Thanksgiving is a time where everyone gets together with family to drink and eat until they can’t drink and eat any longer. What if we were able to combine the drinking and eating? Remember that scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory where Violet Beauregarde tastes the ‘Three-Course Meal Gum”? This is essentially what we are going for in this post, except we are replacing the gum with cocktails.

 

STARTERS

Sweet Potato Casserole Shot via Sparqvault 

½ oz. pumpkin pie vodka

1 oz. Jim Beam bourbon

½ oz. Frangelico

In a shaker, with ice, blend the vodka and Jim Beam, and pour into a tall shot glass. Top with the Frangelico. Serve chilled, or while still cold.

 

Cranberry Sauce Jello Shot via FoodandWine

3 oz package of Cranberry Jello

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cup gin

1/3 cup Domaine De Canton ginger liqueur

Orange Zest

Mix Jello with boiling water until is dissolves. Pour in the gin and Canton, mix. Divide the mix into shot glasses and place in fridge for three hours or until Jello hardens. Garnish with orange zest and serve.

Or, if you’re not in the mood for Jello…try this

 

Cranberry Kamikaze Shot courtesy the cookincanuck

Ice

1 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

1 1/2 oz. cranberry vodka

1 oz. triple sec

1 oz. cranberry juice

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add the lime juice, cranberry vodka, triple sec, and cranberry juice. Shake well, about 15 seconds, to chill the mixture. Strain into a highball or martini glass for a single drink or, if you prefer, into 4 separate shot glasses. Garnish with a wedge of lime and serve cold.

 

MAIN COURSE

Turkey and Sage Cocktail from seriouseats

20 fresh sage leaves

4 ounces Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon

2 tablespoons pumpkin butter (see note above)

1/2 ounce lemon juice, from one lemon

4 dashes Angostura bitters

Reserve two sage leaves for garnish and muddle the rest gently in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice. Add bourbon, pumpkin butter, lemon juice, and bitters. Shake until well-chilled, about 20 seconds. Strain evenly into two coupe glasses and float a sage leaf on top of each drink. Makes 2 cocktails.

 

Ham Cocktail also via seriouseats*

note – prep time for this one is two weeks. so get to work!*

Iberico (Pata Negra) ham leg

1.5 liters of Hennessey VS Cognac

 Infuse an Iberico (Pata Negra) ham leg in 1.5 liters of Hennessey VS Cognac for a two weeks, covered and refrigerated.

DESSERT

Pumpkin Pie Shot via hotbartendersla

1/3 oz of Kahlua 

1/3 oz of Bailey’s 

1/3 oz white tequila 

In a shot glass carefully layer Kahlua on the bottom, Bailey’s in the middle and the white Tequila on top. Sprinkle Cinnamon on top and shoot it!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Shot via popsugar (modified by us)

This one is not necessarily an alcoholic shot, but it is served in shot glasses that are actually edible chocolate chip cookies – so it will definitely turn some heads. (Plus, we recommend adding a little Baileys and Whiskey to the shot to make things interesting.)

Cookies:

1 cup shortening

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light-brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Cookie shots:

1 cup dark-chocolate candy melts

4 oz Baileys (optional)

4 oz Irish whiskey (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the molds of a popover pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and brown and granulated sugars. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and mix until completely incorporated. Gradually add the flour and salt, and mix until completely incorporated. Add the mini chocolate chips, and mix together until evenly distributed. The dough should be a little crumbly at this point.
3. Form the cookie shots inside the molds, making the walls of the cookie shot about 1/4 inch thick. Chill for 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookies just start to brown. Remove from the oven, and let cool completely.
5. Melt chocolate candy melts, and then pour the melted chocolate into the well of each cookie. Let it sit for a minute, and then pour the excess chocolate back into the pan. Chill cookie shots until the chocolate has set.
6. Mix together Baileys and your choice of Irish whiskey (our addition) and serve inside each cookie shot.

 

Thanks to Tim Sackton for the Turkey pic!

 

Thanksgiving is coming up fast, which means lots of family, eating, football, and for some, lots of all day drinking. If you are going down that road this week, chances are you will stumble across the most famous of breakfast cocktails, the Bloody Mary.

Like all of our drinks of the week, this one has various claims to its origin. The drink came about in either ‘Harry’s New York Bar’ of Paris or the ’21 club’ in New York City. The drink recently celebrated the 80th anniversary of its creation according to the St. Regis Hotel, who also has claimed to be a point of origin of the drink. They’ve even gone as far as to create a special 80th anniversary edition drink book.

Its name may have come from Queen Mary I of England, who started a bloody crusade to bring back the Catholic church in England, or another story is that it was named after a waitress named Mary who worked at a Chicago bar called the Bucket of Blood. Either way, we can safely say that the drink is red in color, so at least that part is pretty self explanatory.

Here is our recipe:

1. 1 oz Vodka
2. Fill with tomato juice
3. Garish with lime wedge
4. build

 

 

 

Thanks Susan Lucas Hoffman for the great pic!

Much like our previous Drink of the Week, The Manhattan, the origins of the Negroni are unknown. There are two main stories floating around, however. The first, according to the New York Times is that back in 1919, a man named Count Negroni came up with the drink at a cafe in Florence, Italy. The other is that a General Pascal Negroni had the idea in Paris at a military officers’ club. This theory is recounted in two sources, so we could assume this is more likely, but who knows. The bottom line is that when a customer orders a Negroni, you can tell them that they are drinking the ‘perfectly balanced drink’, according to BuzzFeed. Although fall is here and winter is fast behind it, this story about drinking Negronis from The Awl, makes the case for a Negroni season anytime. There is also this epic tale of a Negroni Crawl throughout NYC from Slate writer, Troy Patterson.

Bartenders may have variations but the standard recipe is this:

Put ingredients into a mixing glass full of ice shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

1 oz Sweet Vermouth
¾ oz Gin
¾ oz Campari
Garnish with lemon twist

This is a classic cocktail that has a unique taste , if you have a sense of  adventure ask you bartender at a reputable place to shake you one up.

Although, if you’d like to try a different version, Imbibe shakes it up a little differently with equal parts:

1 oz. gin
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. sweet vermouth
Ice cubes
Tools: mixing glass, barspoon, strainer
Glass: cocktail or double rocks
Garnish: orange twist

Stir ingredients in a mixing glass, strain into a chilled cocktail glass (or ice-filled double rocks glass) and garnish.

Esquire gives it a little more kick with extra gin:

• 1 1/2 ounces London dry gin
• 3/4 ounce Campari
• 3/4 ounce Italian vermouth

 

Thanks Jeremy Brooks for the pic!

As you know, our Drink of the Week is the Manhattan.

We’ve scoured the internet for this list and put together the top 25 ways to make a Manhattan. Please drink responsibly. There are definitely other ways to create the famous cocktail, but these are the ones we think are best.

Here we go…

1. Standard Manhattan recipe:

Dash Sweet Vermouth
1 1/2 oz American Whiskey
Garnish with cherry

Close Variations on the Manhattan:

2. Dry Manhattan- Use a dash of dry vermouth and garnish with a lemon twist.

3. Perfect Manhattan- Equal parts of sweet and dry vermouth. Garnish with a lemon twist.

4. Brandy Manhattan- Replace whiskey with brandy.

5. Scotch Manhattan- Replace whiskey with Scotch.

6. Dry Scotch Manhattan – same as above, hold the bitters.

7. Southern Comfort Manhattan- Replace whiskey with Southern Comfort.

8. Esquire Magazine recommends:

2 oz rye whisky
1 oz Italian vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Instead of using Angostura Bitters:

9. Monahan – Replace the Angostura with a splash of Amer Picon

10. Narragansett – Replace the Angostura with a splash of anisette

11. McKinley’s Delight – 2 dashes of cherry brandy and a dash of absinthe instead of Angostura

12. Sherman – Keep the Angostura in, add a dash of orange bitters and 3 dashes of absinthe.

Try messing with the vermouth:

13. Jumbo – Equal parts of rye, French vermouth, and Italian vermouth, no bitters.

14. Honolulu  – equal parts bourbon, French vermouth, and Italian vermouth. No bitters.

15. Rosemary – Half bourbon and half French vermouth.

16. Brown University – Half bourbon and half French vermouth, with a couple dashes of orange bitters.

Fancy names from Saveur, but still Manhattans:

17. The Patriot

1½ oz. Jim Beam rye whiskey
½ oz. Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
½ oz. Cardamaro
dash Angostura bitters
1 Amarena cherry, for garnish

Combine rye, vermouth, Cardamaro, and bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass; garnish with cherry.

18. The Clint Eastwood

1½ oz. Bulleit bourbon
¾ oz. Vya sweet vermouth
2 dashes Regan’s orange bitters
1 Amarena cherry, for garnish

Combine bourbon, vermouth, and bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass; garnish with cherry.

19. The Sidney Poitier

1½ oz. Maker’s Mark bourbon
¾ oz. Punt e Mes sweet vermouth
2 dashes Fee Brothers Aztec chocolate bitters
1 Amarena cherry, for garnish

Combine bourbon, vermouth, and bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass; garnish with cherry.

20. The Whiskey Rebellion

1½ oz. Bulleit rye
½ oz. Punt e Mes
½ oz. Imbue bittersweet vermouth
3 dashes Fee brothers West Indian orange bitters
1 Amarena cherry, for garnish

Combine rye, vermouths, and bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass; garnish with cherry.

21. The Civil War

1½ oz. Burnside bourbon
½ oz. Cocchi sweet vermouth di Torino
½ oz. Cynar
2 dashes Fee Brothers old fashioned bitters
1 Amarena cherry, for garnish

Combine bourbon, Cynar, vermouth, and bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass; garnish with cherry.

22. The Bittersweet Symphony

1½ oz. Temperance Trader bourbon
½ oz. Pelinkovac
½ oz. Punt e Mes
dash Angostura bitters
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

Place the bourbon, Pelinkovac, vermouth, and bitters into a shaker over ice and shake well. Pour the mixture into a barrel and age it for about a month before serving.

23. The Massamanhattan

FOR THE MASSAMAN SYRUP
1 tsp. ground mace
5 sticks cinnamon
2 tbsp. coriander
6 whole cardamom pods
15 whole cloves
2 pieces of nutmeg
2 cups dark brown sugar

2 oz Old Overholt rye
¾ oz. sweet vermouth
Angostura Bitters
Wide strip of orange zest

1. Make the massaman syrup: combine all spices in a pot over low heat. Toast lightly for a few minutes, add sugar and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat off and allow the mixture to steep for at least two hours. Strain out the solids. Syrup will keep for up to two weeks, covered and refrigerated. (Yield is approximately 1 quart.)

2. Combine rye, vermouth, and ¾ oz. (1½ tbsp.) massaman syrup over ice. Stir for 30 seconds, or until very well chilled. Strain into a lowball glass. Top with two or three dashes of bitters, and garnish with orange zest.

24. The Greenpoint

2 oz. rye whiskey
1 oz. Punt e Mes vermouth
1 tsp. yellow Chartreuse
1 dash Angostura bitters

Mix whiskey, vermouth, Chartreuse, and bitters in a shaker with ice; stir to chill. Strain into champagne coupe.

25. The Only Manhattan You’ll Ever Need – from Thrillist.

This one was created by a man named Joaquín Simó, who was Bartender of the Year. This one is more about the preparation than the ingredients. Watch the video to learn the technique that Mr. Simó recommends.

 

Got anymore suggestions? Email [email protected] with the subject “Manhattan Recipe!”

Welcome to one of the most established drinks in the book. The Manhattan is aptly named after the New York City borough of its origin. It is said that this drink was created in the 1870s at the Manhattan Club in New York City for Winston Churchill’s mother! Although, according to liquor.com, the Manhattan was actually created by a bartender named ‘Black’ who worked at NYC’s Hoffman House. Who knows the truth at this point, and quite frankly, we don’t need to know. What we do know is that this drink has stood up to the test of time.

It has also sprouted numerous relative drinks, like the Rob Roy, the Dry Manhattan, and the Southern Comfort Manhattan.

 

The standard recipes are as follows:

1. Dash Sweet Vermouth
2. 1 ½ oz American Whiskey
3. Garnish with cherry
4. shake or build

But for 25 more recipes, see our list of 25 Ways to Make a Manhattan.

 

Science and bartending may seem very different on the surface, but if you want hard facts backed by proven evidence, you need to look to science. Here are 5 ways to increase your tips as a bartender, using science.

Continue reading 5 Scientifically Proven Ways to Increase Your Tips as a Bartender

Here is a list we’ve put together of the most alcoholic drinks in the world. All of these drinks are the tops on everyone’s internet lists. From regretfulmorning.com to MyLifeisBrilliant.com, these drinks are mainstays on the most notorious lists. Please enjoy at your own risk. Seriously…

12. Grappa

120 Proof

Grappa is a grape-based type of brandy that comes from Italy. It is made out of all the stuff left over from making wine (grape stems, skins, pulp) called pomace. It can be made up to 120 Proof or 60% alcohol by volume.

11. Bacardi 151

151 proof

At 75.5% alcohol by volume, this infamous rum is highly flammable. Did you know it even has a stainless steel flame arrester in the neck of the bottle to prevent it from catching fire accidentally. In fact, Bacardi has actually been sued after a customer was badly burned in a bartending stunt gone wrong.

10. John Crow Batty Rum

160 proof

Fresh out of Jamaica, this drink is named after the stomach acids of vultures that are found on the island. Apparently you can do anything after drinking this.

9. New Jersey Devil Springs Vodka

160 proof

Most (sane) people only use this vodka as a mixer because it is so dangerous to drink.

8. Balkan 176

176 proof

This is a triple-distilled vodka, native of the Balkan Peninsula.  Distributed in 20 countries, this vodka is 88% alcohol by volume and one of the highest in the world. It contains 13 health warnings on the bottle!

7. Pincer Shanghai Strength

177 proof

Created in Scotland, this drink is made in part with wild elderflower and milk thistle, which support liver health based on Chinese medicine techniques! It is sold as vodka “concentrate” and contains 65 shots vs other vodka’s of similar size at 26 shots.

6. Absinthe 179

179 proof

Originally from Switzerland, this drink was banned in the early 1900s in the US because of “alleged” psychoactive effects. They eventually legalized it again when they realized the effects were no different than just plain old being black-out drunk. At 89.9%, we are inching closer to the magic number.

5. Bruichladdich X4 Quadrupled Whiskey

184 Proof

This Scottish whiskey is the most alcoholic on the planet! It is quadruple-distilled – giving the drink its incredible strength. It is also single malt! According to legend, “one sip and you live forever; two sips and you go blind; three sips and you expire on the spot”. We are at 92% abv.

4. Golden Grain

190 Proof

95% alcohol, this grain spirit is created by the same crazies, Luxco, who make Everclear. (more on that next)

3. Everclear

190 Proof

This is made of the same constitution of Golden Grain. This is a great mixer, but is basically rubbing alcohol. Oh and it’s illegal in most states.

2. Spirytus Polish Vodka

192 Proof

We’ve just about come to the end of the list. If you’ve been tasting while reading along, you’d most likely be close to death and this last Polish vodka will be sure to keep you dead. This drink was finally made legal in NY State in 2010.

1. Cocoroco

Proof? too high!

This Bolivian alcohol is made from sugar cane and is so high in alcohol (96%) that is served in a metal can. Happy Drinking!

 

Photo credit:

Everclear via Sandra Forbes

 

This is a repost from WCPO Cincinnati, wcpo.com, and was co-written by Joseph Bruno, Director of our school…

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It’s easier than ever to go beyond serving glasses of pumpkin ale and neon orange-colored cocktails at an annual Halloween party.

Put together with help from Joseph Bruno, director of the American Bartenders School of New York, here’s a list of six alcoholic beverages that may make even the heaviest drinkers’ knees shake:

Continue reading REPOST: 6 Fascinating, Scary Drinks to Liven Up Any Halloween Party

Halloween is only week away and you need a plan. Not to worry, New York City might be the best place on earth to celebrate. Whether you enjoy beer, vodka, whiskey, or Halloween-inspired spooky drinks, there are definitely choices for you in New York City. Here are the best places to drink for Halloween in NYC.

Continue reading NYC’s Wildest Bars for Halloween

Fall is here at last. When you start seeing signs for Oktoberfest, you can finally say goodbye to summer blender drinks and making some real drinks. As a bartender in New York City, I have come to loathe the use of a blender. Throughout the country, from the beach bars that surfers frequent in California to the boardwalk dive bars along the New Jersey shore, the blender is held in high regard. And while it does its job admirably – mixing and melding flavors perfectly as it pulverizes ice and fruit – remember this, it takes a real bartender to make a drink by hand. And now that Fall is here to stay, it is time to look forward to some of these traditional cold weather drinks and get far away from those blenders. Not a season has passed where, as an instructor of mixology, we have students circle up to quickly scratch down the recipes that are relics of an era when alcohol was an elixir and the world was an easier place to live in. For those who love the shades of brown, orange and red of fall; may I present ‘warm and fuzzy’ in a footed glass mug. Here are some of our favorite Fall cocktails:

HOT BUTTERED RUM 2ozs. dark rum 4ozs. boiling water 3 heaping barspoons of rum batter add a cinnamon stick To make rum batter – mix one stick of butter, two cups of brown sugar, a barspoon of cinnamon, half a barspoon of nutmeg, a pinch of ground cloves and a pinch of salt all together until creamy and smooth.   RUSTY NAIL Put a single ice cube in a small rocks glass 1 ½ ozs. Scotch ½ oz. Drambuie

IRISH COFFEE 2 ozs. Irish whiskey 4 ozs. hot coffee 1 heaping barspoon of turbinado sugar Stir well Top with heavy cream. Sprinkle a few drops of green crème de menthe on top   HOT SPIKED CIDER 2 ozs. spiced rum 4 ozs. apple juice pinch of cinnamon pinch of nutmeg Heat on low and stir well until piping hot before serving.     Hot Buttered Rum Pic via Flickr Irish Coffee Pic via Flickr