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  • Obligatory Holiday Post: Cinco de Mayo

    It’s the fifth of May.  Yet another excuse for us to fill our glasses and celebrate something with friends, but how many of us really know what we’re celebrating on May 5th?  Most of you are probably thinking “Of course we do!  Mexican Independence!” In fact, Mexican Independence day is September 16th.  Moreover, Cinco de Mayo is predominantly celebrated in the U.S. and one little province in Southern Mexico.  That’s because the 5th of May is when the Battle of Puebla occurred (in Puebla, Mexico) in 1862 where the locals, overwhelmed and under equipped, staved off an invasion by the French.  This caused a resurgence in Mexican pride and patriotism, though the rest of Mexico never really celebrated the holiday.  Since then, Cinco de Mayo has signified a pride holiday in the U.S. (like St. Patrick’s Day for the Irish).  So raise a glass this year, not to Mexican Independence, but to those brave soldiers in Puebla.

    Cinco de Mayo Cocktails

    Classic MargaritaThe Classic Margarita

    The margarita is one of those cocktails that has origins shrouded in mystery.  There are more origin stories for the margarita than you can shake a stick at, but what it boils down to is tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.

    It’s a delightful cocktail that can be served on the rocks or blended.  It will commonly come with a salted rim, though you might be asked whether you want sugar instead.  No matter what this is a tasty, late-spring drink to savor in the warm sun.

    Recipe

    2 parts tequila blanco
    1 part triple sec
    1 part lime juice

    Paloma

    The paloma is probably the most popular cocktail in Mexico so inevitably it ends up on this list.  With a fancy name like this, you’d expect a fancy cocktail.  It’s a refreshingly simple cocktail: tequila and grapefruit soda with a lime garnish.  That’s it!  The grapefruit soda will probably be difficult to find.  Look at the supermarket in the aisle with Mexican food for Jarritos soda, they make a grapefruit flavor.  Otherwise, just use Squirt.

    Recipe

    1 part tequila
    3 parts grapefruit soda

    El Diablo

    El Diablo, or The Devil, is who you’ll be blaming for the hangover in the morning after drinking too many of these.  It’s one of those drinks that’s just too tasty and you can’t really taste the booze in it.  Suddenly you can’t see straight and there’s a little guy with a halo on one shoulder and THIS DRINK on the other trying to convince you to do things.

    Recipe

    Juice from 1/2 a lime
    1 oz tequila blanco
    1/2 oz creme de cassis
    fill with ginger ale

    Oaxacan Punch

    Oaxacan PunchIf you’re hosting a Cinco de Mayo party instead of going out to the bar, maybe you should make this punch.  Punches have become increasing popular as of late and this tasty treat will go down well with your Mexican-for-a-day guests.

    Recipe

    37.5 oz Averna Amaro
    22.5 oz Mezcal
    15 oz Grapefruit juice
    15 oz Lemon juice
    7.5 oz Agave nectar
    45 oz Ginger beer
    7.5 oz Cold water

    Mix it all up and add in some grapefruit and lemon slices.

    Hand Margarita

    The infamous hand margarita, or tequila with training wheels, is the drink of Spring Breakers the world over.  CAUTION: Imbibing to many of these may cause the evaporation of undergarments and better judgement.  Remember the guy with the halo that shows up when you drink El Diablos?  Yeah, after too many of these that guy crosses you off as a lost cause and goes home.

    Recipe

    1.5 oz tequila
    1 lime wedge
    salt to taste

    Prepare by filling the shot glass with the tequila.  Hold the lime wedge between the fore finger and thumb of your non-drinking hand.  Lick the meaty part of your hand between the fingers holding the lime and sprinkle salt on the moistened skin.  Pick up the tequila, lick the salt from your hand, take the shot, squeeze the lime into your mouth.  Repeat until desired effect is achieved.

     

  • Discovery’s Brew Masters Canceled?

    Let me start by saying that I hate how alarmist the Internet can be and I don’t subscribe to that sort of journalism.  That being said I would be remiss if I didn’t say that all of this is UNCONFIRMED at this time.

    This fall, Discovery came out with a new show called Brew Masters which follows Sam Calgione, founder of Dogfish Head Brewery, and his staff while they take care of the day to day operation of a microbrewery as well as discovering new and exciting beers to bring to the public.  If you enjoy beer at all, this show can be informative and entertaining.  Unfortunately, the Internet is currently awash in speculation that the show has been canceled after only 5 episodes have aired and a 6th being aired some time in June.

    After having seen Beer Wars, which really introduced Sam Calgione to the public spotlight, I really looked forward to Brew Masters airing.  I think craft beer brewing and microbreweries are interesting and Sam is a guy with a really unique personality and the show is better for it.

    The blog AtlantaBeerMaster.com has posted this quote from a Discovery spokesperson :

    [Discovery Channel] is working on completing the final episode #6 of Brew Masters.  It will be airing by early spring.  They have NOT cancelled the show.  Brew Masters was slated for an initial 6 episode run.  Once the 6 are completed, Discovery Channel & Dogfish Head will evaluate the response and future direction.

    While that leaves hope that the show may continue, it sounds to me like they’ve pretty much written it off.

    Further, Anthony Bourdain, host of another Travel Channel show No Reservations, hinted at the fact that Brew Masters was canceled because Big Beer threatened to pull their ads from the Travel Channel if the show remained on the air.  This could just be speculation on his part, but No Reservations is produced by the same company as Brew Masters (Zero Point Zero Productions) so it’s possible he knows a thing or two about a thing or two.

    Whether or not this show gets canceled, you should still watch the existing episodes and if you like it, go check out Beer Wars too!

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  • Irish Whiskey Cocktails

    On St. Paddy’s anything Irish goes – especially Irish Whiskey. As a shot, it may be rough, but mixed in a drink with other liquor and flavors this may make your holiday. Check out these cocktails, and enjoy yourself responsibly.

    The Dancing Leprechaun

    • 1 1/2 oz Irish whiskey
    • 3/4 oz Scotch Whisky
    • 3/4 oz lemon juice
    • Ginger ale
    • Highball glass

    In a shaker, combine ingredients with ice. Strain into a glass with ice cubes, and garnish with a twist of lemon.

    Westside Manhattan

    According to The Spirits of Ireland by Ray Foley, to make a Westside Manhattan, you’ll need:

    • 2 oz Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey
    • a splash of sweet vermouth
    • 2 – 4 drops Angostura bitters
    • Rocks glass

    In a rocks glass, combine ingredients with ice. Serve.

    Dublin Handshake

    • 1/2 oz Baileys Irish cream
    • 1/2 oz Irish whiskey
    • 3/4 oz Sloe gin
    • Rocks glass

    Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a rocks glass with ice.

     

  • What’s the Difference Between Scotch and Irish Whiskey?

    Moving towards St. Patrick’s Day, we tend to think more about the Irish spirits, Irish whiskey in particular.  A question that I hear frequently relating to Irish whiskey is what is the difference between Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky.  The obvious answer is that Irish whiskey is made in Ireland and Scotch whisky is made in Scotland, but the difference is much greater than just that.

    The Barley

    One of the fundamental ingredients of most alcohol is a starch of some kind, typically a grain.  In the case of these two types of whiskeys, barley is that ingredient.  The difference between them is that Irish whiskey uses a varied mix of raw and malted barley whereas Scotch is made exclusively with malted barley.  Also, the barley used in Scotch is malted using peat smoke, which gives it the distinctive aroma and smell.

    The Distillation Process

    The main reason for the difference in flavor between Scotch and Irish whiskey is that Irish whiskey is typically distilled three times (and Scotch only two) which mellows the flavor significantly.  Distilling a spirit is basically the process of separating the alcohol from all the impurities.  It’s an imperfect process and each time you distill a spirit the closer to pure alcohol you get.  Hence, purer alcohol, less flavor (or harshness of flavor). Irish whiskey has a smooth, delicate flavor compared to its more robust, harsher cousin.

    There are more brands of Irish whiskey than just Bushmore and Jameson, so this St. Patrick’s Day raise a glass to your favorite Irishman and give an off-brand a try!

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  • Beer and Food Pairing

    If someone in the Food Writing industry mentions “food pairing”, typically it’s implied that they mean pairing wine with food.  Some restaurants are even helpful enough to annotate their food fare with suggested wine pairings.  A lot of restaurants train their wait staff on wine pairing.  But a new trend has been picking up steam: Beer and Food Pairing.  This trend likely stems from the upswing in popularity of craft beers and a lot more people drinking microbrews and, let’s face it, GOOD beer.

    Beer and food pairing is not so different from wine and food pairing.  You just need to find the beer that compliments the dish.  As with wine pairing, there are conflicting opinions on how this is accomplished.  Some people feel that you should choose a beer that has a similar taste profile as the food you are eating in order to build on the flavors in the food and the beer.  Others (myself included) believe that the beer should starkly contrast the food, thus cleansing the palate and making every bite of food just as flavorful and amazing as the first.

    Guidelines

    • In general, the rule is like with like.  So if you are eating a lighter food, go with a lighter beer and vice versa.
    • Spicy foods are best paired with light ales.  The light, crisp flavor of the light ales cut the spice of the food.  More complex beers have a very nuanced flavor that would be completely masked by the spice in spicy food.
    • Pizza is a greasy, tangy, delicious nightmare.  Amber ales are carbonated and light enough to cut the grease from the meat and cheese while the hoppy flavor plays against the acidity in the tomato sauce.
    • Fruity desserts are best paired with wheat beers.  These beers have a natural sweetness and their is a citrusy, spicy aspect to these beers that comes out with this type of dessert.
    • Heavy dessert are balanced well with Imperial or sweet stouts.
    • Because of how greasy fried foods can be, pilsners are a good choice.  Pilsners have a crisp bite to them that cuts through the grease to cleanse the palate, but doesn’t have quite the bite that a pale ale does to overwhelm the flavor of the food.

    Beer and Cheese

    One of the biggest trends involving beer pairing is pairing with cheese, which used to be exclusive to the wine community.  While I’ve never toyed with this, from what I’ve heard, the rule of thumb is the more pungent the cheese, the stronger the flavor in the beer you want to pair it with.  If you feel like hosting one of these beer and cheese tasting parties, here are some pairings to help you start:

    • Feta and Goat Cheese with Wheat Beers
    • Mascarpone (a cheese generally used in desserts) with Fruit Beers
    • Muenster, Havarti or Monterey Jack with moderately hoppy Pilsners
    • Colby or Cheddar with robust Brown Ales
    • Roquefort or Stilton (very pungent cheeses) with Strong Belgian Ales
    • Gruyere or Swiss (meaty flavored cheeses) with Bock, Dark Lagers or Oktoberfest (anything really malty).
    • Parmesan or Romano with Pale or Amber Ales.

    Beer and Wine Comparisons

    If you’re just starting out in either realm of food pairing, it can be a little difficult.  Some restaurants have wine suggestions for each entree on the menu.  That’s great if you’re a wine drinker, but it doesn’t help the beer drinkers.  You can use the following table (found at Epicurious.com) to make a decision on your beer choice based on the wine selection given on a menu:

    Light Body
    Wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Barbera, Pinot Grigio
    Beers: Lager, Pilsner, Wheat

    Medium Body
    Wines: Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah
    Beers: Ale, IPA, Bock

    Heavy Body
    Wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Oaky Chardonnay
    Beers: Stout, Porter, Barleywine

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  • Mardi Gras Cocktails: The Hurricane

    Hurricane CocktailInvented in New Orleans and made popular by Mardi Gras goers, the Hurricane is a proud American staple. But what makes this drink? Its history, its flavor or the glass?

    The history of the Hurricane is a story of logic. During World War II, whiskey was in low supply, so liquor salesmen would require bar owners to purchase up to 50 cases of the more abundant rum in order to purchase one case of whiskey. Bar owners had to come up with a way to sell the stock piles of rum they had.

    At Pat O’Brien’s French Quarter bar in New Orleans, the bartenders came up with a fruity cocktail that was tasty enough to use up their rum, and would eventually put the bar on the map. A few years later, the hurricane lamp glass was invented and adopted by O’Brien’s to serve the rum drink, supplying its infamous name.

    Mardi Gras

    Now popular throughout the United States, the Hurricane is the standard drink of Mardi Gras, especially in its founding city of New Orleans. Over the years, bars and liquor companies have come up with their own version of the drink, making Hurricane premixes and posting new recipes. Even Pat O’Brien’s has its own premix.

    The hurricane glass has also become quite popular. O’Brien’s gives souvenir glasses to patrons who try their famous Hurricane. According to their website, “The Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane glass is one of the most sought-after souvenirs in New Orleans. Many New Orleanians have one or more in their possession…” Tourists enjoy showing off to friends by displaying the shapely glass in their homes. It becomes a place to layer Mardi Gras beads or to hold spare change.

    The Hurricane Recipe

    • 2 oz light rum
    • 2 oz dark rum
    • 2 oz passion fruit juice
    • 1 oz orange juice
    • Juice from half a lime
    • 1 Tbsp simple syrup
    • 1 Tbsp grenadine
    • Orange slice and cherry
    • Hurricane glass or Tall glass

    Directions:

    1. Squeeze the juice from half a lime into the bottom of a Hurricane or Tall glass. Mix other ingredients in a shaker. Shake well. Pour mixture into glass onto ice. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
    2. For those who prefer a premix, the liquor store should provide a vast amount of mixes that range from generic to high end. For a premix Hurricane, just combine rum, premix and ice together in a glass. Garnish with an orange, a cherry, or both, and serve.

     

  • The Gin Craze

    When I think about gin, my mind takes a trip to Dickensian London where the streets are filthy, the people filthier, and everyone drinks gin like it was water.  There is a reason for this imagery coming so readily to many people’s minds: The Gin Craze.

    England vs France

    The Gin Craze began as a result of the history of bad blood between England and France. At the end of the 17th century, when William the Orange took power in England, several acts were passed to thwart French influence in England. These acts made it more difficult to import French brandy, and at the same time encouraged the production of local gin. Further, the London Guild of Distillers was essentially neutered and new distillers were encouraged to start producing gin. Licensing requirements to produce or sell the spirit were completely dropped. On top of all of that, the government put a considerable effort into encouraging the population of London to imbibe this locally produced gin.

    These reasons alone would be enough to start a whirlwind of popularity for the distinctly flavored liquor, but other factors caused it to spin out of control.

    The Industrial Revolution

    By the 1720s, the Industrial Revolution was starting to pick up steam and people were being encouraged to leave their rural communities for the hustle and bustle of the city. London started to get overcrowded far beyond what the infrastructure could handle and the factories could employ. Having this overabundance of potential workforce meant that business owners could demand longer hours for less pay from their employees (if you complained you could be easily replaced). Miserable, unsafe work conditions became the norm. Couple that with the dreadful and unsanitary home conditions meant that life was desolate without any hope of getting better. Any one of working age (6 years old or older) wanted to find a way to just forget about how miserable their lives were. Lucky for them, there were more gin shops in the poor areas than any other shop in London (most of which were unlicensed, selling gin made in the back room).

    During this time, food prices also started to drop, meaning that the working class (aka the dirt poor) had a little more money in their pocket, which to them equated more drinking money.

    “Gin Lane” and the end of the Gin Craze

    By the 1730s, gin consumption had reached an average of two pints per week per Londoner and would only increase from there. The best illustration of just how terrible it had become was an engraving by William Hogworth entitled “Gin Lane” which depicted a street piled with lazy and careless drunks, including a woman allowing her child to fall to its death.

    The Gin Craze started to fizzle around 1751 and is attributed to the passing of the Gin Act of 1751, though the rising price of grain probably contributed to it as well.

    While I have no evidence to support it, I’m quite sure that the reason that gin remains such a prevalent and popular spirit is partially to do with the Gin Craze.

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  • Gin and Tonic

    Most two part drinks have very little history. The combination of a liquor with a wash is normally just a way to cut the strong taste of a booze or to add a little flavor to or hide the liquor within a cocktail. The gin and tonic, however, has a slightly more interesting history.

    Roots in Medicine

    Both gin and tonic have origins deeply rooted in medicine.

    Gin first appeared in the mid-1600s when Dr. Franciscus de la Boë, a professor of medicine at Leyden, Holland, created a juniper flavored diuretic that he called Genever, the Dutch word for juniper. He intended the concoction to be used for kidney disorders, but it quickly grew in popularity as an enjoyable spirit.

    When the British began to populate India, many people contracted malaria. Tonic water was introduced as a remedy to malaria, due to its high levels of quinine. Because of its bitter taste, it was difficult to get people to drink it, despite its helpful effects. In order to make the drink more tolerable, gin was added to the mix.

    Just as gin had become popular as a spirit centuries before, the gin and tonic began to take on a new role as a favorite drink of the people, rather than a medicine.

    The Gin and Tonic

    Ingredients:

    • 2 oz Gin
    • 5 oz Tonic
    • Lime cut into wedges

    Combine the gin and tonic in a highball glass. Garnish with a lime wedge. Enjoy.

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  • What’s in a name? Old Tom Gin

    Old Tom Gin is an old name in the world of gin. It reached the pinnacle of its popularity in the late 1800s in England as a sweeter style of gin than today’s popular London dry. The only one left of its kind, Old Tom is making its way back onto cocktail menus, and onto the taste buds of a new generation of gin drinkers.

    But what’s with the name? Who was Old Tom?

    It may be more accurate to ask WHAT was Old Tom, actually.

    Old Tom takes its name from plaques shaped like a black tom cat that were mounted on the outside of pub walls in 18th century England. Thirsty patrons would drop a penny into a slot in the mouth of the cat. The bartender would then poor a shot of gin down a tube held between the tom’s paws to the customer’s waiting mouth.

    This “gin vending” practice is both terrifying and laughable, and it is not surprising that it eventually fell out of style. But in 18th century England, when the combination of cheap gin and unfettered production of alcohol encouraged extreme drinking habits, the Old Tom dispensers were probably as common as a soda machine is today.

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  • Have You Seen Tom Collins?

    In New York City in 1874, a man became the most sought after and despised person of the times, but no one ever met him. His name was Tom Collins, and his name still carries on today.

    Have You Seen Tom Collins?

    Tom Collins, as the story says, was a loud and boisterous man who was known to sit in taverns and talk harshly of nearly everyone he’d met, or in many cases, those he hadn’t. Luckily, those who fell victim to Collins’ wrathe had good friends who would immediately find their friend and let them know of the blasphemies against them. The victim was then encouraged to find Collins and confront him. However, when the victim went to the tavern where Collins was meant to be, he was no where to be found. The reason for this, was, of course, because Tom Collins did not exist.

    The prank came to be known as The Great Tom Collins Hoax of 1874. Two years later, Jerry Thomas included a new drink named after the hoax, in “The Bartender’s Guide.” It was then that those desperately looking for their revenge would walk into a bar asking for Tom Collins, and instead receive the sour cocktail.

    Other Possible Origins

    There is speculation that the drink was named for a London waiter named John Collins. According to history, the name was supposedly changed to Tom Collins after the advent of Old Tom gin. However, this is most likely inaccurate since both the Tom Collins and the John Collins appear in the 1876 “The Bartender’s Guide.”

    It has also been said that the drink was invented by an Irish immigrant in the 1850s as a remedy to the excruciating New York summer heat. Made by adding lemon juice to a gin and tonic, the cocktail was light and refreshing and gave a needed break on those long summer nights.

    The Collins Glass

    The same shape as a highball glass, the Collins glass is bigger, holding from 10 to 14 oz. Once used solely for the mixing of the infamous cocktail, the glass become practical for a variety of drinks and is a bar room essential.

    The Tom Collins

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 oz gin
    • 1 oz lemon juice
    • 1/2 oz sugar syrup
    • Club soda
    • Maraschino cherry for garnish
    • Lemon slice for garnish

    Pour the gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup in a Collins glass with ice cubes. Stir thoroughly. Top with the club soda and garnish with the cherry and orange slice. Serve.