betterwithbitters-blog

[betterwithbitters-blog]

This week my wife made an amazing Moroccan chicken pie, so I was inspired to make a cocktail that Incorporated Moroccan flavors. I find this awesome recipe from @the_bojon_gourmet for a Moroccan mojito, and it was the perfect pairing with they pie. Strong flavors of cardamom and mint played well with the rum and made it a great summery drink. I added Moroccan bitters, from @thebittertruthcompany, which gave it nice complex and aromatic notes. ------ Moroccan Mojito (makes 4 drinks) - 2 tbsp black tea - 20 cardamom pods, crushed - 3 tbsp came sugar - ¾ cup packed mint leaves - 2-3 tablespoons lime juice - 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice - 5 oz white rum - 1 oz dark rum - 1 ½ tsp rosewater - 12 drops Moroccan bitters Place the tea and crushed cardamom pods in a heatproof measuring cup, and add boiling water to bring the mixture to the 3/4 cup mark. Let steep 10-20 minutes. Meanwhile, muddle the mint leaves and sugar together in another measuring cup to bruise the mint. Add the lime and lemon juices, starting with the smaller amounts; stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the tea concentrate, rum, rosewater, and bitters to the mixture and shake together. Pour over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint leaves. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #moroccan #mojito #rum #mint #bitters #cardamom #tea #rosewater #lemon #lime

[betterwithbitters-blog]

Been feeling under the weather there past few days, but I thought a little liquid medicine might help that. Got to use my new bottle of Fernet Branca on this for the first time. It added a nice herbal and bitter backbone to an otherwise sweet drink. Definitely boozy, but I'm the best way possible. ------ Root of All Evil - 2 oz bourbon - ¾ oz orange liqueur - ½ oz Fernet Branca - ½ oz maraschino liqueur - 2 dashes orange bitters - Orange peel garnish Stir all ingredients together with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into an old fashioned glass and garnish with orange peel. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #fernet #bourbon #orange #maraschino #root #all #evil

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I've been craving a spirit heavy drink this week and this cocktail, La Louisiane, fit the bill perfectly. Originally this was the house cocktail for La Louisiane in New Orleans, it's a perfect mix of sweet, spice, and fruit notes. ------ La Louisiane - 2 oz rye - ¾ oz dry vermouth - ¼ oz Benedictine - 2 heavy dashes Peychaud's - 2 heavy dashes absinthe Stir all ingredients together in a mixing glass and pour over ice. Garnish with cherries (brandied if available) ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #rye #benedictine #vermouth #peychauds #absinthe

[betterwithbitters-blog]

I hit the jackpot this week. Two of the local liquor stores near me are going out of business and having store-wide sales. Picked up quite a few things including two ingredients from this week's cocktail: scotch and Cherry Heering. I also happened to finish a home batch of allspice dram (courtesy of @gastronomcocktails) this week so I had to make this version of the Wildest Readhead from @gingerrickey at @raineslawroom. ------ Wildest Readhead - 1 ½ oz scotch - ¾ oz lemon juice - ½ oz honey syrup (3:1) - ¼ allspice dram - ¼ Cherry Heering Shake all ingredients together and pour over a large ice cube in a rocks glass. (The original recipe calls for pouring the Cherry Heering in last but I decided I wanted everything mixed together). Garnished with a lemon peel. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #wildest #readhead #scotch #cherryheering #allspicedram #lemon

[betterwithbitters-blog]

Craving something light and fresh as the weather around here warms up. A classic paloma is a great summer drink, but I love the twist Andrew Hannigan from @bastionnashville put on his version with mezcal and ancho reyes liqueur. This is a must for a hot summer day spent outside. ------ Mezcal Ancho Paloma - 1½ oz mezcal - ½ oz Ancho Reyes - ¾ oz fresh grapefruit juice - ½ oz fresh lime juice - ¼ oz agave nectar - 2 drops 1:1 salt solution - Club soda Shake all ingredients, except club soda, together and strain into a highball glass. Top with soda and garnish with citrus wedges. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #paloma #mezcal #anchoreyes

[betterwithbitters-blog]

Picked up some new tiki glasses this week so I had to break them in. I got my recipes mixed up and ended up making a cross between a Saturn Cocktail and a Rye Tai. By dumb luck it ended up being a really nice combo. I think I'll call this a Saturn Tai ------ Saturn Tai - 1 ½ oz gin - ½ orgeat syrup - ½ lemon juice - ¼ passion fruit cordial - 8 dashes of Angostura Shake and serve over crushed ice. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #tiki #gin #orgeat #lemon #passionfruit #angostura

[betterwithbitters-blog]

Spring has sprung in DC, which means the cherry blossoms have arrived! In honor of the annual cherry blossom bloom I came up with my own cherry blossom collins recipe. To make it an authentic cherry blossom collins you need to use @dcdistillers Spring/Summer Gin since they use cherry blossoms as one of the botanicals in the gin! The addition of nigori sake gives it a milky white hue, reminiscent of the cherry blossoms. That plus yuzu give it a nice Japanese twist. ------ - 2 ½ oz Green Hat Spring/Summer Gin - ½ oz nigori saki - 1 ½ tsp yuzu honey jelly - ¼ oz lemon juice - ½ tsp rose water - Splash if soda water Shake all ingredients together. Pour over ice and add a splash of soda water. Garnish with cherry blossoms (picked from a friends tree outside the district) and a rose water mist. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #cherryblossom #collins #gin #sake #nigori #yuzu #greenhat #rosewater #dc #spring

[betterwithbitters-blog]

Back to work tomorrow after a week-long beach vacation requires two things: coffee and alcohol. I'm a huge fan of Vietnamese coffee, so when I saw this drink from @asianbox I knew it was a must try. I tweaked the recipe slightly from the original, using hot Vietnamese coffee instead of cold brew. You could also cut the bourbon back a little if you want it less boozy. ------ Good Morning Vietnam - 4 oz Vietnamese coffee - 2 oz bourbon - 1 oz evaporated milk - 1 oz sweet and condensed milk - ¼ tsp cinnamon - ¼ tsp vanilla extract Shake all ingredients together and strain into a glass over ice. Garnish with a sugar and coffee rim. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #vietnamese #coffee #bourbon #good #morning #vietnam #vacation

[betterwithbitters-blog]

I'm on vacation in Mexico this week so I dusted off an old recipe that I came up with after trying a similar drink last time I was in MX. For most drinks I don't recommend one brand over another, but I think this drink is best with Vida Mezcal, perfect amount of smoke and earthiness to bring out all the other flavors in this drink. ------ Tierra Y Fumar - 2 oz Vida mezcal - 1/5 of a medium cucumber - ½ oz lime juice - ¼ simple syrup - 2-3 basil leaves Muddle the cucumber (leave the skin on), add other ingredients, and and shake. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a side of cucumber and basil leaf. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #mexico #mezcal #vida #cucumber #basil #tierra #fumar

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Liquor + smoke = 👍👍 ------ Japanese Cocktail (variant) - 2 oz brandy - ½ oz orgeat - 3 dashes Angostura bitters - Lemon twist for garnish - Hickory smoke Mix all liquid ingredients together in a mixing glass. Add smoke to a cocktail glass and let sit for 30 seconds. Slowly pour the cocktail into the smoked filled glass to retain the smoke. Garnish with a lemon twist. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #japanese #brandy #orgeat #angostura #bitters #lemon #smoke #smoky

[betterwithbitters-blog]

A bought a bottle of aquavit for Thanksgiving dinner and have lately been wanting to make a cocktail with it. I came across this recipe from @fiveandspice the other day and had to try it. It was a great twist on the classic Tom Collins! ------ Tomas Collins - 2 oz aquavit - 2 tbs lime juice - 1 ½ tbs simple syrup - 1 tsp pickle brine - Club soda to taste Shake aquavit, lime juice, simple syrup, and pickle brine together. Pour into Collins glass and top with soda water. Garnish with a spring of fresh dill. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #aquavit #dill #pickle #lime #collins

[betterwithbitters-blog]

A few years ago I lived in Chiang Mai, Thailand. When I was there the bar scene wasn't great, but in the years since a bunch of great places have popped up. One of those places is @mixologychiangmai. They are an awesome little bar that is making some really inventive cocktails. The first time I went there I had an amazing drink called Prik Me Up (Prik is "spicy" in Thai). It was the first time I had a spicy cocktail and it blew my mind. I've done my best to recreate their recipe, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. ------ Prik Me Up - 1¼ oz Thai vodka* - ½ oz coconut liqueur - ¾ oz lime juice - ¼ oz simple syrup - 2 drops chili tincture or 1 chopped Thai chili Shake all ingredients together and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a chili pepper. - *To make Thai vodka, infuse chopped lemon grass (2 stalks), ginger (large thumb sized piece), and kaffir lime leaves (handful) in vodka for 1-2 weeks. Strain out vodka once it is ready to drink. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #thai #spicy #chili #vodka #coconut #lime #lemongrass #ginger #chiangmai

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I've been trying to find a cocktail I really like that incorporates Sherry or Madeira. I haven't been quite gotten there yet, but I definitely got a lot closer with this drink. Recipe courtesy of @aphonik, adapted for my bottle collection ------ 1 oz Rye 1 oz Aged rum ¾ oz Sweet vermouth ½ oz Madiera 2 Dashes grapefruit bitters 1 Dash Angostura bitters 1 Orange peel twist Stir, stain over a rock and garnish with orange peel ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #madeira #rye #rum #vermouth #lovecraft #brooklyn

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Tiki time! I've been hunting all weekend for some vintage tiki glasses and have struck out so far. Anyone in the DC area know of a place I can find some? Inspired by this weekend's hunt I made the Test Pilot, a classic tiki drink made famous by Don the Beachcomber. ------ - 1 ½ oz dark rum - ¾ light rum - ½ oz falernum - ½ oz lime juice - 1 tbsp. Cointreau - 6 drops absinthe - 1 dash Angostura bitters Shake all ingredients together in a shaker. Pour over crushed ice and garnish with a cherry. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #tiki #rum #test #pilot #falernum #absinthe #cointreau #lime #angostura

[betterwithbitters-blog]

Liquor + smoke = 👍👍 ------ Japanese Cocktail (variant) - 2 oz brandy - ½ oz orgeat - 3 dashes Angostura bitters - Lemon twist - Hickory smoke Mix liquid ingredients in a mixing glass. Add smoke to a cocktail glass, and let sit for 30 seconds. Slowly pour in cocktail to retain some of the smoke. Add lemon twist ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #japanese #brandy #orgeat #bitters #angostura #lemon #smoke #smoky

[betterwithbitters-blog]

We all have that one friend who says they don't like cocktails. I made this for a friend who says that all the time, and he loved it. It'll be sure to convert your "I only drink beer" friends. ------ Mezcal Shandy - 2 oz pilsner - 1 oz mezcal - ¾ oz lemon juice - ¾ oz demarara simple syrup - Salt for garnish Shake mezcal, lemon juice, and syrup together. Add to a salted rim glass and stir in the pilsner. Garnish with a lemon slice. P.S. I added some smoked paprika to the salt which complimented the mezcal nicely. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #mezcal #lemon #pilsner #beer #demarara #salt #shandy

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This week's cocktail, Miss Me Not, comes courtesy of @imbibe. Had high hopes for this one, but the flavors were honestly a little too subtle and nothing really stood out. Oh well, they can't all be winners. ------ - 1 oz tequila - ¾ oz sherry - ¾ oz lemon juice - ¾ oz sugar snap pea and celery syrup - Seltzer - Absinthe Shake tequila, sherry, lemon juice, celery and sugar snap pea syrup. Strain contents into a highball glass over ice and top with seltzer. Garnish with mint sprig and absinthe mist. ...... #52weeks52drinks #cocktails #cocktail #cocktailporn #cocktailrecipe #mixology #mixologist #drinks #bar #bartender #homebar #homemade #booze #thirsty #craft #liquor #spirits #drinkstagram #tequila #sherry #lemon