Gin Cocktail Contest Winner: The 5/25

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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Recipe Contest Winner / 36 Hours Left!

The recipe contest winner for August was Derrick Smith at Dezo Four Lives. His Chai-Coffee Cocktail Recipe was a rich, flavorful, creamy treat that both Guest Judge Brent Hall of Counter Culture Coffee and I loved. Although the recipe is for a cocktail on the rocks, you can also skip the chilling and the ice, and serve this as a hot drink instead.

Also, just a quick reminder: There are only 36 hours left to enter this month's tea recipe contest, the theme of which is "Sparkling Tea Drinks." Enter your sparkling tea recipe by midnight EST on September 30th for a chance to win!

Photo (c) Lindsey Goodwin
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"It's About That Time" for Grapefruit - Contest Winner

The announcement of the day, which I'm very excited to pass along, is that we have reached a decision in the Grapefruit Cocktail Contest. It took a bit to narrow down to three finalists and to the ultimate champion because there were so many great recipes submitted for this one - I am, in fact, impressed that a simple ingredient like grapefruit could be taken to such levels of creativity by every one and thank you! - and the name of the drink seems fitting after the duration of the deliberation. It's About That Time is the cocktail and Andrew Pollard is the creative soul behind it.

It's About That Time is a complex cocktail, but as I say in the recipe, don't let the little things overwhelm you because it can easily be broken down to a simple understanding and is worth every second you spend building this beauty. I do not, however, discount the consensus that this is not a quick drink to make and is more likely useful for occasions where you really want to impress guests. From what I gather, both Mayhew and Milligan had to try this one more than once, just to make sure it was that good.

Before you skip over to the recipe, here's the low down on what it entails... Gin, Campari, Spiced Grapefruit Sour, Mint, Tonic, and Atomized Caramelized Grapefruit Bitters. You may ask first about those bitters, right? Essentially, Pollard pours bitters in a atomizer and sprays them over the drink with a lit brulee torch in hand. Crafty!

Thank you Andrew for sharing this wonderful drink and congratulations! I'm sure I will be referencing It's About That Time often.

Check out the It's About That Time recipe...

We had a lot to work with when all the submissions came in and it's important to point out the other two fabulous grapefruit cocktails that went into the final judging...

First off we have the Cheater Five by Andy Forstel. This is a mix of the always fascinating Broker's Gin, Cocchi Americano, Strega, St. Germain, ruby red grapefruit, and bitters. Milligan comments that it is one of those "simple drinks that become greater than their parts" while Mayhew wonders if it really needs the Strega. I agree with both, the drink is enjoyable as written, but if you don't have one of the liqueurs there's no need to fret, just make the rest of the drink.

Then there is Pretty in Paloma by Tobin Shea. Who doesn't love a great Paloma, right? In this recipe Shea has amplified the great tequila cocktail and it celebrates the marriage of tequila and grapefruit in a splendid way. The addition of elderflower is a happy little surprise that adds to the earthiness so there's a balance of vegatal and citrus flavors.

Thank you to everyone, we have thoroughly enjoyed this exploration of grapefruit. Now it is on to Absinthe and there's just over a month to submit a cocktail for that. Share your absinthe cocktail here...

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