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You’re So Kind: 18.21 Bitters Part 1

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

18.21-Bitters-Promo

So, as I mentioned the other day, the lovely people at 18.21 Bitters sent me a whole bunch of Shrub/Syrup/Bitters. LET ME TELL Y’ALL, I am LOVING 18.21 Bitters! These are so fun, so complex and lend themselves to creativity. Inspirational, I AM INSPIRED! With flavours like Lavender + Sea Salt Syrup and Charred Lime, Jalapeño + Peppercorn Syrup, WHO WOULDN’T BE INSPIRED?

Well, to put all of these products on display in one post would be too much, so I’m gonna split it up. This first post will have recipes for the Shrubs and Syrups and the second post will have recipes for the Bitters.

What I’ve got:

  1. Lavender + Sea Salt Syrup – Salt up front, Lavender second which makes for some excellent layered flavour!
  2. Charred Lime, Jalapeño + Peppercorn Syrup – Savory spice bonanza, hits you all at once! I died with happiness!
  3. Pumpkin Spice Shrub – I don’t care that Halloween and ThanxG are over, this shit is DELICIOUS!
  4. Blackberry Peppercorn Shrub – Honestly, good enough to drink alone with Club Soda. Fabulousness awaits!

And now, the cocktails.

A-Weekend-in-Dover-2

Lavender + Sea Salt Syrup: I tasted it and my mind said, OLD TOM GIN! So I said yes, added some lemon and a bit of Cocchi Americano. You’re welcome.

A Weekend In Dover

  • 2 1/2 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
  • 3/4 oz Cocchi Americano
  • 1/2 oz 18.21 Bitters Lavender + Sea Salt Syrup
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • Lemon Peel

Combine ingredients in tin and shakity shake shake. Double strain into coupe, express Lemon peel and garnish.

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Charred Lime, Jalapeño + Peppercorn Syrup: Honestly, I’d recommend first making a standard Margarita with this and THEN get creative. Like, when you get a new Rum, you make a Daiquiri and then you start experimenting. Ya know? It was a damn good Margarita btw.

Zapatista Landscape

  • 1 1/4 oz Corralejo Añejo Tequila
  • 3/4 oz Jalapeño infused Espolón Blanco Tequila
  • 1/2 oz Punt e Mes
  • 1/2 oz Cocchi Americano
  • 1/2 oz 18.21 Bitters Charred Lime Jalapeño Peppercorn Syrup
  • Pinch of Salt

Combine ingredients and stir over ice. Strain into double rocks glass. Add pinch of Salt as garnish.

That-Pumpkin-Business-3

Pumpkin Spice Shrub: Yes, it’s Pumpkin Pie in a glass but it’s also a Shrub so that nice bit of vinegar really makes for awesome sipping. Here’s a drink which combines all of our favourite Autumn/Winter flavours into one drink!

That Pumpkin Business

  • 1 3/4 oz Rye
  • 3/4 oz Laird’s Apple Brandy
  • 1/2 oz Cynar
  • 1/4 oz St Elizabeth Allspice Dram
  • 1 oz 18.21 Bitters Pumpkin Spice Shrub
  • Maraschino Cherry
  • Freshly grated Nutmeg

Combine ingredients in tin and shake over ice. Strain into double rocks glass over ice. Garnish with Cherry and freshly grated Nutmeg.

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Blackberry + Peppercorn Shrub: Y’all the vinegar in this shrub is Balsamic Vinegar and ooooooh my, it is soooo yummy! This drink sort of follows my “try to make things that aren’t Jack n Coke but sort of remind the drinker that there is more to life than Jack n Coke” formula.

Decatur Cola

  • 1 1/2 oz Bourbon
  • 3/4 oz Averna Amaro
  • 1 oz 18.21 Bitters Blackberry Shrub
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Maraschino Cherries
  • Club soda

Combine ingredients in tin over ice and shake shake shake. Strain into Collins glass over ice. Top with Club Soda and garnish with Cherries.

Cheers to you all! I will be posting many more recipes with 18.21 Bitters Shrubs and Syrups so be on the lookout! This has been You’re So Kind, the part of the show where someone sends me some bottles and I talk about how great they are!

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A Fashionable Fellow

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A-Fashionable-Fellow-1

Awooooohoooo, this is a damn tasty cocktail if I do say so myself. I was playing with Boulevardier variations and trying to make a more wintry/holiday version. Here we are: Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Bourbon and Apple Brandy in equal parts. YES!

Note: the Boulevardier is a variation on a Negroni and you all know how much I love Negroni! #EveryWeekIsNegroniWeek

A Fashionable Fellow

  • 3/4 oz Campari
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Antica Formula
  • 3/4 oz Laird’s Apple Brandy
  • 3/4 oz Elijah Craig 12 Year Bourbon
  • Lemon peel

In tin, combine Campari, Carpano Antica, Apple Brandy and Bourbon over cracked ice. Stir and strain into coupe. Express Lemon peel and garnish.

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Boozy and delicious. I almost made two of them but decided to be safe. SAFETY FIRST.

Just Look at This List: Dudley’s

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The other night some friends and I went to Dudley’s in the LES for cocktails and it was pretty sensational. I mean, just look at this list! Each drink we had was so delicious that I nearly re-ordered a drink. We chatted a lot with the very nice barman who’s name is Tom Roughton, very fun and very topknot. He was kind enough to share two of his recipes from that night’s menu with us: Keat’s Apothecary and the special drink of the night Hail Mary.

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Keat’s Apothecary

  • 3/4 oz Apple Brandy
  • 3/4 oz Rye
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Antica
  • 2 dashes Fernet Branca
  • 2 dashes Chartreuse Vert
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Orange peel

Combine ingredients in tin over ice and stir. Strain into ice filled rocks glass, express Orange Peel and garnish.

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Hail Mary

  • 1/2 oz Chartreuse Vert
  • 1/2 oz Averna Amaro
  • 1/2 oz Honey Syrup
  • Pernod Absinthe rinse
  • Doc’s Cider float

Rinse rocks glass with Absinthe and chill. In tin, combine Chartreuse, Averna and Honey syrup over ice and shake. Strain into rinsed glass, add rocks and float cider.

Tasty tasty times!

Cookin’ With Booze: Apple Crisp

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Cookin-with-Booze-Apple-Crisp-1

Here at my Home Bar, aka my Kitchen, I love to cook and bake as well as make fabulous cocktails! Inevitably, the booze finds its way into my cooking which means Boozy Booze Booze in my baked treats! Woo! This is: Cookin’ With Booze.

I got this recipe for Apple Crisp from Epicurious and made some minor adjustments, namely, I added Oats and Booze.

For the crisp topping:

  • 1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 Cup Oats (Less flour, more oats please!)
  • 2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled

For the apple filling:

  • 2 pounds firm, sweet apples (4 to 5 medium-large apples)
  • Up to 1/4 cup water
  • 1 oz Apple Brandy (here’s the Booze!)

For serving (optional):

  • Plain Whole Milk Yoghurt
  • Equipment:8-inch-square baking dish, preferably ceramic, glass, enamel-coated cast-iron, or stainless steel (avoid aluminum or uncoated cast-iron)

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Make the crisp topping:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter pieces and use your fingers to rub the mixture together until the butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the apple filling.

Make the apple filling:
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.

Peel the apples and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the cores and discard. Cut the apple halves lengthwise into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices—there should be about 6 cups total. Transfer the apple slices to an ungreased 8-inch-square baking dish and spread them out evenly. Drizzle up to 1/4 cup of water AND 1 oz Apple Brandy over the apples—use less water if the apples are particularly juicy.

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Scatter the crisp topping evenly over the fruit without pressing down on it. Bake until the topping is browned, the apples are tender when pierced with a knife, and the juices are bubbling, about 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm, with or without a scoop of Plain Whole Milk Yoghurt.

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YUMMMMMM!

Do you cook or bake with booze? Would you like to share a recipe? Send recipe and photo to HomeBarGirl@gmail.com!

Hosting in the Holidaze: The Old Fashioned

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

Ok, so it’s Holiday times and you are probably wondering which cocktails to make for Thanksgiving, Xmas, Chanukah, Boxing Day and all those damn parties you’re going to have between now and New Years Eve. Don’t drive yourself crazy, just make some Old Fashioneds!

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I swear to you, the last three parties that I’ve made cocktails at have included variations on the Old Fashioned and everyone just loved them. It’s such an easy Cocktail to make and you can have so much fun with the ingredients! Plus, you can use any spirit you want in an Old Fashioned! Well, except for Vodka, yuck, don’t ever do that.

The best thing about an Old Fashioned is that no matter what you use in it, the Formula stays the same:

  • 2 oz Spirit
  • 1 barspoon Sweet/1 lump of sweet
  • 2 Dashes of Bitters
  • 1/4 oz Water
  • Garnish
  • Build-in-glass: Add Spirit, Sweet, Bitters, Water, and stir until Sweet is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish. Drink. Repeat.

Here are five Old Fashioneds to keep your guests happy and praising your Home Bar Skills:

Rye-Old-Fashioned

Rye Old Fashioned: This is the Cocktail that started it all. No seriously, the Old Fashioned is actually the first drink that can be considered a cocktail. The drink got its name toward the end of the 19th Century when bar patrons were asking for a drink “the Old Fashioned way”. That Old Fashioned Cocktail was a drink consisting of Whiskey, Sugar and Bitters. Its modern equivalent is what you see above: Rye Whiskey, Angostura Bitters, Sugar, Orange Peel and/or Maraschino Cherry.

Rye Old Fashioned:

  • 2 oz Rye
  • 1 Barspoon Demerara/Turbinado Sugar
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • 1/4 oz Water
  • Orange Peel and Cherry garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Rye, Sugar, Bitters, Water, and stir until Sugar is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnishes.

Bourbon-Old-Fashioned

Bourbon Old Fashioned

  • 2 oz Bourbon
  • 1 Barspoon Brown Sugar
  • 2 dashes Orange Bitters
  • 1/4 oz Water
  • Orange Peel garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Bourbon, Sugar, Bitters, Water, and stir until Sugar is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish.

Apple-Brandy-Old-Fashioned

Apple Brandy Old Fashioned

  • 2 oz Apple Brandy
  • 1 Barspoon Maple Syrup
  • 1 dash Black Walnut Bitters
  • 1/4 oz Water
  • Maraschino Cherry garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Apple Brandy, Maple Syrup, Bitters, Water, and stir until Maple Syrup is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish.

Añejo-Old-Fashioned

Añejo Tequila Old Fashioned

  • 2 oz Añejo Tequila
  • 1 Barspoon Agave Nectar
  • 2 Dashes Orange Bitters
  • 1/4 oz Water
  • Orange Peel garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Tequila, Agave, Bitters, Water and stir until Agave is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish.

Rum-Old-Fashioned

Aged Rum Old Fashioned

  • 2 oz Aged Rum
  • 1 Barspoon Brown Sugar
  • 2 dashes Bittermens Elemakule Tiki bitters or Angostura Bitters (island spiced bitters)
  • 1/4 oz Water
  • Lime Wheel garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Rum, Sugar, Bitters, Water, and stir until Sugar is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish.

*BONUS ROUND: Try to do a 50/50 split on the Spirit. I love to do Gin/Bourbon or Gin/Rye for the split. Apple Brandy/Bourbon also works really well together.

Good luck to you with all your Hosting in the Holidaze!

Brunch Bonanza: Golden Light

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Welcome to Brunch Bonanza. The segment where we talk about brunch cocktails!

Golden Light 3

Golden Light at a Fancy party. Doesn’t it look Fancy?

I originally created this drink for Home Bar Girl Presents: A Party several weeks ago but have since realized that I love it as a Brunch or Afternoon cocktail. It’s so fresh and refreshing but still complex! The Celery Bitters and St-Germain work very well with the other mix of flavours. Enjoy!

Golden Light

  • 1 oz Smooth English Gin (Plymouth or Mayfair)
  • 1 oz Apple Brandy
  • 3/4 oz St-Germain
  • 1 oz Apple Juice
  • 1/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1 dash Celery bitters
  • Apple Slice or Lemon Peel

In tin, combine Gin, Apple Brandy, St-Germain, Apple Juice, Lemon Juice and Celery Bitters over ice and shake baby, shake! Double strain into coupe and garnish with Apple Slice or Lemon Peel. Cheers!

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Golden Light at Home. It still looks fancy!

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Yummm! 

You’re So Kind: Cocktail Crate Spiced Old Fashioned

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Cocktail-Crate-Spiced-1

Alex Boyd the very kind founder of Cocktail Crate gave me a bottle of his Spiced Old Fashioned at the Brooklyn Winter Flea last weekend. Isn’t he kind? He’s really kind! YOU’RE SO KIND COCKTAIL CRATE MAN!

This Craft Mixer is totally perfect for the holiday season. It tastes like autumnally spiced simple syrup and is just begging to be used in Old Fashioneds and variations on Classic Cocktails. I love it. I’ve used it in nearly every drink I’ve made since last weekend.

Hint: this would make an excellent gift for any Home Bar Gurl or Dude!

Now for the cocktails:

Spiced-Old-Fashioned

First, I followed the instructions on the back of the bottle and made a Spiced Old Fashioned. It was the bomb! Perfect!

Spiced Old Fashioned

  • 2 oz Bourbon
  • 1/2 oz Cocktail Crate Spiced Old Fashioned Mixer
  • Orange Peel

Add Bourbon and Mixer to glass with ice. Stir a few times. Express Orange Peel and garnish.

The-Sound-of-Trees-2

Here we’ve got Apple Brandy as the spirit, bitterness from the Cynar and Angostura and a rich foundation of spice from the Cocktail Crate Spiced Old Fashioned. The name for this cocktail comes from my good friend and excellent poet Brit Blalock. I asked her to help me name the drink and she suggested several Robert Frost poem titles. The Sound of Trees is such a fitting name for this cocktail.

The Sound of Trees

  • 2 oz Apple Brandy
  • 1/2 oz Cynar
  • 1/2 oz Spiced Old Fashioned Cocktail Crate Mixer
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Apple Slice

In tin, combine Apple Brandy, Cynar, Mixer and Bitters over ice and stir. Strain into coupe and garnish with Apple Slice.

Spiced-Rum-Hot-Toddy-2

Here’s a fabulous hot toddy with that Flor de Caña Rum I can’t stop talking about, Cocktail Crate Spiced Old Fashioned, Lemon Juice/Wheel and Cardamom bitters.

Rum Spiced Hot Toddy

  • 2 oz Aged Rum
  • 3/4 oz Cocktail Crate Spiced Old Fashioned Mixer
  • 1/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1 dash Cardamom Bitters
  • Hot Water
  • Lemon Wheel

To mug add Rum, Mixer, Lemon Juice, Cardamom Bitters and Hot Water. Stir a few times and add Lemon Wheel.

Long-Island-City-2

Lastly, I’ve got a variation on a Manhattan which I’ve named Long Island City because that’s where Cocktail Crate is made! Happy Craft Mixing to you all!

Long Island City

  • 2 oz Aged Rum
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Antica
  • 1/2 oz Cocktail Crate Spiced Old Fashioned Mixer
  • 2 dashes Orange Bitters
  • Orange Peel

In tin, combine Rum, Carpano, Mixer and Bitters over cracked ice and stir. Strain into coupe, express orange peel and garnish.

Well, that’s it for now! Thanks again to Alex and be sure to get this mixer into your Home Bar. Totally worth it! This has been You’re So Kind, the post where someone nice gives me a bottle and I review it!