craft cocktails

You’re So Kind: Berentzen Pear Liqueur

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Berentzen-Pear-Promo-Shot

As I’ve stated before, the very kind people at Berentzen sent me a fabulous bottle of Pear Liqueur. Aren’t they kind? I think they’re pretty kind. YOU’RE SO KIND BERENTZEN!

This Liqueur is a total knockout. I love it. It’s so fruit forward, crisp and refreshing. Pear all the way but in a totally different universe than many other Pear Liqueurs. This is not dry, subtle or mysterious. It’s PEAR! It’s happening! It’s fresh! I love it. I been using it with Gin, Tequila, Dolin Blanc, Soda, Tonic, Bourbon, Rum, EVERYTHING! Berentzen Pear Liqueur is awesome!

Bonus: now that it’s winter times, #PEARSEASON! Get into it!

And now, for the cocktails:

Portrait-of-a-Lady-1

Portrait of a Lady

  • 2 oz Smooth Gin (Plymouth used here)
  • 1 oz Berentzen Pear Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
  • 1/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • Cinnamon Garnish

In tin, combine Gin, Pear Liqueur, Dry Vermouth and Lemon Juice over ice and shake. Double strain into coupe and garnish with Cinnamon.

A-Long-Hard-Look-in-the-Mirror-2

A Long Hard Look In The Mirror

  • 2 oz Bourbon
  • 1/2 oz Cocktail Crate Spiced Old Fashioned Mixer or Allspice and Cinnamon Simple Syrup
  • 1/2 oz Berentzen Pear Liqueur
  • 1 dash Black Walnut Bitters
  • Maraschino Cherry

In tin, combine Bourbon, Spiced Old Fashioned Mixer, Pear Liqueur and Bitters over cracked ice. Stir and strain into Rocks glass. Add Ice and Cherry.

The-Feeling-of-Flight-2

The Feeling of Flight

  • 2 oz Dolin Blanc or Lillet Blanc
  • 3/4 oz Berentzen Pear Liqueur
  • 3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
  • Grapefruit peel

In tin, combine Blanc Vermouth, Pear Liqueur and Grapefruit Juice over ice and shake. Double strain into coupe, express Grapefruit peel and garnish.

Sandals-in-Winter-2

Sandals in Winter

  • 1 1/2 oz Blanco Tequila
  • 3/4 oz Berentzen Pear Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau Triple Sec
  • 1/4 oz Bonal Aperitif
  • 1 dropper Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Grapefruit peel

In tin, combine Blanco Tequila, Pear Liqueur, Triple Sec, Bonal and Bitters over ice and shake. Double strain into coupe, express Grapefruit peel and garnish.

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Woo, this Liqueur is all worn out and taking a nap now. So many uses, so many possibilities. This has been You’re So Kind, the post where someone nice gives me a bottle and I review it!

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Home Bar Gurls: Grace’s Secret

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This is Home Bar Gurls, the segment where another Home Bar Girl or Dude sends a recipe!

Grace's-Secret

Today’s recipe comes from Belinda Martin, Stylist to the stars! No really, she recently styled The First Lady of New York City, Mrs Chirlane McCray, for a Halloween Party! Belinda likes, Whiskey, Gin, Rum, Tequila and a good spicy Bloody Mary.

Grace’s Secret

  • 1 1/2 oz Whiskey
  • 1/2 oz Fernet
  • 4 dashes of Walnut Bitters
  • 2 barspoon Maraschino Cherry Syrup
  • Maraschino Cherry

In tin, combine Whiskey, Fernet, Walnut Bitters and Cherry Syrup over ice and stir. Strain into rocks glass, add ice and garnish with cherry.

Have a recipe you would like to be featured? Please send a recipe, photo of the cocktail and a bit about yourself to homebargirl@gmail.com.

You’re So Kind: Berentzen Bushel & Barrel

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Bushel-&-Barrel

The very kind people at Berentzen USA have sent me several bottles to taste and review: Icemint Schnapps, Pear Liqueur and Bushel & Barrel. They’re so kind. Aren’t they kind? BERENTZEN, YOU’RE SO KIND! Each bottle is fabulous and totally bursting with flavour but I’m going to start with Bushel & Barrel cause this is America and nothing screams AMERICA more than Bourbon and Apples.

I’ve gotta be honest, this is truly delicious stuff! Upon opening the bottle, crisp, clear Apples come through, then the more complex spices from Kentucky Bourbon settle into your nose. It’s an awesome experience.  First taste also begins with Apple, fresh juicy Apple from Berentzen’s Apple Liqueur and then a bit of spicy kick from Bourbon. Again, awesome. At 60 proof, it’s neither too strong to use in cocktails, nor too weak to drink on the rocks. In fact, everything about this liqueur is super smooth and just right.

If this is the future of flavoured whiskey, then I am so happy to be taking part in the revolution. Bushel & Barrel is by far the best one I’ve ever had and honestly, everything Berentzen makes is outstandingly tasty. (This is the part of the post where you throw that nasty cinnamon flavoured whiskey out the window. There, I said it.)

And now, some Bushel & Barrel cocktails:

American-Rose-1

American Rose (Jack Rose Variation)

  • 1 1/2 oz Bushel & Barrel
  • 1/2 oz Applejack
  • 1/2 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Grenadine
  • Lime Wheel

In tin, combine Bushel & Barrel, Applejack, Lime Juice and Grenadine over ice. Shake and double strain into coupe, garnish with Lime Wheel.

Obstacle-Three-2

Obstacle Three

  • 1 1/2 oz Rye
  • 3/4 oz Averna Amaro
  • 1/2 oz Bushel & Barrel
  • 1/2 oz Carpano Antica
  • Maraschino Cherry

In tin, combine Rye, Averna, Bushel & Barrel, Carpano and stir over cracked ice. Strain into coupe, Maraschino cherry garnish.

People-Watching-2

People Watching

  • 2 oz Cocchi Americano
  • 1/2 oz Bushel & Barrel
  • 1/2 oz Cynar
  • 1/4 oz Lemon Juice

In tin, combine Cocchi Americano, Bushel & Barrel, Cynar and Lemon Juice over ice. Shake and double strain into coupe. Splash of Soda or Champagne on top.

Julian-Franco-1

Julian Franco

  • 1 1/2 oz Bourbon
  • 1/2 oz Bushel & Barrel
  • 1/2 oz Raspberry Liqueur
  • 1/4 oz Chartreuse Vert
  • Apple Peel

In tin, combine Bourbon, Bushel & Barrel, Raspberry Liqueur and Chartreuse. Stir over cracked ice and strain into coupe. Apple Peel garnish.

Well, that’s it for now! I’ve definitely got more recipes for Bushel & Barrel and will post them in the future! As for the Pear Liqueur and Icemint Schnapps, I’ll be reviewing them soon! This has been You’re So Kind, the post where someone nice gives me a bottle and I review it!

The Terroir Martini

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

Terroir-Martini-1

I know we’ve talked about St. George Spirits but have we specifically talked about their Terroir Gin? This is the Gin that started it all. The Gin that got me hooked on Gin. The Gin that made me sob for 30 minutes in my Brooklyn apartment. You see, this Gin, THIS GIN, is from Marin, the Mt Tamalpias Gin. The botanicals in the Gin were selected on Mt Tam and when you open this bottle of Gin, you actually SMELL Marin County, California.

mt tam

Mt Tamalpias, Marin County. Photo via Summit Post. Don’t you just want to die? I do. Prettttttty.

For me, it was just too much. Just too TOO much. I’d spent over 10 years living somewhere that wasn’t Marin County, California and smelling those smells brought my entire childhood back to me. I saw myself walking in the hills, going to Stinson Beach, running cross country, hiking, riding bicycles, going to high school, the whole thing.

I smelled the Eucalyptus, Bay Laurel, Sage, Pine, Grasses, Sunshine, Ocean air. And I cried. I’ve never cried after opening a bottle of Napa Valley or Calistoga Wine before, but I started crying as soon as I smelled this Gin.

Therefore, I consider St George Terroir to be sacred and as a sacred spirit, I add little to it. Often I drink it neat or on the rocks. Sometimes I have it as a Fizz with Mint Simple Syrup and Lime juice. On even rarer occasions, I make it into this martini.

It is the greatest and most complex Gin that I’ve ever tasted and with absolute reverence I present to you:

The Terroir Martini

  • 2 1/2 oz St. George Terroir Gin
  • 1/2 oz Pear Eau de Vie (a dry Pear Eau de Vie is best)
  • 1/2 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
  • Basil leaf garnish

In tin, combine Terroir Gin, Pear Eau de Vie and Dolin Dry over cracked ice and stir. Strain into chilled coupe, slap basil leaf between your hands and use as garnish.

Terroir-Martini-3

Lemme See That El Camino

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Lemme-See-That-El-Camino-1

Whoop! Here’s another post where I get to talk about the Home Bar Girl Tequila Challenge and Something Awesome. Last time the Something Awesome was Penelope Cruz, this time it’s that oh so sexy El Camino.

1. The Tequila Challenge: to encourage us Home Bar Gurls and Dudes to think of Tequila as more than “shots!” and/or “Margarita Time”. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good Marg as much as the rest of the world but Tequila is versatile! Think about using Tequila in place of Gin or Whiskey in your cocktails. Pair it with Vermouth, Amari, Bitters and Chartreuse Jaune. Stir it, Shake it, Serve it, Sip it. Yep, Sip your Tequila, don’t Shoot it! If this means you need to stop buying gross Tequila like José or Patrón, then please do so immediately. Mmmk? So many other tasty Tequilas await!

2. The El Camino: I love the Early-70s El Camino SS. I think they’re awesome muscle cars and despite being half car/half truck, I still think they’re dead sexy.  Super Sport? Quit teasing, just lemme drive it! And dropped? Hot damn, gimme that Lowrider! Perhaps my inner SoCal Mexican is shining through a bit too much with all this El Camino talk. I would even say that the El Camino is the Mullet of the South Western USA. Business in the front, Party in the back, but oh so much party in the back!

1973 El Camino SS

This is not my car, I want this car, it will be mine. Photo via www.speedsports.net

Now, what does the badass El Camino SS have to do with a badass Tequila cocktail? You’ll have to make one to find out.

Lemme See That El Camino

  • 2 oz Blanco Tequila
  • 3/4 oz Averna Amaro
  • 1 oz Grapefruit Juice
  • 1/2 oz Agave Nectar
  • 1 dash Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters
  • Orange peel

In tin, combine Tequila, Averna, Grapefruit Juice, Agave and Bitters. Dry shake until Agave has dissolved. Add ice and shake shake shake again. Express Orange Peel and garnish.

Lemme-See-That-El-Camino-2

The Oldest Living Confederate Widow

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The-Oldest-Living-Confederate-Widow-1

This drink is possibly the greatest version of a Gin Sour to ever exist. Ever. It’s truly refreshing, so very dangerous and I want to drink them all year round! I got the recipe from Angel Negrín, my mentor in Birmingham, AL who got it from Toby Malone at the Violet Hour in Chicago. It’s a fabulous cocktail and “super healthy” as Angel likes to say. Get ready to shake, shake, boogie!

The Oldest Living Confederate Widow

  • 2 oz Plymouth Gin or Bombay Dry Gin
  • 1 1/4 oz Honey Syrup*
  • 1 oz Lemon Juice
  • 2 dashes of Orange Bitters
  • 2 dashes of Absinthe or Pernod Pastis

In tin, combine ingredients over cracked ice and shake, baby, shake! Strain into coupe. Feel the awesomeness. Try not to take down the whole cocktail in one big gulp, ok?

The-Oldest-Living-Confederate-Widow-2

*Honey Syrup: I like to make my Honey Syrup in a 1:1 ratio and shake it until the honey has dissolved. I find that if you heat the water and honey, some of the awesomeness in the honey is lost.

Classic Cocktails: Black Manhattan

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Black-Manhattan-1

So dark, so smooth, so rich in flavor, so Manhattan. Wait, what am I saying? There is NOTHING smooth about Manhattan, NOTHING. Sorry, are we talking about the Burrough or the Cocktail? As far the Manhattan Cocktail goes, there are as many variations as there are neighborhoods in NYC: Perfect Manhattan, 1920 Cocktail, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, Red Hook, Bronx, Slope, Greenpoint, Carroll Gardens, to name a few. Even the Rob Roy is essentially just a Scotch Manhattan!

The Black Manhattan or Averna Manhattan is excellent variation on a Manhattan, in fact it might be my favourite. A classic Black Manhattan stays true to the 2:1 ratio of Rye to Averna but I really enjoy a bit of Carpano Antica in this cocktail as well. Remember to sip slowly and feel the Averna. Let its velvety richness guide you into the winter months.

Black Manhattan

  • 2 oz Rye
  • 3/4 oz Averna Amaro
  • 1/2 oz Carpano Antica
  • 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
  • Maraschino Cherry

In tin, combine Rye, Averna, Carpano and Angostura Bitters over cracked ice. Stir and strain into coupe. Garnish with Maraschino Cherry. Cheers!

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Copa de Oro

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Copa-de-Oro-1

My love of Calvados continues here at Home Bar Girl with a stirred Aperitif cocktail. We named it Copa de Oro after my girlfriend suggested that the drink resembled a California Poppy.

California Poppy Copa de Oro Cup of Gold

“Poppies, poppies will put you to sleep, sleeeeep, now they’ll sleep.” -The Wicked Witch of the West

ummmmmmmm. Perhaps we shouldn’t have named the drink after Poppies. This is not a sleepy drink, it’s a before dinner/start the night out kind of drink! Don’t listen to that Wicked Witch!

Copa de Oro

  • 2 oz Calvados
  • 1 oz Cocchi Americano
  • 1/4 oz Cynar
  • 2 Dashes Angostura
  • Orange Peel

In tin, combine ingredients and stir over cracked ice. Strain into coupe. Express Orange Peel and garnish.

Cheers to you all!

Improved MarTEAni

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photo by Virginia Linzee. Makeup Artist extraordinaire. 

While at a lady Tea Party for ladies today, I made my own improved version of Pegu Club’s MarTEAni. This is already a fantastic cocktail and my improvements simply consist of using a Whole Egg instead of Egg White and adding St-Germain.

Improved MarTEAni

  • 1 1/2 oz Black Tea Infused London Dry Gin*
  • 3/4 oz St-Germain
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
  • Whole Egg
  • Lemon Peel

In tin, combine Gin, St-Germain, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup and Egg. Dry shake vigorously for appoximately 30 seconds to emulsify egg. Add ice and shake vigorously again.

*Black Tea Infused London Dry Gin: place approx 1/4 cup of loose tea into a 750ml Bottle of Gin. Shake, then let sit for approximately 2-3 hours occasionally shaking. Strain and bottle.