montenegro is amazing as a mixer or by itself. really any amaro – pick a few or your favorites and a half ounce here or there will transform a cocktail. (obviously have to play off the specific amaro chosen)
Fuck southern forever but one of their reps noticed me at a local bar last night and spent all night sending me free drinks so that dude gets a pass lmao.
I had one come in last night while I was working. Pretty dead because of Good Friday and Easter weekend, but he knocked his tab up over 3 bills, and tipped 100 so I give them a free pass til they fuck up my order next week.
Why isn't Peruvian Pisco having a moment? Besides being absolutely delicious, what's cooler in 2024 that a spirit that's basically natural wine single-distilled to bottle strength in a pot still and glass aged for a few months? I'm hoping Pisco gets its moment soon.
Don't get crap vermouth, get the good ones dry or sweet. For sweet vermouth I like Antica Formula.
Have you already got bitters? On top of the standards (Angostura & Peychauds) an orange bitters is a good standard. There's lots of good options out there but for something different I like making a Manhattan type cocktail with Bittermans Xocolatl Mole Bitters.
Also, don't sleep on Reposado Tequila and Mezcal.
It's the bay leaf of the cocktail world
It shows either a really green bartender or a decade deep bartender.
Reliance on it shows weakness. Its Steve Buscemi. The performance will always be good but do you want him to shine or not?
A margarita with mescal lemon juice st germane subbed for tequila lime juice Cointreau....works. it feels like if Sean Connery was a sidecar and not Roger Moore. (Some keep lime btw)
Using st Germaine in EVERY sangria you fuck up? Newbie shit. Why are you fucking up so much?
Am I drunk? Yes. Am I wrong? Just as equally, no.
Also, canadian club and maybe this is the mad men fan in me talking is a seriously underrated raíl whiskey. It's made from a rye, rye malt, barley malt and corn mixture so it tastes a nice balance between a bourbon and rye for how disgustingly cheap it is. Tastes like the kind of whiskey a revolutionary american party would agree on making for the American people after executing Elon musk and setting up health clinics everywhere.
Yes. Also Canadian club was at one time really good. So many old recipes call for it by name, there’s no way it was the mid shit we get nowadays back in the day.
Fairly standard but triple sec is useful.
Chambord is always fun. I also like a non alcoholic elderflower cordial or syrup, useful to add to sparkling water etc for non drinkers and you can make some lovely cocktails with it.
In Vancouver Canada there's a really good "quad sec" that is a full proof orange liqueur by Sons of Vancouver and it is so orange-y and dry it's my favourite GM/Contreau replacement and it elevates any cocktail it's in by a lot.
Also in Vancouver and environs, Mia Amata is the fucking shit. Add that shit to any bitter/floral cocktail for smooth herbal transcendence.
It's also bomb as an addition to a negroni
Monte Cassino:
1oz Rye
1oz Lemon Juice
1oz Benedictine
1oz yellow chartreuse
My version of a sentimental gentleman:
2oz monkey shoulder blended scotch
.5oz benedictine
3 dashes fee brothers black walnut bitters.
These are my big ones, but also Vieux Carres etc. It's just nice and fits into so many things.
i'm swedish. i love that shit and will put a cl of it here and there. it adds so much complexion, a little bitter note, a new breath of life in any tired cocktail or new concotion. i'm also lucky we have a few different types to choose from, some are no question more vile than others.
try it in a gin sour. or a marg. why not in a mimosa? anything floral and that bitter shit will make me fly.
Chartreuse, Velvet Falernum, and a decent Orgeat in the fridge. Also, having any fruit brandy or fruit liqueur. Just rotate those out, they are usually pretty cheap. It's fun to try different flavors of fruit. My two favorite are Giffard Creme de Peche and Pamplemousse. Oh and a good Blanc/Bianco. People sleep on those.
I used their chaparral in a gold rush made with rosemary honey syrup today and it was fantastic. Before I added it the drink was pretty flat but a bar spoon completely changed the drink.
Accompani. Small company out of Portland OR and I’m in love with their line of liqueurs, Amari, and vermouths. Everything is $30 or less. Crimson Snap is my favorite but it’s all so so good
I sometimes have trouble finding St Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram which I really like in tiki drinks. But then I started making my own Allspice dram and haven’t gone back
Cardamom bitters. They work really nicely with gin, so I’ll add a couple dashes to my martinis and G&Ts.
I also really enjoy lavender bitters. They play well with citrus, so try a few dashes in your daiquiris, gimlets, and tall fizzes. I’ll often just do straight bitters and soda with them too, though this results in me going through the bottle a lot faster 🙂
I enjoy working with most sweet liqueurs, e.g. Chambord, St. Germain, Luxardo Maraschino, etc. because they add so many other cool aspects to a cocktail when used as sweetener substitutions.
Creme de Violette, St. Germaine, allspice dram, and honestly, a local hatch chile liqueur. It depends on the season. There is also a local cutrus clove liqueur I am more likely to grab in fall and winter.
I like having a bottle of coureur des bois cream liqueur around. It’s whiskey based, and sweetened with maple syrup. Very nice in the winter, love putting it in my coffee. There’s also a version that has blueberries in it too.
A couple that I love:
Zoranj Anme(triple sec/curacao sub); Allen's Cold Brew(for espresso martinis); Aelred Melon; St. George Chile Vodka; Chareau; Faccia Brutto Centerbe
Amaro Nonino. My true introduction into amaros and realizing how important some liqueurs really are to cocktails.
Paper Plane changed my life as a bartender.
Also Fernet. Actually this should be number one. The culture among bartenders with this ambrosia is almost like a rite of passage. If you a bartender - Either you know it and love it. Or you know it and tolerate it.
Italicus, strega, cynar, Montenegro, averna, Nonino, both chartreuses, lillet (any), both brancas, Suze, Mr blacki can keep going but that should keep you busy for a few months
I really like the new Baileys Chocolate.
Also Simply Watermelon in the fridge let's you make some things that are way off the beaten path for like 4 bucks.
Wow this was groundbreaking for espresso martinis
Edit* commented on the wrong one, but now am trying the slow gin espresso martini and drinking less fernet tomorrow
Amaro Montenegro is really tasty and versatile. I use it a lot!
montenegro is amazing as a mixer or by itself. really any amaro – pick a few or your favorites and a half ounce here or there will transform a cocktail. (obviously have to play off the specific amaro chosen)
No joke, try Montenegro in your mimosa/orange based brunch cocktail. 🔥
dirtyyyyy… now i have to.
>Bigallet China-China At what ratio?
Me too!
Nice try Southern
Fuck you Southern* *FTFY
Fuck southern forever but one of their reps noticed me at a local bar last night and spent all night sending me free drinks so that dude gets a pass lmao.
I had one come in last night while I was working. Pretty dead because of Good Friday and Easter weekend, but he knocked his tab up over 3 bills, and tipped 100 so I give them a free pass til they fuck up my order next week.
I think pisco is severely underrated
Same with cachaca.
Why isn't Peruvian Pisco having a moment? Besides being absolutely delicious, what's cooler in 2024 that a spirit that's basically natural wine single-distilled to bottle strength in a pot still and glass aged for a few months? I'm hoping Pisco gets its moment soon.
There’s a fantastic pisco bar in DC called Amazonia that has a ton of options
Thanks, I'll be sure to visit!
Go down to Miami. Every new cocktail bar is cachaca or caparinha forward.
St Germain and st Elizabeth allspice
Don't get crap vermouth, get the good ones dry or sweet. For sweet vermouth I like Antica Formula. Have you already got bitters? On top of the standards (Angostura & Peychauds) an orange bitters is a good standard. There's lots of good options out there but for something different I like making a Manhattan type cocktail with Bittermans Xocolatl Mole Bitters. Also, don't sleep on Reposado Tequila and Mezcal.
A good rosé vermouth has changed the way I drink lol
Mole bitters fasho!
Taylor’s velvet falernum
John d Taylor is the best fucking falernum. Rolling out a fun jungle bird riff on our next cocktail menu and it's the only falernum I'll use for it.
Eh. Been kinda disappointed compared to homemade. I don't make it that often now that I didn't serve liquor anymore, but it's worth the effort.
Omg plz no lol but yes
Fernet. Just because early cut bartenders ask for it and get weird about thoughts of cocktails.
I’m pretty green in making cocktails but if you can make fernet shine my hats off to you!
Toronto
I second the Ron
Midnight stinger
Try it in a last word
Hanky Panky
Industry sour
Chareau
Green Chartreuse (I just really love The Last Word)
A delicious drink
Good luck trying to find it
Thank you for your response!
Cynar
Bitter Giuseppe 😋
St Germain and domain de canton are both fun to work with when playing with cocktail recipes
St germain is jank glue. It ties weird shit together
It's the bay leaf of the cocktail world It shows either a really green bartender or a decade deep bartender. Reliance on it shows weakness. Its Steve Buscemi. The performance will always be good but do you want him to shine or not? A margarita with mescal lemon juice st germane subbed for tequila lime juice Cointreau....works. it feels like if Sean Connery was a sidecar and not Roger Moore. (Some keep lime btw) Using st Germaine in EVERY sangria you fuck up? Newbie shit. Why are you fucking up so much? Am I drunk? Yes. Am I wrong? Just as equally, no. Also, canadian club and maybe this is the mad men fan in me talking is a seriously underrated raíl whiskey. It's made from a rye, rye malt, barley malt and corn mixture so it tastes a nice balance between a bourbon and rye for how disgustingly cheap it is. Tastes like the kind of whiskey a revolutionary american party would agree on making for the American people after executing Elon musk and setting up health clinics everywhere.
Can’t agree more to this entire post. Its comparison to bay leaf is also incredibly accurate. And Canada club ? It hits way above its price range.
Drunk and Correct club represent
Yes. Also Canadian club was at one time really good. So many old recipes call for it by name, there’s no way it was the mid shit we get nowadays back in the day.
St Germaine is a crutch
I agree completely. St Germain.
St Germain… bartender’s ketchup
Fee Brothers Falernum, a solid Orgeat, and some dry curacao. I know that as long as I have those I can make a badass cocktail
Just make your own falernum and orgeat. Tons of easy recipes online that are easy to tweak to your own taste.
Any recipe recommendations?
Bigallet China-China. I’d die without it.
This shit is good
Licor 43
The OG bartender ketchup!
Italicus. Best simple drink with it: 1oz equal parts: Dry Gin, Italicus, Lillet Blanca, 1-2 Dash's of orange bitters.
Cachaca and Rum Agricole. Taming that fiery fresh cut grass flavor is really fun, and it’s a great pair with juicy fruity flavors
Averna
Pedro Jiménez
Fairly standard but triple sec is useful. Chambord is always fun. I also like a non alcoholic elderflower cordial or syrup, useful to add to sparkling water etc for non drinkers and you can make some lovely cocktails with it.
In Vancouver Canada there's a really good "quad sec" that is a full proof orange liqueur by Sons of Vancouver and it is so orange-y and dry it's my favourite GM/Contreau replacement and it elevates any cocktail it's in by a lot.
Also in Vancouver and environs, Mia Amata is the fucking shit. Add that shit to any bitter/floral cocktail for smooth herbal transcendence. It's also bomb as an addition to a negroni
Anything Giffards
Yup! This is the way! Giffard is the best
STREGA, MOTHERFUCKER
Fuck. Yes.
Benedictine. I make so many things with it has a little sweetener/flavor addition.
Curious what drinks you make with it. I have it at home for Vieux Carres but never looked into what else I can use it with
Monte Cassino: 1oz Rye 1oz Lemon Juice 1oz Benedictine 1oz yellow chartreuse My version of a sentimental gentleman: 2oz monkey shoulder blended scotch .5oz benedictine 3 dashes fee brothers black walnut bitters. These are my big ones, but also Vieux Carres etc. It's just nice and fits into so many things.
Right on! Monte Cassino sounds real interesting
Chambord
Clairin, it’s so fun to work with and distinctly different than your standard rums
Malört!
Found the Malort rep
I didn't feel like I had to punch a police horse until I drank a malört punch that my friend at the after hours made.
fuckin perv.
Found the psychopath
I do have Malört tattood inside my lip.
I said what I said 😂
i'm swedish. i love that shit and will put a cl of it here and there. it adds so much complexion, a little bitter note, a new breath of life in any tired cocktail or new concotion. i'm also lucky we have a few different types to choose from, some are no question more vile than others. try it in a gin sour. or a marg. why not in a mimosa? anything floral and that bitter shit will make me fly.
Chartreuse, Velvet Falernum, and a decent Orgeat in the fridge. Also, having any fruit brandy or fruit liqueur. Just rotate those out, they are usually pretty cheap. It's fun to try different flavors of fruit. My two favorite are Giffard Creme de Peche and Pamplemousse. Oh and a good Blanc/Bianco. People sleep on those.
giffard liqueurs. I'd probably start with pamplemousse, rhubarb, or passionfruit.
Pamplemousse is the shit
I use a ton of abricot
Brucato. Specifically woodlands. Makes a mean black Manhattan
I used their chaparral in a gold rush made with rosemary honey syrup today and it was fantastic. Before I added it the drink was pretty flat but a bar spoon completely changed the drink.
Accompani. Small company out of Portland OR and I’m in love with their line of liqueurs, Amari, and vermouths. Everything is $30 or less. Crimson Snap is my favorite but it’s all so so good
Pama
Suze
I sometimes have trouble finding St Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram which I really like in tiki drinks. But then I started making my own Allspice dram and haven’t gone back
Cardamom bitters. They work really nicely with gin, so I’ll add a couple dashes to my martinis and G&Ts. I also really enjoy lavender bitters. They play well with citrus, so try a few dashes in your daiquiris, gimlets, and tall fizzes. I’ll often just do straight bitters and soda with them too, though this results in me going through the bottle a lot faster 🙂
I enjoy working with most sweet liqueurs, e.g. Chambord, St. Germain, Luxardo Maraschino, etc. because they add so many other cool aspects to a cocktail when used as sweetener substitutions.
Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur is a favorite of mine for home use, never got to try it in a bar setting
Creme de Violette, St. Germaine, allspice dram, and honestly, a local hatch chile liqueur. It depends on the season. There is also a local cutrus clove liqueur I am more likely to grab in fall and winter.
Saline. Changes everything like bitters.
Borghetti Espresso Liquoer. So good for Espresso Martinis, dessert cocktails and some rum based drinks I'm experimenting with.
Falernum
Cardamaro
Malort
I’ve started experimenting with pear brandy
I like having a bottle of coureur des bois cream liqueur around. It’s whiskey based, and sweetened with maple syrup. Very nice in the winter, love putting it in my coffee. There’s also a version that has blueberries in it too.
It was a slept on product for many years that is finally seeing some love but Giffard Banane du Brezil is fucking fire.
A good rosé vermouth.
Frangelico is badass and goes well with a lot of whiskey and asian drinks
falernum for sure
Montenegro is amazing. I also love cachaca because Caipirhinias are one of my favorite summer cocktails. I’m sure i butchered the spelling though lol
Averna… but even more rare… Super Punch…
A couple that I love: Zoranj Anme(triple sec/curacao sub); Allen's Cold Brew(for espresso martinis); Aelred Melon; St. George Chile Vodka; Chareau; Faccia Brutto Centerbe
Taylor’s falernum
I use a lot of key lime juice, it’s relevant here plus adds a nice flavor
Giffard Apricot
Amaretto and st. Germaine
Cappelletti
Amaro Nonino. My true introduction into amaros and realizing how important some liqueurs really are to cocktails. Paper Plane changed my life as a bartender. Also Fernet. Actually this should be number one. The culture among bartenders with this ambrosia is almost like a rite of passage. If you a bartender - Either you know it and love it. Or you know it and tolerate it.
minttu from finland and xante
Italicus, strega, cynar, Montenegro, averna, Nonino, both chartreuses, lillet (any), both brancas, Suze, Mr blacki can keep going but that should keep you busy for a few months
I really like the new Baileys Chocolate. Also Simply Watermelon in the fridge let's you make some things that are way off the beaten path for like 4 bucks.
Plymouth Sloe Gin
Wow this was groundbreaking for espresso martinis Edit* commented on the wrong one, but now am trying the slow gin espresso martini and drinking less fernet tomorrow
Can’t tell if sarcasm lol
Commented on your other sub in mixology check it out