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We’ve talked mixology supplies before, right? We must have.

Anyone else make their own simple syrup? Easy to do, a lot cheaper than buying a bottle of it, and you can play with flavors. Latest batch is a Dark Muscovado simple syrup. Due to the high molasses content and relatively strong flavor I didn’t go heavy. Quite good, but I’ll make a batch of heavy Demerara for everyday purposes.

Bitters. Anyone make those? Not me. The guy who runs Meyers Old Dutch (Beacon, good burgers and other stuff) is heavy into mixology. His bar looks much like a science lab, lots of bottle of all shapes, and many different homemade flavored bitters. I like watching a good bartender fashion a cocktail. I usually use Angostura Orange, although if I have oranges in the house I prefer to muddle some orange with regular Angostura bitters. A lot of other bitters out there, Woodford Cherry bitters is ok.

Cherries. Gotta be Luxardo. Wasting your time with anything else. Do not defile a Luxardo Cherry by muddling. Ever. A little bit of the syrup will flavor the drink sufficiently. Great in an Old Fashioned. Eating the cherries is the treat at the end of the treat (drink)!

What else is a crucial part of your bar?

never considered making bitters. only use them in old fashions and champagne cocktails. two or three dashes at a time. bottle of angostura last for years.

i have a wooden muddler and tall bar spoon. the tall bar spoon makes it easy to get olives out of bottom of jar. also use it to stir(beat) up the ice in a shaker glass full of vodka. sometimes i prefer stirred over shaken.

 

[Green light]

Brownski, back in the old forum you posted an article that explained the criteria used to categorize scotches, bourbons and whiskeys (straight, blended, etc.). I would much appreciate it if you could post it again. Thanks

 

[Brownski]

I’ll have to look for it. I don’t remember what I shared. I might be able to answer specific questions though

 

[Green light]

It was very informative, short descriptions, very concise. Described the criteria required to be categorized as such (variations).

 

[Brownski]

I think this is what we’re talking about. I couldn’t find the original pic on my iPad but I dug out one of the originals. It’s a little worse for wear at this point But the glossary is readable. To give credit where credit is due, I think this was originally put together by a guy named Bernie Lubbers who was an ambassador for Jim Beam (+ Makers Mark, Knob Creek etc...) back then but has since moved on to Heaven Hill (Evan Williams & Elijah Craig, amongst other brands). He knows as much about whiskey as anybody I’ve ever met (and I’ve met Jimmie Russel and Fred Noe so that means something) Bernie puts on a great presentation.

The part on the first sheet that is smudged basically says that a bonded bourbon is one where the grain was all grown by the producer on their property in one growing season, was aged (I think the minimum is 4 years) in a bonded warehouse and bottled at exactly 100 proof

 

[Green light]

Bingo!!!! That’s it. My son in law just moved into the liquor/wine division of his company from the beer end. I was telling him about this document. It is very informative. Thanks again Brownski!

 

[Brownski]

No problem. Good luck to him

 

[Green light]

Thanks, I have faith in him that he will succeed

 

[JTG]

Picked up a bottle of Hibiki Harmony, which I haven’t had in a while. May well be my favorite whiskey. Good stuff.

 

[Brownski]

I meant to post this the other day. I noticed it when one of my customers started ranting about blended whiskies and how much artificial coloring, flavoring etc ends up in them nowadays. For the uninitiated grain neutral spirits is basically vodka.