied its purpose - cooling me down on a hot afternoon/evening.  After a sweaty afternoon, I was wishing hard for a cocktail to cool me down, and the Derby did just that.  But since I wasn't satisfied, I did what I usually do, I tweaked until I got to the cocktail I liked best.

It might just be that I recently made orgeat, but I felt the need to try out the Derby with a little nutty (and more importantly, non-citrus) flavor added.

Derby # 3 
1.25 oz Bourbon
.25 oz Applejack
.75 oz Sweet Vermouth
.5 oz Lime Juice
.75 oz Triple Sec
.5 oz Orgeat

My first response to this one: "Wow"
The applejack brings out just a little apple flavor, and the orgeat allows the complexity of the vermouth to come through.  All without losing the dark and sour complexion of the whiskey and sour.  I don't think I can honestly call this a derby though, so if I end up having a bunch more of these in the next few weeks, I'll have to give it a new name.

Redface Classics - Slickheel Lemonade

"Slickheel Lemonade - The Bringer of Life"

Anyone who has hosted a number of parties will know that there is a familiar flow to an evening.  It is the host's job, among other things, to manage and at times direct that flow.  One of the most potent weapons in my arsenal, if not the most potent weapon besides music or a full fridge, is the Slickheel Lemonade.  Many stories are bandied about on the topic of the Slickheel, and they should be - it is a booze-packed beverage that tastes like a frothy fresh lemonade.

Few can withstand its pull, and even seasoned drinkers have been known to be felled by two or three of these.  As the man behind the bar, I have often had occasion to mix these up by the dozen at the beginning of the night, knowing full well that by midnight, time will start its familiar whirlwind, leaving behind a room that could easily have housed a herd of wild animals and not a party.

I must confess that I went nearly a year without a Slickheel Lemonade until last weekend.  Upon inhaling its familiar and unique scent, and then watching as my vision warped somewhere in the middle of my second drink, I remembered the Slickheel's power.


So wherever you are, whatever you are doing, I ask you to raise your glass or nod your head, in silent respect for the Slickheel Lemonade.

Homebrew Update - Bottling

Last Monday, I bottled my Irish Red!  It came to exactly 24 22oz bottles - or 4 gallons.  I'd been prepared for the fluid loss, but 1/3 loss?? Must have been that 36 hours I didn't manage to check on it while it was in primary, and when I looked, the airlock had blown off the carboy, and flown almost 15 feet away.  It took me nearly ten minutes just to find the thing.

Anyway, here are a few pics of the bottling process:

Freshly sterilized bottles










The carboy as it losses contents...






Ant's eye view into the bottle

 Halfway there!








All done!  Now the trick is only to wait another two weeks - or a week from the time of this post.  Then it'll be time to drink.

After the preview I had from taking the hydrometer reading, I'm expecting it to be crisply hoppy, but chock-full of sediment.  Not exactly the ideal beer in my estimation.  But it'll be something to build on.  Update next weekend after I've tried a few.

Canadian Club Adventure Hunt

When I think of Canadian Whisky, I think of one day in particular.  It was a day that lives on in infamy, and a day that more than most, is responsible for the name Redface.  I do not wish to boast, so that story is one you'll have to get out of me through some kind of liquid persuasion.

In any case, I would have been much better off with Canadian Club, and not the Windsor I did have.  Not that it matters.  For a short history of Canadian Whisky, and an inaccurate price guide, see here.

One thing about Canadian Whisky though, it is very smooth on the way in, and quite an easy swallow - be very careful.  Many's the time I've gotten to the bottom of a cup only to realize my hand has been pouring and tipping without my knowledge.

Onto the reason for this ramble:  Take a good look at the Canadian Club Hide A Case site.  Adventure, booze, clues, and more booze.  What a combination.  Good luck finding one, and if you do, I'm sure you are already planning on sharing with your local friendly Redface.

Wise men take hearty quaffs, sing

Hail to thee, amber King of booze.

Indolent waifs sip dainty straws,

Stare vapidly at fruity hues;

Katzenjammers find everyone.

Erode sobriety with class,

Yaw home each night with empty glass

Satanic Cocktails, Diabolo Part II

I try to give each drink I make for the first time a fair chance.  I've long since discovered that some tastes build on you, and it may take until the second or third try on a cocktail to appreciate the taste.  I'm going to do that for the Diabolo - yesterday I made two of them, and was quite unimpressed, so today I am making several more.

My first impression yesterday was that the 2:1 dubonnet rouge to gin was way off.  Too much dubonnet, and not enough chance to taste the orgeat.  So after the first one, I tweaked the recipe - lowered the dubonnet, increased the gin until it was 1:1.  I added a dash or so of peychaud's bitters just for kicks (and because the color without the peychaud's had been close to crimson, and I thought it only fair to make a cocktail named diabolo a more hell-and-brimfire hue.

Diabolo #1 (Cocktaildb.com)                  Diabolo #2 (Dubonnet Correction)
1 1/4 oz Gin                                               1 3/4 oz Gin
2 1/4 oz Dubonnet Rouge                          1 3/4 oz Dubonnet Rouge
1/2 oz Orgeat                                             1/2 oz Orgeat
                                                                   2 Dashes Peychauds Bitters

Yesterday's second try had the distinction of no longer tasting only of dubonnet.  However, it also tasted like a dishwater cocktail - no distinct flavor or direction.  So, today I decided to try it first with the 1:1 ratio without the peychauds, to see if I could stick to the spirit of the drink, but fix the problem from the first try.  The first sip was great, but I soon noticed what the peychauds had covered up on the second try - too much bitter gin flavor.

Diabolo #3 (A New Look)
1 1/2 oz Gin
1 1/2 oz Dubonnet Rouge
1/2 oz Orgeat

Well, next up I decided to push a little more towards the original, but to increase the orgeat presence.  So I went with:

Diabolo #4
1 1/4 oz Gin
1 1/2 oz Dubonnet Rouge
2/3 oz Orgeat

This combination did for me what a decent drink often does - it slipped by without note.  I fairly slopped it back without hesitation or remark.  Almost as though I might have gotten the mixture right.  I'm guessing that my orgeat is less sweet than what is usually used.  Or, using brown sugar instead of regular sugar changed things up.  Either way, this seems to embody what the cocktail was originally.

Just to keep things fresh though, I'm trying it one more time, this time back to the 1:1, but with a spoonful of ouzo floated on the top.

Diabolo #5 (EU Bailout Special)
1 1/2 oz Gin
1 1/2 oz Dubonnet Rouge
1/2 oz orgeat
1/4 oz Ouzo

If only I had a particularly German ingredient in there... Add everything but the ouzo, shake and twirl, strain, then float the ouzo.

Well, that's one good drink with which to finish this installment of Satanic Cocktails.  The ouzo completely takes over the scent, and adds a distinctive burn at the end, but the strength of the dubonnet and the gin preserves the Diabolo's original flavor. 

Satanic Cocktails, Diabolo Part I - Orgeat

It always slightly embarrasses me when I think an ingredient I've been reading about but have never used is something totally different than it ends up being.  I'd always had this nebulous impression that orgeat was just another orange flavored liqueur, but with some kind of nutty twist.

Well, after I promised that the next Satanic Cocktail would be the Diabolo, I was a little chagrined to be unable to locate orgeat at any local liquor establishments, or in the supermarket.  Four or five online recipes later, I was not at all excited about the idea of steeping crushed almonds in hot water for hours on end.  So I put off the Diabolo.

That is, until my mom asked me if I had any need for the organic almond butter she'd just gotten for my dad.  So now I had the impetus to make some orgeat without the tired process of steeping and draining.  What follows is my first attempt at making some orgeat liqueur. 


Redface's Orgeat Liqueur #1

2 cups water
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup organic almond butter
4 oz Vodka
2 oz Brandy

Heat 1 cup water to boil, add the sugar and reduce heat  Once sugar is fully mixed, add almond butter.  Simmer, adding 1/3 cup water every 15 minutes for 45 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool 30 minutes.  Add vodka and brandy, strain thoroughly (and repeatedly).

The taste was quite surprising in the end.  I opted for vodka and brandy to minimize the possibility of brandy taste overpowering almond.  Probably could have added only brandy, but the result was satisfying.   With a mild but persistent almond flavor, the orgeat didn't overpower the taste buds, but certainly has a distinct profile.

I also saved the leftover almond butter mixture.  It tasted smooth, with a distinct alcohol aftertaste.  It seemed like something I should try on crackers or something with a drink.  

Coming next - Bringing together the Diabolo Cocktail, and a Redfacery take on the recipe.

Smart People Drink More Alcohol

According to a recent tabulation of existing data, there are a number of surprising facts about drinkers in this country.  First of all, 20% fewer people without a high school degree reported that they drink alcohol than people with a diploma, and the number goes up even higher with more education.

Most interesting to me was the numbers by region - apparently the Northeast is the most booze-soaked area in the country.  I wonder what the reason for that is?  I'd figured the E South Central, with its Blue-Grass Parkway and Bourbon Trail, would have more drinking than anywhere else.  Guess that's just my own bourbon bias at work.

Donkey Draughts

Well, now we all know what to feed our livestock.

A Night of Vermouths

Last night was a night of exploring different recipes - I decided to drink only drinks that had both sweet and dry vermouths.  I expected it to be an interesting limitation in ingredients, and it did not disappoint.

My first drink under this rule was an Alfonso Special.  I'm not knocking it, and I'd totally drink it again, but it was far too bland to get a 'special' attached to its name.  I had planed on starting with a Beachcomber's Gold, but seemed to have misplaced my bottle of rum in my stomach - I'll have to get a new one before I can try that recipe.

Next came the Duchess.  As a 8:1 or more gin martini guy, I have been shocked recently to enjoy cocktails with strong dry vermouth components.  Though I will still not be increasing my vermouth ration in the martini, I do begrudgingly accept that dry vermouth can add significantly to a cocktail.

The Duchess

1/3 Dry Vermouth

1/3 Sweet Vermouth

1/3 Absinthe

(Use Redface's "Shake and Twirl" method for reddest results)

Next up came the Honorable Cocktail.  Finishing up the before-dinner cocktails, this was a solid pick.  I think I put a touch too much dry vermouth in it, but that could just be my sensitivity to the dry vermouth.  After a bland cocktail (Alfonso) and a complex if muddy cocktail (Duchess), the familiar warmth of bourbon was welcome.

The Honorable Cocktail

1 1/2 oz Bourbon

1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth

1/2 oz Dry Vermouth

(Shake and Twirl, then strain)

The Honorable Cocktail was surprisingly smooth, I'm beginning to buy into the whole mixing the sweet and dry vermouths.  Though they both have very powerful tastes, they seem to consistently allow their liquor companions to shine through. 

To finish it off, I came across a recipe that filled the gap I've been having for quite some time.  I haven't had a whiskey sour in a while, and the Manhasset more than fixes that.  

Manhasset

1 1/4 oz Bourbon

1/2 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz dry vermouth

1/4 oz sweet vermouth

Without any of the throat-sticky-sweetness of most bar's whiskey sours, and without the sugar component, the Manhasset does away with most of what makes me get tired of whiskey sours after one or two.  Instead, this one packs the bourbon taste down to make room for the vermouths, and finishes with the way sour lemon aftertaste.  It's not until after the lemon that you get the whiskey heat, and even then, it's fully tempered by the sour, sweet, and dry ingredients.

Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey

Drink wine, drink beer, drink scotch and drink'ye whiskey

Keep flask in hand it will be vital aid,

So Whiskey in your veins will ne'er fade.

Homebrew Update

Well, my first home-brew beer in a while is doing well.  I had to clean and put the airlock back on four times over the course of the first four days - one time it took me nearly ten minutes to find the body of the airlock and cork, as they'd flown nearly ten feet away.

I guess I'll have to learn as I do more of these.  I feel a little like I have too much sediment in the beer, and I'm hoping it really clears up over its time in secondary.  I won't really be able to call it red ale if it's opaque and brown.

Racked into secondary, so all that remains is to wait it out! Then condition, bottle, and finally drink.

Not sure what I'll make to follow it, but I'm thinking of starting another batch when I bottle this one, that way I'll have plenty of beer for the weeks I'm home during the summer.

The Elephant's Ear

Who has the Elephant's Ear these days?  With Rush Limbaugh jumping off the deep end as often as possible, Glen Beck coming in remarkably high on Time's 100 Most Influential People in the world, and just slightly edged out by Sarah Palin at that (!), predicting the direction of the GOP is nebulous.

Well, I sat down today to puzzle over just that.  With no answers forthcoming, I slurped down a few Elephant's Ear Cocktails, turned off Fox News, and went to do something productive.  With no clear leaders, or even people willing to put forward an accomplishment (Think McCain and Immigration, or Romney and Health Care, Palin and ??????), I can't imagine the GOP coming up with any sort of victory in 2012.  But that's just me.

 I found it a little difficult to take a good picture of the drink - I kept having the problem of too little drink left, because who wouldn't want a sip or two in between frames?

1oz Gin
3/4oz Dry Vermouth
3/4oz Dubonnet Rouge

It says stir, but as usual, I found the 'Two shakes and then swirl" method more tasty.  Enjoy!

The taste was interesting, but I suggest you make your own if you'd like to know what it is.

Redface's Red Ale #1

What a week I had.  I felt like I accomplished a lot this week, from getting a job, to building a wood burning stove, to 'floating' at the math and science night.  But Friday topped the week off.  I stopped at the only brew supply store anywhere near me, and got all I needed to restart brewing.

It'd been a while, so in order to not screw everything up by being rusty, I relied on my wine-brewing sense to slow everything down.  That might've been the most important thing Jake and I learned when we brewed all those batches years ago - as long as you don't rush things, you'll end up with some good booze.  As simple as that. 

Well, anyway, here's my first solo brew:














This morning it was bubbling away - a sure sign that Booze is on it's way.

More to come on the homebrew front!