September 2021

The team at Sagamore Spirit has launched into the premium canned cocktail category with three premium options all made using a base of their 4-year-old rye whiskey.

Made using approachable, full bodied, and vibrant ingredients, all three cocktails showcase the four-year-old Rye to the fullest.

Sagamore Spirit developed the line in partnership with CAnE Collective, a consulting agency operating out of the Baltimore/Washington DC area. The CAnE Collective started as an initiative founded by hospitality workers Clinton Jackson Alexander, Ezra Allen, and Chilled 100 Member Aaron Joseph to educate the public about rum and cane spirits. Since then, the team has worked on more general spirits education and have developed their own range of craft mixers. The Collective’s background in education, hospitality, product development combined with their Baltimore location made them the ideal partners when Sagamore began looking into canned cocktails.

Sagamore Spirit RTD Canned Cocktails

“Maryland-style rye is the perfect base for cocktails, and we thought it was time to show that you can create a premium canned cocktail with our four-year-old rye whiskey, meant to be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.”
– Brian Treacy, Sagamore Spirit president

“What makes these recipes so special is the consideration that went into creating them. In the crowded ready-to-drink space, these stand apart because of the time we took to design each cocktail from scratch with the talented mixologists from CAnE Collective, resulting in a product that is layered with flavor and our award-winning rye whiskey in every sip.”

Each cocktail is gluten free and made with organic juices. Get to know the three flavors:

Honey Paloma

Red grapefruit juice is paired with lime juice, agave, and natural honey flavor for this refreshing take on a paloma. The 9%ABV gives it just enough buzz to blend the true rye flavor and easy drinking.

Black-Eyed Rye

Perfect for fall, the Black-Eyed Rye is a flavorful blend of Rye, blackberry juice, lime juice, and natural ginger flavor.

Lemon Tea Fizz

Green tea, Meyer lemon juice, and natural yuzu flavor come together with rye whiskey for an easy-to-drink cocktail with an 8% ABV.

The post Get To Know The New Canned Cocktails By Sagamore Spirit appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Two “bills” were conceived in a national context: bourbon whiskey and representative democracy.

Both are of ingrained importance to American history and have also had a deep impact on makers around the world.

Approved like America’s Constitution, bourbon must be produced in the United States, containing a mash bill of at least 51% corn, and matured in freshly charred American oak barrels for a minimum of two years – declaring the whiskey as America’s native spirit. And so, we celebrate the (debated and distilled) spirit every September for National Bourbon Heritage Month.

In Philadelphia’s historic Society Hill neighborhood, The Twisted Tail Bourbon House & Juke Joint salutes (all things) Americana – starting with the bar program based around, well, bourbon. There’s an extensive bourbon selection (over 120 bottles) with rotating cocktails and “elevated” whiskey flights; an impressive Owner’s Collection of limited annual releases and one-off expressions; a members-only Bourbon Club for discount drams, and more…

“​The original concept was built around a bourbon and blues bar – small, dark, moody…” owner George Reilly shares. However, the quaint location, in which the concept still lies today, was much larger in size – calling for restaurant development. The bi-level space serves Progressive American fare such as smoked wings and shrimp and grits alongside acoustic blues six nights a week.

George Reilly, Owner of The Twisted Tail

“Guests join us to enjoy a welcoming and unpretentious dining atmosphere. We offer a social experience with everything that we do and encourage [group] sharing to taste through a greater cross-section of flavors,” Reilly adds. The ​Chef’s Tasting Menu is a selection of seven assorted dishes from the dinner menu, including small plates, entrées, one side, and a dessert, that is pre-portioned for the table as a banquet feast. Its best paired with a custom three whiskey flight, perhaps one that showcases local whiskey production.

Exterior

“​There are so many great [whiskey] selections these days, in and around Philadelphia, but here [are] my highly recommended local pairings: Kinsey 10 Year American Whiskey; Stoll & Wolfe Rye (Dick Wolfe was the last Master Distiller for Michter’s before they shuttered), and Bluebird American Single Malt, a fast-growing category and probably my favorite of all of them,” he suggests.

The Twisted Tail Bar

As the first World Heritage City, ​Philadelphia was once the center for (notably rye) whiskey distilling in the states before both taxation and Prohibition ran it out of town. Although, with the resurgence of the brown spirit, the city’s whiskey history and heritage is coming back in conversation and consumption. Today, local whiskey-makers spend serious effort weaving traditional care and craftsmanship with unique mash bills, barrel char, and barrel-entry proof. They can even sell direct from the distillery as well as from up to two satellite locations – thanks to the signed Act 113.

“My background was in wine and cocktails, but I have since jumped right into the deep-end of the world of whiskey (and have become fascinated by it) soaking up all the little nitty-gritty that I can to pass onto interested folks who come to find their next new favorite [bourbon],” Reilly shares.

Lounge

Every September, the bourbon house turns its two floors into a portfolio whiskey tasting event called Whiskey Bonanza, with free-flowing music, craft competitions, and many rare releases. The barrel-buy program will be back in action, too, to ensure an exclusive expression is available to all.

“[And] as long as people still enjoy drinking bourbon, we will be around to still enjoy serving it,” he closes.

Honey Apple Sidecar

Honey Apple Sidecar

“​This is a seasonal fall cocktail for the menu and a spin on a classic cocktail, The Sidecar,” Reilly describes.

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Jefferson Small Batch Bourbon
• 1 oz. Applejack Brandy
• 1/4 oz. Honey Syrup
• 1/4 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1/4 oz. Cointreau
• Sugar in the Raw Natural Cane Turbinado Sugar
• Apple Slice 

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Strain into a chilled martini glass with a half raw sugar rim. Top with a half apple slice.

The post Honor National Bourbon Heritage Month in the First World Heritage City, Philadelphia appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Founded in 1897 by John Hopkins, the Speyburn Distillery located in the heart of Speyside, Scotland has been making award winning whisky for over 120 years.

When Hopkins began searching for a distillery site in Speyside, he wasn’t alone; the area was already famous for whisky production. Two factors set the young distiller apart from the others: his innovative spirit and an untapped, crystal-clear water source.

Speyburn 10 Year

Hidden in a secluded glen Hopkins stumbled across the Granty Burn, an untouched stream with pristine, soft water that would make for refreshing, remarkable whisky. Using stones from the bed of the fast-moving river, the distillery was built right in the glen where it remains as the only distillery to use water from the Granty Burn. Building in this unique location was not without its challenges. The narrow valley was hard to access and required an unusual vertical layout. Distillery designer and innovator Charles C. Doig invented a completely new style of distillery just for Speyburn. The unique design allows for even airflow over the drying grains and has a Pagoda style roof that can be seen cresting the tops of the trees in the surrounding forest.

Speyburn Distillery peeking over the trees

Despite just founding the distillery, Hopkins and his team started with a tight deadline for their first batch. 1897 was the 60th year of Queen Victoria’s reign and Hopkins wanted the first bottling to bear the year of the Diamon Jubilee. As the story goes, the distilling team worked through an arctic storm on the very last day of the year to ensure the first barrel of Speyburn Whisky would be stamped with 1897.

In the years since, Speyburn has kept its reputation as a world-class maker of single malt scotch. Today the distillery makes a number of unique bottlings including a 10, 15, and 18-year expression along with two unique cask finishes, a range of travel exclusives and two younger bottlings called Bradan Orach and Arranta Casks—the latter of which is exclusive to the U.S.

The 10-year aged expression is an ideal introduction the distilleries line. The single malt is matured in a combination of ex-sherry and American Oak ex-bourbon casks. The nose opens clean with a hint of lemon while the medium bodied spirit has tasting notes of toffee, vanilla, butterscotch, and citrus with a long, sweet finish. One of the best ways to enjoy the nuance of this spirit is in a highball, which brings out the refreshing flavors.

Speyburn and Soda

Speyburn and Soda

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Speyburn Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 10 Years
• 4 oz. Club Soda

Preparation: Pour scotch then soda into a highball glass over ice. Garnish with an orange slice.

The post Indulge in a Speyburn Scotch Whisky Highball appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

It was “the greatest, gaudiest spree in history,” claimed F. Scott Fitzgerald.

It was a time when the government’s attempt to set society straight only made the masses crave even more the fashionable forbidden fruit. It was an age where nearly all of the 480,000 gallons of liquor confiscated in a single year were comprised of some style of poison. It was Prohibition. And that’s where we find the origin of The Bee’s Knees.

With no accurate account of its creation, enthusiasts were forced to dig deeper. The Bee’s Knees’ beginnings were placed in the Prohibition era due to its inclusion of gin and its flapper-influenced name. Along with “the cat’s pajamas,” “the flea’s eyebrows,” and “the kipper’s knickers,” the phrase “the bee’s knees” was a popular expression in the 1920’s. In April of 1922, The Newark Advocate shared their hottest new editorial, What Does it Mean?

And it certainly was “flapper talk,” because from the late eighteenth century up until the roaring twenties, “the bee’s knees” was actually known to mean “something very small and insignificant.” At the time of this cocktail’s creation, the well-known watchword was only seen as “something outstanding.” For the raucous group partaking in speakeasy festivities, The Bee’s Knees Cocktail was definitely something outstanding

Aptly named, this Prohibition brew contains the edible form of flower nectar: Honey. It was this honey that was used to mask the smell of the infamous “bathtub gin.” Not only were consumers fooled by this sweet, aromatic concoction, but also the honey made it difficult for the police at the time to detect any trace of alcohol. While the precise origin may be lost in history, the recipe can be found in the 1934 book, Boothby’s World Drinks and How to Mix Them.

Bee’s Knees by Madhu Rao

Today, fans of this cocktail suggest using high quality, local or regional honey to give your guests a greater experience. Note that depending on seasonal and regional variability of the honey in use, each Bee’s Knees may taste slightly different. “Honey goes well with the floral notes in gin,” says Arne Hillesland, Master Distiller of Distillery No 209 Gin. “I enjoy collecting distinctive honeys, with my favorite being Leatherwood from Tasmania. For the Bees Knees cocktail, I prefer Fireweed honey from the Pacific Northwest. Phenomenal floral flavors.” So as the weather warms, why not try this nectar sweetened classic a number of different ways; see

which type of honey you enjoy best in your libation. And the Bee’s Knees is perfect if you’d like to take a tip from the famed Fitzgerald. The man who best penned the excitement of Prohibition was known to favor gin because of his belief that the scent couldn’t be detected on his breath. Now isn’t that just the Cat’s Pajamas?

The Bees Knees

The Bees Knees

Created by The Inn at Little Washington

All of their honey is produced in house from several beehives located at the property across the street. The honey is used for cocktails, breakfast, cheese and tea.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. No. 209 Gin
• 3/4 oz. Honey Syrup
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Orange Juice

Preparation: Place lemon juice, lavender and a few small cubes of ice in a mixing glass and muddle gently, add honey syrup, gin, lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously. Strain through fine mesh into a small, chilled cocktail glass with honey powder rim.

Tip: For the Bee’s Knees, try making a ratio of 1:1 honey syrup. It’s easy, remains liquid in the refrigerator, mixes more readily, and it’s easier to adjust the cocktail depending upon the honey’s characteristics.

The post Drink In History: The Bee’s Knees appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”

That classic line from Casablanca speaks to the popularity of gin in America during the first half of the twentieth century. But, what is the story behind the famed spirit? Where did it come from?

The first known account of a gin-like drink comes from a thirteenth-century Flemish manuscript, which mentions a spirit flavored with “genever.” Centuries later, around 1606, Dutch distillers began producing genever — the forerunner of gin — on a much larger scale. When British troops arrived during the Thirty Years War (1618 – 1648), they grew fond of the spirit and even used it to gain courage before a battle; they referred to it as “Dutch Courage,” or so legend has it.  After the war, British troops returned home, and they carried the genever culture back home with them, and that is where gin’s popularity took off.

Riffs On Gin & Tonic

In Britain, “genever became ginever, and then for the Brits, the easier-to-say ‘gin.’,” explained Myriam Hendrickx, Master Distiller of Netherland’s historic Rutte Distillery. But, gin differed from genever in more than just a name. Both spirits involve the distillation of juniper berries and the use of botanicals, but gin often includes citrus botanicals — genever does not. Also, whereas gin is based entirely on a neutral spirit, genever consists of a blend of neutral and malt spirit. “Malt spirit is pot-stilled grain alcohol that was the basis of genever ánd gin centuries ago, before one could make neutral spirit,” said Hendricks. Today’s Dutch distillers continue to adhere to their traditional methods of distilling genever while the rest of the world, for the most part, produces the dry gin for which most of us are familiar.

The gin boom got a boost when William of Orange took the English throne in 1688 (who, coincidentally, was Dutch-born). Because England was at war with France, the English government forbade the importation of French wine and spirits. William, however, allowed people to start a distillery for a small fee. Because Brits had easy access to (cheap) grain, they routinely produced gin. When Queen Anne reigned (1702 to 1707), she further removed restrictions on distilling gin in London, resulting in multitudes of home distilleries. Thus began the “gin craze” in England. It is said that one could find homemade gin made in nearly a quarter of the households in London by the 1720s. The over-consumption of gin, as it was viewed (notably by the wealthy), pushed Parliament to enact restrictive laws and levy taxes on gin, but it took decades for the gin craze to wane. During the Victorian Era, gin transitioned from a drink consumed by “the masses,” to one enjoyed in elegant “gin palaces.” British Navy officers during the nineteenth century received a daily allotment of gin, while sailors were given rum.

Many people believed gin to have medicinal qualities. It certainly alleviated pain for common ailments (temporarily, at least). The Brits mixed gin with lime juice to fight against scurvy, for instance, leading to the modern Gimlet cocktail. But, one of the most famous gin cocktails — the Gin & Tonic — emerged later during malaria outbreaks. In truth, it wasn’t gin that offered value to mosquito-bitten people, it was the tonic. A Scottish doctor named George Cleghorn discovered that quinine, the main component of tonic water, could treat malaria. Thus, British soldiers drank tonic water to fight malaria when stationed in India. During the nineteenth century, soldiers began mixing gin (and later lemon and lime) to the tonic because they found the tonic water’s bitterness unpleasant — the Gin & Tonic was born.

Gin in a Copa glass

The British helped spread their love for gin to the world through their vast empire and worldwide trading expeditions. Still, the gin craze did not capture the hearts of American colonists. It wasn’t until the 1890s that Americans took a fancy to gin. America’s love affair with the beverage coincided with an explosion of industrial and technological advances during the 1890s, allowing greater gin distribution and production in the U.S. and Britain. The introduction of column-still distillation technology resulted in a purer gin, leading to what is referred to today as “London dry gin.” America’s gin history is mainly tied to cocktails, especially the Martini and its combination of gin, vermouth and lemon peel. The Gimlet and Gin & Tonic also helped solidify gin as a high-quality spirit. Gin stood as America’s favorite spirit for decades until vodka surpassed it in 1967.

Today, gin ranks behind vodka, whiskey, and rum in terms of U.S. alcohol sales. But, there is hope for the juniper berry drink. The micro- and craft-distillery boom has coincided with a renewed love affair with classic spirits and cocktails, including gin-based drinks. For example, Chicago Distilling has won awards for its Finn’s Gin and Gin & Tonic (including its RTD cans). When we chatted with cofounder Noelle DiPrizio, in 2020, she mentioned, “[Gin] wasn’t something we had put at the forefront of our portfolio, but it quickly became the leader of the pack once we developed it.” Their Finn’s Gin is one of the hundreds of new gins emerging in recent years.

Dare we say we are on the verge of another gin craze? Okay, maybe not, but at least we know that after hundreds of years of production, there’s still plenty of gin joints around.

The post From Medicinal to Recreational: A Brief History of Gin appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Start the week with a kick of flavor; created by Chilled 100 bartender Chris Patino, the Carrot King is a dynamic and flavorful drink that will start your week right.

The blend of Reposado tequila and Madeira create a dynamic base that holds up to the flavors of carrot, ginger, and hot sauce. This drink has been a hit at Morning Glory in San Diego and pairs perfectly with a wide range of brunch favorites.

Carrot King

Carrot King

Recipe by Chris Patino of San Diego, CA

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Teremana Reposado Tequila
• 3/4 oz. Rain Water Madeira
• 1 oz. Fresh Carrot Juice
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/4 oz. Ginger Syrup
• 2 to 3 dashes Valentina Hot Sauce
• pinch of Salt

Preparation: Build in a Collins glass (like a Bloody Mary). Add ice, then mix ingredients by “rolling” back and forth between Collins glass and the larger end of a shaker tin. Garnish with a carrot top and lemon wedge.

The post Drink Of The Week: The Carrot King appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

Add a dose of caffeine to your brunch cocktails with these rum and coffee cocktails from Santa Teresa 1796.

The smooth and dynamic profile of Santa Teresa rum is a perfect match for coffee and makes creating delicious cocktails easy.

Espresso Martini

Santa Teresa 1796 Espresso Martini

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Santa Teresa 1796
• 1/2 oz. Mr Black coffee liqueur
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• 1 Espresso shot
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation: Add all ingredients in shaker tin, add ice, shake vigorously then strain into coupe glass. Garnish with grated coffee bean and served with biscotti cookie on the side.

Hard Bargin

Hard Bargain

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Santa Teresa 1796
• 1/2 oz. Rye Whiskey
• 1/4 oz. Apricot Ayrup
• 1/4 oz. Chareau Aloe Liqueur
• 1 oz. Cold Brew Cordial
• 1/2 oz. Egg white

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake without ice to emulsify egg with other ingredients. Add ice to the shaker and shake until properly diluted. Double Strain over ice into a collins glass. Garnish with coffee beans.

Everglades by Santa Teresa 1796

Everglades by Santa Teresa 1796 

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Santa Teresa 1796
• 1 1/2 oz. Cold Brew Coffee
• 1 oz. Rosemary syrup
• 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

Preparation: Add all ingredients into mixing tin. Add ice and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into Hurricane glass. Add ice and garnish with dehydrated lime slice and rosemary.

The post 3 Brunch Ready Coffee Cocktails appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News

From filling the glasses of founding fathers to the secret ingredient in your fall cocktail, Madeira needs a spot on your drink menu.

Hailing from the small Portuguese island of Madeira, this fortified wine is a perfect modifying ingredient for seasonal drinks. While it’s often served as an aperitif or used in cooking, Madeira wines are a superb cocktail modifier as they have a well-rounded flavor profile with a balanced level of sweetness and acidity. While tasting notes can vary depending on the grapes used, terroir, and aging some of the most common include vanilla, mushroom, wood, coffee, honey, and nuts.

The result is a sweet and acidic spirit with funky, sometimes briny undertones. Not only is it a staple in a few classic cocktails, but the lower ABV combined with the dynamic flavor makes it interesting used as the only spirit in a craft cocktail. The fortified wine can also be used to make unique takes on a spritz or highball.

The Story Of Madeira

Shortly after the island of Madeira was discovered industrious wine makers were planting grapes. These early vines are thought to have been a Cretan variety known as Malvasia, which creates a dry, aromatic, and light wine. As the Dutch East India company began transporting 112-gallon pipes of the spirit it quickly became apparent that the wine alone would spoil before it reached its destination. Distillers began adding small amounts of rum and then brandy to the wine to stabilize it for travel.

At some point, a barrel made its way back to Madeira after its long voyage at sea. After opening, tasting revealed that the heating and cooling process the wine endured during the trip brought a distinct mellowness and unique flavor. Until 1794 the process couldn’t be replicated without ship voyage and the “Vinho da roda” (or round-trip-wine) was incredibly expensive and incredibly desirable.

Once technology advanced and the price point was able to drop Madeira became a favorite drink of everyone from the common man to the upper crust of nobility. Records show that the founding fathers were filling their glasses with Madeira to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the inauguration of George Washington.

In the mid 1800’s a series of setbacks began to plague wine makers on the island. First, in 1852 powdery mildew caused production to decrease by 90%. Shortly after powdery mildew was cured, a variety of root louse called phylloxera made its way to Madeira and wreaked havoc. By the time the root louse were brought under control only 15 out of the original 85 wine shippers were still in business.

The story for high-quality Madeira was a bleak one until the founding of the Madeira Wine Institute in 1979. The new organization helped with not just marketing but providing support for viniculture and aging practices.

Vineyard on the Island of Madeira

Get To Know The Grapes

Traditionally there are four “Noble” white grapes that were historically used to make Madeira. After root louse eradicated many of the old vines, a red grape called Tinta Negra Mole was introduced. Tinta Negra is an interesting addition because while it makes up over ¾ of the grapes used to make the spirit it is not considered a Noble grape..

White Grapes:

• Verdelho often creates a wine with medium levels of dryness and sweetness while retaining acidity and creating notes of honey, hay, and mellow lemon.
• Malmsey is most often used to create dessert wines that has savory and burnt sugar notes and a rich, sweet flavor.
• Sercial produces a pale acidic wine with notes of walnuts and peaches. This varietal grows at high elevations and creates the driest expression.
• Bual grapes produces a medium sweet flavor and have notes of vanilla, raisin, and caramel.

Red Grapes:

Tinta Negra isn’t considered as high-quality as the other grapes despite being used to produce the majority of Madeira on the market. It has nutty and citrus leaning notes.

The Madeira Wine Institute regulations have a variety of specifications for how each style is labeled. If a bottling has a name of a noble grape on the label it must be made from at least 85% of the grape in question and be aged for a minimum of five years. Expressions made from noble grapes and aged appropriately are allowed to use the term Colheita on their labels. Tinta Negra varietals are often used to create Rainwater style Madeira that has a dryish, smoky, and light flavor profile.

Madeira Spritz Garnished with Citrus

How It’s Made

There are two main ways that Madeira can be made, both start by picking, crushing, and beginning fermentation of grapes. Some makers allow the grapes to ferment dry before placing them into tanks made of concrete or stainless steel built with exterior pipes for hot water to run through. The wine is heated to 130º for three months and then slowly cooled before brandy is added to bring the abv to 20%, the mixture is then sweetened and colored before being aged in neutral barrels for at least two years.

Madeira pairs well with coffee

With higher-end Madeira, the process is similar to making port. Fermentation is stopped short by the addition of 192-proof brandy. At this point the now fortified wine is moved to barrels in a non-temperature-controlled storage space and placed on top of wooden beams. Over a period of at least three years the wine naturally heats and cools simulating the temperature changes of a ship. The changes in hot and cold allow the liquid to be pushed in and out of the wood developing color and flavor. The aging process must last at least three years but the longer the aging the more dynamic the wine. Some makers age their Madeira for up to 20 years or longer.

When choosing a Madeira note that the longer the aging period the more complex and smooth the spirit. Older expressions are best enjoyed alone or as simple classic cocktails while younger expressions work well in more complicated mixes and cooking. Thanks to the production method, the wine is slow to turn, and an open bottle continues to be usable for months if not years.

The post What Is Madeira And Why Should It Be In Your Fall Cocktails? appeared first on Chilled Magazine.

Source: Mixology News