The Cocktail Thread

Mr Benevolent

There are not nearly enough cocktail threads here. Beers are great, but tbh they get a bit samey. My current favourite cocktail is the pina colada, the IBA recipe. I'm partial to a mojito too, but they're fiddly and inconsistent.

Anyone got any favourites or suggestions?

Pina Colada

30 ml (one part) white rum
30 ml (one part) cream of coconut
90 ml (3 parts) pineapple juice

Preparation: Mix with crushed ice until smooth. Pour into chilled glass, garnish and serve.

I'd recommend chilling all ingredients before mixing.

minidazzler

A Vodka Martini. Stirred not shaken. I hate when people think shaking makes the superior martini just because of Bond.

I prefer a lemon twist garnish over olives.

Diddler1977

Caipirosca made with Russian Standard

Essential piece of kit for making one is a muddler - hard to get in Ireland, I got mine in the states

Martyn1989

Got to be a Bramble

Decent Gin
Chambord
Fresh Lemon
Simple Syrup

Shaken, over crushed ice.

White Russians on crushed ice aswell.

Ravelleman

Fidel Castro:

White rum,
ginger ale,
lime juice,
cucumber.

Nice and simple.

Martyn1989

Also Raspberry Tom Collins

A few raspberries muddled in the glass, top with ice (preferably crushed)
Add: 1 measure decent gin
A squeeze of lemon juice
A dash of simple syrup
Soda water to top up
Throw a lemon wedge in on top so it looks pretty.

And of course sours.

Take any spirit or liquer you can think of.
Serve with one part spirit to two parts sour mix shaken with egg white or frothee mix (optional) and pour over crushed ice in a low ball tumbler.
The most common mixes are with rum, bourbon, gin, vodka and oddly enough Amaretto, but you can make it with anything.

To make your sour mix, in a spare shaker add equal parts water, sugar, fresh lemon and lime juice in a spare shaker and shake until the sugar is dissolved, if you want it sweeter add more sugar etc. This will keep a couple of days in the fridge and be used in a wide variety of cocktails.

Mr Benevolent

Another one I've tried:

Daiquiri

2 oz rum (white or dark)
1 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup

Lovely.

The Hill Billy

A Whiskey Sour is my favourite.

rainbowdash

Can anybody recommend a cocktail kit, ice crusher, shakers, glasses, recipe book etc. Looking for something for the Christmas.

Also if any expert could give me a list of 6-8 bottles of spirits to buy to make a decent choice of cocktails.

Mr Benevolent

rainbowdash wrote: »

Can anybody recommend a cocktail kit, ice crusher, shakers, glasses, recipe book etc. Looking for something for the Christmas.

Yeah I'd like to know too.

Also if any expert could give me a list of 6-8 bottles of spirits to buy to make a decent choice of cocktails.

It really depends what your favourites are. For me, a bottle of good rum is the only necessity for daiquiris, mojitos, pina coladas etc. Gin is a good one to have too. Whisky is unnecessary imo, as is vodka. A few liquers might be an option, Tia Maria and Cointreau come to mind.

stargazer 68

Browns restaurant in the UK do an African Gin Sling - not sure of the quantities etc but it is absolutely amazing!!

Whitley Neill Gin, Tia Maria, mango, passion fruit, lemon, sugar and Angostura Bitters with soda

rubadub

rainbowdash wrote: »

Can anybody recommend a cocktail kit, ice crusher, shakers, glasses, recipe book etc. Looking for something for the Christmas.

Keep an eye out in supermarkets & offies, they had nice absolut & finlandia kits before with bottles at christmas.