Drinks from the Weekday: April 17

Drink Menu from Locanda.

Drinks and dinner started at Locanda this Tuesday. Since my first experience was good here, I was excited to come back.

Nonna Del Diavolo:  rye, strega, ginger, lime, selter

My first drink of the night was the Nonno Del Diavolo. This was a refreshing, light drink where the ginger and lime just barely came through.

Helen di Montenegro:  tequila, amaro, agave, grapefruit, lime

My second drink of the night was the Helen Di Montenegro. I ordered this because I don't normally have cocktails with tequila, except when it's in a margarita. The tequila and lime do make this drink reminiscent of a margarita, but I feel that this had more flavor.

Wo Hing Drink Menu.

Dry Sherry Punch: choice of gin or brandy, manzanilla sherry, orgreat, cointreau, lemon, cucumber

After Locanda, we went over to Wo Hing for one more drink. The bartender here was very detail oriented. For example, for my Dry Sherry Punch (with gin), the bartender prepared the fresh mint by first slapping a bunch on his wrist to bring out the oils. He then brushed it several times against the side of the glass before twisting it over the drink and placing it on top. I am not a fan of fresh mint, but the application of the mint in this manner didn't flavor the drink with mint, and instead only gave it a scent when talking a sip. The taste was light with gin, but might be more flavorful with the choice of brandy.

Make a Drink: Vodka Sour

Vodka Sour.

The Vodka Sour is a classic drink that has a smooth and creamy feel with a light lemon taste. This drink is  difficult to find in its classic form at regular bars. Most bars will normally use pre-made sweet and sour mix that doesn't give it the same feel. The sour used in the classic drink is made with egg whites, lemon juice, and simple syrup, and can be used to make other version of sour drinks--like a whiskey sour.

Ingredients and tools. Not shown: egg whites.

Ingredients:

3 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz simple syrup
juice from one lemon
egg white from one egg (I use 3 Tbsp of pasteurized egg whites in a carton)
Angostura bitters

Procedure:

Combine the vodka, simple syrup, lemon juice, and egg whites 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. Add three drops of the bitters on top for scent. For an added affect, use a toothpick to shape the bitters in the foam.

Enjoy!

Drinks from the Weekend: April 7

Drink menu at Blue Line Pizza.

Basil Gimlet: Hanger One, lime, honey, basil.

My first drink at Blue Line Pizza was the Basil Gimlet. As with most drinks at Blue Line, this drink was light and refreshing. The honey and basil are soft additions and add complexity that improve the drink over a plain gimlet. I also had a Mayan Express which I've had before and talked about here.

I Drank That: Peller Estates Ice Wine (2006)

I originally did not care for this ice wine. It tasted strongly of raisins but without the sweetness. I then tasted it again after having something savory and it brought out the flavor. It became sweeter with a grape flavor instead of raisins. While it's still not my favorite ice wine, it is still good.

I Drank That: B&E Bourbon Whiskey

St. George is one of my favorite distilleries and it doesn't hurt that they are located nearby. This bourbon is another example of their dedication to quality. Today, I had it on the rocks but it is also good mixed. The taste is a smooth, softer flavor with a slight hint of a bite--less than say Bulleit Bourbon, another good bourbon. The bite disappears once the ice melts a little which is the way I like my whiskey.

Check out St. George's website for more info. And if you're in the SF bay area, they do have a tasting room.

Drinks from the Weekend: March 31 & April 1

Drink menu at Serpentine.

Ancient Lemon: Hanger One Vodka, Aqua Di Cedro, lemon.

Last Saturday was dinner and drinks at Serpentine. The drink of the night was the Ancient Lemon--one of my favorites. This drink is simple and not too sweet. Hanger One vodka goes well with this drink as it is especially smooth and lets the lemon flavor come through without the burn.

Brunch menu at Park Tavern.

Milk Punch: Ron Zacapa aged rum, milk vanilla, nutmeg.

Sunday was brunch at Park Tavern and my brunch drink was the Milk Punch. The flavor was slightly sweet with a Kahlua-like taste. This is definitely better than a regular glass of milk and a great alternative to other brunch drinks like mimosas.

I Drank That: Clear Spring Grain Alcohol 190

As the name implies, this grain alcohol is 190 proof (95% alcohol). Due to the high alcohol content--as it is with any alcohol over 151 proof--this may not be available in your area. As a note, caution should be taken when consuming and handling this; see the caution warning on the bottom of label.

With such strong warnings, I definitely didn't want to try this neat. Instead, I poured half a shot into a glass of lemonade and ice. Although this is roughly equal to a full shot of vodka (80proof), the result was much different. The taste of the grain alcohol was non-existent. A friend and I surmised that with the high percentage of alcohol came a high purity--which meant fewer chemical compounds than you would normally taste.

Drinks from the Weekday: March 29

Drink menu at The Hedley Club.

The first drink of the night was at The Hedley Club lounge in Hotel De Anza. I had a Moscow Mule--a classic drink. At The Hedley Club lounge, it's made with Hanger One Vodka, Fever Tree ginger beer, and fresh lime; served on the rocks. The taste is smooth with a slight sweetness and ginger coming through.

The second drink was a Strongbow Cider at Trials Pub. This is one of the best tasting ciders I've tried. It's fruity and strong, but with out the strong alcohol taste. I would even say that this cider had a higher alcohol content than the Moscow Mule I had earlier in the night.

Unfortunately, I was too busy enjoying myself to remember to take pictures of the drinks I had during the night.