First off, it is Hot Toddy Day. If nothing else, this gives you a great excuse to mix up a nice Hot Toddy of any variety.
In other cocktail news this week...
Bols Bartending Academy - For those who are interested in learning and expanding their skills behind the bar, a trip to Amsterdam may be in order. There are a variety of intense bartending courses available via the House of Bols throughout the year.
Distillery Worker Commits Suicide by Leaping into Vat of Whisky - Tragedy struck the Glenfiddich distillery in Dufftown, Banffshire, Scotland this week.
Rum Company Offering Free Tattoos in Chicago - 101 people in Chicago will receive a free tattoo in honor of Norman "Sailor Jerry" Collins' would-be 101st birthday. The free ink will be from one of the tattoo icons' most popular design and is brought to us by the spiced rum that bears his name. If you're looking for a classic sailor tat, this is your chance for a freebie.
What's in a Brand? - We all have our favorite brands of everything, especially when it comes to our liquor. Why is that? The majority of the time it is based on the theory that when you find something great, there's no need to switch it out. It's interesting to read some of the marketing stories in business journals and this week Business Insider took a look at how Jack Daniel's became so popular - selling on allocation while creating a higher and higher demand. Also, in one of the related articles there, it's fascinating to note that 3 of the top 20 Brands With The Most Loyal Customers come from the liquor industry (no beer is mentioned... hmm). Those brands? Ketel One and Grey Goose vodkas and Patron Tequila.
New Spirits:
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If you disagree with part of the definition or have something to add to it, I'd love to hear your perspective -- add your two cents in the comments below!
Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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If you have something to add to (or challenge about) this definition of coffee, share it with other readers in the comments below.
Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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Learn more about this fascinating ingredient (and its uses in coffee, tea and other hot drinks) with my new guide to ginger.
Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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Curious to know more about caffeine? Ask your questions in the comments below.
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I say this all the time because I believe it: sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. The winner of the Gin Cocktail Contest we ran before the holidays proves that perfectly. The honors for the winning recipe goes to Greg Easter for his drink called The 5/25.
When I say simple I in no way mean boring. If that had been the case I would not be writing about this 3-ingredient drink. No, what seems on screen to be an average gin cocktail is an explosion of tastes when it is mixed up and the ingredient that is key to making this happen is Easter's Moroccan citrus syrup. This is a mix of citrus and cardamom, an ingredient that makes a regular appearance in Moroccan cuisine, and when this is mixed with Beefeater and fresh lime, the drink comes to life. The 5/25 is a shining example of the happy marriage of gin and citrus and certainly worth a taste.
Check out The 5/25 cocktail recipe...
Interestingly, I learned from Easter yesterday that his latest article in the Los Angeles Times (to which he regularly contributes) is about Bathtub Gin. It is a nice read and includes a recipe for those who are inclined to give the Prohibition-era endeavor a try as he includes his recipe.
Back to the contest... This was a great one and everything I expected from a gin theme. I want to thank everyone who participated for sharing your recipes. There is not a single one that was not enjoyable. However, I did have two other favorites which warrant mention. One is the Spikenard by Blair Frodelius who took top honors in the previous November's cinnamon challenge with the Admiral Perry. The Spikenard utilizes my favorite flavor, lavender, in two forms, a syrup and Dry Soda in a fizz-style drink. The other gin finalist was Stew Ellington's Yazuka, which is a fascinating mix of flavors that combines gin, sake, absinthe, maraschino, and Swedish bitters. Now, that's some flavor for you.
Thank you to all, and congratulations Greg. I'll be announcing the next contest soon.
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Cocktails Suggestions:
Area Beers:
Happy 2012! Here is this weeks boozin' news to kick off the new year...
Scotch in a Can - This is a story that will leave many whisky connoisseurs cringing - it did that for me.? Scottish Spirits Imports Inc. plans to release a 'single grain' Scotch in 12-ounce aluminum cans to the U.S. market in February. That's right... 8 shots of 3YO Scotch in an non-resealable can and it will be selling for $5 each. So many aspects of this seem wrong, the most glaring issues are: 1)It's Scotch in A CAN! 2)That is far too much straight liquor for a single person to drink who wishes to retain some sanity and the can just encourages overindulging. The biggest question, and I admit to being a skeptic on this one: How does it taste?
2012 Trends?:
Every new year brings a slurry of predictions about trends and foregoing that story myself this year, here are a few thoughts about what we will see...
New Micro-distilleries:
Small distilleries have been popping up almost everywhere in the last few years. Here are two of the newest prospects...
Whisky Flavour Map - I have a map similar to this handy and they are a great resource for finding the Scotch that fits your taste. I wonder where that canned whisky fits in?
Top 10 Martinis in the Twin Cities - Minneapolis/St. Paul does not get as much credit for cocktails as other cities in the U.S., but there are some fine drinks to be found there and this list is a good place to begin.
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Increasingly around the country, bartenders are hearing the slightly odd question, “May I have a Pickleback?” The Pickleback is a two shot drink, thought to have originated in hipster bars in Brooklyn, but no one knows the exact origins of this drink. What is known is that the Pickle Back has become one of the hottest drinks in the country. Simply one shot of Jameson’s Irish whiskey and a second shot of pickle juice, first you take the Jameson’s, folowed by the pickle juice. This drink is both surprising and tasty. Some cutting edge bars have begun to create their own signature pickle juice to pair with Jameson’s. Portland bartender Jacob Grier offers up pickled nectarine juice as his accompaniment, while NYC bartender TJ Lynch of the Breslin uses a pickle juice prepared by Quino Baca, co-owner of Momofuku.
When I asked TJ Lynch, who is New York City’s "Prophet of the Pickleback", how his customers react when he offers up the unusual shot of Jameson and a pickle juice chaser to his patrons, he said that he gets three reactions. “The most popular is that they think I’m kidding, followed by thinking I’m crazy and some people say that there is no way they are going to try it.” Luckily, Lynch is very persuasive and I can attest that the combination of Jameson’s Irish Whiskey and pickle juice, while sounding odd, can be a delicious combination. Lynch attributes the success of the drink to Jameson’s slightly wood, sweet taste, which, combined with the pickle juice, leaves a rich, umami flavor on the palate. I will warn you, do not accept a pickle back without Jameson’s. Every substitution I have tried has had disastrous results. As for the pickle juice itself, I have tried everything from canned pickle juice in a neighborhood tavern to homemade pickle brine from Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak in Scottsdale and just about everything in between. I prefer a homemade brine, but the juice from commercial pickles works just fine. Just try to avoid brine from pickled beets, the combination ends up tasting like a week old sweatsock.
When I’m drinking Picklebacks, I usually choose a light lager beer like Dos Equis to complement the flavors. TJ Lynch prefers Tecate in the can with a bit of lime and salt, and Portland hipsters seem to go for the refreshing taste of Pabst Blue Ribbon. However you choose to enjoy your Pickleback, a light lager style beer will match it perfectly.
The Pickleback is simple to make at home, just one shot of Jameson’s Irish whiskey and one shot of pickle juice from a Vlasic jar in the fridge will do fine. At a bar, you may need to coach the bartender on this one, but trust me its worth it. At the rate that this drink is spreading in popularity, it won’t be long before the Pickleback surpasses the Kamikaze in popularity.
For many of us the winter has been unseasonably and somewhat unreasonably warm so far. Do not let the lack of snow and spring-like temps fool you, because it is winter and Mother Nature will be reminding us of that soon. In preparation for the inevitable, I wanted to share some warm drinks that are ideal for evenings when the temperature is barely tolerable.
Mulled Spice Cheribundi - Cherry juice and bourbon make up the base for this winter warmer that is designed to be shared with friends and few drinks are better after a long day out in the cold. The 'traditional' winter spices add a bit of interest, but the ingredient here that I think makes the drink really stand out is the root beer, which is warmed right alongside everything else.
The Snow Honey - Warm milk has never been on the top of my list of must-have drinks and for many years of my childhood the thought was repulsing unless it was enhanced with a whopping amount of chocolate. Though, as I've aged so have my tastes (thankfully) and the soothing aspects of a hot milk drink before bed have won me over. I finally get what grandma was talking about, but I still think milk needs a little enhancement such as the clover honey and Courvoisier that this drink? uses.
Brotherly Love - Something magical happens when gin makes an appearance in hot cocktails. The botanicals of the spirit take on a new life and infuse the senses with an intensity that cannot be found in chilled gin. In this drink there are even more aromatics from the Licor 43, with the vanilla and citrus notes rising out most prominently. Milk makes another appearance here and all of this combined makes a truly delicious drink.
Winter Hill - This drink by James Pierce quickly rose to the top of my cherished winter cocktails. The citrus and bourbon accented with chocolate bitters in a steaming brew is relaxing, revitalizing combination that is the epitome of what is so great about hot mixed drinks.
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The fermentation tanks at Cruzan Rum are large vats that hold molasses, water and yeast and are the beginning of the rum making process.
Photo Credit: c Shannon GrahamDefinition: A process that uses yeast to break down sugar molecules into carbon dioxide gas and ethyl alcohol. This chemical change is achieved because the yeast rapidly reproduces itself in any solution that contains sugar.
Peach juice is so nice in the heat of the summer. Lemon is nice, but you can only drink so much lemon iced tea. Try something different.
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Immediately after the 18th Amendment went into effect there was a dramatic decrease in alcohol consumption that made many advocates hopeful that it would be a success. In the early 20’s the consumption rate was 30% lower than it was before prohibition but later in the decade, as illegal supplies increased and a new generation began to ignore the law and reject the attitude of self-sacrifice, more Americans once again decided to indulge. In a sense, prohibition was a success if only for the fact that it took years after repeal before consumption rates reached those of pre-prohibition.
Advocates for prohibition thought that once liquor licenses were revoked reform organizations and churches could persuade the American public not to drink, “liquor traffickers” would not oppose the new law and saloons would disappear. There were two schools of thought amongst prohibitionists.
One group hoped to create educational campaigns and within 30 years American would be a drink free nation, however they never received the support they were looking for. The other group wanted to see vigorous enforcement that would essentially wipe out all alcohol supplies. This group was also disappointed as law enforcement could not get the support of the government they needed for an all-out enforcement campaign. During the depression the funding was not there and with only 1,500 agents nationwide they could not compete with the tens of thousands of individuals who either wanted to drink or wanted to profit from others drinking.
The innovation of Americans to get what they want is evident in the resourcefulness used to obtain alcohol during prohibition. This era saw the rise of the speakeasy, home distiller, bootlegger, rum-runner and many of the gangster myths associated with it.
Many rural Americans began to make their own hooch, ‘near’ beer and corn whiskey. Stills sprung up across the country and many people made a living during the depression, supplying neighbors with their moonshine. The mountains of the Appalachian states are famous for moonshiners and although it was decent enough to drink, the spirits that came out of these stills were often stronger than anything that could have been purchased before prohibition. The moonshine would often be used to fuel the cars and trucks that carried the illegal liquor to their distribution points and the police chases of these transports have become equally famous. With all of the amateur distillers and brewers trying their hand at the craft there are many accounts of things going wrong: stills blowing up, newly bottled beer exploding and alcohol poisoning.
Rum-running also saw a revival as a trade in the United States. Liquor was smuggled in station wagons, trucks and boats from Mexico, Europe, Canada and the Caribbean. The term “The Real McCoy” came out of this era. It’s attributed to Captain William S. McCoy who facilitated most of the rum running via ships during prohibition and would never water down his imports, making his the “real” thing. McCoy, a non-drinker himself, began running rum from the Caribbean into Florida shortly after the beginning of prohibition. One encounter with the Coast Guard shortly thereafter stopped McCoy from completing runs on his own. The innovative McCoy set up a network of smaller ships that would meet his boat just outside U.S. waters and carry his supplies into the country.
Speakeasies were underground bars that discreetly served patrons liquor, often including food service, live bands and shows. The term speakeasy is said to come from bartenders telling patrons to “speak easy” when ordering so as not to be overheard some 30 years before prohibition. Speakeasies were often unmarked establishments or were behind or underneath legal businesses. Corruption was rampant during the time and although raids were common, owners would bribe police officers to ignore their business or give them notice of when a raid was planned. While the "speakeasy" was often funded by organized crime and could be very elaborate and upscale, the "blind pig" was a dive for the less desirable drinker.
Probably one of the most popular ideas of the time was that the mob held control of the majority of the illegal liquor trafficking. For the most part this is untrue, although in concentrated areas gangsters did run the liquor racket. Chicago was one of those cities where they did control distribution. At the beginning of prohibition the “Outfit” organized all of the local Chicago gangs and split the city and suburbs into areas, each of which would be controlled by a different gang who would handle the liquor sales within their district.
Underground breweries and distilleries were hidden throughout the city. Beer could easily be produced and distributed to meet the demand of the city but because many liquors require aging the stills in Chicago Heights and on Taylor and Division streets could not produce fast enough and the majority of spirits were smuggled in from Canada. This distribution operation out of Chicago soon reached Milwaukee, Kentucky and Iowa.
The Outfit would sell liquor to the lower gangs at wholesale prices and even though the agreements were meant to be set in stone, corruption was rampant and without the ability to resolve conflicts in the courts they often resorted to violence in retaliation. After Al Capone assumed control of the Outfit in 1925 one of the bloodiest gang wars in history ensued.
While prohibition was originally intended to reduce beer consumption in particular, it ended up increasing the consumption of hard liquor. Brewing requires more space both in production and distribution than liquor, making it harder to conceal. This rise in the spirit consumption of the time played a big part in the martini and mixed drink culture that we’re familiar with and “fashion” we associate with the era.
Have fun with the cocktails you create with embellishments that fit the mood. Carve fruit into the heart shapes or garnish with chocolate covered strawberries or heart shaped cinnamon hearts. For dessert, try Forget Me Not Fudge.
More Valentine's Day Cocktails
Whiskey Cocktails for Valentines
Photo Courtesy: Herradura Tequila
Photo Courtesy: c Amarula Cream Liqueur
Love flavors: marula, lychee
Tempting? Yes! The Amarula & Eve is a delicious cocktail that mixes Amarula Cream with citrus, lychee, and grapefruit for an unbelievable delight.
Photo Courtesy of: c TY KU Liqueur
Photo Courtesy: c St. Germain Liqueur
Love flavors: elderflower, strawberry, champagne
The Cherub's Cup is an angelic twist on typical sparkling wine cocktails. You will fall in love with the St. Germain and Hendrick's background, while the strawberry is just a little bonus.
Caffeine-Free "Tea" vs. Decaf Tea
Although there are many naturally caffeine-free herbal teas / tisanes, there are no naturally caffeine-free "true teas" (teas made from Camellia sinensis, such as green tea, black tea and white tea).
Contrary to popular belief, decaf teas are NOT caffeine free. They still contain caffeine.
For about a decade, there was a popular caffeine myth surrounding at-home tea decaffeination. According to this myth, you could decaffeinate tea at home by steeping it for about 30 seconds, pouring out the tea, and then brewing it again. This has been scientifically shown to be incorrect. It does not decaffeinate your tea.
Caffeine by Type: Black Tea, Green Tea, White Tea & More
Traditionally, many people have thought of teas' caffeine levels as being associated with tea "types," such as black tea, green tea and white tea. More recently, scientific testing has shown that variations in caffeine levels of different tea types have more to do with how they are brewed than how they were processed into tea.
For example, if you brew your white tea at a low brewing temperature for a short infusion time, then it will be much lower in caffeine than if you brew it like a black tea.
In fact, brewing a white tea as you would brew a black tea (with boiling or near-boiling water for four to five minutes) could produce a cup of white tea that is HIGHER in caffeine than black tea.
For more on green tea and caffeine, read the FAQ How Much Caffeine is in Green Tea?
Caffeine & Brewing Style
Brewing methods and styles can have a large impact on a tea's caffeine level. Using a higher water temperature, longer brewing time or higher ratio of tealeaves to water will increase the caffeine level of your brew. Using teabags can also influence your tea's caffeine level (see "Caffeine Levels in Different Tea Grades" below).
Caffeine Levels in Different Tea Grades
Tea grades are categories assigned to teas based on how whole or broken the leaves are. Generally speaking, broken leaves will impart more caffeine into your brew faster than whole leaves. Teabags often hold very broken grades of tea, so they tend to have higher levels of caffeine. (For more information, see teabags vs. whole-leaf tea.)
Tea grades also assess how "tippy" a tea is. The ratio of tips in a tea can also impact its caffeine level.
Tea Tips, Tea Stems & Caffeine Levels
Tea tips / buds (the newly formed leaves of the tea plant that are often used to make white tea) are generally known to be higher in antioxidants and nutrients than older tea leaves. However, few people realize that they are also higher in caffeine than older tea leaves.
In terms of the pure leaf, many white teas from outside of Fujian, China are higher in caffeine than black teas simply because they are made with more tips / buds. Similarly, tippy black teas and green teas will be higher in caffeine than their leafy counterparts.
Conversely, tea stems contain very little caffeine. Teas like Hojicha and Kukicha are made from "twigs" (stems) and are naturally very low in caffeine.
Caffeine Levels of Tea Varietals
The Assamica tea varietal is higher in caffeine than other tea varietals. The Assamica varietal is primarily grown in Assam, India and used to make bold, tannic black teas, such as English Breakfast tea.
The so-called "white tea varietals" (China's tea varietals #1 and #2) are naturally lower in caffeine (and higher in antioxidants) than other varietals. For this reason, white teas grown from these varietals (such as Fujian Silver Needles and White Peony) are also lower in caffeine and higher in antioxidants than many other teas. However, there are some "white teas" made from other varietals in other parts of the world, and these white teas are not as low in caffeine. One example of this is White Darjeeling, which is made from varietals with higher caffeine levels, and is mostly made of tea tips (which naturally contain more caffeine than opened leaves or stems).
Caffeine in Shade-Grown Teas
Generally speaking, shade-grown teas (such as Gyokuro Green Tea) will have higher levels of caffeine than other teas. This phenomenon has to do with a shift in chlorophyll and other chemicals that occurs when netting is used to shade the leaves from sun in the days or weeks prior to harvest.
Caffeine Levels of Powdered Teas
Powdered teas (such as Matcha Green Tea) are usually very high in caffeine. This is because you consume the entire leaf rather than just an infusion of the leaf, so you consume all of its caffeine instead of just some of it.
Matcha powdered tea is especially high in caffeine because it is shade grown (see "Caffeine in Shade-Grown Teas" above).
Caffeine Release in Twisted / Rolled Teas
Teas that are highly rolled or twisted may release caffeine more slowly than leaves that are flat or open. This tends to apply to certain types of oolong teas, which are typically brewed many times in a gaiwan or yixing teapot. It is not known whether the overall release of caffeine over multiple infusions is comparable to the caffeine release of single infusion a similar, but less twisted / rolled, tea.
Tea Blends & Caffeine Levels
Teas that have been blended with other ingredients (such as mint or masala chai spices) will often have lower caffeine levels than unblended teas. This is because people often brew them with the same ratio of tea to water (such as one teaspoon per cup), but the total amount of tea leaf used is lower, as it has been partially replaced by herbs.
I hope you enjoy it, and if you think of a term that's missing, feel free to add it in the comments, and I'll try to add it to the collection.
Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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If you have not noticed over the last few years, we have many multi-day cocktail events to choose from now. What was once just Tales of the Cocktail every July in New Orleans has developed into a number of conventions throughout the U.S. and Canada and now is a great time to begin planning which you'll be checking out this year.
First on the agenda is one that I'm excited about checking out, the San Antonio Cocktail Conference. It is at the end of this month (January 26-29) and is centered around the Sheraton Gunter Hotel in downtown. The seminar list is impressive, spanning the interests of both home and pro bartenders. Saturday evening there is a cocktail competition at Bohanan's Bar, which it seems like you can still enter with a $20 fee. A soiree is planned for each night, including one with a river taxi on Friday. Then, there are all of the sites of the city itself that I'm excited to take in.
One of the great twists about this San Antonio's first attempt at the cocktail conference is that all proceeds support HeartGift, an organization that fills a need for children in developing countries who require heart surgery. Great party, great cause, sounds like fun. Of course, I'll be sharing my adventures from there, but if you're looking for something to do mid-winter, check this one out.
Next up will be Tales of the Cocktail on Tour Vancouver on February 12-14 and if you can't wait for TOTC in July (end of the month this year), here's an opportunity to get a fix early.
Later in the year there is the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (May), Tales of the Cocktail (July), San Fransisco Cocktail Week (September), and Portland Cocktail Week (October). Those last two have tentative dates as of now, but we should know those soon.
There is more going on and one of my resolutions for the year is to keep you updated on more events and competitions as they come across my desk. Stay tuned and check out the Cocktail Events calendar for more info, events, links, and updates.
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If you'd like to use tea to detox or use tea as part of an overall detox diet, read up on detox teas (such as pu-erh and peppermint leaf) and the best detox tea blends (such as Traditional Medicinals' EveryDay Detox and Yogi Tea's DeTox Tea).
Are you drinking teas or herbal infusions to detox in 2012? What are your favorite detox teas? Share your plans and tips with other About.com readers in the comments below.
Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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Do you have a favorite kombucha or kombucha brand? Share it with other readers in the comments below!
Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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What to Avoid in Coffee Storage
Photo Credit: c Grey Goose Vodka
Photo Courtesy of: c Stoli Vodka
Photo Courtesy of Midori
Photo Courtesy of: c SKYY Spirits
Photo (c) Marko Goodwin
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2012 is just a few short days away and that means that it is time to check out the drinks that might just make an appearance at your New Year's Eve party.
First of all, I'd like to bring up a point of preparation for New Year's that is often forgotten until it is too late: The Hangover! I've been writing here long enough to know that this is one of the top searches on New Year's Day and I realize that many of you will be afflicted with this post-party ailment; admit it, you know it too. So, because some of the last things you will want to do Sunday morning (or what ends up being 'morning' to you) is 1) read (searching for hangover cures) and 2) scramble around the house looking for aspirin or the ingredients for a Bloody Mary only to find out that you have nothing. New Year's Eve survivalist 101 says be prepared for the after effects and this is a good place to begin: Hangover 101. Mix up or gather whatever you need for the 'cure' you intend to use and leave it in a convenient place before you venture out Saturday night. You can thank me Monday.
Second, and even more important, for surviving New Year's is to plan how you are going to get home from wherever you are going if you intend to drink. Enough said about that, just do it!
Now that business is done, on to the fun part...
Champagne is the iconic choice for celebrating the new year and while a freshly popped bottle of the bubbly is great, we love to mix here and for that I have a whole host of Champagne cocktails for you to browse. A few that I might suggest are: Ernestine Rose Cocktail, French Pear Martini, Sour Witch, and the classic Black Velvet. If you are not well-versed in handling Champagne my colleague, About.com Wine Guide Stacy Slinkard, as some great tips for storing, corking, and serving which you will want to read.
If you are looking for cocktail options that go beyond Champagne but are in keeping with the theme of the evening, check out the New Year's Eve Cocktail list. One of my favorites on there is the Leap Year (a sweetened gin martini) and 2012 is a leap year, making it a highly appropriate drink for this occasion in particular.
Now, we must not forget those who do not drink alcohol and if you're hosting a party it's always nice to give everyone the option of non-alcoholic drinks. In keeping with the sparkling splash of the holiday, here are a few of my favorite mocktails for this occasion...
If you are hosting the bash you may also want to check out Donna Pilato's tips for decorating and planning a New Year's party.
Happy 2012! I wish everyone the best in the New Year, Cheers!
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