If you are done binge-watching your favorite crime show with cocktails on the side…here is your opportunity to pull the cocktails center stage and binge on cocktail videos while sipping them. Anyway, this selection from Small Screen Network`s Youtube channel is a great source of inspiration and knowledge.
When Charlotte Voisey was asked to create a simple yet sophisticated drink for a Manhattan Restaurant, she remembered the greatest cocktails ever created like the Martini, Manhattan, Margarita or Daiquiri Cocktail use only three ingredients. Her result is a simple combination of Scotch Whisky, Ginger Syrup, and The Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas Bitters.
The traditional Airmail Cocktail is similar to the French 75 Cocktail but rum-based, honey is the sweetener of choice, and lime juice replaces lemon juice. Arguably, the Airmail could also be thought of as a sparkling Daiquiri. Here Charlotte Voisey layers on the flavors of both fresh muddled pineapple and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.
Many times in making cocktails, just as in life, the simpler, the better. The Apricot Cocktail found in David Embury`s „Fine Art of Mixing Drinks“ is using The Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur and has only three ingredients and offers beautiful aromas and nuanced flavors. Floral, fruity, and even herbaceous, the Apricot Cocktail is a classic to be savored, here mixed by Robert Hess.
Robert Hess answers a viewer`s question about using egg whites in cocktails. Specifically, he discusses health concerns as well as how egg whites enhance or change the texture of a cocktail and how to incorporate them. Robert dry shakes rum, lime, orange curaçao, egg white, and The Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur before adding ice and is then shaking the Apricot Lady Cocktail briefly to dilute and chill.
The original recipe for the Attention Cocktail called for equal parts of all four ingredients. Such a drink would be far too unbalanced, but feel free to give it a try if you want. The recipe shown here is more of a modified Dry Martini, with the absinthe and The Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur and Orange Bitters being supporting actors instead of co-stars.
William Boothby, the famed San Francisco bartender, writes in his 1908 book “The World’s Drinks” the Bamboo Cocktail was created and named by Louis Eppinger at the Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan. It`s a delicious drink where sherry plays an important role. Here Robert Hess is bringing it back to life using The Bitter Truth Aromatic and Orange Bitters.
The Banana Cocktail is using The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters and is an original cocktail recipe from Seattle`s Canon Bar and was inspired by hints of banana that Jamie Boudreau finds in Jameson Irish Whiskey. Jamie infused banana into the whiskey, creating a truly unique flavor profile. Interestingly enough, this cocktail is shaken due to the pectins released into the Jameson whisky during the infusion process. Misting the glass with a smoky Islay whisky before straining gives the cocktail a deliciously smoky essence.
Remember Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, where an overzealous Violet Beauregarde chews some special gum resulting in her plumping up like a giant blueberry? Jamie Boudreau from Canon Bar in Seattle uses house-made blueberry preserves and creates a delightful Beauregarde`s Breakfast Cocktail using The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.
The Bijou Cocktail is quite an old drink and seemed to appear first in Harry Johnson`s Bartenders Guide published in 1900, meaning that the drink certainly was around a few years before already. Here Robert Hess is using equal parts of gin, sweet vermouth, and green Chartreuse, all balanced out with the addition of The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters. Squeeze a fresh lemon peel over its surface and enjoy it as our forefathers did.
The Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book is one of those books one can always go back to if a tasty little drink is needed. Somewhat close to a Sweet Martini Cocktail, the Bridal Cocktail gets an extra touch of Maraschino Liqueur for some fine cherry flavors. Watch Robert Hess making up one of those great old classics for you using The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters.
Jamie Boudreau’s award-winning Seattle bar Canon – Whiskey and Bitters Emporium developed The Canon Cocktail to epitomize the bar’s full title. He came up with a recipe using American whiskey, sweet vermouth, and amaro topped with a Cointreau foam and a touch of The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.
In the old days, drinks were kept simple and what today is considered as a twist on the Martini Cocktail, back in the days of Harry Johnson and Jerry Thomas, these drinks were in demand and loved by many. The Caprice Cocktail is basically an inviting mix of a good portion of gin and vermouth, spiced with The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters and a touch of divine Benedictine liqueur.
Similar to the Daiquiri, the Captain’s Blood Cocktail is typically made with a darker rum rather than a lighter style rum; any dark rum will do, but Tiki Lovers Dark Rum is recommended. The main difference you will find is that the measurements of both lime juice and simple syrup are reduced significantly, allowing the rum and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters to shine. Some recipes will also contain Falernum, and The Bitter Truth Golden Falernum is all you need.
The Casino Cocktail is a drink that is widely published in old cocktail books, so one can assume it has been pretty popular back in the old days. The Savoy Cocktail book holds the version Robert Hess is explaining in this little video using The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters. If you like your drinks heavy on the gin side, you`ll certainly like this straight forward cocktail.
At Canon, Jamie Boudreau`s bar in Seattle, they take pride in the sours they create every night. Like many cocktails served at Canon, sours are made with 2:1, rich simple syrup. In the Chamomile Sour, Scotch whisky is infused with the plentiful, calming herb to create a truly delightful, rich, yet light, take on the classic sour style cocktail using The Bitter Truth Creole Bitters.
There has been beautiful glassware in the past, and although we like the minimalistic design, it can be a bit boring when it comes to the right glass for your beautiful and elegant drink. A richly decorated glass will make for a better overall experience, and as Robert Hess shows some very nice glassware in this little video, one will understand the point. Watch him making the Champs Elysee Cocktail served in a very nice coupe glass using The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.
The Old Fashioned Cocktail is a multidimensional cocktail in its most basic form. It is a few ingredients combined to create what some consider the perfect cocktail. The Cubed Old Fashioned could just take you to the fourth dimension! See how Jamie Boudreau explains how to make this excellent drink using a mix of cognac, rum, American whisky, sugar, and The Bitter Truth Aromatic and Orange Bitters.
Named after the first restaurant opened in the United States of America, the Delmonico Cocktail is as tasty as the famous steaks of the famous restaurant which went through hard times. Opened in 1837 Delmonico’s suffered through the fire, survived Prohibition, and quite a number of proprietors in its almost 200 years of existence. Here Robert Hess is mixing gin, cognac, two types of vermouth, and The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters.
Bitters have been a hot topic all over the world for many years since their rebirth more than a decade ago. Many have written in with various questions about bitters and their use. In this episode, Robert Hess addresses a question about the interchangeability of bitters, mixing the forgotten classic Deshler Cocktail, which is a variation on the Manhattan Cocktail using The Bitter Truth Creole Bitters.
It`s like drinking fluffy little clouds and it is very delicious. In this episode Rober Hess is showing you how to make this classic cocktail using The Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur.
What do you do when a new product arrives that you have never mixed with before? Robert Hess is suggesting you start by tasting it and comparing it to what you know. Then, mix up a simple drink that will highlight the fine nuances and characteristics of the spirit or liqueur. The Bitter Truth E*X*R is a wonderfully sweet amaro style liqueur and pairs perfectly with a spicy ginger beer or ginger ale!
Mornings can be difficult to deal with, especially if you had a night out before, and you are still suffering from the aftermath of your alcoholic delights. Fortunately, our forefathers and mothers restoring concoctions that might help gently lift our eyelids to greet the day. In this episode, Robert Hess shows the Eye Opener Cocktail based on some aged rum, The Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur, and egg yolk making it perfect for breakfast or brunch.
There are several rumors about the origin of the name Fairbank in the Fairbank Cocktail. While some think this delicious drink was named after Douglas Fairbanks Sr., others believe the drink was named after Teddy Roosevelt`s vice president Charles Warren Fairbank. The drink is a tasty example of simplicity using The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters.
Ratios make a difference. Often, two cocktails have the same ingredients. The difference in taste and aroma comes from the ratios. Such is the case with the Ford Cocktail as it is very similar to the Caprice Cocktail. Here Robert Hess is adjusting the ratios, changing the personality of the drink, using The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters.
There aren`t too many classic cocktails calling for celery bitters, but one that is mostly credited is the Fourth Regiment Cocktail, which was popular in the late 19th century and considered good enough to go into Charles H. Bakers „The Gentleman Companion“ published in the 1930s. The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters are special, but once applied in the right way to a cocktail, it has the power to become the magical ingredient, as Jamie Boudreau of Seattle`s Canon Bar said so nicely in this little video.
Making the Grand Salted Caramel Old Fashioned Cocktail is a bit of a stretch, but worth the effort as it makes a great after-dinner drink. Here Kathy Casey of Seattle`s Liquid Kitchen is giving away all the details needed using The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters.
When the days are getting shorter, temperatures drop, it is time to have a look at an old eye-catching classic. Once made popular by Jerry Thomas, iconic bartender of the 19th century, the Blue Blazer receives a twist when Jamie Boudreau of Seattle`s Whiskey & Bitters Emporium Canon plays around with gin, some fancy liqueur, and and a healthy dash of The Bitter Truth Aromatic and Orange Bitters.
Named for a member of the family founded the Guion Line, an old steamship company that operated from 1866 to 1892 and was one of the primary steamship lines providing transportation from London to New York. This drink was probably created at the Waldorf Astoria bar, and here Robert Hess is using gin, sweet vermouth, The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters, and a wee bit Benedictine.
The Hooker Cocktail is named after blues guitar legend John Lee Hooker. As you might imagine, the cocktail contains a mix of Bourbon and Scotch whisky, amaro, egg, orange juice, and beer, finished with some extra large dashes of The Bitter Truth Chocolate and Aromatic Bitters. Crank some blues and celebrate!
Jamie Boudreau of Canon Bar Seattle talks about the importance of a good shake and how it can impact the quality of your drinks. Jamie is all up for his metal cobbler shaker, as found in many Japanese bars these days. The Hop Toad Cocktail first appeared in The Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book in the early 1930s. While several variations were created since then, Jamie Boudreau shows his favorite based on rum and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.
Jamie Boudreau of Canon Bar Seattle brings back the “golden ratio” and discusses proper technique when opening a corked bottle of wine or vermouth. The resulting cocktail, Kentucky Medicine, a mix of American whisky, Barolo Chinato from Italy, and The Bitter Truth E*X*R Liqueur and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters, will surely cure what ails you in the winter season.
This gin cocktail plays off Jamie Boudreau`s golden ratio for cocktails: 1 1/2:3/4:1/4, but here he reduces the amount of vermouth to 1/2 ounce. To cut the sweetness of the Gold Wasser (not schlager) ever so slightly, Jamie utilizes a simple technique using lemon zest. The Bitter Truth Celery Bitters might be the smallest part of the mix, but it wouldn`t be the same without.
Once very popular in tiki drinks, Pimento Dram, a flavorful (originally) Jamaican liqueur, that was rarely exported from the Caribbean island for many, many years and just made its comeback by the release of The Bitter Truth Pimento Dram, an intensively rich spice liqueur based on allspice (the Jamaican`s call it Pimento, but it´s also commonly known as Jamaican Pepper) and pot still distilled Jamaican molasses rum. See Robert Hess using it in a Lion`s Tail cocktail.
When to shake and When to stir a cocktail is a question quite often asked. Robert Hess advises while making 2 versions of a Manhattan Cocktail using The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters. The answer to the question is relatively simply as cocktails based on clear ingredients should be stirred, while cocktails using already cloudy ingredients or ingredients that are thick should be shaken. Learn how its made the right way!
The Metropole Hotel in New York City was a fine establishment in the late 1800`s and early 1900`s. Even back then they already had a signature cocktail. While some say it`s a stronger take on the famous Manhattan Cocktail others simply say The Metropole Cocktail is an absolutely delicate drink. Watch Robert Hess making one for you by using The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.
Using the Old Cuban Cocktail as an example which was first created by Audrey Saunders of the now sadly closed Pegu Club in NYC, Robert Hess demonstrates how double straining can lift your cocktail mixing skills to a more refined level. While everyone mixing cocktails should have a Hawthorn strainer or Julep strainer at hand, double-straining a shaken cocktail will hold back any little ice-shards that result from shaking. Double straining will also help keeping citrus pulp or pieces of muddle fruit or herbs out of the drink.
This drink clearly comes from the era of American Prohibition. It appeared in the Savoy Cocktail Book, published in 1933, but even if this wasn’t its first in-print appearance, it had to be pretty close. This recipe specifically called for Plymouth gin, The Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur as well as Kina Lillet. Plymouth is still available, but there is doubt if the current Lillet is the same as in the old days.
The Pumpkin King Cocktail was inspired by the great seasonal pumpkin ales that pop up just around Thanksgiving in the USA. Jamie Boudreau of Canon Bar Seattle uses Imperial Pumpkin Ale from Southern Tier Brewing Co. to create a beer liqueur which he uses as the foundation for the cocktail. He then adds Scotch whisky and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters which is the perfect compliment to the deep spice of the hand made beer liqueur.
The Queen’s Park Swizzle is a rich and flavorful rum-based tiki cocktail and was a favorite of tiki legend Trader Vic. The drink was named for the oasis that was the Queen’s Park Hotel, formerly located in Trinidad’s Port of Spain. Robert Hess demonstrates the proper swizzling technique as well as a quick and easy way to crush ice with common household items and adds extra flavor with The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.
The use of egg white and cream in this version of the Ramos Gin Fizz creates a unique experience with a citrus background and a bubbly pop. Originally invented by the Ramos Brothers at the end of the 19th century in New Orleans, it requires a very long shake to get the right consistency and should not be ordered on a busy night at the bar due to its long preparation time. Important fact…the key ingredient here is the Orange Flower Water!
Like fine restaurants will pre-heat your plates before the meal you ordered is added to them. Fine bars will usually pre-chill the glassware used for your drinks. It takes little effort to pre-chill your glass but makes a far more superior drink. Robert Hess is mixing a Rob Roy, a Scotch version, similar to a Manhattan Cocktail using The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters.
The Bon Ton Café is one of New Orlean’s finest restaurants and famous for one particular drink – The Rum Ramsey Cocktail. The drink is not only a famous secretly guarded recipe by the Bon Ton Cafe, but it also remains a secret even when Robert Hess attempted to get closer to what is or what is not the original recipe for the Rum Ramsey Cocktail.
When it comes to glassware, it can far too often come down to simply using what you have on hand. In a pinch, there may not be anything wrong with that, but even when you are simply making a drink for yourself, you deserve to do things properly and serve it upright! Robert Hess is mixing the famous New Orleans Cocktail using The Bitter Truth Creole Bitters.
“Old Waldorf Bar Days” by Albert Stevens Crockett was one of the great books of the 1930s. The bar of the Old Waldorf hotel was the social meeting place in NYC at that time, but unfortunately, the hotel itself had to make room for a new icon of New York City – The Empire State Building. The Sherman Cocktail, found in Crockett`s book, is essentially a twist on the classic Manhattan with the addition of absinthe and two types of bitters: The Bitter Truth Orange and Aromatic Bitters.
Inspired by the delicious produce of South Carolina and Georgia, Charlotte Voisey created the South Carolina Swizzle Cocktail to celebrate one of her favorite regions of the United States. Served in a julep style, this refreshing libation is perfect as a summer sipper using The Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur.
What better to have at a gathering with friends than a good bowl of punch. Once very popular in old England, they preceded the cocktail by centuries and were enjoyed in the colonies on all sorts of festivities. Here Kathy Casey is giving direction on how to make a proper Tradewinds Punch using The Bitter Truth Creole Bitters and The Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur.
Another drink from The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock, and one that isn’t seen hardly at all as far as we can tell. The Bitter Truth Apricot Liqueur is a sweet fruit liqueur flavored with apricot flesh and seeds. Robert Hess simply adds gin and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters and the result is delicious.
The use of The Bitter Truth Violet Liqueur in the Violet Fizz Cocktail gives the drink not only a delightful pale violet color but an earthy and floral quality perfect for showcasing a floral and well-balanced gin. Adding soda water helps to lengthen and bring together the remaining ingredients making for a refreshing summer sipper, says Robert Hess.
Once more, the Savoy Cocktail Book, first published in 1930, is a great source for great drinks. The Washington Cocktail is typical for those new style cocktails created in the late 1800s, at times when vermouth was widely used in drinks like the Manhattan and the Martini Cocktail. Robert Hess is combining cognac, dry vermouth, some sugar, and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters.
Necessity can often be a wonderful inspiration. David Wondrich created this drink several years ago when he wanted to bring a bottle of pre-mixed Manhattans to a gathering of friends on Halloween. But his liquor cabinet was missing a few critical ingredients. Using what was at hand, he crafted a drink that focused on Jameson whisky, Lillet, orange liqueur, and The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters, and the “Weeski” was born.
Famed bartender Harry Craddock gives a recipe for the Young Man Cocktail in the celebrated Savoy Cocktail book published in 1930. It is a twist on a Manhattan Cocktail made with cognac, sweet vermouth, orange curaçao, and The Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters. Robert Hess explains how to mix this delicious drink properly while offering at the same time insights into history.