Drinks - - Page 29

by BS

And the Beat Goes on…

I know, I know. You guys are only just picking up the pieces from Christmas, shaking off your candy cane martini hangovers, and surfing in the desperate hopes that you will never have to go back to work again. But I”m sorry, it”s time.

No, not time to start talking New Years resolutions (I wouldn”t do that to you yet) but time to start talking New Years drinking.

So…what”s on your menu this year? Here are a few ideas from the ES archives to get you started.

1. Champagne in a Can? Oh Yes You Can

2. Champagne plus ice cream = yes

3. Cocktail O”Clock: New Year”s Gin

(Photo Above)

1½ parts Hendrick’s Gin
½ part St. Germain
¾ part lime juice
¼ part simple syrup
1½ part soda water
1 dash lavender
Cucumber spear

Mix all ingredients excluding soda water and cucumber spear. Ice, shake well and strain into iced long glass and top with soda. Garnish with cucumber spear and serve in a long glass.

by snebbu

Top 10 Beers for Christmas

Put down the eggnog. I know you”re only drinking it because of some ridiculous tradition that started before you were even a thought. Okay, now that you”ve come to your senses, perhaps this is the year you drink and offer beer to your guests instead (not the kind that looks like piss). Even though I”m still having a hard time letting go of the fall seasonal beers, the winter has plenty to offer. I tried to pick a variety of winter seasonals ranging from dark stouts to spicy ales and lagers. There”s something for everyone! Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

*DISCLAIMER: This list is in no order. Try all ten, then decide what your favorite is!*

10. Sam Adams Winter Lager

(PHOTO: Sam Adams)

The Sam Adams Winter Lager is a tried-and-true brew that will not leave you disappointed. Sam Adams does lager well. They added a mix of winter spices and made the brew a bit darker (which makes it a tad bit sweeter in this case). The spices and the slight caramel flavor makes it an enjoyable fire to ~~chug~~ sip next to the yule log.

9. Troegs Mad Elf

(PHOTO: Troegs Brewing Company)

Just the name is enticing. Troegs Brewing Company has established themselves as one of the best craft breweries in the country. The Mad Elf and their Nugget Nectar have been my favorites for a while. Mad Elf packs a punch (11% ABV) and offers all the flavors I think of about Christmas: sweet, fruity, spicy. All packed into one swig that tastes great and gets you buzzed quick while dealing with that crazy family of yours.

8. Anchor Brewing Christmas Ale

We all know how I feel about this brew. Get a couple of six packs of this and put a couple bottles in the basement to compare to the next couple years” versions. The rest—drink with your friends and impress them with your knowledge of the brew!

by ML

A No-Fuss Holiday Drink: Candy Cane Martini

I received an email yesterday from one of my best friends, asking me for my opinion on holiday drink recipes. I was appalled—each recipe contained things like schnapps (multiple kinds per recipe), chocolate liqueur and sugar. No offense to Emily and those of you who like these cocktails, but for me, liqueurs are for my morning coffee and all lead to bad hangovers and a lot of vomiting if I consume them in large quantities in the evening.

My drinking plan for the 2012 holiday party season has been as follows: dirty martini, sipped slowly, accompanied by as many olives as humanly possible so I wouldn’t be wasted on an empty stomach (I know—bah humbug). But then Platinum 7x Vodka sent me the best holiday present ever: vodka and a recipe for this no-fuss, no-bullshit martini. It might be hangover-free too; this stuff is distilled 7 times for maximum smoothness. So if you’re hosting a party and want something festive without all the bullshit–throw a candy cane in your vodka. I know I will!

7X-mas Tini

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by snebbu

I’ll Take Some Christmas in My Beer

One of a kind. Every year, Anchor Brewing creates a unique recipe for their Christmas Ale. Once. Then the next year—a different recipe is used to create another Christmas ale. And so on and so on. Along with the beer, each year there’s a different label, hand-painted by an artist. The brew is only available from November to January, so get it fast! Now, on to the beer

Anchor Brewing touts the brew as: A rich, dark spiced ale, Anchor’s Christmas Ale is the perfect holiday beer, and is available nationally on draught, in six packs, and magnums (1.5L). A magnum of Christmas Ale transforms an evening into a celebration and makes a unique host gift or stocking stuffer for beer lovers. On to the ES test (hopefully you’re realizing by now, I’ll break it down into five categories):

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by Emily

Have a Very Hazelnut Holiday

Big news for those of us who love creamy booze that goes well with coffee! Baileys is back with a brand new flavor: Hint of Hazelnut.

If you like Baileys (as I do!) and you aren’t averse to hazelnut, this new treat is right up your alley. I honestly don’t have a very in-depth review or critique of this product. I do have some fun facts I learned about Baileys, though: over 2,300 glasses of Baileys are consumed every minute of every day (holla!) and 38,000 Irish dairy cows produce the daily cream requirement for Baileys. That’s a lot of liqueur! In my household, it’s not the holidays without a little splash o’ the sweet stuff in your morning coffee, and I’m excited to add this new edition to my booze arsenal.

The good people at Baileys were kind enough to share a new recipe, formulated by New York mixologist Pamela Wiznitzer, that highlights some favorite flavors of the holidays. I’m no celebrity bartender, but I busted out my best attempt and I have to say, the cocktail turned out pretty classy and tasty!

Haute Hazelnut Cocktail

in Drinks / Holiday / Recipe 1 comments

by BS

Drinking the Season: 7 Holiday Cocktail Recipes

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, you know what ES has up our virtual sleeves for you…a holiday cocktail! Or seven!

OK, fine, we don’t actually have a Kwanzaa cocktail (Sandra Lee…where aaaaare you on this one?) but from peppermint to gingerbread, there’s something on this holiday cocktail list everyone can get behind.

1. Seven Layer Cookie

3/4 oz. Godiva® Liqueur
3/4 oz. Coconut rum
1/2 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps
1/2 oz. Partida Anejo Tequila
1/4 oz. Frangelico
1/2 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream®
1/2 oz. Amaretto

Garnish rim of a martini glass with crushed cookie crumbs. Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into martini glass.

2. Wine Me Up Santa

From: W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island

1 750ml bottle red table wine
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves
¾ teaspoon whole pink peppercorns
2oz honey
2oz vodka
1oz triple sec
.5oz soy lecithin
Cinnamon powder

Warm all ingredients except soy lecithin in a saucepan at a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the temperature to exceed 140°F / 60°C (If mixture starts to boil, lower the heat.) Seal and chill. Take ¼ of your mixture and use an electric hand blender to mix in soy lecithin to create an airy topping. Pour in liquid mixture to fill half of a glass mug or teacup, top with mulled wine, air, and lightly dust the top with cinnamon.

3. Chocolate Peppermint Cookie

3/4 oz. Partida Blanco Tequila
1 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
3/4 oz. Godiva® Liqueur
1-1/2 oz. Cream

Rim martini glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes. Shake ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into martini glass.

in Drinks / Holiday / Recipe 0 comments

by Emily

Miniature Wine at a Miniature Price

Just when I think I’ve experienced all the wonders wine has to offer, it continues to astound and excite me. Enter: Copa Wine. I was at my local grocery store, grabbing some cheap-ish white wine to use in a recipe (actually, in the Sage Butter Chowder I shared recently) when I noticed a very intriguing new display in the booze section:

Copa Di Vino, or wine by the glass, is the brilliantly simple idea of bottling premium wine directly into a glass. Wine lovers can now drink delicious, quality wine from an attractive, eco-friendly, single-serving container. Just peel back the lid and enjoy!

I was a bit suspicious of these claims at first. Even though the display board proudly screamed that it “Tastes Great!” how good can a mini-bottle (or… cup?) of wine be if it only costs $2.99? Especially if it boasts a peel-back aluminum lid? “Really, though,” I thought, “who am I to judge?” And with that, I tossed a Copa Cabernet Sauvignon into my cart, determined to get to the bottom of this new and exhilarating product.

in Drinks / Trends 2 comments