January 2019

Whether you’re participating in “dry January” or simply want some non-alcoholic alternatives this year, you’re in luck.

Bars across the country are mixing up delicious mocktails that taste just as good as the real thing. If you want to try your hand at non-alcoholic drinks at home, these four mocktail recipes are simple to make and impressive to serve.

Marquee Moon

Marquee Moon

Healthy, seasonal food is always the star of the menu at The Fat Radish, and they always like to offer some non-alcoholic drink options, too. This wonderful mocktail mixes Seedlip Spice with a tea honey cordial, pear vinegar and CBD oil for a tasty drink that delivers all the relaxing vibes.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Seedlip Spice
• .75 oz. Red Rooibos Honey Cordial*
• 1 barspoon D’Anjou Pear Vinegar
• 10 ml. CBD Oil
• 1 inch piece of Honeycomb (for Garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir until cold and strain into a Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with a piece of honeycomb.

*Red Rooibos Honey Cordial

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Strong Red Rooibos Tea
• 4 cups Honey

Preparation: Add honey to the tea while it’s still hot, and stir until it dissolves.

The Cardi Tea

The Cardi Tea

This bright libation will bring a ray of sunshine into your happy hour, even on the coldest winter day. Created by Sen Sakana beverage director Zachary Gross, an egg white adds some depth to the mix of green tea, bergamot orange juice and lime.

Ingredients: 

• 1.5 oz. Steeped Green Tea
• .5 oz Agave Nectar
• .5 oz. Bergamot Orange Juice
• .5 oz Lime Juice
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 Egg White
• Lemon Slice (for Garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a shaker tin. Dry shake. Add ice and shake again. Double strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon slice.

Short Round

Short Round

It’s always summer at Polynesian Noir-inspired Last Rights in San Francisco, and you can channel their warm weather vibes with this tasty mocktail. The frothy blend of celery and pineapple juices, rich coconut cream, tangy ginger solution, and bitter lemon soda is just as satisfying as their alcoholic version of the drink.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
• 1 oz. Fresh Pressed Celery Juice
• 1 oz. Fresh Pressed Pineapple Juice
• 1 oz. Coconut Cream
• .5 oz. Ginger Solution (1:1 Fresh Ginger Juice and Simple Syrup)
• .5 oz. Bitter Lemon Soda

Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the soda, to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a lowball glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an edible flower, if desired.

Cucumber Quencher

Cucumber Quencher

Hugo Rooftop, which is perched on the 20th floor of NYC’s Hotel Hugo, is an elegant all-season bar that serves delicious drinks alongside sweeping views of downtown Manhattan. This refreshing mocktail combines cucumber juice with agave, herbs and club soda. 

Ingredients:

• 6-8 Mint Sprigs
• .75 oz. Agave Thyme*
• .25 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1.25 oz. Cucumber Juice
• 2 oz. Club Soda
• Cucumber Slice (for Garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the club soda, to a shaker with ice. Shake well then double strain into a highball glass and top it off with club soda. Garnish with an oval cucumber slice.

*Agave Thyme

Ingredients:

• 10-15 Thyme Sprigs
• 1 qt. Water
• .25 qt. Brown Sugar
• .75 qt. Light Blue Agave

Preparation: In a hot saucepan on medium heat, add water until it’s hot then, add the agave and sugar. Stir slowly until fully dissolved. Once dissolved, add the thyme sprigs and stir for 10-15 mins on low-med heat. To finish it off, place it in a cool place or refrigerator to cool down.

The post 4 Delicious Mocktail Recipes for Healthier Drinking appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

The Saint Louis Brewery, the producers of Schlafly Beer, is Missouri’s largest independent brewery and soon will celebrate 25 years of brewing. 

From 1991 to 2013, Stephen Hale primarily served as its chief brewer.  In 2013, he moved into a new role as ambassador brewer.  Hale explained, “After working 22 years in the brewhouse, I know the company from the inside out and can share its story with confidence. You have to walk the walk before you can talk the talk to move from brewing to marketing. I meet a lot of Schlafly fans at beer events, and I’ve become recognizable by wearing my kilt to every outing.  I’ve earned the affectionate nickname ‘Schlafly mascot,’ and am so proud to promote this company.” Meanwhile, stepping into the role of director of brewing operations is Emily Parker, a University of California Davis graduate who has worked her way up the brewery ladder. Her education centered on food science, with an emphasis in brewing.

Schlafly

When did you start at Schlafly?

Emily: I started about six years ago as a lab intern in the quality assurance lab, which developed into a job as few months later. I became the quality assurance manager, and then recently moved into brewing operations. It was a pretty fun transition. I love it.

How do you like your new position as ambassador brewer, Stephen?

Stephen: I didn’t know that I wouldn’t miss the brewing operations. I spent most of my time at the Tap Room downtown, and I loved almost every minute of my time there. So I thought I would miss it a lot, but I took to the new role rather naturally. I enjoy doing a variety of things and I love talking about Schlafly Beer. For the most part, I’m still fully involved in the line of beers we brew, and that’s important. I let Emily and the rest take care of the hands-on parts of the job now. The only hard part is being away from my family. The travel is great, but not being at home is tough.

You have such a large, diverse portfolio of beer.  Does that make brewing more fun, or more challenging and stressful?

Stephen: Brewers usually start at home, or do something small. We effectively make new beers on our Small Brews system, which we call Pilotworks, and get a keg or two of it, and then scale up to fifteen barrels, maybe tweak it again, and before you know it, we’re making several hundred barrels. So if you think about it, what makes brewing on such a large scale so different than small scale? We just make more of it.

The challenge is for the sales crew to be aware of our entire portfolio. It’s a lot of beer. I mean, when we print a big pamphlet about the beer, it’s almost outdated by the time it’s done being printed. We brew almost 70 beers, including ones we only serve at both locations. We like to make sure the total selection is really good, providing an overall consistency and good taste. Besides, we just like to keep our brewers interested [laughter].

Emily: Yeah, we have the two locations. Maplewood is our big production facility, but at our smaller brewhouse, we can knock out a lot of new, experimental beer. We love letting our brewers get creative. We just put in a new pilot system and they’re brewing a new beer each week. We test the beers, get feedback, and then hope it can graduate to the Tap Room and then to bottle. It could take years, but it works.

For me, it’s been interesting moving from quality assurance to my current position. Quality has always been a part of Schlafly’s brewing philosophy, so it was a natural transition to go from quality assurance to brewing. The main thing we want to do is put beer out and keep it “true to brand.”

Emily, you noted that you really enjoy rum. Any chance we might see a few rum barrel-aged brews?

Emily: [Laughter] Oh, yeah, I do like rum. I love rum cocktails like a Painkiller and Dark ‘n’ Stormy. So yeah, I definitely could see rum-aged beer in our future.

Schlafly

You’re adamant about remaining a “local brewery first.” Are there any advantages or disadvantages to existing in St. Louis, away from craft brewing hotspots like California, North Carolina, and Colorado?

Stephen:  We are Missouri’s largest independent brewery, and we’re proud of that. Our initial focus was the local area, 300 miles from the brewery or a 6-hour drive. But then we got pretty popular out East; we just grew in that area naturally, on its own. But we think St. Louis is the perfect market and there’s plenty of room to grow here. We’re not about chasing barrelage.

Emily:  I have been shocked over the years at how much St. Louis has grown in the craft industry. When I started, I think there were two or so, and now there are more than 30 around here, and it’s exciting. I would actually say it’s easier here than it is in California with how saturated the market is out there. But I’m glad we see these new breweries popping up, and we’re making it.

Do you monitor what is said about you on social media and online craft-beer rating sites?

Stephen:  About a year ago during a meeting, I offered to monitor those sites and clarify errors on them, but I never really made that happen. I don’t have a lot of experience with it. I have the same attitude with competitions. We never pursued medals. We really love when people come in and enjoy the beer. I really love seeing repeat customers, which is a great thing. We just let the taste of the beer sell the beer.

Emily: I’ll come at it from a different perspective than Stephen. Sensory is a tough thing to handle, so to me, it’s really interesting to read them. I’m interested to see how people perceive them and see them, pick up on them. What I see or taste may not be what others are picking up on.

One thing came up recently with our Walking Tree Wheat beer. The mango came through so amazingly from the puree, but a lot of people also picked up on a white pepper character. They swore it was in the beer, but it just developed through fermentation.

Stephen: Yeah, seriously, I even noticed the white pepper. It’s interesting. We set up tasting panels here, and you can really see the tasters in your company who have a higher sensitivity to things. I might be sensitive to a few particular aromas and tastes in beers, and others have strengths in other areas. It’s interesting to see what some can perceive and what they can’t. It’s cool.

Listening to Stephen and Emily discuss their jobs at Schlafly reminds one of talking to people excited about a new hobby, rather than two people speaking of their careers. But this is no hobby—Stephen and Emily match that enthusiasm with deft brewing skills and artistic minds. For those that brew Schlafly beer, it’s about imagination, innovation, and exploration. For those who drink the beer, it’s all about one thing: enjoyment.

The post Meet Schlafly Brewers Stephen Hale and Emily Parker appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

It was one of those lightbulb moments.

Trey Zoeller, the co-founder of Kentucky bourbon makers Jefferson’s, was celebrating his 40th birthday. He was having a drink on his friend’s yacht in Costa Rica.

“As we sat on the bow of his ship,” says Zoeller, “we drank bourbon and I watched the bourbon slosh around in the bottle. I thought this would happen in a barrel and change the maturation process. The more we drank the more we knew we had to make it happen, so we put five barrels on his ship and were off to the races!”

Jefferson’s Ocean

The first expression of Jefferson’s Ocean was born. The bourbon’s flavor profile was affected not just by the constant motion, but by the salty sea air being absorbed into the barrels. Extreme temperature fluctuations also had their impact. Spells of passing through hot climates meant more caramelization in the barrels.

“People say it tastes like salted, caramel, popcorn bourbon,” Zoeller says.

Trey Zoeller

Jefferson’s is known for its experimentation. Zoeller has aged bourbon in cabernet sauvignon wine barrels, bought from different vineyards so as to compare the results. He’s used sauternes wine casks from Bordeaux. He’s worked with chef Edward Lee to create a bourbon perfect for pairing with spicy food.

Jefferson’s Ocean is by far the most radical experiment, though. After the first launch (so to speak) worked, Jefferson’s has continued to send barrels of 8-year-old bourbon on round-the-world trips. They stop at thirty ports on five continents and cross the equator four times.

The boat used is that very same boat on which the lightbulb moment happened. Zoeller’s friend is Chris Fischer, whose MV OCEARCH crosses the oceans studying keystone marine species such as great white sharks and tiger sharks. Now that’s definitely a great story for bartenders to share with their customers.

The post Brand Spotlight: Jefferson’s Ocean appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Multi-talented, award-winning actress, playwright, director, and advocate for inclusion Christine Toy Johnson (FX’s The Americans) is currently on a national tour for Broadway musical Come From Away, and also appears in YOU, which Netflix just renewed for another season.

Here’s what Christine had to say to Chilled about what she eats on the road and her favorite wines to sip at home.

Chillin’ With Christine Toy Jonnson

Tell us a bit about the projects you’re working on.

I’m currently on the road with the first national tour of the Broadway musical Come from Away, traveling all across North America. It’s a beautiful show that spreads a gorgeous message of the power of kindness and compassion, and I absolutely love it! And I’m working on a few writing projects of my own, including a new musical and two screenplays.

With your busy schedule, what do you like to do with your downtime?

I love to hang out with my husband, Bruce, and my bestie, Joey. Also, whenever I can get to the ocean, I can spend hours just gazing at its infinite possibilities and beauty—if I can be there with Bruce and Joey, there’s nothing better!

When you go out to eat, where do you like to dine?

I’m a (Paleo) foodie, and there are so many amazing restaurants all over the country! As I write this, I’m in Seattle with Come from Away, and Wild Ginger is definitely one of my favorite places (anywhere!) and 112 Eatery in Minneapolis is delicious. In New York City, it’s hard to single out just a few places, but I especially love Pure Thai Cookhouse, Saggio, and Nizza, and on the more casual side, Hu Kitchen (all Paleo all the time). Mod Pizza in L.A. and Seattle has a fantastic Paleo-friendly pizza, and I always love a great diner. I’m really looking forward to playing Portland, Oregon, which has incredible restaurants (and, in my experience, great sommeliers), and visiting Vancouver for the first time.

Chillin’ With Christine Toy Jonnson

What types of dishes do you usually order?

I love seafood! The salmon in Seattle has been amazing, and lobster is a definite favorite splurge, especially when I’m in New England. I’m always on the lookout for the perfect Cobb salad (without cheese and with a non-dairy dressing). Bacon makes everything better, and I also love a good roast chicken. There’s one at Kendall’s Brasserie, downstairs from the Ahmanson Theatre (where we’re playing in L.A.) that I’m particularly looking forward to having again!

Do you cook?

Yes! I learned from the best—my mom is a fantastic cook! On the road, I often have very limited kitchen facilities (e.g., often just a microwave and a mini-fridge), but I’m finding ways to make some delicious rotisserie chicken/avocado/coconut wraps!

What types of drinks do you order when out?

I enjoy a glass of rosé, Malbec, or Shiraz.

Do you prepare drinks at home?

If opening a bottle of wine qualifies as preparing drinks, then yes!

Chillin’ With Christine Toy Jonnson

Do you own a home bar?

It’s more like a shelf, but yes.

What’s it stocked with?

My husband loves to keep a bottle of Chococo, a yummy chocolate coconut liquor that we once found in St. Croix (where we got married), on hand. On our wedding anniversaries, we try to get DVX champagne, from Mumm Napa. Plus the occasional bottle of rosé, Malbec, Shiraz, or a Malbec/Shiraz blend.

What’s your favorite wine?

I once found this Malbec/Shiraz blend from Chile (the label escapes me) that was so delicious! I’m always looking for something just like it.

Have you ever been a bartender?

No, but I have great respect for them and what they can concoct! I know a few master mixologists not only serving them up, but creating unique craft spirits. Joanna Carpenter is making magic over at Town Stages in New York City (while also fiercely advocating for women in the hospitality industry) and Tom Richter created this handcrafted quinine tonic, Tomr’s, that’s really fantastic!

The post Chillin’ With Christine Toy Jonnson appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

What better way to prepare for the cold weather than to try some new craft brews with some fresh hop powers?

This year, several brewers have leaned more toward the hoppy side of things, with many new releases showing up in IPA style. Here is a list of 9 delicious IPAs to try.

Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA

This California IPA is a new release from the guys at Sierra Nevada, and unlike most IPAs, this beauty is bottled and kegged unfiltered and raw. The brew is a bright, golden color with a hazy tint and brewed with Citra, Comet, Simcoe, El Dorado, and Mosaic hops. Hazy Little Thing stands tall at 6.7% ABV and packs a citrus punch with a nice tropical fruit balance.

Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA

Stone Brewing Exalted IPA

Another new IPA release hailing from the state of California, Exalted stands slightly taller in the ABV level at 7%. Loral and Citra hops make Exalted a citrus bomb with a moderate bitterness profile and clean finish.

Stone Brewing Exalted IPA

Tröegs Independent Brewing First Cut Mango IPA

Tröegs is stepping into the fruity side of things with a mango twist by releasing an IPA featuring Simcoe and Comet hops, giving an overall flavor of tropical and citrus fruits with a slight malt backbone. Providing a moderate ABV level of 6.2%, this IPA is ideal for gatherings with friends and family.

Tröegs Independent Brewing First Cut Mango IPA

New Realm Brewing Hoplandia IPA

Hoplandia is full of citrus hop goodness, backed by Simcoe and Centennial hops with a nice pine aroma and mild malt character. This IPA packs a little more power with an ABV level of 7.3%, making a 6-pack seem more or less like a shrunken 12-pack.

New Realm Brewing Hoplandia IPA

Reformation Brewery Nolan The Wanderer IPA

Martin Luther would have been proud, as the Reformation Brewery brews up a delicious IPA dry-hopped with Simcoe hops featuring grapefruit goodness, orange peel characters, and a nice malt backbone. Overall, this IPA is light and crisp, but don’t let that fool you: the ABV level is 7.2%.

Reformation Brewery Nolan The Wanderer IPA

Terrapin Beer Company Beyond the Galaxy IPA

With the help of Terrapin Beer Company’s new IPA, now you can travel beyond the galaxy. The Galaxy hops provide a nice tropical fruit flavor with hints of mango and a caramel sweetness that finishes clean and dry. Thankfully, the ABV level isn’t too stout; at just 6.2%, you’ll merely exit the galaxy rather than veer off into another dimension!

Terrapin Beer Company Beyond the Galaxy IPA

Burial Beer Company The Veracity Of Soulgazing IPA

As frightening as it may sound, this IPA is actually gentle and loving, with a juicy citrus flavor followed by notes of toasted biscuit and honey sweetness that bring about a deliciously smooth and overall balanced flavor. Brewed with Cascade, Citra, and Simcoe hops, The Veracity of Soulgazing is set a little lower on the ABV scale, clocking in at 6.3%, making it easy to drink while mowing (or just chilling in a lawn chair watching someone else mow the lawn).

Burial Beer Company The Veracity Of Soulgazing IPA

Ballast Point Aloha Sculpin Hazy IPA

Though Aloha Sculpin is brewed up in California, it’s got a Hawaiian-inspired touch, with flavors of mango, guava and other tropical fruits providing a juicy, sweet character that is balanced well with a moderate hop bitterness. With an ABV level of 7%, this IPA is perfect for those poolside days.

Ballast Point Aloha Sculpin Hazy IPA

Dogfish Head Brewing 120 Minute IPA

120 Minute is the mothership of all IPAs, with an 18% ABV level and a stout IBU rate of 120. It’s brewed with high-alpha American hops and then dry-hopped, producing the hop-lovers’ delight with a strong citrus presence and hints of caramel and honey.

Dogfish Head Brewing 120 Minute IPA

The post The 9 Best IPAs to Try Right Now appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Two of the music industry’s most notable disruptors are getting into the wine business.

Pat Corcoran and Tim Smith—the managers of Chance the Rapper and Skrillex, respectively— have teamed up with celebrated sommelier and the wine director of Lettuce Entertain You, Ryan Arnold, to debut No Fine Print Wine. The passion project between friends was inspired by the inherently convivial nature of wine. As the name implies, No Fine Print breaks down the barriers between complex sommelier jargon and those who simply appreciate and want to enjoy wine without formal training. Alongside the debut bottling, they’ve also released Fine Print Wine, which is available in extremely limited quantities.

Pouring Fine Print Wine

“We love the wine world and wanted to find a way to merge the creative branding we’ve used in the music realm with wine”
– Pat Corcoran, Partner at No Fine Print Wine

No Fine Print Wine

The debut vino from No Fine Print Wine is a 2016 blend of 80 percent California Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 percent Mendocino Syrah and 10 percent Lake County Petite Sirah that is sourced from the clear lake AVA at around 2100 feet elevation. It’s packed with dark, juicy fruit and balanced tannins to give it a dry but pleasant finish. The limited edition Fine Print Wine is a 2014 blend of Atlas Peak Syrah and a touch of Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast that’s been aged for 24 months in a barrel. It has notes of bright cranberry that are balanced by the depth and body of the oak.

No Fine Print Red

No Fine Print is a label that wants to strip away the pretension usually associated with the wine world and break down the barrier between wine and lifestyle. To find out where No Fine Print Wine is available near you, and to purchase online, visit NoFinePrintWine.com.

The post No Fine Print Wants to Make Wine Drinking Fun Again appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Each February Rogue Ales & Spirits from Newport, Oregon, releases its Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout.

The stout is aged for nine months in whiskey-soaked barrels that were made by Rogue Cooper Nate Linquist at the company’s own cooperage in Newport. This year is different, though. This year we get to taste the whiskey too.

To take the story back to its roots, literally, the whiskey begins as barley grown at Rogue Farms. Once distilled by Master Distiller Brian Pribyl, the whiskey starts its ageing process by spending a year in Oregon oak barrels. Towards the end of that year, Brewmaster John Maier brews his imperial stout. The whiskey goes into new barrels, the stout goes into the whiskey barrels and emerges nine months later as Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout.

Rolling Thunder Stout & Whiskey

At this point the whiskey goes back into the same barrels, which are now, of course, also imbued with the flavor of the stout. That happened two years ago, which is why you need patience and planning to be a brewer or a distiller. February 2019 sees the release, finally, of a limited edition Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey, a process that has taken almost four years in all.

“As Rogues,” says Rogue President Dharma Tamm, “we’re excited by the possibility of creating things by hand that no one has the patience to do. As the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the world, we are the only company who can create Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey completely in-house. We grow the ingredients we use to brew and distill, and make the barrels we age those products in.”

Rolling Thunder Stout & Whiskey

Opening with subtle aromas of smoke and sea air, Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey has notes of dark cocoa, toffee and dried fruit, and a coffee and grain finish. The whiskey is hand-bottled in hand-numbered bottles and topped with a hand-branded topper. It’s available in limited quantities nationally in 750ml bottles at a price of $74.95. You can find stockists on the Rogue website: Rogue.com.

The post Rogue Ales Releases Its First-Ever Stouted Whiskey appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Guest Brewer is bringing some of the best craft beers in the country to a city near you.

Brew Pipeline, a direct-access platform between craft brewers and distributors, announced its plans to have their Guest Brewer program up and running by March, which will bring exclusive beers from craft breweries to untapped markets for a limited time. More than 70 award-winning breweries are gearing up to participate in the program.

“As consumers continue to support local brands, most craft brewers stay close to home and are left with a small geography that will not sustain their growth. We created Brew Pipeline and Guest Brewer to solve this problem. Our goal is to provide greater access to the best craft beer available while boosting the bottom line for brewers and distributors.”
– Marty Ochs, president of sales at Brew Pipeline

Guest Brewer Program

Guest Brewer is Brew Pipeline’s first step in connecting the best craft beers with the top 100 U.S. markets. With limited release schedules designed to drive demand, both brewers and distributors can test new markets with minimal commitment. They have developed a user-friendly online portal that provides a one-stop solution for consolidated ordering for production, marketing, cooperage, transport and state registration. Monkless Belgian Ales was one of the first breweries to jump on board with the program.

“The Guest Brewer program is a great way for us to strategically seed new markets and connect with some of the best distributors in those regions. We’re excited to have been selected as one of the first breweries on board and to share our beer with our fans across the country, as well as people that have yet to taste it.”
– Robin Clement, owner of Monkless Belgian Ales

Brew Pipeline aims to give brewers the freedom to focus on brewing, while they handle all of the complex logistics from dock to market. If you’re a craft beer maker who wants to participate in Guest Brewer, you can apply for the program online at BrewPipeline.com.

The post Guest Brewer is Bridging the Gap Between Award-Winning Craft Brewers and Distributors appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Michelin star chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, the co-creators and masterminds behind the esteemed restaurant Alinea in Chicago, have teamed up with California artist duo Allen and Sarah Hemberger to publish an extraordinary book called The Aviary Cocktail Book.

In 2011, Achatz and Kokonas opened an innovative, unconventional cocktail bar called The Aviary on Fulton Market in Chicago. Elevating the approach to complex, cocktail concoctions, they set the bar way higher for everyone else. Every cocktail on the menu is made with precision and a level of detail unlike anything seen before: visually dramatic and breathtaking, serving a little piece of theatre performed tableside. From puffs of smoke to pillows of scent captured and released from ziplock bags, to hand-sculpted, flavored ice cubes, each cocktail is truly a work of art. The duo have since opened The Aviary NYC on the 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel, where the signature Wake and Bake cocktail comes wrapped up in a bag that when sliced open releases the aroma of an everything bagel.

The Aviary Cocktail Book

The classic cookbooks of Thomas Keller and Alain Ducasse, with their beautiful, full-page photos, profoundly influenced Achatz in his formative years as a chef. Having never seen a cocktail book that could compared to the quality and stature of these classics, Achatz wanted to publish a cocktail book that did the industry justice and represented his cocktail creations in the same way. Like everything else Achatz and Kokonas have created, when it came to crafting a cocktail book, they wanted to do things differently and disrupt the status quo of traditional publishing. They choose instead to do everything themselves, and assembled an unusual production team by way of the Hembergers.

Allen Hemberger, a visual effects artist who has worked on movies like Finding Dory, Avatar and Brave, and his wife, Sarah (also a visual artist), had cooked their way through the Alinea cookbook, and journaled the process, which culminated in their own book called, The Alinea Project. They then sent a copy of their book to Achatz and Kokanas as their way of saying thanks. As Achatz and Kokonas flipped through the book, they realized the Hembergers should be their co-creators for their next project: The Aviary Cocktail Book.

“I wouldn’t say Sarah and I came to this project with a strong creative vision originally,” said Allen. “In fact, during our first meeting with Nick and chef Achatz, we asked them, ‘What do you guys want this book to be?’ They both shrugged and said ‘We don’t know; what do you want it to be?’ It was not a question we were prepared to answer; we simply wanted to work with the incredibly talented staff to create something beautiful.”

The Aviary Cocktail Book

In an effort to raise funds for the project, The Alinea Group launched a Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $400,000. Refusing to compromise their vision for the book, the entire project was handled inhouse, from writing and photography to marketing and distribution.

“Luckily for Sarah and me, we all found each other and collectively felt this was something we wanted to do together,” said Hemberger. “While I had a fair bit of experience with cooking before, neither Sarah nor myself knew anything about the cocktail world. I could manage a pretty mediocre Old Fashioned, but that’s about it!”

While most cocktail books are organized by base spirit or ingredient, this approach didn’t make a lot of sense for The Aviary Cocktail Book. The drinks are mostly developed from a culinary perspective, and as such don’t cleanly fit into typical categories. The problem of how to organize the book was one that stumped the team for months, until Kokonas suggested having multiple tables of contents and grouping the drinks around a central mood or concept, rather than by ingredient.

While most cocktail books seem to fall into the “Gentleman’s Guide” bar manual format–with few images and small pages–The Aviary Cocktail Book stayed true to its original inspiration: A big, heavy book filled with beautiful images.

“Physical stature aside, the thing I’m most excited about is the balance we struck by slamming together such wildly different perspective,” said Hemberger. “Because of our background exploring the cuisine of Alinea, we have what I think is a unique perspective on how it feels to try to bring high-end cookery to the home kitchen. We viewed it as our job to try to accurately distill the ideas we see in The Aviary kitchen into this book in an understandable and approachable way.”

The post Must Read: The Aviary Cocktail Book appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

If you’re not familiar with Burns Night, now is the time to get acquainted.

Burns Night is a national holiday in Scotland that celebrates the Scottish poet Robert “Robbie” Burns, who wrote a number of iconic songs and poems like “Auld Lang Syne.” While most folks in Scotland celebrate with bagpipes, haggis, and scotch, you only really need one of the three to throw a Burns Night shindig of your own. These four smoky scotch cocktails are easy to make and will help you celebrate Burns Night right.

The Honeypot

The Honeypot

In this scotch version of a classic Bee’s Knees, bartender Erik Delanoy from The Wilson in NYC mixes The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old with fresh lemon juice, chestnut honey, and Angostura bitters for some added depth. Don’t worry if you can’t find chestnut honey—the regular stuff will work just fine in this drink.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old
• .75 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• .5 oz. Murray’s Chestnut Honey
• 1 dash Angostura Bitters

Preparation: Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

Tam O’Shanter

Tam O’Shanter

Created by mixologist Andrey Kalinin, red wine gives this elegant cocktail a deep, rich color and flavor. Paired with Laphroaig Scotch and Drambuie liqueur, it has a sweet, smoky finish that will have you celebrating Burns Night in style.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz. Laphroaig Select Scotch Whisky
• .5 oz. Drambuie
• 1 oz. Bordeaux Red Wine
• 3 dashes Orange Bitters
• Flamed Orange Twist (for Garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a mixing glass and stir. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a flamed orange twist.

Scotch Cider

Scotch Cider

If you’re feeling extra frigid on Burns Night this year, this hot cocktail from The Lodge by STK Rooftop will cure what ails you. This extra-sweet cider is perfect for anyone who isn’t yet acquainted with scotch—the sweet cider and added spices makes the smoky spirit extra easy to get down.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Apple Cider
• .5 cup White Sugar
• 5 Allspice Berries
• 5 Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 1 oz. Glenmorangie 10
• Thinly Sliced Apple (for Garnish)

Preparation: Add all ingredients, save for the garnish, to a pan and heat over a low flame. Be careful not to let the mixture simmer. When sugar has dissolved, strain. Pour into an Irish coffee mug and garnish with a thinly sliced apple.

Fir Trade

Fir Trade

This extra-cozy cocktail from Ferris will instantly transport you to the Italian Alps with a mix of smoky Highland Park Scotch, Douglas Fir Brandy, Michelberger Forest Herbal Liqueur, and Braulio, which has a slight hint of bittersweet pine needles. The sugared rim adds some sweetness to offset the drink’s robust, earthy flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1.25 oz. Highland Park Magnus Single Malt Scotch
• .75 oz. Neisson Blanc Rhum Agricole
• .5 oz. Braulio
• .25 oz. Clear Creek Douglas Fir Brandy
• .25 oz. Michelberger Forest Herbal Liqueur
• Sugar (for the Glass Rim)

Preparation: Rim half of a coupe glass with sugar and set aside. Add all other ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into the coupe glass and serve.

The post 4 Scotch Cocktails to Enjoy on Burns Night appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News