Spirits and Cocktails

[zitothebrave]

Mario Batali is a monster.

Found the slate article to be condescending and douchey. Corrected that the rule with shaking vs stirring is with spirits vs mixers. But is that really a reason to get pissy? If a ****er wants to shake a cocktail why don't you let them?The ratio of Whiskey to vermouth isn't that far off a traditional manhattan. The IBL standard is 5 parts whiskey 2 parts vermouth. Mario is at 5 parts whiskey 1.5 parts vermouth. I mean for real, the doucheyness was strong with that article.

 

[jpx7]

The IBL standard is 5 parts whiskey 2 parts vermouth. Mario is at 5 parts whiskey 1.5 parts vermouth.

IBA standard is not the "traditional manhattan", though: 2:1, 1:1, or even 1:2 are all traditional formulations, but that 5:2 crap—like the 5:1 or 6:1 martini—is a very modern convention, and something that I find pretty silly. At 5:2 or 5:1, you're not making a cocktail: you're effectively treating vermouth like a bitters.

(And, of course, that's not even mentioning that a proper Manhattan absolutely should be composed of rye.)

Found the slate article to be condescending.

Admittedly—as a pedant generally, and a cocktail-pedant specifically—that's one thing I liked about the article. That and the fact that it's entirely correct about both good cocktails and Mario Batali.

 

[zitothebrave]

Half an ounce is not the same as a dash of bitters. Anda 2-1 is a perfect Manhattan. No clue who goes 1-1 or 1-2. 1-2 sounds like a different drink.

And I agree about rye. But there isn't a bourbon Manhattan name that's widely accepted like say the rob Roy. And its considered acceptable to use bourbon for that reason. But like a vodka martini it should have the name of the booze in front of it. That said I wouldn't sully a decent bourbon or scotch with vermouth and bitters. Total waste of a quality liquor.

 

[jpx7]

Half an ounce is not the same as a dash of bitters.

As a vermouth-lover, to me it might as well be.

And a 2-1 is a perfect Manhattan. No clue who goes 1-1 or 1-2. 1-2 sounds like a different drink.

All various recipes from 1880-1910. David Wondrich's Imbibe is a great source for these traditional/historical/original recipes. This website also culls together some good information.

 

[zitothebrave]

Well, you are permitted to believe that. Personally I think getting your dick bent about cocktails isn't the best way to go. I mean Batali isn't claiming to be a cocktail expert. I'm guessing he's heavy handed. It would be like someone writing an article on what I'm cooking and putting basil in a bolognese and Batali getting bent out of shape. People can do whatever they want for themselves.

 

[jpx7]

Well, you are permitted to believe that. Personally I think getting your dick bent about cocktails isn't the best way to go. I mean Batali isn't claiming to be a cocktail expert. I'm guessing he's heavy handed. It would be like someone writing an article on what I'm cooking and putting basil in a bolognese and Batali getting bent out of shape. People can do whatever they want for themselves.

There's a difference between you doing what you want and a guy with huge audience, in a massively-distributed periodical, spewing crap under the auspices of haute because of his culinary station.

Meanwhile: I'm certainly not bearing any authentic umbrage at Batali's crap cocktails—it's just amusing that he has no taste in drinks, and willingly shares that fact in weekly format with the english-speaking world.

 

[zitothebrave]

He has taste, it's his own. For example, some hate spice, some are heavy handed with spice, doesn't make one not have taste. If Batali likes his drinks boozy, that's his own opinion. Considering most of the complaints are about names and techniques, it really just comes off as douchey.

 

[zitothebrave]

To put a beer equivalent on it in worse writing cause I'm horrific at writing.

"I can't believe Rogue has the audacity to call Dead Guy a Maibock. Ignoring that they use Perle, a non-noble hop. Ignoring that it's ABV is at the bottom of the Maibock spectrum barely making it there. Ignoring all that how can Rogue call a beer a bock, if it's fermented with Pacman yeast, an Ale yeast"

Douchey **** like that is why I hate critics.

 

[Hawk]

I LOL'd at the 'Hemingway was actually a diabetic' jab.

But, aside from that, agree with Zito that the douche-o-meter was unfavorably tipping the scales in that Slate piece. And I would disagree with the assertion that Batali is trying to paint himself as some sort of master mixologist. This is a guy that wears Orange Crocs and seems to intentionally brand himself as an over-the-top buffoon. I read the NYT Magazine because it comes with the paper on Sundays -- it's mostly fluff -- his blurb runs beside "The Meh List", so ...

 

[Tapate50]

three day golf tournament had me drinking a lot of what we have come to call "transfusions" or "LSDs". Ginger ale, goose, and two splashes of grape juice. Add two lime wedges and you got a great summer cocktail.

 

[jpx7]

I read the NYT Magazine because it comes with the paper on Sundays -- it's mostly fluff -- his blurb runs beside "The Meh List", so ...

I'd actually never read his segment, nor did I know of it until the Slate piece, nor do I regularly read NYT Magazine—Crocs just rub me the wrong way.

Plus—more importantly—as I mentioned earlier, sometimes I personally like a little pedantic righteousness. Not always, but cocktails represents one place I find it fun to be snooty (which is what I would label the tone of the Slate piece, and which I would definitely distinguish from "douchey").

 

[jpx7]

I've been enjoying a bottle of this since last Saturday.

Still haven't decided how best to mix it—with a bottle of any spirit I haven't tried, I start off sampling it straight, then chilled/iced, then with some soda water and bitters/amari—but it's pretty shocking how dramatically the complexion is altered when the corn-composition goes from 51%-~60% (bourbon range) to 90%. True to name, it's very mellow, and extremely smooth for a bonded whiskey (rounder; less spicy but also less sweet than, say, Old Grandad Bond)—but it's also richer and darker than many of the high- or all-corn whiskeys (which frequently are unaged and marketed moonshine-style) that I've had.

A weird whiskey to place—but priced right ($10-15 range; I bought it for $13.99, I believe, at Binny's). I may see how it rolls in a Negroni variation, since it's not too assertive and could be aided by some bittering agents to balance things out. If deployed in a Manhattan variation, I'd want a spicier red vermouth—like Cinzano, Punt e Mes, or (if using a red quinquina) Bonal over Byrrh et al—for the same reasons.

 

[zitothebrave]

So made some bacon infused bourbon with some good quality bacon and some Knob Creek 100. I think it came up a little shy on the bacon flavor. Next time I may use more bacon/bacon fat and maybe time. Still excellent, don't know if I want to work on it twice though. Anyway I made a fantastic light riff on an old fashioned. Without any oranges or bitters I'm missing 2 key ingredients to this one, but I mixed a little bit of maple syrup (probably an ounce) with the bacon bourbon and it's fantastic. I need to work on ironing it out butit was pretty simple to make and I enjoy the whiskey as is.

 

[Runnin]

This is what folks around these parts call whiskey...

And everyone puts ice in their beer. And cocktails are not really a thing.

In Argentina they put ice in wine. They make a decent wine though, at least until the ice goes in.

 

[zitothebrave]

Had some fun with some whipping up on the spot that turned out well. Wanted to make a slight twist on a margarita.

Put in a healthy dose of tequila, in there with a healthy dose of cointreau, then a healthy dose of lime. Topped off with some carbonated water. Good flavor, good balance, does the job more than a little. .

 

[Runnin]

Finally bought my first bottle of this. Gonna open it tonight for a farewell toast to Jason Heyward.

 

[zitothebrave]

I've got something in the works for you [MENTION=108]jpx7[/MENTION]

Not remotely traditional, but fun.

 

[zitothebrave]

Ok so I lied about the not remotely traditional, but this is still fun.

Made an old fashioned. Took 1 tsp brown sugar, squeezed some orange to get the brown sugar to blend, recipes I saw called for water, I am not a fan of Maraschino cherries, too sweet, so instead of muddling an orange I figured the squeeze would replace the muddled orange and the water in one fell swoop. 2 oz of Smuggler's Notch Distillery's Bourbon, a dash of bitters and though you can't see it super well, my ice cubes are Daleks. My peel wound up being a beast. I decided to tried something a little different, but it didn't work. I'll stick to just using a pairing or chef's knife and have it be a little less pretty but the end result will have way less pith and be a better product.

So I have 2 pics, first is just it, second is it with my fun light up coaster (from thinkgeek, periodic table coastes)

Also made a tequila sunrise for the girlfriend. Prepping for my life outside of an apartment when I'll have a bar.

 

[BedellBrave]

Talisker