Drinks from Hawaii: April 27

Drink Menu at Ryan's Grill.

Hand-Shaken Guava 'Rita: tequila, fresh lime sour, guava, triple sec.

Todays first drink was a Guava 'Rita at Ryan's Grill. This margarita was excellent with the guava just coming through enough to add to the drink instead of being the focal point. But after a day at the beach, I would recommend avoiding the salt.

Drink Specials at Side Street Inn.

Side Mind Eraser: vodka, Kahlua, root beer liqueur, tonic water.

Next, we went to Side Street Inn and I got a Side Mind Eraser. This drink is just a Mind Eraser with the addition of root beer liqueur. I was not a fan of this drink mainly because I do not like the taste of coffee. I usually don't get that feeling from Kahlua, but the coffee and root beer did not mix well for me.

Drinks from Hawaii: April 26

Drink Menu at Kahala Resort.

Royal Pine as it comes to the table.

Royal Pine: peach, papaya, pineapple, banana, light and dark rum, coconut, served in a fresh pineapple.

Today, we had dinner at the Kahala Resort. I ordered a Royal Pine just because it was the most expensive cocktail on the menu, but I had no idea it would come in a pineapple! It was very tasty--like an alcoholic smoothie. It was fairly strong, but did not overpower the drink.

Drinks from Hawaii: April 25

Mai Tai at Elks Lodge.

The first drink of the trip was a Mai Tai at the Elks Lodge in Waikiki. It was pretty much your standard Mai Tai--not too strong and fruity. If you are a member or know a member there, it is a great place to hangout.

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.