Gin Buck Cocktail Recipe – Bartender Toronto Bartending School

BartenderOne’s classic cocktail series teaches you how to create the worlds most delicious and sought after cocktails, through this series of easy to use and understand web tutorials. This Month, The Gin Buck

Drink recipes: Flaming Dr. Pepper – Part 2

Dr. Pepper has always been my absolute favorite soda. So when a friend introduced me to a Flaming Dr. Pepper a couple of years ago i was eager to give it a try. I learned that the drink actually does not contain any soda, yet it tastes like Dr. Pepper.

Flaming Dr. Pepper was invented in the Ptarmigan Club in Bryan, TX. I absolutely love the drink and it is fun to watch them make it when you go to a bar with the flames. there are versions of the drink that do not contain flames, but who doesn’t want to watch the flames of this famous cocktails?

I have yet to try making this at home myself because I am a little afraid, but a bartender friend of mine makes this from time to time when we hang out and have a couple of cocktails.

Here is a recipe for Flaming Dr. Pepper ~

Flaming Dr. Pepper ~

Dark beer

1/2 oz Amaretto

1/2 oz Kahlua

Shot of 151 proof rum

Fill a beer mug about 3/4 of the way full with the beer.

Next add in the Armetto and Kahlua (make sure it is in that order) into a shot glass

Add in the 151 rum to the shot glass.

Set a fire with a math on the top of the rum.

If you wish blow the fire out, but it you are daring drink it as is.

Drink it quickly!

Enjoy!

This is a fun drink and it really does taste like Dr. Pepper. So try not to drink to many, since it not the actual soda. If you have to much of this “soda” you won’t know what hit you when you try to stand up.

Buyers guide to cocktail shakers

Cocktail shakers are the essential tool for your bar. A good one will help any novice or seasoned bartender or you, the party host make great drinks. The versatility is what makes it invaluable. It is used to chill liquors, mix, strain, blend and measure. What other bar device does so much?

Here are the primary considerations if you are looking to purchase a shaker. First you must decide if you want a shaker for function or decoration. There are lots of shakers on the market, some in rather elaborate sets. You can also find shakers in many sizes.

If you are focused on function and want a shaker that will serve you well and be a good value, go for stainless. A 16 ounce version will be large enough to mix 2-3 drinks at once. Stainless is the best for chilling liquors that will not be served with ice. (Think martini or cosmopolitan) It will chill quickly and stay cool if you are making 2 or 3 drinks in a row. The top serves as a shot glass if you need to insure accurate measurements. The strainer will, well, strain ice for cocktails served straight up.

If decor is most important, you have lots of options there too. You can get shakers that are glass, stainless and glass, stainless and even crystal. I don’t think the glass and crystal versions chill as quickly an seem a bit more difficult to work with but definitely look great on a tray or lacquered bar top. There are even some types that have drink recipes on the outside. You can go for a decorative type that is made to match accessories for a pub style bar, or a sports theme and many more.

Other options to consider: Shaker and glass sets are an easy way to match bar-ware. Individual size shakers are popular now allowing guests to “shakeup” their own drinks. You can even get plastic non-breakabe shakers made for pool side mixing.

Select a shaker that will work for you and allow you to mix beverages with flair!

How to order a martini at a cocktail bar

At a busy nightclub or a quiet jazz bar, knowing not only the “right” way, but your way to order a martini is essential. You’ll look sweet, and you’ll get the drink you want. Plus, the bartender won’t short your pour because they think you’re an idiot. Here are the cardinal rules for a great martini:

1) Know what you’re up against.

If you order a martini at the bartop the bartender will probably ask you “gin or vodka.” Maybe. Depending on the noise level, the pace of the bar, or the laziness of the employee (all usually high) they probably won’t even ask that. So, if you just say, “hey dude, gimme a martini,” the bartender will probably assume you want a gin martini, straight up, no olives, shaken like a rattlesnake. If you order from a cocktail waitress, it’s worse. They usually don’t know more than the types of liquor they carry, so ordering “your” martini will probably confuse them. Be prepared by knowing – and saying – exactly what you want.

2) Vodka or Gin.

A simple question, and one that you shouldn’t need help answering. If you don’t know, you’re not ready for the martini.

If gin is your poison, Bombay Saphirre is a good start and almost everywhere carries it for a price that won’t destroy your bar tab. If its vodka you want, Grey Goose, Belvedere, and Ketel One (my favorite) are great as well as Chopin, a great potato vodka. A good martini starts with its number one ingredient – liquor.

3) Sweet or Dry?

The next step is vermouth. The options are:

VERY DRY – Basically no vermouth at all. It’s just a huge shot of chilled gin or vodka. Don’t be pretentious, just ask for a huge chilled shot of vodka. Honesty and humor might even get you a little something extra.

DRY – An eighth of an ounce or so of dry vermouth (36 proof). A good bartender will just coat the ice in the vermouth and then pour out the rest. If that’s what you want – order it.

SWEET – Sweet vermouth (30-32 proof) traditionally tastes a little better than dry, so it’s applied more liberally, especially in martinis like the manhattan which can be an ounce or more in some cases.

VERY SWEET – Like “sweet,” but more.

PERFECT – ordering a “perfect” martini is just half an ounce of sweet and half an ounce of dry vermouth. It’s balanced. You know…perfect.

4) Shaken or stirred?

Ever since James Bond this question has divided martini enthusiasts over shaky opinions of what is best for your drink. Shaking a martini is purported to spread the vermouth more evenly throughout the drink leading to a more rounded taste, but it also adds more bubbles to the drink and breaks the ice up more, making it watery. Stirring a drink allows the liquor to reach the taste buds more easily and it keeps the drink from getting cloudy or “bruised” as some purists put it. It’s really your call, but more often than not a martini comes shaken these days despite which side you champion.

5) Garnish it with confidence.

One olive? Two? Six? Be specific, because a standard dirty martini will never come with more than 2 olives. If you want a lime, ask for a Gimlet. If you like onions, go for a Gibson. They all have really distinct flavors, and it’s fun to order something a little off the beaten path.

6) On the rocks?

There is only one way to order a martini – up. If you want a drink with ice, get a jack and coke. Don’t be the guy with ice in your martini – they already come chilled.

After that you’re pretty much set. Try to work out a way of ordering that flows in one sentence. A martini is a chic drink, so don’t draw out your explanation, because just like a pitcure, a good martini is worth a thousand words.

Drink recipes: Bronx

Basically, the Bronx cocktail is a perfect martini with orange added to it. It is full of flavour and quite sweet and fruity but is not sticky. In “The Word’s 10 Most Famous Cocktails in 1934″ it was ranked at #3. This made it a very popular rival to the Martini which came 1st and the Manhattan in 2nd place. It remains a popular choice today in some markets and the International Bartender Association has selected it as an Official Cocktail.

The history of the Bronx is a disputed one, as with several other mixed drinks which were invented prior prohibition in the United States.

Joseph S. Sormani, an Italian who came to the United States when he was 18 was the owner of Sormani’s restaurant at Pelham Parkway and Boston road for thirty years. When he died his New York Times obituary credited him with inventing the Bronx cocktail.

“Joseph S. Sormani, retired Bronx restaurateur, who was said to have originated the Bronx cocktail, died Wednesday night in his home, 2322 Fish Avenue, the Bronx, after a brief illness. He was 83.”

Another source credits Sormani with being responsible for the Bronx.

“The Bronx cocktail, strange to say, was invented in Philadelphia of all places! There it might have remained in obscurity had it not been for one Joseph Sormani, a Bronx restaurateur, who discovered it in the Quaker City in 1905.

The original recipe has been greatly distorted in the course of year, but here’s the original to guide you and to compare with the other recipes being used: Four parts of gin, one part of orange juice and one part of Italian Vermouth. Shake thoroughly in ice and serve.”

The inventor of the Bronx was a bartender at the Manhattan Hotel called Johnnie Solon , according to Albert Stevens Crockett, historian of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. This is his account of Solon’s story about the Bronx came about.

“We had a cocktail in those days called the Duplex, which had a pretty fair demand. One day, I was making one for a customer when in came Traverson, head waiter of the Empire Room-the main dining room in the original Waldorf. A Duplex was composed of equal parts of French and Italian Vermouth, shaken up with squeezed orange peel, or two dashe sof Orange Bitters. Traverson said “Why don’t you get up a new cocktail? I have a customer who says you cant do it.”

“Cant I?” I replied.

Well, I finished the Duplex I was making and a thought came to me. I poured into a mixing glass the equivalent of two jiggers of Gordon

Drink recipes: Cosmopolitan – Part 8

Cosmopolitans and a good time go hand and hand, as we’ve seen from the wild girls on Sex in the City. But Sarah Jessica Parker need not be the only one having a great time with pink martini in hand. Although practice does make perfect when making these beauties, a good Cosmo can be as easy as a few key ingredients and a nice healthy shake.

My favorite recipe goes as follows:

A two-count (one Mississippi, two Mississippi) of a fruit-flavored vodka like Absolut Mandarin (A mango-infused vodka can really take it up a notch!)

A one-count of Cointreau or Grand Marnier (Skip the triple sec, these are much better. I prefer Cointreau, but go for the Grand Marnier for more of a kick.)

A good squeeze of fresh lime juice (You can substitute Rose’s lime in a pinch, but a little goes a long way with that stuff.)

Just a dash of cranberry juice for color. This drink is NOT supposed to be red, no matter what the bartender tells you.

First, fill your martini glass to the top with ice. Then add some water to start the glass-chilling process. For those who plan ahead, you can put your martini glasses in the freezer and take them out as needed and ready to go.

Next fill your shaker with a healthy portion of ice – usually a couple of good scoops will do. Then add ingredients. Don’t bother measuring the amount of liquor you put in the shaker, just go by instinct. After making two or three, you will have the proportions down just right. Top your shaker with a short plastic cup that fits just inside your shaker. These work better than the traditional shaker tops and allow for more shaking until faint ice crystals appear in your drink. Now, shake until you’re tired of shaking and the shaker gets too cold to hold. This may seem like overkill, but it’s the most important step to a good Cosmo! Next, dump the ice and water from your glass and strain your masterpiece into the chilled stemware. If it’s anything less than a light pink, you will have to lighten up on the cranberry juice next time around.

Now enjoy, but be careful. Just because they are pink doesn’t mean these fruity concoctions don’t pack a hard punch. For girls who need to lose their inhibitions, this is the ticket!

Drink recipes: Old fashioned

Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail is a mellow blend of whiskey, fruit and sugar that can become a lifelong love affair. It has been a standard recipe in bar manuals and guides since the 1890’s. The oldest recipe I could find varies little from the way the drink is made today. When made properly with a good quality bourbon or Tennessee whiskey this drink is one of the truly delightful gems in the world of mixology. Sip it slowly and you can hear those horses thundering around the track and smell the blue grass.

This first recipe is from George J. Kappelar’s 1895 “Modern American Drinks”

Old Fashion Recipe for an Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail

Dissolve one lump of sugar with a little water in a whiskey glass: add two dashes of angostura bitters and a small piece of ice, a small piece of lemon peel, one jigger of whiskey mix with a small bar spoon and serve with the spoon in the glass.

Modern Old Fashioned

2 ounces excellent bourbon or Tennessee whiskey

teaspoon of sugar

Two dashes of angostura bitters

teaspoon of warm water

One lemon twist

One orange wedge or slice

One old fashioned glass

Ice cubes not shaved ice

Orange wedge or wheel and cherry for garnish

Sip sticks

Building this drink

In an old fashioned glass mix warm water and sugar until sugar is dissolved

Add bitters, lemon twist, orange wedge and a splash of the whiskey. Muddle these ingredients together briefly by alternately pressing down on fruit with the back of a bar spoon and stirring, repeat this twice. Add remainder of the whiskey and just enough ice to come even with the liquid. Garnish with an orange and cherry. Serve with a sip stick as this drink may need to be stirred lightly in between sips.

Tips

This drink can be strained and served up martini style but it seems to loose something

Never add soda water

If the bartender or server does not recommend a good whiskey cancel the order. If they don’t know how to sell a drink they probably know less about making them. This is one of those drinks that if made properly are delicious and if not is a waste.

The Kappelar recipe came from

Http://www.drinkboy.com/cockta ils/recipe/Oldfaxhioned.html

Drink recipes: Bijou

In today’s world, the cocktail is widely becoming more and more popular. Mixologists (a term coined for specialists combining flavors to make new and exciting creations, often of hard alcohol) are being employed more than ever to create new drink recipes. Major restaurants have started a new trend in using these masters of flavor to not only tantalize the public with a refreshing mixed drink but are using them to pare cocktails with menu items.

When entertaining, the same old drinks can become tired classics. Imagine treating your party guests to a new and exciting drink that will not only keep them asking for more but will also embellish your status as an amateur bartender. Surely your party will be guaranteed to be a hit if the mix of drinks are just right.

I came upon this recipe for a “Bijou” not to long ago. Try this at your next gathering and see your friend’s delight with this cocktail. This recipe is scaled for one drink. Adjust accordingly to create more.

Ingrediants:

3/4 oz sweet Vermouth

3/4 oz Gin

3/4 oz Green Chartreuse (a green liquor using a variety of herbs)

small dash of Orange Bitters (liquor made from orange peels and gin)

1 Maraschino Cherry

Add all ingredients except the cherry in a martini shaker with ice. Shake for a few seconds and strain into cocktail glass. Add the cherry and enjoy!

Drink recipes: Three wise men

The Three Wise Men is a drink that is slowly making it’s way up the cocktail ladder, though I personally think it’s better as a shot than an actual cocktail. It’s more of an ‘order-at-the-bar’ drink than a ‘make-at-home’ drink; small bottles of each can run you about $40 and up, plus it’s not the most sophisticated of drinks, suitable for frat parties and the like. If you’re not used to whiskey or if you like to appreciate your alcohol, this probably isn’t the drink for you, and should be avoided. In my opinion, this is one of those party shots that people do to get drunk, much like tequila or other mixed shots.

There isn’t much to say about the recipe, it’s a pretty straight forward, no substitutions accepted recipe, but there are a few tricks to making it that can either make it a tasty treat or a suffering experience.

First, the actual recipe:

In equal parts, mix Jim Beam bourbon whiskey, Jack Daniels bourbon whiskey, and Johnny Walker Black Label blended scotch whiskey (Red will do if it’s all you have or prefer to save a few extra bucks) in a cocktail shaker; a splash of each should be enough for one person. If you own a jigger, it’s half the small side of each, for one person, or the whole small side for two. Add ice, shake, and strain into a shot glass for a shot or a chilled martini glass for a cocktail.

Which leads us to the first trick: Ice. Chilling it will take some of the bite out of the whiskey and scotch, and leave you with the sweet sensation. I’ve seen a couple people take the shot warm, trust me, not something you want to do. When at the bar, just remember to ask for it chilled, just in case the bartender isn’t familiar with it.

The second trick: Scotch is a little more bitter than whiskey, so if you lighten the Johnny Walker pour just a little, it may help sweeten the taste. Once again, when you’re at the bar, ask the bartender to go ‘a little light on the Johnny’ if you prefer the sweeter taste.

Like I said before, there’s not much to say about the recipe, it’s straightforward, easy to make, and simple to remember. All you have to do is think: Jim, Jack, and Johnny. Experimenting at home is always a good way to perfect your recipes for when you go out.

Always drink responsibly.

Tequila Shots