The Old-Fashioned Flashcards
What are the main ingredients of an Old Fashioned?
Spirit (Bourbon), Sugar, Bitters and Water (ice)
What is Bourbon?
Bourbon is a type of Whiskey from the USA, made with at least 51% corn
What characterizes a corn based Whiskey? Rye based? Wheat based?
Corn will make it sweeter, Rye drier and spicier, Wheat softer.
How do you make simple syrup?
1:1 ratio sugar to water
Why do we express and rub orange peel on a cocktail but only express lemon peel?
Orange oil tends to be sweeter than lemon which tends to be more pungent.
Recipe of the Old Fashioned
2 Oz Bourbon, 1 tea spoon of Demerara Gum syrup, 2 Dashes of Angostura bitters, 1 dash aromatic bitters, Lemon + Orange twist
Served OR
How to choose Whiskey for a cocktail?
Check the mashbill - how much corn, rye, and wheat was used ? How long was it aged in barrels (how woody) ?
What are the 3 components of a cocktail?
The core, the balancing ingredients and the seasoning
Quote a few ways to modify an old fashioned with its core
Changing the type of Whisky, infusing the spirit, using a different spirit or liqueur/wine
Recipe of the Classic Vermouth cocktail
2 Oz Antica formula, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 1 dash orange bitters, 1/2 tea spoon simple syrup, lemon twist garnish.
Stir,strain,express
Served UP
Recipe of the Classic Ti Punch
2 Oz White Rhum agricole, 1 tea spoon cane sugar syrup, thick lime peel.
Muddle, add Rhum, Stir
Served OR
What is Demerara?
It is an unrefined cane sugar.
What is Gum Arabic?
It is a powder made from the sap of the acacia tree.
Recipe of the Fancy Free.
2 Oz Rye Whisky, 1/2 Oz Maraschino Liqueur, 1 Dash Angostura Bitters, 1 Dash Orange Bitters, Orange Twist
Served OR
Recipe of the Monte Carlo.
2 Oz Rye Whisky, 1/2 Oz Benedictine, 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters, Lemon Twist
Served OR
Recipe of the Chrysanthemum.
2-1/2 Oz Dry Vermouth, 1/2 Oz Benedictine, 1 Tea spoon absinthe, Orange Twist
Served Up
Recipe of the Stinger.
2 Oz Cognac brandy, 1/2 Oz Creme de Menthe, 1 Tea Spoon simple syrup, Mint Sprig
Shake and Served OR
What are bitters?
They are a maceration of barks, roots, herbs and dried citrus in high proof alcohol.
How to know you put too much bitters?
When the bitters distract from the base spirit.
What are the two types of bitters?
Aromatic, citrus and savory.
What characterizes aromatic bitters?
They have a sweet base, a bitter backbone and a spice component. (Gentian root+ cinnamon)
With what type of spirit, aromatic bitters usually go well with? Citrus bitter?
Aromatic with aged spirits, Citrus bitters with unaged spirits paired with fortified wine.
What characterizes savory bitter?
A peppery and vegetal flavor.
How to evaluate bitters?
Add bitters to sparkling water and continuously taste it while refreshing the palate with normal sparkling water in between. Then taste a drop of the bitter on the back of your hand. Then drop a few in your hands, rub them together and sniff it.
What is the difference between amplifying bitters and flavoring bitters?
Amplifying bitters: deepens a flavor already existing in the drink
Flavoring bitters: Introduce a new flavor to the drink
Recipe of the Improved Whiskey cocktail.
2 OZ Bourbon, 1 teaspoon Maraschino liqueur, 1 dash absinthe, 1 dash Angostura bitters, 1 dash Peychaud’s bitters, 1 Lemon twist
What is stirring short to full dilution?
It’s stirring with small cubed ice until the drink is cold and slightly diluted but not fully. It will still be a bit abrasive because of the spirit but will slowly dilute if put on a large cubed ice.
Recipe of the Champagne Cocktail
1 Sugar cube, Dashes of Angostura bitters, Champagne, Lemon twist.
Saturate the sugar cube with the bitter, drop in the flute, fill with Champagne, garnish with the Lemon twist.
What does sparkling wine do to a cocktail?
It adds effervescence, proof, acidity and sweetness.
Characteristics of Champagne
Only made in Champagne using the traditional method (2nd fermentation in bottle)
Flavors of peach, cherries, citrus, almonds and bread. Aged at least 15 months on lees(yeast).
-Blanc de Blanc: only made with Chardonnay
-Blanc de Noir: only made with Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier
-Rose: allowing contact with the skin for color
-Vintage: Aged at least 3 years on lees
Characteristics of Cremant
Can be made in 8 different regions in France.
Characteristics of Cava
Only made in Spain using the traditional method.
Grapes used are: Macabeo, Xarello, Parellada.
Flavor of apple and pear, lime zest, quince and almond.
Aged at least 9 months on lees(yeast).
Characteristics of Prosecco
Made in Italy (Veneto and Friuli Venezia) using the tank method(2nd fermentation in a steel Tank)
Flavor of apple, pear, melon.
Characteristics of Lambrusco
Italy’s most famous sparkling wine, also using the tank method.
A sweet red wine is first made, then it is turned into a sparkling wine.
Flavors of red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb.
What is a Julep
It is a style of cocktail, a very refreshing old fashioned where we change the bitters for mint.
Recipe of the Mint Julep
2 Oz Bourbon, 1/4 Oz simple syrup, 1 Mint bouquet.
Rub the Mint, add Bourbon and syrup, stir, add crushed ice, stir, fill with crushed ice, put the straw and garnish with Mint bouquet.
Difference between the Old fashioned and the Sazerac?
Besides the ingredients, the Sazerac is served UP in an old fashioned glass rinsed with Absinthe, and the lemon twist is discarded in the Sazerac.
Recipe of the Sazerac
Absinthe rinse, 1-1/2 Oz Rye Whiskey 1/2 Oz Cognac, 1 tea spoon of Demerara Gum syrup, 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 1 dash Angostura bitters, lemon twist.
Rinse and dump, stir all ingredients over ice, strain, express and discard
Recipe of the Sherry Cobbler
3 Orange slices, 1 tea spoon Cane sugar syrup, 3-1/2 Oz Sherry, Garnish orange and mint bouquet.
in a Collins glass, muddle orange and syrup, add Sherry, stir, top with crushed ice, stir and garnish
What happens when a Spirit is heated?
The perception on alcohol is increased
It evaporates so the aromas are volatile (you smell it more)
Water/spirit Ratio baseline for toddies?
4:2
4 Oz water to 2 Oz spirit
Recipe Hot toddy
2 lemon wedge, 1-1/2 Oz Bourbon, 3/4 Oz Honey syrup, 1 dash Angostura bitters, 4 Oz boiling water, nutmeg garnish
Squeeze, add spirit, honey, bitter, then add water, garnish
What amount of sugar to use to boost flavors? to balance citrus?
Boost: 1/2 tea spoon - 1/4 Oz
Balance 3/4 Oz - 1 Oz
Ratio simple syrup (white sugar)?
1:1 Sugar:Water
Ratio honey syrup?
3:1 Honey:Water
Ratio Cane sugar(unbleached) syrup?
2:1 Cane sugar:Water
What is the interest of using Malic Acid and Citric Acid in syrup making?
It balances the sweetness of the syrup, it acts as a preservator by lowering the PH and enhance the flavor of the syrup.
How to make ginger syrup?
Juice the ginger, weight the juice and multiply that number by 1.5 to obtain the sugar weight to add. Blend all together until all the sugar has dissolved.
How to make syrup using heat?
Weight ingredients, bring to a simmer in a pan while stirring, remove from the heat and cover, cool down and strain.
What is the interest of using a centrifuge?
It helps remove physical particules of a substance because of the high spinning speed.
