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.

Now Available... Stainless Steel Growlers!

Now available by popular demand in both our Woodbridge and Lawrenceville locations for a limited time are these gorgeous stainless steel growler jugs! A stainless steel jug is a must for any growler aficionado! Here's a post written by Zack Goldberg, Beer Manager of our Woodbridge store, explaining just a few of the reasons why.

I am proud to announce that Joe Canal's now has a limited amount of 64oz Stainless Steel growlers in stock! Until now, these have only been available through Carton Brewing.

Almost a year ago, a customer came into our store to fill his growler. I noticed that his growler was unusual. Rather than being made of the traditional glass, this one was made of stainless steel. I was really impressed with this growler because of how well the bottle sealed and how cold it seemed to make the beer. I noticed the large Carton Brewing logo on the side and used my powers of deduction to determine that he bought this bottle at the brewery. After doing a little research about this growler on the internet, I learned that using a bottle made from stainless steel will extend the life of the beer inside the bottle. This particular growler also has a very powerful seal, which also helps with the life expectancy of the liquid inside.

We here at Joe Canals are excited to feature such a great new product that is not only useful but also promotes one of New Jersey's greatest and newest breweries, Carton Brewing. I hope everyone enjoys the new growlers and most of all enjoys the beer that you fill it with!!!

These new growlers are only here for a limited time, so come and get yours today for the Bottle Club® price of only $24.99!

Joe Canal's Presents High West Double Rye... Coming Soon

Coming soon to our Woodbridge and Lawrenceville locations is High West Double Rye Whiskey.  Double Rye is a marriage of two straight rye whiskies that combines the feisty properties of a high rye 2-year-old and the saddle smooth richness of a 16-year-old. The 2-year-old has a 95% rye 5% barley malt mashbill. The older rye has a "barely legal" rye mashbill of 53% rye and 37% corn. The extra age and corn provides some extra sweetness to calm the "bite" of the younger rye for a relationship that works.

Thanks to its balance of cinnamon, anise, and honey, DOUBLE RYE! is great served neat, with a little water, or on the rocks. And its spirited flavor fortifies classic cocktails like the Manhattan and Old Fashioned. We recommend it for most occasions - sipping it in solitude by a campfire, savoring with favorite old friends, or sharing it with a good-looking stranger.

John Hansell from Malt Advocate had this to say about High West Double Rye: "A blend of two straight whiskeys: a very young 2 year old high rye content whiskey and a 16 year old rye whiskey with a lower rye content. Perhaps the spiciest American whiskey I have ever tasted, yet at the same time, quite tame and mellow. Complex notes of mint, clove, cinnamon, licorice root, pine nuts, and dark chocolate, with a surprising dose of gin botanicals throughout. A soft underbelly of caramel, sweet corn, and soothing vanilla provides an interesting counterpoint. Very easy-drinking, too (hard to believe it's 46%). Intriguing, and a must-try for rye whiskey aficionados - even if only to satisfy your curiosity."

This new whiskey is a must-try for any aficionado, keep your eyes peeled in the next couple weeks for its arrival and pick up a bottle for only $32.99!

The ‘3 Vs’ of wine

This article by Allen Balik describes basic benchmarks on how to compare wines to one another.

In real estate it’s “location, location, location” and in the diamond trade it’s the “4 Cs” – color, clarity, cut and carat (weight) — that are benchmarks of quality. But do any yardsticks like these exist when talking about wine?

Recently, I was leading a tasting and the question arose: “What defines the vital elements that express the quality of a specific wine?”

We discussed terroir (the grape vine’s total environment), winemaking and, of course, marketing among other topics. But nothing concisely answered the question.

While exploring the subject with the tasting group it suddenly dawned on me that a wine’s quality is a measure of its “3 Vs” – varietal, vineyard and vintage. Is the wine expressive of its varietal character? Is the wine true to its place of origin? Is the wine demonstrative of the vintage?

During a spirited discussion, everyone had an opinion but we all agreed on the significance of the 3 Vs and the importance of their order as well. Above all, the varietal character of a wine should stand out and is then supported by its vineyard and vintage characteristics.

Each varietal has its own personality. This truth has been appreciated and handed down for centuries in the growing and making of fine wine in the traditional manner. A varietal’s personality places it as the foundation of the 3 Vs whether it stands on its own (cabernet sauvignon) or is an important part of a well crafted blend (Bordeaux).

But over the past few decades, several influential critics and the 100-point scale have popularized an “international” style in which modern viticultural and winemaking techniques have masked much of the individual character of many wines. When evaluating wines made in this international style, it is often difficult to differentiate a pinot noir from a syrah or a cabernet from a merlot. I have always looked first at varietal character to determine overall quality.

Elements of terroir differ greatly from one vineyard to another, as well as one growing area (e.g. appellation or AVA) to another. Soil type, drainage, exposure, temperature, etc. each add their own fingerprint and contribute to the distinctiveness of the wines made from that vineyard or growing area. Fine wine growers share an appreciation of their vineyard’s individuality and emphasize it to produce quality wine.

A tempranillo from Spain’s Rioja should be identifiable when compared to another from California just as a polished Argentine malbec should differ from the rustic nature shown by the same grape grown in France’s Cahors region. Unfortunately, this is not always possible due to the international style adopted my many of today’s winemakers, but the sense of place continues to be a vital factor in assessing quality.

Not all vintages are created the same, and this variable may be the most dramatic of the 3 Vs. The same varietal grown in the same vineyard and made by the same winemaker can differ greatly from one year to another. This has become even more apparent recently given the wide swings of temperature and rainfall experienced around the globe.

Thankfully, some great wines are always made in lesser vintages, and what may have been an excellent vintage in Napa will not necessarily express the same attributes in Sonoma or the Central Coast let alone Europe or the southern hemisphere. Vintage is the one V completely outside the limits of our control, and is especially important as it may become the final arbiter of the first two in producing a quality wine.

While I’ve always appreciated the significance of each component (varietal, vineyard and vintage) as an integral element in my quality assessment of individual wines, I found it both enlightening and rewarding to simplistically distill the effects of each one down to the 3 Vs. And it also got me thinking about a 4th V — value. But that’s a subject for another time.

This article was written by Allen R. Balik and was originally published on napavalleyregister.com.

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.

A Mondavi branches out to water witching

A few months back, our Lawrenceville location was lucky enough to be paid a visit by a member of the Mondavi family, Marc. A charismatic individual, Marc had a rather unique hobby that he shared with our customers. Check out this article, written by Stacey Finz and originally published on sfgate.com to learn more about Marc Mondavi's "witchery".

Marc Mondavi is standing in the middle of his vineyard, talking to two copper rods.

"Find water," he tells them as he walks slowly down a row of vines holding the rods pointed in front of him.

As if possessed, the rods start moving until they cross over one another. "Here," he says. "Here's where the water is."

Yeah, right. The first thing that comes to mind is summer sleepovers with a Ouija board and the power of suggestion. It's his vineyard, after all - of course he knows where the water is. And isn't the whole woo-woo thing a little undignified for a descendant of California wine royalty - not to mention the vice president of Charles Krug Winery?

Try telling that to grape growers in Northern California, who repeatedly call on Mondavi to seek out water for their industrial-size wells.

"I don't know how he does it, and I'm not going to learn," said John Franzia, whose Bronco Wine Co. in Ceres (Stanislaus County) grows 40,000 acres of grapes and makes Charles Shaw's Two-Buck Chuck and 59 other popular wine brands. "But I'm a believer because I have water."

Franzia has 300 wells on his various properties, and Mondavi told him where to drill a number of them. Rombauer Vineyards, maker of a famous Chardonnay, uses him. Patriarch Koerner Rombauer even had rods custom-created for Mondavi. When Carmen Policy, former president and CEO of the San Francisco 49ers, bought property in Yountville contingent on finding water, Mondavi was called in. He found a gusher.

He's a bona fide water witch - someone who can find groundwater without the use of science. It's also known as water dowsing, divining or doodlebugging. Oftentimes dowsers use forked willow, peach or witch hazel branches as divining rods.

It is speculated that there are thousands of dowsers operating in the United States, according to the Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey, the federal agency responsible for assessing the quantity and quality of the nation's surface and groundwater.

There's no scientific evidence to support the practice - in fact, most science experiments to determine its authenticity have concluded that dowsers find water no better than the rate of chance. Still, people throughout rural America hire water witches - sometimes instead of geologists, sometimes in conjunction with them - to find the best place to dig a well. The U.S. Geological Survey is lukewarm about the practice, warning, "No single technique suffices to locate favorable water well sites.

"Some water exists under the Earth's surface almost everywhere," according to the agency. "This explains why many dowsers are successful."

Although the history is unclear, some experts say the practice started in Germany in the 15th century and was used to ferret out metals. By the 16th century, dowsing was derided as satanic. And in the 17th century, the method was used in the south of France to somehow hunt down criminals - a practice no longer recommended.

One would never know Mondavi is a water witch by looking at him. The 58-year-old wears Wranglers and cowboy boots and drives a pickup truck. His office walls are covered with the heads of animals, ones he shot and ate - no voodoo involved.

Then, there's the whole Mondavi issue.

His late uncle, Robert, arguably put California wine on the map, and his 98-year-old father, Peter, is the man behind Charles Krug Winery. The winery was established in 1861 and is believed to be one of the first in the area. Marc's grandfather acquired Charles Krug in 1943, and the Mondavis have kept it a family business ever since.

"My dad is still president and CEO, and will be until we put him 6 feet under," Marc Mondavi said.

But he and his brother, Peter Jr., are responsible for the day-to-day operation. In addition, Marc Mondavi has released the Divining Rod label, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay that celebrate his powers as a diviner.

The spirit came to him in high school when he was dating a girl whose father was a water witch. "He must have seen something or felt something in me, because he grabbed me," Mondavi recalled.

Soon, Mondavi was standing in fields or on farms, trying to find water. Although he had tapped into the dowsing spirit, he hadn't quite refined the prowess to make accurate predictions.

"You have it or don't," he said, estimating that 50 to 60 percent of the population are capable of dowsing but don't know it. Three of his four adult daughters have water divining skills, he said. "If you have it, you have to take time to develop it."

Frank Wood, a vineyard manager and renowned Napa Valley water witch, took him under his wing. Before Wood died, he taught Mondavi everything he knew. Mondavi dowsed the eight wells on Charles Krug's various vineyards. After a lot of practice, he's not only able to pinpoint where an underground stream is, but he can tell how far down it is and, to a good degree, predict how many gallons of water will pump a minute, Mondavi said.

"To see it is to believe it," said Jim Davis, the facilities manager at Rombauer. "It's not a bunch of smoke and mirrors."

Davis said he needed a new well for the Rombauer winery in St. Helena, so he called Mondavi. They sat on the porch drinking Merlot with Koerner Rombauer; then Mondavi grabbed his rods and said, "Let's go."

They walked the property for about an hour and Mondavi pointed out three different places, finally choosing the one he expected to be the best - 150 gallons of water a minute, more than 600 feet down.

It took 680 feet to be exact, and Rombauer got 150 gallons, Davis said. "I would've been happy with 50 gallons."

Davis estimates that it would have cost $100,000 to bring in a geologist. He got Mondavi for the price of wine.

"We drank quite a few bottles together," he said.

Before Wood died, Mondavi used to water-witch for free, mostly as a favor to his friends and associates. Now, he charges $10 per gallon-a-minute pump flow. So if he predicts that the site he's chosen will produce 50 gallons of water a minute, and it does, the charge will be $500.

Drilling an agricultural well is an expensive endeavor, typically costing $250,000 in the San Joaquin Valley, Franzia said.

"Before we spend that kind of money, we want to make sure there is water there," he said. "And it turns out that the guys with the rods have a better track record than the guys with all the equipment. So that's why we'll call Marc, or one of the other water witches in the valley."

But Franzia is a pragmatist.

"All that stuff about predicting exactly how many gallons of water a minute is down there, well, that's a little hokey," Franzia said. "I don't buy into that part of it. But as long as I know there's water down there, I can drill."

To hedge his bets, Franzia said he'll start with a test well - costing only about $25,000 - to make sure there is actually water. He has yet to be disappointed, he said.

When Mondavi witched Policy's Yountville property, the former football executive, as well as the neighbors, remained dubious, he said.

"Carmen saw me walking the land with my rods and said, 'I think you hit your head too many times,' " Mondavi said. "I found the spot and predicted that he'd get 150 gallons a minute. The neighbor came over, saying, 'There's not a well within 2 miles that's more than 30 gallons.' "

The well pumps 180 gallons a minute. Mondavi still laughs about it.

David's Dessert Wines

This Monday, our resident Mixologist, Woodbridge Wine Supervisor David Rudd, is back with recipes for his favorite dessert wines!

I love a good after dinner drink. There really isn’t anything quite as satisfying as a perfect bookend to a delicious meal. I really appreciate some of the classic recipes that have developed over the years in other cultures – amaros, sambucas, grappas. It seems fitting that here in the USA, our “melting pot” mindset inspired stateside bartenders to mix these flavors and invent some extremely flavorful cocktails. The cocktails I offer today truly deserve to be considered an object of your attention.

Bourbon Ball
As I type up this recipe, I am reminded of the first time I tasted it. It is DELICIOUS! Truly one to keep in your repertoire of worldly delights.
-2 oz of Woodford Reserve Bourbon
-1 oz of white Crème de Cacao
-¼ oz of Frangelico
Place all ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker and give a vigorous toss. When the concoction begins to froth open your shaker and dump the contents (ice and all) into your mug. Garnish with a light dusting of cinnamon and enjoy.

Nocello Dream
This recipe follows nearly any dinner beautifully, but it is especially lovely accompanied by a slice of cake… If you happen to have a clear mug, use it for this recipe as the layering effect is quite lovely.
-1 ¾ oz of hot espresso coffee
-1 oz of Nocello Walnut Liqueur
-1 oz of Tuaca Liqueur
Pour the ingredients slowly into your mug and allow them to naturally layer and settle. Top with a generous amount whipped cream. Consider trying something from our “Whipped Lightning” line of alcohol infused whipped toppings.

Reviver
This recipe pulls flavors from all around and it is especially good for waking up the old taste buds after a particularly rich meal.
-1 ½ oz Cles des Ducs Armagnac VSOP
-½ oz Fernet Branca
-1 oz white Creme de Menthe
Pour all the ingredients right on top of a mug of ice and give it a swirl or two with a stirring spoon. Twist a lemon peel over the top and throw a sprig of thyme on top for aromatic influence as you sip.

Have fun experimenting with these drinks and allow your inspiration to be your guide!