Shut Up & Play The Hits

Apart from a cocktail recipe or photo “looking good,” I don’t usually get a lot of feedback on the drinks I come up with. I love sharing digital drinks with you all, but it’s easy to get stuck in my own head & wonder if anything I’m creating would be enjoyable to anyone other than myself.

My friend Robbie let me behind his bar at Botanist to serve a few cocktails I came up with. It was tough, & I have a renewed appreciation for what you career bartenders do every single night. But I loved the chance for people to actually try some of my stuff & get some real, honest feedback.

For this recipe, I wanted to make like a Last Word + Piña Colada sort of thing. I initially felt like it was my weakest recipe, but it ended up being the clear favorite of the night. Funny how that goes!

Pina Colada recipe — ingredients:

1 oz The Walter Collective Gin
¾ oz Green Chartreuse
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz cream of coconut
½ oz orgeat
3 dashes orange bitters

instructions:

Combine ingredients & shake with ice. Strain into a rocks glass & fill with cobbled ice. Garnish with a large mint sprig & top with fresh grated nutmeg.

Try these other “refreshing” cocktail options:

High-Proof Preacher Blog

Blended Piña Colada

It’s cold and rainy today, so it’s hardly the right time for blended Piña Coladas. Or maybe it’s the perfect time?

The Last Word

I feel like the Last Word was a super hip cocktail a few years ago (like 2017-2018?) but I’ve hardly made one since. A friend recently asked me for a refreshing gin cocktail and I decided to shake one up for her– then I promptly made one for myself too. It actually made me kinda nostalgic for simpler times.

Islay Daiquiri

The Daiquiri is the perfect island drink, so I love the idea of making a version that uses Islay Scotch: whisky that is made on the Scottish island of Islay.

Jungle Bird

This is one of those rare cocktails where I will tell you it doesn’t matter that much how precise you are with measuring. Yeah you want to get the general proportions right, but a little extra pineapple juice or a little less Campari isn’t going to hurt anything.

Pisco Punch

I’ve been enjoying a fun new ingredient in my home bar: Pineapple Gum syrup. It’s made from freshly pressed pineapple, cane sugar & “gum arabic”– which is apparently like sap from Acacia trees. It has a really nice viscosity and lots of bright pineapple acidity; and it’s another tasty way to incorporate pineapple into more drinks.

It's Not Rocket Surgery

This creation calls for a split base of funky pot still rum and my very favorite: Yellow Chartreuse. The eye-catching purple float on top of the drink is none other than Empress Gin of Instagram fame, which is made with indigo Butterfly Pea blossoms. As the gin sinks and mixes with the rest of the drink, it forms a soft gradient…

Aperol Spritz

Is there a more quintessential warm weather cocktail than the Aperol Spritz? Okay there are a lot of sunny day cocktails, but the Aperol Spritz is at least in the top 5 on everyone’s favorites list. It’s a simple recipe that’s easy as 1, 2, 3– which is actually a great way to remember the recipe proportions. Although this simple cocktail does not require shaking or stirring (or even measuring– you can “eyeball” this one and be okay), it is helpful to add the ingredients to your glass in the right order.

Mai Tai

There are few other cocktails that have the unique ability to transport the imbiber to faraway beaches with a single sip. Behold the humble (or not-so-humble) Mai Tai. Like the margarita, daiquiri and a whole slew of other famed tropical-ish cocktails, the Mai Tai’s popularity was also its downfall. Chain restaurants and cruise ships have rendered this Tiki classic almost unrecognizable from its former glory.

Daiquiri

A classic daiquiri is one of the most delicious and simple cocktails you could make. Sadly a lot of people hear “daiquiri” and immediately picture a sugary, frozen boat drink that is meant to be consumed aboard an overcrowded cruise ship. Although this classic drink has certainly been bastardized by restaurant chains and cruise lines alike, you simply have never had a real daiquiri until you’ve made one like this.

Viking Colada

Everyone loves a good tiki cocktail… even Vikings. Admittedly, Viking Tiki isn’t a thing just yet. But, for fans of the traditional Nordic spirit aquavit, it certainly seems like a reasonable development.

Cocktails, RecipesJordan HughesAugust 17, 2019HPP Originals, chartreuse, Gin, refreshing, TikiComment