#BarFaithBottleTalk: 3/4oz Spritz Syrup. This post is long overdue, but man do I love this stuff. All of the @34oztonic products I've tried are absolutely amazing and SO well made, and this is a non-alcoholic tonic syrup that channels the bittersweet world of Italian aperitivo liqueurs such as Campari, Aperol, and red Bitters from brands like Luxardo/Martini/Contratto/etc. It has strong notes of grapefruit and orange, with a nice bitterness from the cinchona bark (aka quinine that's found in tonic waters).
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The most frequent way I've enjoyed this is just mixed with soda water and topped with a citrus twist. This makes water 50x more delicious without all the sugar of a soda or juice (I try to limit my liquid calories outside of cocktails and booze 😆). A splash of this with fizzy water works wonders to satisfy the cravings of a cocktail lover for those moments when it's not quite appropriate to imbibe (or you’re in recovery mode 😜)
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Outside of my go-to cocktail substitute, this syrup would also work wonders in regular cocktails to add some amazing zesty citrus notes. The flavors are beautifully aromatic, natural, and just so delicious. What are some of your go-to drinks when not imbibing?
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[archived in #BarFaithSyrups]
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#BarFaith #BarFaithSpritzSyrup #aperitivo #bitters #tonicwater #homebar #homebartender #cocktails #craftcocktails #craftcocktail #mixology #spritz #spritzer #syrups #cocktailingredients #cocktailgram #imbibe #syrups #cocktailsyrup #cocktailmixer #amaro #aperitif #drinkmixers #mocktails #mocktail #bartender
A 2 ingredient cocktail that's complexly satisfying and also not a highball, what? 😯 Even for those of us who self proclaim to have “complex palates” 😛, I'm tellin ya, this can definitely hit the spot. Spirit forward and backed by rich and complex bittersweet herbalness...this is a winner for any lazy evening.
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The recipe/concept couldn't be any simpler. A 50/50 split of your base spirit of choice, combined with with your choice of amaro/bittersweet liqueur/aperitif. I'd heard of this concept applied as a 50/50 shot as a "bartender's handshake" type of thing, but this actually translates perfectly to cocktail form, stirred with ice and served with a citrus twist (if ya got it).
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So, choose your spirit, choose your bittersweet, and get to experimentin'! A few ideas to jumpstart your inspiration: rye&Meletti, bourbon&Montenegro, rum&Averna, gin&Suze, mezcal&Cynar...go wild. Try some out and please report back with your fav combos so I can mooch off your ideas. 😏
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Power Couple
• 1oz whiskey (I went with this really delicious gently-spiced whiskey from @calidistillery)
• 1oz amaro (I chose Montenegro @amaromonte)
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Stir the two ingredients together and strain (can be served up without ice, or in a rocks glass with ice). If you're got it on hand, a citrus twist will work wonders to elevate it one more step.
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#BarFaith #BarFaithPowerCouple #whiskey #amaro #staybitter #amari #homebar #homebartender #bartender #mixology #cocktailrecipes #cocktailsathome #whiskeygram #cocktailrecipes #cocktailoftheday #imbibe #imbibegram #cocktailgram #drinkstagram #amaromontenegro #mixology #mixologist #craftcocktails
#BarFaithBottleTalk: Ming River baijiu @mingriverbaijiu. Well, it's #WorldBaijiuDay! Baijiu has been an integral part of Chinese culture for generations. It's the top selling spirit by volume in the world, but its primary consumption and sales solely target the Chinese market and as such, is one of the most challenging spirits to 'decipher' given its *extremely* varied flavor styles combined with its lack of export-focused labeling.
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Luckily, @MingRiverBaijiu is here to share this unique spirit with the western audience. I have a couple previous posts covering an overview of baijiu under #BarFaithBaijiu, but this product is the only one I know of that both targets the international market AND provides the traditional "strong aroma" flavor style. Respectfully, Ming River is actually produced in the Sichuan province of China where the "strong aroma" style originates.
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Compared to some of the ones popularly imbibed in China, I find it milder and more approachable (as it clocks in at a modest 45% abv compared to the heavy-hitter 52%+ #baijiu). The funky flavor is not *as* in-your-face, making it a friendlier introduction that will still leave you aghast in flavor shock without burning all your gustatory senses. 😜
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Though baijiu COCKTAILS are a recent trend as the spirit infiltrates western culture, the traditional way to drink baijiu in China is neat, at room temperature, surrounded by friends and family while feasting at a banquet table. You don't drink your thimble-sized cordial glass (unfortunately I don’t have one) until toasted or raising a toast to the wonderful people around you. "Gan bei!," you shout - translated as "dry glass", shoot your baijiu, and sit back and smile as you refill. Gan bei, and happy baijiu day, my friends.
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[archived in #BarFaithWhiskies]
#mingriver #mingriverbaijiu #homebar #homebartender #bartender #cocktails #craftcocktails #imbibe #cocktailgram #imbibegram #drinkup #spirits #bartenderlife #cocktailsathome #drinkoftheday #happyhour #mixologist #mixology
Most people probably knew the flavor of rum raisin before they've ever had a drop of rum, and maybe that's partially where our first bias of rum being innately sweet comes from. Either way, cinnamon rum raisin no doubt evokes thoughts of toasty buttery rolls, warm loaves of bread, and decadent ice cream.
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Now...take that thought and flip it upside down. 🙃
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And so we have rhum raisin, by way of an infused agricole r(h)um ('rhum' is just the French spelling for rum - see #BarFaithAgricoleRhums for more on this unique spirit). Unlike the warm flavors most people associate with rum, the French style of the spirit is made using fresh sugarcane juice and tastes nothing like its more common molasses-based cousin.
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What we end up with is the familiar taste of rum raisin, but probably the most extreme application of the combination. Rather than the warm vanilla and caramel flavors you get from a molasses-based rum aged in oak bourbon barrels, you get notes of rubber and grass. It's an explosive combination...warm yet astringent, refreshing and crisp, yet fruity and funky.
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Ok, now who wants one? 😜
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Le Swizzle
• 2oz raisin and cinnamon infused rhum agricole (left for 1 day, cinnamon removed after half a day)
• .75oz lime juice
• .5oz @giffardusa Banane du Bresil banana liqueur
• Few healthy dashes of bitters (I used a combo of Angostura and @fivebyfivetonics vanilla barrel aged bitters)
• Leftover rhum soaked raisins (from the infusion)
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Muddle a few rummy raisins with lime juice. Add the rum and liqueur, then vigorously stir with crushed ice (or use a swizzle stick). Splash abundant bitters atop, and drink without a straw.
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#BarFaith #BarFaithLeSwizzle #rhum #rhumagricole #rum #rumlover #rumraisin #homebar #homebartender #agricolerum #agricole #agricolerhum #cinnamonrumraisin #rumlover #rumrunner #rumdrinks #tikidrinks #swizzles #swizzle #swizzlestick #tiki #tikidrinks #tikidrink #rumlove #mixology #cocktailoftheday
If you kept up with my stories over the weekend (in my highlights now), you’ll see the #satfrancisco event was truly one to remember! I got to try some amazing whiskies I could only ever dream of tasting, and met some of the most awesome people! Meeting friends from the internet is totally the way to go. 😜
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So much thanks to Eric from @scotchandtime for organizing the #scotchandtimeseries event to bring the community together, for @hotalingandco for hosting at one of the most beautiful venues (that view!), and to all the generous brands and ambassadors for donating their products and time to make this magical weekend happen! Will be posting more photos and commentary on specific products on @barfaithdrinks as I sort through all my photos. 📷
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Some highlights:
✨ Escapades in the city taking photos of ridiculously expensive bottles at some of the most iconic SF sites with the best car of people (@whiskymonster, @whiskyanddonuts, @ewitah, @dram_dude). Some ultra nerve wracking moments there 😆😅
✨ Trying @louisxiiicognac by @remymartin (aged 40-100 years in solera 😮, created over the lifetimes of multiple generations!). Definitely the most luxurious spirit I will ever sip in my life
✨ Broadening my scotch palate trying many expressions from some of the brands I haven’t ventured into much (@bruichladdich, @thedalmore, @jurawhisky, @nikkawhiskyusa, @usmacallan, @westlandwhiskey, @woodinvillewhiskeyco)
✨ Tasting some of the premier expressions from lines I do know, perpetuating my love (and wishlist to expand my collection of @glenmorangie, @highlandparkus, @ardbeg)
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#BarFaith #whisky #whiskeygram #whiskygram #dramstagram #scotch #sanfrancisco #singlemalt #singlemaltwhisky #whiskeywomen #whiskycollection #whiskylover #whiskylife #whiskytime #whiskywithaview #whiskytasting
This was one of the very first drinks I ever jotted down from Instagram. In early 2017, my only thoughts about sherry was that it was something to keep around for cooking.
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Well, I finally opened my first bottle of Amontillado sherry, and this drink was first on the list. Looking at the ingredient list and ratios, I can't imagine any cocktail enthusiast *not* being intrigued by this combination. Many cocktail recipes tend to follow the same templates or build on riffs of known classics, but this one extends beyond that and is truly unique, amazingly balanced, complex, and all things amazing.
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It's spicy and savory, yet full of rich honey-like flavors from the Meletti (one of my all-time favorite amaro). If you have even 50% of the ingredients on hand, I'd highly urge you to acquire the rest to give this a go. 😉
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Pizzicato Passage (by @anuelford_)
• 1oz dry amontillado sherry
• 1oz Meletti amaro
• .5oz gin (I used @stgeorgespirits Dry Rye gin)
• .5oz Ancho Reyes @anchoreyes
• Couple dashes of chocolate bitters (I used @bittered_sling)
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Stir all ingredients with ice and strain over a large cube. Optionally garnish with some candied ginger.
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#BarFaith #BarFaithPizzicatoPassage #sherry #amontillado #amontilladosherry #anchoreyes #meletti #amaro #cocktails #mixology #homebar #homebartender #craftcocktails #cocktails #happyhour #cocktailoftheday #royroyseattle #cocktails #cocktail #cocktaillover #mixologist #bartender #imbibegram
