Bitters, Gins and Vermouths

enda1

I don't fully know why, but for me these three classes of alcoholic drinks are just suited to each other.

For bitters, I just love throwing a splash of Aperol into my cheap prosecco, having a Campari on the rocks, or even a sipping amaro.

Gin is the go-to spirit. Perfect with tonic in the classic GnT but equally as suited to soda and lemon in a gin fizz. My go-to gin would be Bombay Saphire. After trying so many gins, from the usual ones Cork, Gordons, Beefeater to the more upscale Sipsmith, Hendricks, even Dingle - I just come back to Bombay every time.

Vermouth. Here I'm only really starting to discover. I love using vermouth's as mixers in Americanos or Negronis. I need to expand it's application though. In particular when I was in Madrid I used to have it on "draught"! It was fantastic and I must find a way to replicate the experience.

So enough waffle - anyone got any tips for me? Hints on nice gins, ways to sue amaros and vermouths? I'd love to hear.

And share your love for the holy trinity of drinks!

syklops

Slightly different. My go-to spirit is whiskey, and my favourite cocktail is a Manhattan. Bourbon, red vermouth and white vermouth, ice, cherry. There is nothing better on this earth.

enda1

syklops wrote: »

Slightly different. My go-to spirit is whiskey, and my favourite cocktail is a Manhattan. Bourbon, red vermouth and white vermouth, ice, cherry. There is nothing better on this earth.

There's about a million threads for ye :P

But you're allowed in for the vermouth reference.
That's far too much hassle for a "make at home" cocktail though.

I'm thinking of the arrive home after a long days work - aperitif side of things!

syklops

enda1 wrote: »

That's far too much hassle for a "make at home" cocktail though.

3 ingredients is too much hassle?

enda1

syklops wrote: »

3 ingredients is too much hassle?

Nah you're right. I must have read wrong
For some reason I thought there was more to it.
I'll endeavour to make one so.

What type of cherry? Is that the glacéd type or maraschino or what?

the beer revolu

Rogue (who make mostly over rated beer) have made a spruce gin.
It's way too expensive but is worth a shot if you can find a bar with it.
Bierhaus in Cork have it and I'd say MUlligan's and Kavanagh's in Dublin have it.
I had a very nice house infused gin in Kavanagh's a few months ago, too.

Lately, at home, instead of G&Ts we've been mixing the gin with elderflower cordial and sparkling water. Yummm.:D

syklops

enda1 wrote: »

Nah you're right. I must have read wrong
For some reason I thought there was more to it.
I'll endeavour to make one so.

What type of cherry? Is that the glacéd type or maraschino or what?

Maraschino. The cherry is optional, but if you're going to the hassle...

The Hill Billy

On the gin front - I heard quite a few people raving about Monkey 47 gin. However, when I tried it some time ago I found it way, way over the top on the botanicals. It was like drinking a liquid equivalent of the perfume counter in Brown Thomas.

I have to say that I love Hendricks with lots of ice, just a splash of tonic, a slice of cucumber & some cracked black pepper.

A mate of mine runs a cocktail bar here in Bern & has been experimenting with all manner of flavoured bitters recently - the rhubarb & cherry were superb. We had great fun testing them.

MadsL

Big fan of Hendricks gin. Although I am sceptical about how much of this they produce for 'small batch' gin, it seems to be everywhere.

Damn tasty gin.

As for vodkas I just found an amazing Texas small batch vodka that I am drinking too much of as a dirty Martini. Tito's handmade from Austin, Texas, although again, it is stupidly successful.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2013/06/26/haunted-spirits-the-troubling-success-of-titos-handmade-vodka/

oblivious

the beer revolu wrote: »

Rogue (who make mostly over rated beer) have made a spruce gin.
It's way too expensive but is worth a shot if you can find a bar with it.
Bierhaus in Cork have it and I'd say MUlligan's and Kavanagh's in Dublin have it.
I had a very nice house infused gin in Kavanagh's a few months ago, too.

There beer is fantastic when fresh on keg, have some fabulous beers in the north beach SF bar, not a big fan of the bottle beers.

schemingbohemia

Anyone seen Fever Tree tonic water around in Dublin? Tesco only seem to get it in at C*****mas, I got some up North recently but went through it too quickly!

enda1

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Anyone seen Fever Tree tonic water around in Dublin? Tesco only seem to get it in at C*****mas, I got some up North recently but went through it too quickly!

I know the Celtic Whiskey Shop have either Fentiman's or Fever Tree though I think it's Fever Tree.

dub_skav

Seagram's would be my favourite Gin, closely followed by Tanqueray.
I'm far from a connoisseur though and will bow to other's expertise.
On the cheap end I'd go Gordon's

Refreshing drink wise, a gin and grapefruit juice has a nice kick, but I suppose the grapefruit could be considered a waste of a good gin

Mince Pie

If you love Gin then I highly recommend a trip to Liverpool to The Belvedere and its infamous Ginnasium. I go quite frequently and no trip is complete with a refreshing G&T there.
All G&Ts are served with Fever Tree Tonic and there are so many Gins to choose from that I constantly forget which ones I've tried. More of an excuse to try a few though.
They are served with a twist and floating juniper berries.

https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/996922_10151477457416735_1688275610_n.jpg

Thats a picture of a small selection of the Gins on offer. They are also making their own which wasn't available last time I was there but fully expect to try it tomorrow.

schemingbohemia

enda1 wrote: »

I know the Celtic Whiskey Shop have either Fentiman's or Fever Tree though I think it's Fever Tree.

Thanks, saw the small bottles of Fever Tree in Redmonds in Ranelagh, €1.39 a bottle, think I'll wait on somewhere that has the large 500ml bottles or until I'm up North again.

syklops

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Thanks, saw the small bottles of Fever Tree in Redmonds in Ranelagh, €1.39 a bottle, think I'll wait on somewhere that has the large 500ml bottles or until I'm up North again.

If you're only having the occasional G&T, the small bottles make more sense as the tonic doesn't go flat.

enda1

syklops wrote: »

If you're only having the occasional G&T, the small bottles make more sense as the tonic doesn't go flat.

Similar. I'd never buy a large bottle of tonic. There's nothing worse than flat tonic, takes all the joy out of the drink.

enda1

O'Brien's also sell the small bottles. 4-pack for €5.99 so almost €1.50 per bottle - a touch dear all right.

schemingbohemia

syklops wrote: »

If you're only having the occasional G&T, the small bottles make more sense as the tonic doesn't go flat.

enda1 wrote: »

Similar. I'd never buy a large bottle of tonic. There's nothing worse than flat tonic, takes all the joy out of the drink.

Well, I'm not that frequent a drinker of G&Ts so it would be only when I've visitors over and we were both drinking them and 1 large bottle would do maybe 4/6 large G&Ts.

If I was drinking on my own, I'd agree the small bottles would be better then.