Cocktail du nuit

[The_Squid]

A standard G&T... (gin, lime, tonic water) with a splash of hop liquer.

Hard to describe what the hop liquer does to it... bitterness, but with a strange sticky sweetness at the same time. Don't add too much. The first time I added a 1/2 ounce and it was too much.

[The_Squid]

Old Fashioned

Muddle a sugar cube and a couple dashes of bitters and a touch of water

I also added a couple dashes of orange bitters

2 oz whisky (I only had Irish whisky)

Squeeze some orange peel in and throw it in too.

Tastes great... I feel like Don Draper minus the suit!

[Michael Hardner]

Not a cocktail - but a packaged beverage: Dusty Boots Root Beer.

http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/dusty-boots-hard-root-beer/447904#.V-ELUSgrLIU

[cybercoma]

Old Fashioned

Muddle a sugar cube and a couple dashes of bitters and a touch of water

I also added a couple dashes of orange bitters

2 oz whisky (I only had Irish whisky)

Squeeze some orange peel in and throw it in too.

Tastes great... I feel like Don Draper minus the suit!

Make some simple syrup. Sugar cubes don't break down in alcohol very well. It's honestly a much better drink when you use simple syrup. I like making the old fashioned with Bulleitt bourbon. It has a high rye content, so it's a nice balance between the spice of rye and the sweetness of bourbon. Works really well with the orange peel.

Robert Hess, co-founder of the Museum of the American Cocktail and founder of the Chanticleer Society, has a great video on the old fashioned where he discusses the sugar cube vs simple syrup debate. Sugar cube is the original way of making it but I've' made the drink many times both ways and it consistently turns out better with the syrup..Oh and angostura bitters for the old fashioned, man. Put a dash of orange bitters in your gin martinis though. It brings them to life.

Also, if you want to try a twist on the old fashioned, make yourself a Manhattan sometime. It's basically an old fashioned with sweet (red) vermouth. It's my favourite.

Edited September 20, 2016 by cybercoma

[The_Squid]

Great suggestions and videos! Thanks!

[The_Squid]

The Old Fashioned is great with Woodford Reserve bourbon.  I still like orange bitters in it though.....  I tried it with and without...  

Great idea about the simple syrup rather than a sugar cube.   

[cybercoma]

You definitely need bitters. I just prefer Angostura. I tried it with orange bitters and it just doesn't taste right to me.

[The_Squid]

11 hours ago, cybercoma said:

You definitely need bitters. I just prefer Angostura. I tried it with orange bitters and it just doesn't taste right to me.

I used Angostura and a smaller amount of the orange bitters in addition.  

[cybercoma]

6 minutes ago, The_Squid said:

I used Angostura and a smaller amount of the orange bitters in addition.  

Good idea! I might mix them next time too.