[Tengen]

Inspired by TheDude's thread here, I'd like to introduce the idea of starting a cocktail list for us manly men.

For me, a good cocktail is like a good story - Presentation, flavour, finish and an interesting history are what make a cocktail stand out to me. When you're at a bar and you order something that's not on the menu, but share a conspiratorial wink with the barman, that says something.

Rather than rattle off a list of Tengen's top 10, I'd like to just get the ball rolling and invite the heavy drinkers on RVF to chip in their two cents.

-----

Old Fashioned - WIKI





This is pretty much my default order if i can't be bothered picking and choosing. At my favourite bar, this one is served with a large ice sphere - It has a smaller total surface area than a bunch of ice cubes, which slows down the melt, keeping it cool for longer without diluting the alcohol's strength.

Traditionally made with bourbon, but i've had Old Fashioned's made with Scotches and Australian and Japanese whiskeys. I've even had tequila Old Fashioned's just for the hell of it.

Other than that, the rest of it is quite simple - sugar, bitters, orange peel. The peel can be squeezed to release the oils so that they stick to the ice and add to the aromatics. For increased visual effect, strike on your lighter in front of the spray.

I've been to this bar for years, and every time i order this it never fails to get people's attention. I suppose the attention-getter is the ice sphere, which is actually pretty easy to replicate at home - just freeze a couple of water-filled balloons.

[finton_the_toole]

Usually, I'm a scotch guy, but for cocktails I just can't go past a Bombay Sapphire gin martini, with an olive. Totally superb stuff!

[Cincinnatus]

Behold: The Gin & Tonic

[attachment=9020]

I stick with Beefeater gin and Schweppes tonic water unless I feel like spending a few more dollars on Fever Tree tonic. I stay away from Canada Dry.

Also, I usually squeeze in fresh key lime juice instead of adding a slice of regular lime.

[lilseezie]

(12-10-2012 09:36 PM)MSW2007 Wrote:  

Behold: The Gin & Tonic



I stick with Beefeater gin and Schweppes tonic water unless I feel like spending a few more dollars on Fever Tree tonic. I stay away from Canada Dry.

Also, I usually squeeze in fresh key lime juice instead of adding a slice of regular lime.

I hate it when you order a G&T at a bar and they spray in tonic water out of the gun. Tastes like shit. Fever Tree is the real deal, but of course almost no bars have it.

[Cincinnatus]

(12-10-2012 11:11 PM)lilseezie Wrote:  

I hate it when you order a G&T at a bar and they spray in tonic water out of the gun. Tastes like shit. Fever Tree is the real deal, but of course almost no bars have it.

That's one of the big reasons I almost never order a mixed drink at regular bars. They use shitty liquor and shitty mixers and charge as much for a shot of anything decent.

Even on the off-occasion that a dive has premium spirits or mixers, you're looking at a $7-9 cocktail. No thanks.

[finton_the_toole]

Bombay Sapphire and Schweppes Tonic on ice with a slice of lemon, is the only way to serve a G&T. Like you other guys it's why I never order one at bars, I know I can do it better myself.

[ElJefe]

There's a serious cocktail list in here somewhere for guys who want to experiment. I still love an Old-Fashioned.

muddle orange slice w/ 1 tsp cane-sugar with a dollop of club soda, dash of Angostura bitters, 2 oz. Maker's Mark (Knob's Creek for more powerful punch), maraschino cherry. Garnish with orange peel and maraschino cherry. Packs a punch but the strong booze is mollified by the sugar, cherry and soda. Subsitute with rum for a Spanish Old-Fashioned - if you really want to go to heaven, use Zacapa 23yo, Guatemalan rum.

St. Croix Cruzan (for the lizards)

2 oz. 5YO Cruzan Dark Rum
½ oz. lemon juice
½ oz. lime juice
1 oz. maple-syrup
½ oz. Heering cherry liquer

Shake well with ice (15 secs), check for taste, and if all's well, strain into low-ball glass with ice. It's important you use the dark rum from Cruzan, because of it's very particular molasses taste. Black Strap or something fancier won't do, nor will a light rum. There's got to be molasses, but only enough to complement the maple-syrup and bring out the taste. If you can't get that, try with El Dorado Dark Rum.

[BIGINJAPAN]

   

All I ever need. I like it on the rocks. Unless we are getting really fucked up then I don't mind a little pickle juice with it.

[Wreckingball]

(12-10-2012 09:36 PM)MSW2007 Wrote:  

Behold: The Gin & Tonic



I stick with Beefeater gin and Schweppes tonic water unless I feel like spending a few more dollars on Fever Tree tonic. I stay away from Canada Dry.

Also, I usually squeeze in fresh key lime juice instead of adding a slice of regular lime.

This. I like it with lime and with a few mint leaves.

Besides G&T i'm also a fan of Mojitos. Simple is key.

I want to try the "Vesper" (from James Bond)
“three measures of Gordon’s [gin], one of vodka, [and] half a measure of Kina Lillet."

[Veloce]

oh man, what a great idea for a thread, I got some serious material to contribute when i get some time...stay tuned...

[Beyond Borders]

The Negroni.

Learned this one "the right way" from an Australian bartender I traveled with in Vietnam. Based on the ingredients alone, it sounds pretty foul, but the way he did it created the this silky velvety-textured concoction that was truly unreal.

It is equal parts Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth. The trick, according to him, is that you first mix the campari and gin with ice and then sit there stirring it until the ice noticeably begins to melt. Then you add the sweet vermouth and more ice, if needed, stirring again until it begins melting.

It takes a lot of slow stirring and waiting to do it right, so it's best drunk at home or in a quiet, fancy bar.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10269-negroni

"Even with equal parts Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth, the bitterness of a Negroni firmly establishes the drink as a Campari-based cocktail. No one is undecided about a Negroni. This Italian big brother to the Americano and distant cousin to the martini is so bitter that its dissenters swear it should be stored in the medicine chest. Its fanatical adherents bask in its ruddy glow and tongue-tingling taste. Some contend that this classic cocktail dates back to Florence in the 1920s, when the flamboyant count—and noted tippler—Camillo Negroni asked for a splash of gin added to his Americano. Others say that the drink, mixed with vodka or gin, has been around as long as the Americano. The Campari company, itself unsure of the origin, eventually decided that the drink should be called a Negroni to avoid confusion with all the other Campari cocktails.

For a longer drink, serve a Negroni with a splash of soda. The cocktail may also be shaken and poured straight up in a cocktail glass."

[Veloce]

I pretty much stick to sipping spirits these days but if I'm in the mood for a cocktail I go old-school and/or masculine all the way. Here are some classics and favorites:

(Note: I would only order these in a bar where I know they can mix a decent drink. Even though we're in a cocktail renaissance of sorts, most bartenders are still totally clueless how to make a decent classic cocktail)

The American Trilogy
1 Sugar Cube
Orange Bitter
1 part Applejack
1 part Rye Whiskey

In a glass shaker, muddle the sugar cube with three or four dashes of orange bitters and a drop of soda water. Add equal parts rye whiskey and applejack. Fill with ice and stir briskly. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass with large ice cubes. Garnish with an orange twist.

Now, I've actually ordered this in a bar and the jackass sneered at me and said, "We don't carry apple pucker". I told him Applejack is American Brandy and he basically told me I don't know what I'm talking about. Bars like that are to be avoided. This cocktail will get you WASTED.

The Sidecar

8 parts Cognac or Armagnac
2 parts lemon juice
1 part Cointreau or triple sec
Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon if desired. This cocktail has fallen out of popularity for some reason, probably because most people aren't big Cognac drinkers. I am, and this is one cocktail where you want to use a quality cognac. I tend to shy from Hennessy and Remy Martin, opting for smaller production Cognacs with more character.

The Jack Rose

8 parts Applejack
2 parts lemon juice
1 part Grenadine

Shake vigorously with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon if desired. Again this is an old classic that few bartenders know how to make. You REALLY want to order this from a place that makes their own grenadine (it's surprisingly easy, just pomegranate syrup and simple syrup), not that neon red mixer grenadine most places carry.

Here's one for the bitches that they'll love (and will get them wasted). Remember this one:

The Yellowjacket

2 ounces reposado tequila (such as Partida)
1 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur
3/4 ounce Yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Orange Bitters
1 lemon twist, for garnish

Pour tequila, elderflower liqueur, Chartreuse, and bitters into mixing glass. Fill about two-thirds full with ice cubes and stir. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

This one's fucking delicious, a touch girly though (It's very strong). It has an amber yellow color that will attract a lot of attention and girls go nuts for it.

[Aliblahba]

I'm back on vodka & tonic w/ lime. Such a simple drink that leaves a clean buzz, and little hangover.

[Cincinnatus]

(12-11-2012 02:49 PM)Wreckingball Wrote:  

(12-10-2012 09:36 PM)MSW2007 Wrote:  

Behold: The Gin & Tonic



I stick with Beefeater gin and Schweppes tonic water unless I feel like spending a few more dollars on Fever Tree tonic. I stay away from Canada Dry.

Also, I usually squeeze in fresh key lime juice instead of adding a slice of regular lime.

This. I like it with lime and with a few mint leaves.

Besides G&T i'm also a fan of Mojitos. Simple is key.

I want to try the "Vesper" (from James Bond)
“three measures of Gordon’s [gin], one of vodka, [and] half a measure of Kina Lillet."

Mojitos are really good. I want to kick myself right now because I didn't drink even one when the weather was warm.

Muddle simple syrup, fresh lime juice, and mint leaves. Add rum and top with soda water.

Regarding the "Vesper" -

Quote:

Since both Kina Lillet and Gordon's have been reformulated since 1953, substitutes can be made that attempt to recapture the original flavour of the drink:

Lillet Blanc is the closest possible choice for Kina Lillet-- the "Kina" was dropped due to market relevance, as European tastes have run more to sweeter drinks than digestifs. [3]

Cocchi Americano is considered an acceptable substitute. [3]

For a more traditional flavour, use 50% (100-proof) Stolichnaya vodka to bring the alcohol content of the vodka back to 1953 levels. This will also reproduce the desirable “grain vodka” flavor mentioned by Bond in the book. [3]

Tanqueray gin provides the traditional flavour of 47% (94-proof) gin; whereas Gordon's Gin, in the UK domestic market, has been reformulated to less than 40% (80-proof). A 47% (94-proof) Export version of Gordon's Gin still exists today.[3]

A modern cocktail glass, which is larger today than was common in 1953, is often substituted for the deep Champagne goblet (see Champagne stemware for the original look of the drink)

Source

[BurnFirst]

That looks like a good old fashioned in the OP, which can be surprisingly hard to find.
Try using rye as well.

[Wreckingball]

I don't think it will be easy to find 50% vodka or 47% Gin.

[Cincinnatus]

(12-12-2012 05:40 PM)Wreckingball Wrote:  

I don't think it will be easy to find 50% vodka or 47% Gin.

I'm not sure about 50% vodka (help anyone?) but in the United States, Beefeater gin is 47% ABV.

[Idlenations]

smirnoff blue label is 50%

[Stitch]

I'm too simple to remember complex recipes, so I stick with families. Real sticklers are bound to get offended because everyone has the "archetypical only way to make a cocktail", but I'm a lazy bastard at heart and honestly like my basic cocktails just as much as something made with more foof.

Old-Fashioned: tsp sugar, 2 dashes bitters, 2 oz bourbon. I like crushed ice myself because I like a little dilution, but a big cube is a nice way to go.

add slice orange and cherry, muddle, use brandy -> "brandy old fashioned". Little fruitier but it's nice.
omit bitters, gently press sugar into mint leaves -> mint julep.

New Orleans Sours: 3:2:1 of spiritweetener:juice. I like 3:2:1, others prefer drier 2:1:1, and I've seen 1:1:1 as well but I feel like that's weak enough it misses the point. 3:2:1 is the right mix of strong and sweet for me.

You can use cheap triple sec but I generally use Cointreau. I tweak a little, but it's the foundation for

Cognac:Triple sec:Lemon -> Sidecar; classic. One of my favorite cocktails
Tequila:Triple sec:Lime -> Margarita.
Vodka:Triple sec:Lime -> Kamikaze
Whiskey:Simple Syrup:Lemon -> Whiskey sour
Vodka:Triple sec:Cranberry -> Cosmopolitan

Those two basic recipes are my "back pocket" recipes. Occasionally I'll go for a martini/manhattan or a highball like a proper daiquiri or a caipirinha, but generally I keep it simple. I don't like too much fuss and there's something nice about showing up in a cloud of people with "chocolatinis" and "razzberry caipirovskas" and crap like that and just getting an Old Fashioned.

[bacon]

call me a simpleton but i love ordering a greyhound. its not requested often so some bartenders dont know what it is.

add ice to cup
one part vodka
one part grapefruit juice

its perfection to me

[Cincinnatus]

(12-16-2012 12:14 AM)bacon Wrote:  

call me a simpleton but i love ordering a greyhound. its not requested often so some bartenders dont know what it is.

add ice to cup
one part vodka
one part grapefruit juice

its perfection to me

Have you got any recommendations for good grapefruit juices?

[Malekhit]

For me its soda vodka ! perfect drink for any G.

[bacon]

(12-16-2012 12:52 AM)MSW2007 Wrote:  

(12-16-2012 12:14 AM)bacon Wrote:  

call me a simpleton but i love ordering a greyhound. its not requested often so some bartenders dont know what it is.

add ice to cup
one part vodka
one part grapefruit juice

its perfection to me

Have you got any recommendations for good grapefruit juices?

i havent lived in the us for 3 years so brands dont come to mind but in my experience red grapefruit juice is the best tasting. it also can be yellow like orange juice but thats more bitter. this drink is really for people who dont like sweets or sugary drinks but still want a cocktail.

[Deluge]

Tengen, I found a spot with a young crowd that does a lot of cocktails. Pefect place for you to take dates to when you're down here. Remind me about it.

I'm not a cocktail guy (I don't even drink that much, but when I do it's usually straight vodka or bourbon + coke), but a girl I was with ordered this red cocktail, (I think) it was called a Jolly Rancher. No clue what's in it, but I had a taste of it. Was the perfect mix of strong but with a really sweet, girly taste so she was slurping it down real fast and wanted more. Good cocktail to order for girls.

[Tengen]

Inspired by the Eggs thread, allow me to introduce you to the:

Ramos Gins Fizz - WIKI



I first discovered this cocktail when researching an entirely different one, the Gin Fizz. The Ramos is on a whole other level, as the brief history lesson on the Wiki will tell you.

Choice Quote:

Quote:

Henry C. Ramos invented the Ramos gin fizz in 1888 at his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloonin on Gravier Street, New Orleans, Louisiana. It was originally called the New Orleans Fizz, and is one of the city's most famous cocktails. Before Prohibition, the bar was known to have over 20 bartenders working at once, making nothing but the Ramos Gin Fizz - and still struggling to keep up with the demand. During the carnival of 1915, 32 staff were on at once, just to shake the drink. The drink's long mixing time (12 minutes) made it a very time consuming cocktail to produce.

With one egg white in the mix, this is my preferred protein drink. Just don't order it during busy periods, or the bartenders will get pissed (or they'll just politely refuse).