She’ll Be Apples
Fun fact I just learned: Granny Smith apples originate from Australia. I named the drink in honor of a great Australian phrase I also just learned (meaning “she’ll be alright”). The cocktail is my submission to the exciting return of the @homebarawards! A huge shout out to Chris for resurrecting this awesome competition. The prompt: create a sour without citrus. There are a few approaches I considered here (most of you know I love shrubs), but ultimately I decided to acid-adjust non-citrus fruit juice.
Stoplight
Yes, this is one of those Instagram Drinks that is unnecessarily complicated in order to get visual appeal (stay tuned for @bestcocktails League Finals tomorrow!). Sorry not sorry. With that being said, this drink is actually really tasty and refreshing and even after stirring it up there is still a bit of a gradient (as opposed to a murky brownish color, which often happens after disrupting layered drinks).
Tiki Underworld
Today I have a boozy, stirred, tropical-leaning cocktail. It brings a rum blend, 3:1 aged rum and unaged rhum agricole, bringing rich sugar notes and some grassy funk for a diverse rum presence. The sweetness and spices come from delicious golden falernum and aromatic bitters (gifted to me by @thebittertruthcompany) tie it all together. I wanted to highlight some of the darker notes from the rum and balance out the sweetness with just a touch of Cynar.
Mr. Rice Guy
So far my #sponsored content with @JaisalmerGin includes riffs on a gin & tonic and a martini. Both fun, easy, and delicious. Let’s keep the fun and delicious part but turn up the complexity with a gin-based tiki delight featuring an unusual cocktail player: rice. Please refer to my post on 5/20 for a discussion of the infusion.
Riggs and Murtaugh
I am on a mission to convince you that rhum and tequila are a really, really good pair. They complement each other better than partners in a buddy cop movie (Lethal Weapon anyone?). They’re as natural as PB&J. You get the idea. Recently I brought this dynamic duo starred in a stirred, martini-esque format. If that’s not your style, then how about a fruit-forward sour?