Cucumber Sparkler

Once again, we feature Joe Canal's of Woodbridge + NJ.com's weekly Drinks on Us segment!  Still
thirsty for a refreshing warm weather quencher?  Check out this week's recipe below and visit our facebook page to watch store manager David Rudd's presentation!

Cucumber Sparkler

-1 tablespoon cubed, seeded cucumber
-1/2 oz fresh lime juice (about half a lime)
-1/2 oz simple syrup
-1 dash of mint bitters
-1 1/2 oz Devotion vodka
-3 oz sparkling wine

Muddle the cucumber and lime juice. Add simple syrup, bitters and vodka with a bit of ice and shake to chill. Strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with sparkling wine and garnish with a slice of cucumber.

Pokemon Hunting with Store Manager David Rudd

Once again this past Friday, our friends at nj.com visited us at Joe Canal's in Woodbridge for a Live Facebook post for another installment of Drinks on Us featuring our Store Manager David Rudd.  This time he's grabbed onto the Pokémon Go craze and pulled a drink out of his mixologist mind called the Pikachu. This energizing cocktail will pep you up after a long workday. 

The Pikachu
- 1 1/2 oz vodka
- 1/2 oz peach schnapps
- 3 oz orange juice
- 1 1/2 oz Red Bull
- 1 oz grenadine
- 2 cherries

Combine the vodka, peach schnapps and orange juice in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake to chill. Strain into an iced highball, add grenadine and top with Red Bull. Garnish with two cherries and drink with a straw.
To "virgin-ize" it for the pint-sized Pokémon masters in your home, just remove the alcohol and Red Bull and add a splash of apple juice.

Visit our Woodbridge Facebook page and check out the whole video with David!

Still in the Summertime Spirit

We seem to be stuck in this heat and humidity for at least a few more days, so why don't you stop in and pick up some of these newer spirits to add to your blender for a refreshing frozen treat?
Bacardi GrapefruitBACARDÍ® GRAPEFRUIT Flavored Rum is infused with pink grapefruit flavors to create a semi-sweet, citrus taste. Pair BACARDÍ Grapefruit with pink lemonade for a refreshing and delicious shot drink, or use it to add a new grapefruit twist to old classics like the Mojito and Mule.

New Amsterdam Pineapple VodkaNew Amsterdam® Pineapple vodka stays crisp and fresh under situations of extreme pressure, like doing the limbo. For the weekend, try our pineapple-flavored vodka.

Try these recipes to delight your adult guests at your next BBQ!

Bacardi Citrus Punch

 

1 part Bacardi Grapefruit

1part Bacardi Limon

2 parts orange juice

1 part grapefruit juice

2 lime wedges

Pour all ingredients into a serving glass filled with ice. Squeeze lime wedges into drink. Stir with a bar spoon and garnish with an orange slice.

 

Pineapple Chi Chi

 

1 oz New Amsterdam Pineapple Vodka

1/2 oz Coconut Rum
3/4 oz Lime juice

4 oz pineapple juice

 

Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.  Strain into a highball glass full of ice and garnish with a pineapple wedge and a sprig of mint.

 

Drink on Us - Bourbon Smash

Our latest installment of Drinks on Us, featuring Woodbridge Store Manager David Rudd and out friends from nj.com features a sweet bourbon cocktail called the Bourbon Smash

Bourbon Smash
-1 oz simple syrup
-4 basil leaves
-1/2 lemon
-2 oz bourbon
-3 ripe strawberries
Muddle lemon, basil, strawberries and simple syrup. Fill shaker with ice and add bourbon, stir to chill.  Fill glass with crushed ice, and strain cocktail into glass. Garnish with basil leaf and strawberry.

You can use your favorite bourbon, but we recommend a bourbon new to our product line called Groveland.  A recent addition to our product line and available at a fantastic price of $18.97 in both stores, we know you'll love it, so give it a try!

Groveland Reserve Bourbon - Smooth, sophisticated, and bold bourbon. This Bourbon has traditional oak aromas along with sweet vanilla and caramel. It has soft, subtle fruit notes with a subtly sweet finish. Groveland Small Batch Bourbon is a great whiskey for drinking neat, on the rocks, or as part of an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan.

Don't forget you can place your prepaid order online ahead of time, and it'll be ready and waiting for you for a quick and easy pickup!

Click here to view this on our Lawrenceville homepage!
Click here to view it on our Woodbridge homepage!

Mixology Monday -- New York Sour

Every Friday this summer, our friends at NJ.com have stopped by our Woodbridge store to feature our store manager and resident mixologist David Rudd in a segment called "Drinks on Us".  This past Friday, a Joe Canal's exclusive bourbon played center stage in a drink recipe called the New York Sour.

2 oz. Groveland Bourbon
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. fruity red wine

Combine bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup in an iced cocktail shaker and shake to chill. Strain into a double old fashioned filled with ice. Pour wine over the back of a spoon to float on top.

Groveland Bourbon is available at both Woodbridge and Lawrenceville for the Bottle Club® Price of $18.97.  It's a smooth, sophisticated, and bold bourbon. This Bourbon has traditional oak aromas along with sweet vanilla and caramel. It has soft, subtle fruit notes with a subtly sweet finish. Groveland Small Batch Bourbon is a great whiskey for drinking neat, on the rocks, or as part of an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan.

Don't forget you can place your prepaid orders on jcanals.com and they'll be ready for you when you come to pick it up!  It's easy, convenient and free!

Mix N Match

Today might be the official first day of Summer, but you know that it's been Summer for quite a while at Joe Canal's. We thought a good old Mixology Monday was the right way to start the week.

Tekiwi

1 ripe kiwi, peeled
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
3 ounces of fresh lime sweet and sour mix (see below)
2 ounces of Patrón Silver Tequila
Ice
Fresh mint leaves

To make fresh lime sweet and sour mix: combine 2 parts fresh lime juice with one part Patron Citronge orange liqueur and one part simple syrup. Stir to combine.

In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, muddle the kiwi with the simple syrup. Add sweet and sour mix, tequila, and ice. Shake well and double-strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.

Watermelon Sangria

4 cups cubed watermelon
1 750ml bottle Cupcake Moscato
1 cup Bacardi rum
Juice of 4 limes
Zest of 2 limes
1 tbsp sugar
lime slices, for garnish

In a blender, combine watermelon, Moscato, rum, lime juice and zest, and sugar and blend until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish glasses with lime slices and serve.

Raspberry Limoncello Prosecco

3 cups Merum Prosecco, chilled
1 cup Caravella Limoncello liqueur, chilled
1 cup frozen raspberries
6 sprigs fresh mint

In a large pitcher, whisk together prosecco and limoncello. Serve over raspberries, garnished with mint, if desired. This also works nicely with strawberries or blueberries in addition to, or instead of, the raspberries.

Blueberry Lemonade Sangria

1 750-ml bottle dry white wine, like Acre Twenty One Chardonnay
1 cup lemonade
1/4 cup Camarena Silver tequila
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 cup cold seltzer

Into a pitcher, pour wine, lemonade, and tequila and stir until combined. Add fruit and top off with seltzer and serve.

With the arrival of summer, we predict there will be some oppressively hot days and warm, sultry nights. These recipes are the perfect antidote to those weather conditions.

Summer's Coming

We're pretty sure that summer will be here soon. All the signs are there: summer craft beer has been arriving, as have the 2015 rose wines. So we'll start today's post with a perfect summer cocktail.

Watermelon-Moscato Slush

6 cups watermelon cubes, seeds removed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup Caposaldo Moscato (but this also works with your favorite Moscato)

Place watermelon cubes, sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth. Pour through a strainer to remove the pulp.  Place strained liquid in a glass baking dish and stir in the Moscato.

Place the baking dish in the freezer and freeze the mixture for 2 to 3 hours, stirring with a fork every 45 minutes or so to break up ice crystals.

When ready to serve, spoon the watermelon slush into a wine (or other) glass, filling the glass about 3/4 full. Pour in wine and stir.

Pitú Brazilian Caipirinha

The world will turn its attention to Brazil for the summer Olympics this year. Get a head start on a sure-fire trend with this classic Brazilian cocktail.

One-half lime
2 tsp. granulated or bar sugar
Crushed ice
2 oz. Pitú Cachaça
Garnish with slice of lime

Cut lime into small pieces and place in an old-fashioned glass. Add sugar. Muddle lime and sugar with a pestle or spoon. Fill glass with ice. Add Pitú. Put contents in shaker, shake well, return contents to glass and serve.

Reposado Paloma

Cinco de Mayo is only a few weeks away. A well rounded Cinco de Mayo party will include more than beer, so here's one tequila based cocktail recipe.

Coarse salt
1/4 cup fresh grapefruit juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce agave nectar
1/4 cup Camarena Reposado tequila
1/4 cup club soda
Grapefruit wedge, for garnish

Rub rim of an 8-ounce glass with a grapefruit wedge. Pour some coarse salt out onto a plate and rub the rim of the glass in the salt to coat. Combine grapefruit juice, lime juice, and agave nectar in prepared glass and stir. Stir in tequila, add some ice, and top off with the club soda. Garnish with grapefruit wedge.

Cheers!

New Year, New Tastes

Many of us don't get out as frequently in the winter. The cold this morning was a reminder that winter hasn't really even started here, so we found a few cocktail recipes that will keep our interest through the next couple of months. These are reasonably easy cocktails, suitable for any non-professional bartender.

The Boulevardier

It's a Negroni, but with rye whiskey instead of gin. It's a natural evolution, bringing a dark spirit into a classic drink that we love. Your blogger enjoyed a Negroni or two over the holiday season, as the red drink color seemed perfect for the season. Having a brown beverage (rye) instead of clear (gin) makes the change visually interesting as well.

Ingredients
1.5 oz rye whiskey. If you like local, try Dad's Hat.
.75 oz Campari
.75 oz Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth

Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into a coupe glass.  Serve "up" and garnish with an orange twist.

Slow Cooker Sangria

Obviously, this recipe is a bit more involved, but the payoff is worth it. You may want to bookmark this one for your Super Bowl party.

Ingredients:
2 bottles red wine, 750ml each. We always prefer a Spanish red as a Sangria base
2 cups strong hibiscus tea (brewed from 4 bags)
1 cup Christain Brothers brandy
1/2 cup DeKuyper Triple Sec
1 each: lime, orange and lemon
1/2 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks

1: Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 4 hibiscus tea bags and remove from heat. Steep tea bags for 5 minutes. Squeeze tea from bags and discard spent bags. Set steeped tea aside.

2: Cut lemon, lime and orange into thin slices and add to slow cooker. Break cinnamon sticks in half and add to slow cooker. Pour remaining ingredients into slow cooker (including the tea) and stir until sugar dissolves.

3: Heat on low setting for 1 hour before serving. Keep warm, if possible, during serving.

4: Before serving, garnish each mug with citrus slices and a cinnamon stick.

The Applejack Sazerac

The Sazerac is a classic New Orleans cocktail, so look at this as a winterized version. Sip this by the fireplace.

Ingredients
2oz Applejack
.25 oz maple syrup (use the real thing, not store-brand pancake syrup)
3 dashes bitters

Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into an old fashioned glass.  Serve "up" and garnish with a lemon twist.

Hot Apple Pie 43

You've probably seen Licor 43 in our store and wondered about it. It was developed in Spain, about 100 years ago. The name Licor 43 is derived from the 43 ingredients from which it was originally made, principally fruits, herbs and spices from the Mediterranean basin.

Today, citrus fruits infused with selected botanicals lend the liquid aromatic, citrus essences, a delicate vanilla touch and just a hint of caramel.

Taste the warming, lightly spiced flavors of hot apple pie in this mouth-watering dessert cocktail.

Ingredients:
.75 oz Licor 43
5  oz apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
whipped cream and ground cinnamon, to garnish

Heat the apple juice with the cinnamon stick and stir the Licor 43 into the warmed mixture. Remove the cinnamon stick and pour into your coffee glass. Garnish with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon to finish.

More Than Toasts For New Year's

New Year's isn't just about the midnight Champagne toast, or the beer that many will enjoy during the college football playoff games. It's an evening to savor some cocktails, and since you have lots of Champagne on hand, let's see about combining the two for Mixology Monday.

Champagne Mojito

You can make the Mojito base in advance, so there's a chilled pitcher ready to go when guests arrive.

Ingredients
3/4 cup simple syrup
1 1/2 cups packed mint leaves, plus 12 mint sprigs, for garnish
6 limes, cut into wedges
2 cups Bacardi Silver rum
Cracked ice
3 cups Chassenay D'Arce Brut Champagne

In a large pitcher, combine the sugar syrup with the mint leaves and lime wedges and muddle well with a wooden spoon. Add the rum and stir well. Strain the drink into another pitcher.

Fill tall glasses with cracked ice and pour in the drink, filling them about two-thirds full. Top with Champagne, garnish with the mint sprigs and serve.

Citrus 75

Ingredients
1/2 clementine
Ice
1 1/2 ounces Hendricks gin
1/2 ounce Pallini Limoncello
3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce honey syrup (1/2 tablespoon honey mixed with 1/2 tablespoon warm water)
1 ounce chilled Lacourte-Godbillon Brut Champagne
1 lemon twist, for garnish
1 orange wheel, for garnish

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the clementine. Add ice and the gin, Limoncello, lemon juice and honey syrup and shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe, top with the Champagne and garnish with the lemon twist and orange wheel.

French 75

Many believe this drink was devised by American soldiers in World War I hankering for a Tom Collins. They had gin and lemons but no soda, so they used what was at hand: Champagne. The result was named for the French-made 75-millimeter guns used in the war.

Ingredients
Ice
1 ounce Bluecoat American gin
1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
4 ounces chilled Chassenay D'Arce Brut Champagne

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the gin, lemon juice and Simple Syrup and shake well. Strain into a chilled flute and stir in the Champagne.

Mixology Monday: Hot Stuff

We needed to break out our ice scraper this morning. That was an unpleasant reminder that the hot weather is on hold for a few months, so we'll turn our attention to some hot drinks instead. Whether you're settling down in front of a fireplace or tailgating, these hot drinks will pair perfectly with the season.

Bacon, Bourbon, and Hazelnut Hot Chocolate

Ingredients
4 thick-cut slices of bacon
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
pinch kosher salt
3 cups whole milk
4 ounces milk chocolate chips
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
4 ounces Frangelico
4 ounces Maker's Mark Bourbon
Whipped cream and chopped toasted hazelnuts for garnish

Yields 4 servings

1. Cook bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat until crisp and rendered. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour fat into a small bowl and stir in corn starch with a fork.

2. In medium saucepan, stir cocoa with sugar and salt. Stir in reserved bacon fat/corn starch mixture, milk, milk chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate. Heat over medium heat until, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is hot. Gently whisk to completely homogenize mixture.

3. Add Frangelico and Maker's Mark. Pour into individual serving cups. Top with whipped cream, chopped toasted hazelnuts, and a strip of bacon. Serve immediately.

Hot Night in Normandy

Ingredients
1 c. sugar
1 c. fresh lemon juice
2 c. Cruzan Black Strap Rum
2 tbsp. butter
Zest of one orange
½ gal. good quality apple cider
1 whole nutmeg
1 tbsp. cloves
1 stick cinnamon
2 c. Cruzan White Rum
1 c. Busnel Calvados (alternative: Laird's Applejack)

Put the sugar and lemon juice over medium heat. Do not stir. The sugar will melt and turn brown. When it starts to steam add the Black Strap, stirring. Next add the butter. Take off heat. Now you have caramel. You can use the same pot, throw the zest, cider, and spices (grate the nutmeg) in on top of the caramel. Leave over low heat for about an hour. Add the liquor, strain, and enjoy.

Hendrick's Hot Gin Punch

Of course we have to have a punch bowl recipe. And while we see a range of whisk(e)y drinks in the cold months, the gin here is a nice change of pace.

Ingredients
24 oz Hendrick's Gin
24 oz Madeira wine
6  Lemon twists
1  Orange slice
3 chunks Pineapple
3 oz Honey
1 oz Fresh lemon juice
3  Cloves
1 pinch Ground nutmeg
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 tsp Brown sugar

Add all the ingredients to a large saucepan and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes.

To serve, pour the hot mixture into a punch bowl or teapot and garnish with orange slices studded with cloves.

Pair with gingerbread.

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere

Our cocktail recipes give us something to look forward to as we get through the work day. Our resident Mixologist is David Rudd, Assistant Store Manager at our Woodbridge location. Here are some of his newest favorite cocktail recipes.

P&P International

The name of this cocktail comes from the combination of Peruvian brandy “pisco” and earthy, British Pimm’s No. 1.  In an iced cocktail shaker, combine 1 oz each Pisco Portón and Pimm’s No. 1, ¼ oz each Luxardo maraschino liqueur, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice and simple syrup.  Shake and strain into a Collins glass.  Top with your favorite ginger beer and add 3 dashes of Angostura bitters.  One trip around the world, please!

Full Sneak

Cocktails with a “float” remind me of vacation. But this one has home in mind for me, too. Build 2 oz whiskey (try the Michter’s Sour Mash), ½ oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, ½ oz fresh lemon juice and ginger ale in a high ball. Float ¼ oz ruby port on top and garnish with a mint sprig.

Charo’s Kick

Cool, refreshing and smoky, this is a cocktail to enjoy before winter arrives.  1 ½ oz Milagro Silver Tequila, ½ oz Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, ¾ oz each fresh lemon juice and orgeat (Fee Bros. is best) with 2 barspoons Hiram Walker crème de menthe.  Shake well in an iced cocktail shaker and strain into a coupe.

That's Random

Your blogger has plenty of things to inform you about, as we're still catching up from the pile that accumulated during our vacation.

Internet Orders for Store Pick Up

This feature is now live for our Woodbridge store. We expect a few hiccups as we start this, so please bear with us as we work to improve your Joe Canal's experience. The Store Pick Up process will allow you to securely place your order from your mobile device or computer and pick it up in the store. This is a great time-saving device. Please note that our usual procedures (such as age verification) will remain in place.

Mixology Monday

David Rudd is the assistant store manager in Woodbridge, and is our resident Mixologist. His featured cocktail for this week is the Black Hole Sun Cocktail.

"I really dig a brunch cocktail that has a little more moxie than a mimosa – which is just about anything (and this one has bourbon in it).  2 oz bourbon (go for Elijah Craig 12yr), ½ oz cold brewed coffee, ½ oz simple syrup, 2 dashes orange bitters, 1 dash Angostura bitters and 1 dash chocolate bitters.  Build in a cocktail glass with ice and garnish with a lemon peel."

#romansgotthis

We wanted to thank everyone who participated in our recent #romansgotthis after hours event in Woodbridge. In brief, one of our employees was seriously injured in a hit-and-run incident. With the support of the community, we recently held a fund-raiser, to help with his extensive medical bills. Below are pictures from the event.

Joe Canal's Night at Dad' Hat Rye Whiskey

Great whiskey is made within a short distance of our Lawrenceville store. Join us for this all-new event. Space is limited to 25 people!

The registration fee is $15, and includes:

The tour of the Dad's Hat distillery

A tasting of Dad's Hat whiskey

Cocktail (shorty pour)

Barrel tasting

Joe Canal's rocks glass

Sign up today by calling 609-520-0008! Please note that transportation is not included; you must get to and from Dad's Hat on your own.

Summer Can't End Yet!

We have a Monday Night Football double header tonight, and we do not live by beer alone. David Rudd is the Assistant Store Manager at our Woodbridge location, and he is also our resident mixologist. He suggests these end-of-summer cocktails to help us with the change of seasons.

Caribena

Now is the time to snatch the last few moments of summer and milk them for all they’re worth. This cocktail will help. Combine 2 oz of Puerto Rican white rum (Bacardi™ Superior is a perfect choice), 4 oz coconut water, ¼ oz each simple syrup and fresh lime juice in an iced cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Squeeze a lime wedge into the drink and drop it in the glass. The tangy sweetness will help you ease your way into autumn…

Rum Old-Fashioned

Experimenting with classics is fun. Try switching out the foundational spirit in one of your favorites. In this twist on an old-fashioned, using rum and a roasted pineapple syrup, you almost feel like a very erudite pirate.  2 ½ oz of dark rum (I like the Lost Spirits Navy Rum), 2 tsp of roasted pineapple syrup and 2 dashes of Angostura™ bitters stirred together with ice.  For the syrup: cube pineapple and bake at 400F for 30 minutes.  Transfer to a large pot and add 2 ½ cups of sugar and 1 cup of water.  Boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.  Strain and cool.  Keeps for up to a week.  Now, walk the plank.

New Mixology Monday

We haven't celebrated a Mixology Monday for a bit, so we knew it was time. our resident mixologist is David Rudd, Assistant Store Manager in Woodbridge, and he had a couple of great recipes to share. He says the category should be titled "David Says Now Try This!"

Boulevardier

So your Negroni game is tight.  You think you have your go-to late summer cocktail…try this version: use your favorite bourbon instead of gin (I like the Wild Turkey 101) and combine 3 parts whiskey with 2 parts Campari and 2 parts Carpano Antica vermouth.  Stir with ice and strain into a chilled glass.  Garnish with orange slice.

Products used in this recipe:

Wild Turkey 101. 750ml is $25.49, and the 1.75L is $43.99.

Campari. 750ml is in the Bottle Club® for $25.99, and the 1L size is $36.99.

Carpano Antica vermouth is $34.99 for the 750ml size.

Fernet Swizzle

Complexity is my favorite attribute in a cocktail.  So this is my jam.  ½ oz. of simple syrup, ¼ oz. of ginger juice – literally pressed ginger root, ¾ oz. lime juice, 1 ¼ oz Milagro Reposado Tequila, 1 oz. of amontillado (Lustau Los Arcos is perfect) and ¼ oz. Fernet Branca into a glass two-thirds filled with crushed ice.  Use a swizzle stick to stir until cold (get it?  That’s why it’s called a swizzle!). Next,  fill the glass until heaping with more crushed ice.  Put 3 dashes of Angostura bitters atop the ice.  As the ice melts the flavors really marry to create a fiesta – this is one you won’t want to miss. Pro tip: If you can find them, muddle the first three ingredients with makrut lime leaves at the beginning for an intoxicating aroma that elevates the cocktail even further.

Products used in this recipe:

Milagro Reposado Tequila, $32.49 for 750ml.

Lustau Los Arcos amontillado sherry, $14.99 for 750ml.

Fernet Branca is $29.49 for the 750ml size.

Angostura Bitters. 4oz at $7.99, or 16oz for $19.99.








Cheers!