Drink Dogma

Air Infusions: Smoked Rye

Robert Heugel — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:02:19 +0000

I’ve got two obsessive hobbies: cocktails and large South American tropical fish. The .0005% of the world’s people who appreciate the cocktails don’t understand the fish, and the .0005% of the world’s people who appreciate the fish don’t understand the cocktails. I might be the only link between these two strange groups of hobbyists. Generally, my two hobbies have nothing to do with one another - the fish don’t like to drink I guess - but, I finally found a way to use my fish and cocktail knowledge together. The result was a delicious bottle of house-smoked Sazerac rye whisky. (more…)

The Bartender’s Life

Robert Heugel — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:58:03 +0000

I just want to take a moment to clarify what it is actually like to be a bartender. I can’t tell you how many times people tell me every week that being a bartender has some how made me some sort of jigalo that people tip tremendously because I pass drinks across a counter. To be honest, I am kind of sick of this and other stereotypes involving my chosen career. (more…)

The Maple Leaf Cocktail

Robert Heugel — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:28:38 +0000

Bourbon is a little angry at the cocktail world . For such a long time, it was a cherished standby of the refined palate, a refuge from the candy cocktail plague. Bourbon was a more respected American take on nobility, if such a thing exists. Yes, Elijah Craig would have been very proud. (more…)

Sex and the City’s #@%^ing Cosmopolitans

Kevin Floyd — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:43:44 +0000

That damn movie has everybody asking for cosmopolitans. I love turning people into cocktail enthusiasts, but man, I might not be able to take this much longer. Not only that, but when a proper cosmo is presented before these Sarah Jessica Parker wanna-bes, they question the validity of the drink because it doesn’t look like the radioactive pink drinks on HBO. Ok, if we’re going to do cosmos everyone, let’s do this right… (more…)

The Ti’ Punch

Morgan — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:22:36 +0000

I thought my fascination with Rhum Agricole was something that would be here today and gone tomorrow, but after my first cocktail containing the unusual spirit paired with some quirky pickled watermelon rind juice, I was hooked. Since that fateful day, I have gone through more bottles of Rhum Agricole than I would care to admit. A couple of months ago, I substituted Clement’s Premierre Canne Rhum for Gin in the Darb Cocktail. I also discussed more in depth, how this spirit is made. When one ponders tradition while thinking of Rhum Agricoles, the Ti’ Punch is one of the first drinks that comes to mind. I love a good Ti’ Punch. (more…)

How To Make Your Own Bitters

Robert Heugel — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:51:33 +0000

I want to be like Antoine Peychaud. After finally confronting the realization that I will never live up to the old “Be like Mike commercials”, I lived in a world without a role model and guidance for several years. This void in my life, filled by a perilous journey towards a purposeless end (Masters degree), eventually had to end. (more…)

The Cobbler: A Drink of Infinite Possibilities

Morgan — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:09:58 +0000

No, I’m not talking about those tasteless desserts at your family reunion. You know, the ones that contained canned peaches (or some other abort-able fruit) and a heavy “crust-like” substance surrounding all sides? Really, the only reason you ate them was because they were there and your only other option was the Swiss Miss Banana Pudding with “Nilla” Wafers on top. Cobblers can be one of summer’s greatest treats if done properly. (more…)

The Whiskey Daisy

Morgan — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:05:23 +0000

I would like to extend my apologies for not getting a classic cocktail up for you last Monday. At Drink Dogma, I am going to do my best to shed some light on the classics at the beginning of each week. In researching the Whiskey Daisy, it became quickly apparent that there are a lot of different recipes for this drink that hold very little in common with each other (more…)

Bio-Fuel Cocktails: The Corn N’ Oil

Robert Heugel — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:00:57 +0000

This one is a hard one to sell at the bar. Ears of corn and bottles of Quaker State generally don’t invoke impressions of delicious cocktails. What’s worse is that when promoting this Bajan cocktail I inevitably face the question, “Well, why is it called a Corn N’ Oil?” Without a valid response, the perceived association with some type of crazy biofuel and the consequential risk of escalating oil prices being controlled by a Houston bartender can be just too much for some. That’s too bad because this cocktail is awesome. (more…)

A New Perspective: Inwood Estates, Palomino-Chardonnay, 2008

Morgan — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:08:56 +0000

Several weeks ago, I received emails from two people directly related to the wine industry in Texas in response to my post on Texas Wine. Seeing as how I can be a bit obsessive, I have been on a binge of drinking a new bottle of local wine on a regular basis. After a bit of correspondence they both had me convinced there was one Texas winery to which I needed to pay closer attention. (more…)