Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 2 weeks ago • 100%

This one is from PDT’s cocktail book. Of the “all-alcohol” drinks I’ve made, this has ended up being one of the more approachable ones. It has an aggressive nose from the Fernet, but a lot of the taste’s edge is tempered by the Grand Marnier. It’s still a heavy hitter, but I liked it a lot! - 2 oz Linie Aquavit - ¾ oz Grand Marnier - ½ oz Nonino Quintessentia Amaro - Fernet Branca rinse Stir with ice and strain into a Fernet Branca-rinsed glass.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 1 month ago • 92%

- 1 ½ oz mezcal Cupreata - ¾ oz sloe gin - ¾ oz Cynar Stir with ice and strain into a Nick & Nora glass. On the tin, it seems like this would be way too much, between the aggressive smokiness of the mezcal and the herbal bitterness of the Cynar, but the fruit in the slow gin is enough to balance all that out. It’s still pretty spirit-forward, but super palatable.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 3 months ago • 100%

This is lovely, and pretty much right what it says on the tin. Delicious! The smokiness of the mezcal goes nicely with the flamed orange twist. - 1 oz mezcal - 1 oz sweet vermouth - 1 oz Campari - flamed orange twist garnish Stir with ice, strain into the glass, then flame the orange twist over the cocktail and discard the orange.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 3 months ago • 100%

This is one I saw linked on a punch article that @rbwells posted last week, from Daisuke Ito. It’s simple, elegant, and the scotch balances nicely with Bénédictine. I would have this again! - 1 oz scotch - 1/2 oz Bénédictine - 1/2 oz lemon juice This quantity was good in a Nick and Nora, but I’d double it for a coupe next time.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 4 months ago • 97%

Keeping up with my little chartreuse theme, here is my all-time favorite equal-parts cocktail. - 1oz London dry gin - 1oz green chartreuse - 1oz maraschino liqueur - 1oz lime juice Seriously, so good! Tart, complex, refreshing; it really has it all.

Minnesota mpg • 4 months ago • 95%

We drove up a little after midnight and joined the party at boulder lake, and were treated to some great lights!

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 5 months ago • 100%

Here’s a nice, simple, boozy one from Death & Co: - 2oz Rittenhouse bonded rye - 1/2oz Laird’s bonded apple brandy - 1/2oz Yellow Chartreuse The rye ends up being the least present ingredient even though it’s by far the highest volume one; I get much more apple and herbal chartreuse from it.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 8 months ago • 100%

This started out as a Sother Teague recipe and got progressively further off base as I persisted through a series of substitutions 😂 - 1 ½ oz Amaro Montenegro - ½ oz overproof Jamaican rum - ½ oz aquafaba - ½ oz Cane Sugar Syrup - ½ oz mango nectar - ½ oz lemon juice - 2 dashes Bitter Queens Thai Spice bitters That’s how it was written. Well, I didn’t have amaro but did have a related herbal liquor, I used more normal rum instead of overproof rum, Demerara syrup instead of cane syrup, passion fruit instead of mango, Sichuan bitters instead of Thai… but overall everything was in the right ballpark and ended up being surprisingly balanced while still quite refreshing.

Woodworking mpg • 8 months ago • 100%

I built a pedal board to use in my band (lake effect is in the band name); it’s basically a box with a slot to route power out of, and to the velcro’d down pedals on top. It was my first time using a dremel to engrave, and I’m happy with how that turned out! I traced the characters from a print out, then engraved the outline, then the fill, then painted the inside. The wood is stained cedar with a couple of coats of poly. The main body was put together with pocket hole joinery.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 8 months ago • 95%

This one is from a great cocktail spot in NYC called Little Branch. It’s two strong liquors, but the apple brandy with a touch of simple combine to make it a pretty approachable aperitif. - 1 oz Rittenhouse bottled-in-bond rye - 1 oz Laird’s bottled-in-bond apple brandy - ¼ oz simple syrup Shake with ice, strain into a Nick & Nora glass, and garnish with an orange twist.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 9 months ago • 100%

Another one from Smuggler’s Cove; you can probably tell that I’m trying to use up my pineapple juice! This one is unique among the recipes in that book in that it features Aquavit, a Scandinavian liquor that is close to gin, but typically infused with caraway and dill. The dill notes are especially pronounced in the Gamle Ode Celebration Aquavit that I used, and come out especially strongly in the finish. Delightful in contrast to the juicy start! - 1 ½ oz orange juice - 1 ½ oz pineapple juice - ½ oz lemon juice - ¼ oz Demerara Syrup - ¼ oz Orgeat - 1 ½ oz aquavit - 1 lemon wedge Shake with ice and strain into a glass filled with cracked ice. Garnish with a lemon wedge speared with a cocktail umbrella.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 9 months ago • 100%

Here’s a nice one from Smuggler’s Cove, the Top Notch Volcano! It’s classic tiki flavors; the passion fruit and maraschino liqueur match really well. This recipe makes two; I went for serving over rocks instead of flash blending. - 4 oz lime juice - 4 oz pineapple juice - 1 oz passion fruit purée - 3 oz Smuggler's Cove Demerara Syrup - 1 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur - 4 oz blended lightly-aged rum - 4 oz blended aged rum Serves 4. Mix the ingredients without ice in two mixing tins. Split evenly between the tins, and add 12oz crushed ice to each. Flash blend separately and add to a punch bowl. Serve on fire! Or, for the weaker of heart, garnish with sliced limes and oranges.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 9 months ago • 96%

We cooked a ham with pineapple glaze for Christmas, so went for pineapple-adjacent flavors for sides… and cocktails of course! This is a Mai Tai with a passion fruit foam. A friend had something like this in Maui, and I’ve been thinking of it ever since! Why not Christmas? I found this recipe published by a restaurant on Maui called Monkeypod. - 1 oz Old Lahaina light rum - 1 oz orgeat or almond syrup - 1 oz Marie Brizard orange Curaçao - ¾ oz lime juice - 1 oz Old Lahaina dark rum - 1 splash honey-liliko'i (passion fruit) foam - ½ pineapple slice Shake the lime juice, orgeat, curaçao, and light rum with ice, then strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Float the dark rum. Top with the honey-liliko'i foam, and garnish with the pineapple. For the foam: - ½ oz honey - 1 oz passion fruit purée - 1 oz simple syrup - 1 oz egg white - 1 ½ oz water Mix ingredients well and put in a nitrous-oxide infuser to half capacity. Use 4 charges for a liter-sized infuser. If you do not have access to an infuser, you can blend the ingredients on high speed until foamy.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 9 months ago • 100%

You can probably tell that I’m still working through some aquafaba… here’s the maguey Sour, a delightful mezcal-based sour. The smokiness of the mezcal works nicely in contrast to the Benedictine and citrus. - 2 oz Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal - ½ oz Bénédictine - ¾ oz lemon juice - ½ oz orgeat or almond syrup - 1 egg white - 1 pinch grated nutmeg - 1 orange twist Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the nutmeg and orange and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with the grated nutmeg and orange twist.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 9 months ago • 97%

The Pisco Sour is such a classic, and I’m always pleased with its simplicity. Plus, when you nail the bitters decoration it makes you feel really fancy! Here’s my go to recipe, which I originally got from Speakeasy. I subbed aquafaba for the egg white and skipped the nutmeg. - 2 oz Barsol Pisco Quebranta brandy - ¾ oz lime juice - ¾ oz simple syrup - 1 egg white - 4 drops Angostura bitters - grated nutmeg Pour the brandy, juice, syrup, and egg white into a mixing glass. Shake very hard without ice for a few seconds. Add ice and shake vigorously for up to 30 seconds. Strain into a coupe. Decorate by carefully adding 4 drops of bitters and dragging a toothpick in a circle through them.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 10 months ago • 100%

Here’s a nice winter warmer that I had at a restaurant and recreated at home. The falernum and allspice lend great spice flavors, and both take some of the edge off the burn of the aquavit. If you’re making this I’d suggest going light on the agave and adding to taste. The recipe below is very drinkable but ever-so-slightly on the sweet side. - 2 oz aquavit - ¾ oz lemon juice - ¼ oz agave (or honey) - ¼ oz John. D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum - ¼ oz St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram Shake with ice, strain into a coupe, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 10 months ago • 100%

This is one I had at an Italian restaurant once and was delighted by. It’s basically a more herbaceous take on a French 75, what’s not to like? - ¾ oz Dampfwerk Crane gin - ¾ oz sage syrup - ½ oz lemon juice - 1 splash Prosecco - 1 dried thyme sprig Shake the gin, syrup, and lemon juice with ice and strain into the glass. Top with Prosecco. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 10 months ago • 100%

Named after the tallest single-drop waterfall in the world, in Guyana, this drink is my favorite tiki-style cocktail of all time. I got the recipe from Smuggler’s Cove. It’s easy drinking and super flavorful. Give it a shot! - ½ oz Maple Syrup - ¾ oz lime juice - ½ oz John. D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum liqueur - 2 oz blended aged rum - 2 dashes Angostura bitters - 1 mint sprig Add the liquid ingredients to the glass and fill three-quarters with ice. Swizzle, then top with more ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and swizzle stick.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 11 months ago • 98%

Review from my partner: “refreshing! I could drink these all night!” I concur! I got this recipe from Death & Co, and the only modification was replacing the egg white with aquafaba. And one fewer cherry; there’s only so many of those I can eat 😂 - 1 ½ oz Plymouth Gin - ½ oz Laird's Bonded apple brandy - ¾ oz lemon juice - ¾ oz Death & Co Acacia Honey Syrup - ¼ oz Death & Co Grenadine - 1 egg white - 3 brandied cherries Dry shake all the ingredients, then shake again with ice. Double strain over 1 large ice cube, and garnish with the cherries on a cocktail pick.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 11 months ago • 100%

This one is another fall themed one I found for Apple brandy, the Mayor Rock, from Riffle bar in Portland. Delicious! - 1 oz Del Maguey Santo Domingo Albarradas mezcal - 1 oz bonded apple brandy - 1 tsp agave nectar - 2 dashes Angostura bitters - 1 dash orange bitters Build ingredients together in a rocks glass. Add ice and stir until chilled. Garnish with an orange peel.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 11 months ago • 100%

Here is Fernando, from Speakeasy (the Employee’s Only bar owners’ book). We had some sickness in the family and this fernet-forward drink was perfect to slap the sickness out of them (that’s how it works, right?) - 1 ¼ oz Fernet Branca - 1 ¾ oz Cinzano Bianco Vermou - ¾ oz Galliano Stir with ice, and garnish with an expressed sprig of mint.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 11 months ago • 100%

I was recently at a party in Vermont where we pressed apple cider, so I was casting about for cocktail-with-cider ideas, and found this one from liquor.com: the Autumn Apple. It’s very approachable and refreshing, though I downed the honey and upped the bitters to make it a little more complex (in my opinion). It got good reviews from my family; I got asked for seconds! - 2 ounces Bluecoat American dry gin - 2 ounces apple cider - 1/2 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed - 1/2 ounce honey syrup - 1 dash aromatic bitters - 1 pinch cinnamon Shake with ice, strain into a glass, and garnish with a lemon twist. Source: https://www.liquor.com/recipes/autumn-apple/

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 11 months ago • 100%

A nice, earthy, aperitif for the fall! From ALEX&NDER, in Louisville. - 1 oz mezcal - 1 oz apple brandy - 1 oz sweet vermouth - 2 dashes chocolate bitters Stir with ice and garnish with a cherry.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 1 year ago • 95%

A friend had this drink at a long-forgotten bar in Brooklyn and recreated it. The Fernet and maple go nicely together, and in total it ends up being quite refreshing. - 2 oz rye whiskey - ⅓ oz Fernet Branca - ¼ oz Maple Syrup - ¼ oz Maple Liqueur - 2 dashes orange bitters - 2 dashes Angostura bitters - ginger beer Shake ingredients (except ginger beer) with ice. Strain into a collins glass, top with ginger beer, and garnish with an orange peel.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 1 year ago • 96%

This one’s from Death & Co, and it’s both a little tart and a little sweet, with a delightful effervescence. - 2 oz Ron del Barrilito 3-Star rum - 1 oz lime juice - 1 oz Acacia Honey Syrup - dry champagne Shake all the ingredients (except the champagne) with ice, then strain into the flute. Top with the champagne. Honey syrup is equal parts honey and water, combined.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 1 year ago • 96%

This is a nice, light, summer-y drink, by Jörg Krause. - 2 oz Nonino Quintessentia Amaro - 1 ½ oz grapefruit juice - 4 oz tonic water - 1 splash club soda - 1 slice grapefruit Build the drink over ice in a glass, stir, and decorate with the grapefruit slice.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 1 year ago • 100%

Just a little bloody bar I set up for a brunch party. I use the recipe from the Employee’s Only book, _Speakeasy_, and it usually goes over well. I adapted it to 32 oz of tomato juice (which is a common size where I shop), so lots of the quantities are a little weird. But it’s a very forgiving recipe, so I don’t stress that! - 32 oz tomato juice - ⅔ tablespoon capers - 4 oz Worcestershire sauce - 2 ⅔ oz lemon juice - 1 ⅓ oz olive brine - ⅔ teaspoon celery salt - 1 ⅓ teaspoon ground black pepper - 1 ⅓ teaspoon Tabasco - 5 ⅓ tablespoon horseradish Stir all ingredients in a large food-safe container until well combined. Refrigerate overnight. Stir again before using.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 1 year ago • 100%

This one is fun! The charred grapefruit pairs well with the smokiness of the mezcal, and it’s very pretty. You can do it in a rocks glass with the soda, but I chose to do it in a coupe and skip the bubbles. I also used aquafaba instead of egg since my partner is vegan. - 1 ½ oz Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal - ½ oz simple syrup - club soda - 1 egg white - 3 dashes Angostura bitters - 1 grapefruit Use an open flame from your gas stove (or kitchen torch, or broiler) and a pair of tongs to char a half a grapefruit, and a few additional slices for garnish. Juice the charred half-grapefruit. Pour the mezcal, grapefruit juice, simple syrup, egg white and bitters into an empty cocktail shaker. Dry shake, then shake with ice. Strain into a coupe, then top with club soda. Garnish with a charred grapefruit slice.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 1 year ago • 96%

Someone posted about frozen cocktails and mentioned this one from Jeffrey Morganthaler, and my interest was piqued! It was interesting to see Campari in this context; the bitterness was different from what you normally get from a frozen drink, and added a nice complexity. - 1 oz gin - 1 oz Campari - 1 oz sweet vermouth - 2 oz orange juice - ¾ oz simple syrup Mix with 8 oz ice in a blender, then blend until smooth, adding extra ice as necessary. Garnish with an orange wedge.

Cocktails, the libationary art! mpg • 1 year ago • 100%

2oz London dry gin, 1oz dry vermouth; stir with ice and garnish with a pickled onion. It’s a classic but I hadn’t had it before! Really great; the onion adds a savory umami that is just delightful.