Everyone’s got to start somewhere, so when I had the chance to ambush the whiskey buyer for my local liquor store, whiskey for beginners was on my mind. Frankly walking down the aisles with hundreds of choices felt pretty overwhelming, but Steve Brown from Canal’s Liquor Store in Mt.… Read More ...

Cocktail Garnishes: The Basics
A delicious cocktail is a beautiful thing, but an attractive one is something special. Adding visual interest and even a touch of style, cocktail garnishes are a standard component to most mixed drinks. In this post I’ll cover basic cocktail garnishes to help you take your drinks up a notch at your next home happy hour.… Read More ...

Classic Cocktails with a Twist: The Whiskey Sour
One of the best things about classic cocktails is their basic simplicity. For all the complexities, experiments and outright abuse that modern mixologists may put them through, these simple drinks still have a wonderful balance and depth of flavor. But better yet, classic cocktails are incredibly versatile and in this post I’m going to show you how to make a Whiskey Sour and its delicious cousin the Ginger Tea Sour.… Read More ...

Cracked Ice: It’s All Technique
Understandably the ice cube is the first option for chilling cocktails for most aspiring home bartenders, but I’m here to tell you that in some cases that would be a big mistake. Sure liberating a few cubes from that antique you call an ice tray is easy, but cracked ice is often the best option
As I explained in my previous post Cocktail Ice: 3 Basic Types, ice is much more important than simply chilling spirits; it also impacts the flavor, mouthfeel, strength and the appearance of your cocktails.… Read More ...

Easy Summer Cocktails: The Paloma
It’s mid July in Philadelphia and every time I walk outside it feels like I’m breathing pudding. Refreshment can he hard to come by, but thankfully I’ve found an easy summer cocktail that’ll make a tequila fan out of almost everyone: The Paloma.… Read More ...