B&B Speakeasy Classic Cocktails

[3am Shadow]

Spiked Spiced Russian Tea

I decided to put this up here. It's as
flagrant as it is tasty. On a cool, crisp autumn night there's nothing better.
However, I cannot claim it as my own. I got it from a cooking magazine
Nevertheless, I felt an obligation to share it

Scale back to 1/2 cup bourbon if you prefer a less spirited beverage. This brew smells wonderful as it simmers.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
6. cups. water
2. large-sized tea bags
2. cups. fresh orange juice (about 4 oranges)
6. tablespoons. honey
4. whole cloves
2. (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
2. (2-inch) strips lemon rind
3/4. cup. bourbon (I use Woodford Reserve. It's amazing in this)
Preparation
1. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan, and remove from heat. Add tea bags to pan; cover and steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add 2 cups orange juice and next 4 ingredients (through lemon rind); bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain tea mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, and discard solids. Stir in 3/4 cup bourbon.

 

[WittyAg]

Here is one for you scotch drinkers. It's pretty simple and straight forward.

Rusty Nail

Mix
1 1/2 oz Scotch
1/2 oz Drambuie
1 twist lemon peel

You can add an ice cube or two if you like.

As an alternative to this, which my friends and I have dubbed a "Golden Spike" you can do the following:

Take a scotch glass and fill with crushed ice.
Pour in a splash of Drambuie (1-2 capfulls to taste)
Add a twist of lemon rind.
Fill with a good single malt scotch (I like to use Glenrothes Select Reserve).

 

[Bazz]

Awesome thread so far! I'll definitely try to add to this soon. I've been working in premium cocktail bars for years so hopefully I can add something worthwhile.

 

[winkydink]

I'll give it a go:

Extra Dry Martini:

Before we get started, one note of caution--

Make sure your gin is at room temperature before you make your martini. Vermouth is best stored in the refrigerator, but please refrain from keeping either in the freezer. Many use this as a short cut to getting the coldest martini possible, but by freezing your gin you lose one of the most essential ingredients to the perfect martini -- water. The small amount of ice that melts when stirring makes for a smoother drink, and as an Extra Dry Martini is pretty close to straight gin, this added smoothness is important.

The ingredients are simple enough:

3 oz Preferred Gin (Boodle's for me)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat for now, haven't found a replacement)
1 Vermouth soaked olive

I use lightly crushed ice. This seems to work best for me. Cubes have too much surface area for efficient melting and fully crushed ice melts too much.

Pour 3/4 oz Dry Vermouth into shaker and shake vigorously. 10 seconds seems to do the trick for me. This is an EXTRA DRY martini so the next thing to do is a quick strain into the sink. Two or three quick shakes should do it. Since you've only used 3/4 oz you won't be wasting too much vermouth. Most of it is still in the shaker after straining -- it's just clinging to the ice. If you don't like the idea of wasting liquor, I guess you could strain into a cup and drink it straight. I'd imagine that will get you some odd looks if you're serving guests.


Enjoy!

I tried this method today and when I shook the vermouth vigorously, it froze! Very little came out. What I ended up with was a good martini, but not what I'd call extra dry. I've taken to pouring a little vermouth into the martini glass and swirling it around to coat the entire inside of the glass. Any extra (very little with a bit of practice) gets dumped out.

I know some folks who use a spray bottle for the vermouth, but you start approaching a Churchill martini at that point (pour a bunch of gin in the shaker and look at the vermouth bottle whilst shaking).

 

[osueng800]

Here’s something I thought I could contribute to this thread: Classic Grog. In college I’ve sat on the porch and watched the snow fall while sipping this concoction with a few lovely co-eds...

1 shot rum, dark or white (I prefer a spiced rum myself)
1 tsp sugar
Squeeze of lemon
Cinnamon stick
Boiling water to fill a mug

In a mug, mix together the rum, sugar and lemon with the cinnamon stick. Add enough boiling water to fill the mug, or to taste.

 

[raylinds]

I'll give it a go:

Extra Dry Martini:

Before we get started, one note of caution--

Make sure your gin is at room temperature before you make your martini. Vermouth is best stored in the refrigerator, but please refrain from keeping either in the freezer. Many use this as a short cut to getting the coldest martini possible, but by freezing your gin you lose one of the most essential ingredients to the perfect martini -- water. The small amount of ice that melts when stirring makes for a smoother drink, and as an Extra Dry Martini is pretty close to straight gin, this added smoothness is important.

The ingredients are simple enough:

3 oz Preferred Gin (Boodle's for me)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat for now, haven't found a replacement)
1 Vermouth soaked olive

I use lightly crushed ice. This seems to work best for me. Cubes have too much surface area for efficient melting and fully crushed ice melts too much.

Pour 3/4 oz Dry Vermouth into shaker and shake vigorously. 10 seconds seems to do the trick for me. This is an EXTRA DRY martini so the next thing to do is a quick strain into the sink. Two or three quick shakes should do it. Since you've only used 3/4 oz you won't be wasting too much vermouth. Most of it is still in the shaker after straining -- it's just clinging to the ice. If you don't like the idea of wasting liquor, I guess you could strain into a cup and drink it straight. I'd imagine that will get you some odd looks if you're serving guests.

Next, add 3 oz of gin to shaker and stir until you feel the outside of the shaker start to freeze. I usually stir by holding the shaker and doing a swirling motion, but you can use a stir stick as well. Pour contents into a frozen cocktail glass, garnish with an olive, and voila -- an Extra Dry Martini.

EDIT: There are two aesthetic details to look for in the martini. First, your stirring should be gentle enough that you don't bruise the gin. The final product should be as a clear as water. Second, if you've used a frozen glass as recommended and stirred to the appropriate temperature, there should be a barely visible film of ice on the top of the drink. Strictly classy!

There are as many variations on the martini as there martini drinkers. This is just one way, and in my opinion, the Extra Dry is less of a true cocktail and more of a method for serving gin. The water from the melted ice smoothes out the gin, the vermouth adds a subtle background note, and the gin comes out the end ice cold and truly refreshing.

Enjoy!

Excellent write-up and that will serve many drinkers well. People assume martinis are simple to make because there are only two ingredients, but there are many subtle variations that can make big differences as you so aptly pointed out. My tastes in Martinis are slightly different from yours so I will offer my methodology (after a LOT of experimentation). This is not to be contrary, but I love to talk cocktails and, particularly martinis. It's not a question of right or wrong- just personal preferences.

First, I realized a long time ago that I do not like olives in my martini. I love olives, especially olives that have been in a martini, but I don't like the strong olive flavor "tainting" my gin. I prefer a lemon twist and a few dashes of orange bitters (Angostura is my preferred brand. Regans is fine, but Fee Brothers not so good). Orange bitters were supposedly used in martinis when they were first introduced.

My proportion of vermouth-to-gin is about the same. I currently favor Dolin Vermouth (since they changed the Noilly Prat recipe). Dolin is French- the French make superior dry vermouth, the Italians excel at the sweet variety. It must be the dry Dolin- they have a white vermouth, but it is sweeter. My go-to gin is Bombay Sapphire. I have a lot of friends that tend bar in trendy NYC places, and they are not fans of Sapphire, but I like it.

I do not like my gin diluted with water or too cold (cold stifles flavor)- I like to taste the full botanical flavors of the gin. I also hate shards of ice in my martini. I, therefore, stir my martini or shake it lightly with large cubes of ice.

My cocktail would taste much different than Bunchoffives, and I would never say mine is better. It's all a matter of taste so try both! I'm going to make one now.

Cheers,
Ray

 

[raylinds]

Under the "sweet stuff" you need Trader Vic's Mai Tai

Mai Tai
1 lime
1/2 oz. orange Curacao (not triple sec, I use Bols)
1/4 oz. rock candy syrup (simple syrup 1:1)
1/2 oz. orgeat syrup (I use Torani - no HFCS)
2 oz. rum* (1 oz. dark Jamaican such as Meyers or Coruba, 1 oz. Appleton Estate V/X)
Cut the lime in half and squeeze, reserving one shell. Combine ingredients in a shaker half filled with cracked ice. Shake and pour into a double old fashioned glass (or vintage Trader Vic Mai Tai glass) Serve with mint and a fruit stick.

*Note on the rums: According to Trader Vic, the original Mai Tai was made with J. Wray 17y old Jamaican Rum (no longer available). While I believe that using a 17y old rum is unnecessary for this drink, I do think that using Jamaican rums helps with the authenticity. In his book, he recommends 1 oz. Dark Jamaican rum and 1 oz. Martinique rum. I've heard that if you order a Mai Tai "made the old way" in a Trader Vic's today, it is made with Coruba and Lemon Hart Demerara (Guyana) rum.

Wow Matt, not many people know the true Mai Tai recipe, but you've nailed it. There are so many really bad imitation Mai Tais out there (usually really sweet). The secret is like oriental cooking- the right balance of sweet and sour.

Cheers,
Ray

 

[raylinds]

One of my favorite classic cocktails is the Martinez. It is thought to be the precursor of the modern Martini. To me it tastes like a cross between a Martini and a Manhattan. There are numerous variations to the recipe- I will present two:

The Old-Style Martinez

1 1/4 oz Gin (Old Tom's is the most authentic)
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 Tsp Maraschino Liqueur
1-2 dashes Angastura bitters
Stir or shake, pour into cocktail glass garnish with lemon or twist

The Modern Martinez

1 1/2 oz gin (Plymouth works well)
1 1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth
2 Tsp Maraschino Liqueur
2 dashes orange bitters
Stir or shake, pour into cocktail glass garnish with lemon or twist

I have seen variations that use dry vermouth, or half dry and half sweet. Experiment with using Angostura, Peychaud's, and orange bitters.

Cheers,
Ray

 

[raylinds]

I tried this method today and when I shook the vermouth vigorously, it froze! Very little came out. What I ended up with was a good martini, but not what I'd call extra dry. I've taken to pouring a little vermouth into the martini glass and swirling it around to coat the entire inside of the glass. Any extra (very little with a bit of practice) gets dumped out.

I know some folks who use a spray bottle for the vermouth, but you start approaching a Churchill martini at that point (pour a bunch of gin in the shaker and look at the vermouth bottle whilst shaking).

Your method is what's known as the "In 'n' Out".

 

[DapperJames]

My personal favorite drink & for the Pirate in all of us...

The Dark 'N' Stormy


Use only:
Gosling's Black Seal Rum
Barritt's Ginger Beer


Process:
In a tall glass filled with ice add 2 oz Gosling's Black Seal Rum and top with Barritt's Ginger Beer. You should get a nice frothy head.

 

[Torcams]

My personal favorite drink & for the Pirate in all of us...

The Dark 'N' Stormy


Use only:
Gosling's Black Seal Rum
Barritt's Ginger Beer


Process:
In a tall glass filled with ice add 2 oz Gosling's Black Seal Rum and top with Barritt's Ginger Beer. You should get a nice frothy head.

- A great beverage. Barritt's is a great ginger beer. Although not "authentic" my preference is for El Dorado 5 year old rum.

 

[DapperJames]

- A great beverage. Barritt's is a great ginger beer. Although not "authentic" my preference is for El Dorado 5 year old rum.

I'll have to give that a try.

 

[dod.e.ratherwell]

Gin and It

3 parts gin (I prefer Tanqueray)
1 part Italian vermouth (Cinzano here every time)

Stir with ice and serve in a cocktail glass or over ice in an Old Fashioned glass.

Not a bad cocktail, especially if you tip in a dash or two of orange bitters or a slice of lemon.

This and the Manhattan have been my go-to cocktails for years!

 

[funkadelyk]

Yo Bartender gimme a Beautiful! Cognac 80% and Grand Marnier 20% adjust % based on personal preference.

I like Remy Martin: VSOP
The aromas and flavours:
Oak notes: Predominantly vanilla, with a hint of liquorice
Fruity notes: The roundness of summer fruits, especially ripe apricots and peaches
Floral notes: The impertinence of wild flowers, particularly violets
The texture: Silky
The finish: A perfectly balanced blend of ripeness

Grand Marnier
Aroma: Complex nose of orange flowers combined with scents of candied zests and toffee.
Flavour: Bitter orange flavours are enhanced by the cognac with nuances of orange marmalade and hazelnuts. The finish is long and harmonious.

When its cold out I drink it heated in a snifter (Brandy glass).
When its hot out I drink it in a rocks glass with ice.

I must say both are good alone but together its an explosion of taste and great for sippin. That's how I roll nowadays no more keg stands and beer bongs. I like to relax and have a drink with a pipe or hookah smoke.

 

[andrewckellogg]

Grog

Hot Water

Rum to taste

really great when you're absolutely freezing

 

[Benzine Prosper]

A couple of well-tread classics:

The Hemmingway Daiquiri
1 1/2 oz white Rum (I recommend Matusalem platino)
1/4 oz Maraschino liquor (They've just started remaking the classic cherry herring, for the truly devoted, but otherwise the Italian Luxardo is a fine choice.)
3/4 oz Fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 oz Grapefruit juice

The Blood and Sand Cocktail
3/4 oz Scotch whisky (Blended scotch actually comes in handy, as an overly peaty or developed single malt can lend a chemical quality to the drink)
3/4 oz rosso vermouth
1/4 oz cherry brandy (Cherry herring once again makes this drink)
1 1/2 oz orange juice (Fresh squeezed is best)

Just a few to get you started

 

[Rollie Juddernaut Fingers]

I'll give it a go:

Extra Dry Martini:

Before we get started, one note of caution--

Make sure your gin is at room temperature before you make your martini. Vermouth is best stored in the refrigerator, but please refrain from keeping either in the freezer. Many use this as a short cut to getting the coldest martini possible, but by freezing your gin you lose one of the most essential ingredients to the perfect martini -- water. The small amount of ice that melts when stirring makes for a smoother drink, and as an Extra Dry Martini is pretty close to straight gin, this added smoothness is important.

The ingredients are simple enough:

3 oz Preferred Gin (Boodle's for me)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat for now, haven't found a replacement)
1 Vermouth soaked olive

I use lightly crushed ice. This seems to work best for me. Cubes have too much surface area for efficient melting and fully crushed ice melts too much.

Pour 3/4 oz Dry Vermouth into shaker and shake vigorously. 10 seconds seems to do the trick for me. This is an EXTRA DRY martini so the next thing to do is a quick strain into the sink. Two or three quick shakes should do it. Since you've only used 3/4 oz you won't be wasting too much vermouth. Most of it is still in the shaker after straining -- it's just clinging to the ice. If you don't like the idea of wasting liquor, I guess you could strain into a cup and drink it straight. I'd imagine that will get you some odd looks if you're serving guests.

Next, add 3 oz of gin to shaker and stir until you feel the outside of the shaker start to freeze. I usually stir by holding the shaker and doing a swirling motion, but you can use a stir stick as well. Pour contents into a frozen cocktail glass, garnish with an olive, and voila -- an Extra Dry Martini.

EDIT: There are two aesthetic details to look for in the martini. First, your stirring should be gentle enough that you don't bruise the gin. The final product should be as a clear as water. Second, if you've used a frozen glass as recommended and stirred to the appropriate temperature, there should be a barely visible film of ice on the top of the drink. Strictly classy!

There are as many variations on the martini as there martini drinkers. This is just one way, and in my opinion, the Extra Dry is less of a true cocktail and more of a method for serving gin. The water from the melted ice smoothes out the gin, the vermouth adds a subtle background note, and the gin comes out the end ice cold and truly refreshing.

Enjoy!

I find you don't need to chill the vermouth, when you can chill the glass, or fill a shaker with ice. Storing vermouth in a wine fridge is probably the best bet.

I think the most important point to remember with Vermouth is that it is technically a wine, and should be safeguarded against spoiling. Often people have these ancient bottles of Martini and Rosi extra dry vermouth in a zillion litre bottle from their grandfather's days with dust all over it, in complete ignorance that vermouth spoils after only 6 months. The best bet is to buy small bottles. As far as mixing and preparation, that varies from drinker to drinker.

 

[Benzine Prosper]

One of my current faves, an old one from Harry Craddock's in Paris -
The Burnt Fuselage
1oz VSOP cognac
1oz Grand Marnier
1oz French vermouth (a dry white vermouth)

Stir over ice, strain into a martini glass, lemon zest over the top to taste

A good classic, worthwhile bringing back!

 

[HokieGeek]

..... i love this board... just thought I'd say that.

 

[jd428jd]

I'll give it a go:

Extra Dry Martini:

Before we get started, one note of caution--

Make sure your gin is at room temperature before you make your martini. Vermouth is best stored in the refrigerator, but please refrain from keeping either in the freezer. Many use this as a short cut to getting the coldest martini possible, but by freezing your gin you lose one of the most essential ingredients to the perfect martini -- water. The small amount of ice that melts when stirring makes for a smoother drink, and as an Extra Dry Martini is pretty close to straight gin, this added smoothness is important.

The ingredients are simple enough:

3 oz Preferred Gin (Boodle's for me)
3/4 oz Dry Vermouth (Noilly Prat for now, haven't found a replacement)
1 Vermouth soaked olive

I use lightly crushed ice. This seems to work best for me. Cubes have too much surface area for efficient melting and fully crushed ice melts too much.

Pour 3/4 oz Dry Vermouth into shaker and shake vigorously. 10 seconds seems to do the trick for me. This is an EXTRA DRY martini so the next thing to do is a quick strain into the sink. Two or three quick shakes should do it. Since you've only used 3/4 oz you won't be wasting too much vermouth. Most of it is still in the shaker after straining -- it's just clinging to the ice. If you don't like the idea of wasting liquor, I guess you could strain into a cup and drink it straight. I'd imagine that will get you some odd looks if you're serving guests.

Next, add 3 oz of gin to shaker and stir until you feel the outside of the shaker start to freeze. I usually stir by holding the shaker and doing a swirling motion, but you can use a stir stick as well. Pour contents into a frozen cocktail glass, garnish with an olive, and voila -- an Extra Dry Martini.

EDIT: There are two aesthetic details to look for in the martini. First, your stirring should be gentle enough that you don't bruise the gin. The final product should be as a clear as water. Second, if you've used a frozen glass as recommended and stirred to the appropriate temperature, there should be a barely visible film of ice on the top of the drink. Strictly classy!

There are as many variations on the martini as there martini drinkers. This is just one way, and in my opinion, the Extra Dry is less of a true cocktail and more of a method for serving gin. The water from the melted ice smoothes out the gin, the vermouth adds a subtle background note, and the gin comes out the end ice cold and truly refreshing.

Enjoy!

This recipe also works with Vodka, and for a really super dry martini take your room temp dry vermouth and put about 1/2 oz directly into the martini glass swirl around the glass slowly coating the glass and dump the remainder into the sink. Then take you shaken/stirred, vodka/gin and strain into your martini glass. Also if you don't have a cold martini glass on hand, while you are preparing and making your martini just fill a glass with ice and soda or still water to chill it. You should empty the glass before you add the booze. Good Luck!!