Smells Like Teen Spirit

It was 18 years ago that we lost a legend.

Today, On The Rocks... dedicates a drink to Kurt Cobain.  For the '80s babies, Kurt Cobain was a modern day John Lennon.  He was an innovator, introducing the world to the "grunge" lifestyle.  His music was poetic.  He was sad, and he had a unique way of touching everyone with his sadness.  Everyone, whether they enjoyed his music or not, could relate to his feelings.  On this day, April 5th, we make a toast to the legend, the pioneer, Kurt Cobain.

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The Kurt Cobain





Drink Type: Shot


Ingredients:
3 oz of Jagermeister 
8 oz full Red Bull Energy Drink


Instructions:
Take a double-shot of Jagermeister, followed immediately after by shot gunning the Red Bull (you'd do this the same way you shotgun a beer)


Description:
It's very similar to a Jager Bomb.  The only difference between the two is that with a Kurt Cobain, you chase the Jagermeister shot with a Red Bull (uniquely with a shot gun).  For those who haven't tried Jagermeister, the most we can tell you is that it's not very pleasant.  On the upside, it's only a shot and you do have a handy Red Bull waiting around to ease away the horrendous taste of the Jager.  We wish you the best of luck.

Barrel Aged Cocktails: Who, What, Where, Why, & How?

There's a new trend sweeping the cocktail scene.  Much like the process in aging wine, mixologists are taking the same technique and applying it to the newest cocktail creations.  It's called barrel aging.
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Who?

While the idea of barrel aging cocktails was reinvigorated by Tony Conigliaro, a mixologist at London's famed 69 Colebrooke Row, and then introduced to the U.S. by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, a bar manager at Clyde Common's in Portland, Oregon, Jerry Thomas, "the father of mixology," was known to use this procedure decades earlier.

What?

Barrel aged cocktails are pre-mixed cocktails and spirits that are placed in barrels, just like those used to age wine, and left to absorb the tastes of the wood that it's encased in.  There is no precise amount of time the barrels are left to sit, it's just a matter of taste.  The liquor experiences oxidation, in which it takes on a different flavor, texture, and look.

Where?

Barrel aging cocktails is gradually taking presence in many bars around the world, but the practice is becoming increasingly popular in homes.  Barrels are available in a variety of woods and sizes online, with prices ranging from $60 to as much as $200.

Why?

Barrel aging cocktails and spirits is a relatively low-fuss and unique method to create one-of-a-kind drinks.  It's a step back from the traditional pour-and-serve routine and blends an old fashion method to a modern trend.  The only down side is the waiting time, but if patient, the result is worth it.

How?

The process is quite simple.  Once in posession of a barrel, you either pour a specific spirit such as a bourbon in the barrel and let it age, or, if your heart so desires, make a cocktail within the barrel such as a Manhattan.  In this case, depending on the size of the barrel, serving sizes are based on bottles and not so much milliliters.  The next step is simply, wait.  Mixologists recommend tasting your spirit every week so you can decide on just how "woody" you prefer its taste.  Once you have decided that it has acquired the taste you want, extract it into glass bottles and let sit for sometime so that the all the attributes blend evenly.  The final step, enjoy!

ICE: Interactive Cocktail Entertainment

For all you iPhone/Android users, On The Rocks... stumbled upon a very helpful app.  Titled ICE: Interactive Cocktail Entertainment, it acts a mobile bartender, offering a very large list of cocktail recipes.

Users also have the ability to view cocktails by specific types of liquors.

Once a cocktail is selected, ICE provides a photo and brief history of the drink, along with its' ingredients and preparation.  

There is a "game" included where you act as a bartender and prepare a chosen cocktail.  An interactive bar is displayed along with a multitude of different liquors, mixers, and glasses.  

When the correct type of liquor required to prepare the drink has been chosen, you are asked to tilt your phone to pour the liquor.  The screen displays the amount of liquor being poured and it is up to you, the bartender, to pour the correct amount. 

When all of the correct ingredients have been chosen, a shaker is shown on screen and you are asked to shake for a specified amount of time.

Once shaken for the correct amount of time, the player has completed the assigned cocktail and then are given the option to choose a different drink to make.  Users can play game as practice or as a scored game.

Feeling Froggy? Then Leap...

On March 17, the world turned green.  From the shirts to the shorts, from the food to the drinks, nearly everything was St. Patrick's Day-inspired.  It's a day of beer consumption, most often in shades of green, and usually ends with a terrible hang-over.

Being that On The Rocks... strays away from the fuzzy, the foamy and the hoppy, it was slightly unusual to approach a bar and request a St. Patrick's Day inspired cocktail.  

This year, we took part in a St. Patrick's Day city parade, dressed in the brightest of green of course.  As the day wore on and the taste of green-beer began to lack appeal, we decided it was time to switch to something a bit more unique.

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The Leprechaun Leap






Drink Type: Martini

Ingredients:
1 oz of vodka
1 oz of Domaine de Canton
1 whole Kiwi pealed
1 small egg white
.5 oz of lemon juice
.5 of simple syrup


Instructions:
In a mixing glass, muddle the kiwi until pulpy.  Add remaining ingredients and shake vigorously.  Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a lime wedge or slice of kiwi.


Description:
We're not too sure about this one.  Kiwi's good and all, but not exactly a favorite fruit of ours.  When we learned that egg whites are included, we really began to lose faith.  Surprisingly though, the egg whites textured the ginger and kiwi flavors quite nicely.  The drink is smooth, goes down very easily with very little "over-the-top" liquor hints.  Not a cocktail we would drink regularly, but, if interested in expanding your cocktail horizons, we don't see why one would stray away from trying this.

Crack Kills...

It isn't called March Madness for nothing.  With countless amounts of colleges competing for the ultimate title in collegiate sports, the NCAA basketball tournament is easily one of America's favorite sporting events.  What makes it so unique is the sheer amount of fans spread sporadically throughout all of the U.S.  You might find Duke fans in Iowa, Florida fans in Texas, heck, Syracuse fans in Alaska.


On The Rocks... happens to be Florida State University fans, and last evening, our Seminoles played the Cincinnati Bearcats for the final spot in the Sweet 16.  Sadly, we lost in a 2nd half thriller, and in pity, decided a cocktail was required to ease the pain.

We ended up at a local sports bar and were fortunate enough to be bar-tended by another depressed Seminole fan.  She knew exactly what to make us.
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March Madness On Crack






Drink Type: Cocktail


Ingredients:
1.5 oz of vodka
1 oz of triple sec
1 oz of peach schnapps
4 oz of Amp Energy Drink 
3 oz of Gatorade 


Instructions:
In shaker, mix all ingredients with ice, shake vigorously and serve in a pint glass.


Description:
We dug it.  Don't be fooled by the name, crack is NOT an ingredient.  It was flavorful but not over-the-top.  It was strong, bold, and "energetic."  Maybe it was the opposing effects of the vodka and the energy drink that increased its effects, but regardless, the drink was good!  What makes this cocktail even more unique is the variety of Gatorade and Amp Energy Drink flavors you can use.  We decided on Cool Blue Gatorade (mostly because that's all they had) and the standard Amp Energy Drink flavor.  This definitely deserves five stars!!!  Try it!!!

From Beneath The Waves, We Rise to the Sun

March 9th marked the one year anniversary of the tsunami that stuck the coast of Japan, killing nearly 16,000 people and leaving over 3,500 people still unaccounted for.  In memory of those affected by this disaster, On The Rocks... wanted to pay hommage and dedicate a cocktail that is symbolic of an entire nation.

In terms of Japanese liquor, most believe that Sake is the nation's most consumed beverage, but they are mistaken.   In Japan, the single most popular liquor, surprisingly, is whiskey (which just so happens to be my alcohol of choice).  It would be far too stereotypical if we devised a cocktail constructed around Sake, so Whiskey it was.  (Remember, we are not only introducing you to cocktails, but are also attempting to teach you something)

I was fortunate enough to meet a bartender last week at a new restaurant in my area called City Tavern by the name of Alex.  When devising our cocktails in our posts, in most cases, we provide a bartender with a topic and a few requirements such as types of liquors used.  In Alex's case, I simply told him, "Japanese based liquors, no Sake, and a taste and presentation that is uplifting."  

His result: a complex yet intriguing cocktail married with an ingredient that just so happens to be very difficult to find.  He calls it, the Rising Sun.

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The Rising Sun



Drink Type: Cocktail

Ingredients:
1 oz. of Single Malt Whiskey
1 oz. of extra dry Vermouth
1 oz. of fresh pinot noir juice
2 dashes of orange bitters

Directions:
In a shaker, combine whiskey, vermouth and pinot noir juice.  Add orange bitters, shake vigorously, and serve up in a martini glass.

Description:

One word simply describes this cocktail: unique.  As a whiskey drinker and a wine enthusiast, the union of the two was harmonious.  It's quite difficult to describe it's taste.  Imagine a softened whiskey taste with a bit of an orange finish.  It's floral, almost potpourri-like in flavor, yet deceptive in it's finish. It's the kind of cocktail few would know of yet many could appreciate.  Highly recommended!

Spring Break 2012: Mexico's Finest Mixed With A French Touch

On The Rocks... loves a Margarita, not many people don't.  It's refreshing, strong, and most importantly, fun!  We thought, being that it's currently Spring Break (our favorite time of the year), that it would be fun to improvise, something along the lines of a revised Margarita.

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French Margarita

Drink Type: Martini


Ingredients:
3 oz. of Bombay Sapphire Gin
1.5 oz. of St. Germain Liqueur 
1.5 oz. of Simple Syrup/Margarita Mix


Instructions:
In a cocktail shaker, add gin, St. Germain's, simple syrup/margarita mix, and ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with a lime wedge.


Description:
It's a margarita with a twist.  Whereas in a traditional margarita, the tequila is very noticable, in this martini, a hint of gin is subtly apparent with the help of the  St. Germains Liqueur assisting in mellowing the bold taste of the gin.  The martini is pleasant, a wonderful drink for the drinker who craves flavor but not something overly apparent.  If you like margaritas, we highly recommend branching out a bit and taking a stab at this.