Sensory Perception and Mixology
Darcy O'Neil March 31, 2008 9:16 PM
Why do certain people recoil in horror at the taste of Italian bitters and why do others gag on super sweet drinks? Then of course we've all know the guy who can't get enough suicide sauce in his Caesar (Bloody Mary) or the Dirty Martini addict. Maybe you are one of them. Have you ever wanted to understand how people taste and why there is such diversity. If you are an aspiring mixologist or a professional who wants an edge, then knowing how people perceive flavours is a very important thing. Luckily, I'll be discussing this very stuff at Tales of the Cocktail in July and in this session we'll be doing a genetically specific taste test to help figure out who you are plus a whole lot more. Read on for more details.
Taste is such an individual thing, and scientifically there are classes of tasters, because we are all different. The three categories are "Non-Taster", "Normal Taster" and Super-Taster". Normal tasters are Mr. & Mrs. Average, and sit in the midrange. Non-Tasters are the lower 20% and Super-tasters the upper 20%. These numbers fluctuate depending on heritage and sex, but for the most part 60% of the population are normal tasters.
So what does this have to do with making cocktails? Well, if you are a bartender with non-taster status, creating cocktails, your drinks are probably going to be on the "flavourful" side of the equation. This may appeal to the non-taster customers you have, but might be a bit much for the normal-tasters and you gotta feel sorry for the super-tasters after they try your "perfect" Bloody Mary. If you are a mixologist with super-taster status, then a lot of your creations might seem bland to the 80% of the population that are not super-tasters.
If you know what kind of taster you are, then you can "calibrate" your palate to better accommodate your friends, guests, customers, preferences. Otherwise you are basically a blind person trying to drive.
During the Sensory Perception session, I'll be presenting everyone with a PTC (Phenylthiocarbamide) taste strip to help determine what taster status you are. This chemical is genetically specific and will help guide you on your way to taste enlightenment. Also, I'll have extra strips for people to take home and test on their friends, coworkers or spouse. I highly recommend the spouse test because I discovered I live with a super-taster, which answered a whole lot of questions. Basically, like achieving enlightenment, a little gong went off in my head, and I finally understood.
Aside from the taste testing, I'll also be looking at how the different flavours affect each other and how certain combinations can be used to influence one another. There will be a little cocktail interlude to demonstrate these flavourful effects. We'll also look at why being a super-taster might not be as enviable as you'd think and why some people are attracted to alcohol while others are repulsed.
It is going to be an information packed session and I've lined up some great panelists to help the discussion (Audrey Saunders, Robert Hess, and Jamie Boudreau). So, if you want to take your mixology skills to the next level, this is a session you shouldn't miss.
Sensory Perception and MixologyWhat Your Tastebuds are Telling You
Thursday, August 7, 2008
brand loyalty
Observations on Brand Loyalty
When you work behind a bar one of the key things to do, to develop a loyal clientele, is remember peoples drinks. The surprising thing to me is not that my head has a database of hundreds of drinks and customers faces, but the fact that these people rarely ever change what they drink. Is it proper to go through life only drinking one brand of whisky? Is it ok to only drink a dry Grey Goose martini, up with a twist and never deviate? The other thing about brand loyalty is that it seems to apply to spirits and beer, but not wine. What is the psychological reason for this brand loyalty and if bartenders could break it, would it be good for the cocktail world.
Back when I was in college I was a brand loyalist. I liked Labatt’s Blue which was my beer of choice, probably because of marketing and single syllable name. Easily pronounced beers are best when you drink a lot because the bartender will understand you no matter what your intoxication level; “give me a Blue” or “give me a Bud” are a couple of good examples. But I eventually grew up and opened my mind to the hundreds of bottles that grace beer stores every where. I also started to appreciate good spirits.
At the current time I’m not loyal to any particular brand, but I do have preferences. I like Havana Club rum in cocktails and I like Forty Creek whisky in my Manhattans, but if someone offered me a Wiser’s Very Old I would happily take them up on the offer. One thing is for sure though, and it’s that I like premium spirits over rail spirits. Part of the reason is that I love to try new spirits and beers, much to my wife’s dismay. If I spot something shiny and new at the liquor store I’ll usually end up buying it at some point. Why? Because it might offer something exceptional that I’ve never experienced. It’s all about curiosity, exploring and the experience. To me spirits are like wine, each new bottle has something unique to offer.
For many people, liquor and beer are something that they define themselves with. If I say Jack Daniels, what image comes to mind of the person who drink this? For me it’s bikers in black. If I say Remy Martin XO cognac, you might think stuffy old guy, or hip hop artist. Like many manufactures, spirit companies try to define their market and appeal to a certain demographic. Brand loyalty is good for business, but not for life experiences. Crown Royal seems to be pushing the NASCAR demographic with their recent advertising campaign. Sure this opens up a new market for Crown Royal, but does it alienate another? Probably not, but it is the advertising that defines the product, not the stuff in the bottle. Remember Crown Royal was originally produced for royalty and NASCAR fans are a little different than royalty.
Wine doesn’t have this problem because each vintage year is different. Some vineyards have developed a reputation for producing great wines, but production is generally limited on a world wide scale, so oenophiles are forced to try new wines, because not every restaurant or liquor store will stock it. This openness about trying a bottle of something you’ve never heard of, and maybe paying a princely sum for it, is outstanding. Why can’t these people drink cocktails more often?
There are a couple of issues with opening peoples minds. First, people are naturally lazy, and we hate fighting inertia. It is easy to order a Crown and Coke, it doesn’t take any thinking and you know what you are getting. Also, the fact that many bartenders are pushy and want your drink order “Now!” which makes browsing the spirit selection a bit daunting. It seems people have a default setting and if someone pushes you, an automatic response is initiated: “Crown & Coke”. One other problem is that many bars stock way too few spirits. But that is changing with the realization of the super and ultra premium back bars. The final problem is the “association” of product to image. If you drink Jack Daniels you may be perceived as “tough”, if you drink cognac you’ll be sophisticated or snooty and if you are a guy drinking Hipnotiq on the rocks, well then, I’m proud of you for drinking what you like.
The best way to get people to try new things is to “up sell”. There are some great bartenders who will make suggestions, or in corporate speak “up sell”, for the benefit of the customer. This can be substituting a different spirit into a cocktail or just suggesting a better cocktail. But, this is very dependant on the establishment and the management. A well stocked bar is key to break brand loyalty and breaking the owners brand loyalties are also important. But most importantly, and this is for bartenders, don’t be so pushy. If you are busy just check with the customer politely, if they are still thinking, move on to the next customer, and then go back afterward. Don’t huff and puff and make it like it’s the end of the world. Let people enjoy what the bar has to offer.
When you work behind a bar one of the key things to do, to develop a loyal clientele, is remember peoples drinks. The surprising thing to me is not that my head has a database of hundreds of drinks and customers faces, but the fact that these people rarely ever change what they drink. Is it proper to go through life only drinking one brand of whisky? Is it ok to only drink a dry Grey Goose martini, up with a twist and never deviate? The other thing about brand loyalty is that it seems to apply to spirits and beer, but not wine. What is the psychological reason for this brand loyalty and if bartenders could break it, would it be good for the cocktail world.
Back when I was in college I was a brand loyalist. I liked Labatt’s Blue which was my beer of choice, probably because of marketing and single syllable name. Easily pronounced beers are best when you drink a lot because the bartender will understand you no matter what your intoxication level; “give me a Blue” or “give me a Bud” are a couple of good examples. But I eventually grew up and opened my mind to the hundreds of bottles that grace beer stores every where. I also started to appreciate good spirits.
At the current time I’m not loyal to any particular brand, but I do have preferences. I like Havana Club rum in cocktails and I like Forty Creek whisky in my Manhattans, but if someone offered me a Wiser’s Very Old I would happily take them up on the offer. One thing is for sure though, and it’s that I like premium spirits over rail spirits. Part of the reason is that I love to try new spirits and beers, much to my wife’s dismay. If I spot something shiny and new at the liquor store I’ll usually end up buying it at some point. Why? Because it might offer something exceptional that I’ve never experienced. It’s all about curiosity, exploring and the experience. To me spirits are like wine, each new bottle has something unique to offer.
For many people, liquor and beer are something that they define themselves with. If I say Jack Daniels, what image comes to mind of the person who drink this? For me it’s bikers in black. If I say Remy Martin XO cognac, you might think stuffy old guy, or hip hop artist. Like many manufactures, spirit companies try to define their market and appeal to a certain demographic. Brand loyalty is good for business, but not for life experiences. Crown Royal seems to be pushing the NASCAR demographic with their recent advertising campaign. Sure this opens up a new market for Crown Royal, but does it alienate another? Probably not, but it is the advertising that defines the product, not the stuff in the bottle. Remember Crown Royal was originally produced for royalty and NASCAR fans are a little different than royalty.
Wine doesn’t have this problem because each vintage year is different. Some vineyards have developed a reputation for producing great wines, but production is generally limited on a world wide scale, so oenophiles are forced to try new wines, because not every restaurant or liquor store will stock it. This openness about trying a bottle of something you’ve never heard of, and maybe paying a princely sum for it, is outstanding. Why can’t these people drink cocktails more often?
There are a couple of issues with opening peoples minds. First, people are naturally lazy, and we hate fighting inertia. It is easy to order a Crown and Coke, it doesn’t take any thinking and you know what you are getting. Also, the fact that many bartenders are pushy and want your drink order “Now!” which makes browsing the spirit selection a bit daunting. It seems people have a default setting and if someone pushes you, an automatic response is initiated: “Crown & Coke”. One other problem is that many bars stock way too few spirits. But that is changing with the realization of the super and ultra premium back bars. The final problem is the “association” of product to image. If you drink Jack Daniels you may be perceived as “tough”, if you drink cognac you’ll be sophisticated or snooty and if you are a guy drinking Hipnotiq on the rocks, well then, I’m proud of you for drinking what you like.
The best way to get people to try new things is to “up sell”. There are some great bartenders who will make suggestions, or in corporate speak “up sell”, for the benefit of the customer. This can be substituting a different spirit into a cocktail or just suggesting a better cocktail. But, this is very dependant on the establishment and the management. A well stocked bar is key to break brand loyalty and breaking the owners brand loyalties are also important. But most importantly, and this is for bartenders, don’t be so pushy. If you are busy just check with the customer politely, if they are still thinking, move on to the next customer, and then go back afterward. Don’t huff and puff and make it like it’s the end of the world. Let people enjoy what the bar has to offer.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
skills for bar tender
Ask any bar manager what’s the most important skill is for a bartender and you’ll get a lot of different answers. Some will respond that speed is key, others will say a good personality, more will say appearance is important, and then you’ll get one or two who say mixology skills are key. There are a lot of things that definitely make a great bartender, like being trustworthy, friendly, reliable, hard working, clean and organized but those are important aspects for any employee. The one skill that I think makes a great bartender is memory. And if you are an aspiring bartender I’ll explain why and give you some tips on improving your memory.
In my humble opinion, if you have a good memory, you will make a better bartender. Not only will it allow you to do your job more efficiently, but it will also increase your tips. When a person walks into a bar and the bartender greats them by name, asks if they would like their regular drink, or offers them something from a previous conversation, that makes the customer feel important. The customer will also tip better than if the bartenders doesn’t remember anything about them. All of these points deal with memory, the ability to memorize drinks, names, previous conversations and spirit preferences. For many things, like peoples names, beer brands and cocktails recipes, you want that information to be embedded in what is sometimes referred to as “Intelligent Memory”. Intelligent Memory is made up of connections between other memories, whether they are thoughts, images, experiences, skills, or pieces of knowledge. A good example of this is how many bartenders have been taught to remember a drink. For example: Black Russian (Vodka & Kahlua) is the easy starting point. Now to make a White Russian it’s a Black Russian with Milk. Now to make a Paralyzer it’s a White Russian with Coke. And a Brown Cow is a White Russian without Vodka. These types of relations ships can be done for many drinks. This is also the type of memory that allows you to make a drink without really thinking about it. If someone orders a Perfect Manhattan, up with a twist you should instinctively know what to do. It takes some practice to do this, but to be a great bartender you need to avoid referring to a book or pestering the other bartenders.The other important type of memory to work on is your short term memory, which is what allows you to use your brain like a note pad. Basically, when someone orders a round of drinks, you should be able to commit the whole order to memory. Your ability to remember ten drink requests will make your job easier, impress your customers and increase your speed and efficiency. You can be the fastest drink pourer on the planet, but if you can only remember two drinks at a time, you won’t be as very efficient. Improving Your MemoryThe best way to improve your memory is to expose yourself to new ideas and new experiences. This is a general way to keep your brain in shape. Like muscles, your brain needs to be used to keep it healthy. Talk and read about things that aren’t in your normal routine. Debate with people, read the newspaper, not just the comics, and do mind building puzzles like crosswords or Sudoku. Every little thing that makes your brain active is a good start.One of the tricks to memorizing other things is to make connections. For example the cocktail connection example showed you how to connect one drink to another, this can be done with names, but in a slightly different way. If you meet someone named Robert, and you have a friend named Robert, you can make a connection by thinking about the two people. When the customer comes in the following week and you can’t remember his name, but for some reason a picture of your friend Robert pops up in your head, you’ll remember his name. There are other ways, such as memorizing a room and then relating people and places to the items in the room.Repeat things you learn. When a server or customers calls an order, repeat them back to the server / customer. First it makes sure the order is correct and second it helps to embed it temporarily into your gray matter. People also like hearing the words they say repeated back to them, so it makes your charisma value increase. It’s kind of like someone commanding you and you agreeing with them, it makes people feel good.
In my humble opinion, if you have a good memory, you will make a better bartender. Not only will it allow you to do your job more efficiently, but it will also increase your tips. When a person walks into a bar and the bartender greats them by name, asks if they would like their regular drink, or offers them something from a previous conversation, that makes the customer feel important. The customer will also tip better than if the bartenders doesn’t remember anything about them. All of these points deal with memory, the ability to memorize drinks, names, previous conversations and spirit preferences. For many things, like peoples names, beer brands and cocktails recipes, you want that information to be embedded in what is sometimes referred to as “Intelligent Memory”. Intelligent Memory is made up of connections between other memories, whether they are thoughts, images, experiences, skills, or pieces of knowledge. A good example of this is how many bartenders have been taught to remember a drink. For example: Black Russian (Vodka & Kahlua) is the easy starting point. Now to make a White Russian it’s a Black Russian with Milk. Now to make a Paralyzer it’s a White Russian with Coke. And a Brown Cow is a White Russian without Vodka. These types of relations ships can be done for many drinks. This is also the type of memory that allows you to make a drink without really thinking about it. If someone orders a Perfect Manhattan, up with a twist you should instinctively know what to do. It takes some practice to do this, but to be a great bartender you need to avoid referring to a book or pestering the other bartenders.The other important type of memory to work on is your short term memory, which is what allows you to use your brain like a note pad. Basically, when someone orders a round of drinks, you should be able to commit the whole order to memory. Your ability to remember ten drink requests will make your job easier, impress your customers and increase your speed and efficiency. You can be the fastest drink pourer on the planet, but if you can only remember two drinks at a time, you won’t be as very efficient. Improving Your MemoryThe best way to improve your memory is to expose yourself to new ideas and new experiences. This is a general way to keep your brain in shape. Like muscles, your brain needs to be used to keep it healthy. Talk and read about things that aren’t in your normal routine. Debate with people, read the newspaper, not just the comics, and do mind building puzzles like crosswords or Sudoku. Every little thing that makes your brain active is a good start.One of the tricks to memorizing other things is to make connections. For example the cocktail connection example showed you how to connect one drink to another, this can be done with names, but in a slightly different way. If you meet someone named Robert, and you have a friend named Robert, you can make a connection by thinking about the two people. When the customer comes in the following week and you can’t remember his name, but for some reason a picture of your friend Robert pops up in your head, you’ll remember his name. There are other ways, such as memorizing a room and then relating people and places to the items in the room.Repeat things you learn. When a server or customers calls an order, repeat them back to the server / customer. First it makes sure the order is correct and second it helps to embed it temporarily into your gray matter. People also like hearing the words they say repeated back to them, so it makes your charisma value increase. It’s kind of like someone commanding you and you agreeing with them, it makes people feel good.
1. The term "quality drink" never crossed your mind, people only drink to get drunk, right?
2. To make a great drink requires the use of 151 proof rum.
3. Pissing off the servers is your nightly entertainment.
4. Running the dishwasher without soap doesn't concern you.
5. You jam bottles into the ice bin and scoop ice with the glass.
6. You think the floor drain is the equivalent of a sink so you dump your shaker on the floor
.7. You decide that short pouring is good because it makes the bar more money
.9. You think expiry dates on juices and milk are guidelines.
10. The only reason you become a bartender is for free booze and cheap girls.
11. When someone tips poorly you assume you did nothing wrong and that the guest is an asshole.
12. You think sour mix is a direct substitute for real lemon or lime juice.
13. You don't know what bitters are.
14. You huff and sigh when somebody orders a drink you don't like.
15. Your theory on drink making is: more sugar equals better drink
16. When somebody orders a $100 snifter of cognac you expect a $20 tip.
17. You don't know what a snifter is
.18. Washing your cocktail shakers is done once, at the end of your shift.
19. Your goal is to have sex with all of the servers of the opposite gender.
20. Your goal is to have sex with all of the servers of the same gender.
21. Your breasts are more important to making tips than your brain.
22. When asked about a cocktail on the menu, you read from the menu to give the answer.
23. You think Rose's lime, sour mix and lime juice combine to make a better drink.
24. You haven't washed your work cloths for weeks and just leave them under the bar.
25. The blender is your favourite bar tool.
26. Sticking your finger in a drink to taste it doesn't concern you.
27. You use your hands as ice scoops
28. You wash your hands once per shift, at the end of the night
.29. Using a three day old slimy lemon wedges doesn't raise an alarm bell.
30. You spend more time talking to the servers than the guests at the bar
.31. Everything you talk about has sexual connotations.
32. You call in sick because you have another hangover
.33. You drop limes on the floor and can't be bothered to wash them.
34. You think the bar is your personal stock and drink whenever you feel like.
35. Getting drunk or high, while working, is normal.
36. You put a lime garnish on single malt scotch.
37. The only drinks you know have sexual names.
38. A 60 year old lady asks for a nice cocktail and you server her a 1-800-Fuck-Me-Up
.39. You break a glass in the ice well and decide it’s nothing to worry about
.40. You strain fruit flies out of the liquor and put said filtered liquor back on the shelf.
41. You carry around a fly swatter and kill flies while people eat.
42. When it gets really busy, you go for a smoke.
43. You chastize people for their drink orders.
44. You "borrow indefinitely" from the till to pay for your rent.
45. You make "good strong drinks" for people without charging appropriately.
46. You fish fruit flies out of the draught beer with the tip of a straw.
47. You treat your bar-back like dirt, but expect exemplary service
48. The solution to every problem is: just add bitters
49. You develop a "god complex" just because you are a bartender
50. You think you are an elite bartender and ignore guests request because you think you know better than they do. Please feel free to add to the list by posting a comment. I'm sure I could do another 50 if I really thought about it.
2. To make a great drink requires the use of 151 proof rum.
3. Pissing off the servers is your nightly entertainment.
4. Running the dishwasher without soap doesn't concern you.
5. You jam bottles into the ice bin and scoop ice with the glass.
6. You think the floor drain is the equivalent of a sink so you dump your shaker on the floor
.7. You decide that short pouring is good because it makes the bar more money
.9. You think expiry dates on juices and milk are guidelines.
10. The only reason you become a bartender is for free booze and cheap girls.
11. When someone tips poorly you assume you did nothing wrong and that the guest is an asshole.
12. You think sour mix is a direct substitute for real lemon or lime juice.
13. You don't know what bitters are.
14. You huff and sigh when somebody orders a drink you don't like.
15. Your theory on drink making is: more sugar equals better drink
16. When somebody orders a $100 snifter of cognac you expect a $20 tip.
17. You don't know what a snifter is
.18. Washing your cocktail shakers is done once, at the end of your shift.
19. Your goal is to have sex with all of the servers of the opposite gender.
20. Your goal is to have sex with all of the servers of the same gender.
21. Your breasts are more important to making tips than your brain.
22. When asked about a cocktail on the menu, you read from the menu to give the answer.
23. You think Rose's lime, sour mix and lime juice combine to make a better drink.
24. You haven't washed your work cloths for weeks and just leave them under the bar.
25. The blender is your favourite bar tool.
26. Sticking your finger in a drink to taste it doesn't concern you.
27. You use your hands as ice scoops
28. You wash your hands once per shift, at the end of the night
.29. Using a three day old slimy lemon wedges doesn't raise an alarm bell.
30. You spend more time talking to the servers than the guests at the bar
.31. Everything you talk about has sexual connotations.
32. You call in sick because you have another hangover
.33. You drop limes on the floor and can't be bothered to wash them.
34. You think the bar is your personal stock and drink whenever you feel like.
35. Getting drunk or high, while working, is normal.
36. You put a lime garnish on single malt scotch.
37. The only drinks you know have sexual names.
38. A 60 year old lady asks for a nice cocktail and you server her a 1-800-Fuck-Me-Up
.39. You break a glass in the ice well and decide it’s nothing to worry about
.40. You strain fruit flies out of the liquor and put said filtered liquor back on the shelf.
41. You carry around a fly swatter and kill flies while people eat.
42. When it gets really busy, you go for a smoke.
43. You chastize people for their drink orders.
44. You "borrow indefinitely" from the till to pay for your rent.
45. You make "good strong drinks" for people without charging appropriately.
46. You fish fruit flies out of the draught beer with the tip of a straw.
47. You treat your bar-back like dirt, but expect exemplary service
48. The solution to every problem is: just add bitters
49. You develop a "god complex" just because you are a bartender
50. You think you are an elite bartender and ignore guests request because you think you know better than they do. Please feel free to add to the list by posting a comment. I'm sure I could do another 50 if I really thought about it.
darcy o neil - first experience (best bartender of uk)
It was December 4th, 2004 and my first bartending shift started at 6PM, so I was told to be there by 5:30PM to help the other bartender setup. Being my first shift I was excited, of course, but I also wanted to be prepared. I packed up a bunch of my bar tools including the Boston shaker, a couple of pour spouts, a bottle opener, a tip jar and a corkscrew. I also brought $35 in bills and change for no particular reason, aside from maybe “seeding” the tip jar. I could of just shown up, a reputable catering company would provide everything and the night should be a breeze, right?
I arrived 10 minutes early at 5:20PM just to make a good impression. I wondered around the building (London’s Old City Hall which looks like an old castle) until I found the room where all the action was happening. I introduced myself to some young kid carrying a big pot of soup. The kid seemed really enthusiastic about his job and jumped at the chance to help me. He showed me where the bar was and introduced me to the head server. The head server said the other bartender would be along shortly, with the rest of the stock and stuff, but I could setup the bar.
Now I’ve never setup a bar at this point, but I have enough life experience to use commonsense. It really couldn’t be any harder then setting up a lab. I started getting the bar organized when I realized most of the alcohol hadn’t arrived yet. There were only two cases of “Lucky Lager” which is a cheap budget brew, along with another case of Coors Light. There was no wine, there was no liquor and there was no other beer. I found two jugs of cranberry juice, some orange juice concentrate and the cans of pop so I just focussed on getting that stuff into some ice bins to cool it off.
The clock kept ticking and it was now 5:45PM, no other bartender, no tools, no cash float and no stock. Maybe they were running late because there was a line up at the liquor store or something. So I waited, and waited, and waited. At about 5:55PM guests started to arrive for “cocktail hour” and I didn’t have anything to make cocktails, let alone serve a glass of wine. I went to the head server and asked what was going on? Not surprisingly she didn’t know. I asked her if she could call someone because I only have three cases of beer , no money to make change, and I’m the only bartender. She was too busy, so I located the enthusiastic “soup boy” and asked him what he knew. He knew he was suppose to dole out the soup 1930's famine style and that was about it, but he did know the managers phone number. Well “soup boy” get on the phone and find out what was going on! Being the enthusiastic type, he found a phone made the call and talked to the manager.
Listening in on the phone call I got the distinct impression that there was trouble on the horizon. When “soup boy” got off the phone I was told that the other bartender was bringing everything, but other than that the manager had no additional knowledge. Bummer. Anyway it was past 6PM and people were milling about the bar waiting for drinks. So I jumped behind the bar and repeated the nights mantra; “the other bartender is coming with the stuff”. But I realized people wanted to drink, so I offered what I had in my most charming way. So people started drinking the Lucky Lager and the Coors Light. Now I didn’t even know the pricing for the beer so I intercepted the head server again and asked what the prices were, she was busy, but I persisted. She whipped off a couple prices from a previous event, they seemed in the ball park so I went with them.
Remember that $35 dollars in money I just happened to bring along, well that was what I started to use as change and the tip jar became the register. It started off slow, but people kept arriving and wanting drinks, this was Christmas season and “tying one on” at the yearly party was an annual event for most. The line up got longer, the only thing I had was beer and the other bartender was nowhere to be found. But I kept going, doing my best sales job for good old Lucky Lager.
At about 6:30PM most of the guest had arrived, my change was turning into larger denomination and the guests and I had a community effort going to try to keep the bills small and my “sticky note” register was getting unmanageable. At this point I excused myself for a minute and jumped in front of the head server and asked where the bartender and booze were. She didn’t know, so I told her to do something about it. She called “soup boy” over and told him to call the manager and tell him what was going on. I jumped behind the bar and continued my best bartender impression. “Just keep smiling, cracking witty jokes and everything will be OK” is what kept going through my head. And for the most part it was working.
At about 6:45PM “soup boy” ran over and said the manager brought some inventory and needed help unloading it. So I again excused my self with an announcement that the booze had arrive, to a great cheer, and that I’d be right back. I went outside and started to unload a late 1980's Trans Am that was acting as the transport vehicle. At this point not much was surprising me.
Now the bar was stocked, kind of, and the booze started flowing to the thirsty masses. The problem was there were 320 of them, one of me. I kicked it into high gear and started free pouring, sans pouring spouts, just to make up for the crappy service the catering company was providing. Things were looking better.
Then about 15 minutes later a cash float arrived with a girl who was a server at another of the catering companies events, across the street, who had some bartending experience. Well one day of bartending experience beat my bartending experience, so the help was greatly appreciated.
We ended up working well together, the guest were a good group, so they took it in stride and had fun with it. We had a few more problems throughout the night including running out of wine just before the main course was served, but managed to get a few bottles from across the street. The girl I was working with dumped a whole bottle of Mott’s Clamato on herself and her white servers shirt, we all laughed. She made a Screwdriver with the orange juice concentrate and vodka, yummy. But things started to smooth out and it turned into a good party.
The highlight of the night was at about 12:30PM when thing were starting to slow down and a gentleman came to the bar. He looked to be between 45 and 50 and fairly affluent. He ordered a drink and asked how long I had been bartending? I reply that tonight was my first night, with a big smile. He laughed and said that I did a great job and that I’d make a good bartender. He then stated that he use to work as a bartender at the Playboy Club in Chicago, so I took his compliments as high praise. This fellow bartender didn’t brag or offer any advice, he was very classy, and we just had a good conversation about the nights events. so I believed what he said to be true and still do. I’m usually a pretty good judge of people and this guy wasn’t pulling my leg. After ten minutes he said he had to go, dropped a twenty in the tip jar, and reiterated that I performed very well, considering the circumstances, and that I’d do well behind the stick.
My first night as a bartender could have been the worse bartending experience ever, but it actually turned out to be one of the most memorable. I was lucky that I came prepared with my own tools, some money which allowed me to get the ball rolling while the catering company got their act together and a whole lot of common sense. The guest had a good time because we all laughed at the situation, instead of complaining. A smile and some witty humour go a long way. And best of all, I received an inspiring compliment from a fellow bartender. Who knows, if it wasn’t for that compliment, I may not have kept on bartending, so thanks to the mysterious bartender for that compliment.
“Soup Boy” did a great job and everyone loved the soup. However, he ended up hovering around the bar, at the end of the night, being my new best friend, but that’s OK, it was a good night so I made him a drink, on the house, for a job well done.
I arrived 10 minutes early at 5:20PM just to make a good impression. I wondered around the building (London’s Old City Hall which looks like an old castle) until I found the room where all the action was happening. I introduced myself to some young kid carrying a big pot of soup. The kid seemed really enthusiastic about his job and jumped at the chance to help me. He showed me where the bar was and introduced me to the head server. The head server said the other bartender would be along shortly, with the rest of the stock and stuff, but I could setup the bar.
Now I’ve never setup a bar at this point, but I have enough life experience to use commonsense. It really couldn’t be any harder then setting up a lab. I started getting the bar organized when I realized most of the alcohol hadn’t arrived yet. There were only two cases of “Lucky Lager” which is a cheap budget brew, along with another case of Coors Light. There was no wine, there was no liquor and there was no other beer. I found two jugs of cranberry juice, some orange juice concentrate and the cans of pop so I just focussed on getting that stuff into some ice bins to cool it off.
The clock kept ticking and it was now 5:45PM, no other bartender, no tools, no cash float and no stock. Maybe they were running late because there was a line up at the liquor store or something. So I waited, and waited, and waited. At about 5:55PM guests started to arrive for “cocktail hour” and I didn’t have anything to make cocktails, let alone serve a glass of wine. I went to the head server and asked what was going on? Not surprisingly she didn’t know. I asked her if she could call someone because I only have three cases of beer , no money to make change, and I’m the only bartender. She was too busy, so I located the enthusiastic “soup boy” and asked him what he knew. He knew he was suppose to dole out the soup 1930's famine style and that was about it, but he did know the managers phone number. Well “soup boy” get on the phone and find out what was going on! Being the enthusiastic type, he found a phone made the call and talked to the manager.
Listening in on the phone call I got the distinct impression that there was trouble on the horizon. When “soup boy” got off the phone I was told that the other bartender was bringing everything, but other than that the manager had no additional knowledge. Bummer. Anyway it was past 6PM and people were milling about the bar waiting for drinks. So I jumped behind the bar and repeated the nights mantra; “the other bartender is coming with the stuff”. But I realized people wanted to drink, so I offered what I had in my most charming way. So people started drinking the Lucky Lager and the Coors Light. Now I didn’t even know the pricing for the beer so I intercepted the head server again and asked what the prices were, she was busy, but I persisted. She whipped off a couple prices from a previous event, they seemed in the ball park so I went with them.
Remember that $35 dollars in money I just happened to bring along, well that was what I started to use as change and the tip jar became the register. It started off slow, but people kept arriving and wanting drinks, this was Christmas season and “tying one on” at the yearly party was an annual event for most. The line up got longer, the only thing I had was beer and the other bartender was nowhere to be found. But I kept going, doing my best sales job for good old Lucky Lager.
At about 6:30PM most of the guest had arrived, my change was turning into larger denomination and the guests and I had a community effort going to try to keep the bills small and my “sticky note” register was getting unmanageable. At this point I excused myself for a minute and jumped in front of the head server and asked where the bartender and booze were. She didn’t know, so I told her to do something about it. She called “soup boy” over and told him to call the manager and tell him what was going on. I jumped behind the bar and continued my best bartender impression. “Just keep smiling, cracking witty jokes and everything will be OK” is what kept going through my head. And for the most part it was working.
At about 6:45PM “soup boy” ran over and said the manager brought some inventory and needed help unloading it. So I again excused my self with an announcement that the booze had arrive, to a great cheer, and that I’d be right back. I went outside and started to unload a late 1980's Trans Am that was acting as the transport vehicle. At this point not much was surprising me.
Now the bar was stocked, kind of, and the booze started flowing to the thirsty masses. The problem was there were 320 of them, one of me. I kicked it into high gear and started free pouring, sans pouring spouts, just to make up for the crappy service the catering company was providing. Things were looking better.
Then about 15 minutes later a cash float arrived with a girl who was a server at another of the catering companies events, across the street, who had some bartending experience. Well one day of bartending experience beat my bartending experience, so the help was greatly appreciated.
We ended up working well together, the guest were a good group, so they took it in stride and had fun with it. We had a few more problems throughout the night including running out of wine just before the main course was served, but managed to get a few bottles from across the street. The girl I was working with dumped a whole bottle of Mott’s Clamato on herself and her white servers shirt, we all laughed. She made a Screwdriver with the orange juice concentrate and vodka, yummy. But things started to smooth out and it turned into a good party.
The highlight of the night was at about 12:30PM when thing were starting to slow down and a gentleman came to the bar. He looked to be between 45 and 50 and fairly affluent. He ordered a drink and asked how long I had been bartending? I reply that tonight was my first night, with a big smile. He laughed and said that I did a great job and that I’d make a good bartender. He then stated that he use to work as a bartender at the Playboy Club in Chicago, so I took his compliments as high praise. This fellow bartender didn’t brag or offer any advice, he was very classy, and we just had a good conversation about the nights events. so I believed what he said to be true and still do. I’m usually a pretty good judge of people and this guy wasn’t pulling my leg. After ten minutes he said he had to go, dropped a twenty in the tip jar, and reiterated that I performed very well, considering the circumstances, and that I’d do well behind the stick.
My first night as a bartender could have been the worse bartending experience ever, but it actually turned out to be one of the most memorable. I was lucky that I came prepared with my own tools, some money which allowed me to get the ball rolling while the catering company got their act together and a whole lot of common sense. The guest had a good time because we all laughed at the situation, instead of complaining. A smile and some witty humour go a long way. And best of all, I received an inspiring compliment from a fellow bartender. Who knows, if it wasn’t for that compliment, I may not have kept on bartending, so thanks to the mysterious bartender for that compliment.
“Soup Boy” did a great job and everyone loved the soup. However, he ended up hovering around the bar, at the end of the night, being my new best friend, but that’s OK, it was a good night so I made him a drink, on the house, for a job well done.
Monday, August 4, 2008
taj around the world
TAJ AROUND THE WORLD
AMERICA
AMERICA
NEW YORK
THE PIERRE
BOSTON
TAJ BOSTON
SAN FRANCISCO
CAMPTON PALACE
AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY
BLUE SYDNEY
U.K
LONDON
51 BUCKINGHAM GATE
CROWNE PLAZA LONDON ST.JAMES
UAE
DUBAI
TAJ PALACE HOTEL
MALAYSIA
LANGKAWI
REBAK ISLAND RESORT
INDIAN OCEAN
BENTOTA
TAJ EXOTICA
COLOMBO
AIRPORT GARDEN HOTEL
TAJ SAMUDRA
MALDIVES
TAJ CORAL REEF
TAJ EXOTICA
MAURITIUS
TAJ EXOTICA
ZAMBIA
LUSAKA
TAJ PAMODZI
BHUTAN
THIMPU
TAJ TASHI
AMERICA
AMERICA
NEW YORK
THE PIERRE
BOSTON
TAJ BOSTON
SAN FRANCISCO
CAMPTON PALACE
AUSTRALIA
SYDNEY
BLUE SYDNEY
U.K
LONDON
51 BUCKINGHAM GATE
CROWNE PLAZA LONDON ST.JAMES
UAE
DUBAI
TAJ PALACE HOTEL
MALAYSIA
LANGKAWI
REBAK ISLAND RESORT
INDIAN OCEAN
BENTOTA
TAJ EXOTICA
COLOMBO
AIRPORT GARDEN HOTEL
TAJ SAMUDRA
MALDIVES
TAJ CORAL REEF
TAJ EXOTICA
MAURITIUS
TAJ EXOTICA
ZAMBIA
LUSAKA
TAJ PAMODZI
BHUTAN
THIMPU
TAJ TASHI
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
DEPRENCIATE BETWEEN WHITE AND RED WITH EYES CLOSED
So you think it's easy to tell red wine from white?
Try doing it blindfolded sometime.
Some white-wine drinkers who rarely touch red are convinced that the differences between the types are deep and fundamental.
Consider the stereotypes: White wine is light, fruity and refreshing, an anonymous tipple for casual sipping. Red wine is strong, complicated and (although fine for connoisseurs, perhaps) hard to get to know.
Are the stereotypes valid?
Or are the differences overshadowed by the similarities between what are, after all, beverages made from fruit as closely related as red (or blue or purple) and white (or green or golden) grapes?
Prompted by a recent discussion on the subject among several friends communicating with personal computers on the CompuServe Information Service's Wine Forum, I decided to find out by taking the practice of "blind" tasting to its logical extreme.
I usually rate the wines for this column "blind," sampling the week's wine selection from plain, unmarked glasses poured out of my sight.
The point is to ensure that my objectivity is unmarred by prejudice or preconceived ideas. It's easier to be objective if I don't know know which glass contains the $20 boutique wine and which holds the $2.99 jug variety.
It's easy enough to arrange this kind of tasting: All you need is someone to pour the wine. It doesn't matter if you see what's in the glass.
It's a bit more complicated to compare red and white without looking, as a real (if temporary) loss of vision is required. I achieved the effect by asking my wife to wrap a red bandanna around my head.
I used four moderately priced wines - two white and two red - for the test.
I chose two California wines - a red 1981 Inglenook Vineyards Napa Valley Petite Sirah ($5.49) and a white 1985 Gundlach Bundschu Sonoma County (Rhinefarm Vineyards) Gewurztraminer ($6.49) - anticipating that these two wines would display marked characteristics that should be easy to choose.
To mix things up, I added a white 1985 Collavini Grave del Friuli Pinot Grigio from Italy ($5.79) and a red 1983 Premiat Dealul Mare Cabernet Sauvignon from Romania ($2.99), expecting them to be simple, fruity wines that might be more difficult to distinguish without benefit of sight.
The results?
Differences do exist, but they're more subtle than you might expect.
I found it fairly easy to tell the red from the white, but it would have been much more challenging without the benefit of quite a few years' tasting experience. As it was, it wasn't easy pegging all four wines to their specific labels.
Here's a summary of the notes I dictated to a tape recorder during the blind tasting.
Glass No. 1 (the Petite Sirah) was easy. Scents of green olives and black pepper and the mouth-filling, fruity and acidic flavor gave away the grape variety in this gutsy, full-flavored wine, the best wine of the four at a bargain price.
Dry acidity and a hint of oak were the tell-tale signs that Glass No. 3 (the Romanian Cabernet) held the other red wine.
I picked the two remaining glasses as white but misidentified their contents.
Glass No. 2 was obviously white. It could have passed for an inexpensive Rhine wine with a soft, faintly sweet taste. Its musky aroma, reminiscent of overripe canteloupe, wouldn't have been surprising in a Gewurztraminer, but the wine proved to be the Pinot Grigio.
A citrus quality with a faintly bitter aftertaste made clear that Glass No. 4 was white, but, misled by the Italian wine's muskiness, I failed to recognize this wine as "Gewurz;" it lacked the exuberantly spicy quality typical of this flavorful grape in Europe.
It was a useful lesson, and at least I salvaged my ego by correctly identifying all the reds and whites.
Try doing it blindfolded sometime.
Some white-wine drinkers who rarely touch red are convinced that the differences between the types are deep and fundamental.
Consider the stereotypes: White wine is light, fruity and refreshing, an anonymous tipple for casual sipping. Red wine is strong, complicated and (although fine for connoisseurs, perhaps) hard to get to know.
Are the stereotypes valid?
Or are the differences overshadowed by the similarities between what are, after all, beverages made from fruit as closely related as red (or blue or purple) and white (or green or golden) grapes?
Prompted by a recent discussion on the subject among several friends communicating with personal computers on the CompuServe Information Service's Wine Forum, I decided to find out by taking the practice of "blind" tasting to its logical extreme.
I usually rate the wines for this column "blind," sampling the week's wine selection from plain, unmarked glasses poured out of my sight.
The point is to ensure that my objectivity is unmarred by prejudice or preconceived ideas. It's easier to be objective if I don't know know which glass contains the $20 boutique wine and which holds the $2.99 jug variety.
It's easy enough to arrange this kind of tasting: All you need is someone to pour the wine. It doesn't matter if you see what's in the glass.
It's a bit more complicated to compare red and white without looking, as a real (if temporary) loss of vision is required. I achieved the effect by asking my wife to wrap a red bandanna around my head.
I used four moderately priced wines - two white and two red - for the test.
I chose two California wines - a red 1981 Inglenook Vineyards Napa Valley Petite Sirah ($5.49) and a white 1985 Gundlach Bundschu Sonoma County (Rhinefarm Vineyards) Gewurztraminer ($6.49) - anticipating that these two wines would display marked characteristics that should be easy to choose.
To mix things up, I added a white 1985 Collavini Grave del Friuli Pinot Grigio from Italy ($5.79) and a red 1983 Premiat Dealul Mare Cabernet Sauvignon from Romania ($2.99), expecting them to be simple, fruity wines that might be more difficult to distinguish without benefit of sight.
The results?
Differences do exist, but they're more subtle than you might expect.
I found it fairly easy to tell the red from the white, but it would have been much more challenging without the benefit of quite a few years' tasting experience. As it was, it wasn't easy pegging all four wines to their specific labels.
Here's a summary of the notes I dictated to a tape recorder during the blind tasting.
Glass No. 1 (the Petite Sirah) was easy. Scents of green olives and black pepper and the mouth-filling, fruity and acidic flavor gave away the grape variety in this gutsy, full-flavored wine, the best wine of the four at a bargain price.
Dry acidity and a hint of oak were the tell-tale signs that Glass No. 3 (the Romanian Cabernet) held the other red wine.
I picked the two remaining glasses as white but misidentified their contents.
Glass No. 2 was obviously white. It could have passed for an inexpensive Rhine wine with a soft, faintly sweet taste. Its musky aroma, reminiscent of overripe canteloupe, wouldn't have been surprising in a Gewurztraminer, but the wine proved to be the Pinot Grigio.
A citrus quality with a faintly bitter aftertaste made clear that Glass No. 4 was white, but, misled by the Italian wine's muskiness, I failed to recognize this wine as "Gewurz;" it lacked the exuberantly spicy quality typical of this flavorful grape in Europe.
It was a useful lesson, and at least I salvaged my ego by correctly identifying all the reds and whites.
STAGE 4
Learning to Taste by Closing Our Eyes
It was Monday morning, and the managing editor approached my desk with a gleam in his eye and what I hope was a smile on his face.
He wasn't waving my Sunday column around, but he might have memorized it.
"I will give you $1,000 if you can really smell and taste all those things you said you found in that wine," he said.
"I hope the check's in the mail," I shot back. "I could use the money."
"Apples and grapes," he harrumphed, ignoring me. "Figs. Coconut. Probably old shoes and wood chips."
About that time his boss strolled by, gave us a look and shook his head.
I think my boss was just kidding. He knows wine himself.
He's got a point, though. The complex aromas and flavors that distinguish fine wine are usually subtle and sometimes almost - but not quite - as elusive as the emperor's legendary new clothes.
It's not hard to learn to recognize these subtleties, but it takes practice, which makes perfect in wine appreciation as it does with just about anything else worth appreciating.
Bordeaux wine maker Alexis Lichine once said the best way to learn wine is by opening bottles.
I'd add that the best way to learn wine quickly and well is by frequently tasting wines "blind," judging comparatively without knowing what's in the glasses until you've made your notes and announced your conclusions.
Nothing concentrates the wine taster's attention quite as intensely as having someone waiting to rib you mercilessly if you can't tell a Chardonnay from a Chenin Blanc.
Gaze under such circumstances at two near-identical glasses of golden Chardonnay, and it won't take long to discern the nuances of gold, bronze and brass, apples, chestnuts, figs and yes, even coconut in the wine.
I rate the wines for this column blind for another reason: Even the most objective judge will be influenced to some degree by knowing what's in the glass. When you're comparing a $20 nectar against a $3 jug wine, it's a lot easier to be honest if you don't know which is which.
It was Monday morning, and the managing editor approached my desk with a gleam in his eye and what I hope was a smile on his face.
He wasn't waving my Sunday column around, but he might have memorized it.
"I will give you $1,000 if you can really smell and taste all those things you said you found in that wine," he said.
"I hope the check's in the mail," I shot back. "I could use the money."
"Apples and grapes," he harrumphed, ignoring me. "Figs. Coconut. Probably old shoes and wood chips."
About that time his boss strolled by, gave us a look and shook his head.
I think my boss was just kidding. He knows wine himself.
He's got a point, though. The complex aromas and flavors that distinguish fine wine are usually subtle and sometimes almost - but not quite - as elusive as the emperor's legendary new clothes.
It's not hard to learn to recognize these subtleties, but it takes practice, which makes perfect in wine appreciation as it does with just about anything else worth appreciating.
Bordeaux wine maker Alexis Lichine once said the best way to learn wine is by opening bottles.
I'd add that the best way to learn wine quickly and well is by frequently tasting wines "blind," judging comparatively without knowing what's in the glasses until you've made your notes and announced your conclusions.
Nothing concentrates the wine taster's attention quite as intensely as having someone waiting to rib you mercilessly if you can't tell a Chardonnay from a Chenin Blanc.
Gaze under such circumstances at two near-identical glasses of golden Chardonnay, and it won't take long to discern the nuances of gold, bronze and brass, apples, chestnuts, figs and yes, even coconut in the wine.
I rate the wines for this column blind for another reason: Even the most objective judge will be influenced to some degree by knowing what's in the glass. When you're comparing a $20 nectar against a $3 jug wine, it's a lot easier to be honest if you don't know which is which.
STAGE 3( HOW TO BE A GOOD WINE SOMMELIAR)
TASTE: More Than Just Swallowing
"Taste" doesn't mean only what we sense with our mouths.
The words also describes the quality of critical discernment, judgment and appreciation that separates most of us from animals at a trough.
We taste the joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat. We savor life and we sample the flavor of an experience.
Scientists tell us that our taste buds can discern only four basic flavors: Sweet, sour, bitter and salty.
What we think of as taste, however, is a much more complex sensory experience that combines what our taste buds tell us with the senses of smell and touch.
Yes, I said touch. The feel of the wine in your mouth, its sense of lightness or weight, a quality that may range from watery-thin to viscous and oily is very much a part of the experience of tasting wine.
Sourness is a fault in wine if it reeks of vinegar, the sign of a spoiled beverage (fortunately, you'll rarely find it nowadays).
In the form of crisp, sharp acidity, however, a sour sensation is a desirable trait, offering a brisk, acidic taste that's as amiable a companion to fish as a squirt of fresh lemon.
A wine with too little acid, on the other hand, may seem mellow at first, but it's bland and uninspiring, lacking the verve to stand up to food.
Sour and sweet tastes are mixed in many California Chardonnays, which at their best are crisp, almost dry, with just enough fresh-fruit sweetness to soften the cutting acidic edge.
Finally, sweet dominates the sour in "late harvest" and other dessert- type wines, in which a penetrating sweetness identifies the style, but the sugar is balanced against sharp acid that keeps the wine from cloying.
"Taste" doesn't mean only what we sense with our mouths.
The words also describes the quality of critical discernment, judgment and appreciation that separates most of us from animals at a trough.
We taste the joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat. We savor life and we sample the flavor of an experience.
Scientists tell us that our taste buds can discern only four basic flavors: Sweet, sour, bitter and salty.
What we think of as taste, however, is a much more complex sensory experience that combines what our taste buds tell us with the senses of smell and touch.
Yes, I said touch. The feel of the wine in your mouth, its sense of lightness or weight, a quality that may range from watery-thin to viscous and oily is very much a part of the experience of tasting wine.
Sourness is a fault in wine if it reeks of vinegar, the sign of a spoiled beverage (fortunately, you'll rarely find it nowadays).
In the form of crisp, sharp acidity, however, a sour sensation is a desirable trait, offering a brisk, acidic taste that's as amiable a companion to fish as a squirt of fresh lemon.
A wine with too little acid, on the other hand, may seem mellow at first, but it's bland and uninspiring, lacking the verve to stand up to food.
Sour and sweet tastes are mixed in many California Chardonnays, which at their best are crisp, almost dry, with just enough fresh-fruit sweetness to soften the cutting acidic edge.
Finally, sweet dominates the sour in "late harvest" and other dessert- type wines, in which a penetrating sweetness identifies the style, but the sugar is balanced against sharp acid that keeps the wine from cloying.
STAGE 2 (HOW TO BE A GOOD WINE SOMMELIAR)
Getting Your Nose Into Wine
Wine doesn't have eyes, ears or teeth, but some say it has a "nose."
I won't say the term is snobbish, but I'd feel uneasy about standing around, glass in hand, chatting about a wine's nose. This one's aquiline, that one's pug, the one over there's had an operation?
For that matter, I'm not too comfortable with the distinction some tasters make between a wine's "aroma," referring to the natural smell it takes from the fruit, and its "bouquet," the complex overtones it may develop with age in the bottle.
Three terms to refer to one sense? It reminds me of the Eskimos, who reportedly have scores of words to define subtleties in snow, from snowball-packing quality to bricks for igloos.
So let's strike a blow for clarity in wine language by agreeing to use plain English here.
I'll talk about how a wine "smells," and if I feel the need for synonyms, I might refer to its aroma or scent. I'll warn you if I find one that stinks.
One thing makes common scents: Smell is important to the wine taster. Much of what we think is taste really comes through our noses. If you don't believe it, try to enjoy a wine - or a meal - the next time you have a bad head cold.
When it comes to smelling, we take a distant second place to dogs and cats. Still, we humans can train our sense of smell, and you don't have to be an expert wine taster to learn to sniff out the differences among wines.
The aroma of Cabernet Sauvignon and the closely related Merlot grape, for example, often reminds me of cedar wood and pine needles mingled with a good fruit smell reminiscent of currants.
Some add hints that wine tasters call "vegetal:" green olives, green peppers, tobacco leaves or grass.
Aging the wine in oak may add touches of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and almonds. Extended bottle aging may lend a toasty quality and impart earthy scents as variable as mushrooms, old leather, roses and wildflowers.
Other grapes have their own trademark aromas: Zinfandel often evokes berries. Pinot Noir, the fine grape of Burgundy, may recall violets and spice. The pungently floral quality of freshly ground black pepper signals Syrah, the French Rhone grape.
Among whites, Chardonnay recalls crisp, ripe apples and may add notes of butter, coconut, figs and other tropical fruits, particularly if it's aged in oak.
Riesling, the queen of German grapes, may evoke apples, too, and sometimes citrus fruit, canteloupe and pine.
Sauvignon Blanc often shows a grassy smell and sometimes grapefruit.
Chenin Blanc reminds me of melons and, occasionally, orange blossoms. A smell of peaches identifies Muscat and Gewurztraminer; the latter may add elusive spice.
Wine doesn't have eyes, ears or teeth, but some say it has a "nose."
I won't say the term is snobbish, but I'd feel uneasy about standing around, glass in hand, chatting about a wine's nose. This one's aquiline, that one's pug, the one over there's had an operation?
For that matter, I'm not too comfortable with the distinction some tasters make between a wine's "aroma," referring to the natural smell it takes from the fruit, and its "bouquet," the complex overtones it may develop with age in the bottle.
Three terms to refer to one sense? It reminds me of the Eskimos, who reportedly have scores of words to define subtleties in snow, from snowball-packing quality to bricks for igloos.
So let's strike a blow for clarity in wine language by agreeing to use plain English here.
I'll talk about how a wine "smells," and if I feel the need for synonyms, I might refer to its aroma or scent. I'll warn you if I find one that stinks.
One thing makes common scents: Smell is important to the wine taster. Much of what we think is taste really comes through our noses. If you don't believe it, try to enjoy a wine - or a meal - the next time you have a bad head cold.
When it comes to smelling, we take a distant second place to dogs and cats. Still, we humans can train our sense of smell, and you don't have to be an expert wine taster to learn to sniff out the differences among wines.
The aroma of Cabernet Sauvignon and the closely related Merlot grape, for example, often reminds me of cedar wood and pine needles mingled with a good fruit smell reminiscent of currants.
Some add hints that wine tasters call "vegetal:" green olives, green peppers, tobacco leaves or grass.
Aging the wine in oak may add touches of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and almonds. Extended bottle aging may lend a toasty quality and impart earthy scents as variable as mushrooms, old leather, roses and wildflowers.
Other grapes have their own trademark aromas: Zinfandel often evokes berries. Pinot Noir, the fine grape of Burgundy, may recall violets and spice. The pungently floral quality of freshly ground black pepper signals Syrah, the French Rhone grape.
Among whites, Chardonnay recalls crisp, ripe apples and may add notes of butter, coconut, figs and other tropical fruits, particularly if it's aged in oak.
Riesling, the queen of German grapes, may evoke apples, too, and sometimes citrus fruit, canteloupe and pine.
Sauvignon Blanc often shows a grassy smell and sometimes grapefruit.
Chenin Blanc reminds me of melons and, occasionally, orange blossoms. A smell of peaches identifies Muscat and Gewurztraminer; the latter may add elusive spice.
STAGES TO BECOME GOOD WINE SOMMELIAR LIKE ME
Introduction: Looking at Wine
What's the point in tasting wine?
This is a reasonable question, if wine evokes for you the image of a wine snob, pinky extended, mouthing fancy talk.
Certainly no similar mystique surrounds Pepsi-Cola, iced tea or milk.
But wine is different.
It's the only beverage I know that appeals to both the senses and the intellect.
If you take the time to look for it, every glass contains a lesson in history, geography, agriculture, botany; sometimes anthropology, religion, psychology and more.
There's no reason to be snobbish about wine, and none to fear it. But it's well worth talking about and sharing with friends. (We call WineLoversPage.com a "snob-free zone" because we avoid taking wine too seriously, and we recommend that you do the same. This stuff is supposed to be fun. You don't have to pass a test to enjoy it, and you needn't learn a new language.
The idea behind wine tasting is as simple as this: Slow down. Relax and take the time to think about what you're drinking and to enjoy it with all your senses. (Well, all except hearing. Nobody listens to wine.)
Examine its color. Is it clear or hazy, transparent or opaque?
Take a deep sniff. Does it smell like fruit? Flowers? Road tar or sweat sox?
Got it? Take a drink. Take two. Swish it around your mouth, sensing not only its taste but its texture and weight. Don't worry about looks; you're enjoying yourself.
Put it all together in your head. Think about where it came from. Sip again and enjoy. You won't get all this out of a Pepsi!
Quick Wine Tasting CourseNext section
What's the point in tasting wine?
This is a reasonable question, if wine evokes for you the image of a wine snob, pinky extended, mouthing fancy talk.
Certainly no similar mystique surrounds Pepsi-Cola, iced tea or milk.
But wine is different.
It's the only beverage I know that appeals to both the senses and the intellect.
If you take the time to look for it, every glass contains a lesson in history, geography, agriculture, botany; sometimes anthropology, religion, psychology and more.
There's no reason to be snobbish about wine, and none to fear it. But it's well worth talking about and sharing with friends. (We call WineLoversPage.com a "snob-free zone" because we avoid taking wine too seriously, and we recommend that you do the same. This stuff is supposed to be fun. You don't have to pass a test to enjoy it, and you needn't learn a new language.
The idea behind wine tasting is as simple as this: Slow down. Relax and take the time to think about what you're drinking and to enjoy it with all your senses. (Well, all except hearing. Nobody listens to wine.)
Examine its color. Is it clear or hazy, transparent or opaque?
Take a deep sniff. Does it smell like fruit? Flowers? Road tar or sweat sox?
Got it? Take a drink. Take two. Swish it around your mouth, sensing not only its taste but its texture and weight. Don't worry about looks; you're enjoying yourself.
Put it all together in your head. Think about where it came from. Sip again and enjoy. You won't get all this out of a Pepsi!
Quick Wine Tasting CourseNext section
AVOID RED BULL COCKTAILS
Red Bull and Vodka
In the cocktail world there are lots of trends. Right now the classic cocktail seems to be on the rise
and the martini craze is slowly slipping into obscurity, thankfully. I hate when people come to the bar and ask; “What kind of martini’s do you have?” I have two, gin or vodka. Usually I’ll guide people away from the martini and into the world of cocktails served in something other than a martini glass. These people are easy because they have an open mind, the hard people are 20 something who think a Red Bull and Vodka is a cocktail and that’s all they drink.
I’ve only worked at bar that served Red Bull. But in this place they worked the kitchen guys so hard we often found a dozen or so empty cans of Red Bull in the cooler. Seems the kitchen staff needed a boost. Pop and coffee, free as it was, wasn’t to their liking it seems. So eventually Red Bull dropped off the list of available mixers. When this happened, the people who ordered a Red Bull and Vodka, and were told we don’t stock Red Bull, looked at us as if we weren’t stocking vodka or we had two heads.
In the time we stocked Red Bull, I’d watch people pound back six or more of these in a couple of hours. Now that’s about 480 mg of caffeine, which is fairly substantial. That’s enough to keep you going for most of the night. If you compared that to six Rum and Cokes, it would provide less than half the caffeine. When you order a double venti non-fat extra-dry cappuccino I’m sure you’re getting a whack of caffeine, but it’s not mixed with vodka, or Taurine.
But, getting people to order something other than a caffeinated alcohol mixture seems to be much harder than a martini seeker. It seems that they can’t enjoy a night without caffeine, let alone alcohol. Throw some illicit drugs into the mix and you sir have a serious problem.
So what’s the big deal? Well as a bartender you want to control the room. Basically you keep an eye out for annoying people and control their consumption. If someone is jacked on caffeine it can add to potential problems. Plus, people who have high caffeine intake tend to feel more sober than they really are. Then there are the potential health risks. The three chemicals in Red Bull, that may pose problems, are caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone. For review purposes, here’s what these additives do:
Caffeine (80 mg) is a chemical that interferes / blocks adenosine, which is a chemical that helps regulate sleep. Basically the caffeine molecule looks very similar to adenosine and fits in the same cell receptors as adenosine. But when caffeine binds to these receptors it doesn’t have the same affect and interferes with the sleep cycle, causing a temporary state of wakefulness.
Taurine (1000 mg) is a nonessential amino acid. This means the body can make this amino acid and you don’t require it from your diet. Taurine is used by the body to regulate the cardiovascular system, production of bile for digestion and is said to act as a mild sedative. This is probably the property the makers of Red Bull are trying to use to counteract the excited state caused by caffeine.
Glucuronolactone (600 mg) is a natural byproduct of glucose metabolism in the liver. It is purported to fight fatigue and provide a sense of well-being. However, it is not a mind altering stimulant.
As it stands now, there have only been a few isolated cases of serious issues with Red Bull, far fewer than those associated with just plain old alcohol. Even so, a few countries have banned the sale of Red Bull, and other drinks of the same ilk. But, the reality is that anything in moderation is probably ok, but when you pound back six or more, you might be pushing your luck. That’s when a bartender needs to keep an eye on you, and that just makes our life that much harder, liabilities and all.
Today, Red Bull seems tame compared to other energy drinks, like Monster, Rockstar, etc. For years people rallied against the use of chemicals in food products, now a whole multi-billion dollar industry has popped up based on the addition of chemicals. This new breed of drink contains all sorts of chemical stuff that theoretically provides a new kind of “high”. One of those ingredients is L-Carnitine, which is a prescription product in Canada, but not so in the US.
Basically, as a bartender we have enough things to watch out for. But aside from over consumption, illegal drugs and prescription drug reactions we need to watch out for the first time drinker being served Red Bull and Vodka. Oh well, we do what we can, but nothing is going to help that hangover, sorry about your luck.
In the cocktail world there are lots of trends. Right now the classic cocktail seems to be on the rise
and the martini craze is slowly slipping into obscurity, thankfully. I hate when people come to the bar and ask; “What kind of martini’s do you have?” I have two, gin or vodka. Usually I’ll guide people away from the martini and into the world of cocktails served in something other than a martini glass. These people are easy because they have an open mind, the hard people are 20 something who think a Red Bull and Vodka is a cocktail and that’s all they drink.I’ve only worked at bar that served Red Bull. But in this place they worked the kitchen guys so hard we often found a dozen or so empty cans of Red Bull in the cooler. Seems the kitchen staff needed a boost. Pop and coffee, free as it was, wasn’t to their liking it seems. So eventually Red Bull dropped off the list of available mixers. When this happened, the people who ordered a Red Bull and Vodka, and were told we don’t stock Red Bull, looked at us as if we weren’t stocking vodka or we had two heads.
In the time we stocked Red Bull, I’d watch people pound back six or more of these in a couple of hours. Now that’s about 480 mg of caffeine, which is fairly substantial. That’s enough to keep you going for most of the night. If you compared that to six Rum and Cokes, it would provide less than half the caffeine. When you order a double venti non-fat extra-dry cappuccino I’m sure you’re getting a whack of caffeine, but it’s not mixed with vodka, or Taurine.
But, getting people to order something other than a caffeinated alcohol mixture seems to be much harder than a martini seeker. It seems that they can’t enjoy a night without caffeine, let alone alcohol. Throw some illicit drugs into the mix and you sir have a serious problem.
So what’s the big deal? Well as a bartender you want to control the room. Basically you keep an eye out for annoying people and control their consumption. If someone is jacked on caffeine it can add to potential problems. Plus, people who have high caffeine intake tend to feel more sober than they really are. Then there are the potential health risks. The three chemicals in Red Bull, that may pose problems, are caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone. For review purposes, here’s what these additives do:
Caffeine (80 mg) is a chemical that interferes / blocks adenosine, which is a chemical that helps regulate sleep. Basically the caffeine molecule looks very similar to adenosine and fits in the same cell receptors as adenosine. But when caffeine binds to these receptors it doesn’t have the same affect and interferes with the sleep cycle, causing a temporary state of wakefulness.
Taurine (1000 mg) is a nonessential amino acid. This means the body can make this amino acid and you don’t require it from your diet. Taurine is used by the body to regulate the cardiovascular system, production of bile for digestion and is said to act as a mild sedative. This is probably the property the makers of Red Bull are trying to use to counteract the excited state caused by caffeine.
Glucuronolactone (600 mg) is a natural byproduct of glucose metabolism in the liver. It is purported to fight fatigue and provide a sense of well-being. However, it is not a mind altering stimulant.
As it stands now, there have only been a few isolated cases of serious issues with Red Bull, far fewer than those associated with just plain old alcohol. Even so, a few countries have banned the sale of Red Bull, and other drinks of the same ilk. But, the reality is that anything in moderation is probably ok, but when you pound back six or more, you might be pushing your luck. That’s when a bartender needs to keep an eye on you, and that just makes our life that much harder, liabilities and all.
Today, Red Bull seems tame compared to other energy drinks, like Monster, Rockstar, etc. For years people rallied against the use of chemicals in food products, now a whole multi-billion dollar industry has popped up based on the addition of chemicals. This new breed of drink contains all sorts of chemical stuff that theoretically provides a new kind of “high”. One of those ingredients is L-Carnitine, which is a prescription product in Canada, but not so in the US.
Basically, as a bartender we have enough things to watch out for. But aside from over consumption, illegal drugs and prescription drug reactions we need to watch out for the first time drinker being served Red Bull and Vodka. Oh well, we do what we can, but nothing is going to help that hangover, sorry about your luck.
Red Bull and Vodka
In the cocktail world there are lots of trends. Right now the classic cocktail seems to be on the rise and the martini craze is slowly slipping into obscurity, thankfully. I hate when people come to the bar and ask; “What kind of martini’s do you have?” I have two, gin or vodka. Usually I’ll guide people away from the martini and into the world of cocktails served in something other than a martini glass. These people are easy because they have an open mind, the hard people are 20 something who think a Red Bull and Vodka is a cocktail and that’s all they drink.
I’ve only worked at bar that served Red Bull. But in this place they worked the kitchen guys so hard we often found a dozen or so empty cans of Red Bull in the cooler. Seems the kitchen staff needed a boost. Pop and coffee, free as it was, wasn’t to their liking it seems. So eventually Red Bull dropped off the list of available mixers. When this happened, the people who ordered a Red Bull and Vodka, and were told we don’t stock Red Bull, looked at us as if we weren’t stocking vodka or we had two heads.
In the time we stocked Red Bull, I’d watch people pound back six or more of these in a couple of hours. Now that’s about 480 mg of caffeine, which is fairly substantial. That’s enough to keep you going for most of the night. If you compared that to six Rum and Cokes, it would provide less than half the caffeine. When you order a double venti non-fat extra-dry cappuccino I’m sure you’re getting a whack of caffeine, but it’s not mixed with vodka, or Taurine.
But, getting people to order something other than a caffeinated alcohol mixture seems to be much harder than a martini seeker. It seems that they can’t enjoy a night without caffeine, let alone alcohol. Throw some illicit drugs into the mix and you sir have a serious problem.
So what’s the big deal? Well as a bartender you want to control the room. Basically you keep an eye out for annoying people and control their consumption. If someone is jacked on caffeine it can add to potential problems. Plus, people who have high caffeine intake tend to feel more sober than they really are. Then there are the potential health risks. The three chemicals in Red Bull, that may pose problems, are caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone. For review purposes, here’s what these additives do:
Caffeine (80 mg) is a chemical that interferes / blocks adenosine, which is a chemical that helps regulate sleep. Basically the caffeine molecule looks very similar to adenosine and fits in the same cell receptors as adenosine. But when caffeine binds to these receptors it doesn’t have the same affect and interferes with the sleep cycle, causing a temporary state of wakefulness.
Taurine (1000 mg) is a nonessential amino acid. This means the body can make this amino acid and you don’t require it from your diet. Taurine is used by the body to regulate the cardiovascular system, production of bile for digestion and is said to act as a mild sedative. This is probably the property the makers of Red Bull are trying to use to counteract the excited state caused by caffeine.
Glucuronolactone (600 mg) is a natural byproduct of glucose metabolism in the liver. It is purported to fight fatigue and provide a sense of well-being. However, it is not a mind altering stimulant.
As it stands now, there have only been a few isolated cases of serious issues with Red Bull, far fewer than those associated with just plain old alcohol. Even so, a few countries have banned the sale of Red Bull, and other drinks of the same ilk. But, the reality is that anything in moderation is probably ok, but when you pound back six or more, you might be pushing your luck. That’s when a bartender needs to keep an eye on you, and that just makes our life that much harder, liabilities and all.
Today, Red Bull seems tame compared to other energy drinks, like Monster, Rockstar, etc. For years people rallied against the use of chemicals in food products, now a whole multi-billion dollar industry has popped up based on the addition of chemicals. This new breed of drink contains all sorts of chemical stuff that theoretically provides a new kind of “high”. One of those ingredients is L-Carnitine, which is a prescription product in Canada, but not so in the US.
Basically, as a bartender we have enough things to watch out for. But aside from over consumption, illegal drugs and prescription drug reactions we need to watch out for the first time drinker being served Red Bull and Vodka. Oh well, we do what we can, but nothing is going to help that hangover, sorry about your luck.
In the cocktail world there are lots of trends. Right now the classic cocktail seems to be on the rise and the martini craze is slowly slipping into obscurity, thankfully. I hate when people come to the bar and ask; “What kind of martini’s do you have?” I have two, gin or vodka. Usually I’ll guide people away from the martini and into the world of cocktails served in something other than a martini glass. These people are easy because they have an open mind, the hard people are 20 something who think a Red Bull and Vodka is a cocktail and that’s all they drink.
I’ve only worked at bar that served Red Bull. But in this place they worked the kitchen guys so hard we often found a dozen or so empty cans of Red Bull in the cooler. Seems the kitchen staff needed a boost. Pop and coffee, free as it was, wasn’t to their liking it seems. So eventually Red Bull dropped off the list of available mixers. When this happened, the people who ordered a Red Bull and Vodka, and were told we don’t stock Red Bull, looked at us as if we weren’t stocking vodka or we had two heads.
In the time we stocked Red Bull, I’d watch people pound back six or more of these in a couple of hours. Now that’s about 480 mg of caffeine, which is fairly substantial. That’s enough to keep you going for most of the night. If you compared that to six Rum and Cokes, it would provide less than half the caffeine. When you order a double venti non-fat extra-dry cappuccino I’m sure you’re getting a whack of caffeine, but it’s not mixed with vodka, or Taurine.
But, getting people to order something other than a caffeinated alcohol mixture seems to be much harder than a martini seeker. It seems that they can’t enjoy a night without caffeine, let alone alcohol. Throw some illicit drugs into the mix and you sir have a serious problem.
So what’s the big deal? Well as a bartender you want to control the room. Basically you keep an eye out for annoying people and control their consumption. If someone is jacked on caffeine it can add to potential problems. Plus, people who have high caffeine intake tend to feel more sober than they really are. Then there are the potential health risks. The three chemicals in Red Bull, that may pose problems, are caffeine, taurine and glucuronolactone. For review purposes, here’s what these additives do:
Caffeine (80 mg) is a chemical that interferes / blocks adenosine, which is a chemical that helps regulate sleep. Basically the caffeine molecule looks very similar to adenosine and fits in the same cell receptors as adenosine. But when caffeine binds to these receptors it doesn’t have the same affect and interferes with the sleep cycle, causing a temporary state of wakefulness.
Taurine (1000 mg) is a nonessential amino acid. This means the body can make this amino acid and you don’t require it from your diet. Taurine is used by the body to regulate the cardiovascular system, production of bile for digestion and is said to act as a mild sedative. This is probably the property the makers of Red Bull are trying to use to counteract the excited state caused by caffeine.
Glucuronolactone (600 mg) is a natural byproduct of glucose metabolism in the liver. It is purported to fight fatigue and provide a sense of well-being. However, it is not a mind altering stimulant.
As it stands now, there have only been a few isolated cases of serious issues with Red Bull, far fewer than those associated with just plain old alcohol. Even so, a few countries have banned the sale of Red Bull, and other drinks of the same ilk. But, the reality is that anything in moderation is probably ok, but when you pound back six or more, you might be pushing your luck. That’s when a bartender needs to keep an eye on you, and that just makes our life that much harder, liabilities and all.
Today, Red Bull seems tame compared to other energy drinks, like Monster, Rockstar, etc. For years people rallied against the use of chemicals in food products, now a whole multi-billion dollar industry has popped up based on the addition of chemicals. This new breed of drink contains all sorts of chemical stuff that theoretically provides a new kind of “high”. One of those ingredients is L-Carnitine, which is a prescription product in Canada, but not so in the US.
Basically, as a bartender we have enough things to watch out for. But aside from over consumption, illegal drugs and prescription drug reactions we need to watch out for the first time drinker being served Red Bull and Vodka. Oh well, we do what we can, but nothing is going to help that hangover, sorry about your luck.
lets try variations in classicals like bloody mary
I’m going to take some of those modifications and apply them to a Bloody Maria, which in itself is a variation of the Bloody Mary.
For those that don’t know, a Bloody Maria is a Bloody Mary made with tequila, instead of vodka. A Red Snapper is gin substituted for the vodka, but with a little historical confusion, more on that in another post.
The variation here will be to substitute the tomato juice with mango puree. For this to work properly you need to get real mango puree, not mango nectar or mango flavour Kool-Aid crystals. The reason for this is that mango puree isn’t excessively sweet and has a similar texture to good tomato juice.
Now, the reasoning behind this variation is that mango’s grow so well in Mexico that combining them with tequila seems like a great idea. Also, mango’s go exceptionally well with hot spices, which is one of the underlying characteristics of a good Bloody Mary / Caesar.
Tequila Maria
1½ oz Tequila
3 oz Mango Puree
3 Dashes Tabasco
2 Dashes Worcestershire
Dash Salt & PepperSqueeze of Lemon Juice
Garnish with a lime.
Instructions: Pack a glass full of ice. In a cocktail shaker combine all the ingredients, add ice and shake. Strain into the glass and garnish with a lime wedge.
If you can find it, try White Wine Worcestershire sauce. One of the waiters I worked with absolutely loved this stuff. He used it in his Caesars and felt it brought the drink to a new level. But if you don’t have it, regular Worcestershire will do. Also, I used white pepper because I don’t like little black flecks floating in my yellow cocktail. I also used green Tabasco (mild) sauce but the regular stuff will work perfectly fine.
So how does it taste you may ask? Well, to me it is very, very good. It has a savoury quality to it and the sweetness of the mango’s is really subdued by the lemon/lime juice, but the mango flavour is very present. The spice from the Tabasco is present without being over powering. Of course if you really like spicy drinks, just up the Tabasco or use one of those "suicide sauces".
The tequila is what really makes the drink though, so don’t skimp and use the cheap stuff. Patron may be a bit pricey for what it is, but it is still a good tequila and works very well in this drink. It provides its own spicy touch that works amazingly well with the mango.
The Tequila Maria isn’t perfect, but as a simple variation on a standard drink, it is pretty good. But then again, I’m not a huge fan of tomato based cocktails, so working with something I like is a great way to vary recipes.
This months edition is being hosted at Jimmy’s Cocktail Hour, so check go over and check out the summary. I suspect I know where this topic came from when Jimmy and I crosses a quantum instance where we had the same idea for a variation of a drink. See the Bergeron Cocktail
For those that don’t know, a Bloody Maria is a Bloody Mary made with tequila, instead of vodka. A Red Snapper is gin substituted for the vodka, but with a little historical confusion, more on that in another post.
The variation here will be to substitute the tomato juice with mango puree. For this to work properly you need to get real mango puree, not mango nectar or mango flavour Kool-Aid crystals. The reason for this is that mango puree isn’t excessively sweet and has a similar texture to good tomato juice.
Now, the reasoning behind this variation is that mango’s grow so well in Mexico that combining them with tequila seems like a great idea. Also, mango’s go exceptionally well with hot spices, which is one of the underlying characteristics of a good Bloody Mary / Caesar.
Tequila Maria
1½ oz Tequila
3 oz Mango Puree
3 Dashes Tabasco
2 Dashes Worcestershire
Dash Salt & PepperSqueeze of Lemon Juice
Garnish with a lime.
Instructions: Pack a glass full of ice. In a cocktail shaker combine all the ingredients, add ice and shake. Strain into the glass and garnish with a lime wedge.
If you can find it, try White Wine Worcestershire sauce. One of the waiters I worked with absolutely loved this stuff. He used it in his Caesars and felt it brought the drink to a new level. But if you don’t have it, regular Worcestershire will do. Also, I used white pepper because I don’t like little black flecks floating in my yellow cocktail. I also used green Tabasco (mild) sauce but the regular stuff will work perfectly fine.
So how does it taste you may ask? Well, to me it is very, very good. It has a savoury quality to it and the sweetness of the mango’s is really subdued by the lemon/lime juice, but the mango flavour is very present. The spice from the Tabasco is present without being over powering. Of course if you really like spicy drinks, just up the Tabasco or use one of those "suicide sauces".
The tequila is what really makes the drink though, so don’t skimp and use the cheap stuff. Patron may be a bit pricey for what it is, but it is still a good tequila and works very well in this drink. It provides its own spicy touch that works amazingly well with the mango.
The Tequila Maria isn’t perfect, but as a simple variation on a standard drink, it is pretty good. But then again, I’m not a huge fan of tomato based cocktails, so working with something I like is a great way to vary recipes.
This months edition is being hosted at Jimmy’s Cocktail Hour, so check go over and check out the summary. I suspect I know where this topic came from when Jimmy and I crosses a quantum instance where we had the same idea for a variation of a drink. See the Bergeron Cocktail
RUM
This months topic is rum, which is a spirit I very much enjoy. I have a fairly decent collection of rum and most of it is purchased based on reviews, curiosity or recommendations. To celebrate Mixology Monday I decided to add another bottle of rum to my collection, and this time it falls under the “curiosity” category. Why, you may ask? Well, because the 2008 San Francisco Spirits Competition picked it as a gold medal winner in the dark rum category. “Big deal” you say, “everything wins a medal in San Francisco”. But this time it was a rum I’ve passed by many times, never giving it a second thought, but with that gold medal, they at least increased their sales by one bottle.
For the curious, the rum is Lamb’s Navy, a British classic, fermented around the Caribbean, and in this case, blended and bottled in Canada. It costs about $22 per bottle and doesn’t really standout on the shelf with its rather angular looking bottle from 1972. But I’ve always noticed it, just never had a reason to buy it. But I was curious to find out why it was a gold medal winner.
But we won’t be discovering that today, because I’m actually doing a highballesque drink for Mixology Monday. Sure, a rum review would have sufficed or maybe Dark n’ Stormy would be a great choice, but I think a few people picked that already. Rum and Coke has been done, Rum & Seven is a bit boring for me, so I’m doing something new.
It just happens that Loblaws, a large Canadian grocery store, releases a bunch of seasonal products every year, under the President’s Choice brand, and for the most part they are pretty good. Rob Mifsud at Hungry in Hogtown has written a few posts on these products and would probably concur that the PC brand does aim for quality, or at least unique flavour.
One of the summer releases is President’s Choice Naturally Flavoured Lychee Sparkling Soda, basically Lychee flavoured pop / soda. Of course curiosity insists that I try to make a drink from it, and since I have a new bottle of Lamb’s Navy Rum, I thought that I would try them together.
This highball is pretty simple and required the following:
1½ oz Dark Rum
4 oz Lychee Pop
¼ oz LIME JUICE
Apple Wedge
Instructions: Fill a 12oz highball glass with ice and add rum, pop and lime juice. Garnish with an apple slice.
This drink follows the Rum and Seven principal but comes out very different. Obviously there is a lot of tropic tones to this drink with lychee being predominant, but a strong mango flavour seems to appear out of nowhere. The rum is a perfect compliment and doesn’t really stand out on its own, it just plays well with the other flavours. The lime makes the drink a bit more refreshing and the apple is a perfect compliment to the lychee. Really, mix up some lychee and apples and you’ll understand. Plus the apple adds a little colour.
This is one of those drinks that you could really enjoy on a brutally hot summers day. It won’t even challenge you manhood because it just looks like a plain old highball. If you need something tropical, try this out. You should be able to find lychee soda in some Asian grocery stores.
This month it is being hosted by Trader Tiki, so when you are done reading here, head on over to read the summary.
For the curious, the rum is Lamb’s Navy, a British classic, fermented around the Caribbean, and in this case, blended and bottled in Canada. It costs about $22 per bottle and doesn’t really standout on the shelf with its rather angular looking bottle from 1972. But I’ve always noticed it, just never had a reason to buy it. But I was curious to find out why it was a gold medal winner.
But we won’t be discovering that today, because I’m actually doing a highballesque drink for Mixology Monday. Sure, a rum review would have sufficed or maybe Dark n’ Stormy would be a great choice, but I think a few people picked that already. Rum and Coke has been done, Rum & Seven is a bit boring for me, so I’m doing something new.
It just happens that Loblaws, a large Canadian grocery store, releases a bunch of seasonal products every year, under the President’s Choice brand, and for the most part they are pretty good. Rob Mifsud at Hungry in Hogtown has written a few posts on these products and would probably concur that the PC brand does aim for quality, or at least unique flavour.
One of the summer releases is President’s Choice Naturally Flavoured Lychee Sparkling Soda, basically Lychee flavoured pop / soda. Of course curiosity insists that I try to make a drink from it, and since I have a new bottle of Lamb’s Navy Rum, I thought that I would try them together.
This highball is pretty simple and required the following:
1½ oz Dark Rum
4 oz Lychee Pop
¼ oz LIME JUICE
Apple Wedge
Instructions: Fill a 12oz highball glass with ice and add rum, pop and lime juice. Garnish with an apple slice.
This drink follows the Rum and Seven principal but comes out very different. Obviously there is a lot of tropic tones to this drink with lychee being predominant, but a strong mango flavour seems to appear out of nowhere. The rum is a perfect compliment and doesn’t really stand out on its own, it just plays well with the other flavours. The lime makes the drink a bit more refreshing and the apple is a perfect compliment to the lychee. Really, mix up some lychee and apples and you’ll understand. Plus the apple adds a little colour.
This is one of those drinks that you could really enjoy on a brutally hot summers day. It won’t even challenge you manhood because it just looks like a plain old highball. If you need something tropical, try this out. You should be able to find lychee soda in some Asian grocery stores.
This month it is being hosted by Trader Tiki, so when you are done reading here, head on over to read the summary.
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