orange bitters

MxMo + Santa Monica Sunrise

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

Santa-Monica-Sunrise-5

Well, happy Monday to y’all! I’ve decided to participate in another Mixology Monday cause the theme for this month is “Drink of Shame”. Hah! The description for this Shameful Cocktail was something to the effect of, “You know how to make a great cocktail nowwww, but what about when you were young? What was your favourite drink from back in the day but something that you’d be too embarrassed or ashamed to drink/make now?”

mxmologo

Whitney Munro over at Tipicular Fixin came up with this brilliant idea and gave suggestions such as Mudslides, Jello Shots and Jolly Ranchers. Then we were encouraged to update the drink or make a variation which we would be unashamed to order in a bar. For me, this Drink of Shame is a Tequila Sunrise.

Tequila Sunrise Kitchen Riffs

Image via Kitchen Riffs

Tequila Sunrise (IBA Recipe)

  • 1 1/2 oz Tequila
  • 3 oz Orange Juice
  • 1/2 oz Grenadine
  • Garnish: Orange slice & Maraschino Cherry

Yesssssss. When I first started going dancing in my twenties, this was my Drink of Shame but at least it’s a really pretty drink! Unfortunately, most of the time it was made with bottom shelf nasty Tequila (blech), canned orange juice (gag me) and terrifying candy tasting Grenadine (kill me now). I know this is a classic Disco Era drink which is why I thought it was perfect for dancing. I mean, it IS totally perfect for dancing but goodness, let’s get some REAL ingredients up in this bitch.

Santa-Monica-Sunrise-4

When I decided to update the Tequila Sunrise, I thought, “let’s skip the OJ all together and substitute the grenadine with something else.” The something else was Campari and the OJ became Ruby Red Grapefruit juice, Cointreau and Orange bitters. This is now a really damn tasty drink!

I named it Santa Monica Sunrise cause that’s where I was born, this actually does look like a West Coast sunrise and it totally seems like something you should order in LA.

Santa-Monica-Sunrise-1

Note, the drink fades and so does the Grapefruit peel. That natural fade gurrrrrrl.

Santa Monica Sunrise

  • 2 oz Casa Noble Blanco Tequila
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau
  • approx 1/2 oz Campari
  • 2 oz Grapefruit Juice
  • 2 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Grapefruit Peel

Combine Tequila, Cointreau, Grapefruit Juice and bitters over ice and short shake. Double strain into double Rocks glass with Cracked, Crushed or Pebble ice. Slowly pour the Campari down the side of the glass so it doesn’t mix with the other ingredients and forms a layer on the bottom. Garnish with a Grapefruit peel and serve with a straw.

Santa-Monica-Sunrise-2

Yummmmmy. I ain’t ashamed of this!

Thanks again to the Baddish Group for the Casa Noble Tequila!

Drinking with Mad Men Season 7: the Manhattan

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

Manhattan-2

To celebrate “The End of An Era”, welcome to a series of drinks from the television show Mad Men. Each week I’ll be featuring a different cocktail from the show, so we can all drink along with our favourite Madison Avenue Ad-men and women.

As previously stated, I’m a bit of a Mad Men fanatic. The characters and their struggles have gripped my soul. The fashion is so on point. The cocktails are so classic and powerful.

Yes, powerful. This week for S7E9, I’ll be drinking perhaps the most “powerful” cocktail of all time, The Manhattan. There is literally nothing more powerful than ordering what Gary Regan once called, “The King of Cocktails.” Manhattans make you feel like a supreme being, a conqueror of worlds, a leader of vast armies.

Tradition has it that the Manhattan was originally made with American Whiskey, which in the 1860s meant Rye. Some recipes call for Canadian Whiskey, Bourbon, or even Brandy (I’m looking at you Wisconsin) but they always call for Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth and Bitters.

Peggy Drinks a Manhattan

In S4E7 “The Suitcase”, Peggy and her boyfriend Mark break up after Don forces her to work late into the night on her birthday. She vents her frustration to Don and tells him that she and Mark have split. Don and Peggy leave the office, go to a shitty diner and then end up at a bar. Don, always Old Fashioned in hand, chats with Peggy about how attractive Peggy is and cheers her up about her chances with men. Peggy slowly sips her Manhattan, savoring every moment.

Manhattan-3

Manhattans are usually made in a 2:1 ratio of Whiskey to Sweet Vermouth with a couple of dashes of Bitters thrown in and a Maraschino Cherry as garnish. Here in New York City 2015, the recipe is frequently made as follows:

Manhattan

  • 2 oz Rye Whiskey (Rittenhouse is the fave)
  • 1 oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica Vermouth or Cocchi Vermouth di Tornio are the faves)
  • 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
  • 2 dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Combine Ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe and garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

Perfect-Manhattan-2

An excellent Manhattan Variation is made by using equal parts Sweet Vermouth and Dry Vermouth with a couple of dashes of bitters. This is called a Perfect Manhattan. In my opinion, this tends to work better if you use Vermouths of the same house. i.e. Dolin Rouge & Dolin Dry, Noilly Prat Rouge & Noilly Prat Dry, Carpano Antica & Carpano Dry.

Perfect Manhattan

  • 2 oz Rittenhouse Rye
  • 1/2 oz Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
  • 1/2 oz Carpano Dry Vermouth
  • 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
  • 2 dashes of Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Combine Ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe and garnish with Maraschino Cherry.

Fourth-Regiment-2

In what is perhaps my favourite Manhattan Variation, add Celery Bitters into the mix. The Fourth Regiment recipe was first published in The Hotel Monthly by Jacques Straub in 1914. I had one for the first time a few years ago at Dutch Kills in Long Island City and never looked back! The original recipe calls for the drink to be shaken, equal parts Rye & Sweet Vermouth and one dash each of the bitters. There is no garnish specification but I love to use an Orange peel.

Fourth Regiment

  • 1 1/2 oz Rye (Rittenhouse or bust!)
  • 1 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica!)
  • 1 dash Angostura Bitters
  • 1 dash Regan’s Orange Bitters
  • 1 dash Scrappy’s Celery Bitters
  • Garnish: Orange peel

Combine Ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe, express Orange peel and garnish.

Manhattan-Ingredients

Now when it comes to making your own Manhattan, use whichever Bitters, Vermouths, garnishes and Whiskey you have on hand. Feel free to experiment and combine different ingredients together. If you have Maraschino Liqueur, an Amaro or Absinthe on hand, add a dash or two of that! Always keep in mind to start in small amounts and measure everything!

I’ll be doing this series until the end of Mad Men, so see you next week!

Thanks again to The Baddish Group for the fantastic bottles of Carpano Antica & Carpano Dry.

Carpano Dry, my new Best Friend

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

Carpano-Dry

We’ve gathered together today to talk about Carpano Dry, my new fave Vermouthy. That’s right, from the house of Carpano, makers of the universally beloved Carpano Antica, comes a terrific Dry Vermouth. I love Vermouthy, I always think about Vermouthy, Vermouthy is a very dear friend of mine.

Flavor Profile:

Nose: Citrus, spices, coriander, fruit
Tongue: Lemony, long finish, acidic, “winey”, green apple, citrus fruits
Impression: smoother than all other Italian Dry Vermouth I’ve tried, not as dry as Dolin Dry, a tad sweet, citrus fruit notes abound. Am highly likely to use it in a Negroni, Martini with a bright Gin and a Lemon twist, drink it alone on ice with a Lemon twist.

For real though, I’ve probably made at least 7 or 8 Carpano Dry on the rocks with a Lemon twist, it’s so good on its own. In fact, I just had one with my homemade Black Truffle Chicken Papardelle. (Thanks to my excellent girlfriend for the excellent dinner!)

And now, the cocktails:

A-Brighter-Martini-2

In the same way that when we get a new Rum, we make a Daiquiri, when we get a new Dry Vermouth, we make a Martini. In this particular case, we make A Brighter Martini. I chose NOLET’S Dry Gin because it’s a very bright Gin, full of fruit, floral notes and exactly the one to pair with Carpano Dry.

A Brighter Martini

  • 2 1/4 oz NOLET’S Silver Dry Gin
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Dry Vermouth
  • 2 dashes Regan’s No 6 Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Lemon peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Express Lemon peel and garnish.

Washington-Avenue-3

If it works well in a Martini, then Carpano Dry must also work well in a classic style cocktail. This is sort of a Brooklyn meets an Improved Whiskey Cocktail and is really bright and cheery. Perfect for Spring.

Washington Avenue

  • 1 1/2 oz Rye
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Dry
  • 1/4 oz Pernod Pastis
  • 1/4 oz Maraschino Cherry Liqueur
  • 2 dashes Hella Bitter Citrus Bitters
  • Garnish: Lemon & Orange peels

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Express Lemon peel, Orange peel and garnish.

Arsenic-&-Old-Lace-2

Lastly, we’re gonna use Carpano Dry in a classic cocktail: Arsenic & Old Lace. There are several different specs for this drink with the Crème de Violette ranging from 1/4 oz to 1/2 and the Absinthe Vert from a rinse to 1/2 oz! I’m going with a more Vermouth heavy recipe and lighter on the Violette and Absinthe. Again, Carpano Dry is perfect in this drink .

Arsenic & Old Lace

  • 1 3/4 oz Old Tom Gin or English Dry Gin
  • 3/4 oz Carpano Dry
  • 1/4 oz Crème de Violette
  • 1/4 oz St George Absinthe Verte
  • 2 dashes Regans’ No 6 Orange Bitters
  • Lemon Peel

Combine ingredients over ice and stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into coupe. Express Lemon peel and garnish.

Washington-Avenue-2

Dreamy, springy, light, bright and wonderful, Carpano Dry, you are my new Best Friend.

Thanks to the Baddish Group for the wonderful bottle of Carpano Dry Vermouth!

National Margarita Day with Casa Noble Crystal

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

Casa-Noble-Margarita-1

February 22 is National Margarita Day and I have been #blessed y’all, #BLESSED with this fabulous bottle of Casa Noble Crystal to make Margaritas. I was totally blown away by how tasty this Blanco Tequila is and will try to describe it in a few words.

  • On the Nose: Pineapple, Strawberry, Grasses
  • On the Tongue: Banana, Citrus, Chocolate, Nutty, Agave
  • In the Mouth: Smooth and velvety, almost no “Tequila burn”

In other words, Casa Noble Crystal is a truly special Tequila. It’s definitely unlike any other Blanco Tequila I’ve ever tasted and therefore, the first thing I did was make a classic Margarita with it. I highly recommend taking this approach when testing a new Spirit. Like, when I get a new Rum, I always make a Daiquiri with it. This way I know how the Spirit is going to interact with Citrus, sweetness, etc.

Casa-Noble-Margarita-2

Casa Noble Crystal Margarita

  • 2 oz Casa Noble Crystal Blanco Tequila
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau (yes, that is Cointreau in a jar cause I live in a tiny apartment)
  • 1/2 oz Organic Agave Nectar
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • Garnish: Hawaiian Pink Salt and Lime Wheel

In tin, combine Tequila, Cointreau, Agave Nectar and Lime Juice over ice and shake it baby! Rim Rocks glass with Salt, add ice and strain drink into glass. Lime wheel at the end. Fabulous, classic, yum.

Pample-Menthe-Margarita-1

Once I knew how this beautiful Tequila interacted in a classic Margarita, I got fancy. Mint and Grapefruit fancy to be specific.

Pample-Menthe-Margarita-3

Pample-Menthe Margarita

  • 2 oz Casa Noble Crystal Blanco Tequila
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau
  • 1/2 oz Organic Agave Nectar
  • 3/4 oz Ruby Red Grapefuit Juice
  • 1/2 oz Lime Juice
  • 2 dashes Regan’s Orange Bitters
  • 5-6 Mint Leaves
  • Garnish: Hawaiian Pink Salt, Mint Bouquet

In tin, muddle Mint leaves, Grapefruit Juice, Lime juice and Agave Nectar. Dry shake to incorporate ingredients. Add Tequila, Cointreau, Orange Bitters, Ice and short shake again. Rim rocks glass with salt, add ice and double strain drink into glass. Lastly, add Mint Bouquet.

Island-Time-Margarita-1

Hello Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears. 

Then I decided I wanted to bring out the Banana and Pineapple notes from the Casa Noble Crystal Tequila. I recalled that whole month of #TikiTheSnowAway and said to myself, “I’m gonna do it, I’m gonna make a Tiki Margarita”. This is also the first drink that I consulted The Flavor Bible and learned Coconut Milk and Vanilla Bean syrup go very well together!

Island-Time-Margarita-2

Island Time Margarita*

  • 2 oz Casa Noble Crystal Blanco Tequila
  • 1/2 oz Cointreau
  • 1/2 oz Vanilla Bean Syrup
  • 1 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 1/2 oz Lime Juice
  • 3/4 oz Coconut Milk
  • 5-6 Banana Slices
  • 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Hawaiian Pink Salt, 2 Pineapple Spears

In tin, muddle Pineapple Juice, Lime Juice, Coconut Milk, Vanilla Bean Syrup and Banana slices. Dry shake until ingredients are incorporated. Add Tequila, Cointreau, Bitters and Ice and shake again. Rim rocks glass with salt and add ice. Double strain drink into glass and garnish with Pineapple Spears.

*Honestly, this is the best Margarita I’ve ever made. It might even be the best Tiki drink I’ve ever made.

Pample-Menthe-Margarita-2

Let’s just look at this again, shall we? Sooooo dreamy, so tasty. 

Thanks to Casa Noble for their magical Crystal Blanco Tequila and thanks to the Baddish Group for the opportunity to use it for National Margarita Day!

Beach Blanket Bazonga

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

Beach-Blanket-Bazonga-1

I can’t believe January and #TikiTheSnowAway are nearly over! I never want it to end! At this point, I’m starting to wonder if I should just open a Tiki joint….This cocktail really reminded me of something I might order at NoMad Bar. Something about the combination of Coconut Milk, DD Mix and the two Citrus Juices gives Beach Blanket Bazonga a sultry flavor while still being totally Beach party ready.

Beach Blanket Bazonga

  • 1 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
  • 1 oz Flor de Caña 7 Aged Rum
  • 1/2 oz DD Mix
  • 1 oz Coconut Milk
  • 3/4 oz Freshly squeezed Grapefruit Juice
  • 1/2 oz Freshly squeezed Orange Juice
  • 2 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Mint sprig

Combine ingredients in tin and shake it gurrrrrrl, shake!  Strain into double rocks glass and serve on one big rock or crushed ice if you have it. Spank the Mint and garnish.

*You may have to whip the coconut milk for a bit with a whisk if it’s chunky. Whip away!

Beach-Blanket-Bazonga-2

MxMo + An English Sailor

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

An-English-Sailor-1

You guys, worlds have collided! It turns out that the Mixology Monday theme for the month of January is BLUE! It’s like I don’t even need an excuse to keep going with #TikiTheSnowAway. Tiki is everywhere. Tiki is omnipresent. Tiki IS.

Blue MxMo Logo

MxMo is a monthly cocktail party with a theme. They give the theme, then we cocktail bloggers post our drinks to fit this theme. This months’ boistrously Blue theme is being hosted by Andrea over at GinHound and she is using Blue in two ways:  “melancholy” or “Tiki”. Obvi, I’m going with Tiki.

ALSO: why has no one made a Blue Monday joke here? Seriously. Such a great opportunity.

An English Sailor

  • 2 oz Hayman’s Old Tom Gin
  • 3/4 oz Senior Blue Curaçao
  • 1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1 dash of Orange Bitters
  • Garnish: Lemon peel and Maraschino Cherry flag

In container, combine ingredients over ice and shake baby shake. Strain into coupe, garnish with Lemon peel and Cherry flag.

An-English-Sailor-2

What fun! This is my first time to participate in MxMo and I’m looking forward to more challenges! Have the best Blue Monday ever, y’all. 🙂

Home Bar Boomerang: FoodieTails

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

A “Boomerang” is when one bar hand delivers a drink to another bar. Well, here in BlogLand, we can’t exactly send a drink from one friend to the next. Cross-posting is the Blog Boomerang! I’m extremely excited to announce that my first Home Bar Boomerang is from the greatest Home Bar Gurl in the South East, the brilliantly talented FoodieTails! I’ve also posted at her blog today, so head on over to see my recipe.

Bonus: this drink is totally part of the January Total Tiki Takeover! Use the hashtag #TikiTheSnowAway on Instagram to add your own Tiki drinks!

Brooklyn Swizzle 2

Hello Home Bar Girl readers!! Welcome to a little piece of FoodieTails and the first guest blog post. I’m Morgan and I love cocktails. That’s why we’re all here, right? The #1 Home Bar Girl, Dani, has been killing the cocktail game with her inventive and complex potations. Especially with Rum. Have you seen those Brugal punches?! Amazing. For this first guest post, I thought I’d add my 2 cents in on the rum scene. One can never go wrong with a good swizzle.

Brooklyn Swizzle 1
Though we’re facing a huge cold front (no snow in the Carolinas yet), I’m still finding a tall glass filled with crushed ice and garnished with mint really refreshing in these cold temperatures. Think tropical thoughts. This swizzle is somewhat of a split base. Combining Brandy and an aged Light Rum. The two balance each other well in this cocktail.
Brooklyn Swizzle:
  • 2oz. Light Rum [Such as Cruzan]
  • 1 1/2oz. Apricot Brandy
  • 3/4oz. Brandy
  • 1oz. Pineapple Juice
  • 3/4oz. Lime Juice
  • 3-6 Mint Leaves
  • 2-3 Dashes Orange Bitters
*Add all ingredients to shaker and fill about half way with ice. Because this cocktail is served over crushed ice, it will be further diluted. Shake until chilled and double strain over crushed ice into a “Hurricane” or highball glass. Garnish with a bouquet of mint.
Brooklyn Swizzle 3
This has been Home Bar Boomerang. Thanks so much to FoodieTails for this excellent recipe! 

Holiday Bottled Cocktail: I Just Called To Say I Love You

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

Holiday-Bottled-Cocktail-2014-1

I thought to myself, “I have all this leftover Bourbon from ThanxG, why don’t I just turn it into a Bottled Cocktail to give as a gift for the Holidaze!” Then I added more ingredients from all those Holiday Infusions I just did et voilá! Something that should have been a Boulevardier is now the most complicated and magical Holiday Bottled Cocktail ever.

*Note to self: Dear Self, next year, just make a Boulevardier or Negroni and MOVE ON WITH YO’ LYFE. #NegroniWeek

**This recipe is for one Cocktail and these particular bottles hold two Cocktails. Therefore, I doubled the recipe.

I Just Called To Say I Love You

  1. In tin, combine ingredients, express and add Orange peel, add ice.
  2. Stir until proper dilution has been achieved. Strain into Bottle and give it to someone you like a lot!
  3. I would recommend that the recipient chill the bottle, possibly serve on the rocks if they feel the drink is too strong.
  4. I would also recommend a fresh Orange peel in the glass they drink from.

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Cheers to you and all your friends! 

You’re So Kind: NOLET’S Silver Gin

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

NOLET'S-Silver-Fizz-No-2-2

I would like to once again thank those kind people at MBooth Marketing for giving me the opportunity to work with such a fantastic product. Aren’t they kind? THEY’RE SO INCREDIBLY KIND!

Ok, wow, like really wow. NOLET’S Silver Gin is sensational! It’s unlike any Gin I’ve ever had and if you’ve read the My Home Bar page of this blog, you know that I am INTO GIN! When tasting it neat, the nose is some outrageous combination of Turkish Rose, Peach and Raspberry, then comes more familiar Gin botanicals. The palate is smooth and silky Gin beautifulness. Truly, I was blown away.

I feel like NOLET’S Silver and I are going to have a long and fruitful relationship. I’m planning to do some strange and wonderous things with this Gin, I’m planning to use it with lots of fruit, hell, I’m planning to drink it neat with a Lemon twist. Right? It’s so good neat!

And now, the cocktails:

Half-Light-3

It’s an Improved Martini except because NOLET’S Silver is so different from any Gin that I’d usually use in a Martini, it’s NOT A MARTINI! I swapped out Dolin Dry for Dolin Blanc and added a rinse of St. George Absinthe Verte. Brilliant right? Just wait and see!

Half Light

  • 2 1/2 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
  • 1/2 oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth
  • 2 dashes of Regans’ No. 6 Orange Bitters
  • St. George Absinthe Verte Rinse
  • Lemon Peel

Rinse coupe with Absinthe and chill. In tin, combine Gin, Vermouth, Bitters over cracked ice and stir. Strain into coupe, express Lemon peel and garnish.

Winter-Blossom-2

This is a Variation on a Sunflower Cocktail which is a Variation on a Corpse Reviver No. 2. I swapped out the Cointreau for Berentzen Pear Liqueur, ditched the Absinthe, adjusted the ratios a touch and added an Asian Pear Slice as garnish. Divine. A fabulous shaken Wintry Cocktail!

Winter Blossom

  • 1 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
  • 3/4 oz Berentzen Pear Liqueur
  • 3/4 oz St-Germain
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • Asian Pear Slice

In tin, combine Gin, Pear Liqueur, St-G and Lemon Juice over ice and shake baby shake! Double strain into coupe and garnish with Asian Pear Slice.

NOLET'S-Silver-Fizz-No-2-3

Silver Gin, Silver Fizz. Just cause it’s chilly, doesn’t give us any excuses for not making a Silver Fizz! Ohhhh, what a Silver Fizz this is too! I wanted to add complexity to the Fizz formula and build on NOLET’S Silver’s already fabulous flavour profile. Enjoy!

NOLET’S Silver Fizz

  • 1 3/4 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
  • 1 dash Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
  • 1 dash Barkeep Lavender Bitters
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 oz Demerara Simple Syrup
  • Egg White
  • Club Soda

In tin, combine ingredients and dry shake until Egg White has emulsified. Add ice to tin and shake again. Add 1 oz Club Soda to Collins glass first, then ice on top of that. Double strain contents of tin into Collins glass, top with Club Soda. *This version of Soda first, Double Strain, Soda last will give you a nice foamy top to the Fizz. Cool baby, cool.

CHEERS!

Winter-Blossom-1

Don’t you just wanna drink like a million of these? I do.

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!

Wood-&-Salt-3

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!