If there’s a class that I could teach in my sleep it would be Drinking Bourbon for Beginners. As someone converting cocktail drinkers to whiskey lovers every day, it’s a passion of mine. Around any major holiday, I get emails and messages from non-whiskey drinkers asking for help selecting a bourbon or answering basic questions. […]
How-To
Easy Hot Toddy Warms All Your Toes
If you’re feeling under the weather, or just need a warm comforting tipple, this easy hot toddy is your cold cure for what ails you. Growing up near Louisville, Kentucky, I learned early on the powerful healing benefits of a hot toddy. That little bit of citrus, the soothing taste of the honey, and the […]
How to Make Jam Cocktails
One of the easiest ways to add a boost of fruit flavor to your next cocktail is to use a little jam or preserves to make a jam cocktail. Running out of simple syrup or flavored syrups doesn’t have to be a tragedy in the house. Simply use some jam or preserves to add that […]
DIY Champagne Cocktail Kit
Why gift someone a bottle of Champagne when you can give them a DIY Champagne cocktail kit to make their own celebratory cocktails? When it was time for a socially distant New Year’s Eve celebration, I wanted to put together a little gift/kit for my friends I’d usually be spending the evening with. Creating a […]
How to Buy a Bourbon Gift When You Don’t Drink Bourbon – Bourbon Gift Guide
It’s that time of year when every whiskey enthusiast starts getting frantic emails and messages, “My Mom (Dad, Uncle, Best Friend, Niece, etc.) loves bourbon and I want to get them a bottle they’ll love. Where can I buy a bottle of Pappy (Blantons, Weller, Henry McKenna, Antique Collection, Parker’s Heritage, Michter’s 20, Birthday Bourbon, […]
How to Make the Best Sazerac Cocktail
The classic Sazerac cocktail is a close cousin to the Old Fashioned. Made of rye whiskey, Peychaud’s bitters, sugar, and that licorice-flavored rinse of absinthe, it’s a celebration of all things New Orleans. The best Sazeracs include selection of a great rye whiskey as the base spirit, the type of sugar/sweetener used, the perfect amount […]
How to Make Ginger Beer at Home
Guest Post by Advanced Mixology Ginger Beer – the perfect addition to any cocktail, infusing your taste buds with the right amount of spice. It’s a naturally carbonated beverage with a flavor profile that’s both tangy and smooth, making it a worthy staple in your home bar. Not to mention, ginger is a source of […]
Stop Everything and Make this Cookie-Infused Bourbon
Cookie-infused bourbon is your next favorite cocktail ingredient. Bourbon is a beautiful thing. With nothing added to it you can get rich vanilla, caramel, and spice notes. Often fruits and nuts come out if you nose it and sip it slowly. Why mess with perfection? Here’s why: infusing whiskey with cookies is one of the […]
All About Simple Syrups
One of the easiest and fastest ways to create unique and creative cocktails is to master the art of the simple syrup. It’s endlessly creative, inexpensive and adds a bevy of flavor and aroma profiles to your cocktails. Making winter simple syrups is a bit addictive for me. All my favorite spices, an endless combination […]
How to Make Your Boulevardier Cocktail Perfect
The more I play with bitter elements, the more I love bitter Amari, especially when they take their place at the table for a classic like the whiskey Boulevardier cocktail. Served on the rocks with an orange peel expressed over the top, it’s a complex cocktail with layers of flavor from the heat of the […]
Best Ice for Cocktails at Home
We’re here to talk about cocktail ice, but as a whiskey drinker, the important of ice and water has been drilled into me from the first sip. While many whiskey snobs poo-poo adding anything to their whiskey, the fact is any non-barrel proof whiskey has water added to it. As have many non-wine spirits. The […]
How to Infuse Campari for Cocktails
It’s Negroni Week so I’m deep in the woods with Campari and other red apertifs this week. The basic ratio and recipe of the Negroni make it an easy cocktail to play with. But what if you played with one of the basic ingredients that make it so distinctive? What if you played with the […]
5 Best Bourbons for Cocktails at Home
Let’s talk about the best bourbons for cocktails at home. As a self-professed whiskey enthusiast and cocktail nerd, I spend much of my time researching, playing with, and creating bourbon cocktails. The number of whiskies and bourbons available now on the market can be utterly intimidating to someone new to bourbon cocktails or whiskey tipples. […]
Best Manhattan Variations
For a cocktail as popular as the Manhattan there are probably hundreds of variations, if not more. A few have made it into the standard cocktail canon. If you’ve mastered the classic Manhattan, or you want to branch out into variations of the Manhattan cocktail, here are a few cocktails to start with. (Post may […]
How to Make a Classic Manhattan Cocktail
The Classic Bourbon Manhattan cocktail sits at the top of the bourbon cocktail hierarchy. A great Manhattan carries the sweetness and the high proof heat of the whiskey with all of its complexities and adds a bit of the infusion of flavors from a vermouth. A few dashes of bitters tame the collective sweetness from […]
How to Make Your Own Riff on a Mint Julep
Create your own riff with this primer on creating your own mint julep variations. Release your inner mixologist and play with the simplicity of the julep.