One of my very favorite classic cocktails is the Manhattan. I’m a bourbon girl through and through, but every so often, Scotch is the spirit I desire. Enter the Rob Roy, the "Scotch Manhattan."

Rob Roy
2½ oz scotch
1 oz sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice cubes
Cherry, for garnish

Combine scotch, vermouth, bitters and ice into a mixing glass. Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry and enjoy.

TAGS [ COCKTAILS | COCKTAIL RECIPES | CLASSIC | ROB ROY | SCOTCH ]

John C., our Director of IT, is also very much a foodie - he even has a catering business on the side, and has been known to taste-test incredible foods prepared from fantastic chefs! Through his travels, both physically and online, he’s made friends with some really inspiring people. Enter Jaden Hair, a food columnist, television chef and recipe developer who has recipes and such published on Discovery blogs.

Being the beer and food lover that he is, John happened upon a recipe by a dessert chef that Jaden reads up on. Heather’s Ale and Pretzel Soft Caramels recipe caught John’s attention and he passed me the link immediately - he and Jaden even got in contact again yesterday, so hopefully we’ll be able to meet her during her upcoming trip to Buffalo.

Photo by Heather of Sprinkle Bakes

All you need to make Heather Baird’s caramel creations is the following:

(1) 12 oz bottle of brown or pale ale, divided
2 c sugar
1 c firmly packed brown sugar
1 c unsalted butter
1 c heavy cream
1 c light corn syrup
(1) 8 oz package pretzel rods or pretzel sticks
1 roll of wax paper
Scissors

Get the full recipe from Jaden’s blog - I know I’ll be trying my hand at these soon!

TAGS [ BEER RECIPES | BEER CARAMELS | ALE CARAMELS | BEER DESSERT ]

Gin martinis. Vodka martinis. When it comes to such cocktails, people tend to stick to a certain favorite and some even denounce ones made without their preferred liquor. In my opinion, as long as it’s not some candy-coated concoction, and consists of only 3 or so ingredients (garnish aside), it’s a martini. Whether it’s vodka or gin is of no consequence to me - I choose which one I’m most in the mood for, if I decide upon a martini.

But I wonder… why not both? This martini recipe utilizes both, dropping the vermouth altogether, which makes it more refreshing, at least in my opinion, for hot summer days. The recipe below makes two drinks (or one big drink, if you prefer):

2 oz gin
2 oz vodka
Lemon peel, for garnish
Pimento-stuffed olives, for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and add your gin and vodka. Shake well until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker. Strain the cocktail into two cocktail glasses and garnish each with a lemon twist and 2 stuffed olives.

Try it and tell me what you think!

TAGS [ MARTINIS | COCKTAIL RECIPES | DRINK RECIPES ]

Yes, I tend toward good beer but sometimes I need to switch things up a bit. Working here, I have some of the best, all natural mixers available to me, right at my fingertips. Since I had never tried it before, I thought it was high time to bring home a bottle of Fever-Tree Bitter Lemon.

Everything I’ve ever read about this mixer screamed "perfect for summer" to me. Words like "clean," "refreshing," and "balanced" are perfect descriptors. This past week’s heat wave required a beverage that claimed to be all three, and Bitter Lemon did not disappoint.

Created with a blend of Sicilian lemons, cold-pressed orange oils, cane sugar, spring water and quinine, Fever-Tree Bitter Lemon is a lovely substitution for any cocktail in which you might normally use tonic water, changing up the flavor with a zesty zing.

I’ll be picking up a few more bottles today. If you haven’t tried it yet, I urge you to do the same.

Cheers!

TAGS [ COCKTAIL RECIPES | FEVER-TREE | BITTER LEMON | TONIC WATER | DRINK RECIPES | SUMMER COCKTAILS ]

I happened upon RumDood.com recently since, when I’m not drinking a refreshing beer in the summer, you’ll often find me with some sort of classic rum concoction in hand (or good rum on the rocks, all on its own).

Photo credit: RumDood on Flickr

I read his thoughts on the classic El Presidente cocktail and couldn’t agree more; far too much curaçao and a bit over the top on vermouth in the classic recipe, leaving me wishing for something more refreshing.

I find RumDood’s own modified version of El Presidente much more enjoyable. Try it for yourself!

El Presidente, Revamped

1½ oz aged rum
¾ oz dry vermouth
¼ oz curaçao
½ tsp grenadine
Orange or lemon twist, for garnish

Stir in a mixing glass with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange or lemon twist, your choice.

I recommend this cocktail for a warm summer evening. Truly enjoyable.

TAGS [ COCKTAIL RECIPES | RUM COCKTAILS | EL PRESIDENTE ]

I’ve probably mentioned this before, but I love Fentimans Dandelion & Burdock Soda. Love.

It’s like no other soda I’ve ever tried. Sweet and unique, it’s made with full strength infusions of dandelion leaves and burdock root, with an added touch of pear, ginger and anise. It’s truly one of a kind and tastes incredible with vodka (which is what you see pictured above).

If you’re looking for something different in a soda this summer, look no further than Fentimans.

Cheers!

TAGS [ COCKTAIL MIXERS | FENTIMANS | DANDELION BURDOCK | SODAS ]

I play in a co-ed softball league and at our last game, one of the other players brought sliced watermelon for a snack. It was a hot day, I hadn’t eaten dinner and watermelon is one of my favorite summertime snacks. I’d had 3 pieces before I overheard someone talking about how it’d been marinated in vodka. I scored more runs that game than ever before. Coincidence? Who knows!

Image credit: My Own Sweet Thyme Blog

Yesterday I was at a 4th of July BBQ and someone brought a big, gorgeous, round watermelon and everyone was commenting on how it was delicious as is, but it’d be much better with booze.

This morning, Tom emailed me a link to this Valet article titled "How To: Spike a Watermelon" and I can’t help but think the fruit we enjoyed yesterday would have been the perfect time to try out their method.

Last year, our Faucet and Shank Kit was featured in Food Network Magazine. Those clever foodies used it to tap a watermelon, redefining "fruit cocktail" in the process! You can check out all of the details and the "Watermelon Sours in a Melon Keg" recipe, right here.

All signs point to watermelon and booze being the ultimate summer snack. If you haven’t tried it yet, don’t wait any longer! It’s very easy to make and incredibly tasty and refreshing. In fact, I think watermelon may have been created just for this.

TAGS [ SPIKED WATERMELON | VODKA WATERMELON | TEQUILA WATERMELON ]