Food & Wine: Cocktails 2008

Food & Wine’s Cocktails 2008 has recently been released, and I think that any cocktail enthusiast should add this year’s guide to their collection. Read more

Welcome Drink Dogma’s New Bloggers

How do you generate tons of content for your blog? Well, you could spend endless hours after lengthy bartending shifts writing posts everyday, leaving you exhausted and officially nocturnal. Or, you can con…err…persuade two of your friends who are as cocktail crazy as you to help you out. So without further delay, please help me welcome two new contributors to Drink Dogma: Kevin and Morgan. Read more

Welcome to Drink Dogma!

Thanks for taking the time to visit Drink Dogma, the new and improved version of Explore the Pour. The old site was fun (and free), but it was time to move on and figure out this Wordpress thing. Read more

Find of the Day!

I just want to brag for a brief moment. Today I went to Half-Price Books before heading into the bar, and I found a copy of Esquire Drinks: An Opinionated & Irreverent Guide to Drinking for $7. I had actually contemplated biting the bullet and buying the book from Amazon for $56, but man, am I glad I waited. I have been trying to expand my cocktail bookshelf lately and definitely had this one on the list. Now, if I could only find The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks for $4, I would have had a pretty good week. If you’re looking to expand your drinks library, there are several great books out there to start with. A couple of bloggers have already put together some great lists for you, so start here or here. But, make sure to check your local used book store first, I was surprised at how many cocktail books I found - some of the books even described how to make a proper drink.

My Christmas Wishlist

My girlfriend is in medical school, meaning that I rarely see her and she has little time to spend shopping for exotic bar-related gifts for me. So, she asked me to put together a Christmas list for her so she should could shop for me easily and spend more time studying for the upcoming three weeks of test. Yes, medical school is ridiculous and watching her has convinced me that doctors deserve so much credit for their accomplishments. Anyway, instead of just typing up the letter and sending it her way, I figured I would make a post out of this and let everyone know what I’ve been looking for lately. These aren’t the most extravagant of gifts, and I don’t want all of them. But, this should give her a good enough list to choose from without breaking the fragile medical school student bank. Here’s my letter:

Tanya,

Thanks for shopping for me for Christmas. I hope this list is specific and helpful as I know you don’t have time outside of your studies. If you have any questions about any of these let me know. These are in no specific order, and I would be happy with any combination or number of the following:

1. iSi Soda Siphon - I need a new soda siphon. They can be used for so many cool things and make great soda water without having to buy the expensive bottles. Plus, they give such a old-fashioned feel to others, so if you had to pick just one thing off this list, get this one. I like the color shown here (left picture) as well, but any black or gray color will do. Please resist the urge to buy any “pretty” colored siphon for me, as I would prefer a more professional look. Also, soda siphons need chargers (right picture), so picking up a pack of those would be really nice of you too. You bartending with one. I really want this gift more than any can get both items from Amazon here, but I was in Spec’s today and they had both of these half way down on the left hand side of the aisle stocked with bar supplies. If coming from the entrance you will pass the spirits aisles on your right, starting with vodka and ending with liqueurs. The next aisle after the liqueurs is the bar supply section; again, left hand side, bottom rack. Siphon and chargers are right there. They should be cheaper than buying off Amazon without shipping, and they have the colors I wanted.

2. Fee Brothers Barrel-Aged Bitters - I haven’t been able to find these locally and didn’t give in and order any myself, so you could do it for me if you like. There shouldn’t be much variance in price difference from one site to another, so you can just get them here at KegWorks if you like. You could also get other types of bitters if you want, but I already have them (yes, all of them). I’m not saying I wouldn’t like them, but they wouldn’t have any novelty. If you want to see a picture of the Fee Barrel-Aged Bitters I want, Jamie has a great one posted on his site.

3. Absinthe Spoon - Don’t worry about all those absinthe myths; they aren’t true and I’ve already had plenty of absinthe with no ill-effects. Morgan sent me a link to a great absinthe site with spoons, and I looked them all over and like this one the best (also the first picture above). If you got just one, that would be great, but two spoons would be even better so I could serve more than one absinthe glass at once. If you get two for me, this would be a good choice for the second one, so I can start building a collections of sorts.

4. Ron Zacapa Centenario 15-Year Rum - Man, this stuff is good, and it will only run you about $30 a bottle at Spec’s. You could even pick it up if you’re there getting, I don’t know, a iSi Soda Siphon perhaps. They make a 23-year that is even better, but I don’t think Spec’s has it in stock and this would bump the price around another 10 dollars. The 15-year is amazing stuff nevertheless, and I have been tempted to pick up this bottle every time I drive by the store. So, 15 or 23-year? I would be happy with either; the bottles both look basically the same except the number of years displayed below the straw would be different.

5. Books - Any of the following books would be great gifts as well. I have so many cocktail books that you shouldn’t try and pick one out yourself. Chances are I either already have it or don’t want it even though it might look cool and like it is well done. These are three safe options to choose from:

Book 1 -
Craze: Gin and Debauchery in an Age of Reason - By Jessica Warner

Book 2 -
What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea - Even Water - Based on Expert Advice from America’s Best Sommeliers - By Andrew Dornenburg, Karen Page, & Michael Sofronski

Book 3 -
How’s Your Drink?: Cocktails, Culture, and the Art of Drinking Well - By Eric Felten

6. Julep Strainer - I lost mine and really need another if you could order one for me. They don’t cost very much at all, but I can’t find these at the stores either. There’s one here.

7. Maybe? -

Just kidding; thanks for looking over this list. You are the best! Merry Christmas, and I love you.

Yours,
Bobby

Well, there you have it - my Christmas list. It is pretty simple, but these are some things that any cocktail enthusiast would want to have. What’s on your list? Are you hoping for anything specific from people this year? I would like to know what everyone else has either just been looking for lately or hinting at family members to track down.

Mixology Monday XVII: Bring on the Blog Love

I was just trying to buy a car…

I don’t know when bartending transitioned from a means to acquire vehicular freedom to an obsession, but my evolution from Cro-Magnon pre-mixed drink dispenser to somewhat upright professional enthusiast has been a wonderful journey. The magnificent individuals I have worked with over the years and eager customers consistently encouraged me to hone my craft. Bartending started as a way to work through school, but a B.S. and M.A. later, I realize I was always working towards two types of educations. I liked the B.A.R. degree better.

Unfortunately, I ran out of resources for my ongoing pursuit of knowledge. Co-workers actually avoided the subject when talking with me. Unless you are fortunate enough to work for one of the few great bars in the world in one the few cities that host such establishments, bartending knowledge generally peaks at some point if you rely exclusively upon your bar for information. Extending your knowledge requires time outside of the bar and a determined search for others like yourself.

While books are some of the best resources for feeding the bartending monster growing inside, the online cocktail community has become the most accessible and diverse source of information for exploring anything you might pour. Name one book that extensively covers Japanese Whisky, the fine science of ice, and the ongoing creation of homemade Falernum. When did the last book you read clarify its contentions or answer your follow-up questions? Formed by a collection of amateurs and experts, the cocktail community covers subjects from the most basic to the most intricate subtleties. You can never predict what you might find. I think that when I found The Cocktail Chronicles for the first time I stayed up after three straight bartending shifts until I had read all of Paul’s posts.

Around the same time, I started a Cocktail of the Day feature at the bar where I worked and made hundreds of drinks which I learned about from reading the posts of great enthusiasts and bartenders all over the web. It was Darcy’s campaigning for the superiority of the original Mai Tai in one of his posts at The Art of Drink that led to a citywide epidemic after I made them one night as the nightly concoction. I make classic Mai Tais at home all the time, but just reading Darcy’s description of serving Mai Tais to his customers while his ridiculous boss conjured a banana member of “The Cocktail Hall of Shame” made me want to do the same in my bar that evening. We ran out of my newly purchased bottles of Orgeat in under two hours. People actually called others and told them to come to the bar to try one!

Similarly, most of my cocktail blog reading benefits my bar guests, but sometimes, you get a little selfish and keep things at home. This tends to happen when the ingredients required aren’t available at our bar. I have trouble singling out one specific cocktail among so many that I’ve enjoyed, but the other day I made one of Jamie Boudreau’s Apple-Blueberry Collins, which he just posted on his site. Make sure to check out his post on the recipe below:

APPLE-BLUEBERRY COLLINS

2 oz Laird’s Applejack
1 oz lemon juice
¼ oz simple syrup
3 dashes Angostura bitters
10 blueberries
2 oz lemon-lime soda

Place all but lemon-lime soda into an iced shaker
Shake hard (to break up the blueberries) and strain into an iced Collins glass
Top with lemon-lime soda

I love the drink Jamie – great work!

I’m always looking for a new great drink for myself or my partons, but it wasn’t always that easy. After going page by page everyday through my favorites, I learned about this cool concept called an RSS feed. Wow, my addiction became so much easier. With my newly acquired time and knowledge of the blogging, I considered starting my own blog, but I was just too intimidated by the expertise of some of the bloggers I read every night. After about three months, I decided to start my own modest experiment, and it is still up and going.

I try and write informative posts for people like myself, but I must admit that the person who probably gets the most out of the blog is myself and that’s what encourages the blog the most. Don’t get me wrong; I love talking to people, answering questions, and striving to put together reading material for people. But, writing and researching my chosen subjects has really pushed me to learn more and improved my ability to provide a unique experience to my bar guests. I certainly don’t write the best cocktail blog on the internet, but I like to think that I throw something into the pot of cocktail blogging knowledge. If you haven’t started your own cocktail blog exploration and want to know where to find others who do it better than myself, these are some of my favorites in no particular order.

The Cocktail Chronicles – Paul Clarke
Read the whole blog! It will keep you busy for months and represents everything that the best cocktail blog can offer.

The Art of Drink – Darcy O’Neil
Yes, a Canadian chemist creates one of the best blogs you can read. Give the maple leaf a try.

Jeffrey Morgenthaler – Guess Who
The bartender’s bartending blog. This blog is awesome for everyone, but it is great to get some honest commentary on the profession in addition to the excellent info.

Nonjatta – Chris Bunting & Scottes’ Rum Pages - Scott
I wish there were more down-to-earth blog’s like this that covered specific topics and gave a deeper source of content on certain spirit types.

EVERYTHING TO YOUR RIGHT!
I can’t comment on everybody specifically, but I think that the above blogs represent a good spectrum of the cocktail blogging community. Specifically, the first three have been at it for quite some time and have tons of archived posts. Personally, I defer to others and strive for one of the largest link lists on the net for cocktail bloggers. Many people like to link to others who link to them and what-not, but I put you up there if I read your stuff – no politics here. I read every blog linked on here whenever they write something new, and if you have the time, you should too. If you aren’t listed on this site, tell me where you’re at, and I’ll make sure to add you on here and read any thoughts you have.

Well, that about sums up my enormous love for cocktails blogs everywhere. To all the bloggers out there: keep writing! I don’t know how influential cocktail blogging is on the mainstream public, but my customers and I really appreciate it all! Now head on over to the Cocktail Chronicles to check out everyone elses Mixology Monday posts and find out about other great blogs.

Imbibe Magazine is a Bartender’s Dream

I am kind of busy right now with the move, that whole finishing the Master’s degree thing, and closing up a VERY busy weekend at the bar, so I haven’t been able to write the types of daily post I strive for. However, despite all of the busy things going on, I have made time to read my favorite bi-monthly periodical. That’s right; the new issue of Imbibe magazine is out. Other cocktail bloggers with far more credibility than I have pointed out the magazine, so I am clearly being repetitive here, but I just wanted to give it my own nod of approval, if it counts for anything. If nothing else, it is my blog’s compliment to the magazine.

If you aren’t reading Imbibe, you need to start. The magazine is full of great information, common and obscure, but, what I really like is the variety of the topics. The magazine focuses on cocktails, spirits, beer, wine, and coffee; however, the magazine also reviews things like juicers and coffee grinders. I haven’t subscribed to Imbibe yet because I have been waiting for the move, but I know I have been able to find it a Barnes & Noble, so it is definitely out there! Some of the people recommending this magazine also have some stake in it. I am definitely not in that elite group, but I like to tell people about topical things I enjoy on this blog, so there you have it!

You can find Imbibe’s site here; or their blog here, which is also in my blogroll to your right. Here is a bad picture of the table of contents from the current magazine: