The Cocktail Thread

[speedy4500]

Originally Posted by giraffe lookout

Interesting. I'm in DC too. Think I could find Allspice Dram at Calvert Woodley?
I've only consumed the Lion's Tail, courtesy of Derek Brown at Columbia Room. Haven't tried making it, but he said it's pretty easy. I'd try Central Liquors, 6th & E St NW. They have a great selection of specialty liqueurs. I can usually find most things I want between Central Liq and Schneider's on Cap Hill.

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by chorse123

I have a bottle of Grand Marnier. What's a good way to use it?
Just drink it, make cherries jubilee, custard, or cakes with it. Or, again, just drink it. Like MfP says, its more of a digestif sort of a thing.

Originally Posted by Axelman 17

Sidecar
No. GM is a poor, poor, substitute for Cointreau in a Sidecar, because it is already brandy-based and thus totally throws off the balance in the drink. ~H

 

[impolyt_one]

^ you can always practice flambe'ing fruit with your GM if you have no other use for it.

 

[giraffe lookout]

Update on my holiday cocktail search. I didn't have time to make it to a decent liqour store and my local didn't have Allspice Dram. What they did have, that looked kind of wintery, was Stone's Ginger Wine. The back of the label suggested a ginger cosmo so I figured I could make that in a pinch.

Anyway, I got home and tasted it and it tasted like a sweet vermouth with just a little bit of ginger. I ended up making manhattans with Corner Creek bourbon and the ginger wine in place of the vermouth. We thought they turned out great.

 

[Axelman 17]

Bumping this thread. Hosting a brunch this weekend and a champagne based cocktail has been requested. I have made French 75s previously and bellini or mimosa seemed too boring. Any thoughts? The only ingredient I would rather steer clear of is a creme based liqueur.

 

[erictheobscure]



Bumping this thread. Hosting a brunch this weekend and a champagne based cocktail has been requested. I have made French 75s previously and bellini or mimosa seemed too boring. Any thoughts? The only ingredient I would rather steer clear of is a creme based liqueur.

The classic champagne cocktail is probably my favorite. One sugar cube doused in bitters with champagne poured over it. But maybe this will register as even more boring than your other options?

 

[cptjeff]



The classic champagne cocktail is probably my favorite. One sugar cube doused in bitters with champagne poured over it. But maybe this will register as even more boring than your other options?

But it is a classic, and has the bonus both of being easy for a large group and introducing people to bitters, which aren't nearly as well known as they used to and should be these days.