Product Review-- Given Liqueur

I had the opportunity to visit the New York Bar & Wine show a couple weeks ago. Needless to say, it was a experience. Met some fantastic cocktail people, and gained  more thorough knowledge about this industry that we all love. This weeks blog post is a review of a brand new Liqueur---> Given <---

Given was one of the first booths i encountered when i walked in to the show. The colors and Layout of the booth immediately drew me in(Red and Black are my favorite color combination). So i ventured over to see what this company was all about. Needless to say i was pleasantly surprised. It is a wonderful blend of  Tequila and Lime Juice. So its a liqueur used for mixing but also can be enjoyed alone. Here's a little background on Given.....

 In tribute to its French roots, grace of fashion and instincts of humanity, GIVEN was born.


GIVEN (pronounced Jee-Vahn) is the ideal balance between a spirit and liqueur. It is a unique blend of premium agave tequila (imported from Jalisco, Mexico) and all natural lime juice(using whole limes in the maceration process), handcrafted through an infusion process in the Cognac region of France. By incorporating the rich heritage of wine and cognac producing techniques we created a new way of enjoying tequila. GIVEN is best served neat chilled in a martini glass or on the rocks for a refreshingly smooth taste".

Given has also won a few awards and is very highly regarded in the cocktail community. Here;s a few achievements....


• Gold Medal Winner – The Prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010

• Mentioned in BlackBook Magazine's online article “Given Tequila, if you haven’t already, you should definitely try” (http://www.blackbookmag.com/article/skrapper-brings-art-and-t-shirts-together-good-units/18093)

• The bottle design has received several accolades and will be featured in an Italian luxury packaging magazine

• Mentioned in RamshackleGlam.com “may be the best tequila I’ve ever tasted” http://ramshackleglam.com/blog/2010/05/mtvs-hired-screening/

Personal opinion

I loved this brand. Very smooth, and very easy on the palate. Being a Cognac lover this liqueur caught my attention as an alternative, and something that can be used with high end Cognac's(Hennessey, Remy Martin, Conjure, Seraphin etc). I even tried the Given Signature cocktail---> 

GIVEN Bisou

3 parts GIVEN, fresh mint leaves, 1 part champagne, maraschino cherry, served in an elegant black champagne flute to match the bottle.

Needless to say, when Given comes to your city, be on the way to pick it up ASAP!! This is an excellent Liqueur. Something new and something very fresh. Check out Given on these social networks...

www.givenliqueur.com

www.facebook.com/GIVENLIQUEURPAGE

www.twitter.com/GIVENLIQUEUR

Until next time,

Mr.Mixologist

Drink Measurements and Glassware

Hello all!!!

One of my bars i work is at a nightclub. If you're ever in the Chi some see me at Krush nightclub(shameless plug). In this club when we make drinks, we don't use traditional glassware. We have to use plastic cups. Why you might ask? Because if anything happens in the club(fight, altercation, accident,etc) having traditional Glasses can prove to be a hazard to myself, the other bartenders, and patrons all throughout the venue.

So,  You're probably wondering, why the hell is he telling us this? Well the #1 question I get posed while I'm at this spot is, "Is this the cup the drink comes in?" or "Can you make the drink stronger, since it comes in that cup?"

Now we use a standard 8oz. cup. So its a little shorter than a 12oz glass. The alcohol measurements don't change,just because its in a shorter cup!!! For example, I made a Long Island this weekend in a glass and a cup just to show someone that the size of the glass doesn't matter, its all about the measurements. A Long Island is a 1/2oz of Vodka,Gin,Rum,Tequila, and Triple Sec no matter what you put it in. The bigger the glass doesn't equate a stronger drink. Actually the bigger the glass is the more ice and juice!! The alcohol levels remain constant no matter what.

Also patrons, please stop asking for a "Strong Drink" or "Can you make my drink strong"? There is no such thing. Any respectable Mixologist/bartender is going to measure out the drink properly. My rule is this.. YOU WANT A STRONG DRINK, ORDER A DOUBLE!!!!

Every business has costs. In our business, alcohol is very expensive. So drinks need to be measured to keep costs down and be able to provide all you guys with new drinks and different brands when they come on to the market.

So the moral of today's post is, Trust your bartender! If i make you a drink, I know what I'm doing. The size of your glass and the drink measurements will even out. Who wants to be drunk from one drink because your bartender made it "Strong". You want to have a great cocktail, and be able to drink throughout your evening. And I want you to come back to the bar and continue to order drinks, and most importantly,.... TIP.

Sorry for the rant, but i got these question's asked to me all weekend. Next post will be much more fun and positive.

Until next time
Mr.Mixologist

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Drink Of The Week 5-22-10

Good Afternoon,

I'm trying something new. For all who are on my FB page, and my FB buisness page, I am leaving an opening for all Bartenders and aspiring mixologists to have a custom drink featured here. I mean I love my drinks, and i hope you all do as well, but its nothing wrong with a little variety....

So here we go. This weeks drink is a special one because we got 2!!! I mean the only thing better than 1 drink is 2 drinks right??? So our Featured Bartender is Ms. LaTonia Sanders(and my big sis by the way)

LaTonia has been in the business of serving liquor since 2001. She started out being a cocktail waitress at Timeout Sports Bar & Grill in Calumet City. As time went on, she realized that she could be a bartender and one of the bartenders agreed and she was the one that helped her on the journey, As the years went by, she began to do private parties as a bartender. At Pete's Sports Lounge she perfected how to make specialized drinks, how to make drinks just for particular patrons.

So here is a couple of LaTonia's famous Martini's....


The Blue Raspberry/PineTini

2oz Vodka(your preference)

1oz Rose's Blue Raspberry
Splash of triple sec
Splash of Pineapple Juice

In a mixing cup pour all ingredients, the shake well and strain into a chilled Martini Glass


The Raspberry Pomegranate Martini

2.5oz Vodka(your preference)

1oz Roses Blue Raspberry

Splash of Pomegranate

Splash of Triple Sec

Prep is the same as a classic Martini. Place all ingredients in a shaker, shake and then strain into a chilled Martini Glass.

As you can see, LaTonia really like Roses Blue Raspberry....Ive made both cocktails at home and enjoyed both of them. LaTonia has 2 great Martinis under her belt. And as I'm typing this blog she emailed me about 4 or 5 of her other specialities.

Thank you LaTonia for sharing your Martinis with us this week, and you guys can catch LaTonia working with myself and the rest of the Drinks On Me team when we provide bar services for YOUR private events. She is also on twitter( @luv4dalaw) so share your cocktail experiences with her on there as well.

Aspiring Mixologists and my Cocktail peeps please feel free to send your custom cocktails and a little background info to me to be featured in the Drink Of The Week in the future. Email your info to

DrinksOnMeInc@gmail.com

Until next time

Mr.Mixologist

What being a bartender means to me!

Hey everyone,

This blog post is a little different this week. No nice pics or drink recipes today. I want to address something that was told to me over the weekend. Alot of people ask and say to me all the time, "Why do you bartend?", Or "Do you do it you in it to meet some girls?" Or "Just get a regular 9 to 5, bartending is not a career" or my favorite question of them all, "It cant be that hard, all you doing is making drinks".

So I say to all, I cant speak for every bartender/Mixologist out there, but here is my opinion. I bartend because I have a love for the cocktail industry. Its more than just a job for me, but a passion and a way of life. Ive connected with some of the nations most respected and revered cocktailers and that has done wonders for my experience and knowledge while I'm behind the bar.

Bartending is not just a job. It is a trade and a craft. It is something that not everyone can do. Just like a Fireman, accountant, banker, lawyer, or any other job title, you need to go to get training, and in most cases go to school and finish with a certificate to show that you know what you are doing. Making drinks is only 50% of the job. Bartenders are marriage counselors, relationship advisors, psychiatrist, and in most cases just an unbiased person that you can talk to.

Bartending can be a career. There are many different things you can do in the cocktail industry. You can bartend, enter cocktail contests, blog, Flair bartending, cocktail consulting etc.. The industry is vast and it grows each and every day. I look at guys like Dale DeGroff and Tony Abu-Ganin. They are 2 of the best in our industry and have showed everyone in the business that they possibilities are endless to grow if you have a love and a passion for it.

So to all who think this is just something that anyone can do, and its not a "real"profession, I challenge you to come stand behind the bar with me any night I'm working and come find out really what this job is all about!!

To all my fellow Mixologists/Bartenders(there is a difference)Flairers, Cocktail bloggers, and everyone in the industry I raise my Shaker and salute you!! Cheers!!

Sorry for the vent but had a convo that inspired this post.

Until next time

Mr.Mixologist

Drink of the week for 5-15-10

Hey everybody!!! Well I was back at it again. Sitting in the lab and wanted to try something new. so I'm searching thru my iPhone drink apps looking for a new recipe. Came across the Girly Drinks Drink app( shout out to them, follow them on twitter @GirlDrinks) So I'm looking and found the Raspberry Cheesecake. Sounds Delicious to me so i gave it a shot.

Raspberry Cheesecake

1oz White Creme de Cacao
1oz Black Raspberry Liqueur
1 tbsp cream Cheese
2 Scoops Vanilla Ice Cream
1/2 Cup crushed Ice

This is a drink that you can "build" in a glass, but i chose to try it a little different way and put my own spin on it. So what i did was I took the Liqueur and i added a little Jamaica Rum to it for a little extra kick.

So in a mixing cup I took 1oz of Rum, 1oz White Creme de Cacao, and 1oz of Raspberry Pucker. Gave it a few real good shakes, and this is what i came out with............

So instead of just cheesecake now you have 2 Raspberry Martini's. Now while not a traditional Martini, I'm sure that all will enjoy these...

My way to get the Cheesecake flavor was to also add the Cream Cheese and Vanilla Ice Cream into the mixer, or put both in a separate mixer and strain and Layer it into the already made Martini.

So hope you guys enjoy this as much as i did!  A drink that you can enjoy at a bar/club, and something easy enough that you can make at home!

Also any drinks you would like to see, or suggestions please send me an email over to DrinksOnMeinc@gmail.com and I will make the cocktail then provide prep and my thoughts in the blog.

Until next time

Mr.Mixologist

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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