The Cocktail Stop

[Sam Smythe]

This topic is about my journey to pursue a dream, a dream of having a home cocktail bar to be proud of. A cocktail bar where I can (hopefully) make anything someone asks for. Yeah, I know, that's not realistic.
Professor Green suggested I start this as I had been posting initially in Beginner questions. Thanks for the suggestion Prof :-D
First though a little background. I am 60yo and have fairly severe emphysema. I don't get out much and needed a hobby. When I bought my first house with my fiancee, I had a dream of making my own bar. Well, being young and having a new mortgage, I couldn't justify the expense. Fast forward 10 years to a new house and kids. Can I do it? Nah. 60 yo now and single. It's now a bucket list item, and it is all happening primarily due to 2 people. Wellsy, a member here and local to me who not only has been a wealth of knowledge, but also help, and great company in person. Also a mate of mine, Jack, who stumped up a $250 gift card he was given to help get me started. I have also received lots of information from many people on this site. Thank you all!
I had posted a few pics in my topic Day 11, and Carol (a member suggested posting the recipes as well as the pics. Good thinking Carol!
The cocktail recipes I use have been sourced on-line, copied to word, and then converted and posted here as PDF's (yeah, you're right. Computer geek).
Anyway, I am on my way, my still works, I am yet to make my first viable wash. According to Wellsy, my first attempt was the best water he has ever tasted (smartarse lol). But I am back on track and ready to make a wash.
Enough background, I will post up cocktails that I have actually made and tried. The PDF files include a professional in the top right corner, and my simplistic attempt at the bottom of the recipe. Where needed, I have also included comments on suggested changes. Any ingredients in brackets in the text are my suggestions as alternatives.
Anyway, here we go, and feel free to add folks

[Sam Smythe]

Bloody Mary

[Sam Smythe]

Brandy Cocktail

[Sam Smythe]

Cuba Libre

[Sam Smythe]

Moscow Mule

[Sam Smythe]

Please give me some feedback people. Is an attachment the way to go, or should I just put everything in the post?
I am new to forums, so really have no idea what is preferred.
Oh, and again, feel free to add your own cocktails, or criticisms, or even praise lol. Any feedback is good feedback.
Unless you are a Collingwood supporter, then forget it :teasing-tease: lol

[Carol]

Very fancy PDF pages! I think the advantage of a PDF is that people can print it off or save the file for later reference - a sort of cocktail encyclopaedia in progress. But it would be nice if there was a separate photo in the post as well so you can see it in the thread without opening the PDF. Is that possible?
Cheers Carol

[Sam Smythe]

I hear ya. Will do. Should I put the pro pic in or the home made rank amateur pic....or maybe both?? Now that I say it, maybe both. I know for sure I will never attain that level, but it gives a target, as well as a more realistic possibility.
Thanks for the feedback Carol

[Sam Smythe]

Dark and Stormy. Your suggestion taken on board Carol...
Let's see how this goes. It's a learning experience for me

[Carol]

A few pics from a young friend who has been conscripted to be a taste tester. They often post photos on their FB page ( without identifying the source) so all of their friends will feel deprived! Not cocktails as such - although there is ice added to the chili vodka.

Once-in-a-blue-Moonshine.

once in a blue moonshine.jpg

Puddin' Gin

puddin' gin.jpg

Chili Vodka

chili vodka.jpg

[Carol]

Yes - that works for me. Picure of cocktail and recipe (with pictures) as a pdf to print or file.

[Sam Smythe]

Thanks for the comment Carol, and loved the pics. I have another 20 or so recipes to try, but need to get the spirits. Mostly Tequila, Vermouth and Gin. When I can get those on board I will have a crack, and post up the recipes (if they're any good) in similar format

[Carol]

For gin - look up Zymurgy Bob's gin extract in this forum. I macerate the botanicals and then run it through the air still to get a very strong gin extract that I add to neutral to make it as "ginny" as I want. I find that with the exception of orange peel and lavender heads I can re-use the botanical as they still have a lot of flavour.

[BradM]

There are a few people on Youtube who show you how to make cocktails, my favourite two are
Cocktails with Ciara (https://www.youtube.com/c/CiaraODoherty/playlists
who does the standard cocktail recipes and
Glen & Friends cooking channel who does a series called Cocktails After Dark (https://www.youtube.com/c/GlenAndFriendsCooking/playlists)
that is all about historical recipes.
If you are after old cocktail recipe books that are out of copyright - this is your treasure chest - https://euvs-vintage-cocktail-books.cld.bz/

[Carol]

Thanks for the link to the library Brad - that is very interesting.
Cheers ( and old cocktails!) Carol

[Professor Green]

Nice one Sam. Looking forward to seeing more recipes here as time goes on.

[Wellsy]

Only got to see the dark and stormy Sam as I Am on a tablet.

They look awesome mate.

As for gins I have tried the odins gin recipe and they few I have given a taste too simply love it as do I lol.

I have not been a gin drinker before but can understand why people are making a fuss

[Sam Smythe]

Thanks for your input Brad. You're not wrong, those books will definitely be out of copyright, and will need time to look at. No probs though, that's something I have plenty of!
Prof, I will keep going, I need to get some different base spirits happening, but that WILL happen, and then I will add more. I have one that I have spoken to Carol about that may come on here next week. See how we go, but I do intend to keep it going. At the moment, I am after some tequila and Carol has put me onto a recipe to make chilli vodka which I can use in a latest creation taken off the internet.
I want to make it quite clear up front. I am not plagiarising...well, I am, but I freely acknowledge that publicly. I am not making a book, I am not profiting in any way, just trying to be a soak of information to pass onto others. The vast majority of what you see here will be taken from the BBC's Good Food Guide, and can be freely accessed online.
If anyone thinks I am doing the wrong thing, please say so.
Mods, given what I have just said, if you are not comfortable, please take this topic down.

[Sam Smythe]

Wellsy, we gotta downgrade you mate. Older tech that actually works lol. Come round, and I will give you a first hand experience of the drinks

[Wellsy]

If you want to try an out there cocktail mate, look up a Canadian Caesar

They all love it over there but it does not sound great.