An online speakeasy of potent potables and other pabulam.

Well, we’re in it again.  Today started the beginning of a huge snow storm blowing over DC and the surrounding areas.  As of 10pm, we are under a blizzard warning until 10pm tomorrow Feb. 6 and they are saying we could get up to 30 inches of snow or more.

Snowfall as of 9pm

Now I love snow.  And truthfully, I’m excited to be in my first blizzard warning.  Of course I want everyone to be safe and warm all that jazz, but this is just cool.  And obviously, this kind of weather calls for more warm beverages . . . preferably those of the alcoholic variety.  In my last post, I gave you the Celestial Warmer.

Non-Union
5.0 oz African Roobios Tea, hot
1.5 oz Mezcal, I used Ilegal Mezcal
0.5 oz agave syrup
1 very long strip of grapefruit peel

Pour syrup and mezcal into a glass or mug and stir to combine.  Brew the tea and pour into your container of choice, stirring to combine.  Cut a long strip of grapefruit peel over the glass and throw it in.  Enjoy.

Finally, I’ve had some folks ask me about how much snow we’ve had so far in DC.  I decided to take a little video and share it with everyone.  This video was taken on my balcony around 11pm Friday, Feb. 5 2010. The noise you hear in the video is the wind.

Tomorrow I’ll post another video that shows the overnight accumulation. And, of course, another warm drink!

Cheers!

Thanks to my trusty Twitter feed, the fellas over at The Stogie Guys, posted an interesting little video that I thought I would share here.

For any new readers, or folks not paying attention, Sean and I live in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Virginia, like a few other bass-ackwards states, have a government controlled liquor monopoly.  The whole-sellers/distributors must sell directly to the Commonwealth, who then distribute the products through out the Commonwealth to the Commonwealth owned stores.  The Commonwealth determines the prices.  And the way I understand it (and someone please pipe up if I’m mistaken!!!) if you, as a distiller, do not have the capacity to manufacture or and provide enough product that meets a set minimum the Commonwealth determined quantity, then the Commonwealth will not purchase your products.

This means that small producers such as Tuthilltown Spirits, Anchor Distilling (yes, the folks who make Anchor Steam Beer), and House Spirits have an extremely hard time, almost non-existent, getting their products sold in the Commonwealth.  Ninety-five percent of the liquor The Scofflaws buy, we travel into Washington, DC to purchase.  (Note: Insert shameless plug for Ace Beverage here.)

During the most recent election for Governor, Bob McDonnell (R) campaigned that he believed the Commonwealth should step out of the spirit business once and for all.  Well, Bob won.  And what does he say now?  In the video below, produced by Reason and Reason.tv, we hear directly from the Governor.

Can Governor McDonnell privatize liquor sales in the Commonwealth? Is this a good idea? I’d love to hear what people think on the subject, so start right below here in that “Comments” section.

Cheers!

In case you missed Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night, Jim Meehan of New York’s Please Don’t Tell, and awarded “American Bartender of the Year” at this past Tales of the Cocktail, was on mixing up a Tea-quila Highball.

For some reason the embedded video I had here was screwing up the formating, so instead here is the link for the video.

Tea-quila Highball
3 oz. In Pusuit of Tea brewed Lemon Verbena Tea
1.5 oz. Blanco Tequila
.25 oz. Agave Nectar (or simple syrup in a pinch)
.25 oz. St Germain Elderflower Liqueur

Build all of the ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a twist of lime. Can serve hot or cold.

Cheers!

Happy Friday folks!

In today’s Washington Post, specifically the Weekend Section, there is a nice article about local mixologists creating “Nojitos.” The Post set out looking for alternatives to the ubiquitous mojito and found five recipes to share.

There is Todd Thrasher’s (Restaurant Eve/PX) The Strawberry Smash.
Adam Bernbach (formerly of Bar Pilar) contributed his The Mylan.
The L’Enfant Lemonade made by Dan Searing (Warehouse Theater and the soon to open Room 11.)
Firefly’s Alice Gaber created the May Flowers.
And Gina Chersevani of PS7 whipped up a Thai’s the Limit.

I can’t wait to try each of these cocktails!

As a special treat, here is a video of Gina discussing her inspiration for and demonstrating the making of Thai’s the Limit.

See if you can spot the cameo by a few troublemakers.

Cheers!