July 19-Ramos Gin Fizz
I’m surprised this placed as high as it did. This opinion is based purely on the work involved in this drink. This is widely viewed as the hardest most work intensive cocktail out there. When this cocktail was first made, it became a multi bartender job. One bartender would shake ot for a little bit, then hand it off to another and it would go on until it was thoroughly shooketh. That is not the end however, the cocktail would then be frozen for a bit to solidify the foam on top. Then topped off with soda water, and the cocktail was served.
Now let’s talk about the make of the drink. The inclusion of heavy cream was to make the foam that much creamier. They also included orange flower water for complexity. This coicktail also employs a strategy I love in drinks, that is to split the citrus base with lemon and lime juice so you get the sour of the lemon and the botter of the lime.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M_O6xaai0YCAjJMChcegVO7VglbAZUQAotuPDrb8hTo/edit?tab=t.0 .
July 18-French 75
When I offer this drink to someone who has never had it before, they always think it’s some high end name based off the fanciest thing ever. I don’t know what they think it’s named after, because I know it’s named after a field gun used by the Frenchin WWI. Conveniently this is about when the cocktail was made as well. This cocktail was created by Harry MacElhone at Harry’s American Bar which is actually in Paris.
Honestly my favourite part of the name is the story. It was named after a field gun because you apparently feel like you got hit by one of you drink it. This cocktail is known for being one of the first sours to include champagne in its recipe. This means it gets a shorter pour of gin but the bubbles are a nice addition in my opinion.
Full Judging Here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qtAOru8OgfJQWYYJf9jldd_-qBmLlUiQsxVS01vmf-c/edit?tab=t.0
July 17-Fitzgerald
I don’t know a whole lot about this cocktail since this is the first I’m seeing it. When I looked at it it reminded me of a fix with some bitters. The other difference is that this is not over crushed ice, which does take it out of the fix family in my opinion, but these ‘families’ are subjective. Difford’s guide didnt tell me anything about the actual history or name etymology of this drink, but I don’t deny that it being made by Dale Degroff alone had me excited for this drink. He is known for such classics as the anejo highball and that is one of my favourites. I still think the anejo highball desevres to be on this list over the Fitzgerald.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FBOT0Qjcx3G4gIqyUk6LhdSuYjuauWaeeRDvDgHePOM/edit?tab=t.0
July 16-Juliet and Romeo
You might have seen this cocktail before if you are at all interested in cocktail youtube as this is a very popular video topic for many a creator. This is also possibly the magnum opus of cocktails for the bartender Tobey Maloney of the Violet Hour in Chicago. This bar is responsible for another one of my favourite cocktails being the Art of Choke. This isn possibly the most popular cocktail at the bar and Maloney even used this very drink as a case study on how to create cocktails in his 2022 book, The Bartender’s Manifesto.
The Juliet and Romeo is as Maloney puts ‘ a southside with a little something extra’. This is a methodology I love to invokle when it comes to me creating cocktails. Take a classic and change it just enough so it’s your own thing. It’s deceptively brilliant and the easiest way to create your own drink. I highly recommend getting The Bartender’s Maniffesto if you don’t have it already.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JyLVnFsGgKsK6vp3lyH0qxhoSqXJdBvWWCPPkSivzoA/edit?tab=t.0 .
July 15-Aviation No 1
We are on a roll with the cocktails recently. All of them have been banger that I love and we continue that streak today. The Aviation No 1 is one of my favourites I’ve tried all time. The floral nature of its signature ingredient, creme de violette, works so well with the gin and the lemon, plus you have the marashino adding a dimension other thasn just sweetness. As for why this is the Aviation No 1, when creme de violette was less availible, the no 2 version was created without it.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WEZAdixYK6e9kq6AQlY5LpeqPPatXs-vqeBeu_7lPn0/edit?tab=t.0
July 14-Clover Club
The Clover Club is not just a brilliant drink like all we have spoken about this summer, it is also the name of a brilliant bar by Julie Reiner. The Clover Club cocktail actually came way before Reiner’s bar as it is a cocktail from the 1880s that was created for a gentlemen’s club that met in Philly from 1880-1920. The reason this cocktail has raspberry is because of the power colour of the time. The power colour now is red but back in the 1880s it was considered pink. The raspberry was the perfect fruit to give this cocktail a pink colour for power.
While most Clover CLubs nowadays are just sours with raspberry muddled in or raspberry syrup, The original included dry vermouth in it. That’s the way I am showing you now. Admittedly this is an adapted recipe for myself since I love raspberry ever since I was a kid so I muddled in raspberry and used raspberry syrup. In my opinion the results speak for themselves and I urge you to try it despite it not being traditional.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1H3kS7fzkeJE0b8eqfNlNTm5Vn__CJErFCpUy2o7T33k/edit?tab=t.0
July 13-Bramble
The Bramble was quoted as Simon Difford’s Mother’s favourite cocktail. I can’t think of one I would rather choose then this. It’s simple, tasty and seasonal with the blackberry inclusion. This drink nis in the fix family of drinks, which is essentially a sour over crushed ice. These also typically have more fruits added in to differentiate themselves from the sours. The only time a sour has fruity flavours are when they are a sour with a liqueur as the base spirit like a midori sour. Meanwhile you will see fruit muddled into fixes all the time.
The bramble as I said is a blackberry fix, I will admit that this is my take on it since I don’t use creme de mure, I muddle fresh fruit in there instead. This is not meant to bash anyone who does it with creme de mure, I like that version too, I just prefer the fresh fruit version. It’s like comparing gold to diamonds.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cVvXpwQIj__-M-UB-pOJoFlmfMa3A-GFUEwcw-WJzDY/edit?tab=t.0
July 12-Dry Martini
You found it, you actually found it. Get your cameras people we found the one cocktail I would rather use vodka in rather than gin. But I prefer the cleaner taste of vodka over gin in a martini. This is the main reason I like the vesper, since the vodka dries out the gin enough while retaining the botanical quality of the gin. If I had to choosde between the 2 however, I would take the cleanliness over the botanicals.
This cocktail is super simple but intricate as everyone has a certain ratio of dry vermouth to gin. This is why I hate making this for others, since you are more liable to mess up with this 2 ingredient cocktail than any other one in my opinion. Most cocktails people don’t know the exact make of or what they are supposed to taste like while this one, if you’re ordering it, you know it better than any other drink and what bit’s meant to taste like to you.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-HF330ZtHSmu5MD6_s0A4WsW1OaS-d_rupDrh1q4FbM/edit?tab=t.0
July 11-Corpse Reviver No 2
Today we have another classic cocktail, this time one that works in an equal parts format. That’s probably the reason it was one of the first I learnt on my own. This one is a simple 4 ingredient number that works as an equal part drink similar to a negroni or Last Word. The name of this drink was pretty funny when I looked it up. There are 2 Corpse Reviver cocktails. The Corpse Reviver No 1 was meant to be ordered in the AM as a cure for a hangover while this one put youu back asleep in the PM. This version became much more popular mainly for its classic citrusy taste that more and more people are starting to appreciate. I am here for that trust me.
This cocktail features Gin, Lemon, Cointreau and aromatized wine like Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano. all these together give it an almost alcoholic cnady taste similar to a Lemon Drop but different since the wine in it adds a sophisticated taste almost. This drink also features an optional absinthe rinse which I always recommend as it adds to the bold flavour profile of the drink and the botanicals of the gin.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W0NY1EhDDhxg1MgMrgyjZsfBokFsB92iFQCGHV806cM/edit?tab=t.0
July 10-Cantaritos
How many cocktails can you think of that have their own glass named after them? The most popular is martini, but you also have margarita and aold fashioned glasses. We have another example of that today called the Cantaritos. This is not a glass you would expect however. The drink is sevred not traditionally in a glass, but in a clay pot. That is actually where the name of the drink comes as well. The name in spanish literally translates to little clay pot. These little clay pots are seen as the disposable to go containers for restaurants in Jalisco Mexico.
This drink is similar to the paloma in that it is tequila based and citrussy with hints of grapefruit. This cocktail also features orange juice for some sweetness. These are important as if you use a drier soda like I did, you won’t get the sweetness to counteract the bitterness of the lime and grapefruit.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10TWn_a0b1dIumpYCuchilRRzxkjhyJkGA1YJrTBOZiw/edit?tab=t.0
July 9-Sex On The Beach
This is one of the first cocktails I learnt at bartending school. Yes, when I first signed up I was surprised it existed at first. The first lesson we had was on highballs, this was one of the first we learnt. To remember it the teacher told us to remember Very Crazy Old People are who would have sex on the beach. This allowed us to remember Vodka, Cranberry, Orange juice and Peach Schnapp as the recipe. The recipe on Difford’s is different from this recipe, and I am electing to use Difford’s to keep with the theme of this summer. This recipe adds pineapple juice and chambord to the first 4 ingredients. It also splits the shake in 2 parts shaking the Peach, orange and pineapple, then shaking the Vodka, cranberry and chambord and building it on top of each other.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10daeBm_5xeg8s5xWe15BE70HMaYFe1g_gqzJxLT-8DM/edit?tab=t.0
July 8-Singapore Sling
Here we have yet another national drink, this time for Singapore. This is particular drink is in my opinion way too overcomplicated to be a national drink. Usually the national drink of a country should be quick and easy to remember. But for the longest time I needed an index card with the ingredients for this cocktail because there is just so many. This is definitely not the first cocktail I would recommend someone learnign if they get into cocktails. WHen I think of cocktails that give gin a bad name, this is one of the first I think of for those reasons I outlined before.
Full Judging Here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wK-oHTKgFhe-hSt93CfXcXIbSUK0NAoBpiGqQxuSqgk/edit?tab=t.0
July 7-Vodka Sour
Are you a fan of a whiskey sour, but wish it has less flavour and interest? Great, I have the cocktail for you. It doesn’t even have a snappy name. I know whiskey sour isn’t the most creative name in itself, but the word whiskey is still more interesting than the word vodka in my opinion. The only thing interesting in this cocktail is a dash of angostura bitters. I don’t even know what I can say about this cocktail, I kid you not when I say I have been sitting in front of the computer for an hour trying to squeeze even a little out of this drink. There is no history or interest from me. I saw the name and immediately knew the recipe to a ti. It doesn’t have anything new.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nffFlod8c-2f-if4GNZQdKWMbnj-xj5LXvk29K_mmGA/edit?tab=t.0
July 6-El Presidente
El Presidente is a cocktail that is claimed to be a daiquiri varitaion but isn’t really in my opinion outside of the rum. I can justify the replace lime juice with vermouth to make it an El Presidente, but then you also add curacao for the simple syrup and a splash of grenadine. All these together take away from the simplicity a daiquiri has. It’s not too complex of as cocktail but again it’s not as simple as a daiquiri should be.
Outside of that this cocktail is pretty satisfying all in all. The dry curacao and vermouth work really well together and the rum rounds it all out. The only trhing I couldn’t figure out was the grenadine. It’s just such an inconsiquential amouth of something that is not as strong as something you would usually only use a splash of. Things that are overpowerign to hell and back like orange blossom water get this treatm,ent, not something like grenadine.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ur3EcuzW_ckuy1eG3nwI5trkJSrLTjN3cTEk3LQyynA/edit?tab=t.0
July 5-Tommy’s Margarita
Widely seen as the “Perfect Margarita” by my family, the Tommy’s Margarita is what you get if you replaced the orange liqueur in a margarita with more agave goodness. You are basically taking a Daisy style cocktail here and un-daisying it. Basically I’m saying that the creator (Julio Bermejo) put syrup in a cocktail that was sweetened purely by liqueurs. The cool thing about this cocktail is that it has quickly become so popular that most people think of this version as the classic. This could be because restaurants have adapted this version for their house margaritas.
As previously stated this cocktail was created by Julio Bermejo of Tommy’s in San Francisco around 1987. And also as previously stated this has become the standard for margaritas for many a restaurant. But this is a little sad to me since Bermejo gets barely any credit for the scale of work he has done for these restaurants that practically outright plagiarise accidentally with out knowing. But thus is life I guess.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VIk-ES2kAHm5xOrHySq9DcwdiT1cSQD5g2ACFcngxNs/edit?tab=t.0
July 4-American Trilogy
The American Trilogy is in my opinion, the perfect cocktail for the 4th of July. This is a very American cocktail and this makes it the best for a very American Holiday. What makes this cocktail so American is that it is the story of the beginning of American booze in one drink. America’s first spirit it made was Applejack or Apple Brnady and then Rye was created. This cocktail features a split base of these 2 with Regan’s bitters, another american made ingredient. These 3 make the Awerican Trilogy in terms of cocktail ingredients.
This cocktail was created by Richard Bocatto and Michael McIlroy at Milk and Honey in New York City. This is a legendary bar that started nearly every trend that other bars follow. McIlroy opened a new bar in the old space that Milk and Honey inhabitted called Attaboy with Sam Ross who created cocktails like the Paper Plane and Penincillan.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xaihcisbpBJQKqh2x7sO6t6mfrL2S-9IaDBCh19hZbA/edit?tab=t.0
July 3-White Lady
This is a prohibition sour that led to the creation of some true classics like the pink lady which supplants the syrup for grenadine and splits the gin with applejack. This cocktail was created by Victor Cabrin at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. I will sayb that I prefer the pink lady variation due to the extra flavour brought in by the grenadine and applejack. I will say that this is only the case if you get a good grenadine and applejack, but if you do, you’ll be happily surprised.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F2afy3f0xD6gmQCR5-nCimGI6HVO84vFzlLeRc3aJYw/edit?tab=t.0
July 2-French 76
The French 75 and French 125 are 2 of the best known cocktails out there. This is arguably the redheaded stepchild of the bunch, but weirdly this ranked much higher in the list. I have been over why I think vodka is much less impactful than gin as a spirit. If you want to hear about that check out my past posts. All you need to know is that I’m on the side that Vodka is pretty useless as a spirit except for if you hate gin but still want alcohol.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E87uQwwGvaOJOcq-WsA6IsUKwpOI0k7WQpCml-ly8Lw/edit?tab=t.0
July 1-Mezcal Margarita
The Margarita is the most popular Mexican cocktail, now how do you make it better? In my opinion the answer to that is to make it a mezcal margarita. THis adds a smokey flavour along with the roasted agave notes of tequila. I am someone who will take mezcal over tequila anyday as it reminds me of when I would smoke meats at my parent's’ old house. Those are some great memories for me. Unfortunately this cocktail has no creation details taht I can give you so I need to end here, I will say this, I would also add fruit to flavour this.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11XPJjDchTfO0UKZsLL6q3FrTdS5hIiQyq-qDEgnDVsc/edit?tab=t.0
June 30-Key West Hurricane
We come to the end of another month this summer. And with thwat comes a happy day for me and my family as we get to celebrate a close friend of ours. This man has been there for me since kindergarten and I couldnm’t think of anyone better to have a whole day this summer to celebrate. For privacy reasons we will call him E. E is the father of someone who I didn’t always realise, but was always there for me growing up, and E has been just as volatile in making me the man I am today. The amount of life lessons this man taught me would make him a prophet in the past and hopefully future once this world gets it together. This man was muchg more of a mentor than I deserve and he is a high ranking business man at a local rum company about an hour from where I live. Therefore to celebrate him I am using a cocktail from that company’s website today.
The Key West Hurricane is a cocktail found on the Papa’s Pilar website that doesn’t give much in terms of its creation or creator. TYhis drink is super tiki in essence with a lot of ingredients and a sweet palate needed to enjoy it. I actually used passion fruit puree instead of juice for the main reason of, it’s what I had in my hands but it is still a fantastic product to work with. This did give the cocktail more body as well, buit I learnt to use halof the amount they recommend since this stuff is stronger than the juice. THis will also make it fit more easily in your shaker and final glass.
Full judging here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WkzYmb0ottaekV52KDMoRSYXv-zxecjvdj06gvkBAeI/edit?tab=t.0 .
Happy Birthday E.