Build a Bar Workshop

This is the first installment of what will be an on-going series. We're aiming to accomplish two different things with this series of posts. Goal one is to demystify our products. For example, we'll begin discussing Scotch Whisky today, and there are so many different questions about this category that we could spend an entire week on the topic without reaching the end. The other goal is to help you make the right decisions when you're building your own bar, regardless of size.

As always, we apply Rule 1: Drink what you like. The corollary here, of course, is that building a bar suggests that you want to please your guests as well. For reference, some of our information comes courtesy of the Scotch Whisky Association.

There are five categories of Scotch Whisky. They are:

Single Malt Scotch Whisky. A Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery (i) from water and malted barley without the addition of any other cereals, and (ii) by batch distillation in pot stills.   Since November 23 2012, it is required that Single Malt Scotch Whisky must be bottled in Scotland. Some of the more familiar brands in this category are Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, The Macallan and The Balvenie.

Single Grain Scotch Whisky. A Scotch Whisky distilled at a single distillery (i) from water and malted barley with or without whole grains of other malted or unmalted cereals, and (ii) which does not comply with the definition of Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Blended Scotch Whisky. A blend of one or more Single Malt Scotch Whiskies with one or more Single Grain Scotch Whiskies. This category includes brands like Compass Box.

Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. A blend of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies, which have been distilled at more than one distillery. Probably the biggest-selling Scotch category, with brands like Johnnie Walker, Chivas Regal and Dewar's.

Blended Grain Scotch Whisky. A blend of Single Grain Scotch Whiskies, which have been distilled at more than one distillery.

There are five recognized regions where Scotch Whisky is distilled and bottled. The product must be entirely distilled within a region in order to have that designation on the label.

Campbeltown is in the lower left, in yellow, and it has the fewest distilleries of any region (three). Distilleries include Springbank (we carry several of their expressions). Springbank performs every step of the whisky-making process, from malting to bottling, in-house.

Highland covers the largest area, seen in green. The area at the top right and left used to be considered a separate region called Island. Highland Park and Talisker come from the former Island region. Other Highland distillers include Aberfeldy, Dalwhinnie, Glenmorangie, Jura and Oban. Styles range greatly, from the very peaty and smoky (Talisker) to the lighter, grassy and sweet (Glenmorangie).

Non-Scotch drinkers often ask us what we mean by "peaty" or "smoky". Think of it as drinking the smoke from a campfire. The grains are dried by peat-fueled heat, and the grains pick up that smoke.

Islay (pronounced 'eye-lah')is in the middle left, the small region in dark brown. Most of the whisky produced here will fall into the smoky category. Ardbeg, Bowmore and Lagavulin are all distilled here.

Lowland covers the second largest area, and is about the add their fourth distillery. We carry Auchentoshan and Glenkinchie, from the Lowlands.

Speyside is in light brown, surrounded by Highlands, and has the largest number of distilleries. The general feature here is that the distilleries are typically in the vicinity of the River Spey. Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, The Balvenie and The Macallan are all produced here. The taste profile of Speyside whiskies generally are either light and grassy or rich and sweet.

Flavor Profiles. We threw out a lot of terms here that may or may not make sense to you. Courtesy of malts.com, click here for a grid that illustrates the typical flavors one will find in a Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

At the top of the page, we said we'll begin discussing Scotch Whisky today. We met that goal, and hopefully added to your understanding of this category of brown spirits. We'll continue this conversation in the coming weeks.

Vodka 101

This week Wine Supervisor David Rudd, mixologist extraordinaire, gives us the low down on one of the most popular distilled beverages, Vodka!

"I <3 Vodka"

Dear Readers:  Thanks for checking out the blog!  I appreciate your questions and comments and it is always good to know you're enjoying some of the ideas we share here.  Today I have a shout out for a new reader in Maryland.  She writes that she's curious about vodka cocktails after flirting with rum for a while; however she is apprehensive about the spirit.  After hearing some horror stories about headaches and hangovers she is concerned that this hard liquor might be too hard.  Is it okay to switch?  Heck yeah, Sondra!  It's time to expand your horizons!  I'm sure you know, as with any spirit you need to know your limits.  A good rule of thumb to follow:  enjoy a glass of pure water along with every adult beverage you try.  Remember, any spirit may contain some trace impurities, so go slowly and pay attention to the way you feel.  If I could put a warning label on this one, it would say "If a rash develops, discontinue use and seek medical attention"!  I’m only kidding; a rash probably won't develop... but if it does – DEFINITELY GO SEE A DOCTOR. 

In all seriousness, vodka is one versatile spirit that is worth investigating.  Vodka is a rectified spirit, which means that it is distilled multiple times and filtered to remove impurities.  It is usually made from grain, but could be made from potatoes, fruit, or even sugar - just like rum.  Vodka can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or mixed into cocktails. 

Bloody Mary, Gimlet, and Cosmopolitan all have vodka as the primary spirit - and they are delicious.  Try them.  Here are a few more recipes to try:

Cucumber Cooler
1 2" piece of cucumber thinly sliced
1/8 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ oz vodka
½ oz simple syrup
¼ c. crushed ice

In your dry cocktail shaker, muddle together the cucumber and thyme and then add the ice with the other ingredients.  Shake for an 8 count and pour contents into a glass.

Harvest Cooler
2 oz vodka
1 oz fresh lime juice
½ oz. agave nectar
5 cubes of watermelon
Soda water

In your dry cocktail shaker smash the watermelon cubes and then add the other ingredients with some ice cubes.  Shake for an 8 count and pour into a Collins glass.  Top up with soda water.

Voodoo (serves 4)
1 c. vodka
1 c. mango nectar
8 lime wedges
12 mint leaves
Soda water

In a pitcher mash the lime wedges and mint leaves together.  Add the vodka and mango nectar and give a stir.  Top up with soda water stir again.  Pour into iced glasses.

Spiced Pear
1 oz. vodka
1 oz. spiced rum
1 oz. pear nectar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon sugar

In an iced cocktail shaker combine ingredients and shake for a 12 count.  Pour contents into a glass.

Easter Sunrise
1 ½ oz citrus flavored vodka
½ oz. Campari™
½ oz. Cinzano™ Bianco Vermouth
1 ½ oz freshly squeezed orange juice

In a chilled cocktail shaker, combine ingredients and shake for an 8 count.  Strain into a chilled martini glass.

Post Prohibition Cocktails

Today Woodbridge Wine Supervisor David Rudd talks about some Post-Prohibition American classics.

1933 saw the end of Prohibition in the United States of America with Constitutional Amendment XXI, and thus was born a new progressive era that would eventually beget my job.  (Way to go, Congress!)  Many cultures around the world have seen some form of Prohibition at one time or another: China’s Xia Dynasty, Prince Edward Island 1907-1948, Russia 1914-1925, and Australia 1910-1927.  This period in our nation’s history is really quite interesting: it was during Prohibition that we saw the rise of America’s greatest gangster, Al Capone.  At the height of his career the guy was pulling $80,000,000 a year (in today’s money = more than $1 billion dollars!)  More to the point of our purpose here today, Prohibition’s demise finally gave Depression Era mixologists free reign to shake, stir and flame their way into the history books.  Classics like the Martini, Manhattan, and Collins were born right after Prohibition.  There are a number of slightly lesser known – and somewhat more complicated cocktails – from this period.  So find your good cocktail shaker, a stirring rod and muddler, your ¾-1 ½ oz measure, caster sugar, assorted garnishes and your martini, rocks, and highball glassware.  That’s right, today we’re having an advanced lesson in cocktails…

The Old-Fashioned

 ½ tsp of superfine (aka caster sugar)
3 dashes of Angostura™ aromatic bitters
2 slices of orange peel
3 oz of bourbon whiskey
Maraschino cherry

Place the grains of sugar into the bottom of a rocks glass and soak it with the bitters.  Place one orange peel into the glass and muddle it with the sugar and bitters.  Swirl the glass to allow the contents to coat the inside of the glass.  Fill the glass with ice and pour the bourbon over it.  Garnish with the second orange peel and Maraschino cherry.

The Sazerac

(this might be America’s oldest cocktail recipe – dating back to 1830)
3 oz of rye whiskey
½ oz of absinthe
3 dashes of Peychaud’s™ bitters
½ tsp of superfine sugar
A curl of lemon peel

In a dry cocktail shaker stir together the whiskey, bitters and sugar.  Pour the absinthe into a chilled rocks glass and swirl the glass to coat the inside surface.  Pour out the excess absinthe and fill the glass with ice.  Pour the whiskey/bitters/sugar mixture over the ice and garnish with your lemon curl.

The Sidecar

¾ oz Cointreau™
¾ oz cognac
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
A slice of orange peel

Take a chilled martini glass and rub the rim with your finger coated in lemon juice, then dip the rim of the glass into a demi-plate of superfine sugar to coat the rim – allow to dry while you prepare the drink.  In your cocktail shaker filled with ice shake the Cointreau™, cognac and fresh lemon juice for a six count.  Strain into the martini glass and then flame your orange peel to garnish.

The Pink Lady

1 ½ oz Plymouth™ gin
½ oz grenadine
½ oz heavy cream
¼ oz fresh lemon juice
1 egg white
Maraschino cherry

Rub the rim of a champagne saucer with your finger coated in grenadine and then dip the rim of the glass into a demi-plate of superfine sugar to coat the rim – allow to dry while you prepare the drink.  In your cocktail shaker filled with ice shake the gin, grenadine, cream, lemon juice and egg white for a 20 count.  Strain into the champagne saucer and add the cherry for a garnish.

The Horse’s Neck

1 lemon
3 oz of dry gin (Hendrick’s™ is a good choice)
Dry ginger ale (GuS™ extra dry ginger ale is a good choice)

Carefully peel the lemon in one continuous strip so that the entire rind is in one long spiral, hang it from the edge of a tall glass so that the better part of it dangles inside.  Fill the glass with ice and pour the gin on top.  Fill the glass the rest of the way with the dry ginger ale.  This one is my favorite summertime cocktail.

The Gibson

½ oz of dry vermouth
3 oz of dry gin
Cocktail onions

Combine the gin and vermouth in an iced cocktail shaker and STIR, do not shake.  Strain into a martini glass and garnish with skewered cocktail onions.

The Planter’s Punch

This is a party recipe, the flavors benefit from mixing together over a long period, so make this one ahead and enjoy as much or as little as you like.

One large pitcher

32 limes juiced, or about 2 cups of fresh lime juice
6 oranges juiced, or about 2 cups of fresh orange juice
1 1L bottle of dark rum (Gosling™ Black Bermuda Rum is a good choice)
8 oz of grenadine
Angostura™ aromatic bitters
Soda water
Sliced peaches

In your large pitcher combine the juices, dark rum and grenadine and stir well.  Individually prepare a wide tumbler (a fat, tall glass) with a dash of the bitters and fill with ice.  Pour the rum mixture into the tumbler until ¾ full and top up with soda.  Garnish with a peach slice.

The Zombie

This killer cocktail became popular at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York.

¾ oz white rum (the Rogue™ White Rum is a good choice)

¾ oz light rum
¾ oz dark rum
¾ oz apricot brandy
¾ oz pineapple juice
¾ oz guava nectar
½ oz Bacardi™ 151 proof rum
A dash of grenadine

In an iced cocktail shaker combine white, light and dark rums with brandy, juices and grenadine for a six count.  Pour the drink and ice into a tall glass and float the overproof rum on top.

Celebrating Gin

Today our resident Mixologist, Woodbridge Wine Supervisor David Rudd, presents some of his favorite recipes featuring gin!
 
One of the best things about working in the adult beverage industry is that I am surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of years of history.  There is a story associated with each and every item on the shelves.  Some bottles carry an air of highly cultured aristocracy while some have narrowly survived a complete character assassination.  One of those survivors is gin.  There was a time that gin was blamed for social decline and it carried a negative reputation, sometimes known as “mother’s ruin”.  But today, gin is one of the most popular and widely distributed spirits available.

It is a grain neutral spirit which is flavored primarily with juniper, but may also include other botanicals such as anise, caraway, coriander, and geranium.  It is a complex and beautiful beverage that is now considered quite elegant and refined.  History has finally been kind to gin, but its time spent as “Public Enemy: Number One” has given it a gritty edge that makes it even sexier today.  There are many ways to enjoy gin that go well beyond a Gin and Tonic.  Let’s celebrate gin – a survivor, a party animal, and a classic!

C’est Verte, Mais Juste

1 oz gin

¾ oz green crème de menthe

¾ oz cognac

1 dash aromatic bitters

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a martini glass

Aziz Fizz

1 egg white

½ tsp sugar

2 oz fresh lemon juice

2 oz gin

1 dash orange flower water

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a tall glass.

Fill with ice and club soda.

Strawberry Swig

1 ½ oz gin

½ oz strawberry liqueur (like Fragolino™)

¼ oz fresh lime juice

1 dash orange bitters

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a martini glass

Dixie Punch

½ oz gin

1 oz Southern Comfort™

¾ fresh lime juice

¼ oz grenadine

1 Tbs. crushed pineapple

Shake in an iced cocktail shaker and pour into a tall glass.

Fill with ice and garnish with an orange slice.

Whiskey 101

Scotch Whisky is the spirit of Scotland. Malt Scotches are made from barley malt, which is dried over a peat fire. The smoke from the peat fire is where much of the taste of the final product comes from. Once dried, the malt is mixed with yeast and water and allowed to distill. Single malt scotches are the product of a single distillery, while blended scotches are a mixture of several different whiskies, plus grain whiskey. There is also Grain Scotch Whisky, which is made by mashing wheat or corn with water. An enzyme is added to break the starch down into sugar, and then yeast is added to begin fermentation. Grain Whisky stays in a still throughout its distillation process and is then added to wooden casks to age.

Rye Whiskey follows the same basic procedures as Scotch, but is made from a fermented mash containing at least 51% rye. It must be produced at no more than 160 proof and aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least 2 years to be classified as "straight."

Canadian Whisky is a type of whisky produced in Canada. Most Canadian whiskies are blended multi-grain liquors containing a large percentage of corn spirits, and are typically lighter and smoother than other whisky styles. Because rye was once a standard ingredient in Canadian whisky, the terms "rye" and "Canadian whisky" are often used interchangeably, and erroneously, in Canada.

Irish Whiskey is usually a blend of several whiskies of different ages. Malted barly, unmalted barley and other grains (rye, corn) are used.

Bourbon is made in the United States. By law, it must contain at least 51% corn, but cannot contain more than 80% alcohol. The remainder is made up of various other grains such as rye or wheat. All Bourbons use what is called the sour mash process. This is a process in which a sample from the last batch is added to each consecutive batch to control the bacteria growth in the mixture. Bourbon is aged in new, charred barrels for a minimum of two years (but usually much longer). Bourbon is considered a "fuller bodied" whiskey than Scotch or Irish and some say it does have a bit more "sweet" taste on the palate.

Want to learn more about Whiskey? Join us for a Father's Day Weekend Whiskey 101 Class and tasting, featuring Ryan Caswell! The cost is only $10 per person. Click here for more info!

Spirits 101: Tequila

It may be a cold, dreary rainy day in New Jersey, but warmer temps are right around the corner! We're only one weekend away from Cinco de Mayo, and what better way to get into the mood than with a quick refresher course on Tequila?

Tequila is made only in Mexico. The country even has an international right to the name and threatens legal actions on other countries that try to manufacture the liquor. It comes from the blue agave cactus, which can only be grown in certain parts of Mexico that have a favorable red-volcanic soil.

Tequila's roots began in the 16th century, when the Spanish conquistadors arrived, and eventually ran out of Brandy. Instead, they distilled liquor from the agave plant. Tequila began being mass-produced in 1600 and was first distributed into the United States in the mid to late 1800s.

Tequila is usually bottled in one of five categories:
-Blanco ("white") or plata ("silver"): white spirit, un-aged and bottled or stored immediately after distillation, or aged less than two months in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels
-Joven ("young") or oro ("gold"): a mixture of blanco tequila and reposado tequila (Ex. José Cuervo Oro)
-Reposado ("rested"): aged a minimum of two months, but less than a year in oak barrels of any size
-Añejo ("aged" or "vintage"): aged a minimum of one year, but less than three years in small oak barrels
-Extra Añejo ("extra aged" or "ultra aged"): aged a minimum of three years in oak barrels.

Tequila is aged in barrels made from oak that is usually imported fro the US, France or Canada. Sometimes the distillery will char the wood to impart a smoky flavor to the spirit. Another technique for flavor is to age the tequila in barrels that were previously used other alcohol, such as whiskey, or even wine.

There's a common association with tequila and the presence of a worm. The presence of a worm in a type of tequila called mezcal, was actually started as a marketing gimmick in the 1940s. In truth, the presence of a worm in the agave plant indicates an infestation, and if there's a worm in the tequila it's a very poor quality spirit.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the most expensive bottle of spirits ever sold was a one-liter bottle of limited-edition premium tequila which sold for $225,000 in July 2006 in Tequila, Jalisco, by the company Tequila Ley .925. The bottle which contains the tequila is a two-kilo display of platinum and gold.

Spirits 101: Rum

Wednesdays on the BottleBlog will feature an education session on wine, beer or spirits. Today, Shannon Spare discusses rum.

My husband and I got married in July of 2006, and we took our honeymoon in Negril, Jamaica. I had always loved rum, but it was the week I spent there that really began my love interest with the spirit. Since that trip, I've returned to Jamaica twice, and also vacationed to the Dominican Republic, another country where rum rules.

Rum is a sweet spirit that is made, aptly, from sugarcane and aged in oak barrels, typically. Yeast is added to the sugarcane to begin the fermenting process. Most rum producers use very specific strains of yeast so that the resulting liquor can be easily controlled in terms of consistency of color and flavor.

Most rum is generally aged for at least a year. How the rum is aged is where the rum gets its color: Dark rums are aged in oak casks, where a rum that is aged in a stainless steel cask remains clear.

Rum's origins are from the early 17th century, slaves from plantations in the Caribbean discovered that alcohol could be made by fermenting molasses (which is derived from sugarcane). Today, most of the world's rum is still made in the Caribbean and Latin America, and less often in other parts of the world including Australia and parts of India. Most likely, the word rum is derived from the Latin word for sugar: saccharum.

There are a few different types of rum, and each has its own distinct flavor and personality. Light rums have a very mild flavor with a great sweetness, which makes it perfect as the main ingredient in so many delicious frozen and chilled beverages. Spiced rums are rums that are flavored with, you guessed it, spices, and in some cases, caramel. Most rum drinkers are well acquainted with "The Captain," Captain Morgan, one of the more popular spiced rums. Dark rum has intense flavors of molasses or caramel, and is used in cocktails to add depth or color. Dark rum is also the most popular rum to use while cooking. Flavored rums have become immensely popular. As you browse the rum aisle at Joe Canal's, you'll see a vast array of fruit and other flavors that add a twist to juices, sodas and frozen cocktails. For me, Parrot Bay or Malibu it's a welcome addition to diet coke for a change once in a while. And while standard rum is generally 40% alcohol or lower, overproof rums are much higher in their alcohol content, up to 80%!

Traditionally, my first drink I order when I'm on vacation is a Dirty Banana, a refreshing frozen cocktail that includes white rum, cream, coffee liqueur, simple syrup and a whole banana. I've yet to be able to duplicate that at home, there's just something about the feel of the Caribbean breeze in my hair and white sand between my toes that makes the drink taste better.

Spirits 101: Louis XIII Cognac

Wednesdays on the BottleBlog will feature an education session on wine, beer or spirits. Today, Shannon Spare discusses Louis XIII Cognac.

This week, a few lucky Joe Canal's employees (not today's blog author, unfortunately) were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend an industry tasting at Caesar's Palace in Atlantic City. The store was abuzz with the featured special event of the occasion: a Louis XII Cognac seminar and tasting. Of course, still learning, this meant nothing to me, until store manager Zack Goldberg took me to the locked case in the front of the store.

Louis XIII is the most coveted cognac in all the world. Its legacy reaches far and wide. The cognac is manufactured using grapes from the Grande Champage territory of Cognac, France. It is blended from 1200 eaux-de-vie, some more than a century in age, then it is aged in oak barrels that are several hundred years old.

Tasting notes of this acclaimed cognac include a color of golden-yellow with mahogany highlights and red notes. The nose is said to include hints from the oak barrels it's aged in (also called tiercons), as well as floral and spicy undertones. The taste is said to be, according to Remy Martin, the producer, "a dense celebration of floral notes and candied fruits with hints of spices..." "notes of jasmine twirled with nuances of passion fruit, ginger and nutmeg," as well as "touches of roses and iris," dancing with "elements of fig, prunes, sandalwood and honey."

One of the really special things about Louis XIII cognac is its crystal decanter. Each decanter is unique, combining the work of 11 trained craftsmen who first blow the crystal, place by hand the characteristic ornaments, and decorate the neck with 24-carat gold.

It's rumored that once a bottle of Louis XIII is empty, you can take it to the distillery in France and have it refilled for free. I can't find any substantiation of that clam, however. Has anyone heard of this?

Is your palate wishing for a taste of Louis XIII? Ask a manager to unlock the cabinet for you to pick up a bottle... it'll only run you $1,699.00!

Have you tried Louis XIII? What were your thoughts? Leave me a comment below!