Firewater Friday - Strawberry Hefeweizen Shandy

This is a bright refreshing beer cocktail that mixes the tartness of lemonade, the sweetness of strawberries with the wheatiness of a good summer wheat beer.  

The perfect refresher for a hot summer day.

Strawberry Hefeweizen Shandy


2 Ounces Homemade Fizzy Lemonade (recipe below)
2 Ounces Strawberry Infused Vodka Liquor (recipe below)
12 Ounces Hefeweizen 

Pour lemonade and strawberry vodka into a 16 ounce glass.

Slowly, add the beer to the glass. I used Two Roads No Limits Hefeweizen.

Stir gently and serve.  







Homemade Fizzy Lemonade

1/2 Cup Raw Sugar 
1/2 Cup water 
1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
2 Cups Plain Seltzer (to dilute)

Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 small lemons, enough for 1/2 cup of juice.

Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 2 cups of cold seltzer. 



Strawberry Infused Vodka Liquor

Take 2 cups of fresh clean strawberries, hulled and cut in half and put into a clean 1 quart jar   The stawberries should fill the jar halfway. Next pour in the vodka to the top leaving about a half inch of headspace.  

Place cool, dark place. Give the jar a little shake once a day.  

After a couple days you will notice that the strawberries are being leeched of color and turning a sickly albino white.  Don't panic, this is normal.  All the color and flavor is going into the vodka.

In a week strain the solids from the liquid.  You will end up with a wonderful strawberry flavored vodka that is a beautiful red color.

Mix it with a cooled simple syrup - 1/2 cup raw sugar dissolved into a 1/2 cup boiling water. 

Mix 1 part infused vodka to a 1/2 part of the simple syrup.  

Firewater Friday - Baby Guinness

I fell in love with Patron XO Café at first taste.  It is smooth and delicious and very coffee.  Mixed with Bailey's it simply wonderful!

Baby Guinness 

1.5 oz Patron XO Café Tequila
3/4 oz Bailey's Irish cream

In separate containers chill Patron XO and baileys over ice. Pour Patron XO in small cocktail glass, then slowly pour the Baileys down the side of the glass to float on top.

Firewater Friday - Javanilla Cocktail

This concoction is a match made in heaven.  The sweet richness of vanilla bean mead mixed with coffee porter tastes like a beerific cappuccino whipped up a coffeehouse barista.  

Javanilla Cocktail

2 Ounces Saphouse Meadery Vanilla Bean Mead
11 Ounces Berkshire Brewing Dean's Beans Coffeehouse Porter

Pour chilled vanilla mead into a 16 ounce glass.  Top with coffee porter.

Enjoy!

Firewater Friday - Moontini

I love a good martini.  I'm talking a real, honest-to-goodness martini.  Not one of those floofy cocktails that bars are trying to pawn off as martinis.  

A classic martini is made with a whisper of vermouth and a healthy pour of chilled gin or vodka.  Shaken or stirred - I like mine shake shake shaken, senora.  Served with a garnish of a lemon twist, cocktail onions or - my personal favorite - olives (preferably stuffed with sundried tomatoes, garlic or oh-my-goodness blue cheese).  If I'm feeling particularly spunky I might even throw in a pepperoncini.  

Yup, that's the way I like it.

_____________________

The other day I walked into a liquor store and there stood Jeff Conelius from Onyx Spirits offering samples of - **gasp** - moonshine.  

            Moonshine

 Free Samples

                                           Oh, hell yeah!

So, there I stood with a big, goofy grin on my face accepting a taste of Onyx Moonshine while Jeff explained its characteristics, nuances and attributes.  

It's actually quite interesting. It has a subtle whiskey like aroma.  The flavor is quite unique.  It has some of the taste profile of a good whiskey but way down low mellow.  It also has some of the qualities of a good vodka.  It goes down easy - no burn and barely a bite.  Easy enough to drink straight up or on the rocks and tasty enough to rock your favorite cocktail.

_____________________

The other day I had a bad day.  You know, one of those days where everything is crazy insane and there's a global conspiracy to irritate the bajoopies out of you.  I had one of those days.  By the time I get home from work and I had had enough.  I needed to wind down and relax.

I was thinking a martini would hit the spot.  Then I remembered that I had bought a bottle of Onyx Moonshine from Jeff.  So, I decided to try something different - a moontini.  If it was bad then that would just be the cherry on the top of my crappy day, now wouldn't it?  But if it was good . . . mmmm.

Here's how I make a nice dry martini and I make a kickin' martini!

You'll need a chilled martini glass and a cocktail shaker filled with ice.  

Fill the glass 3/4 full of gin or vodka - or Onyx Moonshine, in this case.  

Pour the our the gin or vodka or moonshine into the cocktail shaker.  Set a side.

Pour 2 or 3 drops of dry vermouth into the cocktail glass.  Swirl it around the inside of the glass and dump it out.  You don't want the martini to be overpowered by vermouth - just the slightest taste.

Skewer olives onto a toothpick and place into the martini glass.

Now turn your attention back to the cocktail shaker.  Cover it and shake, shake, shake vigorously.  Then strain the icy cold liquid awesomeness into the glass over the olives.

Cheers!  Enjoy!

How did I like my moontini?  Good.  It's different, for sure.  But, definitely, good.   

I felt a little like Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce  from M*A*S*H* sipping a martini from his homemade still while lounging on his cot reading a copy of Nudist Monthly - sans the dirty magazine.  

Firewater Friday - Cafe Picaro

Two things that go together well are chocolate and coffee.  So when I tasted Patron XO Cafe, a coffee flavored tequila, I thought, "Wow, this is goooooooood!"  And then I thought, "This would taste great mixed with a chocolate beer."

The first beer that came to mind was Rogue Chocolate Stout.   Which on its own is an outstanding beer and very chocolaty.  Mixed together with a dollop of Patron XO Cafe it is simply awesome.

I dub this concoction . . . 

Cafe Picaro

1 1/2 Ounces Patron XO Cafe
11 Ounces Rogue Chocolate Stout

Pour the Patron into a pint glass and top off with the chocolate stout.

Enjoy!

Firewater Friday - Aye Carumba Cafe

Patron XO Cafe is a blend of tequila and coffee. This rich coffee liqueur is wonderful all on its own but in a cup of coffee?  Aye Carumba!!!  

Mmm, sounds like a little piece of caffeinated heaven to me!

Aye Carumba Cafe

1 1/2 oz Patron XO Cafe
Brewed Coffee
Half-and-Half
Sugar (if desired)

In a heated coffee mug add Patrón XO Café. Add half-n-half and sugar (if desired).  Fill mug with coffee.

Firewater Friday - The Spin

Light and refreshing - a little sweet, a little tart.  The mixture of the ingredients give this drink an almost sweet grapefruit taste.  Delish!


The Spin


1 1/2 Ounces Vodka
1/4 Ounce Triple Sec
2 Ounces Fresh Cranberry Juice
1 Ounce Fresh Orange Juice
Orange Garnish


Combine all ingredients (except garnish) in an ice filled shaker.  

Shake and strain into a chilled wine glass.

Garnish with an orange wedge.

Firewater Friday - Bacon and Eggs Cocktail

Bacon and eggs . . . it's not just for breakfast anymore.  And you don't necessarily have to chew it either.  

Don't worry, no one is going to force you to swallow fried eggs and crispy bacon without the benefit of using your choppers first.  Nor are they going to throw your breakfast in a blender and liquefy it into odd savory smoothy.

No, but you can drink your bacon in eggs . . . in a cocktail!  This recipe uses bacon infused bourbon (I infuse my own: Method 1, Method 2) and Advocaat which is a Brandy and Egg Liqueur (good in coffee, too).

Bacon and Eggs Cocktail

1 Part Bacon Infused Bourbon
1 Part Advocaat Liqueur

Pour bourbon and Advocaat into an ice filled cocktail shaker.  

Shake, shake, shake.  

Strain into a cocktail glass or serve over the rocks.

Garnish with a strip of bacon, if desired.

L'Orientale Cocktail

L'Orientale

1 Part Ginger Liquor
1 Part Vodka
Splash of Chambord
Splash of Orange Juice

Combinne ginger liquor and vodka in an ice filled shaker.  Add a splash of Chambord and a splash of orange juice. 

Shake, shake, shake.

Strain into a chilled martini glass.

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Firewater Friday - It's Sexy Thyme

It's Sexy Thyme

2 1/2 Ounces Gin
1 Ounces Thyme Simple Syrup
2 Ounces Tonic Water
1/2 Lime, Juiced
Candied Thyme Sprigs (Garnish)

Thyme Simple Syrup
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Water
8 Sprigs Fresh Thyme

Candied Thyme Sprigs
Fresh Thyme Sprigs
1/4 Cup Thyme Simple Syrup
1/2 Cup Sugar


Start by making the thyme infused simple syrup.  Combine ingredients in a small pan and bring to a light simmer. Simmer for two minutes, then remove from heat and let cool slowly to room temperature.

Strain out thyme sprigs from syrup and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Then make the candied thyme sprigs by dipping whole sprigs in simple syrup and then toss with sugar. Let dry for at least thirty minutes before using as a garnish.

To make the cocktail: add gin and simple syrup to a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds.

Pour cocktail into a tall glass and top with tonic water. Garnish with candied thyme sprigs.

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Firewater Friday - Spiced Rum and Cola

Spiced Rum and Cola

1.5 oz. Spiced Rum
3 Dashes Bitters
5 oz. Cola
1 Lime Wedge

Fill a pint sized glass with ice.  Add the rum and bitters.  Top with cola.  Stir gently to combine.  Add a squeeze from the lime wedge and serve.

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Firewater Friday - Michelada, a Mexican Beer Cocktail

A while back, out of some perverted train-wreck attraction, I bought and tried a Budweiser Chelada.
To my utter dismay I found that I actually liked the concoction.  Go Figure.

The Chelada is Annheuser Busch's version of the Mexican beer cocktail known as a michelada.

So, I decided to give making my own version a go . . . it's pretty good . . . so disturbing.






Michelada

Coarse Salt 

Ice Cubes

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Lemon, Juiced

1 Dash Hot Pepper Sauce

1/2 Teaspoon Soy Sauce

1 1/2 Cups Clamato®

1 Can Cold Beer

Rim the edge of a chilled pint sized mug with salt.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and soy sauce to the glass.

Half fill the glass with Clamato, fill the rest of the mug with beer, and stir gently. 

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Bacon Infused Bourbon Old-Fashioned

I made this cocktail with my homemade bacon infused bourbon.

It's a little salty, a little smoky, a little sweet . . . interesting and complex.  Delish!


Bacon Infused Bourbon Old Fashioned 


2 Oz. Bacon Infused Bourbon
1 or 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
1/4 Ounce Real Maple Syrup
Orange Peel for Garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add bourbon, bitters, and maple syrup.

Give it a few good shakes.Twist the orange peel over the cocktail and then drop it in.

Enjoy!


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Firewater Friday - Cucumber, Basil and Tequila Cooler

Cucumber, Basil and Tequila Cooler

1/4 Large Cucumber, Peeled and Cut Into Large Chunks

1/2 Cups Loosely Packed Basil Leaves

1/8 Cup Loosely Packed Mint Leaves

Juice of 1 Lime, Divided

1/2 Ounce Agave Nectar

4 Ounces Sprite or Club Soda

Ice Cubes

1 Shot of Tequila 

Cucumber Slice, For Garnish

Place cucumber, basil, mint and juice of 1/2 lime in the bowl of a food processor and blend for 30 seconds. 

Allow mixture to sit for at least 15 minutes or longer if you have time. 

Put mixture through a fine colander or sieve, pressing on solids to get as much liquid out as possible. Discard solids.

Put liquid in a cocktail shaker or jar. Add remaining lime juice and sweetener and shake well. Taste for sweetness and add more syrup if desired.

Pour even amounts of liquid into two ice-filled glasses and top with lemon-lime soda. Stir in tequila and garnish with cucumber.

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Tropical Peach

Tropical Peach

1 1/2  oz. Vanilla Liqueur
1 1/2 oz. Peach Schnapps
3 oz. Pineapple Juice 
3 oz. Orange Juice

Combine all ingredients in a glass full of ice.  Stir until combined.  Enjoy!

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Firewater Friday - Guinness Cream Soda

I found a recipe for a cocktail using Guinness.  It's called "Guinness Cream Soda".  I don't know if that's what *I* would have named it because it tastes more like a ginger beer, but who am I to criticize.    I've altered the recipe somewhat . . . basically because the original recipe called for Navan Vanilla Liquor which is extremely expensive and not easily acquired in the US and Domaine De Canton Ginger Liquer which is also expense.  I wouldn't consider either of these suitable mixers for mixing with beer.  Let's face it . . . this isn't a high-end fancy-shmancy high-class cocktail.  My results were delicious!  

Also, I recommend using the Guinness Draught from the can as opposed to Guinness Extra Stout in the bottle.  You will have better results . . . basically because the bottled version is meant to be drank straight from the bottle and not poured (see this blog post for more information)

It's interesting to note that you can have two distinctly different drinking experiences with this cocktail.  You can float the Guinness much like is done with a Black and Tan.  Or, you can mix it all together with a gentle stir.  Either way is good . . . just different.






Guinness Cream Soda 

2 Ounces Ginger Liqueur
2 Ounces Vanilla Liqueur
1 (12-ounce) Can Club Soda, Chilled
1 (14.9-ounce) Can Guinness Draught, Chilled

Combine the liqueurs in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill then mix with club soda, stir gently to combine.

Fill a chilled pint glass halfway with the club soda mixture. 

If floating the Guinness, hold a spoon over the glass, slowly pour the Guinness over the back of the spoon until the glass is full. 

Otherwise combine half the club soda mixture with half the can of Guinness.  Stir gently if.

Serve immediately.

Makes two cocktails

Firewater Friday - Frog in a Blender

Frog in a Blender

There's not actually a frog in this drink . . . it's supposed to look that way though.  Did it?  Kinda, a little, maybe.  Mmmm . . . but it tasted good.

1 Cup of Ice
2 oz Vodka
4 oz Cranberry Juice
2 Slices Lime

Place all the ingredients in a blender.  

Blend for 3-5 seconds.  You don't want it to be smooth, blended enough to chop up the "frog"/limes a bit.

Pour into a chilled hurricane glass.

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Firewater Friday - Strawberry Dream

This is a cocktail of my own invention made with infused spirits of my own making.  Of course, you can substitute commercially infused vodkas . . . but it's oh so much more satisfying to make your own.  Unless of course you can't take the wait.

Strawberry Dream

1 Shot Vanilla Infused Vodka
2 Shots Strawberry Infused Vodka
   (1 Part Strawberry Vodka to 1/2 Part Simple Syrup to equal 2 Shots)
4 Ounces Orange Juice





Pour vodkas in a shaker filled with ice and give a quick shake shake shake.  

Strain over a rocks glass filled with ice.  Fill glass with orange juice and stir.  

Garnish with a strawberry and drink up the deliciousness.
 
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Firewater Friday - The Abbey

The Abbey

2 Shots Dry Gin
3/4 Shot Lillet Blanc
3/4 Shot Orange Juice
1 Dash Angostura bitters

Pour all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice.  Shake and strain into cocktail glass.

Firewater Friday - Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar Cocktails

One of my favorite meads is Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar.  It is a melomel style of mead; it is mead made with fruit other than grapes or apples.  It is made with with 5 parts Clover honey, 1 part Wildflower honey and black raspberry puree.  It's light and slightly effervescent.  I like it especially because it is not overly sweet.  It's fairly heavy in the alcohol department, however, coming in at 8% ABV.  I first had it a few years ago and I love it so much that I always keep a bottle or two in the house.

Redstone has several recipes on their website using their meads as mixers.  Although I really like mead without anything added to it I thought I'd give a couple of their recipes a try to see how they taste.   They were, in fact, quite good.  


The Rose

4 Ounces Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar
1 Ounce Vodka
1 Wedge Lime

Squeeze lime into champagne glass and set aside.

Pour nectar and vodka into a shaker filled with ice.  Give it a quick shake and strain into the champagne glass over the lime.

Tubesteak Boogie


4 Ounces Redstone Black Raspberry Nectar
1 Ounce Jack Daniels

Pour nectar and Jack Daniels into a shaker filled with ice.  Give it a quick shake and pour into a rocks glass.


For more recipes from Redstone Meadery visit their website or check them out on Facebook.