An online speakeasy of potent potables and other pabulam.

Hey folks.? I’ve decided to extend the deadline for the contest by one week!? So now, you have until April 27th to get your entries in.? As a reminder, here are the rules:

The What

Submit a recipe for an original spring cocktail with a base of rye whiskey and a photo of said cocktail by April 20th.

The Who

You, knucklehead. (Except for Sean – sorry, Co-Scofflaws are not eligible.)

The How

1.? Create your cocktail and snap a photo of said cocktail.
2.? Email me (Marshall@Scofflawsden.com) your recipe and photo.? Only one entry per person!
3.? Leave a comment to this post that you have submitted a cocktail.
4.? Polls close at 12:00AM April 20th, i.e. the stroke of mid-night April 19th.

Out of all the submissions, I (and maybe Sean if he wants to help) will pick the top three cocktails based on taste, presentation (partly where your picture comes in) and adherence to the spring-time theme.

The What

And now what you’ve been waiting to see, the prizes.

Third Place Will have his or her cocktail featured on Scofflaw’s Den in a Contest Results post, including the photo submitted with the recipe.

Second Place: Same as third place and a 50ml bottle of “Marshall’s Mountain Moonshine Bitters.”

First Place: Same as third place and a 100ml bottle of “Marshall’s Mountain Moonshine Bitters” and your very own bottle of Templeton Rye.

Cheers!

After several errands this morning, I came home and decided to whip up a tasty beverage.? I’m taking today off, and a great day it is!? Sunny, warm, an all around great day.

Anyway, I wanted to use my spiced lemonade as a mixer and remembered that I haven’t shared the recipe yet.

Spiced Minted Lemonade
3/4 cup demerrara sugar
2oz cane syrup
peel of one lemon
peel of one lime
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
1/4 tsp cardamom seeds
6 sprigs of mint
1cup lemon/lime juice
6 cups water

1.? In a sauce pan, combine the sugar, syrup, lemon & lime peel, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and 2 cups of water.
2.? Stir over medium heat and bring to a simmer.? Simmer for 10 minutes.
3.? After the simmer, strain this mixture into a bowl and discard the solids.
4.? Put the mint sprigs in the hot syrup and infuse for about 5-6 minutes.
5.? Discard the wilted mint and allow the syrup to cool to room temp.
6.? Combine the juice from the lime you peeled with fresh lemon juice until you have a cup of juice.
7.? Combine your juice, syrup and remaining four cups of water.
8.? Refrigerate and enjoy!

The lemonade isn’t a bright yellow like one would expect lemonade to be.? It’s color comes from the demerrara sugar and the trade-off for the depth of flavor the sugar adds is fantastic.

As well as straight, I’ve been enjoying in the following libation.

Mexican Sun
2oz reposado tequila
.75oz orgeat
2 dashes peach bitters
spiced minted lemonade

-Shake the tequila, orgeat and bitters with ice.? Strain into an ice filled chimney glass and top with the lemonade.

Cheers!

Mixology Monday is back and this month we’re hosted by Tristan Stephenson over at the Wild Drink Blog.? Tristan’s edict was to take a classic cocktail and put a twist on it that makes the new version superior to the old.? He also requested for us to tell our favorite song to do the twist to – ACDC’s Back in Black.

The first thing that popped in my head when thinking about twists was my Chichicapa Margarita.? It is simply a margarita with either the addition of a smoky mezcal or a complete replacement of tequila with the mezcal.? But to be honest, I love the addition of the smokiness and don’t know if I’ll make a regular margartia for myself again.

Chichicapa Margarita
2oz Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal
1oz fresh lime juice
.5oz Contreau
1 Tbls agave syrup

Shake everything with ice and strain into a chilled glass.? Or if you want, strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.

The second twist a little more obscure.? One evening while sitting at The Gibson, one of their wonderful bartenders, Tiffany Short, whipped up a drink for me when I wasn’t sure what I wanted.? That drink was an Old Pal.

Old Pal
1oz Rye Whiskey
.75oz Campari
.75oz Sweet Vermouth

-Stir with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

For my twist, I decided to take the spicey, bitter, deep flavor of the Old Pal and make it lighter yet still packed with flavors.? I simply twisted the original ingredients by replacing them with lighter versions of themselves.

New Acquaintance
1oz Bourbon [I used Bernheim - a Wheat Whiskey instead of bourbon, Maker's Mark would be a fantastic choice!]
.75oz Aperol
.75oz Dolin Blanc Vermouth

-Stir with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The nose is reminisant of mellon and citris.? You taste the bourbon which is rounded out by a bitter citrus and a roundness from the Bolin.? It is light sweet and flavorful.? Certainly a new twist on a classic cocktail.

Thanks again to Tristan for hosting this month!? I can’t see what the other folks out there come up with!

Don’t forget to check out my Templeton Rye give-away!!!? There’s still another week to enter!