Things to Drink

Five Cocktails For Mardi Gras

February 28, 2017 By Brian Petro

A Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans from the 1890’s.

On Wednesday, Christians will begin the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. It is a day of fasting and reflection, complete with a trip to church and marking of the forehead with palm ashes. It occurs forty days (forty-six, if you are really counting) before Easter, indicating the time that Jesus spent in the desert fasting and meditating. Before that day is Shrove Tuesday, which is just exactly the opposite of Ash Wednesday. It is a day of all out partying, which changes from country to country. In some countries, it is a day of eating pancakes. Yes, pancakes. Or other pastries. They are made to use up the milk, eggs, and other perishables that would otherwise have gone bad after being untouched for over a month. In the United States, it is not that.

Our way of celebrating, much like Brazil, is to go on a bender for a day. There are parades, parties, and a day of getting in all the sinning we can before we work on getting rid of other sins for forty days. Parties will happen all over the country, but none will be bigger than the one in New Orleans. The city has always been ready for a good party. And Mardi Gras is their party of the year. Since the 1900’s, the city has been inviting the United States to come down and let it all go for one of their biggest days of the year.

It is also one of the biggest cocktail cities in the country. New Orleans is home to Tales of the Cocktail, one of the bartending industries top events, and the Museum of the American Cocktail. Many, many, MANY popular cocktails have been developed there, and Bourbon Street is very well known for its bar scene, among other things. If you did not make it down south for the party of parties, there is nothing stopping you from drinking like you are down there. Here are five cocktails that were invented in the Crescent City.

The Grand Daddy

The sazerac is a delicious, slow sipper to start the party.

For most people, the Hurricane is the cocktail of New Orleans. Historically, the Sazerac is older with more pedigree. It is arguably considered the oldest American cocktail. What can’t be debated is that it is named after the cognac it was originally made with. After American tastes bent towards whiskey, it became the primary spirit of the drink.

Sazerac (Adapted from The Sazerac Company)

1 sugar cube
1.5 oz. rye whiskey (or cognac if you want to be old school)
.25 oz. absinthe
3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters

Glass: Old Fashioned
Ice: None
Garnish: Lemon Peel

In a chilled mixing glass, muddle the sugar cube and the bitters together. Then add the whiskey, add ice, and stir. In a chilled Old Fashioned glass, pour in the absinthe. Swirl the liquid around the glass, then discard the excess liquid. Strain the cocktail into the glass, twist the lemon peel over the drink, then serve.

Milk is a Good Idea

When New Orleans comes out to celebrate, someone brings the milk punch. A cocktail that goes back to colonial times, this is a staple in the southern drinking scene. If you happen to head to Brennan’s when you are in NOLA, order one. They are very well known for their spin on this classic.

Milk Punch

1.5 oz. brandy (or bourbon, if you choose)
.25 oz. dark rum
2 oz. whole milk
.5 oz. maple syrup
1 dash vanilla extract

Glass: Mug or goblet
Ice: None
Garnish: Grated nutmeg

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing tin over ice. Shake well for 20-30 seconds, and strain into the prepared mug. Grate some nutmeg over the top of it and serve.

Shaken…and shaken…and shaken…

Look at the foam on that Ramos Gin Fizz!

James Bond, a fan of shaken drinks, would love this one. The original preparation of this cocktail called for it to be shaken for twelve minutes. Henry Ramos, the creator of this cocktail, would hire up to thirty people for Mardi Gras just to shake the drinks. They were in high demand. Not many places will shake it for that long anymore, but some bars will employ a machine to do the shaking for them.

Ramos Gin Fizz

1.25 oz. gin
1 tbsp. simple syrup
.25 oz. fresh lemon juice
.5 oz. fresh lime juice
1 fresh egg white
1 oz. heavy cream
3 drops orange flower water
1 oz. club soda

Glass: Highball
Ice: None
Garnish: None

Pour all but the club soda into a mixing tin with ice and shake hard for 1 – 2 minutes. Strain the mixture into the top of the tin and discard the ice. Shake for another minute, then strain into the highball glass. Pour the club soda gently into the mixture, until the foam reaches near the top of the class. Stir gently, then serve.

The above technique, shaking the egg with ice, then without, is called a reverse dry shake. It fluffs up the eggs a little more, and you can just pour the cocktail into the glass when you are finished.

Bring Back Brandy

Someday brandy will come back in a big way. With drinks like the brandy crusta on menus, I am hoping that day will be sooner rather than later. It was first found on a menu in New Orleans before the Civil War. Other variations of crusta have been attempted, but none had the sticking power of the brandy version. But when you have this recipe, what more do you need?

Brandy Crusta

2 oz. cognac
.25 oz. triple sec
.5 oz. fresh lemon juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
1 tsp. Maraschino liqueur
1 dash Angostura Bitters

Glass: Coupe
Ice: None
Garnish: Sugared rim and lemon twist

Rub a slice of lemon around the rim of the coupe. Dip the rim into a plate of sugar, rolling it to make sure the rim is covered. Tap off the excess, then put to the side. Pour the ingredients into a shaking tin over ice, then shake well for 20 – 30 seconds. Strain the mixture into the coupe, twist the lemon over the cocktail, add to the drink, then serve.

Storm’s Brewin’

A Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans. Where else?

This is the popular one. Most people heading to New Orleans are going to head to Pat O’Brien’s for their famous Hurricane. It was created in the 1940’s when Pat was forced to buy an unacceptable amount of rum to get a single case of whiskey. To get rid of the rum, he added passion fruit juice and other juices, poured it into a fancy glass, and gave one away to anyone who would take one. The legend was born, and the cocktail persists.

Hurricane

2 oz. white rum
2 oz. dark rum
1 oz. lime juice
1 oz. orange juice
2 oz. passion fruit juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
.5 oz. grenadine

Glass: Hurricane
Ice: Cubed
Garnish: Orange wheel and a cherry

Pour all of the ingredients into a shaking tin over ice. Shake well for 20 – 30 seconds, then strain into the hurricane glass over fresh ice. Garnish with the cherry and orange slice.

BONUS: Flirting with The Faerie

With the heavy French influence in New Orleans, it is not a surprise that absinthe made its way into the culture. It was banned in this country for decades because of myths and poor science, but it has been making a slow comeback in the new cocktail era. It is an acquired taste; absinthe has a strong anise component. If you avoid the black jelly beans, you can just skip this one.

Absinthe Frappe

1.5 oz. absinthe
.5 oz. simple syrup
2 oz. soda water
6-8 mint leaves

Glass: Frappe
Ice: Cubed
Garnish: Mint sprig

Place the mint and simple syrup into a shaking tin and muddle the mint until you can just smell the aromatics. Add the absinthe, then shake well for 20 – 30 seconds. Strain the mixture into the glass over fresh ice. Top off with the soda water, then garnish with the mint sprig.

Today is the day to let it all hang out, because tomorrow is a day of somber reflection and humility. There are many celebrations happening all around the Miami Valley, where these and many other cocktails will be flowing freely. Break out the king cake (or the pancakes) and party the day away. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Vermouth: From Medicine to Mixology

November 9, 2016 By Brian Petro

Roman wormwood, vermouth’s humble beginnings.

Combing through history, you will see one fact common to most liquors: they started off as medicine. Beer and wine had other uses. They were easier to make and used for everything from paying workers to surviving fasts to having something to drink that would not kill you. Before we started to dig into the science of diseases, doctors would prescribe methods that we would now call alternative medicine. Anything from draining humours through leeches to mixing a variety of herbs into a liquid and drinking it. One of the earliest herbs used was wormwood, based on the belief that it was effective in fighting stomach ailments.

The wormwood-infused wine would be consumed after a meal to calm the stomach and aid in digestion. This technique was used in Europe as early as 400 BC and in some cultures earlier than that. As the wine became popular in the 16^th century, those creating it added other herbs and spices to take the horribly bitter edge off the wormwood. In Germany, this bitter root was called Wermut. When the French and Italians took hold of it, they just Romanticized the word, calling the new batch of fortified and aromatized wines “vermouth.”

Modern vermouth became popular around the end of the 18^th century when Antonio Benedetto Carpano introduced it to the market. It quickly became a darling with the courts in the area and started to spread to the rest of the country. Not too far away, in southern France, dry vermouth was gaining steam. The French kept the botanical punch that the Italians had built into the wine, but dialed the sugar content back considerably. This is what gives dry vermouth its herbal punch. The Italians also have a version of a white, or blanco, vermouth that is a sweeter version of the French dry. It does not have less of an herbal kick; it has more sugar to hide it. Traditionally, these were the three styles of vermouth found in any liquor store. With the boom we see in craft cocktails, manufacturers are experimenting with other wines and herbs to offer new flavor profiles. There are rosé and orange wine-based vermouths now that utilize other botanicals.

Gaze upon this collection of Martini vermouths…

For over 100 years, vermouth had a starring role in the cocktails the world enjoyed. Two of the classics, the Manhattan and the Martini, were based on the herbal flavors they brought to rye whiskey and gin, respectively. Flipping through classic recipe books, you can see that after the tremendous impact vermouth had when it arrived in the United States in the mid-19^th century, it started to wane. The amount of vermouth became smaller and smaller until we settled on the 3:1 or 5:1 proportions you may see in bars. Venues that focus more on the classics will put the ratio closer to 2:1 spirit to vermouth, and may even offer the Martinez. The Martinez is one of the few vintage cocktails you will find where the vermouth, not the spirit, is the star in the glass. Two parts vermouth to one part gin (or 1:1, or 1.5:1, whichever proportion the bartender assures you is the original) is what you will find, with some maraschino liqueur to balance out the herbal quality.

Martinez

2 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. Old Tom gin (Ransom is an excellent choice)
1 tsp. maraschino liqueur
2 ds. Bitters (Boker’s is in the original, but Angostura works well)

Glass: Cocktail
Ice: None
Garnish: Lemon zest

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Stir until the cocktail is well chilled, then strain into the glass. Twist the zest over the cocktail then add it to the glass.

Martinez cocktail (credit: Ann Larie Valentine)

Any trace amounts of vermouth you were going to find in cocktails were wiped clean when Prohibition covered the land. Liquors that could not be faked were purged, lost in America for decades. When we finally returned to the business of drinking, vodka was becoming the spirit of choice. Vermouth has a strong flavor, and vodka has little. Vodka martinis, now sporting olives, forcefully pushed dry vermouth to the back of the bar shelf. And while some of the war vets were still big on the Manhattan, no one wanted to drink what their parents drank. Sweet vermouth soon found itself collecting dust as well, watching rum take over the brown liquor spot as vodka took over for clear liquor. The 1970’s and 80’s were dominated by sweet cocktails, balanced slightly by citrus juices. Unless grandpa was bellying up to the bar, vermouth was on the sidelines with the bitters.

The craft cocktail boom has invigorated the industry. From just a few bottles of Martini and Rossi on the shelf to an ever-widening array of flavors, vermouth is back. Before you run out and add that amazing collection to your liquor shelf, keep in mind that vermouth has to be at least 75% wine. That means an open bottle is only going to be good for up to four weeks on your liquor shelf. You can extend that through refrigeration, but not by much. Many brands offer smaller bottles to purchase. Grab one of those if it is just for you around the house. Or considering adding vermouth as part of your dinner plans to either get the stomach ready or calm it down after the meal. If the bottle lasts long enough to go a little south, you can add it to recipes that call for wine. Another requirement of vermouth is that it has wormwood as part of the recipe, best known as a dominant flavor in absinthe. That flavor heightens when you cook with it. You can put it in some cocktails to enjoy with your meal as well. Beyond the traditional Manhattan (sweet vermouth) and Gin Martini (dry vermouth), there is a wide array of cocktails that call for this fortified, aromatized wine.

Negroni

1 oz. gin
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. sweet Vermouth

Glass: Cocktail or Coupe
Ice: None
Garnish: Orange Zest

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass. Stir, then strain into the cocktail glass. Twist the orange zest over the cocktail, then add to the glass. Alternatively, you can pour all of the ingredients over cubed ice (larger cubes work best), stir, then serve.

A Negroni on the rocks. (credit: Geoff Peters)

The Negroni is a vintage cocktail from Italy. The rumor is that Count Negroni, after an extended stay in America, was traveling the Italian countryside. When he came to his usual bar for his usual drink, an Americano, he asked to replace the soda water with gin. The concoction worked and had been the springboard for countless variations. Substitute the gin with rye whiskey, and you have a Boulevardier. Exchange the gin with champagne for a Negroni Sbagliato. The possibilities are endless.

Vieux Carré

.75 oz Rye Whiskey
.75 oz Cognac
.75 oz sweet Vermouth
1 tsp Bénédictine
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Glass: Old Fashioned
Ice: Cubed
Garnish: Cherry OR Lemon Zest

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing glass over ice. Stir, then strain into the Old Fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with either the cherry or the lemon zest. Both, if you want to.

Built in New Orleans in the post-Prohibition era, it is a celebration of the vibrant cocktail culture that developed there. It is well balanced and a delight to drink. A bottle of Bénédictine herbal liqueur is a versatile addition to any home bar.

Scofflaw

2 oz. Bourbon or rye whiskey
1 oz. Dry vermouth
.25 oz. Fresh lemon juice
.5 oz. Grenadine
2 dashes Orange bitters

Glass: Cocktail
Ice: None
Garnish: Orange Zest

Pour all of the ingredients into a mixing tin over ice. Shake well for 20 – 30 seconds, then strain into the cocktail glass. Twist the orange twist over the cocktail and add to the glass.

This Prohibition cocktail is appropriately named. Developed at Harry’s Bar in Paris in the 1920’s, it reaches for the traditional French dry vermouth instead of the sweet usually found in whiskey cocktails. There is also some debate as to the use of lemon or lime juice. The original recipe calls for lemon juice, and I will back that one. But experiment as you like.

With the resurgence of vermouth over the last few years, the options for bartenders have expanded. From Dolin to Noilly Pratt to Carpano, we have come a long way from just the bottles of Martini and Rossi on the shelf. Grab a bottle and take a sip before you start adding it to a cocktail. You may like what you taste!

The Beer Can rEvolution

January 24, 2014 By Brian Petro 3 Comments

In honor of Beer Can Appreciation Day- we are rerunning this story from 1/24/13.

When I was a kid, I remember taking a sip of my dad’s beer, right out of the can. I am fairly sure it was the worst thing I have ever tasted. It tasted like a wet bread and metal sandwich. I did not actually drink another beer until I was legal to do so, thinking if all beer tasted like that, I was better off without it. In retrospect, drinking Old Milwaukee out of a can is a poor choice on quite a few levels. And for the most part, people will agree that beer out of a can is about as low as you can get on the beer spectrum. That was not always the case. On January 24, 1935 the first canned beer from the Kreuger Brewing Company hit the market, and the world of beer was transformed forever.

Canned beer snuck into the market in 1935, offered by a little known brewing company looking to make a big name for itself. The writing was on the wall for Prohibition by the late 1920’s; everyone knew the end was near. Especially a company named the American Can Company, who already dominated the canned food industry, and were looking to expand into canned beer. They had been doing some experiments with canned beer on a request from the Olympia Brewing Company in 1909. Their biggest problems were making a can strong enough to hold up to the heat of pasteurization and stress that off gassing would have on the can as well as keeping the beer from absorbing a metallic flavor. This was all put off with the passage of the Volstead Act and the march towards country wide temperance. American Can did not give up. The developed a tin and steel based can which could resist all the pressure it was going to be put under. They also coated the inside with something called brewer’s pitch, which kept the beer from interacting with the metal of the can.

This new can had some big advantages over bottles. Two of the main enemies of beer, light and oxygen, would be kept completely away from the liquid. This ensured the product inside would be as fresh as it was when it was first brewed. This extra insurance of freshness would allow brewers to ship their beer further than they currently were. Most beers at the time did not ship much further than the state they were in, maybe an adjacent state if they could. This would allow them to ship beer to be consumed at home all over the country. Bottles often broke while they were being shipped. The ones that finished the journey had to be returned and reused by the brewer. This added extra expense to the beer. Cans would be disposable; no expenses for cleaning, returning, and reusing the bottles. The American Can Co. experimented with cans that were in the shape of traditional bottles, to allow factories already set up for bottles to use the cans without having to invest very heavily into it. Now that they had a working can, all they needed was a brewer to use it.

Prohibition was hard on breweries, and they were not going to jeopardize getting their product back to a thirsty market in an experimental package. After trying the major breweries, the Kreuger Brewing Company out of New Jersey agreed to take American Can up on their offer of paying for all the materials up front. They sent out some samples, and they were a hit. Their test market, Richmond, VA, also bought the cans of beer in such quantities that Kreuger was cutting into the major brewing companies market. Pabst was the first of the major brewers to buy into the use of cans, and started to modify the overall design. They discovered you could ship more cans than bottles if they were shaped like the food cans that were more commonly shipped. Miller Lite’s punch can idea is not really a new idea; the first beer cans had a flat top, so you had to punch holes into it yourself to get to the delicious liquid inside. Pabst also made a change to the lining of the can, switching out the brewer’s pitch for a consistent plastic lining called Vinylite. These can were engineering masterpieces, and also very short lived. World War II cut into the steel supply. It was not until 1958, when Coors introduced the aluminum can that the can started to rise again. The lighter metal made the can easier to open, and the addition of the pull tab by Schlitz in 1963 made the can a solid seller.

By 1968, the can was the beer container of choice. This beer can was not lined, as their older steel counterparts were, and the metal flavor of the can began to heavily leech into the beer. The decline in the quality of the cans matched a decline in beer in general in the United States. The country was shedding breweries at an astounding rate, and by the early 1980’s most of the beer in the country was being provided by only a hand full of brewers. Over 90% of the beer in the country was being provided by Anheuser-Busch, Miller, Pabst, Schlitz, and Coors. Not what most people would call a fine selection of beer. This environment would last until the late 80’s, and the beginning of the microbrewing revolution. Microbreweries would be the engine to get the beer industry back from the brink of being completely obsolete. They made beer interesting again, and people began to come back to drinking, and appreciating, good beer.

Can technology began to improve as well, but with one small drawback: most canning machines were designed for the Budweisers and Millers of the world. It was not until the Canadian company Cask Brewing Systems developed a canning system that was good for small breweries that the smaller craft brewers even had an option to can their beer. Cans had also returned to being lined with a thin, more modern plastic, which meant the beer was no longer in contact with the metal. The Craft Beer in a Can revolution began only ten years ago, with the Oskar Blues Brewery in Colorado. They put their first beer, Dale’s Pale Ale, in a can and never looked back. 21^st Amendment Brewing Company also puts their beers in cans, and makes some incredibly good beers such as their Back in Black IPA, Allies Win the War, and Hell or High Watermelon. Revolution Brewing Company out of Chicago and Anderson Valley Brewing Company in California also make quite a few canned beers. More and more small breweries with great beers are seeing cans as an economical and environmentally friendly way to get their beers into more markets for more people. According to CraftCans.com, there are currently 740 canned beers made by over 200 different breweries across the country.

If you have not had a can of beer in a while, do yourself a favor and check out the selection of canned beers that are now available. Even if your beer of choice has always been in a can, give that beer another chance. In fact. many of my favorite beers come in cans. What will you find when you crack open a craft cold one on the birthday of the beer can? Cheers!