Member Profile
blair frodelius Age 46
about
- since February 2009
- website
- location syracuse, ny
- country usa
- job musician
- interests music, mixology, wizard of oz, graphic novels, photography
favorites
- spirit varies from day to day
- food almost everything
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Comments
That looked like a whole lot of fun! I'm shooting for 2011. See you there, Natalie!
Natalie, I think blending is a trend we'll be seeing a lot more in the years to come. With tequilas, it seems like it could round out some of the edges that come from the vegetal high notes in most blancos and even some reposados. Cheers! Blair http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Oh my gosh, Natalie! He's throwing expensive whiskies on the floor!!!! Great video and very informative. The (former) Cigar Malt is one of my all-time favourites! Cheers! Blair
Robert, Just ordered some julep cups from the silver store in Seattle. As you said, great prices. I've yet to find any as reasonable elsewhere. As an aside, I also enjoy the Georgia Mint Julep from Irvin S. Cobb's Own Recipe Book. Instead of bourbon, it calls for 2 oz. of cognac and 1 oz. of peach brandy. Absolutely smashing! Cheers! Blair
I was asked to make a few mint juleps for a small party on Saturday. The host handed me a bottle of bourbon, a bunch of mint and a bottle of simple syrup. Sounds like I'm all set to go, right? Only one problem. Not a single bar tool to be had. So, I eyeballed the measurements, used the wooden end of a spatula to muddle, and crushed the ice in a bag made out of a piece of cheesecloth and held together with staples! The tool I used to crush the ice was the bottom of a heavy glass beer mug. (Do not try this at home). It worked, and everyone was happy, but it made me realize that not everyone has the tools that I take for granted. Cheers! Blair Good Spirits News
I really enjoy benedictine with Rye and Bourbon. It works well as a replacement for rich simple syrup in drinks like a Mint Julep for instance. Here in New York State, we are lucky to have Benedictine readily available. One thing we can't find is Amer Picon, but that's anther story altogether. Cheers!
This is totally amazing! I will be getting one of these soon!
Speaking of sugars, I'm assuming that cubes either made from beet or cane sugar were used during the Belle Epoche. Is there any evidence that chunks of cone or loaf sugar might have been used? Blair Frodelius http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Andrew, Would this work with a smaller amount of dried fennel? Also, I'm assuming there is no way to reuse the bottle you filled with fresh fennel? Blair http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
George, I was out with some friends the other night at a bar that literally had hundreds of spirits. They had eight different cachacas and five kinds of absinthe for instance. I asked the bartender to make me a drink with something unusual in it. He ended up making me a genever, lime juice and simple syrup on the rocks. Pretty cool. When the bartender asked what everyone else wanted, they opted for Belgian beer. Later on I asked why they didn't order any cocktails, they said it was because they knew they could get better ones from me at my home bar. A compliment, but also a bit disappointing in a way. I've got these people spoiled! Cheers! Blair Frodelius http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Great video Natalie! I wanted to let your viewers know that when doing infusions, always check to make sure the additives are not hazardous to your health. In addition, check the infusion every 24 hours to make sure it is not too intense. Cheers! Blair Frodelius http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
You know, I'm thinking that this needs more than a dash of grenadine. How about equal parts grenadine and lemon juice?
Robert, I was making a Scofflaw cocktail last night and grabbed your book instead of Ted Haigh's to check the recipe. They are both wildly different from one another. Which one is the recipe that Harry's Bar created? I'm assuming the one in Ted's book, but if so, where did you get your recipe from? Thanks! Blair http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Robert, When you say that Angostura "re-architected" an orange bitters formula, do you mean that they made one at one time years ago? If so, did they also make other bitters? Blair
When I do a rinse, there are two things I keep in mind. 1) I don't pre-chill the glass with ice and water. Only keeping it in the freezer will do. 2) I don't want to waste excess spirits by "dumping them". I have transferred the usual suspects (absinthe, Benedictine, Chartruese) into misting spray bottles. 2-3 sprays sufficiently coats the glass with no waste. Cheers! Blair http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
My only comment would be that it might be better when making a stirred drink, to use a mixing glass instead of a tin. Again, for presentation to the customer.
I've been playing around with a variety of bitters in my Old Fashioneds lately. Angostura is definitely the spokesman for this drink, but I also like Fee's Old Fashioned Barrel Aged Bitters, and The Bitter Truth's Jerry Thomas' Own Bitters. I just ordered a bottle of Boker's Bitters from Scotland, and will have to see how they fare. With the orange peel garnish, I will also occasionally do a flamed peel, especially if I am using rye instead of bourbon. Cheers! Blair goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Gary, I thought something seemed odd about the ratios of your recipe, so I looked up the Seelbach recipe that was given to Gary & Mardee by Adam Seger from The Seelbach Hotel, and noticed a major difference. His recipe calls for: 1 oz bourbon .5 oz triple sec 7 dashes each of Angostura & Peychaud's bitters 5 oz Brut champagne 1 orange twist rubbed around the rim and dropped into the finished drink This will make a much lighter drink overall. Supposedly, the origin of the goes back to just pre-prohibition when some champagne bubbled into a Manhattan. Somehow, that doesn't seem exactly right as this doesn't contain any vermouth. But who knows...? Anyway, another great drink, Robert! Cheers! Blair GoodSpiritsNews.spaces.live.com
That pesky sugared rim! Actually having made a few crustas, I have to say that the effort of cutting a large swath of lemon peel so that it fits inside the rim of a glass is a bit difficult. It looks pretty, but it becomes an unwieldy garnish. The original Sidecars did not include the sugared rim, and IMHO still do not need them. It is plenty sweet enough. What I tend to do is what I do with my margaritas. I season half of the rim, letting the customer decide if they want that extra burst of flavor or not. Regardless, the Bourbon Crusta has long been on my "go to" list of cocktails. Absolutely, a killer drink! I always SMILE when I have one! Cheers! Blair http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Robert, Do you ever attempt to teach the bartenders the mixological history of an Old Fashioned? I would think if the house weren't too busy, most would be interested at least and would try making them more historically accurate. I almost always specify how I want something made when I'm out. Brand name, ratios, stirred or shaken, etc... This may make me seem picayune, but then again, I don't want to blow $15 on a lousy drink. :) Blair http://GoodSpiritsNews.spaces.live.com
Will, I've gone the organic route as well. What I've found interesting is that the "shelf life" of organic fruits is about half that of non-organic. As well, the peels seem to be softer, making it easier to make a twist. Blair Frodelius http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Adam, A great way to work with bitters is to transfer them to a dropper bottle and add a drop or two at a time. A dash can be anywhere from 6-10 drops. But, with an eyedropper you can be very accurate with measurements. Cheers! Blair http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Thus spake the good Saint Robert!
Kim, It's posts like yours that make me glad to be a part of the bartending experience! It is amazing how our cocktail culture has transcended boundaries and nationalities. Cheers! Blair Frodelius http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Adam, When I've made my own homemade cocktail cherries, I buy fresh cherries at the market, pit them, and soak them in a jar filled with Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur for about a month. They last for months if you keep them refrigerated. You might also try dong them same with Maraska Liqueur or even try Cherry Heering for a more nutty cherry flavour. Cheers! Blair Frodelius http://GoodSpiritsNews.spaces.live.com
Just have to share this story. I went out last night with some friends to a bar that was recommended by a representative from Pernod-Ricard as having top notch cocktails. So, I looked over their spirit selection, and they certainly had a decent variety (rhum, cachaca, and several high end tequilas being some of the more interesting selections). I asked for a cocktail menu, and was told they didn't have one, but they could make anything I asked for. So, I decided to try a Sidecar and see how they would make it ratio-wise. The bartender said, "Help me out. I haven't made one of those in a while." I said, it called for cognac, Cointreau and fresh lemon juice. She said, "We don't have any whole lemons. How about if I juice some of these wedges"? That was my first clue that this would be a different Sidecar altogether. I said, "Sure, give it a try." What I received was the lamest cocktail ever. It was drinkable, but definitely NOT a Sidecar by any stretch of the imagination. It consisted of a rocks glass (sans sugared rim) filled to the brim with soft ice in which she had left the muddled lemon wedges (plus seeds) and an undetermined amount of Martell VSOP and Cointreau. I never fail to be surprised by what uninformed bartenders will call a cocktail. Blair GoodSpiritsNews.spaces.live.com
Robert, I use orange bitters instead of Angostura. Of course, Angostura makes an orange bitters as seen on your bar in the video. Another variation on this variation of the Manhttan is the Robert Burns. Just add a dash (about 4-6 drops) of absinthe in addition to the orange bitters. It adds another level and depth of character to the mix. Cheers! Blair Frodelius http://goodspiritsnews.spaces.live.com
Robert, When did the classification of certain ratios of grain for American whiskies come into being? I know that Bourbon has only had the 51% corn ratio for about 45 years now. Blair
Sean, Any chance of getting Plymouth Fruit Cup, Plymouth Damson Gin or Plymouth Navy Strength imported into the USA in the next few years? Desmond, when can we see a wider rollout of Beefeater 24? I have yet to find a bottle in New York State despite several searches. Robert, thanks for this video! As always, entertaining and enlightening. Blair http://GoodSpiritsNews.spaces.live.com
Robert, I use the same stirring spoon. I agree, it doesn't fight the ice nearly as much. Plus, as you showed in the video, it makes for a super tight spiraled twist. One other observation. Your hand was covered with orange oil after creating the twist. Do you ever find that your hands smelling like citrus after making cocktails with twists interferes with the olfactory sensations of enjoying a cocktail? Lastly, I had a thought whilst entranced watching you stir the ice. I'm assuming that cocktails made before the advent of easily available ice (early to mid 1800's) would have been at least partially diluted with water to make them more palatable; or is this not so? Cheers! Blair Frodelius GoodSpiritsNews.spaces.live.com