Month: February 2014

Alcohol Myths Debunked

So much is said about the consumption of alcohol, that it may be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Study these myths to understand more about drinking.

Alcohol is the devil. Alcohol kills brain cells. Alcohol will make you gain weight. Don’t drink that with this! Don’t worry, you can just drink a bunch of coffee to sober up. These are all famous alcohol myths propagated by years of rumor and scare tactics. But what is the truth?

Beer Before Liquor, You’ll Get Sicker – Liquor Before Beer, You’re in the Clear

If this were true, no one would ever have a bad morning after. The fact is, it doesn’t matter what type of liquor you drink, the percentage of alcohol in your blood, or your blood alcohol content (BAC), is the real factor in how drunk you get. A single serving of beer or wine and a shot of liquor all contain the same amount of alcohol. Too much of any combination will make you sick.

I Can Sober Up Whenever I Want

Time is the only thing that can sober you up, no matter how 15 cups of coffee, a long cold shower or a big breakfast from Denny’s make you feel. Typically, the liver can process about one ounce of alcohol per hour, based on pure alcohol.

Drinking Makes You Gain Weight

A beer belly is not a beer belly after all. Weight gain from excessive use of alcohol is one of the most believable myths out there. However, research shows that alcohol does not cause weight gain in men, and actually contributed to a weight loss in women.

Alcohol Kills Brain Cells

During the temperance movement, it was often said that alcohol will kill brain cells. Throughout the decades, this myth has persisted, but scientific research has shown that the moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with better cognitive skills and memory than abstaining from alcohol. In other words, moderate drinking actually improves thinking, reasoning and memory.

People in the United States Drink More Than Other Countries

Many people believe that the United States drinks far more than other countries. In fact, the U.S. isn’t even close to the top 10 alcohol consuming countries. The ingrained promotions of the temperance movement that proclaimed that alcohol was bad, as well as having clean drinking water contribute to the U.S. being rank between 32 and 35 on the list.

The Top 10 alcohol consuming countries are:

Portugal
Luxembourg
France
Hungary
Spain
Czech Republic
Denmark
Germany
Austria
Switzerland

Alcohol may be a part of daily life in the United States, but it is not as large of a problem as much of the general public believes it to be.

The myths of alcohol are often given life in order to scare the general public, promote new thinking or to give excuses for drinking too much. But alcohol can be enjoyable and good for you if consumed moderately. By carefully researching facts and separating myths from truth, the use of alcohol can become more enjoyable. As always, when drinking, be responsible. Drink in moderation and use a designated driver, just in case.

February 21, 2014
The White Russian and variations

A pop culture icon and creamy after dinner drink, the White Russian is an American favorite. It has also inspired many spin-off drinks, all with tastes of their own.

Ask any man from 20 to 40 what they think of the White Russian and his response may likely be, “The Dude abides.” The reference, and the cause for the White Russian’s most recent surge in popularity, is the movie “The Big Lebowski.” In the movie, the main character, The Dude, drinks the vodka, kahlua, and cream combination religiously, and to a most hilariously fault.

The Dude’s favorite cocktail was around many decades before even he could enjoy it, inspiring new drinks and adding more options to after dinner libations. Each drink in the White Russian family has a uniqueness that makes it a tasty treat.

White Russian

It’s difficult to put a date on the invention of any cocktail, and the White Russian is no exception. However, the name of the drink dates it near the end of World War I, when the “White Russians”, an anti-Bolshevik group, was still in existence. The drink itself isn’t Russian, but the combination of vodka as its main ingredient and the white color of the cream, give the cocktail its name.

Ingredients:

2 oz Vodka
2 oz Kahlua
1 oz Cream

Pour vodka and Kahlua over ice in a cocktail glass. Add the cream on top. Serve. Half and Half, milk, and Irish creme are often substituted for the cream.

Black Russian

Called a Black Russian due to the absense of the cream, this cocktail officially originated in 1949 in Brussels. The story says that a Belgium barmaid at the Hotel Metropole created the drink as a tribute to the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, Perle Mesta.

Ingredients:

3 oz Vodka
2 oz Kahlua

In a cocktail glass, add the Vodka and Kahlua over ice. Serve

The Colorado Bulldog

By adding a little cola taste, the Colorado Bulldog, or .357, gives something special to the original drink.

Ingredients:

1 ounce Vodka
1 ounce Kahlua
.5 oz Half-and-half
.5 oz of Cola

Add Vodka and Kahlua to a rocks glass over ice. Add cream or half-and-half. Top with Cola. Stir Slightly and serve.

Black Magic

To make the Black Russian a little sour, add some lemon.

Ingredients:

2 oz Vodka
1 oz Kahlua
1 dash fresh lemon juice

Combine ingredients in a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a lemon twist.

February 19, 2014
The Original Margarita

The most popular cocktail in the United States, the invention of the Margarita is both controversial and happily celebrated. The taste is timeless and the recipe, simple.

Tracking down the real history of the Margarita is like trying to keep all its different flavors straight. It can be done, but there’s a lot of them to choose from. It is said to have been created for and named after Rita Hayworth (her real name was Margarita Cansino), singer Margaret “Peggy” Lee, and a nice young woman on her wedding day. Maybe it was created when a bartender didn’t know what a Magnolia was and improvised. Or maybe a bartender took a liking to a girl named Margarita and mixed together her favorites to form the splendid cocktail.

Margaret “Margarita” Sames

The most common story, or the most well known story, surrounds a woman named Margaret Sames. In 1948, in Acapulco, Mexico, she was determined to make up her own drink. Her favorite alcohol was tequila, so she decided to mix up a cocktail using it and another favorite of hers, Cointreau. After several unsuccessful attempts, she decided to put the two together with some fresh lime juice.

Being a tequila lover herself, she knew that salt often went with tequila, so she added salt to the rim of the glass, served the combination with some crushed ice, and the famous mix was born. Soon after her invention, her husband purchased some martini glasses with her name, Margarita, etched in the sides, and the name of the drink was solidified.

Sames claimed that the popularity of the cocktail was due to her relationships with several rich and famous people in the hotel and bar industries. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen; however, the drink was only seen in bar books starting in 1953, giving it a good five years to gain popularity and giving credence to her claim that she was the inventor of the drink.

Carlos Herrera

Another popular story of the Margarita’s origins says that Carlos Herrera, owner of the Rancho La Gloria in Tijuana, Mexico created and named the drink for dancer and sometimes actress Marjorie King in the late 1930’s. King was allergic to all liquor except tequila and since she didn’t like the drink straight, Herrera invented the drink for her.

The Original Margarita

No matter what the story, one thing is true of all; the original margarita consisted of three main ingredients: fresh lime juice, cointreau or triple sec, and good tequila, and most of them added a little salt to the rim of the glass.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Tequila (Golden or White)
.5 oz Cointreau or Triple Sec
.5 oz freshly squeezed Lime Juice
Coarse Salt (or margarita salt)

Mix tequila, Cointreau, and Lime Juice with ice in a shaker or blender. Rub rim of a chilled Margarita or Martini glass with a piece of lime. Dip the rim of the glass in a saucer of salt until it is evenly coated. Strain mixture into glass and garnish with a slice of lime.

February 17, 2014
The Best Hangover Cures

After a long night of overindulgence, many people experience the dreaded hangover. Headaches, nausea, body shakes and, sometimes, a feeling of dread or regret, are all things many people experience the day after. If taken care of correctly, hangovers can be avoided or cured with almost little to no difficulty.

Avoiding the Hangover

The main cause for a hangover is that alcohol dehydrates the body by increasing the amount of urine production in the drinker. Dry mouth, shaking and headaches are caused from dehydration, and will persist until the body is hydrated through drinking water or other hydrating beverages.

A hangover may be avoided by limiting oneself to drink a set amount of cocktails during the night. Once the limit is reached, water or another non-alcoholic beverage should be substituted. Drinking a glass of water between each drink is also an excellent way to keep oneself hydrated.

For many people, eating greasy foods or taking vitamins prior to drinking also works, but may not be the end-all-be-all. Over drinking, no matter what precautions are taken, will most likely cause a hangover.

The simplest way to avoid a hangover then is to not drink, period. This eliminates the chance of dehydration and any other negative side effects that consumption of alcohol will cause. Any unfortunate behavior associated with alcohol that causes the psychological hangover can also be avoided.

The Psychological Hangover

On occasion, some drinkers will be faced with a psychological hangover. This hangover will not cause headaches, dry mouth or nausea, but will leave the drinker with a feeling of regret or shame. There may or may not be a reason for the person to feel regret or shame, but they feel it nonetheless. The most likely explanation for this is that alcohol is a depressant, and will give the drinker symptoms of depression. It is also likely, since alcohol lowers the inhibitions of the drinker, that bad choices were made the night before and there is a reason for the regret.

Curing a Hangover

There are many solutions for curing a hangover. Most experts agree that time, ibuprofen, rest and hydration are the best ways to overcome the sickness of the next day.

However, there are alternate ways of curing a hangover, including the following:

Food

Number one on the list of hangover cures is eating. According to Lifehacker.com, researchers in Britain found that eating concentrated doses of carbohydrates and protein after overindulgence can speed up your metabolism and provide the amino acids needed to start feeling better. Translated, eating foods like a bacon sandwich, eggs and toast or a greasy burger will make a hangover go away faster.

The Hair of the Dog

It’s also been suggested that having a drink, such as a Bloody Mary, will take the edge off. While this may allegedly work for some, it’s actually putting the body back into the state prior to the hangover, rather than helping to take it out.

Having an Orgasm

A lesser known and possibly more fun cure is to engage in sex, or more specifically, have an orgasm, while hung over. It will release oxytocin, which will increase the body’s pain threshold and make the hangover less severe.

Exercise

Exercise may also be helpful. Many people may not want to get up and move when experiencing a hangover, but sweat will help cleanse the body of toxins by increasing circulation. Do not overdo it, however. Too much exercise may increase dehydration.

Although the best way to avoid a hangover is to keep hydrated while drinking, or by not drinking at all, it is possible to cure a hangover by eating correctly, resting and drinking plenty of water. It may also be possible to use alternative methods to alleviate the sick feelings after a night of drinking. It is important to remember, however, that there is no magical cure, and that only time will truly fix what ails you.

February 14, 2014
Valentine’s Day Cocktails

Sure, dinner and a movie is super fun, but this Valentine’s Day, grab your partner, and use it as an excuse to drink rich, sexy cocktails. You won’t regret it. With chocolate, strawberries, cognac, gin, oranges, and more, these drinks run the gamut and offer a little something for everyone. Whether topping off your night, or as a sensual nightcap, these drinks are sure to impress. So scrap the champagne, lock elbows, look into each other’s eyes, and enjoy.

Chocolate Strawberry Martini

Ingredients:

3 strawberries, sliced
1 oz milk
4 oz top shelf vodka
2 oz chocolate liqueur

In a shaker, muddle the strawberries and milk. Add the remaining ingredients and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into an over-sized martini glass.

Romance

Ingredients:

3/4 oz Kahlua
3/4 oz Irish cream
3/4 oz brown creme de cacao
1 oz heavy cream

Shake the ingredients with ice and strain them into a martini glass.

The Jack Rose

Ingredients:

2 oz applejack
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz grenadine

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a chilled coupe cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Between the Sheets

Ingredients:

1 oz Cognac
1 oz Triple sec
1 oz Light rum
1/4 oz Fresh lemon juice

Add all the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. Shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Flame an orange peel over the glass and discard before serving.

The Scarlett O’Hara

Ingredients:

2 oz Southern Comfort
Dash of lime juice
6 oz cranberry juice

Pour the Southern Comfort, lime juice and cranberry juice into a shaker with ice, and shake well. Strain into a Collins glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Forbidden Love

Ingredients:

2 oz Hendricks gin
1 oz blood orange juice
Dash simple syrup, 2 strawberries
4 slices of cucumber

Muddle fruit with simple syrup, add gin and blood orange juice. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with strawberry, cucumber spiral and orange peel hearts.

February 12, 2014
The Rob Roy

Named for the Scottish folk hero, Rob Roy MacGregor, the Rob Roy is similar to the Manhattan, but uses a Scotch Whisky rather than Rye or Bourbon.

The Rob Roy gives Scotch drinkers another option from the traditional Scotch and soda. Made with a combination of Scotch Whisky, vermouth and (sometimes) bitters, it is not surprising that it is often referred to as the Scotch Manhattan.

The Rob Roy made its first appearance in the US around 1894 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The introduction was two-fold: the American launch of Dewar’s Scotch Whisky, and an Opera that opened near the Waldorf carrying the drink’s namesake. Once it had made its debut, the new classic was here to stay.

Rob Roy MacGregor

The cocktail gets its name from Rob Roy MacGregor, a Scottish folk hero and outlaw. It’s hard to say exactly why the drink is named for the Scottish Robin Hood, but there are two possible reasons. The first, and most likely, is that because the drink is made with Scotch, the originator of the drink chose a famous Scotsman as its namesake. Also possible is that because the McGregor was known to have red hair, and the Rob Roy has an amber tint, it seemed only natural to name it for the famous Scotsman.

The Rob Roy

1 1/2 oz Scotch
1/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 Dash of Bitters (optional)

The Rob Roy can be served straight up or on the rocks, depending on the preference of the drinker.

For straight up, combine the ingredients in a mixing glass and stir thoroughly. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a cherry.

For on the rocks, combine the ingredients over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a cherry.

While the Rob Roy is traditionally served sweet, it can be ordered dry by substituting dry vermouth for the sweet, or perfect by pouring equal portions of dry and sweet vermouth. For the best taste, be sure to keep the vermouth at a total of 1/4 oz or less.

Variations

A variation on its own, the Rob Roy is a member of the Manhattan family of cocktails, and has even spurred a variation of itself. Check out some of Rob Roy’s friendly cousins.

Green Briar

The only real variation spurred from the Rob Roy.

1 1/2 oz Scotch
1/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
1/4 oz Cointreau

Combine the ingredients over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a cherry. Can also be served straight up.

Ruby Manhattan

1 1/2 oz Rye Whiskey
1/2 oz Port
1 Dash of Bitters

Combine the ingredients over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a cherry. Can also be served straight up.

The Latin Manhattan

1 1/2 oz Dark Rum
1 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 1/2 oz Dry Vermouth
1 Dash of Bitters

Combine the ingredients over ice in an old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge. Can also be served straight up.

February 10, 2014
Apple Jack: The failed experiment

For those of you who were on the edge of your seats (yeah right) waiting to find out how the Apple Jack experiment is going, I’m here to tell you, it’s over.

“What? But your experiment was so fool proof!” you might say. You bet.

Well, in the end, we let the apple cider sit too long before freezing it, and it turned into vinegar. The jars also leak a little bit, causing our freezer to currently smell exactly the way you would imagine apple vinegar would smell.

So, that was two years of time spent that ended badly, again. Haha. I think it might be safe to say that Adrian and I aren’t necessarily cut out for making liquor, although I suppose it won’t be the last time we experiment with this kind of thing. For now, we’ll stick to beer and wine. Our track record is quite good there.

February 7, 2014
AB InBev to take over Blue Point Brewing Co.

On Wednesday, February 5, it was announced that AB InBev would take ownership of Long Island brewery, Blue Point Brewing Company. The brewery will remain in control of their product, but will add on the big financial and marketing power of the “Big Three” beer company (Is it “Big Two” now that Coors and Miller are one?). They will not be the first craft brewery to be taken over by one of the Big 3. In 2011 AB Inbev took over Goose Island in a similar deal, as well as Boulevard Brewing Company, and Belgium’s Duvel.

How do you feel about the “Big Three” beer companies buying smaller craft breweries? Tell us in the comments.

February 7, 2014
Slushy weather? Slushy cocktails.

I don’t know how the rest of you are doing, but today in Brooklyn it’s slushy and gross. Instead of feeling bad about it, I’ve decided to take this opportunity to share some slushy cocktails with you. Sure, it’s not really the time of year for slushy, cold drinks, but why not take advantage of the snow and make some cocktails. Just make sure the snow is white and clean. Nobody wants dirt cocktails.

Brandy Slush

Brandy is meant to warm you up, even in the snow. Try this brandy slush to cool your winter stress and warm your bones.

Ingredients:

4 individual green or black tea bags
9 cups water, divided
2 cups brandy
1 can (12 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 can (12 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
EACH SERVING:
1/4 cup lemon-lime soda, chilled

Place tea bags in a small bowl. Bring 2 cups water to a boil; pour over tea bags. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Transfer tea to a large pitcher; stir in the brandy, lemonade concentrate, juice concentrate and remaining water. Pour into a 4-qt. freezer container. Freeze overnight or until set.
For each serving, scoop 3/4 cup slush into a rocks glass. Pour lemon-lime soda into the glass; garnish with orange or lemon slice.

Banana Slush Punch

This time of year, fresh produce isn’t exactly impressive, but the one thing that won’t let you down is bananas. Crank the heat, try this slushy punch, and put yourself in the summer mindset.

Ingredients:

4 bananas (ripe)
2 cups white sugar
3 cups water
46 ozs pineapple juice
24 ozs juice concentrate (frozen orange)
12 ozs frozen lemonade concentrate
3 cups water
3 liters ginger ale

In a blender, combine bananas, sugar and 3 cups water. Blend until smooth. Pour into a large bowl and stir in pineapple juice. Blend in orange juice concentrate, lemonade concentrate and 3 cups water. Divide into 3 plastic containers and freeze until solid. Remove from freezer 3 to 4 hours before serving. Using one portion at a time, place slush in a punch bowl and pour in 1 liter of ginger ale for each.

Bourbon Milk Punch

This recipe by Anna Monette Roberts from yumsugar.com is perfect for winter boozing. Just looking at this recipe warms me up.

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1/4-1/2 cup bourbon, depending on desired strength
1/2 cup powdered sugar, or more to taste
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ground nutmeg, for garnish

In a freezer-safe container, stir milk, bourbon, powdered sugar, and vanilla together, until well combined. Taste and add more powdered sugar if necessary. Cover and freeze overnight.

When ready to serve, remove punch from freezer and scrape up frozen bits with tines of a fork. It should appear slushy. Use a ladle to divide punch into glasses and garnish with ground nutmeg. Serve immediately.

February 5, 2014
Jim Beam History and Recipes

From its invention in Kentucky in the late 1700’s to the renaming of the company in 1933, Jim Beam has been a must have in any home bar or drinking establishment.

In 1795, Jacob Beam sold the first barrel of Old Jake Beam Sour Mash bourbon whiskey, beginning the roots of the Jim Beam brand. In 1820, he passed on his bourbon distillery to his son, David. Thirty years later, David M. Beam inherited the business from his father as well. By 1880, Beam’s Old Tub bourbon, due to railroad expansion and the telegraph, had become a national brand.

In 1894, the man best known for Beam brand whiskey, James B. Beam, would take over the distillery and turn the drink into the brand we know it as today. Although he was forced to sell the distillery in 1920 due to the prohibition, he wasted no time after the passing of the Volstead act, rebuilding in 120 days. It is during this time that the name off the whiskey brand officially became Jim Beam Bourbon.

The popularity of the brand has remained through three more generations of the Beam family, and with the addition of Booker’s, Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s and Knob’s Creek small batch bourbons, is the top bourbon distillery in the world.

Agent Orange

Ingredients:

1 oz Jim Beam
1 oz Yukon Jack
1 oz Apple Schnapps
1 oz Vodka
1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Triple Sec
1/2 oz Grenadine Syrup
2 oz Orange Juice

Add the ingredients to a shaker. Shake well and pour into a cocktail glass over ice Garnish with a cherry and orange slice and serve.

Kentucky Wildcat

Ingredients:

1/2 oz Jim Beam
1/2 oz Southern Comfort
1/2 oz Yukon Jack
1/2 oz Jack Daniel’s
2 oz Sweet and Sour mix
2 oz Cola

Pour the ingredients over ice in a cocktail glass, and stir gently. Garnish with a twist of lemon, and serve.

Beam Me Up

Ingredients:

1 oz Jim Beam
1 oz Amaretto
6 oz Cola

Combine Jim Beam and Amaretto over ice in a cocktail glass. Add the Cola on the top and stir. Garnish with a cherry and serve.

Sunbeam

Ingredients:

1 oz Midori melon
1 oz Jim Beam
1/2 oz Creme de Bananas
2 oz Mandarin juice
2 oz Pineapple juice
1/4 oz Grenadine

Add all the ingredients but the Grenadine in a shaker. Shake well and strain over ice in a cocktail glass. Add Grenadine. Garnish with a slice of orange or cherry and serve.

Smooth Dreams

Ingredients:

2 oz Jim Beam
3 oz Cola
Splash of Grenadine

Combine the ingredients into a cocktail glass over ice. Garnish with a cherry and serve.

BeeGee OJ

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz Jim Beam
3 oz Orange juice
1 splash Grenadine

Pour Jim Beam into an old fashioned glass over ice cubes. Add the orange juice, and a splash of Grenadine. Serve.

February 3, 2014