This would be day two of Art of the Cocktail, and it was—not surprisingly—a busy and educational day. Three sessions were in the queue for me, one on Italian cocktails, another on working with oddball ingredients and finally a dash of tiki to finish the day. Of course, this was all followed by a night of drinking fine cocktails and […]
Author: Darcy O'Neil
Art of the Cocktail
After an early morning flight to Victoria, I checked into the hotel and got set for the first day of Art of the Cocktail. This event is tiny compared to Tales of the Cocktail or the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, but that’s actually a good thing. There are a limited number of events each day with a much more relaxed pace. […]
Victoria, Seattle and Portland
Travel and drink 2010 continues, this time I’ll be hitting Victoria, British Columbia for Art of the Cocktail (October 16 and 17) then I’ll be heading to Seattle for 2 days followed by 3 in Portland for Drink.Write 2010 and Portland Cocktail Week. For Art of the Cocktail, I’ll be attending a few sessions, like the Oddballs by Ted "Dr. […]
Aviation Cocktail
The problem with cocktails, like the Aviation, is that they require ingredients that may be hard to find, well at least if they are to be done properly. Of course, when I make a cocktail, I want it done properly, so I am constantly on the lookout for ingredients that are not in my inventory. When I travel to a […]
How to Name a Cocktail
Mixing ingredients together is easy, but when you get that magical combination you need a catchy name to tell the world how great it is, but sometimes a unique name can be the hardest part of the cocktail.
Ability to Distinguish Whisky from Brandy
This is the second part of a write up on a persons ability to distinguish one spirit from another. Part one was Malt vs Blended whisky and this part is brandy vs whiskey. In the first research paper, it was concluded that an inexperienced whisky drinker could not distinguish between a single malt or blended scotch. Also, experienced whisky drinkers […]
Distinguishing Between Malt and Blended Whisky
Part I Many people assume that they can tell the difference between two, seemingly different, spirits. But the question is whether they are being a “posers” or a skilled drinker. People who are involved in the scotch world often refer to someone who will only drink single malt whiskies, as “malt snobs”. Some people chose to be a malt snob […]
Whisky Tasting
After the last two posts (Malt vs. Blend and Whisky vs Cognac) I think it would be good to tie up some loose ends and discuss some of the good comments that were posted. The one thing that these two simple research papers show is that tasting spirits, at least whisky and brandy are more difficult than we generally think. […]
Bartenders Root Beer Recipe
When you work behind a bar, you’ll get the occasional odd request. Sometimes it for some bizarre drink, other times it for an odd ingredient and then there is the request for items that usually are not stocked in a typical bar, like root beer. Most bars have a limited supply of non-alcoholic carbonated beverages, and those are typically Coke, […]
Old Unopened Bottles of Whiskey
Ever wonder what the value of that old bottle of whisky you have in the basement is worth? Probably not as much as you hoped, but sometimes they are worth more than you imagined.
Crown Royal
A series of Canadian whisky reviews should start with the royalty of Canadian whisky, Crown Royal, and one of the standards by which all other Canadian whiskies should be judged, only because it has been around for 80 years and is still immensely popular. Almost everyone who drinks whisky has heard, tasted or observed Crown Royal sitting on the back […]
Bar Tools and Equipment List
Behind the bar, you need a lot of bar tools and equipment, often more than you think, especially if you want to be perceived as a professional. Most bars will have the essential equipment, such as shakers and bottle openers, but depending on where you work, they may not provide all the things that make your job easier. Aside from […]