Drinks from the Weekend: July 14

This Saturday we went back to Range after quite some time. The fact that the bartenders remembered us and our drinking habits reminded me of why I love this place.

Drink Menu at Range.

Lima Llama: Encanto Pisco, blackberries, mint, egg white, lime.

My first drink of the night was the Lima Llama. This drink was slightly sweet and very tasty. The ingredients were well-balanced with none being too prominent--which was probably an effect of the egg white.

New Trick: Pueblo Viejo Tequila, grapefruit, Canton Ginger, Aperol, lime.

Next, I had the New Trick. The dominant flavors were the Aperol and grapefruit, which made the drink very bitter. I did not like this drink initially, but the flavors did eventually even out and the drink grew on me.

Dessert Menu at Range.

Root Float: Root, Averna, cream, vanilla, soda.

My last drink of the night was the Root Float off of the dessert menu. This drink was awesome; it tasted just like a root beer float and didn't have too much alcohol taste to ruin it. It wasn't as creamy as a real root beer float, but was still very enjoyable.

Drinks from the Weekday: July 12

Today we had dinner and of course drinks at San Pedro Square Market.

Drink Menu at San Pedro Square Market Bar.

The Smash: Dewar's Scotch, Disaronno, muddled fresh raspberries and basil, fresh-squeezed lime juice.

The first drink of the night was The Smash which had a feel of a sweeter and more refreshing Old Fashioned. There was only a slight taste of the scotch, so if you are a scotch drinker, this is not the drink for you. The strongest flavor was the raspberries with the lime and scotch just coming through. This was perfect for a warm day in San Jose.

Dark and Stormy: Baccardi Dark Rum, Ginger Beer, and fresh-squeezed lime juice.

Next was a Dark and Stormy--a fairly standard bar drink. If you like ginger, you would like this drink. This drink was fairly strong and had a good amount of bite from the ginger beer. I felt it improved as the ice melted.

Make a Drink: French 75

French 75.

Another classic drink, the French 75, is a light and refreshing drink that hides the alcohol well. The strongest flavor is the champagne, so I would chose one that is sweet and of good quality. I used a prosecco and it did not appear to be sweet enough for my taste.


Ingredients:

4.0 oz champagne
1.0 oz london gin
0.5 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz lemon juice

Procedure:

Combine all the ingredients in a collins glass with ice and stir.

Enjoy!

Drinks from the Weekend: July 6

The first drink of the night was a Hangar One Blueberry and tonic at San Pedro Square Market. Sorry, I didn't take a picture of it, but it looks like a clear drink in an old fashioned glass. I think I have decided that this is my new favorite flavored-vodka, although I'll hold-off on that decision until I try it straight. The Hangar One Blueberry and tonic has a very smooth and light blueberry flavor, with no syrup feel that is present in most flavored vodkas.

Drink Menu at Hedley Club.

Almalfi: Buffalo Trace Bourbon, lemon juice, Galliano, orgreat syrup, club soda.

My second drink was an Almalfi at Hedley Club. My first thought when sipping this drink was that it would be a great introduction to bourbon to the non-bourbon drinker. The taste was light but still allowed the complex flavors of bourbon come through in a more controlled manner. But after I was about a quarter of the way through, I realized it was getting sweeter. This probably meant that the syrup was sinking to the bottom and that this drink needed to be stirred to keep it consistent. By the end, it was very sweet and I was no longer a fan. I may need to try this again--next time with constant stirring.

Hemingway: Banks rum, lime, grapefruit juice, Luxardo marachino liqueur.

My last drink was a Hemingway. This time there was no separation and I enjoyed this one a lot more. I felt the ingredients were mixed very well in this drink. There wasn't one ingredient that stood out as too strong. The taste was light and slightly sweet. I also felt a slight bitterness from the grapefruit that was present. 

Drinks from the Weekday: July 4

Drink Menu at Consuelo.

Margarita Consuelo: Agavales Tequila, fresh lime juice, and sugar.
(not pictured) Margarita Jimador: Jimador Blanco, sea salt, herbs, and earthy peppery agave.

Today, we went to Consuelo Mexican Bistro for dinner and margaritas. My first drink was a Magarita Consuelo which was a fairly standard margarita. This one was smooth and not too sweet. My next drink was the Margarita Jimador. This one was more masculine in flavor--again not too sweet. This drink had a nice earthy note with a slight pepper taste, but no pepper bite. I also tried a little of the Margarita Tres Agaves which had the opposite feel of the Margarita Jimador. It had a creamy sweetness about it making it dessert-like.

Drinks from the Weekend: July 1

Brunch Drink Menu at Serpentine.

Pimm's Cup: Pimm's no.1, organic jasmine liqueur, lemon juice, ginger beer, cucumber.

This Sunday I started with a Pimm's Cup at Serpentine. A Pimm's Cup is a fairly standard drink that is refreshing and slightly sweet. Serpentine chooses to add an organic jasmine liqueur which really differentiates theirs from others. The jasmine liqueur seems to cut the sourness from the lemon and smooths the bite from the ginger.

Drink Menu at Wo Hing.

Brisvega Bay: Smith and Cross Jamacian Rum, grapefruit, honey, lime, allspice,  angostura bitters,  absinthe, crushed ice.

For dinner, we went over to Wo Hing General Store where I had a Brisvega Bay. With the crushed ice, you would be tempted to drink through the straw, but I wouldn't recommend it. Drinking through the straw is like drinking a Slurpee where you get a strong concentration of the syrup. When you drink the Brisvega Bay through the straw, it gets syrup-like and the spices in it make your throat tighten up. But when you drink from the glass, it becomes smooth and enjoyable. The lime, allspice, and bitters are the strongest flavors of this drink.

Drinks from the Weekday: June 13

Drink Menu at Honor Bar.

This Wednesday we went to Honor Bar, Grill, And Cocktails. This bar is pretty nice and has unique dishes that go well with the drinks here.

Queen Anne's Revenge: hibiscus-infused gin, grapefruit marmelade, egg white, ginger beer, lemon.

My first drink here was the Queen Anne's Revenge. I ordered this because of the hibiscus-infused gin and the egg white, but these two were the let down of the drink. While the drink tasted good, I could not taste the hibiscus and there wasn't enough egg white to give it the smooth creamy feel you would normally get.

The Von Teese: vodka, st. germain, mathilde poire,  absinthe, peychaud's, lemon.

Next, I got the Von Tesse. The taste was mostly lemon, but the absinthe did come out nicely.

The two drinks I ordered here were just both fruity and sweet, but there are other drinks here that are strong.

Drinks from the Weekday: June 15

Drink Menu from Chevy's.

Berry-Dura Margarita.

Today, I had a Berry-Dura Margarita at Chevy's. Chevy's makes great margaritas and this one is no different. There was a light fuit taste and the pineapple sugar on the rim was a nice addition.

Drinks from the Weekday: June 8

Hue Beer.

The first drink of the day was a Hue Beer from Vietnam. As you can probably tell from the color, this beer is light and refreshing similar to most other Asian beers.

Drink Menu at Tanq.

Lonsdale Lemonade: Makers 46 bourbon, house made honey syrup, fresh squeezed lemon.

Next, we headed over to Tanq, which is in the Marriott Hotel in San Jose. There, I had a Lonsdale Lemonade. The lemon was the prominent flavor of the drink, but I didn't feel that there was enough honey to cut the sourness. The bourbon was good and mixed well.

I Drank That: Breuckelen Distilling Gin

I first heard about Breuckelen Distilling Gin from the documentary Made by Hand, and decided to give it a try. I am really glad I did because this is a unique gin. The flavor is more floral and less juniper than other gins. If you are not a fan of gin because of the pine flavor, this gin will change your mind.

I like drinking this in multiple ways: in a gin and juice, with tonic, or just on the rocks. I imagine it would also make a good martini. You can also see my creation with this Breucklelen gin, which I call the Brooklyn Dream.

Make a Drink: Brooklyn Dream

Brooklyn Dream.

The Brooklyn Dream is my own creation that uses gin from Breuckelen Distilling and Seven Tiki Spiced Rum. The taste is like a creamscicle with a floral note from the gin. The egg white adds a creamy feel and smooths-out the high alcohol content.

Breuckelen Gin and Seven Tiki.

The ingredients and tools.

Ingredients:

2.0 oz orange juice
1.5 oz Breuckelen Gin
1.5 oz Seven Tiki Spiced Rum
.20 oz simple syrup
egg white from one egg (I used 3 Tbsp of pasteurized egg whites from a carton)

Procedure:

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with 4 or 5 cubes of ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into a lowball glass allowing the foam to form at the top.

Enjoy!

Drinks from the Weekend: June 2

Drink menu at Locanda.

This weekend's only drinks were at Locanda before dinner. This bar always impresses with the top-notch service and attention to detail.

Business Thyme: gin, thyme, honey, lemon.

My first drink was the Business Thyme. The gin, thyme, and honey created this fusion that made it hard to tell where one ended and the next began. These flavors blended so well that I was left wondering if it was the thyme or the gin that created the aftertaste. This was opposed by the lemon which added a sourness to the mix.

Spring Smash: bourbon, strawberry, mint, lemon.

Next was the Spring Smash--a play on the Whiskey Smash. I also enjoyed this drink although it was slightly sour for me. The strawberry and mint just barely came through, but it was enough to differentiate it from a Whiskey Smash.

Drinks from the Weekend: May 27

Drink Menu at Papas.

Sunday night dinner was at Pampas in Palo Alto. It's a Brazillian churrascaria with excellent grilled meats.

Sangria Blanco: Kappa Pisco, peach liqueur, orange, pineapple,  Sauvignon Blanc.

My first drink was a Sangria Blanco. This drink was excellent. It was light and tasty with a slight sweetness. The fruit came out well without the the citric acid sour of other sangria blancos I have tried.

Blueberry Calpirinha: muddled limes, Leblon cachaca, simple sugar,  limes, blueberries.

M second drink was the Blueberry Calpirinha. This drink had a syrup taste that was a little overpowering. The Classic Calpirinha might have been a better choice.

Drinks from the Weekend: May 25

The Che.

The first drink of the day was The Che at San Pedro Square Market Bar. The bar itself is in the square surounded by nice-looking food vendors. It looked like a quality place. The drink was too sweet for my liking, but it did have good flavor. It was made with Bacardi Rock Coconut rum, hibiscus juices and some other ingredients. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good picture of the drink list to note the other ingredients.

Drink Menu at Hotel De Anza.

The Hedley Manhattan: B&E Bourbon, Carpano Antica, Aperol, Jerry Thomas bitters, orange twist.

Next, we headed over to the Hotel De Anza to have another drink at the bar. There I had The Hedley Manhattan which was fairly strong with the bitters being the more dominant flavor. The drink had B&E Bourbon which I reviewed here.

Drinks from the Weekday: May 9

The first bar of the day was Single Barrel in Downtown San Jose. This bar is a place to go if you want to try classic drinks that you may not have heard of. The vibe of the place is very pretentious and might be hard to take the first time you come here, but the drinks are well made. There isn't a drink menu here--the bartenders will guide you to your first drink. Once you get past the first time with the rules and requirements, your experience will improve; they will even let you order your own drink.

Whiskey Sour. The one in the back. 

My first drink, which I let the bartender help me choose, was a Whiskey Sour  made the old-fashioned way. It was excellent with the whiskey flavor just coming through.

Ramos Gin Fizz.

Next drink was their happy hour special, the Ramos Gin Fizz, which is only served between 5pm and 6pm. This drink requires 8 minutes of shaking. The taste was light and creamy with a slight citrus taste. You get a refill with this drink, but I just asked the refill to be poured into a second glass to share.

Drink Menu at Alexanders.

Eve's Revenge: Grey Goose, Leopold's Apple Liqueur, apple syrup.

The last drink of the night was at Alexander's Steakhouse. I ordered the Eve's Revenge because my name is Adam and because I like apple cocktails. This was fairly sweet and tasted just like an apple juice. This would be a easy drink to get drunk off of since you can barely taste the alcohol.

Drinks from Hawaii: May 2

Drink Menu at Flatbread Company Paia.

Dynamite Lemonade:  Hemdricks gin, St. Germain Elderberry liquer, fresh mint, lime.

The last drink of the trip was a Dynamite Lemonade at Flatbread Company in Paia. This lemonade was excellent with only a slight hint of alcohol taste. It wasn't excessively sour and had a slight sweetness. This drink went well with their flatbread pizza.

Drinks from Hawaii: April 30

Drink Menu at Leilani's.

Hana Hou: cilantro infused passion fruit magarita, Alaea salt rim.

The first drink in Maui was at Leilani's on the Beach. I ordered the Hana Hou which was a refreshing drink after a day of snorkeling with the fishes and sea turtles. The cilantro added a clean taste to the slightly sweet passion fruit magarita. Again, I avoided the salt as I had enough from the ocean.

Drinks from Hawaii: April 28

Drink Menu at RumFire.

Hawaiian Love Affair: Bacardi Oakheart, Strawberry Puree, Creme de Banana, club soda, and Sprite.

Dinner was at RumFire where I ordered the Hawaiian Love Affair. While I remember the drink being good, I can't remember any specific details of it.

Drink Menu at Tiki's Grill & Bar.

Hawaiian Vodka.

After dinner, we headed to Tiki's Grill & Bar. There, I started with a Hawaiian Vodka. As I am somewhat of a vodka connoisseur, I felt I had to try the local vodka. This vodka was smooth on par with other premium vodkas, but I felt it was lacking in taste. I would put it slightly above or on par with Grey Goose, but below Hanger One because of the lack of flavor.

Drink Menu at Tiki's Grill & Bar.

Lilikoi Piscoe Sour.

Next, I had a Lilikoi Piscoe Sour. This drink was a pisco sour with the addition of lime juice and lilikoi. From the appearance of the drink, it looked like they did not use egg whites in making the sour. There was only a slight hint of the lilikoi with the citrus being the more powerful flavor.

Wang Chung's version of a Moscow Mule.

The last drink of the night was at Wang Chung's Karaoke Bar. I had their version of a Moscow Mule with some tropical fruit. I cannot remember the fruit, but it doesn't matter as the drink was excessively ginger-heavy and hid all other tastes.