Cocktail-A-Day

As Sean promised, we’re back with a few new drinks.  To start off the new round of drinks, I’m presenting the Big Azz Margarita from Mad Mex.  A margarita is typically made from tequila, orange-flavored liqueurs, and fresh lime/lemon juice. They can then be served on the rocks, poured through a strainer, or blended with ice for a frozen treat.  Oddly, the word margarita has a meaning in two different languages: Latin for pearl, and Spanish for daisy.  Weird!

This is a MASSIVE margarita, as I’d expect a 10-12oz glass for any other margarita.  I ordered it on the rocks, as I’m not a giant fan of frozen drinks.  However, I didn’t find it to be the best margarita.  Don’t get me wrong, it was good, but there was just something about the taste.  After making an inquiry with our waitress, she informed us that their bottomshelf margaritas were pre-made each day and dispensed from one of those lemonade dispensers you find at gas stations.  While she didn’t know the ratios of what was being mixed in, I’m guessing it was a 1:1:1 ratio, or 1 part tequila to 1 part orange liqeur, to one part juice.  Many places lean towards 2:1:1 or even 3:1:1 ratios for their margaritas.

Still, however, the margarita ran $6 from 10PM until midnight.  For that price, it can’t be beat unless you’re making it at home.  I won’t be ordering one outside of those hours, I’d much rather enjoy a real margarita!

For a re-cap from above, you can make a typical margarita with the follow recipe:

• 2 Parts Tequila (or 3 parts for a stronger drink)
• 1 Part Orange Liqeur
• 1 Part Lemon and/or Lime Juice

If you’re looking for a cheap margarita with a price yo can’t beat, be sure to head over to Mad Mex between the hours of 10PM and Midnight every night to get a 22oz margarita for only $6.

Tags: Margarita, Restaurant, Rocks, Tequila

We’re sorry for the slowness on updates.  There certainly hasn’t been a lack of drinking from Nick or Triv, but we’ve all run in to a few real life or occupational issues that bogging us down.  Nick recently finished one of his co-op jobs and resumed classes at Drexel University this week.  The switch involved moving between dorms, and he’s had limited internet access because of this.  Triv, on the other hand, has been overloaded at his latest job, which I’m sure he’ll reveal to us in the next week or so.

That leaves me.  I’ve been more than tied down writing and coding BIOSLEVEL.com, my Linux-focused computer review site.  It’s seen some slight success over the last few months, something I’d like to see Cocktail-A-Day have as well.  We’ll be posting more drinks starting this week, and you can also look forward to see a breathalyzer in action as one of our friends loads up for the public good.

It’s amazing that with a name of “Cocktail-a-Day” how few real cocktails we put on the website. Today we got a real cocktail for you, the Manhattan. It’s been referred to as the king of cocktails, a drinking man’s cocktail. To put it simply, this drink is good. The one pictured I had made with Jim Beam, but thats because it’s my favorite whiskey. In my opinion the drink tastes better than whiskey straight, but people would debate this. Made with whiskey and sweet vermouth and garnished with a cherry, it’s a good drink.

By law, to be called Bourbon, whiskey must be made with at least 51% corn, aged in oak barrels, and made in the United States. Tennessee whiskeys like Jack Daniels differ slightly from Bourbons in the fact that they are filtered through maple charcoal before they are aged. This filtering gives it a slightly different taste. The fact is, all whiskeys are different. If you don’t like one, try another. My brother is a huge fan of the Canadian whiskey, while I am a fan of the bourbon whiskey. Get out there and try different whiskeys, and find the one you like.

How to make a Manhattan:

• 3 parts whiskey
• 1 part Sweet Vermouth
• Dash of bitters.

Shake the drink and put into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry.

Tags: Cocktail, Vermouth, Whiskey

This drink has personally caused me a few hang overs. Its one of my favorites and there is no taste of alcohol when made right. The drink is orange juice with a shot or two of Vodka in it. When making the drink be sure to use pulp free orange juice. The drink tastes like orange juice with a little extra bite. Generally a citrus flavor covers up any taste of alcohol. Thats why a Lime is served with a shot of tequila.

To make: Mix a shot of Vodka with orange juice and server over ice in a High ball glass

Tags: Cocktails, Orange Juice, ScrewDriver, Vodka

If you want a great Irish pub with a full bar and wonderful food then The New Deck is the place. Located at 34^th and Sansom street in Philadelphia, The New Deck is located right between two of the nation’s best universities: University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. In the evening its always packed so be prepared to wait for 30 minutes. The food is traditional Irish food. Their Cod sandwich served with malt vinegar is my favorite. Inside they have signs from Ireland on the walls, for example a “No Blasphemy” sign and a some Irish street signs. Its a very nice place.

As for The New Deck’s bar, its one of the best. Since I read Sean’s Midori Sour post, I’ve been itching to try one.  So while I was there I decided to try one. They made it just how Sean described before:

• 3oz Midori Melon Liqueur
• 1.5oz Sweet and Sour Mix

They then garnished with a cherry and an orange wedge and served on the rocks. The drink tasted sweet with a strong melon flavor. Really it tastes better than I can describe it here.

Tags: Cocktails, Fruit, Melon, Restaurant

Johnny Black is simply Johnny Walker Black Label on the rocks; Johnny Walker is a brand of scotch whiskey, which has several types with various age. The whiskeys they make are, Red Label, Black Label, Green Label, Gold Label, and, Blue Label. Johnny Walker is a blended whiskey. Typically the cheaper brands of whiskey are blended but don’t let that fool you, the people who make Johnny walker take whiskey seriously.

Their black label whiskey is a 12 year aged whiskey and is very good. Winston Churchill himself preferred this whiskey. One of my concerns about this drink is since its a 12 year aged whiskey that the cost would be ridiculous. As I found out a bottle costs $40 and a drink in a bar costs $8. In reality that’s not to bad for a 12 year whiskey. If you want to try a Scotch whiskey then Johnny Walker is what you want.

To make:
Pour Johnny Walker Black Label over rocks in a whiskey glass and enjoy.

Random Fact: Johnny Walker Blue label is a blended whiskey that comes in a silk bag with a certificate of authenticity and costs over $350. There is no age declaration for the blue label.

Tags: Rocks, Scottish, Whisky

    Eulogy Belgian Tavern is an amazing place. Located across the street  from Triumph Brewing Company, it’s at a great location. At first glance the outside looks like any other tavern, but inside the menu sets it apart from any other place I have been before. Its beer list is more than impressive, with a page of draft beers and more than 4 pages of bottled beers this place is a beer lovers paradise. Inside they have two bars one up stairs and one downstairs and their tables are very close together. Overall the place is great to go and have a few beers, and I say a few because the beer is strong. You get intoxicated very fast off of them Belgian whites.

As for the beer I had: I got a glass of their Nostradamus. The drink came in drinking goblet which I thought was nifty. The beer was very good. It has that slight taste of hops with some brown sugar and caramel with hint of fruit. Its tastes spot on with how they described it “One of our favorites, this traditional abbey style double has hints of caramel, brown sugar, and fruit.”

If you are in the Philadelphia, and like beer, go to Eulogy at 136 Chestnut in Old City!

Tags: Beer, Belgian, Restraunt

Something friends, family, co-workers, and total strangers ask me all the time is why do I bartend?  The simple answer would be that I love it.  There are so many aspects to bartending that it’s more difficult to describe than it would seem. Let’s try to find out why it’s so great.

Connect.   You can never predict what new faces you’ll meet on a daily basis.  Between those who frequent you bar and those you may randomly meet, you’re going to meet a lot of people who are involved in all sorts of different activities.  Whether it’s the one cop of your neighbor that’s never given you a ticket, or the drug dealer that’s been avoiding the cop for the last few years, you’re going to have some pretty interesting stories to hear.

This is your chance to talk to the silent  guy at the end of the bar away from everyone else.  By law, you can’t serve someone who appears visibly intoxicated.  If they won’t speak to you, who’s not to say they’re not afraid of showing their intoxication level?  Get a story out of them.  Find out what they do, but don’t pry into their private life.  Chances are, if they come back next time, they’re going to open up without you having to work on them.  Just be friendly.  You’ll make friends, bring in more regulars, and all-in-all make more tips for yourself.

Maybe you’re handy with cars, computers, or electronics.  Chances are, there are more than one of your customers in need of assistance with one of these areas.  I’ve offered my services time and time again, and I always come through with the help I offer.  I’ve repaired computers, given electronics advice, and even design websites for some of the people who have come to my bar.  It’s a little extra cash under the table, and you’ve just made yourself another contact.  Cheers to you.

Multi-Tasking.  Whether busy or not, you will learn to multi-task behind a bar.  You’re going to be pouring a beer while talking to the person closest to the tap, mixing a drink while listening to a story to a customer, or handing out some food while taking a drink order for someone else.  There are endless possibilities to what you may be doing behind the bar, but you’re almost always going to be doing more than one thing at any one given point.

The busiest times are some of my favorites.  You’re taking care of 4-5 large groups sitting at tables near the bar, and you’ve also got a full compliment of seats around the bar, plus people coming up to the bar for drinks.  What are you going to do?  Take a few drink orders and starting pouring the beers, popping off the bottle caps, and whatever else, then take a few more orders while ringing the previous ones up on the computer.  It’s busy, but it can feel invigorating if the atmosphere is right.  What better atmosphere for a bar than sports?

Knowledge Gained.  Liquor, Beer, Alcohol, and whatever else you’d like to categorize into the bar category all runs in phases, especially in areas where you get crowds mixed of folks young and old.  Your beers are going to change, your specialty drinks are going to change.  Regulars come and go.

People will, eventually, come and ask for a drink you’ve never heard of.  You may improvise it, they may have an idea of what’s in it, or you may just flat out tell them you can’t make it.  How many times do people ask for a beer you simply don’t have on tap or have never heard of?  Micro-brews are so popular now-a-days that you’re never sure what’s popular.

As a bartender, you’ve got to stay on top of what the latest fads are.  2007 has ushered in an age of Mojitos, Mexican-style lime beers, and a few non-western flavors into our drinks.  Drinks such as pomegranate martinis and mojitos may have caught on in certain areas, but 2007 has brought them nationwide attention in just about every state.  Did you know what they were last year?  Miller’s introduction of Miller Chill has shown the popularity of salt and lime in beers as well, or atleast their intention of stealing some market away from Corona and Tona.

Do you have the time?  Who won yesterday’s game?  What’re the football team’s current rankings? Aside from staying on top of drinks, you’ve got to stay on top of current news, local and world.  I can’t pay attention to just the computer, game, and electronics-related headlines anymore.  I’ve caught myself stopping at Starbucks around the corner from my bar just to buy a paper in the morning so I know what’s been going on in the world.  You’re just going to have to stay on top of things in this world if you’re planning to be a successful bartender.

I think that sums up what I love most about bartending: connecting with people, multi-tasking, and gaining new knowledge (as irrelevant as it may be).  You might run in to the unexpected, or just have an average day of the doldrums.  Regardless of what it is, it can always be made exciting.

Tags: Bartender, Bartending, Beer, Connecting, Liquor, Restaurant

Many thanks go to Sean for alerting me of this fantastic discovery: Chocolate Stout.  Buffalo Wild Wings in Greensburg, PA. now has this fantastic beer on tap.  Brewed by Rogue Ales of Oregon, it tastes like dark chocolate mixed with a stout beer such as Guiness.  For someone who loves both chocolate and beer, this is perfection.  There is a hint of creaminess in this beer, but nothing too overpowering.

From the site, “The mellow flavor of oats, chocolate malts, and real chocolate are balanced perfectly with the right amount of hops for a bittersweet finish. Chocolate Stout is brewed with 10 ingredients: Northwest Harrington and Klages, Crystal 135-165 and Beeston Chocolate Malts, Cascade Hops, Rolled Oats and Roasted Barley, Natural Chocolate Flavor, Free Range Coastal Waters and PacMan Yeast.”

It is also sold in 22-ounce bottles, so locate your locate beer distributor and pick one up today!

Tags: Beer, Chocolate, Restaurant

This drink was made out of ingenuity. When it was made I was out of lemons at the time. I got the bright idea to use a Clementine that was sitting on the counter. Turns out that the orange peel makes a great garnish. The drink had the gin taste with the hint of sweet orange. This variation so far has to be my favorite, mainly because the drink had all the right flavors, or it could be because the best bartender in the world and the love of my life made it. I <3 Shellie.

Gin is made by first making a grain spirit through the same processes of making vodka. Then the spirit is flavored with juniper berries. Then the mixtured is distilled again. Gin is, in other terms, a juniper berry flavored vodka.

• 9 parts Gin.
• 1 part dry vermouth.
• Twist of orange for garnish.

To garnish with a twist of orange. Take a small piece of orange peel, Twist it and wipe the peal on the rim of the glass. Then drop the peel into the drink.

Tags: Cocktail, Gin, martini, Orange