Libation Conversation

[Dan]

Let me just start by saying that I think wine is terrific, and for
that matter so is beer. There are a nearly infinite number of wines
and beers available to those inclined to pursue them, but in the end
these products are what they are. Wine presents itself to the consumer
as a complete thought. All the aesthetic decisions of significance
have been made by the winemaker and by nature - choice of grape
varietals, location of the vineyards, soil composition, climate
conditions, rainfall, oak or stainless, etc. Beer presents itself in
much the same way, as a complete expression of the brewmaster's
vision. And that's great!

As much as I enjoy a great beer or a sublime glass of wine though, I
prefer cocktails. I find the whole cocktail category to be endlessly
fascinating, mostly because with a cocktail I get to determine what
goes into it and therefore what it tastes like. I'm also deeply
intrigued by what is a mind-scramblingly large number of cocktail
ingredient options. To begin with, decisions must be made regarding
the base spirit or spirits to be used. What's it going to be - vodka,
flavored vodka, gin, rum, tequila, brandy, whisky (or whiskey)? Maybe
something more exotic, like Cachaça, Soju or Pisco? Once that decision
gets made, things begin to get really interesting which begs the
question; what does it take to produce a great cocktail, anyway?

Let's look at that first step again - The Base Spirit. Spirits and
cocktails share the same basic relationship as silk purses and sows'
ears. It's very close to impossible to create a truly great cocktail
from a sub-par base spirit, and the more exposed the base (in a
classic gin martini, for example), the more critical the quality. Does
this mean that you must spend a fortune on your spirits in order to
achieve your lofty cocktail aspirations? Not necessarily. Although
obscenely priced options certainly exist and most are well worth the
price, there are some terrific spirits out there that can be had for a
downright reasonable sum. Experiment with different spirits and
different brands within a single spirits category. Listen to your
palate. Try several brands side by side, ideally in a blind tasting
format (i.e. have someone else pour them and hide the identities of
the bottles from you - a local bar, a slow night and a patient
bartender would work well for this). Whatever you do, spring for the
brand name stuff. With a few exceptions, it is worth the extra money,
and there is some sinister stuff lurking in the bargain versions that
will seal the fate of your cocktail before you've even begun. Life
really is too short for that sort of thing.

Okay, so you've chosen your base. Now what are you going to do with
it? Luckily this isn't a decision you have to make alone. There is a
nearly inexhaustible supply of cocktail books available to lend
direction to your cocktailian pursuits. Some are better than others.
Dale DeGroff, one of the most respected figures in the world of
cocktails, puts it this way - "With real estate, it's location,
location, location. With cocktails, it's recipe, recipe, recipe." The
quality of the cocktail recipe, along with the cocktail maker's
accurate execution of it, is the most important single factor in the
creation of a great cocktail. So, how do you know? Well, for starters,
a great cocktail almost never has a lewd or overly kitschy name.
Beyond that, do your homework. Even cursory research into this aspect
of cocktail preparation can yield some fascinating results, many of
which have their roots in the very beginnings of the cocktail itself.
Jerry Thomas, one of the most influential figures in the history of
cocktails, wrote the first-ever cocktail book, Jerry Thomas'
Bartender's Guide or How to Mix Drinks, in 1862. Many of the recipes
in this book spawned the great classic cocktails we know today, along
with the ones we don't know, but should. (FYI - Speaking of Jerry
Thomas, the recently published book, Imbibe, by cocktail guru David
Wondrich, dissects Thomas's masterpiece in fascinating detail.)

So now you have your delicious bottle of hooch and your spiffy
cocktail book. At this point you may notice lots of references in the
book to things like simple syrup (or possibly more exotic syrups like
orgeat or falernum), orange bitters or other specialty bitters, fresh
juices, fresh herbs & garnishes. You'll most likely run into some
funky liqueurs & cordials like crème de noyaux, Cherry Heering,
elderflower liqueur or maraschino liqueur (a delicious liquid that is
definitely not to be confused with grenadine or the neon goo that
maraschino cherries float in). Some of these classic cocktail
ingredients are harder to find than others, so dig around. Most can be
obtained online if they are unavailable locally, but give your local
retailer a chance. Many are willing to at least consider bringing in a
new product if that product is requested by a customer, and several of
them have a very good selection of these kinds of 'left of center'
products in stock already. When it comes to cocktail ingredients, the
curious soul is richly rewarded.

You won't find many, if any, references to mixes (sour mix, etc) in a
classic cocktail book and that's a good thing. With one or two notable
and very respectable exceptions, mixes tend to be made from artificial
flavorings, colorings and lots of high fructose corn syrup. They are
formulated for ease of use and they are certainly easy to use. But
just as great soup doesn't come from a pouch, great cocktails don't
come from mixes. Fresh ingredients, freshly squeezed juices, quality
sodas & tonics and fresh garnishes are critical to the creation of a
truly great cocktail.

There are a few tools of the trade that with a little practice can
enhance the quality of your cocktail output as well. If possible, get
a hold of a muddler, a hand citrus juicer, a Boston shaker, a
Hawthorne strainer (for shaken drinks), a Julep strainer (for stirred
drinks), a long bar spoon, a twist knife and a grater (for grating
fresh nutmeg or citrus peels). We could talk about glassware, ice, and
a hundred other cocktail-related topics while we're at it but I'll
save those for future posts.

Cheers!