Mojito Battle Royale

In an Amateur Mixologist first, we're comparing recipes.  How does the American Bar Mojito recipe stand up compared to The Ultimate Bar Book Mojito recipe?  We'll find out in a moment, but first, let's look into the Mojito.

The Mojito is a drink of Cuban origin, made of five ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime, sparkling water and mint.  The Mojito dates back to an English pirate named Richard Drake, who purportedly invented a Mojito-like cocktail in the late 16th century.  I don't believe what Mr. Drake was drinking was remotely close to the modern mojito, but let's humor the historians for a moment and continue on...

After Mr. Drake created El Draque, the next incarnation included rum as opposed to rum's forebearer "aquardiente."   By the way, how terrible a drink name is El Draque.  It sounds too similar to El Dreck.  Perhaps Mr. Drake was in fact speaking yiddish in the 16th century.  In any event, it was said by Cuban playwright and poet Federico Villoch in 1940 that "[w]hen aquardiente was replaced with rum, the Draque was to be called a Mojito."

My favorite quote in one of the write-ups is this almost incidental addition to the historical record: "Other accounts suggest that slaves working in Cuban sugar cane fields in the late 19th century invented the mojito."

Now listen, I have no idea who invented this drink, but, I would say that if I were a betting man, I'd put my money on the slaves as having invented the Mojito.  Why?  Because white people steal everything!  Richard Drake probably saw a slave make the drink, and claimed it once it proved popular.  In other words, I'm postulating that Richard Drake was the Elvis Presley of his time.

I kid, I kid.  I have no idea how it all went down.

Enough with the history, on with the drinking.

American Bar Mojito

Mojito Battle Royal

The tale of the tape:

American Bar, page 140

Juice of half a lime
1 barspoon powdered sugar
2 oz white rum
soda
mint sprig

Stir sugar and lime juice well in a large high-ball glass.  Crush mint leaves with pestle, add the squeezed half lime.  Fill with crushed ice, add rum, stir.  Add soda, garnish with mint sprig.

American Bar Ingredients

And...

The Ultimate Bar Book, page 269

1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
6 to 8 fresh mint leaves
2 ounces light rum
2 to 4 ounces chilled club soda
Fresh mint sprig

In the bottom of a highball glass, muddle together the lime juice, sugar, and mint leaves until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the rum.  Fill the glass with ice and top with club soda.  Garnish with the mint sprig.

The Ultimate Bar Book Ingredients

So how do the two drink recipes compare, and who is the big winner?

First the consolation prize:

The American Bar recipe is good, but not great.  I don't like using powdered sugar in any mixed drink.  I think it provides a saccharine-like flavor that isn't particularly palatable.  Also, there is bound to be some inconsistency from lime to lime.  Some limes are going to produce more juice than others; some limes will be sweet while others may be a bit over or under ripe.  While I'm all for using fresh products, using lime juice instead of lime adds some consistency to the recipe that most people can appreciate.  Why spend time making a drink, only to find out that it is inferior in quality as a result of a bad lime?

Also, superfine sugar, or regular sugar will provide a bit of grit that, when muddled, will produce more flavor from the mint leaves.  Powdered sugar just doesn't work in the same way.

The American Bar recipe tasted a little flat, and not particularly vibrant.  Lime is supposed to add citrusy goodness to the drink, and none of that was present in the American Bar Mojito.

On to the winner:

The Ultimate Bar Book recipe has a brighter, mintier, and sweeter flavor than the American Bar book recipe.  The sugar brought out more flavor from the mint leaves, providing a more complex and enjoyable taste that one should look for in a Mojito.  And it goes without saying, if the minty flavor isn't there, you're not going to love this drink.

One other difference between the recipes is that The Ultimate Bar Book calls for 2 to 4 ounces of club soda.  I have to hand it to the writer for at least putting in parameters when making this cocktail.  I went with 3 ounces, and it yielded great results.  American Bar, by comparison, just says "add soda."  Unfortunately, this tells me very little.  I appreciate the specificity of The Ultimate Bar Book recipe.

The Ultimate Bar Book Mojito

As a result of all of the above, I prefer The Ultimate Bar Book recipe. 

Just like the Caipirinha, I'm convinced that we keep coming back to these drinks, the Mojito included, ordering 2nds and 3rds because of the sweet sugar and lime combination that remains at the bottom of the glass.  It is delicious!

Laslty, and this is not a complaint against either recipe, but rather, a suggestion:  club soda should always, always be used sparingly.  Think of soda in the same way you think of salt when cooking. You can always add more salt, but you can't take it away. You can always add more soda, but you can't take it away. When a recipe calls for soda, add a splash to start, and no more. A splash may be all you need. If you prefer a lighter flavor or taste, perhaps add more. The point is, add in small increments, you'll be rewarded with a drink more to your liking.

Enjoy a Mojito in this beautiful weather - it's an easy choice on a warm day.



For more content, updates, random musings, and my attempts to be witty, check us out @IMakeDrinks on Twitter.

Gimlet

[Update:  I forgot to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day! Be safe out there, and enjoy the festivities.  If you need a drink, try an Irish Coffee!]

The Gimlet is a classic cocktail, though there appear to be a thousand different variations on the recipe. As you'll see below, American Bar calls for a combination of nearly equal parts gin and Rose's lime juice. Other recipes call for 4 parts gin to 1 part lime juice. These quantities appear to be the outer boundaries of the gin-to-lime-juice-combinations for this drink.

Even the lime juice to be used isn't uniform. Some recipes call for real lime juice with simple syrup (kind of a Rose's lime juice combination all its own), others call for fresh squeezed lime juice, and of course Rose's lime juice appears all the time in Gimlet recipes.

The Gimlet is another example of the multitude of ways of making old, traditional cocktails. Short of a basic dry martini, it seems as though every bartender has thrown a twist upon these classic drinks, yet these bartenders keep calling the cocktails by their original namesake. 

Bartender Johnny makes his Gimlet with equal parts gin and lime juice, and then throws in a dill pickle as a garnish.  Johnny may be an idiot with the pickle garnish, but who cares?  Shouldn't he be afforded some leeway - particularly if people are enjoying his variation?  I see nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, there are purists who believe there is only way to make a drink.

I'm all for tradition, don't get me wrong. Though if among the traditionalists, even they can't get their recipes to look the same, I think it's fair for a little variation here and there. Purists shouldn't have the last word, particularly when drinks are meant to be enjoyed - they are a form a pleasure after all (though the Jack Rose is evidence that cocktails can be an effective form of torture).

Here is the finished product - the Gimlet cocktail:

And here is how we get there:

Recipe
American Bar, page 105

2 oz gin
1 3/4 oz Rose's lime juice

Stire well over ice cubes in a mixing glass, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

For the Gimlet, I used Bombay Sapphire.  I'm a big fan of the ol' B.S. (err, wait, that doesn't sound as appealing...strike that)...the ol' Sapphire, having used it in the Classic Martini recipe.

I've had Gimlets before, but it's been a long time.  They're good.  The one I made was tasty, but, I must admit that I have an aversion to large quantities of Rose's lime juice, as I would argue this recipe contains a little too much of the lime juice.  Perhaps it's all the SoCo-and-lime shots I had in college, but Rose's is a little syrupy for my tastes.  If I were to make another Gimlet, off-recipe, I'd likely go with less Rose's, so as to make the gin flavors that much more prominant.  Gimlets are really easy to whip together, and when trying this at home, just use more or less lime juice to taste.

Gimlets, along with martinis, were likely at one time the equivalent of our simple 2-ingredient combinations of today.  Whereas now, we drink gin and tonics, Jack and cokes, vodka and Red Bulls - at one time, drinkers consumed gin and vermouth, or in the case of the Gimlet, gin and Rose's lime juice. 

Perhaps next time you're thinking of throwing back another G&T, go with the G'n'R instead - you'll feel like you're going old school, and it will taste just as good.  And yes, that's right folks, I somehow aligned the Gimlet cocktail with Guns N' Roses.  Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week.

Caipirinha

Caipirinhas are popular.  

I've noticed the drink's visibility has increased substantially over the last few years.  The drink has been featured in magazine spreads with recipes and prominent listings on cocktail menus.  Also, there has been a greater availability of cachaça in liquor stores as the drink climbs the proverbial cocktail charts.   All of these things occurring in short order.

I first had a Caipirinha in a Spanish restaurant, if you can believe it (the drink is of Brazilian origin).  In a review of the place, the writer noted how good their cocktails were, the Caipirinha with particularity.  So I tried one.  It was excellent.  It was refreshing, easy to drink, and the remnants of the sugar and lime were a nice finish.

A while back, I decided I'd try making them at home.  I don't remember whether I liked them or not, but I didn't make them again.  It's likely that I just forgot about the cachaça bottle - having sat behind handles of other liquors, which blocked my view.

I'm excited to try it again.  And, I got a muddler - a device used, in this recipe anyway, to mash the lime and sugar together in the bottom of the glass.  I have no idea what I had used before purchasing this muddler, but I doubt it was as effective.  

[Added bonus: the 2nd appearance of Al Harrington, The South Pacific Man, first featured in the Old Fashioned]

To the drink!

American Bar, page 67

Caipirinha

lime 

2oz cachaça

1-2 barspoons sugar (or sugar cubes)

Place lime wedge and sugar into a small highball glass, press well with a pestle, pour in cachaça, stir. Fill with crushed ice and stir.

Al Harrington, The South Pacific Man, limes, and the muddler

Al Harrington overseas the mingling of sugar and lime

A homemade Caipirinha is totally different than any version I've ordered at a bar.  It's noticeably stronger, and less watered down.  The cachaça has a fiery tinge to it; it's warming.  I almost can't get over how different his drink is compared to a bar version.  The cachaça is a little harsh at first, though perhaps that is due to the quality of the bottle that I have (it's probably low-to-mid range cachaça - think something along the equivalent of Jim Beam bourbon).  It almost goes without saying, but, this is a very similar drink to a mojito.  It's clean, refreshing, and one of them is rarely enough.

I planned to take a photo of the drink itself, but it only filled up about 1/2 the glass, or maybe even less.  As a result, I just went ahead and started sipping.  Before I knew it though, the glass was empty, and I was sipping the lime and sugar combo at the bottom of the glass.  Time flies, right?  

The good news is that I had cut enough lime slices for a second drink, and honestly what gets you about these Caipirinha's is the sweet lime juice at the bottom of the glass from the residual sugar and lime.  It's the reason you keep going back!!  It's the reason I went back anyway.

So, as a result of making this second drink, I was able to take a photo of the glass.

And now, two drinks in, this Caipirinha is simply fantastic!  Whatever harshness I first felt with the cachaça is now mellow - though it is likely that some sugar was still in the glass from the first drink.  In fact, now that I'm staring at the bottom of the glass (I told you it was good!), I can see a bunch of sugar slowly cascading down the bottom of the glass as I sip away at the sugared lime juice.  Phew, another dangerous drink.

Big fan of this one.  I think it's a go-to choice in the summer.  You can adjust the amount of cachaça accordingly for the audience.  Some of the ladies may prefer a splash of distilled water to cut down some of the harsher qualities of cachaça at the get-go.  Another option is a splash of club soda, which may add another refreshing element to the drink.

The recipe above, however, is all you need for a quality cocktail.  As they say in Brazil, the the Caipirinha is a vencedor ← that means "winner" in Portuguese (who knew you'd learn foreign languages here?!).  

Week of March 14, 2010

"Hi AmMix - I noticed that you are using The Ultimate Bar Book a lot.  Are you going to use the American Bar book at all?"

Good question, sent in by a loyal reader (hi Mom!*).

Yes!  I am.  I swear.  I haven't forgotten about American Bar, the beautifully bound and streamlined cocktail book that of late has gotten short shrift here at the Amateur Mixologist.

Fear not though, all of this week's drinks will be created from American Bar recipes.

So what we will be drinking this week (the photos below are taken from only the finest internet resources)?

"Hi AmMix - I noticed that you are using The Ultimate Bar Book a lot.  Are you going to use the American Bar book at all?"

Good question, sent in by a loyal reader (hi Mom!*).

Yes!  I am.  I swear.  I haven't forgotten about American Bar, the beautifully bound and streamlined cocktail book that of late has gotten short shrift here at the Amateur Mixologist.

Fear not though, all of this week's drinks will be created from American Bar recipes.

So what we will be drinking this week (the photos below are taken from only the finest internet resources)?

Caipirinha - a cachaça based drink

Sazerac - Rye whiskey based, and one of the oldest known cocktails (I'm particularly excited about this one).

Gimlet - gin based, another classic

and finally...

Bumbo - rum based, and perhaps with the greatest named drink to be made thus far.  And check out this photo!!  I hope this means I go on a vacation immediately upon making the drink - one can only hope.

I'm excited about all of them.  Some of the drinks I have tried in the past - the gimlet and caipirinha in particular, but others - like the BUMBO (seems to me that it should always be said with gusto), are new to me.

I had an excellent weekend - and am hoping this week continues to be stellar.  Barca is under the weather at the moment, so send you dog-healing love towards the Official Mascot.

Tomorrow, the Sazerac cocktail...



*not really...I wrote it. :)

Drink Six - The Old Fashioned

The final recipe of the first six drinks...The Old Fashioned!

According to Wikipedia, the Old Fashioned may have been the first cocktail.  There are many different recipes for this drink, and it has so many components, it's easy to see why some would be replaced with others (or omitted entirely).

Recipe
American Bar, page 145

1 sugar cube
dashes Angostura bitters
2 oz bourbon
soda
stemmed cherry
orange
lemon

Place sugar cube in an old fashioned glass, saturate with Angostura, add orange and lemon wedges, press with a pestle, add bourbon, stir well, add ice cubes, fill with soda or water, stir again, garnish with cherry.


This is by far the most complicated recipe to date.  I used what little Woodford Reserve I had left for the bourbon, real deal Angostura bitters, and thankfully our local Farm Fresh Delivery service had sent oranges and lemons this past Thursday.  I had everything in the recipe at the house, except for the sugar cube and the ice cubes.  I know, I know.  You're saying to yourself "how does he not have ice cubes"?  A good question, though, if you saw the state of the freezer, you'd understand. 

It's not that my freezer is gross or anything, it's merely packed to the brim with a ton of great Costco purchases.  And, my freezer doesn't have its own ice-making machine.  The result of all of this is that I need to pick up an ice bag from time to time.  That's what I did - running to the local Village Pantry (specializing in ice bags and monthly hold-ups).

Once I had everything in place, I started trying to find something that looked like an old fashioned glass.  Not knowing what one would look like, I tried to find a lowball glass that might fit the bill.

And then...and then I gazed upon the finest glass in my collection.  Was it my quirky economics based glass that tracks the NYSE ebb and flow in the 1960's?  No, but alas, that is an outstanding piece of hardware that will definitely be used in the future.

What glass was it?  What I saw, and what would serve as the vessel for this very drink, was my Al Harrington, The South Pacific Man, glass.  I have two of them - somehow finding the pair at a thrift store many years ago.

You're saying to yourself - but I've never heard of this gentleman - who is this man of mystery?!?  I will show you...

Here is the front, announcing Mr. Harrington:

And here is the back -with Mr. Harrington himself:

Genius!!  Love this guy.

Alright, so here are all of the drinks components, including Mr. Harrington:

To the drink itself... 

I'm not sure what to make of it.  When I mashed the sugar, angostura bitters and the wedges together, the glass smelled great!  It was kind of a summer-like spice mixture that I thought would pave the way towards something excellent.

But when it came to sipping time, I was getting bits of pulp with each sip.  I like pulp in my OJ, but not in my cocktails.

It tastes like a watery bourbon drink, with a touch of bitters.  Whatever addition the sugar and fruits are adding gets diluted by the soda water.  I can taste some of the orange at times, which is a nice compliment to the bourbon, but I'd probably cut back on the soda water, or not use any at all.  I think the soda water just takes away from the flavors one would want in this drink, namely: bourbon, bitters and sweet orange and lemon.

The more I type this post out though, the more I'm sipping this drink, and liking it.  It has a refreshing quality, sitting over the ice.  And as the ice melts away, yet more of the flavor does as well.  On second thought, just skip the club soda entirely.  The ice will provide enough liquid to balance the drink out - no need for any additional water (unless watered-down drinks are your style).

The old fashioned, with the necessary adjustments, is a winner.  But the real highlight this evening is being able to share the moment with Al Harrington, The South Pacific Man!

Drink Five - Jack Rose

Our fifth cocktail is the Jack Rose.  Never heard of it before starting this blog. 

My lack of knowledge about drinks never ceases to amaze me - this, despite a solid four years spent in the frat house (Keystone Light, Natural Light and Natty Death...err...I mean, Natural Light Ice were the drinks of choice).

So what is this thing?  I'll give you three choices from which to guess...is it:

a) A whiskey based drink that contains Rose's lime juice as one of the additional ingredients.

b) A vodka based drink that is noticeably red in color due to the grenadine that is also in the drink.

c) A drink whose main traditional component is Applejack, an alcohol made from hard cider.

Have you picked your answer?







It's C. 

Applejack?  Never heard of it either, eh? 

Apparently, no one makes applejack anymore.  Not only that, I'm not sure anyone is making the Jack Rose anymore!  The Ultimate Bar Book - a book that has 1,000 drink recipes - A THOUSAND!!! - doesn't have a Jack Rose cocktail recipe. 

Thankfully, American Bar does have a Jack Rose recipe.  In it, they use something called calvados.  So, I've never even heard of this crap, and I definitely do not have it on hand.  Apparently, after some trusty internet research (the best kind), it appears to be apple brandy.

Already, I'm thinking to myself There's a reason this drink went out of fashion - it had calvados in it for Christ's sake!.  I had to run to the liquor store.  No big deal, except I had no way of knowing if they'd carry this calvados stuff.

And, I'm dressed like a schlub. 

I'm wearing a hoodie with a cardinal bird's face made to look like the ubiquitous Che Guevara face that adorns t-shirts in every Spencer's Gifts location (don't ask about this hoodie's origin...if you know, you know).  Not only do I look under 21 years of age, but I look like I might be robbing the place, as opposed to buying apple brandy.

The store did carry calvados.  They had a selection of calvados.  I could have spent over $100 a bottle if I had wanted to do so.  I decided against the expensive bottlings, and went for the middle ground - a $30 bottle called Calvados Noble-Dame.

Now at the store, the scotch aisle happened to be right next to the brandy/cognac aisle.  It wouldn't hurt to take a peek, just to see what they had, right?  What do you know - Balvenie Doublewood on sale?  Don't mind if I do!

So before I've even made this drink, I'm already out of pocket $75.  Yeah, that's right, I'm including the price of the scotch.  There's a chance that I make the Jack Rose this once, and never again.  I don't suppose I'll acquire a taste for apple brandy either, though we'll see.  I've spent more money on worse things.

Here's the recipe:

Jack Rose
American Bar, page 121

3/4 oz lemon juice
1 barspoon powdered sugar
dashes grenadine
1 1/2 oz Calvados

Shake over ice cubes in a shaker, strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Even before my first sip, we know that this drink is going to be crazy sweet.  Between the lemon juice, the grenadine, the POWDERED SUGAR?!?!  Are you kidding me?  Who puts powdered sugar in a cocktail?

I'll cut to the chase - this thing is really awful.  I won't say it's undrinkable, but it's close.  It tastes like lemonade that's gone bad, if that's possible. You can't taste the apple brandy in any way, not that I know what it would taste like. 

It is very sweet too, in a chalky kind of way, in the way that ice tea mixed with too much Splenda tastes chalky.  Someone has to feel me on this one.

The drink was a dud - but maybe all is not lost - I mean, I still have the apple brandy, right?!  I'm going to pour myself a glass in a good ol' brandy snifter.  Look how classy it looks!

Holy hell this stuff is awful too!!  It tastes like it was made in the backyard of a meth lab.  How can anyone drink this?

Thank the lord I bought some scotch tonight - anything to wash this terrible terrible taste out of my mouth.

I do this all for you, my loyal reader, all for you.

The First Post

A seal walks into a bar.
The barman says, "What'll it be?"
The seal says, "Anything but a Canadian Club".

I don’t know anything about drinks.  You know, cocktails. 

I have consumed my fair share, but I can’t make them. 

It’s a weird thing too, that I know so little about making drinks.  I often order drinks that I know nothing about.  For instance, I’ve ordered Manhattans, but couldn’t tell you its contents, apart from the whiskey.  Even then, what kind of whiskey is it?  Is it bourbon?  Rye whiskey?  I have no clue. 

That’s no way to go through life.

So here we are – The Amateur Mixologist.  The name speaks for itself.  I know nothing of the art, but will forge ahead all the same.  Trying cocktails one by one, and hopefully learning what goes into the drinks I like, and the drinks I don’t. 

Just as I'm not a mixologist, I’m also not a professional writer.  Deep down in my heart of hearts, I would love to believe otherwise.  I didn’t say I was a good writer, so keep your expectations extremely low.   

The Goals
Here is what I hope to accomplish:

1.  Learn to make drinks.  Sounds simple enough, eh?  Have you tried making basic drinks?  I have – and the results are often terrible.  I can ruin a neat vodka order, if given a chance.

2.  Acquire a taste for drinks.  When I have somehow, someway, crafted a drink correctly, I often find it is far too strong for my tastes.  I’m not opposed to strong drinks, but when I make something like a Manhattan, it just doesn’t taste as I expect – maybe it just seems too strong, even if that’s how it’s supposed to be.  I suppose though, that I’ve never given such drink making, and such drink drinking, the critical focus it so justly deserves.

I should add too, that if I go to a bar, and order the same drink, it tastes far better, and is far more palatable.  Why is that? 

Are the drinks watered down at a bar?  It's very likely.

Do the surroundings that make it easier to drink something strong?  Probably so.

I don’t have the answers to these questions yet, but I’m going to drink until I figure them out.

3.  Write more.  I’m a writer deep down in my heart of hearts, remember?

The Books
To assist us with this journey, I have purchased two books:

Book One: American Bar: The Artistry of Mixing Drinks, by Charles Schumann.

Book Two: The Ultimate Bar Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Cocktails, by Mittie Hellmich

I’ll tell you this: I can’t guarantee that the drinks in American Bar or The Ultimate Bar Book will be any good, but damn are these classy looking books!  Buy them for that reason alone!  If you own these books, you will immediately be more charming to your friends, funnier, wittier, and all around more pleasant to those nearby.  Do it!

The Rules
In conceiving of this blog, I figured I had to include some rules for myself – if for no other reason than to keep me on task, and force me to drink certain drinks that I’d typically pass on.  Here are the rules:

Rule #1:  Recipes shall be chosen at random.

I have to include this rule, otherwise, I’ll just look for ways to drink what I already like.  The only exception to this rule will be the first 6 recipes I try, and, as warranted because of holidays, celebrations, or other occasions requiring a specific drink.

Rule #2:  I have to give each drink a chance. 

I can’t one-sip it and call it a day.  Even if I don’t like it, I have to give it at least a good college-try.

Rule #3:  I have to make 50 drinks in 100 days, from the date of this first post.  Thereafter, additional goals will be made and hopefully achieved.

Rule #4:  A drink should never be avoided as a result of little-to-no garnish availability.  New rule added as a result of the Violet Champagne d'Amour post.

The First Six

The first 6 recipes will be based on David Embury's book The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, in which he wrote of six basic cocktails: the Manhattan, the Martini, the Old Fashioned, the Daiquiri, the Sidecar, and the Jack Rose.  I figure it’s best to start with these drinks before proceeding ahead with random recipes.  Think of it as the drinking equivalent of reading the classics before the modern literature.

So now that we have all that laid out, one blog post in the can, and a limitless horizon of vodka, vermouth, gin, bourbon, bitters and countless other friends to help us along the way, I say we drink.