The GWJ Cocktails Thread

I didn't see a dedicated cocktails thread here, so, well, here we go. I can't be the only person who has gotten intrigued by learning how to play around with making cocktails and (I hate this term) mixology. I went from somebody who couldn't stand cocktails just because it was an endless series of glasses of flavored corn syrup mixed with crappy vodka I'd had in college, and never wanted to bother. The wife fell in love with Aviations and Negronis a few years ago, and that started me occasionally experimenting, and now I've kind of gotten to the point where I feel like I'm getting pretty good at making, even though I still haven't really gotten into creating.

GIVE ME YOUR COCKTAILS.

One of my personal favorites, The Boulevardier:
1.5 oz Bourbon (I've tried 7-8 bourbons, and the lightness of Maker's Mark works best)
.75 oz Campari (one of the best liquids on the planet)
.75 oz Sweet Vermouth (better vermouth makes a HUGE difference)

Put in a mixing glass or shaker with ice, and stir 30+ times; the mixing vessel should be very, very cold. Strain and pour over a chilled rocks glass with a large cube, and garnish with an orange twist. Spectacularly good.

My all-time favourite apart from an old-fashioned is a Vienna in Ashes:

INGREDIENTS
50 ml/ 1 ½ oz. Mozart Dark chocolate liqueur
20 ml/ ¾ oz. Grand Marnier orange liqueur
15 ml/ ½ oz. Connemara Irish Whiskey

METHOD
Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it! Strain into a tumbler with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange zest and three Starlino Maraschino Cherries on a toothpick with the juice dripping down into the cocktail.

This is a personal favorite, from a local whiskey expert here in Portland:

Black Lodge
Build in mixing glass
1.5 oz rye whiskey (try with scotch)
.5 oz combier rouge
.5 oz Cynar
.5 oz punt e mes
Dash orange bitters
Add ice; stir well, strain over large ice cube Garnish orange peel

Smoked Manhattan:

2 ounces rye whiskey
1 ounce sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Wood chips and smoking gun
1 maraschino or Luxardo cherry

Place the rye, sweet vermouth and bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain the cocktail out into a short cocktail glass and add the cherry.

Smoked manhattan pouring:
Place the tube of the smoking gun into cocktail and fill it with smoke. For added presentation, you can cover the glass with a coaster or glass dome to hold in the smoke as you serve it.

Paper Plane
3/4 oz Bourbon
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz Aperol
3/4 oz Amaro Nonino

Shake with ice, and double-strain into a chilled coupe glass. Frickin' lovely; Nonino's got this spectacular flavor to it, and these four ingredients mix spectacularly.

Just commenting to follow this thread.

Mountain Dew with peach brandy.

Adult Arnold Palmer
Teffin and Lemonade. New Family fav.

Phades wrote:

Just commenting to follow this thread. :)

Right on.

Just made a Moscow Mule tonight.

1 ½ fluid ounces vodka
½ fluid ounce lime juice
ice cubes
½ cup ginger beer
1 lime wedge for garnish

I used Whipped Cream vodka so it ended up tasting like Key Lime Pie. I also made it a double. Really enjoyed it.

I've had both Kentucky and Mexican mules but never Moscow. Me and vodka don't get along

Tagging! Not super into cocktails, but my partner is really into sherry, and I've had lots of crazy good sherry and sherry-based cocktails.

My favorite cocktail is a Hendrick's gin and tonic with cucumber and fever tree tonic.

My go-to is gin and lime juice for a Gin Ricky. If I want it sweeter I throw some simple syrup in and it’s a Gimlet.

But over the summer we were running low on limes and my wife needed them for her cocktail (stay tuned) so I wondered what would happen if I tried gin and lemon juice? It definitely needed some simple syrup which made it a Gin Sour. It needed something more so I figured I’d try to add some complexity by adding some angostura bitters and a luxardo cherry. It was delicious!

I wondered if I invented a cocktail, so I looked it up. Nope, it’s called The Fitzgerald.

2 ounces gin
.75 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
.75 ounce simple syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters

One of the things I find fascinating about cocktails is how they're just built on each other, and little additions or deletions change things entirely. The Fitzgerald? Take out the bitters, add soda water. It's a Tom Collins. Instead of soda water, use Champagne or Prosecco; it's a French 75. That 2 oz spirit/.75 citrus and syrup is just the ratio that gets used for cocktail after cocktail; it's a Whiskey Sour is that, and, change the simple syrup to honey syrup, and it's a Bee's Knees, and the honey really changes the finish of the drink. Make the ingredients rum, lime, and simple syrup, and it's a Daiquiri.

My favorite cocktail is still the Last Word; while I've had plenty of other fantastic cocktails I'm not sure anything will ever kick it off the top of my list. It's a perfect balance of flavors, it tastes like a beautiful summer day.

  • 3/4oz gin
  • 3/4oz lime juice
  • 3/4oz green chartreuse
  • 3/4oz maraschino liqueur

Since it's one of those "everything in equal proportions" cocktails, it's easy to scale. I tend to juice the lime first, and then pour everything else to match it in proportion.

It's also a great test of a bartender. It's simple in theory but easy to unbalance. Even when it's off, it's good. When it's on, it's perfect.

Also, just recently made a Bulletproof from this link and it was very nice. The cinnamon and black pepper do more work than I expected setting the tone for the cocktail.

Ranger Rick wrote:

My favorite cocktail is still the Last Word; while I've had plenty of other fantastic cocktails I'm not sure anything will ever kick it off the top of my list. It's a perfect balance of flavors, it tastes like a beautiful summer day.

  • 3/4oz gin
  • 3/4oz lime juice
  • 3/4oz green chartreuse
  • 3/4oz maraschino liqueur

Since it's one of those "everything in equal proportions" cocktails, it's easy to scale. I tend to juice the lime first, and then pour everything else to match it in proportion.

It's also a great test of a bartender. It's simple in theory but easy to unbalance. Even when it's off, it's good. When it's on, it's perfect.

The Paper Plane I listed above is really a variation of a Last Word; I've never had a Last Word because I don't have Chartreuse, but I'm putting a bottle of it on my birthday list.

MilkmanDanimal wrote:

The Paper Plane I listed above is really a variation of a Last Word; I've never had a Last Word because I don't have Chartreuse, but I'm putting a bottle of it on my birthday list.

Yeah, there are a ton of variations on that same theme that hit similar notes, but I haven't had one I like as much as the Last Word itself. I did try one that substituted lemon for the lime, and St. Germaine (elderflower liqueur) for the chartreuse and that was quite excellent, though.

That said, green chartreuse is freakin' magical and I tend to like cocktails that include it. If you haven't read the recent Times article about the monks who make it, it was a fascinating read.

Ooo, here's a thread I can get behind.

If you want to feel "leather chair & smoking jacket" fancy, I strongly suggest the decadent, but complex Cocktail à la Louisiane.

¾ oz rye
¾ oz benedictine
¾ oz sweet vermouth (any works, but darker the better)
3 dash herbsaint or absinthe
3 dash peychaud's bitters
2 cherry for garnish

Throw all but the garnish into a mixing glass with ice. Stir to your dilution taste. Enjoy sans ice. Doesn't suffer too much from getting closer to room temp.

You'll notice the equal parts recipe makes this very easy to upscale. Instead of dashing, feel free to generously wash the glass in absinthe if you have it in an aromatic spray bottle already!

I have a cousin that's super into Negronis. He will shift gins and campari variants around as they're available or the mood strikes him, but he does something extra that I am semi-obsessed with.

When he mixes one (or two) he will pour the excess from his shaker into a 1 liter bottle that he keeps in the fridge. So he's always got a bottle of Negroni in the fridge but also so the flavor of his "Perpetual Negroni" shifts over time as different gins and bitters get overlaid.

It's a really cool idea and I'd love to follow it, but I always end up just drinking whatever's in the shaker...

My favourite cocktail is probably a bit Route One: the Woo-woo. Peach Schnapps, Vodka and cranberry juice in a 1:2:4 ratio. Tastes great, gets you well hammered. My son was 17 this year so we introduced him. Very popular.

Lester_King wrote:

I have a cousin that's super into Negronis. He will shift gins and campari variants around as they're available or the mood strikes him, but he does something extra that I am semi-obsessed with.

When he mixes one (or two) he will pour the excess from his shaker into a 1 liter bottle that he keeps in the fridge. So he's always got a bottle of Negroni in the fridge but also so the flavor of his "Perpetual Negroni" shifts over time as different gins and bitters get overlaid.

It's a really cool idea and I'd love to follow it, but I always end up just drinking whatever's in the shaker...

That's an awesome idea; it's like a whiskey infinity bottle. The Negroni is probably my wife's official cocktail, and, while I like them, the extra pop when you swap in bourbon instead of gin makes me so much happier. I just burned through a bottle of Campari the other night, and maybe I'll turn that into the Official Negroni Bottle.

That being said, while I think you can substitute a lot, there's nothing like Campari. I've been trying out other Amaros in various things, and none of them just cut through flavors like Campari.

Lester_King wrote:

I have a cousin that's super into Negronis. He will shift gins and campari variants around as they're available or the mood strikes him, but he does something extra that I am semi-obsessed with.

When he mixes one (or two) he will pour the excess from his shaker into a 1 liter bottle that he keeps in the fridge. So he's always got a bottle of Negroni in the fridge but also so the flavor of his "Perpetual Negroni" shifts over time as different gins and bitters get overlaid.

It's a really cool idea and I'd love to follow it, but I always end up just drinking whatever's in the shaker...

It's like a bourbon/rye infinity bottle, which I have. Unfortunately, I also always drink what I make.

Speaking of Negronis, most recipes I see online say equal parts gin, Campari, and vermouth, but I was taught to add more gin and slightly less of the vermouth and Campari. Maybe that's how everyone does it.

I am still waiting for someone dropping one of those ominous “GWJ Cocktails” recipes that were teased in the thread title.

Penicillin:

2 oz Blended Scotch
.75 oz lemon juice
.75 honey and ginger syrup
Float a peaty Islay Scotch on top; the classic one for this is Laphroiag 10.

So, a whiskey sour, except with Blended Scotch and honey and ginger syrup instead. I tried making a combined honey/ginger syrup in one bottle, but decided that limited my flexibility, so I made honey syrup and then made ginger syrup. I keep trying to find the right amount of ginger, as I really like the bite it gives.

It's a phenomenal cocktail; you get this bright sweetness from the Blended Scotch, the lemon notes are there, the honey sweetness carries through it, the ginger has a really noticeable bite, and then there's this smoky/medicinal character from the thin layer of Islay floating over the top. It's FANTASTIC, and there's just so much going on in one glass. Garnish it with a few pieces of candied ginger for some aromatics as well as just getting a huge punch of peppery ginger goodness a couple times mid-cocktail.

Wait, no pictures yet? That's tragic.

IMAGE(https://u.cubeupload.com/MilkmanDanimal/PenicillinCocktail.jpg)

Brainsmith wrote:

I am still waiting for someone dropping one of those ominous “GWJ Cocktails” recipes that were teased in the thread title.

You're saying we need to invent the recipes for a Finger->Butt and a Wiener Bomb?

merphle wrote:
Brainsmith wrote:

I am still waiting for someone dropping one of those ominous “GWJ Cocktails” recipes that were teased in the thread title.

You're saying we need to invent the recipes for a Finger->Butt and a Wiener Bomb?

Or the Shalalm Baskur!

I've gotten really into classic (read: pre-prohibition era) cocktails over the last few years. My boss and I have a text thread that's literally just us sending eachother pictures of whatever cocktail we're drinking.

The Negroni has already been mentioned, and that's probably my go-to. For people making one for the first time, I'd recommend not skimping on the vermouth. The depth of flavor in the drink really comes from it. My favorite is Cocchi Torino, which gives the drink almost a slightly-sweet, chocolate-y flavor. You can also play with the amount of gin (more gin = drier cocktail), but I almost always stick with the equal parts recipe.

Ranger Rick wrote:

My favorite cocktail is still the Last Word; while I've had plenty of other fantastic cocktails I'm not sure anything will ever kick it off the top of my list. It's a perfect balance of flavors, it tastes like a beautiful summer day.

  • 3/4oz gin
  • 3/4oz lime juice
  • 3/4oz green chartreuse
  • 3/4oz maraschino liqueur

Since it's one of those "everything in equal proportions" cocktails, it's easy to scale. I tend to juice the lime first, and then pour everything else to match it in proportion.

It's also a great test of a bartender. It's simple in theory but easy to unbalance. Even when it's off, it's good. When it's on, it's perfect.

Good call! Chartreuse is f*cking expensive, though, so The Last Word is a great drink to try at a bar first. Then when you discover how great it is, you go pick up a bottle. Or at least that's how I did it. Funny story -- the drink was 'rediscovered' by a bartender at the Zig Zag Cafe in Seattle. I met a friend of mine there right around the same time the drink had become big and I was aware that the bartender was well known for some reason or another. And I got a beer. I wasn't remotely into cocktails at that point and missed out.

For people who like a Negroni, give an Eeyore's Requiem a try (from Beta Cocktails, which is filled with fascinating, if not always delicious, cocktails):

1.5oz Campari
1oz Lillet Blanc (Dolin Blanc would also work)
.5oz gin
.25oz Cynar (you should have this in your bar if you like stuff in the Negroni family)
.25oz Fernet Branca
2 dashes orange bitters

PaladinTom wrote:
merphle wrote:
Brainsmith wrote:

I am still waiting for someone dropping one of those ominous “GWJ Cocktails” recipes that were teased in the thread title.

You're saying we need to invent the recipes for a Finger->Butt and a Wiener Bomb?

Or the Shalalm Baskur!

Ooooooo. Yes, we need to vote on a Shalalm Baskur recipe.

tuffalobuffalo wrote:
PaladinTom wrote:
merphle wrote:
Brainsmith wrote:

I am still waiting for someone dropping one of those ominous “GWJ Cocktails” recipes that were teased in the thread title.

You're saying we need to invent the recipes for a Finger->Butt and a Wiener Bomb?

Or the Shalalm Baskur!

Ooooooo. Yes, we need to vote on a Shalalm Baskur recipe.

One 750ml bottle of Buffalo Trace
One straw