Science Of Drink

As you know the most of Russian and Ukrainian are orthodox christians. The Orthodox Christmas is celebrated January 7. Actually we don’t drink cocktail on the Christmas. On the over hand Americans has very interesting Christmas drink – Tom and Jerry. This drink is hot egg nog – the winter beverage with alcohol, eggs and milk or water.

The Tom and Jerry is very old drink. The recipe we may found in the first cocktail book – How to Mix Drinks, or Bon-Vivants Companion by Jerry “Professor” Thomas (1862). Some people say that Tom and Jerry was invented by Thomas. He specified in his book that this concoction has another name – Jerry Thomas. In one interview Thomas says that he named the drink in honor of two his mouses – Tom and, of course, Jerry. But we have and alternate story. It is currently reported that Tom and Jerry drink was invented by London sport writer Pierce Egan in the 1820s. The name is a reference to two character from his book Life in London – Jerry Hawthorn and Corinthian Tom.

The famous Harry Craddock wrote that “… The Tom and Jerry and the Blue Blazer … were the greatest cold weather beverages of that era”. And I completely agree with this opinion.

The recipes of Tom and Jerry drink is so simple. This hot egg nog contain brandy as main alcohol, rum, eggs and sugar. Optional ingredients are spice and milk. The authentic recipe from Jerry Thomases book is:

5 LBS. SUGAR.
12 EGGS.
1/2 SMALL GLASS OF JAMAICAN RUM.
1 1/2 TEASPOONFUL OF GROUND CINNAMON
1/2 DO. DO. CLOVES.
1/2 DO. DO. ALLSPICES.

Beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and the yolks until they are as thin as water, them mix together and add the spice and rum, thicken with sugar until the mixture attains the consistence of a light batter.

Take a small bar glass, and to one table-spoonful of the above mixture, add one wine-glass of brandy, and fill the glass with boiling water, grate a little nutmeg on top.

The some points of this recipe is very interesting. First – the sugar. Five pounds of sugar or 190 grams per one eggs. It seems very, very, very sweet. Second point is spice. I hate ground spice, thus I try to use spiced rum instead.

My recipe of famous Tom and Jerry drink is (approx 5-6 drinks):

Tom and Jerry

the base (“batter”):
2 eggs
10 ml rich Jamaican rum (5 ml per one egg)
140 g sugar (70 g per one egg)
Separate the eggs. Mix yolks with rum and beat until it are thin as liquid. Beat the whites until stiff froth. Then mix all together and add sugar. Mix well.

drink (one servings):
20 ml brandy
40 ml spiced rum
2 tablesponsful “batter”
add boiling water or steamed milk
Stir well. Serve in the ceramic cup or London dock glass. Garnish by grating a little nutmeg on top.

I use kitchen handheld electric mixer for execution. I whip the white of the eggs in stiff froth and add beaten yolks with rum, then add sugar. I use mix of the refined sugar and demerara brown sugar.

Actually Tom and Jerry drink with water is no good as with milk. The Tom and Jerry drink is very delicious sweet holiday drink. Marry Christmas!

[Read more →]

New Year coming soon. And we need some special for our holiday party. We drink different cocktails year around and for New Year Night we need something unusual and festive. Many people has very good tradition – to celebrate New Year with glass of Champagne or another sparkling wine. Thus I select two very interesting and delicious champagne cocktail for this case. Now we try the Classic Champagne Cocktail and it’s special variation – the Alfonso Cocktail.

The Alfonso Cocktail was created for Alfonso XIII – dethroned Spanish King. The Alfonso Cocktail looks like French creation but first print mention we find in Craddock’s The Savoy Cocktail Book. The Alfonso cocktail is variation of Classic Champagne Cocktail with Dubonnet wine instead cognac.

Alfonso Cocktail

1 sugar cube
1-2 dash of Angostura bitter
15-20 ml Dubonnet Rouge
Champagne
Place sugar cube in the flute and coat it with bitter. Add Dubonnet and fill the glass with cold Champagne. Add lemon peel or twist. Stir gentle and serve.

Original wine in this cocktail is Champagne. It is AOC and it is so expensive stuff. I try this cocktail with another French sparkling wine – Cafe de Paris Blanc de Blancs Brut by Cusenier (Pernod Ricard). The result are pretty good. The Alfonso Cocktail has so sweet, light and smooth taste with some bitter notes. It is very good festive cocktail.

Also I try the original – Champagne Cocktail. This cocktail is very old creation. First mention about Champagne Cocktail is in Jerry Thomases How to Mix Drinks, or Bon-Vivants Companion. The Champagne Cocktail is real cocktail – it consist of alcohol any kind (Champagne), sugar and bitter.

I use unusual recipe of this cocktail from diffordsguide.

Champagne Cocktail

1 cubes of brown sugar
3 dash Angostura bitter
15 ml cognac
Champagne
Place sugar cube in the flute and soak it with bitter. Add cognac and fill the glass with cold Champagne. Add orange twist.

I use Remy Marten VSOP and sparkling wine mentioned above. The Champagne Cocktail is very interesting drink with main palate of cognac and pleasant aroma of orange. It is good way to improve unloved wine :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR my dear readers. I wish you health, wealth and good luck in New Year!

[Read more →]

This cocktail I was found in the awesome book – Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh. Dr. Cocktail suggest that this cocktail was created by Emil Bauwens – head barman of the Bar Saint-James in Brussels. The drink was described in the Emil’s book Livre de Cocktails. The name of this drink is unclear. Actually this cocktail has anything blue.

Blue Paradise

50 ml cognac
25 ml Dubonnet
4 dash Parfait Amour liqueur
Shake with ice and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Actually this refined mix was carefully stirred by me then shaked. I use Remy Martin VSOP Cognac and BOLS Parfait Amour liqueur for this cocktail. I think that the BOLS liqueur is best choice for Blue Paradise. This liqueur has main vanilla flavor with subtle hint of curacao orange and rose petals. This liqueur has so natural purple color which works well in cocktail.

Wow! The Blue Paradise Cocktail is amazing drink. It has very balanced so sweet round cognac palate. The Dubonnet and the liqueur play with cognac very good. It is great drink!

[Read more →]

As you know there ara many kinds of cocktail – aperetive, digestive, all time drinks and over. Now I want to explore some interesting after dinner drinks – classic dessert coctails which groups to “Alexander’s family”. The main cocktail of this family is famous Alexander Cocktail. As Barry Popik suggest the Alexander Cocktail in its original version consist of gin, creme de cacao liqueur and fresh cream and id was created in early XX century by Troy Alexander barman of famous New York eatery Rector’s for fictional commercial character – Phoebe Snow. This cocktail was first mentioned in Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo Enslin (1915).

I use recipe with equal proportions of ingredients.

Alexander (Александер)

25 ml gin
25 ml creme de cacao white
25 ml cream
1 bsp. simple syrup (optional)
Shake. Cocktail glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg (optional).

For my first Alexander Cocktail I use Befeater, BOLS Cacao white and cream with 20% fat. Really the BOLS liqueur is not a creme. It is insufficiently sweet. Thus in my second Alexander I add one bar-spoon of simple syrup for best results. The garnish I propose to omit in any case as it is contrary to story of Phoebe Snow.

The Alexander Cocktail is sweet and creamy concotion with smooth chicolate and botanicals palate. The gin is very good company to chocolate.

Next cocktail from this company is Brandy Alexander (or Alexander #2). It is Alexander Cocktail with brandy instead gin. This cocktail is more popular than origanal and these two libations are confuse often. The early mention of Brandy Alexander we can find in the Burke’s Complete Cocktail and Tastybite Recipes by Harman Burny Burke (1936). Some people say that creation of Brandy Alexander connected to wedding of Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood and Viscount Lascelles, in London, in 1922.

Brandy Alexander (Бренди Александер)

25 ml brandy
25 ml creme de cacao dark
25 ml cream
Shake. Cocktail glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

I use cognac instead brandy – Hennessy VSOP, BOLS Cacao brown liqueur and cream with 20% fat.

In this superb version it is admirable cocktail. It has mild creamy-fruity-chicolate taste. Excellent cocktail!

Also I try the Alexander’s sister Cocktail – it is Alexander with creme de menthe green instead creme de cacao white.

Alexander’s sister

25 ml gin
25 ml creme de menthe green
25 ml cream
Shake. Cocktail glass.

The Alexander’s sister is sweet and mint concotion. It is so palatable after dinner stuff. It is good substitution for after meal chewing-gum.

And finally I tasted the Alexandra (Special) Cocktail from The Artistry of Mixing Drinks by Frank Meier. Actually the Alexandra (Special) Cocktail is Alexander with brandy instead gin and Anisette (French sweet anise liqueur) instead creme de cacao. I use own equal proportion.

Alexandra (Special)

25 ml brandy
25 ml Anisette
25 ml cream
Shake. Cocktail glass.

Wow! It is amazing cocktail. It is very delicious. It has sweet, very smooth cocktail with anise palate and great hints of cognac. Excellent dessert cocktail.

[Read more →]

The cocktail that I want to explore today I like for a long time. The recipe of this cocktail was at my blog some times ago. Actually the American Beauty Cocktail is in my Special Reserve. This flowery and extraordinary cocktail is one of the best choices for novice – it is not so strong, have interesting sweet taste and it has great look. This drink is great thing to look at as well as to sip.

The story of American Beauty Cocktail is forgotten. It is known that name of this drink connected with popular sort of the garden rose. American Beauty roses was best-selling roses from 1888 to 1920. The creator of this drink is unknown. Supposedly this cocktail was first mentioned in first edition of The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock.

My first American Beauty Cocktail I mixed with recipe was found at the CocktailDB. Now I taste this cocktail with authentic cognac and real Porto.

American Beauty

15 ml brandy
15 ml vermouth dry
15 ml fresh orange juice
15 ml grenadine
1 dash creme de menthe white
30 ml Port wine
Shake all ingredients except port with a lot of ice. Strain into cocktail glass and top with port wine.

The cognac in this cocktail is needless. The delicate flavor and taste of the cognac is invisible in this sweet and fruity drink. I prefer to use in this cocktail something powerful and complete brandy like young (about 5 years old) armenian brandy.

The American Beauty Cocktail in old proportions has sweet and fruity taste with little mint pleasure notes in the finish. The cocktail scent of port wine. With every sip you have both layer of the drink – the a luttle bit tart and sweet port and sweet and fruity mix – it is great feeling.

If you do not like so sweet old version you may taste the modern version of this rare cocktail. This recipe I found in the one of my favorite cocktail book – The Essential Cocktail by Dale DeGroff.

American Beauty Cocktail (DeGroff’s version)

20 ml brandy
20 ml vermouth dry
20 ml fresh orange juice
2 dashes grenadine
2 dashes simple syrup
1 dash of creme de menthe green
15 ml ruby port
Shake all ingredients except brandy in a ice-filled shaker. Strain into cocktail glass and float the port on top. Garnish with rose petal (organically grown or well washed).

Actually for old-style two layer look you must use a little bit more of grenadine. I use about teaspoonful of grenadine otherwise port wine do not make a separate layer.

This drink is perfectly balanced. It is not so sweet as old version. This cocktail has sweet taste with great brandy and vermouth palate with a hint of mint in the finish. It is admirable, amazing drink!

[Read more →]

About year ago one my friend presented me a bottle of NARDINI Fernet Amaro. I was intrigue by this black stylish bottle very much. Actually Italian amaro and fernet are one of my favorite local European beverage. Fernet is a strong type of amaro – herbal liqueur with bitter taste. Now I have two bottle of Fernet in my liquor cabinet – the weel-known Fernet Branca and NARDINI Fernet. The B.^LO NARDINI Distilleria a Vapore is famous Italian manufacturer of grappa. This distillery is one of the oldest in Italia. This distillery also produce some kind of traditional Italian liquor – Amaro, Fernet etc. The NARDINI Fernet is very quality and interesting product thus I decide to teste it in Fernet Cocktail.

The very interesting recipe of the Fernet I found at the CocktailDB. The main interest of this recipe is possibility of variation the base spirit. Some time ago I tested the Fernet Cocktail in brandy version. Now I will taste this cocktail with cognac and rye whiskey. It is very interesting for me as I am big fernet fun.

Fernet Cocktail

35 ml cognac or rye whisky
35 ml fernet
1 dash Angostura bitters
2 dashes gum syrup
Stir. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon zest.

The Fernet Cocktail with NARDINI Fernet and Hennessy VSOP Cognac is brilliant cocktail with deep bitter-sweet very smooth palate. It is excellent cocktail.

Hereafter I explore this cocktail with rye whiskey. Actually the Fernet cocktail with whiskey is so similar with Manhattan with fernet instead sweet vermouth. The sweetness add with sugar syrup.

I try my authentic rye whiskey – WILD TURKEY Rye and it habitual substitute – canadian whisky (I use cheap Black Velvet). The cocktail with WILD TURKEY is great! The powerfull drink with compose palate of whiskey spicy taste and bitterness of fernet. The cocktail with canadian whisky is so unsophisticated predictably. But it is so interesting drink too. It has bitter-sweet herbal taste of fernet with spicy whisky notes in the finish. No so bad!

[Read more →]

Congratulation! Today we have our second S.I.P. – on-line event for russophone bloggers-inbibirs. The point of this event is in investigation and exploring great classic cocktail. Our S.I.P. #2 devote to Sidecar. The Sidecar Cocktail is great stuff for researching. This great classic cocktail has interesting story, fancy composition and taste, which can to improve the taste of its consumer. The Sidecar is cocktail which has true taste.

For S.I.P.#2 I explore the way of Sidecar from its possible predecessor – the Brandy Crusta Cocktail to modern creature Mandarine Sidecar.

The history of the Sidecar creation is so unclear. According to legend the Sidecar was created during or after World War (circa 1920) in one Paris little bistro for American or French Army capitan who was driven to and from the bar in a motorcycle sidecar, hebce its name. Actually a sidecar was very popular transport among the military at that time. There are two possible places where cocktail was born. First – the legendary Paris American bar Harry and another – The Ritz Hemingway Bar. The Sidecar was first mentioned in print in 1922 into two cocktails books – Cocktails: How to Mix Them by Robert Vermiere and ABC of Mixing Cocktails by Harry MacElhone.

David Embury in his The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks (1948) specify that original Sidecar contained some six or seven ingredients in place of common three. It seems that oroginal Sidecar was so close to old New Orlean cocktail – Brandy Custa. For example the recipe of Brandy Crusta Cocktail from Harry Jonson:

3 OR 4 DASHES OF ORCHARD SYRUP;
1 OR 2 DASHES OF BITTERS (BOKER’S GENUINE ONLY);
4 OR 5 DROP OF LEMON JUICE;
2 DASHES OF MARASCHINO;
3/4 OF THE GLASS FILLED WITH FINE GLASS;
1 WINE-GLASS OF BRANDY (MARTELL).

Stir up well with a spoon, strain it into the glass, dress with a little fruit, and serve.

In Jerry Thomas’es version this cocktail is much closest to modern Sidecar:

3 OR 4 DASHES OF GUM SYRUP.
2 DO. BITTERS (BOGART’S).
1 WINE-GLASS OF BRANDY.
1 OR 2 DASHES OF CURACOA.
A LITTLE OF LEMON JUICE.
A SMALL LUMP OF ICE.

First, mix the ingredients in a small tumbler, then take a fancy red wine-glass, rub a sliced lemon around the rim of the same, and dip it in pulverized white sugar, so that the sugar will adhere to the edge of the glass. Pare half a lemon the same as you would an apple (all in one piece) so that the paring will fit in the wine-glass, as shown in the cut, and strain the crusta from the tumbler into it. Then smile.

Thus first cocktail of the Sidecar exploring is Brandy Crusta. I use recipe from The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock:

Brandy Crusta

3 dashes marascino
1 dash Angostura bitters
4 dashes lemon juice
15 ml curacao
45 ml brandy
Stir well and strain into prepared glass with sugar rim. Garnish with a long lemon peel.

The Brandy Crusta Cocktail has so strong and spicy flavor and taste. It is closest to Old-Fashioned with brandy than traditional sour – the Sidecar.

The traditional Sidecar is very simple drink – base spirit (cognac), sweetener – Cointreau and sour agent – lemon juice. It is canonical sour.

Actually for Sidecar you should use real french cognac. The VS cognac is apropriate but VSOP is best choice. I compared all of my cognacs – Hennessy VS and VSOP, Martell VSOP ans Remy Martin VSOP in my Sidecars. First I tested two of common proportions – equal french style and 3:2:2 in Englesh style.

Sidecar (French style)

30 ml cognac
30 ml Cointreau
30 ml fresh lemon juice
Shake with a lot of ice. Strain into cocktail glass with sugar rim.

French style Sidecar is too sour and so tart. It is no my chice. The 3:2:2 ratio is excellent – so good balanced drink. In this ratio all VSOP give good results. But Sidecar with Martell VSOP isa little bit more flavorfull.

And in final I propose to taste some modern Sidecar. The recipe of Mandarine Sidecar I found at the diffordsguide. The adopted recipe is:

Mandarine Sidecar

30 ml Courvoisier V.S.O.P cognac
20 ml Mandarine Napoleon liqueur
20 ml fresh lemon juice
1 dash Monin Pure Cane sugar syrup (65°brix, 2:1 sugar/water)
Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled glass with sugar rim (optional). Garnish with a lemon zest.

I use Remy Martin VSOP Cognac and my favorite demerara 2:1 syrup instead Courvoisier and Monin.

It is very balanced cocktail with main palate of friut liqueur with a cognacs hint. It is so interesting sour. Admirable drink.

[Read more →]

The Coffee Cocktail is so old fancy drink. It is so similar to flip. The oldest entry about Coffee Cocktail are in the Bartender’s Guide or How to Mix All Kinds of Plain and Fancy Drinks (1887) by Jerry Thomas and Bartender’s Manual or How to Mix Drinks of the Present Style (1882, rev. 1934) by Harry Jonson. This cocktail is truly genteleman’s desert cocktail and amazing nightcup.

For Coffee Cocktail I use Don Pablo Porto Ruby and Hennessy VS as brandy.

Coffee Cocktail (Savoy Cocktail Book)

the yolk of one egg
2 tsp sugar syrup
50 ml port wine
25 ml brandy
1 dash curacao
Shake well, strain into a small wineglass and grate a little nutmeg on top.

Coffee Cocktail is amazing drink. It has so sweet very pleasant taste with hint of … coffee! It is great cocktail! This cocktail is a favorite cocktail of many of my guests now.

[Read more →]

In this post I describe real cock tail – amazing multicolor drink – Pousse Cafe. The Pousse Cafe cocktail is so old creation. This drink was invented in the Europe (France), probably. But we can found suggestions that this cocktail was invented in New Orlean, USA. The first print recipe with illustration I was found in the great How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant’s Companion by Jerry Thomas in 1862. Layered cocktail with name Pousse l’Amour consist of brandy, two liqueurs and egg yolk. The real fancy drink! The Gary Regan in yours The Joy of Mixology specify that Pousse Cafe are drinks made by floating one ingredient on top of another, or several others, to create a multilayered effect.

Actually this drink has awesome look. It is real rainbow in your glass. But the taste of this cocktail may be frustrating. This drink as a rule consist of sweet liqueur without any diluent. I hope it may be great digestive in some case. Now the Pousse Cafe cocktail has many modern reincarnation in so popular layered shooters.

The greatest modern Pousse Cafe is B-52 cocktail. This cocktail was created at Alice’s Restaurant in Malibu, USA, in 1972 or at the Keg Steakhouse in Calgary, Canada in 1977. This child of Cold War consist of Kahlua, Baileys Irish Cream and Grand Marnier (the mnemonic: The B52 bomber Kills Bad Guys). Now I propose to explore some another popular modern shooters, several from them are variations of B-52.

K.G.B.

10 ml Kahlua
10 ml Galliano
10 ml Hennessy VS Cognac
Layer in the order given in a pousse-cafe glass (or in the liqueur glass, or shooter, or sherry glass).

For preparation this beautiful cocktail you should have steady hand, bar spoon and acceptable 1 or 2 ounce Pousse Cafe glass or something similar like sherry glass, shooter or liqueur glass. Pour first ingredient into glass then you insert the spoon into glass as far as it will go, with the back side of the bowl facing up. Pour next layer slowly and carafully. Repeat if required.

Bumble Bee

10 ml Kahlua
10 ml sambuca
10 ml Irish cream liqueur
Layer in the order given in an appropriate glass.

Slippery Nipple

5 ml grenadine
15 ml sambuca
10 ml Irish Cream liqueur
Layer in the order given in an appropriate glass.

Monkey Lunch aka Banana Sandwich

10 ml Kahlua
10 ml creme de banane
10 ml Irish Cream liqueur
Layer in the order given in an appropriate glass.

French Kiss

10 ml amaretto liqueur
10 ml Frangelico
10 ml Irish Cream Liqueur
Layer in the order given in an appropriate glass.

All of this cocktails are working. My choice is K.G.B. and French Kiss. And the Slippery Nipple has best look in this company.

And in the conclusion we explore two real infante terrible of the cocktail world, two ugly concoctions in the cyberpunk style – the Brain Haemorrhage and Hiroshima shooters.

Brain Haemorrhage

10 ml grenadine
30 ml peach schnapps
20 ml Irish Cream liqueur
Layer in the order given in tall shooter glass. Then drop few grenadine on top.

The taste of this potion is very, may be extremely sweet and it has absolutely ugly appearance.

Hiroshima Shooter

20 ml sambuca
20 ml Irish Cream liqueur
20 ml absinthe (XENTA Absenta)
Layer in the order given in tall shooter glass. Then drop few grenadine on top. Flame the absinthe and serve with dramatic laughter.

It is one of the most disgusting libations that I ever taste. It is awful drink.

[Read more →]

My dear readers! My blog has birthday today :) Three years ago I registered this domain and start blogging here. And than we may drink for this! I propose to drink one rare old-school cocktail – the Three Miller Cocktail.

In my mind the name of this cocktail strongly connected to Prohibition and bootlegers. You may read some interesting facts about this cocktail (and it original name – The Three Mile Limit) at Esquire Drink Database or The Underhill Lounge Blog.

I use recipe from one of my favorite cocktail book – Cocktails and Mixed Drinks by Anthony Hogg (but in this book this cocktail has name – Three Miler):

Three Miller

40 ml brandy (cognac)
20 ml white rum
1 dash fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grenadine
Shake all ingredients in a shaker with a lot of ice. Strain into cocktail glass.

I use both of my new bottle of cognac – HENNESSY VS and VSOP. As white rum I use Bacardi Cartablanca (particularly this rum is recommended by Harry Craddock).

First cocktail with HENNESSY VS has so sweet and strong taste with interesting cognac palate and short and pleasant aftertaste with notes of wood. It is good evening cocktail. But with HENNESSY VSOP Cognak this cocktail is awesome. It has rich and complex taste with great palate and long smooth aftertaste.