The barrel is dry and the last of the Extinct Abbott’s bitters have been bottled. That means there are only 300 bottles left and once they are gone, that will probably be the end. Have no doubt they are a great tasting bitter and the research does point to this being the original Abbott’s recipe. However, these bitters are not […]
Recent Posts
Taggart’s Bitters
A recipe created by Chuck Taggart that was inspired by the flavour of old bottles of Abbott’s Bitters. Taggart’s Bitters Recipe: Gentian Root 1 tbls Cinchona Bark ½ tsp Quassia Bark 2 tsp Ginger Root 1 tbls Cardamom Seed, whole 2 tsp Cardamom Seed, crushed 2 tsp Cinnamon Bark 1½ tbls Cloves 2½ tbls Allspice 2 tsp Nutmeg ½ tsp […]
History of the Soda Fountain
Naturally carbonated waters, from volcanic springs, were well known throughout history and prized for their unique properties. The effervescing nature of the water was an attractive quality and was thought to be a natural tonic. The problem was that capturing and transporting these mineral waters was costly. Only a few places stocked mineral waters, with pharmacies being the most common. […]
Open Cola Recipe
The Open Cola project started as a way to promote software but quickly took on a life of its own. This open-source recipe lets you make a Coca-Cola-like soda.
Coca-Cola’s Recipe
A few years ago I wrote a piece on the Secret of Cola and the ingredients used to make cola flavoured beverages. Obviously, Coca-Cola is the king, but Pepsi isn’t doing too bad. The fact is cola flavoured products are tremendously popular, but very few people know what makes that flavour so unique. I’m not going to rehash that part; […]
Pedro Ximénez Phosphate
When you think about the fortified wine called sherry, the soda fountain probably doesn’t come to mind, but it should. People have done a great job sanitizing the evils of the soda fountain from our collective mind, but just like bars, soda fountains in the 1800s had a large repertoire of drinks including spirits and fortified wines. I’m sure you […]
Chemical Compositions
Tales of the Cocktail 2014 is just about a month away. As usual, I am presenting this year and I’m going back to my roots, chemistry. The Chemical Compositions session is about what chemicals make spirits taste like spirits. The coolest part is that we will be sniffing more chemicals than a 1980s hair metal band. I’m packing a bag […]
Raw Milk
Since this is a site dedicated to all things drink related, and milk is a delicious drink, I should probably tackle the debate over raw milk. This is an interesting topic because it encompasses science, politics, health and flavour and I have become increasingly interested in the future of food. But let’s talk about milk. Louis Pasteur was one of […]
The Seven Year Itch
Ever hear of the seven-year itch? It’s a term that suggests happiness in a relationship declines around year seven of a marriage. I think that term applies to more things than relationships, like jobs and writing. Many writers pen articles on multiple topics and I’ve decided to do the same to keep life interesting. I’m still going to write about […]
Honey Phosphate
Acid Phosphate is a cool ingredient to work with since it provides a pure sour taste without added flavours, like the oils in lemon or lime contribute. It also enhances flavours because it contains salts of calcium, potassium and magnesium. This means it can either crank up the flavour profile of a strong drink or enhance a more delicate flavour, […]
Murder, Soda and Intrigue
We all know the history of alcohol’s prohibition, but did you know that the soda fountain also had its own prohibition? When I was writing Fix the Pumps, and detailing the effects the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 had on the soda fountain, I wondered what effect pulling all those drugs from circulation had on the mood of […]
Tavern Culture (1966)
Lately, I’ve been looking into old research papers on bars and the people who frequent them. One that I found fascinating is transcribed below and was published in 1966. The paper deals with a typical New York dive bar called the Star Tavern, the people who sit in the chairs and an Irish bartender. The paper was written by a […]
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 […]