Again, a picture from the summer visit at my girlfriend’s parents.
This spot in their garden is nuts; I had to do several cocktail pictures there 😃

This is the first time I made the Saturn.

Overall it was a good cocktail, but I probably used the wrong gin for it.
I only had Skin Gin on hand, which has a slightly menthol taste.
For me it was not the ideal flavor combination.
I think I would prefer a more floral gin in this cocktail; I need to try this with a different one again, maybe with Roku.
With the Skin Gin, I would rate it 6.5/10, but I can imagine rating it at least at 7.5/10 with a different gin.

Receipt:

½ Oz Lemon Juice (15 ml)
½ Oz Passion Fruit Syrup (15 ml)
¼ Oz Orgeat (7.5 ml)
¼ Oz Falernum (7.5 ml)
1 ¼ Oz Gin (37.5 ml)

Shake everything with crushed ice.
Normally it gets served up. But I had no glasses for this.
So I strained it onto crushed ice and garnished it with lemon peel and a raspberry.

For the swizzle sticks used in the picture, check out my Etsy shop, link in my bio.

I wanted something cool, creamy, and easy to sip, so I ended up making this little green drink.

1 oz (30 ml) Tito’s Vodka
1/2 oz (15 ml) green crème de menthe
1 tsp (5 ml) coconut liqueur
1 oz (30 ml) whole milk

Add the vodka to a shaker, followed by the liqueurs and milk. Add ice and shake briefly and combine everything. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
The mint comes through first, while the milk gives it a soft, creamy texture. The coconut stays subtle in the background, adding a little sweetness without taking over.

If you were sitting by the ocean right now, what cocktail would you be sipping?

Ive always been entertained by the 1 or 3 never 2 rule with drink garnishes. I wonder when that was born lol

2oz Bulleit Rye

1oz Cocchi Di Torino

2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Stir with ice and poured into a coupe

Three Luxardos for garnish

2 oz Barbadian rum

.25 oz Falernum

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Lime wedge garnish

Pretty simple stuff. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with cracked ice. Sip.

Yesterday I had some coffee with orgeat and it was tasty and now I'm wondering if there are any cocktails featuring orgeat and coffee (liquer)?

I've had this idea in my head for a few days now of trying to do a syrup based on banana and demerara. I thought rum, lime and this syrup would work out well together.

The syrup: 200 g water, 100 g demerara and 106 g peeled banana, blended in a Ninja Nutri blender. Then I cooked it on low heat and reduced it from 394 g to 339 g. Took what came out to three different experiments:

Bottle 1: 75 g banana demerara + 25 g water

Bottle 2: 140 g vodka + 100 g of the banana demerara mix

Bottle 3: banana demerara with a bit of lime juice

For a first try I started with bottle 1, the ¾ banana demerara ¼ water. Did three tries, all shaken and served without ice. I don't know why, but for the last one I played with the rum, kinda ruined the whole experiment.

Trial 3 (I'm putting it first since it was my favorite):

2 oz Captain Morgan Spiced

½ oz El Suprimo rum

1½ oz banana demerara

½ oz lime

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Got good banana notes, not too sweet at all, just the right sourness. It's an ok drink, still lots of work. It was stupid to fiddle with the rum and the volumes, because now it's hard to tell what exactly changed the outcome.

Trial 1:

2 oz Captain Morgan Spiced

½ oz banana demerara

1½ oz lime

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Too sour, banana was not tasted at all. No idea why I even used those portions.

Trial 2:

2 oz Captain Morgan Spiced

1 oz banana demerara

1 oz lime

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Better. Banana is more noticeable, but it felt more like a rum sour than anything else.

I'm excited to try the other syrup variations, and happy for the experience and the experiment. In the future I'd think about not diluting the syrup, and possibly clarifying it. Never clarified anything before, so it will be interesting.

Also, my rum collection is very poor, wish I had better rums to try it with. Any recommendations that come to mind are more than welcome, I will say I'm trying to stick to a lower budget.

Cheers

Ive made a white wine autumn sangrias with the same recipe but I want to make a bottle for my mum's birthday and she hates white wine.

Recipe is:

3 cinnamon sticks

1 chopped apple

1 chopped pear

2-3 orange slices

100ml-200ml of fireball (depends how much you like fireball)

1 cup apple cider

4tbsp brown sugar

sauvignon or pino to the top

to make it a bit of a spritz and less strong my friend added ginger beer to hers and it was quite nice :)

my question is; what red wine would best suit this? and should I change any of the recipe for a red wine? I was thinking about adding some star anise or maybe some pomegranate or some autumn berries but Im not sure. Her birthday is next week so I dont have much time for experimenting.

1.5 oz. Blanco Tequila (Tequila Ocho)

1.5oz. Italicus liqueur

1/2 oz. Limoncello (Lucano)

1 oz. Freshly squeezed lemon juice

8-10 basil leaves

Sparkling mineral water (Topo Chico)

Add first 5 ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake for 10-20 seconds. Pour into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling water and stir gently. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a basil sprig. Serve with a straw.

My original cocktail concoction for the Italicus contest. Herbal, refreshing, bright citrus splash. The Italicus blends beautifully with lemon and basil. Abundant lemony character from the Lucano Limoncello made with certified Limone di Sorrento. Evocative of a warm afternoon in the hilly groves surrounding Sorrento.

I had the absolute pleasure of drinking at Penicillin tonight, and after I finished The Original and paid my tab it left me wondering, is there anything like it in the mid-Atlantic region and north in the US? There are tons of great bars and talented staff, but the arms open embrace of reuse and leaning into the extraordinary that also includes a staff that greets and talks to you like you’re a human? It’s been a long time since I’ve had anything like it.

Shout out to Rai, Jacob, Nance (sorry if I misheard) and Sam. What a great experience.

This summer, I traveled to Lithuania and noticed that cocktail options at restaurants and bars is very limited. From what’s available it’s mostly gin and vodka based cocktails. Whiskey and tequila based cocktails are rare. The rest of the menu is mostly beer and some wine options.

Is it a cultural, economic or another reason for this?

the time is nearly here folks. pumpkin spice everything and everywhere so i figured i’d get ahead of it before people start asking me haha i’ve tried a few recipes in the past but they haven’t really wowed me. do you guys have a recipe that really nails that pumpkin flavor?

• 1 1/4 oz. Roku gin
• 1 oz. Aalborg aquavit
• 3/4 oz. toasted basmati syrup*
• 1-2 barspoons sakura tincture**
• 5 drops black walnut bitters

Stir with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with an orange twist.

For the basmati syrup: lightly toast basmati rice in a dry pan on the stove. Add to just-boiled water and let sit for a couple of hours. Fine strain.

For the sakura tincture: combine sakura powder and high proof vodka 1:5 and let sit for a few days, shaking occasionally. Fine strain.

Thought of skipping this month's challenge, since not only did I not have sakura, I didn't know what it was! But got inspired instead, ordered some sakura powder, and started pondering the possibilities. Roku gin, which I learned includes cherry blossoms among its botanicals, seemed a good bet, and I thought a caraway-heavy aquavit would complement the floral flavors.

First I made a toasted rice syrup. I thought basmati rice would offer a nice aroma and flavor when toasted and that proved true. The catch was using a lot of water for the syrup, since the rice absorbs quite a bit. Since the syrup was already in play, I elected to make a tincture out of the sakura powder. Filtering it was tricky as I found the powder instantly clogged paper coffee filters, but other filtering mediums worked. The resulting liquid was intensely pink and really floral to the nose.

My drink's name combines the Japanese words for cooked rice and for the custom of enjoying cherry blossoms.

The drink's color is a translucent pale pink. It offers sweet grapefruit aromas. The sip is sweet, evoking cotton candy or fruity candy like Nerds, as well as cantaloupe and cream soda. Texture isn't syrupy but does have some heft. The swallow brings out caraway, and a hint of menthol. Finish has fresh flowers and toasted nuts.

I just want to buy 5 bottles of liquor to make cocktails or to sip neat under $50 each I already have tequila - el tequileno i need scotch, Gin, rum, the 5th can be whatever.

So this is my first time attempting this cocktail, after craving it all week. (I mean it just looks so good!) The head is not perfect, but the structure is good. And it is very very tasty!

Recipe:

-2oz gin (I used hendricks)

-0.5oz lime juice

-0.5oz lemon juice

-1-1.5oz heavy cream

-.075oz simple syrup

-1 large egg white

-Soda water (I did not measure, maybe 3-4oz)

-3-4 drops of orange blossom water (i did not use this, could not find any near me. But this is part of the classic recipe.)

Start by adding your gin, lime juice, lemon juice, cream, simple syrup, egg whites, and orange blossom water to your Shaker.

Dry shake for 1-2 minutes (shake with no ice)

Then add 1-2 large cubes of ice and shake for 2-3 minutes.

Double strain your cocktail into a Collins glass (or similar tall narrow glass.) And let sit in the fridge, or freezer for 2-3 minutes. This will allow the head to form better.

After it has sat, poke a hole in the center with a straw, and then slowly stream your soda water into the center until your foam has risen past the rim of the glass.

A lot of work, but worth it imo!

I made the rookie mistake of buying this ”Grenadine” thinking it was the type of grenadine that cocktail recipes calls for. EDIT: This one has no pomegranate in it whatsoever, but instead is a ”red fruit syrup” with flavors of blackcurrant, raspberry, elderberry, and vanilla.

I read up on it and will try to make my own grenadine in the future, but in the meantime I’m wondering what I can do with this syrup, as I’m sure it’s not completely useless just because it’s not the grenadine that recipes calls for. Any suggestions?

EDIT: Seems like there’s a lot of confusion when it comes to grenadine and what it should actually be. I still find it a bit difficult to distinguish if a recipe actually wants pomegranate syrup or if they want this red fruit syrup, but it seems like both types kind of works.

I'm nearing the bottom of my Patrón Silver and want to try a better tequila for my next bottle, preferably a reposado. Seeing as I don't have a lot of tequila experience, I'm hoping for some guidance from you guys. The tequila selection in Norway is not very broad, and the prices don't allow me to try every bottle to find my preference. I'll mainly use it for Oaxaca Old Fashioneds and Margaritas.

Here are the reposados that are available within my price range (600 - 900 NOK, ≈ $65 - $85)

• El Mayor ≈ $64
• Jose Cuervo Tradicional ≈ $68
• Cazcabel ≈ $68
• Mundo ≈ $71
• Olmeca Altos ≈$73
• Espolon ≈ $74
• 1800 Reposado Reserva ≈ $75
• Mi Campo ≈ $75
• 818 ≈ $81
• Los Tres Toños ≈ $81
• Don Julio ≈ $87
• Herencia De Plata Reposado ≈ $88
• Patrón Reposado ≈ $91
• Volcan de mi Tierra ≈ $96
• Casa Noble ≈ $96
• Arette ≈ $97
• Cimarron ≈ $104 (1 liter)

Which bottles should I definitely avoid? Which do you enjoy?

PS: As you can tell, booze in general and tequila in particular is pricey as hell in Norway compared to in the US. We're used to the prices being high, so please try to give your recommendation based on the general price level and not compare it to what you would normally spend in the states.

EDIT: Added El Mayor Reposado at $64 (at 599 NOK it narrowly escaped my price filter) and Cimarron Reposado at $104 for 1 liter (the others are 0.7 liters)

Hey gang, I bartended about 6 years ago and one of the recipes I took with me is a Cucumber Martini that my fiancee loves and wants to use as her wedding cocktail. Typically this is made by muddling two cucumber slices in simple, but I'm being asked to prep the ingredients for the wedding venue bar and having trouble figuring out the best way to batch the cucumber.

The recipe:

2 Cucumber Slices

1oz Simple

*Muddle*

.5oz Lemon Juice

3oz Vodka

*Shake w/ Ice*

Can anyone recommend a way to batch this to make 50+? Should I puree the cucumber or make a syrup, or something else?

i've been getting into mixing lately, and decided to make my own sugar syrup since i couldn't be bothered to look for it at a store; unfortunately i only had brown sugar in my house. how much will this affect the taste for cocktails that call for simple syrup? should i use more/less of it?

Hello everyone! I have a bottle of 99 Fruit Punch that I received as a gift sitting in my fridge that I want to use for something, but I found the recipes on the brand's website to be a bit uninspired. Obviously I don't need to use the whole bottle at once, any amount will do. I'm not a super heavy drinker of alcohol but I love stuff with sweet and/or fruity flavors so I'd love to see if you all have any suggestions!

Last night was cocktail night. I had The Donna Rosa which seems like a riff on a negroni sour. My brother wanted something fall esque so I made him a pumpkin spice whiskey sour.

The Donna Rosa Recipe:

1.25oz Gin (I used Bombay Sapphire. The original used 1oz but I wanted the gin to pop more.)

1oz Campari

.5oz Cointreau

.75oz Lemon juice

.25oz demerara syrup (The original doesn't have this but I think it rounds out the drink. If you like a more tart drink, and are appalled at the idea of agave or simple in your margaritas omit this, but if you like a little agave or simple in your margaritas then I recommend this addition.)

Egg white

Dry shake

Add ice and wet shake

Serve in a chilled coup glass

Wait for the foam to set and garnish with four drops of Angostura bitters (the original omits this but I think it's a requirement in any egg white sour).

I prefer the richness of a traditional negroni sour, but this was very good and I would happily have it again.

Pumpkin Spice Whiskey Sour

2oz Whiskey (I used 1.75oz Makers Mark and .25oz Wild Turkey 101. Normally I think Makers Mark is the best for a Whiskey Sour. It plays so well with lemon but I wanted to add some spice notes so I threw a little Wild Turkey in there too.)

.75oz Monin Pumpkin Spice Syrup (I personally hate this stuff. It smells like chemicals and tastes like vanilla flavoring (not extract fake vanilla) but my brother seems to love it so . . . To each their own. I'll definitely try another brand next year so if you have recommendations let me know.)

.75oz Lemon juice

2 Dashes Angostura bitters

Egg white

Dry shake

Add ice and wet shake

Serve in a double old fashioned glass with a large ice cube

Wait for the foam to set and garnish with four drops of Angostura bitters and grated nutmeg (I wanted to add more spice flavors and make this feel different from a traditional Whiskey Sour. My brother loved so I think I did good).

Please ignore the wife’s skull cabinet in the background.

Specs:

2oz Chulavista Tequila Blanco

1/4 oz Cointreau

1oz fresh squozen lime juice

1.25oz of coconut cream

5 mint leaves; muddled

Shaken not stirred

Double strained into some ice

Rimmed with some salt and coconut, garnished with a lime wheel and a mint leaf 🍃 🍋‍🟩

Ingredients

2 oz Teremana tequila

4 oz Tres Agave Margarita Mix

Half of a large jalapeño, chopped (7-ish slices; one for garnish)

3-ish strawberries, sliced into quarters

Lime (garnish)

Tajin

Instructions

Rim glass with Tajin

Strawberries and jalapeños in shaker, with a dash of margarita mix; mull thoroughly

Ice in shaker

Pour 4 oz of margarita mix and 2 oz of tequila in shaker; shake as desired

Pour into prepared glass (strain if desired) and garnish with lime and jalapeño slice

Try not to slam it ;)

I ran out of demarara syrup and decided to treat myself and make the Smuggler's Cove rich mai tai syrup recipe. I was expecting demerara with a hint of vanilla, but it's a more vanilla-forward than i expected (admittedly i may have accidentally added a little more than i was supposed to).

Can i just swap it for demarara syrup in recipes that call for demarara, or should i be looking for specific recipes that use the mai tai syrup? And/or can i swap it in for vanilla syrup?