This topic has been debated a lot and nobody really knows where the word came from, but every once in a while somebody comes across an old newspaper article discussing this topic. Well, as I was researching through some archives of old newspapers, I came across a couple of articles discussing the origin of the word “cocktail”. I decided to […]
Recent Posts
Energy Drinks and Vodka
The energy drink craze has taken hold in the past few years, and along with that, it has become a mixer of choice for a new generation. The king of all energy drinks is Red Bull, but there are a great number of competitors like Monster Energy, Sobe Adrenalin Rush, Woop Ass and Bawls. They one key ingredient in all […]
Energy Drinks & Alcohol: L-Carnitine
In the first article on energy drinks, I looked at the effects of sugar and caffeine when combined with alcohol. This time I’m going to take a look at the role of an amino acid called L-Carnitine, which is in many of the energy drinks. It is usually in the amount of 250 mg per serving. The reason this ingredient […]
Bartender vs Mixologist
As I was perusing the Liquid Muse’s blog, Natalie had a great topic in one of her posts. During an interview, she called Rick, from Martini Groove, a “mixologist” and his response was that the term should be banned from the English lexicon. I found that to be an odd response. But a little discussion started about which term is […]
How to Make a Layered Shooter
When you first start layering shots, it can be difficult to get clean layers, with this technique you can do it quicker and easier so you can have perfect B-52s and Pousee Cafes.
Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan, or informally known as a Cosmo, is a relatively new cocktail that was created in 1985. The Cosmo has become very popular in recent years with the help of one of my favourite shows Sex and the City. Since the Cosmo was mentioned so many times on the show, I decided to give it a try. The Cosmo […]
Bitterness Makes You Judgmental
A recent research paper published in Psychological Science has shown a relationship between bitter flavours and judgement. The interesting result was that after tasting something bitter, people were harsher in their judgement. If you are politically conservative, the effects are even more pronounced. Since bitters are a key part of cocktails, and alcohol in itself can be bitter to a […]
Gibson’s Finest 12 Year Old Whisky
Gibson’s is the third most popular Canadian whisky in Canada. It holds 17% of the market and sells around 300,000 cases per year. Whenever you read the term “case” it means that 9 bottles of 750ml were sold. Just in case you didn’t know. Outside of Canada, you will be lucky to find Gibson’s since it doesn’t have much of an […]
Reyka Vodka
When it comes to vodka I’m not a big fan, or should I say I’m not a blind follower of the vodka phenomenon. Vodka has its place and for some people, an ice-cold vodka martini, after a long day, is a pleasant way to reward oneself. I make a lot of vodka martini’s for people but I can’t remember the […]
Glycerol in Vodka Results
After preparing all of my test solutions on a, sunny, Saturday afternoon, I decided that a beautiful Tuesday evening was perfect to spend in the lab, the same lab I spent all day in. But the effort was for a good cause, which was to answer the nagging question: Does Grey Goose Contain Glycerol? It’s one of those questions that […]
Does Grey Goose Contain Glycerine?
The people who market vodka are ripe with praise for their product. The machismo from these companies is enough to make Kim Jong-un blush. With a large enough marketing budget, you can create any image you want, and Grey Goose was the first vodka company to prove it. They made an unaged, technologically simple spirit into an ultra-premium, must have […]
Rum and the Distillation Process
A concise guide to the fermentation and distillation of sugar cane into rum.
Jack and Coke Recipe
Learning from the century-old Rum & Coke recipe, making the best Jack & Coke is easy if you follow a few simple steps.
Salty Dog Cocktail
Grapefruit juice is a relatively common ingredient in cocktails, with the perennial favourite being the Greyhound, but the Paloma is better. Unlike a Screwdriver, the Greyhound isn’t nearly as sweet and even has a pleasant bitterness that is imparted by the grapefruit juice. There are people who do not enjoy the bitterness of grapefruit juice, so those people tend to […]