Honestly, the last thing on Earth I’d ever think should go into a margarita is beer, but this recipe is perfect for getting rid of macro brews that might just sit around otherwise (at least in some homes). If you decide to turn your beer into a margarita, just make sure you are indeed using a low-flavor macro beer so that the taste of the beer doesn’t overwhelm.

Whether you’re sold on the idea of a beer margarita or not, jot down this recipe; you never know when it might come in handy.

Image courtesy of the intoxicologist.com

Beer Margarita
12 oz can frozen limeade concentrate
12 oz tequila
12 oz water
12 oz beer
Ice
Lime, cut into wedges

Pour limeade, tequila, water, and beer into a large pitcher. Stir until blended and limeade has melted. Add ice and garnish with lime wedges. Add extra water, to taste, if needed.

Now, next time you have a bunch of lighter beers that just don’t do it for you, or you have a finicky, margarita-only drinking pal around, whip this up and enjoy.

TAGS [ DRINK RECIPE | COCKTAIL RECIPES | MARGARITAS | BEER MARGARITA | MARGARITA RECIPE | BEER COCKTAILS ]

I’m always looking for fun, interesting stuff to write about for our blog. When a dear friend suggested we plan a visit to the cocktail hotspot Barchef in nearby Toronto, I immediately agreed. Frankie Solarik, the man behind Barchef, is the winner of numerous competitions and mixology awards and he’s credited with being a pioneer in the mixology movement in Canada. He has recently developed a passion for the modern molecular mixology movement.

Located right on Queen Street West, the bar is open from 5:30pm until "late" (according to their website) Tuesday through Friday nights and from 7:00pm until "late" on Saturdays. Sundays and Mondays they’re closed.

Just looking at their menus inspires me. On their Spring drink list, you’ll find cocktails made with incredible ingredients like rosewater, ginger beer, muddled watermelon, coconut bitters (so want these!) and cucumber and coriander infused gin. Mmm…

Their Molecular menu is what really intrigues me though.

Any cocktail that costs $45 CAD has to be good, right? That’s what you’ll pay for a Vanilla Hickory Smoked Manhattan, made with Crown Royal Extra Rare, fresh lemon, in-house cherry vanilla bitters, hickory smoked syrup, vanilla cognac, smoked hickory and vanilla.

There’s even a drink named after my favorite show, Mad Men (which I’ve previously blogged about), made with tobacco infused bourbon, cinnamon infused sweet vermouth, maple bitters, tobacco and cherry jelly and cigar mist. According to an article I found on Sensory Cocktails, "cigar mist is made by simmering crumbled cigars in water and simple syrup." I can’t help but want to taste it.

Another drink that caught my attention is the Bitter Italian. This one is a little bit sweeter, made with sparkling wine, strawberry and elderberry bitters, amaro, black pepper and honey syrup and rosewater spritz.

If anyone has had the chance to check out Barchef already, let me know what you think. Either way, I’ll be sure to have a full report after my visit.

TAGS [ BARCHEF | TORONTO | COCKTAILS | COCKTAIL RECIPES | DRINK RECIPES ]

The official drink of the 2010 Tales of the Cocktail has been chosen, and it’s chock full of Fee Brothers mixers. What exactly will attendees be toasting with in July? Grab the recipe below.

Death in the South Pacific

¾ oz Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old rum
¾ oz Rhum Clement VSOP rum
½ oz Grand Marnier
1/3 oz orgeat syrup
1/3 oz Fee Brothers falernum
3 dashes absinthe
½ fresh lime juice
½ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz Fee Brothers grenadine
½ oz Cruzan Blackstrap rum

Add all ingredients except for the grenadine and Cruzan Blackstrap to a Zombie shell glass and fill with crushed ice. Swizzle the drink well to mix and frost the glass and then pour in grenadine. Overfill the glass with crushed ice and then pour in Cruzan Blackstrap.

Garnish with a brandied cherry, pineapple leaf and strip of orange peel on a bamboo skewer.

Celery Bitters and Rose Water - The Newest Mixers from Fee Brothers

Want to come up with some new cocktail recipes yourself? There’s no better way than experimenting with brand new mixers from Fee Brothers. Just in today are Celery Bitters and Rose Water, ready and waiting for your newest concoctions.

We’ll regale you with some of our recipes for these new mixers soon, but first, what can you come up with?

Cheers!

TAGS [ TALES OF THE COCKTAIL | TOC | FEE BROTHERS | CELERY BITTERS | ROSE WATER | COCKTAIL MIXERS | NEW MIXERS ]

Not only do we have the super sought-after Angostura Bitters back in stock, but we have it in an incredibly large size. Chances are you won’t be running out of Angostura any time soon with this bad bear.

Get this 16-ounce bottle of bitters for just $16.99 - you’d be paying $32 if you bought four of the 4-ounce bottles. That’s a great deal, if you ask me.

Since the weather is heating up in even cooler parts of the world (read: Buffalo, NY) here’s a classic rum cocktail to enjoy with your gigantic bottle of bitters.

Trinidad Punch
4 dashes Angostura bitters
1 oz simple syrup
1 oz lime or lemon juice
3 oz Trinidad rum

Put 4 tablespoons finely cracked ice into a mixing glass and add ingredients in order listed above. Mix thoroughly, strain and divide into 2 drinks… if you want to share, that is.

Cheers!

TAGS [ ANGOSTURA | BITTERS | COCKTAIL | RECIPE ]

Brian passed me this link to alert everyone of the impending NYC Bar and Wine Show, occurring Sunday June 20 - Monday June 21, from noon to 6pm. It’s a great even for anyone in the food and beverage industry so if you have the time, I suggest adding it to your calendar.

Last year’s Bar and Wine event was a huge success, with plenty of submissions to the annual cocktail contest. Which drink had the cajones to win in 2009? Make it and taste it yourself! Recipe for the winning cocktail follows:

The Bing-a-Ling
Recipe is from The Bar and Wine Show website.

2 oz IS vodka
Fresh, pitted bing cherries
Fresh mint
Fresh lime juice
Simple syrup
Lime slice, for garnish
Fresh mint leaf, for garnish
Pitted bing cherry, for garnish

Muddle cherries, mint and simple syrup in a shaker until dissolved. Add ice, vodka and lime juice, then shake until mixed thoroughly. Pour everything over ice into a rocks glass (or highball glass, as is pictured here) and garnish with lime slice, mint leaf and bing cherry. Enjoy.

TAGS [ BAR AND WINE SHOW | NYC TRADE SHOW | NYC FOOD BEVERAGE SHOW | COCKTAIL CONTEST | COCKTAIL WINNER ]

At just over 2 weeks away, we’re getting close to Kentucky Derby time. Whether you hit up the races or not, there’s no better time to enjoy a fresh Mint Julep.

Mint Julep

2 oz bourbon whiskey
4 whole mint sprigs
Simple syrup, to taste
Mint sprigs, dusted with sugar, for garnish

Muddle mint leaves, simple syrup and bourbon in a cocktail shaker until the mint is blended. Add ice and then shake well. Strain into a julep cup filled with shaved ice. Garnish with mint sprigs, enjoy and repeat.

TAGS [ MINT JULEP | MINT JULEP RECIPE | KENTUCKY DERBY ]

After seven weeks of cocktail taste testing, the Magnificent Bastard (of magnificentbastard.com fame) has selected a winner of our first official cocktail contest.

Congratulations, Bryan Swanson! We’ve already made your drink and we concur, it’s 100% MB. Don Draper would definitely be down.

It’s smooth and sophisticated with a taste that confidently whispers "classic." Well done.

The Magnificent Bastard

2 oz Bulleit bourbon
1 oz Berentzen Apfelkorn
1/8 oz Laphroaig 10-year-old scotch
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir vigorously for 20-30 seconds. Strain into ice-filled rocks glass.

You can check out all of the details and some interesting cocktail Q&A with Bryan, right here.

According to the interview, Bryan plans on buying a whole lot of Fever Tree Tonic Water with his $500 KegWorks gift card. In case it wasn’t obvious before, we like this guy.

Don’t forget to take a look at these, too:

The Runners Up

The Bracket (the winner was selected using this NCAA basketball-style single-elimination tournament bracket.)

Many thanks to the Magnificent Bastard, his team and all who submitted entries! We’re proud to have been a small part of such a successful contest and we’re relieved to know that the world finally has a brand new classic cocktail to enjoy.

Cheers!

TAGS [ MAGNIFICENT BASTARD | COCKTAIL RECIPE | COCKTAIL CONTEST | CONTEST WINNER ]