The Society

The Patriot Sidecar

2009-05-16T19:35:00.014-04:00

We knew that when Colleen stepped into the room wearing a flapper costume and Ryan a vintage motorcycle helmet, their drink was going to be one to remember. Not only were they there to make us a unique sidecar rendition, but they also taught us the history of the sidecar, complete with laminated information sheets and hand painted glasses.

According to Colleen their favorite version came "after many imaginative experiments and countless trips to Northern Virginia's ABC stores: From Brandy's to Cognacs to Grand Marnier's, and Cointreaus, to Vodkas, and lemons...even going so far to try lemon gelatos, Italian Ice, and Orange Creamcicles mixed in." They finally came to select a strong combination of pear infused Cognac and cardamon seeds.

Judges tasting notes include ""spice and pear together make it a good winter drink," and others believe that the flavors of the cardamon was a bit too strong for the sidecar as it was very herbaceous."

The combination of the pear cognac and cardamon was certainly a twist on the traditional sidecar, but nevertheless, an interesting drink to try.

Ingredients:

1 part pear infused Brandy or Cognac

1/4 part Grand Marnier

1/4 part fresh squeezed lemon juice

7 muddled cardamon seeds (remove the hull first)

Pear Slice (garnish)

red, white, and blue sugar

Preparation:

Fill a martini glass and set aside to chill

In a cocktail shaker, include ice, pear Cognac, Grand Marnier, lemon juice and cardamon seeds

Shake
Take the reserved martini glass and dump out the ice

Rim the glass with lemon juice and sugar (in equal amounts red, white, and blue sugar)

Pour contents of shaker in the glass
Garnish with a pear slice

Classic Sidecar

2009-05-05T19:24:00.018-04:00

Michael, as host, took it upon himself to set the night's par. His recipe was the classic sidecar from the earliest sources available, which led to a 1:1:1 ratio that is hardly used today. The classic sidecar, from circa 1922, was based on Cointreau, Cognac, and Lemon juice in equal portions, shaken and poured into a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Since the night would see many variations on this simple theme, it was important to make sure everyone knew the start from which all the creations would run wild.

The tasting notes from the night's judging included "very well executed classic", "very clean - loved the sugar", and "the essence of a sidecar!".

Ingredients:

1 part Cointreau

1 part Cognac

1 part Lemon juice

Sugar

Lemon rind (for garnish)

Ice

Preparation:

1. Fill Martini glass with ice to chill. Set aside.

2. Fill shaker with ice, add one ounce Cointreau, one ounce Cognac, and one ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice. Shake until the metal shaker is frosted on the outside.

3. Rim glass with lemon wedge, place in plate of confectioner's sugar to rim glass.

4. Empty ice used to cool glass, double-strain from shaker into glass. Garnish with a twist.

The classic sidecar is a drink that should be in every mixologist's bag of tricks because it becomes the base for a wide range of offshoots, including the margarita (tequila instead of cognac) and the daiquiri (rum instead of cognac).

World Cocktail Week, May 6-13

2009-05-03T12:08:00.003-04:00

The Society encourages everyone to celebrate World Cocktail Week, May 6-13. Several DC area venues are hosting events including:

Cocktail Cage Match - May 6th, 1 to 2pm
WAMU 88.5 FM
Tune in to WAMU’s Kojo Nnambi Show to hear a debate between Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve, PX and Derek M. Brown of the Gibson, SOVA on the merits of culinary cocktails versus classic cocktails.

Honoring D.C.s Greatest Bartender - May 6th, 3pm
Visit to the grave of George A. Williamson, legendary D.C. bartender and inventor of the Rickey.
For details, contact: Derek Brown

Bar Pilar - May 6th, 5 to 7pm
1833 14th St., NW
Washington, DC
Plymouth Gin Rickey Happy Hour with Adam Bernbach, DC's indigenous cocktail featuring Plymouth Gin.

PS7’s - May 7th, 5 to 8pm
777 Eye St., NW
Washington, DC
80's Happy Hour Remix - Gina Chersevani in promotion with Skyy Vodka will be remixing 80's cocktails to a new beat, with music provided by DJ Brian Miller! There will flare, fire, and fun with the help of fellow guild members Rachel Sergi from Zatinaya and Jason Strich from Rasika. Get out your hairspray and tight roll your jeans for an outrageous time.

The Warehouse Cafe - May 8th, 6 to 8pm
1021 7th St NW
Washington, DC
Punch Club Happy Hour, featuring classic punches by Dan Searing of Room 11

SOVA Espresso and Wine - May 9th, 7 to 9pm
1359 H St NE
Washington, DC
www.SovaDC.com
Featuring the Bay Area Philosopher and assorted Pisco cocktails with Pisco expert Melanie Asher and SOVA head bartender Jamie MacBain

The Gibson - May 10th, 6 to 8pm
2009 14th St., NW
Washington, DC
Tiffany's Tiki Happy Hour - We are offering a selection of three classic tiki drinks made by Tiffany Short.

Proof - May 11, 7pm
775 G St, NW
Washington, DC
www.ProofDC.com
Cocktail party and five-course dinner benefiting the Museum of the American Cocktail will kick off with a cocktail hour featuring passed hors d'oeuvres and five specialty cocktails created just for this event. Proof’s executive chef Haidar Karoum will prepare a five-course tasting menu that will be paired with five additional specialty cocktails.The city's top mixologists will create cocktails for the evening, including Adam Bernbach, Derek Brown, Gina Chersevani, Justin Guthrie, Owen Thomson, Todd Thrasher, Chantal Tseng, Rico Wisnor, Jill Zimorski, and Sebastian Zutant.
$145 per person
Contact: Karen Chan

Sonoma Lounge - May 12th, 6 to 9pm
223 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC
www.SonomaDC.com
Upstairs Happy Hour - Cucumber Milk Punch, along with other cocktails featuring Hendricks Gin by Justin Guthrie and Tom Street

Tabard Inn - May 13th, 10pm
1739 N Street, NW
Washington, DC
Reverse Happy Hour with Chantal Tseng - Featuring “May” cocktails by Chantal Tseng.

The Henry Jones Sidecar

2009-04-28T21:20:00.000-04:00

Laura was not only our hostess for the Sidecar Soiree, she made one of the evening's best drinks. Here's the way Laura described her sidecar, The Henry Jones:

My drink was a decedent, feminine twist to the classic sidecar. I wanted to evoke the warmth and the simplicity of the original, but add a creamy and seductive component. The meringue topping's vanilla aroma gave the sidecar a new, soft, luxurious layer. It's a familiar smell that beckons all around it to taste. Much like a woman, it's hard to put your lips on it once.

The name, by the way comes from the father of Indiana Jones, who in the Last Crusade, rode around with Indiana in a sidecar.

Judges tasting notes for the Henry Jones include, "smooth", "cream and orange are classic", "nice classic with a flair", "great presentation", "enjoyed the way the citrus cut through the egg white", "the meringue topping is spectacular - the hint of vanilla at the end is great", and the quote that is certain to make it into the marketing collateral, "the alcoholics lemon meringue!"

Ingredients:
Drink
1 oz Cognac
1 oz Grand Marnier
1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Topping
1 oz Pasteurized Egg Whites
1 tbs Powered Sugar
1/4 tsp Cream of Tarter
1/4 tsp Pure Vanilla Abstract

Preparation:

1. Fill a martini glass with ice, set aside.

2. Combine cognac, grand marnier and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 5-10 seconds.

3. In a separate chilled bowl, combine egg whites, powdered sugar, cream of tarter and vanilla. Whisk until frothy but still pourable.

4. Take reserved martini glass and dump out ice.
5. Fill empty glass with shaker contents.
6. Top drink with meringue topping.

This drink, particularly the topping, is incredibly tasty and easy to drink. So easy you'll want a few!!

Ginger Sidecar

2009-04-27T22:39:00.000-04:00

The Ginger Sidecar was the Society's Sidecar Soiree judges' choice. I'd been seeing the Domaine de Canton in some of the better bars around DC for awhile, and after tasting it, I was hooked. And, since Canton is cognac based, I thought it made for a great taste to build a sidecar around. Balancing the ginger with citrus and sweet took a bit of experimentation, but this turned out to be a good drink and a frequent request of my guests.

Judges tasting notes for the Ginger Sidecar include, "delicious with a twist", "excellent presentation", "ginger was an excellent POP", "very smooth", "clean and crisp", "perfect for a beachside evening", and "the ginger is nice and subtle - not overpowering but enough to be interesting".

Ingredients:

3/4 oz Cognac (I used Hennessy VSOP)

1 1/2 oz Domaine de Canton ginger infused cognac

1 oz fresh lime juice

3/4 oz blue curacao (see comments below)

3 good shakes of Stirrings Blood Orange Bitters

Brown sugar and white sugar rim

Zest of Lime, fresh ginger, and Candied Ginger to finish

Preparation:

1. Fill a martini glass with ice to chill.

2. Combine Cognac, Canton, lime juice, Blue Curacao, and Blood Orange Bitters in a shaker.

3. Shake vigorously over ice for at least 20 seconds.

4. Empty ice from martini glass and use fresh sliced ginger to wet the rim of the glass (instead of a lemon). Rim the glass with brown sugar and white sugar mix.

5. Add a thin slice of fresh ginger to the bottom of the glass. Pour sidecar into glass. Zest fresh lime onto mixture.

6. Garnish with swizzle stick with candied ginger.

Now, here's the thing about the Ginger Sidecar....well, it uses Blue Curacao. Aside from having the required orange flavor, I was really going for Presentation and Shizzle points with the blue cocktail. If you have a blue event, it's a good way to go. But honestly, it's a better drink if you use Patron Citronge instead of curacao. Just sayin'.

Society #2: Sidecar Soirée Round-up

2009-04-08T23:00:00.017-04:00

The second meeting of The Society took place on Friday, April 3rd at the Sherman Residence. The Sidecar Soirée was a huge success. Not only did we draw four more members, the drink itself offered so many opportunities for experimentation and....well, Shizzle, that the night was full of surprises and fun.

First, a note about The Rules. Rule #1 in the Society Charter is the most poignant and the most important:

(1) There are no losers, for we will all be drinking.

This rule was in full force at the Sidecar Soirée, as the pictures show! Everyone came out to make their best Sidecar, but the buzzy fun and joie de vivre of the event made everyone a winner.

The Sidecar Soirée yielded six amazing interpretations of the cocktail ranging from a purist Sidecar revival to extravagant modern interpretations. In all each of the six drinks were amazing and I expect to drink alot of Sidecars in the future.

Society #2 came with an awful lot of flair which, in Society terms, we refer to as Shizzle. Although drink scoring is heavily weighted towards Taste (6 of 10 points) and Presentation (3 of 10), gaining that point for Shizzle is not only important to the overall score, it's also the most fun point to win. Our newest members, Colleen, Ryan, Meredith, and Scott, not only made excellent Sidecars, their Shizzle set a high bar as you shall see as we post each drink over the coming weeks.

So, without further ado, here are the drinks from Society #2: Sidecar Soirée as ranked by the judges:

Drink: Ginger Sidecar

Mixologist: Bryan (with Sous Chef Louise)

Drink: The Henry Jones

Mixologist: Laura

Drink: Sidecar Nouveau

Mixologist: Meredith and Scott

Drink: Patriot

Mixologist: Colleen and Ryan

Drink: Fly Car

Mixologist: Ellis and Zoe

Drink: Classic Sidecar

Mixologist: Michael

Oh, and in case you were wondering, this is what it looks like at the end of the night...... Good times!

A few thoughts about Shizzle

2009-04-02T23:30:00.002-04:00

Shizzle is a fairly new concept in cocktail culture, but it is quickly spreading and is all the rage in Omaha, Waterloo, and even Tampa. Despite its recent popularity, it is not well understood among novices or pros. This short note is intended to clear up a few misconceptions about Shizzle so that we can all appreciate it better.

Shizzle is not about Taste. Taste is all about the flavor, strength, spiciness, sweetness and overall yumminess of a drink. This, of course, is the most important characteristic of a cocktail.

Shizzle is not about Presentation. Presentation is all about how the drink looks in the glass, how it is garnished, its color, maybe even the way it is prepared and served.

No, Shizzle is something more. It is about the completely unexpected. ALL good drinks should look nice and taste great. A drink with Shizzle makes a sound. Or it has flames shooting out. It has a neon glow. Or a fish swimming in it. Something that goes well beyond anything you can reasonably expect.

And thus, Shizzle points are not gimme points. They must be hard won points reserved for something spectacular. If you've been there and done that before, there is no Shizzle. If you can buy it in the liquor store, there is no Shizzle. If, on the other hand, there's a smile that won't go away and if you can't stop saying, "Wow," we have found that most holy of all cocktail characteristics.....we have been served a bit of Shizzle. Imbibe!!!

Society #2: Sidecar Soirée

2009-03-30T07:07:00.003-04:00

Society Meeting #2
Date: Friday, April 3rd
Time: 8:00 pm
Place: Sherman Residence, Herndon
Subject: Sidecar Soirée

As the creator of Society #1's winning mojito, Michael had the honor of selecting the venue and topic of Society #2. The gauntlet has been thrown down, it is time to get to work. On Friday we will be celebrating the Sidecar.

The Sidecar is a classic cocktail from the time of The Great War; recipes showing up in about 1922. It's a traditional combination of Cognac, orange liqueur, and lemon juice. There are several variations including the Chelsea Sidecar, the Boston Sidecar, and the Brandy Daisy. You can see why it is so versatile, and I hope we do the original justice while adding our own special "I don't know what".

Just our luck, Jeffrey Morgenthaler just did a video tutorial for Imbibe Magazine online that features the Sidecar. Thanks for the tips and inspiration Jeff!

Cranberry Mojito

2009-03-28T09:39:00.001-04:00

My contribution to the Mojito throwdown was a winter-themed Cranberry Mojito. I've made this mojito a couple of times since the throwdown and revised the recipe slightly. During Society #1, I muddled a few too many cranberries which can make the drink a little to tart or harsh.

The Cranberry Mojito got high marks for presentation and good marks for taste. Tasting notes included "maple flavor", "good mouth feel", "simple syrup creation was a nice touch", "molasses taste", and "different but still a mojito".

Ingredients:

Mojito

1 tsp of fresh Cranberries (go light here)

1 tsp of turbinado sugar

2 tsp of Cranberry simple syrup (see below)

2 lime wedges

8 sprigs of mint

2 1/2 oz of Gosling's Black Rum

Club Soda to finish

Cranberry Simple Syrup:

1 1/2 Cups of Simple Syrup (50/50 sugar to water)

2 Cinnamon Sticks

Zest from 1 Orange

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 1/2 Cups white rum

Preparation:

Making the Cranberry Simple Syrup (adapted from Mix Shake Stir):

1. In a saucepan, combine simple syrup, cinnamon sticks, and orange zest and bring to a boil.

2. Add cranberries and cook until their skins begin to split. Cook one more minute.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain the liquid into a glass jar.

4. Add the cranberries to the jar, discarding the cinnamon and orange zest.

5. Add the rum and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Making the Cranberry Mojito:

1. Muddle cranberries, sugar, cranberry simple syrup, lime wedges and mint.

2. Add ice and Gosling Black Rum. Shake.

3. Pour into glass, top with club soda.

4. Garnish with cranberries from simple syrup and sprig of mint.

The Cranberry Mojito is a great looking winter drink with a nice tart cranberry taste.

MoTeaTo

2009-03-21T16:38:00.001-04:00

In many ways, Laura's drink was the most inventive. While using conventional mojito ingredients (rum, lime, mint), her MoTeaTo added tea, by way of Firefly, and the presentation was like no other mojito you've ever seen! These were enough to garner alot of Shizzle points, along with strong scores for Taste and Presentation.

A bit of spur of the moment experimentation yielded two versions of the MoTeaTo: Laura's original chilled MoTeaTo and a warmed version. Both were outstanding with tasting notes of "mighty good", "good warm and chilled", "wonderful presentation" and "nice tea flavor".

Ingredients:

7 Mint leaves

2 tsp sugar

1 Lime

1 oz Cruzan white rum

1.5 oz Firefly (tea infused vodka)

Club Soda to finish

Preparation:

1. Muddle mint leaves with sugar and the juice of one lime and a splash of club soda.

2. Add ice, rum, and Firefly. Shake.

3. Place slice of lime at bottom of tea cup. Strain MoTeaTo mixture over.

4. Top with Club Soda and serve!

The MoTeaTo is a distinctive drink with a great flavor balance among the mint, citrus, and tea. Serve it chilled as shown above or warmed depending on your tastes and the occasion.

Muddled Thunder Mojito

2009-03-18T10:00:00.000-04:00

Ellis and Zoe drew the low number and were first up to make their drink. Each contestant was immediately aware of the stakes when Ellis presented his "mojito kit," making an immediate play for shizzle points! Note the condoms just above the double jigger (where else), which Ellis believed might be in order after a few Muddled Thunders!

Muddled Thunder took the full Shizzle point from each of the judges, not only for the kit but also the name. Tasting notes included "great drink", "good flavor balance", "bright taste", and "very refreshing". Muddled Thunder does not include mint, which raised a couple eyebrows, but it is definitely one of those drinks that you could have five of. In an hour. Ouch.

Ingredients:

1 Packet of Sugar in the Raw

1 Large Strawberry

1/2 Lime

1/2 Lemon

1.5 oz Strawberry Infused Simple Syrup

3 oz. Bacardi Superior white rum

Finish with Club Soda

Garnish with Lemon and Strawberry

Preparation:
1. Squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon and 1/2 lime.

2. Muddle one large strawberry, packet of Sugar in the Raw with lemon and lime juice.

3. Add Strawberry Simple Syrup and Rum.

4. Shake well and pour into tall glass.

5. Finish with club soda. Garnish with strawberry and lemon.

This is a great tasting and great looking mojito!

Sour Patch Mojito

2009-03-17T21:37:00.005-04:00

The Sour Patch Mojito was Society #1's unmistakeable winner with the lowest score among four judges being an 8 (out of 10) and winning the night's only 9.5. The Sour Patch scored well for Taste, and Mike managed to pull out strong Presentation and Shizzle scores. Judges tasting notes included praise like "most original", "my favorite", "very sour with a nice back taste of sweet and mint", "it actually tastes like a Sour Patch candy", and "raspberry icecubes!!"

Ingredients:

2 oz. Cruzan White Rum

2 tsp of Superfine Sugar

1 oz. fresh lime juice

3 raspberries

4 mint leaves

Finish with Club Soda

Raspberry Ice Cubes

Sour Patch Candies (for garnish)

Preparation:

1. Muddle mint, raspberries, and sugar with a splash of Club Soda.

2. Add lime juice and rum and shake with ice.

3. Fill glass with Raspberry Ice Cubes, pour. Top with Club Soda.

4. Add a couple of Sour Patch Candies to swizzle stick and serve!

This is a unique mojito that's alot of fun and a real crowd pleaser.

The Society Throwdown #1: The Mojito

2009-03-02T14:32:00.014-05:00

On Friday, February 27th, the charter members of The Society met for the first Throwdown at Bar Ware in Herndon, VA. The subject of the Throwdown: the Mojito.

The classic mojito is comprised of five ingredients: lime, mint, sugar, soda, and of course, white rum. The origins of this drink, like most classic cocktails, is disputed. Many believe it originated in 19th century Cuba, while others place it's origin well back in the 16th century. We decided it was time to take a fresh look at this classic.

The mojito fit nicely with the charter of the society because you cannot take shortcuts and make an acceptable mojito. Making a mojito requires muddling, or mashing the limes and mint to release their juices and oils. And, many variations are possible as you shall see.

Four mixologists participated in Society #1: Mojito. Scoring was conducted, in accordance with the Rules, and the scores are presented by each drink. Over the next few posts, each drink will be detailed.

First, a bit about the Rules. We made an in process change to the Rules, allowing 0.5 point scores for Shizzle. As you will see in the coming posts, Shizzle was a hotly contested point, and it felt like a partial point was needed. Judges rated Taste, Presentation, and Shizzle, and offered additional Tasting Notes for each drink.

First Place: Sour Patch Mojito

Mixologist: Michael

Second Place: Muddled Thunder

Mixologist: Ellis and Zoe

Third Place: Mo-tea-to

Mixologist: Laura

Fourth Place: Cranberry Mojito

Mixologist: Bryan

Trust me, the competition was tough and as promised, there were no losers. We all drank and therefore we all won! Stay tuned for preparation instructions and tasting notes on each drink over the coming posts.

Society Rules of Engagement

2009-02-28T12:36:00.000-05:00

Announcement:

Society Meeting
Date: Friday, February 27th
Time: 8:00 pm
Place: Bar Ware, Herndon

Subject: The subject of our first meeting shall be the Mojito. There shall be no mixes. Classic interpretations or modern alternatives are to be explored.

The Rules:
(1) There are no losers, for we will all be drinking.
(2) Mixologists must prepare a minimum of four cocktail portions, to allow for enough judges, and perhaps to share with observers.
(3) Each Mixologist will score all drinks except his/her own creation.
(4) Each Mixologist must provide his own ingredients and any special equipment.
(5) Each drink must have a name (see also 6.c.) and a written recipe provided for the Archives of the Society.
(6) Scoring shall be as follows (cards will be provided by The Society). A drink may receive a maximum score of 10, comprised of:
a. Taste: 1 – 6 Points
b. Presentation: 1-3 Points
c. Shizzle: 0 – 1 Point (shizzle accounts for unique ingredients, drink production , drink name, etc.)

Hosts shall provide bar ingredients, equipment, glasses, etc. However if your presentation (6.b) or production (6.c) require something unique, BYO.

For inspiration, see Mixology Monday on the interwebs:

Mixology Monday, aka MxMo

The Society Charter

2009-02-28T00:44:00.000-05:00

After a motion duly made and seconded, this past Wednesday in the year of our Lord 2009 in the place of the Ice House of Herndon; we do hereby form the Classic Cocktails Society. Said society, hereafter referred to simply as “The Society”, shall meet as its members see fit, from time to time, though no less than once each month or more than twice in a given month.

Membership may be expanded as we see fit. Guests may be welcome as we see fit.

Our charter is simple. The Society shall celebrate the cocktail in all its glory. Through careful research, experimentation, hard work, the finest ingredients, the spirit of competition and camaraderie, and the inevitable hang-over, we shall revive the art and grandeur of the cocktail.

Beer is fine, wine is too. But the cocktail is the highest form of liquid nourishment; nourishing the soul, that is. But too many are the "insert spirit" and tonic, "insert spirit" and soda, "insert spirit" and coke, and other such simple drinks purveyed by modern day bar slingers. We can do better. We must reach higher. We must strive for more.

These words, written in 1939 by the great Charles Baker, serve as our inspiration:

We are still heartily of the opinion that decent libation supports as many million lives as it threatens; donates pleasure and sparkle to more lives than it shadows; inspires more brilliance in the world of art, music, letters, and common ordinary intelligent conversation, than it dims.

-- Charles Baker, The Gentlemen’s Companion

And so it is written. And so it shall be. And so it begins.