The blog page for Smart Guy In A Tie. We explore topics from cocktail trends to creativity to branding, and everything in between.
It is fall, and as the weather gets colder and colder, flavors in cocktail get richer and deeper. Gone are the lemonades and muddles berries and touches of mint from the summer months. We are now in cinnamon and allspice and vanilla...and smoke. Smokey cocktails come out of the woodwork in the fall. Most reach for scotch when trying to add smoke; Elena Lepkowski of Serious Eats reaches for the mezcal for a Sierra Madre Sunrise.
Citius Altius Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) has been the motto for the Olympics since 1924, though it was proposed in 1894. Bringing the world together for friendly competition has had its ups and downs, but is something we all gather together for every two years. This cocktail by Jason Littrell celebrates the international nature of liquor, and how they work well together in one glass.
Brazil's native spirit, cachaca, has been getting more and more respect over the last five years. It has claimed its own identity, and bartenders have been reaching for it more as it steps out of the shadows. Internationally respected mixologist Naren Young mixed it with champagne, mint, and apple juice to create the Amazonia. It is a light and refreshing oasis for #100DaysOfCocktails to explore.
The toddy has been around forever. It is simple to add bourbon or rum to hot water with a bit of lemon at the end of the night. In Apothecary Cocktails, Warren Bobrow changes the liquor to the richer, herbal Jägermeister but keeps the overall formula in tact. #100DaysOfCocktails found it to be a great way to end a long day.
October is a month for scary things; what is scarier than an animated corpse? There are two versions of the Corpse Reviver. One is gin based, and very common on cocktail menus. The other is cognac based, and you are lucky to find it in the wild. Corpse Reviver #1 is the focus of today's #100DaysOfCocktails.
The Flip is a style of cocktail that went from a warmed punch to a single serving, chilled cocktail. You can use any liquor you choose for it from cheap beer to the priciest port. #100DaysOfCocktails looks at this simple and versatile drink through the eyes of a 19th century imbiber, the Sherry Flip.
Orange curacao was relatively new in the mid to late 19th century. It became a popular sweetener as bartenders were fleeing the country before Prohibition. Harry MacElhone created a delightful cocktail, the Sidecar, in his New York Bar during that dry time. #100DaysOfCocktails take a look at this incredibly well balanced drink.
