NY Barfly

Smoky Drinks for 'Cue Season

Grills are firing up for the summer season, but that meat isn’t the only thing that can be filled with the flavor of smoke. From bold red wines to a smoky mezcal margarita, there are plenty of ways to pack your glass with a bit of char. For our latest ditty on Tablespoon, we took a look at some of these smoky beverages and offered options for mild, moderate and mega smoke. If you want to try some awesome smoky options, check out our article here.

Louis Royer Cognac Says "Show Me The Proof!"

Cocktail competition alert! Louis Royer “Force 53” VSOP Cognac is one of the booziest labels out there, ringing in at an impressive (or scary, depending on your take) 106 Proof. Just because it’s potent doesn’t mean you can’t mix up a tasty drink using the stuff. The spirit label just announced its first-ever “Show Me The Proof” Cocktail Competition, which asks bartenders to showcase the cognac in an original libation. The winner of the competition gets a pretty sweet prize – a one-week trip to France, with a stop at the cognac’s distillery in Jarnac along with a two-night stay in Paris so you can check out that town’s cocktail culture. The second and third prizes aren’t too shabby either, as the runners up will each be awarded $1,000.

To enter, you have to submit your recipe (you can submit two to double your chances) by August 31. Six finalists will mix up their drinks in NYC on September 19, where the winner will be chosen by a panel of industry judges. If you have an inkling to get mixing, you can see the rules and submit your cocktail here: www.shakestir.com/louisroyer

Field Trip! Spend the Day in Hudson Valley Wine Country This Saturday

Field trips are for third graders, right? Wrong! And you won’t be knocking such excursions once you realize how much wine is involved. This Saturday, the folks behind The Noble Rot are hosting a day-trip experience for winos. They will take you on the Millbrook Winery’s Vineyard Express, which is pretty much the fastest way to get to drunktown that we know about.

On June 2, guests will depart from Grand Central at 9:48 AM (which is early, so no hangovers from the night before), and after they reach their stop they’ll be shuttled to the winery in question for lunch, a guided tour and a tasting that will include some of the vineyard’s rare labels. The tickets are $65 per person (which doesn’t include train fare), which includes a $20 discount as long as you mention you’re a member of the noble rot. To reserve your spot on the train to tipsyvile, call 1-845-677-8383 x 11. Choo-choo!

Brooklyn Wok Shop Pouring Sriracha-Lada

Fans of the spicy sweet condiment Sriracha (yours truly included) rave that a few dabs of the stuff will improve pretty much anything. Well, it turns out that the red-sauce’s transformative power applies to more than just food. Over at Brooklyn Wok Shop in Williamsburg, they are pouring the stuff in beer. The restaurant has dubbed their take on the classic Michelada a Sriracha-Lada. The menu description pretty much says it all: “Hot-sauce. Tomato. Beer. Nuff Said.” Sounds like a plan to us (though, we’d throw a little lime in for good measure).

There are other unique drinks offered on the menu here, including one dubbed The Morning After, which is a mix of sparkling wine and coffee. Ummm, maybe that would be ok with a few dabs of Sriracha.

Brooklyn Wok Shop is located at 182 North 10^th Street. Check it out online here http://www.brooklynwokshop.com/

Drink of the Week: Saxon + Parole's El Presidente

We like Saxon + Parole because of the solid New American fare and the cool horse theme (after all, the joint is named after two famous racehorses). But we LOVE Saxon + Parole because of the cocktails. Naren Young, who also impresses with the drinks at The Daily and Madam Geneva, is behind the list here. We’re a fan of his work – if you want to see why just stop by Saxon and try one of their signature Celery Gimlets or Champagne Negronis. While those concoctions may get all the love, this week we’re giving a shout out to the El Presidente.

This mix of Appleton Estate Rum, Curacao, dry vermouth and house-made grenadine is a boozy delight, and the perfect way to get back in the groove after all those Bud Lights you drank over Memorial Day. While it’s fine to knock back a few brews at the barbecue, now that summer is here it’s time to get back to the cocktails. Check out the recipe below:

EL PRESIDENTE RECIPE:

1.5 oz. Appleton Reserve rum

¾ oz. dry vermouth

½ oz. orange Curacao

Dash of house made grenadine

Stir with love and strain into a frozen cocktail glass. An orange twist and a smile should round it off nicely.

Southern Comfort Launches Bold Black Cherry

And Southern Comfort continues to roll out new labels. We recently told you about Firey Pepper, their new label that's infused with a hit of Tabasco. Well, if that's a little too spicy for you, maybe you'd rather try their Bold Black Cherry label, which is hitting shelves this june. The new hooch is in line with other cherry flavored alcohols rolling out these days - Grey Goose just launched a black cherry label and we all remember Jim Beam's Red Stag, a cherry-flavored bourbon. This new liqueur will probably become popular with the shot-taking crowd, but the brand is also promoting a black cheery and coke as an easy beverage to make if you have a bottle. If you do want to pick one up, it won't set you back too much, as one 750 ml container retails for about $16.99.

Check out the totally easy recipe below. Happy Memorial Day!

SoCo Bold Black Cherry & Cola

2 oz. Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry

4 oz. Cola Lemon Wedge

Fill a glass with cubed ice.

Pour in Southern Comfort Bold Black Cherry. Add Cola and garnish with lemon wedge.

 

Introducing Thor (The Scotch, Not The Action Hero)

The Avengers continues to pack them into theaters, but today we’re going to talk about a different Thor. Yeah, the super hero in the flick can smash bad guys with his magic hammer, but can he get you tipsy? We didn’t think so. The new label is from the folks behind Highland Park and it's part of their new Valhalla Collection, which is a range of four unique bottlings that take inspiration from the Nordic Gods. Thor is the first one to hit the market. 

This one comes in a wooden container that brings to mind a Viking ship – and yes, once the bottle is done, we suppose you can set it aflame so the empty hooch container can join the big banquet in the sky. There are only 1,500 bottles that will be sold in the United States, making it a pretty exclusive item (and justifying the suggested retail price of $199). The combo of price and exclusivity makes this and ideal gift. And, how about that – Father’s Day is coming up – just sayin’.

The stuff comes from the Orkney Islands in Scotland, which is the world’s Northernmost distillery. It stands apart from other Scotch labels in its smoothness and lack of smoke. It’s also pretty boozy, at a 52.1% ABV. But the God of Thunder packed a lot of power in that hammer, so are you really surprised?

The Bud Bottle Gets A Makeover

Toting around a bottle of Bud at summer barbecues is pretty much a given, but this year the bottle has a new look, which is the first time in a while that the beer maker has changed things up. The new design is red, white and blue – and the limited time packaging will help raise money for the Folds of Honor Foundation, which helps families of military members who have been killed or wounded. In addition to the new look – the bottles of brew also have decorated bottle caps to go with the theme. The bottles are on shelves now and you can scoop them up through mid July.

Pauly D Debuts Remix, A "Pre-Game Cocktail"

Yeah, we’re as tired as you are of making fun of the clowns from the Jersey Shore, but they just make it so easy. Witness Remix “Pre-Game Cocktail”, a new ready-to-drink cocktail that is launching, you guessed it, in New Jersey. But wait – it gets worse. The vodka-based drinks, which are essentially Paul’s answer to Skinnygirl, will be rolled out in four flavors. The first is Oye Mojito which contains lime and muddled mint, the second is Yeah Yumberry, a mix of red berry and raspberry and the third is Strawberry Holla-peno, which is just what it sounds like – a blend of strawberry and jalapeno.

The beverages will be sold in wine-bottle sized 750 ml portions for $14.99. We think we’re going to hold out until they launch sausage and peppers. But in the meantime, here’s a quote from Pauly himself explaining the bizarre project: "My crew and I are always making amazing mixed drinks before we go out, so I wanted to re-create those flavors for my fans to get their own pre-game on. I mix great on the turntables, so why wouldn't I make a great mixed cocktail that's RTD (Ready-To-Drink)?" Um, yeah buddy.

Happy Birthday To Count Camillo Negroni

We’ve been drinking a ton of Negronis lately – while the cocktail hasn’t surpassed our beloved gin martini with olives, it’s a close second. Campari is one of those liquors that separates the cool kids from the novices – if someone is drinking a beverage spiked with the stuff, you know that they are someone worth knowing. Well, we have to wish the creator of this tasty beverage a belated birthday. Campri was in town for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic the other week, and they threw a big par-tay at the New York Distilling Co. in honor of the count, a high flying aristocrat who created the drink back in the early 1900s.

We think that he would have been properly impressed with the main event of the evening (beside the drinks, that is) – the organizers wheeled out a cake, and out popped a stylish lady that sang happy birthday. Pretty darn swanky – we think we’ll go order one right now to keep the celebration going.

Maya Closes Down To Spruce Up, Make Room for Tequila Bar

Tequila fans, you should take note of what’s going on at Richard Sandoval’s Upper East Side Mexican joint Maya, 'cause there is going to be a lot more hooch flowing once it reopens after a renovation. The restaurant has been in business for 15 years, so it’s no surprise that it needs a little face lift. The good news for drinkers is that Sandoval will make more room for drinkers with Tequileria Maya, a new bar next door to the eatery that will focus on the agave spirit.

The watering hole will not only have 100 labels on hand to get you tequila-fied, there will be 15 house-infused varieties of the hooch. You can also enjoy small plates, and if you want to buy your tequila by the bottle, they will store it for you in a special area, so you can knock it back anytime you want to drop in.

Stay tuned for the changes – Maya is located at 1191 First Avenue.

Score Whisky Deals on Whisky Monday

We’re not sure how Caledonia Scottish Pub on the Upper East Side has escaped our radar for so long, but we know where we’ll be camping out on Monday now that we’ve heard about their special deal dubbed “Whisky Mondays.” The promotion gets you 25% off their entire selection of Scottish Single Malts and Blends, which is pretty cool since they have a massive selection.

While on Monday you’ll be able to get tipsy for cheap, on June 25 you’ll be able to do it for free. The bar holds regular whisky tasting events, and the next one will feature pours from Ardberg/Glenmorangie. David Blackmore will be on hand to steer the ship and presumably smack your hand away from the bottle if you try to steal too many sips. Check out their website for more info.

If you want to stop by, Caledonia Scottish Pub is located at 1609 Second Avenue.