Cocktails, where and what?

*Tripper*

As its comming into summer now I think its time to start knocking back the cocktails!!

I'm gonna invest in a cocktail shaker, does anyone know anywhere in Dublin city that sells them and also a measure to?

What do you think is essential in your bar? Vodka, whisky, tequila, rum?

And to finish what are you favourite cocktail reicipies?

Nevyn

Most shakers have a measure on the side of them and they come in 3 parts with the top of the lid being a measure shot.

All rooms sell them as to most good homeware stores/ kitchen department.

happy_acid_face

Some off licences will have packs with all the nessesary equipment. McHughs have a kettle one vodka pack with vodka, shaker and "How to" DVD

Depending on what drink your making all off them and more will be nessesary. Don't forget liquers like tripel sec and cassis will be needed too...

rubadub

Lots of places have promotions, you could get a nice clear glass finlandia shaker a while back, free with a 700ml bottle.

Forget the tequila, just diluting a drink most people find vile, and real tequila lovers would not want it sullied.

Whiskey is also not advisable for cocktails- except for true whiskey lovers of course.

If you want them to taste nice and allow the taste of the juices to come through more get some neutral vodkas. Skyy (expensive but my fav as it is very neutral), any of the flavoured absoluts are neutral (normal absolut is not a neutral vodka but good all the same). Blue curacao is nice colour and taste. malibu is popular but I would go for Bols coconut, bols anything! ice, frozen fruit, M&S pressed pineapple juice (best mixer ever!) Cointreau is a favourite too, it seems expensive but it is 40% so to dear in comparison to the 20% crowd.

Blisterman

I gotta disagree with what you said about tequila. There are plenty of good cocktails with tequila.
Margarita
Tequila Sunrise
Long Island Ice tea
etc

Most of them are usually made with silver, rather than gold tequila.

mikeruurds

Where: Couples Swept Away, Negril, Jamaica
What: Dirty Banana

Sorry... couldn't help myself.

Mike

Frankiestylee

Coming up to the Summer you'll find loads of companies giving away free cocktail shakers. Someone mentioned the Finlandia one, there's also usually a bacardi one from time to time etc. Have a look around and you'll probably find a shaker free with something.

A nice cocktail I made in bulk last time I threw a shindig was a Honolulu Juicer: I can't remember it exactly but it was southern comfort, dark rum, small bit of lime juice, small bit of lemon juice and a load of pineapple juice, pineapple chunks and some sugar. It was quite nice but some people who were used to the typically watered down pub fair were a little bit blown away by the strength. Tasty though.

Mr Magnolia

*Tripper* wrote:

And to finish what are you favourite cocktail reicipies?

One of my favourites is the Cosmopolitan, I use:

2 parts Vodka
1 part Bols Triple Sec
Juice of half a lime
Dash of cranberry juice


I also ball some gala mellon and add it, finishes it off perfectly

rubadub

Blisterman wrote:

I gotta disagree with what you said about tequila. There are plenty of good cocktails with tequila.
Margarita
Tequila Sunrise
Long Island Ice tea
etc

Most of them are usually made with silver, rather than gold tequila.

Fair enough. If you like it go for it. I dont like any of those. The OP listed "Vodka, whisky, tequila, rum?"
if you wanted a set of drinks for a summers day drinking then I would only have vodka out of those, and the rest liquers. I could see an average group of drinkers preferring a pina colada than a long island ice tea.

Maybe depends on peoples idea of a cocktail- is it just a mixture of spirits or a "holiday" drink in a big glass with fruit & unmbrellas.

Dark rum mixed with white rum is a "cocktail" that I like, but many would not consider it a real cocktail.

Frankiestylee

Ah hear, for Summer drinking it's all about the rum cocktails! No way can you discount it like that, sure most of the great Summer/caribeann cocktails are all about the rum. Look at where the spirits are from... I wouldn't expect there to be a lot of classic tropical cocktails with Irish whiskey for example.

rubadub

Frankiestylee wrote:

Ah hear, for Summer drinking it's all about the rum cocktails! No way can you discount it like that, sure most of the great Summer/caribeann cocktails are all about the rum.

Dunno if you were referring to me talking about my white rum & dark rum "cocktail". I was talking of drinking shots of dark & white rum, no mixers or anything, technically it is a cocktail, but not what the majority of people think of a cocktail as.

I love my rum (even make my own), mixed or straight or in fruit cocktails. But many people want just want neutral spirits in fruity drinks. If you surveyed 100 people who dont drink too much I would expect many would prefer a neutral vodka based fruity cocktail than a rum based one. Just like the same 100 people would probably prefer heineken over a decent pint of erdinger.

oblivious

rubadub wrote:

I love my rum (even make my own), mixed or straight or in fruit cocktails. But many people want just want neutral spirits in fruity drinks. If you surveyed 100 people who dont drink too much I would expect many would prefer a neutral vodka based fruity cocktail than a rum based one. Just like the same 100 people would probably prefer heineken over a decent pint of erdinger.

It’s some times referred to as the Coca Cola effect, over the last 80 years of so society pallets have become biased towards sweet mono flavour drinks, in part due to the proliferation of soft drink like the one mentioned.

ferdi

rubadub wrote:

Forget the tequila, just diluting a drink most people find vile, and real tequila lovers would not want it sullied.

rubbish.
i love tequila in cocktails or nekkid. gold tequila please!

Frankiestylee

No, I was referring to "if you wanted a set of drinks for a summers day drinking then I would only have vodka out of those, and the rest liquers" ...

I'd forgotten about this thread til now, but I went into work and found a classic tropical cocktail recipe book .... over half were various rums. If I think about it tomorrow I'll bring it home and throw some up. Some lovely stuff in it.

garthv

www.sauceguide.com

I worked in a cocktail bar for two years, Sauce Guide is the most comprehensive cocktail book going. I know its a bit dear but trust me, you will not get a better book on cocktails.

dereko1969

PIMMS NO.1 - great summer drink with red lemonade and sprigs of mint. Also can be used with vodka or cointreau to make it stronger.

Magic Monkey

Aldi are doing a Cocktail Starter Kit for €10.99 this Thursday 31st, here