Bartending & Brewing
What's on tap and in the well?
Making Mead
Quite possibly the easiest alcoholic brew to create, with three simple ingredients: Honey, Water, Yeast.
Using filtered water is for best results, getting your honey from a local Beekeeper is also ideal. If you can't source honey locally, the next best is either Costco or Sam's Club as their prices are by far the cheapest per pound of honey. I've used several different yeasts for the fermentation process, anywhere from basic bread yeasts to champagne yeasts, the bread yeasts make a sweeter mead where the champagne makes a dry mead. I've also experimented with adding fruits like strawberries and spices like cinnamon and cloves for different experiences!
Using filtered water is for best results, getting your honey from a local Beekeeper is also ideal. If you can't source honey locally, the next best is either Costco or Sam's Club as their prices are by far the cheapest per pound of honey. I've used several different yeasts for the fermentation process, anywhere from basic bread yeasts to champagne yeasts, the bread yeasts make a sweeter mead where the champagne makes a dry mead. I've also experimented with adding fruits like strawberries and spices like cinnamon and cloves for different experiences!
Homemade Ginger Ale
A simple homemade soda recipe, the fermentation is brief and is only for carbonation, the alcohol content is less than 1% and evaporates on the tongue before consumption.
Five simple ingredients:
In addition you'll want an old 2 liter bottle that has been properly sanitized, preferably with Brewers sanitation as it's food safe.
If using dry yeast, mix the yeast into a small bowl of warm water between 65°F and 68°F mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Once the water starts to boil, turn down heat to a simmer and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Turn off heat. Add in the freshly grated ginger and lemon juice. For extra zing, add the gratings of the peel to the mixture. Let water cool to between 65°F and 68°F, using a brewers copper wort chiller helps in this process. Once pitched, using a filter with a strainer, place into the 2 liter bottle for 3-5 days until the bottle is hard from carbonation and place into the refrigerator to cease the fermenting process. Serve and enjoy!
Five simple ingredients:
- One Gallon of Filtered Water
- Fresh Grated Ginger (one cup or about one large lobe)
- 4-5 large lemons
- 12 cups of Sugar
- Bread, Champagne or Ale Yeast
In addition you'll want an old 2 liter bottle that has been properly sanitized, preferably with Brewers sanitation as it's food safe.
If using dry yeast, mix the yeast into a small bowl of warm water between 65°F and 68°F mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Once the water starts to boil, turn down heat to a simmer and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Turn off heat. Add in the freshly grated ginger and lemon juice. For extra zing, add the gratings of the peel to the mixture. Let water cool to between 65°F and 68°F, using a brewers copper wort chiller helps in this process. Once pitched, using a filter with a strainer, place into the 2 liter bottle for 3-5 days until the bottle is hard from carbonation and place into the refrigerator to cease the fermenting process. Serve and enjoy!
Walk Me Down (Sweet Jesus)
A favorite from my bartending college days. It's a heavy hitter like a Long Island Iced Tea, so drinker be ware!
Fill a tall highball or hurricane glass with ice, for added extra tropical appeal, rim with toasted coconut. Mix the vodka, gin, rum, tequila, curaçao, midori and sweet and sour into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into the prepared glass, complete with a splash of Sprite and top it off with your lemon and cherry garnish.
Cheers!
- 1/2 oz. Vodka
- 1/2 oz. Gin
- 1/2 oz. clear Rum (or Coconut Rum)
- 1/2 oz. Silver (Blanco) Tequila
- 1/2 oz. Blue Curaçao
- 1/2 oz. Midori (Melon) liquor
- 5 oz. Sweet and Sour mix or simple syrup and fresh squeezed lemon
- Splash of Sprite or Lemon/Lime Soda
- Garnish with a Lemon and Cherry flag
Fill a tall highball or hurricane glass with ice, for added extra tropical appeal, rim with toasted coconut. Mix the vodka, gin, rum, tequila, curaçao, midori and sweet and sour into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into the prepared glass, complete with a splash of Sprite and top it off with your lemon and cherry garnish.
Cheers!
Lemon Drop Martini
A classic with a delightful twist!
In a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and add the vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake vigorously until large shards of ice are present. Strain into the prepared martini glass, garnish and enjoy!
Cheers!
- Bacardi 151
- Granulated Sugar
- 2 oz. of Kettle One Lemon Vodka
- Juice from half a lemon
- 2. oz. Simple Syrup
- Ribbon of lemon peel for garnish
In a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and add the vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake vigorously until large shards of ice are present. Strain into the prepared martini glass, garnish and enjoy!
Cheers!