Cocktail Hacker

I’ve finally updated the cocktail recipe cheat sheets. There are now eight and they include all the cocktails I’ve featured on the site.

I’ve been thinking about creating another page that includes a stripped down recipe for each cocktail and a link to the page. Another option would be PDFs of the same. I’m thinking alphabetized, one line per cocktail, ingredients only. Chime in and let me know what you think.

Would you be interested in condensed recipe guides?customer surveys

I’m not dead, I swear to you. Things have been a bit hectic the last few weeks and I haven’t had time to mix up many cocktails. That said, I will be back mixing in the coming weeks. I’ve got a couple more reviews coming your way this week and the drinks will continue flowing the following. Drink well, my friends.

I’m a data nerd; I love reading about interesting statistics and how they compare across the world. And, being said data nerd, one of the trends that I really like is the rise of well made infographics. They have the ability to convey a tremendous amount of information in a small, easily digestible package. On that note, earlier this week I stumbled across some great cocktail infographics by artist Fabio Rex.

While this isn’t exactly something brand new (I posted about the Engineer’s Guide to Drinks before) they are really well done and visually stunning. Take a look at Fabio’s full set on Flickr. In looking through his other pictures I found a picture of Fabio holding a printed version of his Perfect Mojito. I’m really hoping he’ll have these available for sale at some point in the future. I’d love to put one up in my kitchen.

Given an infinite amount of money, or even a very large finite amount, I would own this bag in an instant. A collaboration between mixologist Jim Meehan of PDT in New York and Moore & Giles, this bag is the bartender’s equivalent of the old timey doctor’s bag. Made of quality materials with serious attention to detail, it’s sufficient to say that I want it. Lust might be a better word though.

[Moore & Giles via CoolThings via The Awesomer via Gizmodo]

I’m willing to bet that almost all of you are doing something festive for New Year’s Eve, even if that means staying warm and dry at home watching the ball drop. No matter your plans I’d be willing to place a second bet that they’d be made better with some tasty cocktail accompaniment. For me, plans include a small party at my house, some tasty food, good friends and, of course, solid cocktails. Here’s what’s on my menu:

French 75 – Appropriately named after a French WWI cannon, this drink has some solid punch and a great flavor.

Kir Royale – Gorgeous color and mild flavors make this one a definite. You can sub out the creme de cassis for any liqueur you like to change up the flavor profile.

Violet Fizz – From The Bubbly Bar, this drink combines elements of the Kir Royale and the French 75 resulting in a nice floral flavor combined with crisp citrus.

Bellini – I’ll have the stuff on hand for my “cheater” Bellini. They’re tasty and not overly potent.

Mimosa – Same thought as above, mellow and approachable. I’ll be tweaking this one with a bit of orange flower water or orange bitters this time for a bit of depth.

Champagne Cocktail – This isn’t one of my all time favorites, but it is a true classic, so it makes the list.

You can also spice up a number of standard cocktails by topping them with champagne. Some of my favorites are the Margarita, Daiquiri and Cosmopolitan. The bubbly gives each of them a sparkly twist that really works well with the sweet flavors.

Finally, I’ll leave you with a link to a post I did last year on researching and selecting a tasty sparkling wine for your festivities. In addition to the recommendations I give in that post I will add Korbel Natural. Quite tasty and at the lower end of the price range.

Enjoy your holiday, all and I’ll catch up with you in 2011!