Drink of the Week-- 4-30-10

Afternoon everyone!!! Well the first weekend in May is here, so you know what that means!!! The fastest 2 minutes in sports is upon us, THE KENTUCKY DERBY!!!! So in honor of this great event(which I wish I was able to attend) the Drink of the Week this week is a classic. The Mint Julep!


This wonderful refreshing drink is very popular in Kentucky.Traditionally the Mint Julep is served at the Kentucky Derby in Silver or Pewter mugs, but not limited to being served in just those. If you have the opportunity to use one of those mugs,chill them before mixing your mint juleps. Side note according to some Southerners a Mint Julep is not the product of a formula, but a ceremony.

Here's a classic Silver Mint Julep Mug

So here is the recipe and Prep:

Mint Leaves
Crushed Ice
2 Tablespoons Mint Syrup
2 Tablespoons Water
2 oz of your choice Kentucky Bourbon


Crush or Muddle(your preference) mint leaves into the mug, until it begins to look like a paste.
Fill the Mint Julep mug halfway with Crushed Ice or shaved ice. Add your Mint Syrup, water and Bourbon. Stir until Mug is frosted on the outside. To Garnish, Use a fresh Sprig of Mint.


And this is what you should come up with....

So to everyone going down to the Derby, have a ball. I heard reports of almost 80k Mint Juleps were projected to be served at the Derby alone, not including the surrounding after parties!! So should shape up to a great weekend!

As always until next time, please remember to Drink RESPONSIBLY and always TIP YOUR BARTENDERS!!!!

Mr.Mixologist

BEEFEATER 24 Gin Event!

Hey everyone! Im back! I havent been blogging in awhile, because i have been busy welcoming the newest member of the Mr. Mixologist family into the world. My son Je'Qwuan Terrell was born Jan 3rd of this year. So its been a hectic first few months of the year to say the least.


But i had the opportunity to go to the Beefeater 24 Gin event here in Chicago at Hub 51. It released here in Chicago a few weeks ago. Needless to say, Im not a big Gin drink, Im a Cognac drinker, but this Gin has turned me around completely. Before I give out my personal opinion, I'll give you guys a little background about Beefeater 24.

Handcrafted with 12 botanicals including a rare blend of teas, Beefeater 24 is distilled in the heart of London. Its name is inspired by the city’s 24-hour stylish, sophisticated lifestyle, as well as the unique 24-hour steeping process designed to make the gin exceptional. Beefeater 24 is the ultimate creation of Desmond Payne - arguably the world’s most experienced Gin Master Distiller – and draws upon his more than 40 years of distilling expertise.


“Beefeater 24 is a gin of unrivaled smoothness and complexity,” said Maria Puente, Senior Brand Manager for Beefeater at Pernod Ricard USA. “To create 24, Desmond spent 18 months adjusting and perfecting the recipe with today’s discerning spirit connoisseur in mind. The result is a subtle and sensuous gin that blends beautifully with other ingredients to create exceptional cocktails.”

Beefeater 24 is a blend of natural botanicals sourced from around the world, including hand-prepared grapefruit, bitter almond, orris root, Seville orange peel and accents of rare Japanese Sencha Tea and Chinese Green tea. In addition to different botanicals, Beefeater 24 is “cut” earlier during distillation to retain its freshness and vitality.


Beefeater 24 was previously launched to rave reviews and is making waves with bartenders and consumers in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston and Philadelphia.

Now the event was held at one of Chicago's hot spots, and Beefeater didnt disapoint at all. They also used Beefeater in a few cocktails.

Here are the Beefeater 24 cocktails and recipes we enjoyed for the evening...

The Back Nine

Beefeater 24

Fresh Iced Black Tea

Fresh Lemonade

The Shifting Sands

Beefeater 24

Grapefruit Juice

Lemon Juice

Club Soda

The 24 Martini

Beefeater 24

Lillet Planc

Orange Bitters

The Triple Citrus 24 & Tonic

Beefeater 24

Fever Free Tonic

All in all this is a exciting new Blend of Gin that will make everyones Pallet water. From traditionanl Gin drinkers all the way up to newcomers, it is refreshing and will def be a staple in my personal bar at home.

Until Next Time

Cheers

Mr. Mixologist

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Drink of the Week for 1-16-10

First drink of the week and first blog post for the new year!! I hope everyone had a great new year, and gets all their goals and aspirations met and/or succeded this year!!

Now with that being said, Its cold as HELL outside!!! Middle of winter and we all need something that can warm us up! So this is one of my older drinks that I came up with but a definite head banger!!! Its called the "STD" Shot. Now I know thats a very controversial name but take a little history on how it came about.

So I'm with my fellow bartender(and Drinkng buddy) Ramon(known to alot of you as @R18thletter on twitter) were at our favorite watering hole the Seven Ten Lounge in Hyde Park, visiting our good friend and Bartender sister Robin. Now we always have the tendency to try to outdo each other on coming up with new and innovative drinks. So we all sitting around like whats probably the strongest, most potent drink we can come up with without it killing the customer??? Well heres the "STD" shot. Once you see how its prepared youll know why its called an STD.

STD SHOT

1/3 Any Cognac
1/3 Wild Turkey
1.3 151 Rum

In a 1oz shot glass pour the cognac(Hennessey or Remy for the added punch) then pour the Wild Turey, then top it of with the 151. Here's how it should look so far...

Now here's how it becomes a STD. You take that concocton and you set it on fire. Dangerous..Yes!! But done the right way turns a good drink into a completely diferent taste.. This is what the final prep of the STD looks....

Now take the drink, blow it out and enjoy!!! Now the reason for the name STD was easy because this drink will be the only time you will ever enjoy being burned!!! LOL

Hope you enjoyed this and always remember to be safe. Dont drink and drive, and please if you make this drink be careful and dont set yourself or anyone else on fire!!

Until next time

J.O.

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Drinks Of the Week

Hey everybody,

Back with a couple of drinks recipes, from my trip to New York a couple weeks ago. First one is the Ice Cream Soda. Had this at the Sweetwater on 139th in the South Bronx. This is a custom drink from their menu..Im usually skeptical when it comes to real sweet, blended drinks but this def is the exception to the rule... It wasnt too too sweet, but it had alot of kick on the backside..So here it is...Pic anbove is what it should look like...

Ice Cream Soda
2oz Captain Morgan
1oz Baileys
3/4oz Grenadine
10z Coca-Cola

Place all ingredients in a mixing cup, Shake then blend with Ice...

Put a Cherry on Top and Enjoy!


On to the Next one..

California Car Bomb
This one is for those of us who enjoy Jager Bombs, Lunchboxes and all other drinks with a shot dropped. It was a refreshing drink, not too strong, but def tasty. I enjoyed this at McFadddens on 40th and 2nd ave in Manhattan...

California Car Bomb
1oz Stoli Orange
1 half glass of Red Bull
Dash of Cranberry Juice

Drop the shot of Stoli into the Red Bull and Chug away!!!


Hope you guys enjoyed these two new drinks that i will def be making, and drinking in the near future.

Until next time

J.O.

Follow me on twitter.com/MrMixologist
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A Bartenders Weekend in New York City

Hey everyone!! Well I'm back from New York City and I must ay it was quite an expierence. I went up there to Bartend at Southern Hospitality( which for all my twitter friends is @BBQNYC). It was a nice bar with very personable bartenders, and staff. They really made me feel at home. My night started off a little slow but as the clientele picked so did I. This was an expierence I think all bartenders should get to have at least once. To get to travel to a different state and see what trends, and different cocktail infussions work and what customn drinks other bartenders will share, will do nothing but enhance your skills behind the bar and give you something to bring back to your bars/clubs to enhance your clientle.

Satuday and Sunday of my trip was spent bar hopping with my frends. This as another expierence. New York has a wide variety of different bars with sme bartenders who have tons of personality. No 2 spots I visited this weekend were alike. From Mid-town, to the Bronx, ll the way back to the Village...All areas present a completely diferent Bar expierence. I also have some custom drink i brought back for you all, but that will be in the next post for some Drinks of the Week. Gonna upload the pics so you can see the drinks, and know what they should look like if you ry to make them at home.

So all in all New York City is a wonderful place to be. Great Bars, Great Mixologists, Great City...If you havent been, please make your way there..

Until Next Time
J.O.

Follow me on Twitter @MrMixologist
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Drink of the Week for 11-21-09

Hey Hey Hey everybody!!! Well ya boy was at work, and came up with a new concoction!!!

Everybody loves Martini's!! I know i do. But the ladies enjoy not so much the traditional Martini, but a fruity, sweet drink in the Mold of the Appletini, and the Cosmo.

So I'm standing at the bar and a couple ladies walk up. Neither one know what they wanted to drink, so i immediately went into Mixologist mode. I asked what they wanted and both replied something sweet but something strong, but in a pretty glass(LOL)...At this point its a million options..So i went into my head and came up with a drink...So since my good friend on twitter Ms. Bree(follow her on twitter.com/breeworld) loves a good martini, this shall be named after her. So here is the "Breetini"


1oz Absolut Pear
1 1/2oz Grey Goose Citrus
1/2oz Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum
1/2oz Triple Sec
1/2oz Peach Schnapps
1/2oz Pineapple Juice
1/2oz Cranberry Juice
1/2oz Orange Juice


Place ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake for about 30 seconds. The drink should turn an Orangeish/Pinkish color depending on how long you shake it and how much juice you use...

Pour into a chilled Martini glass and enjoy!!!!


Ladies this is def a drink for you all. Something you can make at home when you having girls night...Fellas this is something you can make ya girl, trust she will love it. All the ladies in the spot were asking for this drink all night. Every time i work it is a staple on the drink specials.

The pic is the first 2 ladies to get to enjoy this drink, and a pic of the first 2 Breetini's ever made!!!

So drink responsibly and enjoy. Cheers everyone!!!


Until next time

J.O.

Follow me on twitter @MrMixologist
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Skype me at Mr.Mixologist

The Art of Flair Bartending

Flair bartending is the practice of bartenders entertaining guests, clientele or audiences with the manipulation of bar tools (e.g. cocktail shakers) and liquor bottles in tricky, dazzling ways. Used occasionally in cocktail bars, the action requires skills commonly associated with jugglers. It has become a sought-after talent among venue owners and marketers to help advertise a liquor product or the opening of a bar establishment. Competitions have been sponsored by liquor brands to attract flair bartenders, and some hospitality training companies hold courses to teach flair techniques.

Sometimes referred to as "extreme bartending", the word flair became popular among practitioners in the mid 1990s. The word refers to any trickery used by a bartender in order to entertain guests while mixing a drink. Flair can include juggling, flipping (bottles, shakers), manipulating flammable liquors or even performing close-up magic tricks (also referred to as "bar-magic").

Flair is showmanship added to bartending that enhances the overall guest experience. The ideas behind mixology and drink-oriented or service-minded bartending can still be upheld with the correct application of working flair. Recently, there is a noticeable rise in bartenders combining prominent mixology knowledge and working flair skills all over the world. Working flair and Exhibtion flair are very similar on the grounds that they both require precision and practice, however the use of exhibition flair has become a competition oriented style where significantly greater risks are being taken. Working flair, which is much more common, focuses more on delivering drinks to customers while still ensuring visual entertainment.


I love this art form in Mixology. Flash, Showmanship, Swagger, and Creativity all play important roles in this. I truly have the utmost respect for some of the flairer's that i have met, and will meet in the future. Very soon, with enough practice, I will join the ranks of being a 'Flair" Bartender.

Until next time
Mr.Mixologist

Follow me on twitter @MrMixologist