Album of the Year 2015

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Last year I created this glorious cocktail in honor of my fave Album of the Year for 2014. The drink featured Nolet Silver Gin + Cranberry infused Dolin Rouge and the album was Little Dragon – Nabuma Rubberband.

Well, I’m keeping the tradition alive, so this year I’m giving Album of the Year to…

Sleater-Kinney – No Cities to Love 

Not only is it fucking amazing that they reunited to create this record, it’s a fucking brilliant record. Sleater-Kinney rock harder than they ever have, the production is outstanding, and I’ve listened to the record like 1000x this year.

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And now for the recipe.

Album of the Year Cocktail

Combine ingredients over ice and stir. Strain into your most beautiful coupe and sip while listening to your album of the year.

Cheers!

The Red Scotsman

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“Hol-li-day-y, Ce-le-bra-ate! If we took a holiday-y, took some time to celebra-ate…” -Madonna

Why don’t we sing that song during December? It’s the most holiday song there is! Errrrrrrrm, ummmm, ok gurl, focus.

This holiday drink is brought to you by my good friend Ms. Perl who brought this tasty bottle of Glenmorangie Original Single Malt Scotch to a party I was having. (Thanx Perl!) If you haven’t tried the Glenmorangie Scotches before, they’re typically on the bright/floral end of the spectrum.

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Firstly, this is not a Negroni variation, even though it has Campari, and is in a Negroni format. It would be a stretch to say that I subbed Sweet Vermouth for Añejo Tequila + Cinnamon Bark Syrup, but maybe that’s ok? And let’s be frank, it’s such a pretty pretty format: A Red drink in a Rocks glass, big orange peel…swoon.

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Here are your cast of characters: Glenmorangie Original Single Malt Scotch, Corralejo Añejo Tequila, Campari, Cinnamon Bark Syrup.

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Get ready to stirrrrrrrrr.

The Red Scotsman 

  • 1 3/4 oz Glenmorangie Original Scotch
  • 1/2 oz Corralejo Tequila Añejo*
  • 1/2 oz Campari
  • 1/4 oz Cinnamon Bark Syrup
  • Garnish: Orange peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stirrrrrr. Strain into chilled double Rocks glass over ice. Express Orange peel and garnish.

*sub an Añejo Tequila that still tastes like Tequila. In other words, you want the Agave to be present alongside some woody tones in the Tequila.

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This drink is refreshing, bright, bitter, spiced and complex. You might want to have at least two of The Red Scotsman and I will not stop you.

It would also make an excellent bottled cocktail. (hint, hint: the best gift ever is a bottled cocktail)

Cheers to all your holiday festivities!

 

Sukkah Hill Spirits: Etrog Cocktail

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Last week, I reviewed and created a recipe for the fabulously spiced Besamim Liqueur from Sukkah Hill Spirits. Today, I am just as excited to talk about their Etrog Liqueur. For Besamim, I was like, “Oh my god you need to get this right now!” For Etrog I’m like, “NO SERIOUSLY, YOU HAVE TO GET THIS RIGHT NOW!”

You may be thinking, “gurrrrrl, that’s a lot of enthusiasm for a Monday morning.” Whatever man, once you try these two liqueurs, you’ll understand.

Etrog-Liqueur

Sukkah Hill Spirits were started by the Witkins, a couple who live in Los Angeles. They were making batches of Liqueurs for friends and family, when a store put in a request for their amazing products. Now they have a 5000 sq ft facility and the rest is history.

You may be wondering, “what does the word Etrog mean?” Well, Etrog is actually a highly prized type of citrus from Israel. They are traditionally used during the holiday of Sukkot, a hebrew word meaning “Tabernacles”. If you think Sukkot sounds like Sukkah, you’re right, the first is the plural of the second.

Etrog Liqueur is made from a blend of Etrog citrus grown in the Sequoia foothills of California and pure cane sugar Spirit in small batches. It is gluten free, vegan, and Kosher for Passover.

Etrog Tasting Notes:

  • Nose: Something like a magical Meyer Lemon hits you first, with supporting notes of lemon verbena, citrine herbs, and floral notes.
  • Taste: Firstly candied Lemon, then loads of wonderfully complex herbal notes. Flowers, honey, and pepper all make entrances.
  • Finish: Excellent viscosity, really warming finish.
  • Overall: HOT DAMN. Etrog is so exciting! It is sweet but there is so much going on here that it’s not boring at all. For cocktails, my first thought was “GIN!” though I know it will go very well with Blanco Tequila. I would also drink this as an aperitif over ice or long with club soda.

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As with the Besamim post, I am going to feature one cocktail for the introductory Etrog post. This drink really lets the Etrog showcase all of its beautiful flavors in a stirred format.

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Here are your cast of characters: Etrog Liqueur, Plymouth Gin, dry Junmai Ginjo Saké.

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Ladies and gentlemen, get ready to taste something truly divine.

Etrog Cocktail

  • 3/4 oz Sukkah Hill Spirits Etrog Liqueur
  • 1 1/4 oz Plymouth Gin
  • 1 1/4 oz Junmai Ginjo Saké (sub: dry, floral Saké)
  • Garnish: Lemon peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stirrrrrrrrr. Strain into chilled coupe, express Lemon peel and garnish.

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Cheers. Sunny, floral, lemony, fabulous Cheers to you all! Thanks to Sukkah Hill Spirits for the bottle of Etrog Liqueur!

 

Sukkah Hill Spirits: Besamim Cocktail

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Today, I am really, really pumped to talk to y’all about Sukkah Hill Spirits Besamim Liqueur. I know that might sound like a mouthfull, and most of you may not have heard of them, but OOOOOOH MY GOODNESS. All y’all need to get these Liqueurs right now!

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Firstly, I would like to say, “WOW.” I haven’t had a new Liqueur that was this good in a LOOOOOONG time. Sukkah Hill Spirits were started by the Witkins, a couple who live in Los Angeles. They were making batches of Liqueurs for friends and family, when a store put in a request for their amazing product. Now they have a 5000 sq ft facility and the rest is history.

Both Besamim and Etrog (more on this Liqueur very soon) are made from pure cane sugar Spirit in small batches. They are gluten free, vegan, and Kosher for passover. What else would you expect from a Spirits company based in LA?

Besamim Tasting Notes:

  • Nose: SPICE EXPLOSION. Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove. Christmas spices.
  • Taste: Warm, elegant, sweetly spiced but not cloying. Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Allspice. ALL THE SPICES you could ever want. It’s like your grandmother’s secret spice recipe. Hell yes.
  • Finish: Excellent medium-body for a Liqueur. Wide, long, and pleasant finish. The viscosity is just right and not too overpowering.
  • Overall: I have and will be using Besamim in as many Cocktails as possible. It’s perfect for the holiday season, in a stirred drink, or in spiced Tiki drinks.

 

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For this introductory post, I decided to feature just one Cocktail recipe (though believe me, I’ve got several) because this one lets Besamim shine like the beautifully spiced magic that it is.

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Here are your cast of characters: Besamim, Hine H Cognac, Lustau Amontiallado Sherry, and a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.

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I wanted to make this cocktail in the style of a Manhattan because I think Besamim is worthy of such a drink.

Besamim Cocktail

  • 3/4 oz Sukkah Hill Besamim Liqueur
  • 1 3/4 oz Hine H Cognac
  • 1/2 oz Amontillado Sherry
  • Garnish: Luxardo Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and stirrrrrr. Strain into chilled coupe and garnish.

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Delicious. So delicious that I just drank one while writing this post. Now I want to curl up by a fire with a good book and feeeel the fabulousness.

Thanks to Sukkah Hill Spirits for sending the Besamim and Etrog. MORE SUKKAH HILL COCKTAILS COMING SOOOOOOOON.

Beach Nut Punch

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Hey, y’all. Ever had one of those days where you wish you were at the beach by an actual jungle, and not stomping around the concrete jungle?

Me too.

My still-tanned girlfriend and I returned from Tulum, MX two weeks AGO (how the tiiiiiiime flies), but seriously y’all, I MISS IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

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Well, since I can’t be living that beach life all the time, I thought I’d shake off my landlocked sadness with a tasty tropical cocktail.

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For this particular recipe, I started with Apricot Liqueur and worked my way along. Apricot and almond flavors go really well together, so I grabbed the Orgeat syrup, and a Lime from my fridge. Then it was time to pick a Rum. Hmmm. Which Rum? An Aged Rum! I have a few Aged Rums in my home bar and decided to go with Angostura 7 Year, a molasses based Trinidadian Rum, because it has a bit of funk to it and a short finish. For the final ingredient, it seemed natural to add a couple of dashes of Angostura Bitters.

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Beach Nut Punch

  • 2 oz Angostura 7 Year Rum (sub: aged Jamaican Rum)
  • 1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Orgeat
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherries

Combine ingredients over ice and rapidly shake. Double strain into coupe and garnish.

IMPORTANT: Though I’ve called this drink a “punch” (because it has Spirit, spice, water, citrus), it’s really a cocktail or a “Punch for One.” I just really liked the way the phrase Beach Nut Punch sounds.

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Cheers! May this tasty drink make you feel like you’ve escaped to the beach!

A Sherried Martini

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Ooooooh my. The Holidays are literally upon us.

You may be asking yourself, “Home Bar Gurrrrl, why do you want us to drink a Martini when there are so many holiday Cocktails to imibe?”

Y’all, don’t worry. I’m not telling you skip the Egg Nog, Cranberry infused Dolin Rouge, Cacao infused Campari, or any Champagne Cocktails you might come across!

I’m just telling you, that if you want to take a holiday breather, lighten things up for a moment, and chillllllll, then this is the Martini for you.

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Our star players for this drink are: 1. Hayman’s Old Tom Gin which has a wonderful viscosity and loads of botanicals, and 2. Lustau Amontillado Sherry which has a fabulous dryness, loads of spices, nuttiness, and a bit of brine.

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They are supported with Dolin Dry Vermouth (praise be to Dolin Dry), Regans’ Orange Bitters, and an Orange peel.

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Are we ready to stirrrrrrrrr? Yes? Excellent.

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A Sherried Martini*

  • 2 1/4 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
  • 1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
  • 1/4 oz Lustau Amontillado Los Arcos Sherry
  • 1 dash Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stirrrrrr. Strain into coupe. Express Orange peel and garnish.

This is “Sherried” cause there’s just a bit of Sherry, but the 1/4 oz gives an excellent finish to the Martini.

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Yeah gurrrrl, I wanna relax with this Sherried Martini. The holidays can do their own crazy thing.

Winfred Bumbry Punch

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Soooooo, woah. I feel like a whirlwind of things have happened! We returned from our holiday in Tulum, Mexico to Brooklyn and then it was Thanksgiving week which meant parties, parties, and feasting and several batches of Punch! AAAAAAAAAAH.

However, I would never complain about an opportunity to create a new Punch, especially not one with such exciting ingredients.

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I created this particular batch for a Friendsgiving party with some of my oldest friends. A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I met many wonderful people in Birmingham, AL where I lived for 10 years. I played in bands with these people, threw dance parties with these people, and they became my crew.

At one time or another, myself and some of these wonderful people moved here to NYC and now we’ve all been pretty tight for around a decade. We have a group text that has been named several ridiculous things (Autumn Boyfriends, Looty Sweater Clurb, 10 Red Dancing Lady emojis in a row), but is currently named Winfred Bumbry.

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Here are the cast of characters for Winfred Bumbry Punch: Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey + Smith & Cross make up my fave split base of all time. Ruby Port + Plantation Barbados 5 for length, greater depth, and cause Port is SO GREAT IN PUNCH. Lemon Sherbet cause I’m obsessed, LITERALLY OBSESSED with making classic Punches, and classic Punches frequently have Sherbet as an ingredient.

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Don’t forget the Nutmeg! It’s the only Punch garnish you’ll ever need.

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There were 7 people at our Friendsgiving party and we drank ALL the Punch. ALLLLLL OF IT. But hey, my friends are big drinkers so one could probably serve 8-9 people with this Punch.

Winfred Bumbry Punch

  • 1 1/2 Cups Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey
  • 1 1/2 Cups Navy Strength Rum (Preferably a blend of Demerara and Jamaican Rums)
  • 1 Cup Plantation Barbados 5 Year Rum
  • 1 Cup Ruby Port
  • 1 1/2 Cups Lemon Sherbet
  • 6 cups Club Soda + 1 large Ice block* for the Punch bowl
  • Garnish: freshly grated Nutmeg
  • Glassware: Tea Cups or Punch cups

Combine Whiskey, Rums, Port, and Lemon Sherbet in an airtight container. Stir ingredients and chill for a few hours or overnight. When serving, add an Ice block and Club Soda to Punch bowl. Grate Nutmeg over the top of the Punch bowl and serve.

*You could freeze water in a Quart size tupperware overnight and use that as the Ice block if you don’t need to be fancy. Personally, I don’t need to be fancy.

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Cheers to all y’alls Holiday Parties!

 

 

On Holiday Y’all!

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Woo! My fabulous girlfriend and I are going on holiday for a week to a tropical location where I hope to drink myriads of Agave based spirits, chill in the beautiful sea, and explore ancient ruins in the jungle! (Any guesses?)

If wi-fi permits, I may be updating my Instagram account with travel photos. Then again, maybe not!

See y’all in a week or so!

Shark Reef

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In my opinion, it’s always time for a Tiki drink. No matter how crappy the weather may be, or how dark it is outside, I am always going to say, “OH HELL YAS” to some tropical Rum magic.

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Today’s magic comes to us in the form of a Tiger Shark variation called Shark Reef. I started with Denizen Merchant’s Reserve, added Hamilton 151, some tasty syrups, Lime juice, and Pineapple Juice. Refrescando!

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For real though, these two Rums make one hell of a split base. Note to self, make as many Tiki drinks with this combo as possible!

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Ready? I’m ready. I think I’m going to make another one right after I finish writing this post!

Shark Reef

  • 1 1/4 oz Denizen Merchant’s Reserve Rum
  • 3/4 oz Hamilton Demerara 151 Rum
  • 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 1/2 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Cane Sugar Syrup (1:1)
  • 2 barspoons Cinnamon Bark Syrup
  • 8 oz Crushed ice
  • Garnish: Pineapple shark tooth, two Paddles to escape from the Sharks!

Combine ingredients in blender and blend for around 8 seconds. Pour into double Rocks glass or Tiki mug and garnish.

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Yeaaaaah, so this is really damn delicious. Cheers y’all! SHARK REEF!