A slight departure: Cocktails

I have a confession: I like cocktails.

I know, I'm supposed to be a beer guy; I'm supposed to represent.

Well, I like cocktails.

It seems to me a lot of people like drinking cocktails, but are bewildered by the variety of options, and especially, have no idea how to make a cocktail at home.

So, I've distilled (no pun intended) what I think is the essence of a basic knowledge of classic cocktails, and how to make them.

I think of the most basic cocktail as being the Daiquiri. Whether this is historically accurate or not, this drink for me is the basis of many other cocktails. I'm not talking about a frozen drink made in a blender, either. This is a very simple thing.

Basic Daiquiri

One shot rum (white or aged/gold/amber; not dark)
One spoonful sugar
Juice of 1/2 of a fresh lime

Shake (in a shaker with ice) and serve "up" (in a martini glass) or "on the rocks" (with ice in a short glass usually referred to as a highball glass)There are a variety of ways to make it easier to dissolve the sugar. You can use superfine or confectioners sugar; you can dissolve the sugar in some hot water first; or you can make some simple syrup ahead of time (a concentrated sugar water), and use it instead of sugar.

But this is the basic recipe. Liquor, good fresh fruit juice, and enough sugar to balance the juice. This is the concept behind a number of cocktails.

In a rum sour, substitute lemon for lime.

Rum Sour

One shot rum (white or aged/gold/amber; not dark)
One spoonful sugar (or superfine sugar or use simple syrup)
Juice of 1/2 of a fresh lemon

A "sour" can be made from almost any base liquor. To make a Whiskey Sour, substitute whiskey for the rum. Popular sours include the Whiskey Sour, Vodka Sour, Tequila Sour, even the Amaretto Sour or Midori Sour.

By altering a Tequila Sour with the addition of some Triple Sec, we have a Margarita:

Margarita

One shot tequila
One spoonful sugar
Juice of 1/2 of a fresh lemon
1/2 shot of Triple Sec (a good but expensive brand is Cointreau)
Optional: Coat rim of glass with kosher salt

By using brandy instead of tequila (and rimming the glass with sugar instead of salt), we have a Sidecar:

Sidecar

One shot brandy
One spoonful sugar
Juice of 1/2 of a fresh lemon
1/2 shot of Triple Sec (a good but expensive brand is Cointreau)
Optional: Coat rim of glass with sugar

A Rum Sidecar is made similarly, with (you guessed it), rum instead of brandy.

These are all simple drinks, which rely on fresh juice for their great refreshing flavor. There are lots of variations, especially on the Margarita and Daiquiri.

Also, if you make a sour in a tall glass and top it up with soda water, it is called a Collins. Some Collinses have special nicknames, for example, a Gin Collins is also called a Tom Collins. A Tequila Collins is also called a Pedro Collins.

Ok, that's enough for one post. More to come.

Return to Redbones 12/1/2006

I found myself on my own in the Cambridge area on my day off, and coudn't keep myself away from a lunch at Redbones, after months of exile in the northern regions of the great state of Massachusetts. Still, I managed to hold out until 3:30pm for lunch.

Maritime Pacific Salmon Bay ESB

This ESB arrived hazy, sporting a frothy, rocky head. The beer was rather gassy, leaving a dry, vegetal hop finish, with no residual sweetness. Not a great drinker, for me; and with a pile of BBQ in my belly, I decided to quit while I was ahead.

Then I decided to cowboy up and have one more...

Steelhead 2002 Wheatwine

This is a 10.5oz pour, and it is strong, as suggested by the thick body, which was visibly evident as the red-gold liquid settled in the glass.

I'm glad I hung around for one more - this a complex, perfumed, fruity, alcohol-laced ponderer. Quite forward, and beatifully balanced. A succession of flavors in the mouth: hops, sweetness, grains, fruit, floral notes, alcohol; then more fruit, and a flowery-spicy finish, dryer than I expected.

A fine lace was left to cling to the sides of the glass as it disappeared, too soon, too soon.

This beer is too strong to be generally food-friendly, but would pair beautifully with any number of non-chocolate desserts, especially with cream or eggs, along with spice or caramel. Flan, creme brulee, panna cotta, ginger bread, berry shortcake, indian pudding; all would be wonderful.

Encouraged, I ventured forth for one more...

Harpoon Triticus

The first thing I noticed was the fine creamy, uneven head, topping this opaque black brew.

This, too, is a wheat-based strong ale, but with a clearly different approach, more like a strong porter or imperial stout. This also seems to have a lower content of wheat malt, if my palate is to be trusted.

This is a simpler beer than the Steelhead. There is dark malt, some coffee, and spice up front, with a roasty, clean finish.

It's a nice beer, but failed to hold my attention, after the Steelhead.

The Tap, in Haverhill, MA

Merrimac Mild, 3.4% ABV

Coffee flavors up front. Somewhat thin, but tasty and very drinkable.

Leatherlips IPA, 5.3% ABV

So hoppy it made my teeth squeaky. Not terrible, but a little excessive for my tastes.

Cask Conditioned Harviestown Ptarmigan

Had this at Redbones back in May

Harviestown Ptarmigan, Cask Conditioned

This is a mouthful. Good hop bitterness, well balanced by a full malty flavor. Nice oak flavor. Lots of layers to the flavor, mostly up front. Another beer I could drink all night.

Another visit to Redbones

Bamberger Rauchbier

Crystal clear, blond, with a loose, smooth head. The smoke in this beer is on equal footing with a nice fruitiness. The mouthfeel is smooth, creamy, spritzy. Beautiful balance in this very traditional beer. A great quaffer. A fine example of a beer that is flavorful and complex, without any reliance on hops whatsoever, other than lending a light, crisp bitterness.

Delirium Noel

Minimal head, just a film across the surface. Served in a 10.5oz glass, this strong Belgian Special is brewed for the Christmas season, as indicated by the name. Clear brown, and inviting glass of beer. Light aroma of dark malt. Sweet, fruity, cidery-raisin notes, still manages to be light in the mouth, with some tartness reining it in. Tasty, and a nice change-up. Light enough that I might convince myself to stay for just one more.

Great Divide Hercules IPA

A cloudy brown beer with a big foamy head. Green hop aroma, with malt underneath. This beer is all about hops in the mouth and finish. Partway through the first sip, you notice that there is considerable body, and some malty sweetness, to balance all that hop flavor. The hops would be way too much otherwise. As it is, there is the slightly vegetal taste of LOTS OF HOPS, but all the malt keeps everything in balance. Barely.

Sampled wednesday 12/7/05.

New Scientist Breaking News - Invention: Coffee beer

Sounds kinda yucky. Coffee beer. Plenty of folks have made beer flavored with coffee - kind of nice in a stout or porter. These wacky Swiss folks are fermenting coffee.

Banned beer!

The state of Connecticut has banned the actually rather tasty Seriously Bad Elf beer! Apparently the images of Santa Claus might appeal to children. Goofy.

Web store with huge selection of Belgian beer for delivery

The Belgian Shop

This store claims to ship all over the world. Belgian beers and beer glasses. Um, and chocolate and waffles (?!) too.

The selection is staggering. Christmas is coming!

998 bottles of beer on the wall, mua ha ha ha ha!

BitDefender is offering 1000 german beers, and a trip to Romania to meet Count Dracula (really!) to the most thorough beta tester of their product.