-
Recent Posts
Archives
- September 2019 (1)
- August 2019 (4)
- July 2019 (6)
- June 2019 (5)
- May 2019 (6)
- April 2019 (15)
- March 2019 (11)
- February 2019 (4)
- January 2019 (1)
- November 2018 (1)
- September 2018 (2)
- August 2018 (3)
- July 2018 (3)
- April 2018 (1)
- December 2017 (1)
- October 2016 (2)
- January 2016 (1)
- July 2015 (5)
- June 2015 (1)
- January 2014 (3)
- December 2013 (5)
- November 2013 (11)
- October 2013 (11)
- September 2013 (7)
- August 2013 (11)
- May 2012 (1)
- October 2011 (4)
- September 2011 (3)
- August 2011 (4)
- July 2011 (2)
- June 2011 (6)
- May 2011 (1)
- April 2011 (14)
- March 2011 (2)
- February 2011 (3)
- January 2011 (4)
- December 2010 (8)
- November 2010 (4)
- October 2010 (2)
- September 2010 (3)
- August 2010 (7)
- July 2010 (10)
- April 2010 (1)
- March 2010 (1)
- February 2010 (1)
- January 2010 (4)
- December 2009 (6)
- November 2009 (6)
- October 2009 (1)
Tags
bar Bartender Bartender One Bartenderone Bartender Training Bartending Bartending Competition Bartending Competitions bartending school Bartending School Toronto Bitters Classic Cocktails cocktail Cocktail Bitters Cocktails Cocktail Synergy flair Flair Bartending flairing Flare Fresh Cocktails garnish Gavin MacMillan How to Video IBC International Cocktail Experience Learn to Bartend Legends of bartending Margarita mix Mixologist Mixology Mixology Mondays Molecular Mixology Money Drinks Proper Service Rob Montgomery Scott McMaster tea cocktails TFL toronto bartending school Toronto Bartending Schools Toronto Flair League Whisky Sour World's Best Bars
Sweet on sours
With the diversity of liqueurs on the market today it is possible to make a drink taste like virtually anything. Distillers have made it easy for mixologists to shape the profile of a drink. With base flavours like vanilla, cacao and hazelnut, it’s no wonder drinks like the Crispy Crunch shooter are consistently popular. I often wonder how long it will take before we see a chocolate martini dessert, where the kitchen begins to mimic the flavors being produced on the bar instead of the other way around.
Perhaps the service of fusion dishes in traditional bar glassware like wraps in oversized shooter glasses and dessert mousses in martini glasses is an indication that it’s already happening.
There is definitely an attraction to sweets that makes drinks like the chocolate martini popular. Everyone has a sweet tooth, but most people can’t have more than a few sweet cocktails before they need a change of pace and flavour profile.
With a myriad of sour liqueurs on the market, it’s hard to know which flavours will complement each other. Sour peach or blueberry have vibrant eye catching colours, but too often, these ingredients find their place on the back bar and never move because no one has taken the time to experiment. Current bar books and recipe manuals will give you an overview with some recommendations. Some manufacturers will also include token recipes on the bottle itself, but there is no better way to find out what fits with your concept or client base than spending some time experimenting for yourself.
Regardless of whether you’re a bartender, bar manager or concept director, (or perhaps you’re all three) a little education and the willingness to experiment can go a long way towards creating some great custom cocktails. Before you spend any more money on additional ingredients like sour watermelon liqueur, look at what you can make with what you’ve currently got on your bar. There are lots of drink engines on the Web, including a good online cocktail cabinet for free at www.bartenderone.com where you can check-off the ingredients (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) from a huge list and it’ll generate a list of all the cocktails you can make with your current ingredients.
I find that quite often the bottled sours have a bit of a laboratory look and taste to them, and if using sour liqueurs is not your speed, I encourage you to experiment with traditional sour cocktails made with raw ingredients. I guarantee that it will render better results than the bottled concoctions available, and you may just find a new favourite cocktail in the process.
Whisky and Amaretto Sours are definitely the most common in Canada. South of the border, Bourbon, Midori (melon liqueur), Pisco (brandy) and Tuaca (vanilla) sours are all very popular. If your bar makes an amaretto sour with a shot of Amaretto and barmix, try taking a few extra seconds to craft one from scratch using the sour recipe that follows and then do a taste test. The results are like night and day. The sour recipe below can be modified into many different variations simply by changing the alcohol.
The amaretto sour is a well balanced drink that is light, refreshing and easy on the palate. Give it a try and you’ll never go back! A willingness to experiment and a little bit of time are two keys to some of the most fun and rewarding research and development you’ll ever do. You’ll find that you can easily broaden your knowledge base about the products you serve and great ways to serve them
Check the recipe here:
See you behind the bar!!