Prizefighter (Berkshire Room)

1 oz Rye, Wild Turkey 101
1 oz Mezcal, Banhez
3⁄4 oz Amaro Lucano
1⁄4 oz Suze
3 dr Bitters, Bittermens Xocolatl Mole
1 Orange peel
Instructions

Stir, strain into old fashioned glass with a large cube or sphere. Garnish with an expressed orange swath.

Yields Drink
Year
2020
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Berkshire Room, Chicago, IL
Source reference

https://drinkingsociety.com/blogs/crafted-cocktails/the-prize-fighter-a… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0nhE5SpNbY

Curator rating
4 stars
Average rating
4 stars
(7 ratings)
From other users
  • This has promise, but something seems a bit unbalanced. Might be worthy of having this curated.
  • Made with Ritt, Nuestra Soledad, Amer Sauvage. Lucano Anniversario. Enjoyably challenging. Mezcal nicely contributes more vegetal spiciness than smoke. Well balanced.
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yarm commented on 7/16/2020:

Weird that a bar would name a drink that considering that Nicholas Jarrett's Prizefighter from 2010 is well known enough to made the Mr. Boston's Official Bartender's Guide in 2012 and to have been made in countless bars across the country. Then again, I did see a new Little Italy recipe in the past year that was not Audrey Saunders'...

applejack commented on 7/16/2020:

I think this may come down to regional influences; I would hazard to guess the 2010 Prizefighter is not particularly well known in Chicago.  The Berkshire Room is considered one of the best cocktail bars in the city, and has a pretty seasoned crew (or at least had, who knows now).  Though my home is Chicago, I was lucky enough to spend a significant amount of time in NYC and SF over the past decade plus, so I was exposed to more regional favorites than most.

I'm not sure just because a drink is included in Mr. Boston's Guide (especially the 2012 version) it follows that it's particularly well known.  I just paged through the 2012 version again just now, and there are quite a few modern drinks (those attributed to a person, city & state) that I might have heard in passing at one point but wouldn't be able to tell you anything about them (like even what the base was), as well as some I just flat out had never heard of before.  And quite a few of them aren't posted here at KC for instance, let alone included in something like Robert Simonson's Modern Classics app.

The regional reach of certain cocktails (and not much beyond their home base for whatever reason) is interesting.  For instance, I was shocked to find that no one had posted here at KC the recipes for the Weston and Old Money, possibly the two most popular modern cocktails created in Chicago (so I posted them in 2019).  They were both created at The Berkshire Room by Benjamin Schiller, have been on the permanent menu of just about every bar or restaurant operated by the hospitality group that owns the bar because they are top sellers, and have been written up in the local press on numerous occasions over the years.  But it doesn't appear that they are very well known outside of the Chicago area.

Improved Bamboo

3⁄4 oz Amontillado Sherry (or Oloroso)
3⁄4 oz Fino sherry (or Manzanilla)
3⁄4 oz Dry vermouth
3⁄4 oz Bianco Vermouth
1⁄8 oz Maraschino Liqueur (1 bsp)
1 ds Absinthe (I used 20 drops)
1 ds Bitters, Angostura
1 ds Orange bitters
1 twst Orange peel (As garnish)
Instructions

Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail coupe, and garnish with an orange twist.

History

After enjoying the Rockin' Like Bamboo the night before (via Imbibe Magazine), I was motivated to create my own riff on the Bamboo (again). I appreciated the split nature of the Rockin' Like Bamboo, so I kept the dry and blanc vermouth mix; moreover, I split the sherry between the Fino that I associate with the drink and the Amontillado that I utilized before I added Fino into my wine fridge. To take things one step further, I Improved things in an 1876 Jerry Thomas sort of way with accents of Maraschino and absinthe especially given how well Maraschino pairs with nutty sherries like Amontillado.

Yields Drink
Year
2020
Authenticity
Your original creation
Creator
Frederic Yarm, Boston, MA
Source reference

https://cocktailvirgin.blogspot.com/2020/07/improved-bamboo.html

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(4 ratings)
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flickerdart commented on 6/22/2021:

Only had PX instead of the Oloroso, compensated with increasing dry vs blanc vermouth and dry vs sweet sherry (0.75 to 0.25) and a lemon peel instead of orange. It's still good!

Negroni Biondo

1 1⁄4 oz Gin, Citadelle (Barrel Aged)
1⁄2 oz Suze
1⁄2 oz Luxardo Bitter Bianco
1⁄2 oz Saffron Liqueur, Apologue
1⁄2 oz Aromatized wine, Cocchi Americano
1 Orange peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Stir, strain into old fashioned glass with a large cube or sphere. Garnish with an expressed orange swath.

Yields Drink
Year
2020
Authenticity
Your original creation
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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Amaro Daiquiri (Billy Sunday)

1 oz Braulio
1 oz Amaro, Cappelletti Sfumato Rabarbaro
1⁄2 oz Gomme syrup (or 3/4 oz 1:1 simple syrup)
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
1 sli Lime (garnish)
Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into chilled coupe. Garnish with lime wheel.

Notes

I believe their gomme syrup is 2:1 with gum arabic (I haven't been there since late last year). I've found .5 oz 1:1 simple syrup is fine for me, your mileage may vary.

Yields Drink
Year
2020
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Stephanie Andrews, Billy Sunday, Chicago, IL
Curator rating
4 stars
Average rating
4 stars
(2 ratings)
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Dead Man's Handle

1 1⁄2 oz Blanco tequila
3⁄4 oz Aperol
1⁄2 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz Orgeat
Instructions

Shake, strain into a DOF filled with crushed ice. Garnish with Taijin. (see note)

Notes

Orgeat can be increased to 3/4 oz if you need more sweetness. Taijin is a powdered mixture of chiles, lime and salt that typically goes on fruit. If you can't find it, Penzeys makes Pico Fruta which is very similar.

Yields Drink
Year
2020
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Tiffany Kirk, Miss Carousel, Houston
Source reference

https://imbibemagazine.com/dead-mans-handle-a-tequila-cocktail/

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3 stars
(4 ratings)
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Zachary Pearson commented on 7/12/2020:

Curated this slightly. Rewrote instructions to avoid copyright. Added an explanation about Taijin. Thanks,  Zachary

Depth Dweller

1 1⁄2 oz Light rum (Strawberry Infused-See Notes)
1⁄2 oz Campari
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
3⁄4 oz Simple syrup
1 sli Strawberry (as garnish)
Instructions

Shake, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with strawberry slice.

Notes

For Strawberry-Infused Rum: Remove stems from 15-20 strawberries, then slice into thirds. Infuse with one 750-milliliter bottle of white rum in fridge for 4-7 days. Strain before using and store in the fridge.

Yields Drink
Year
2020
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
David Kinsey, Kindred, San Diego
Source reference

https://imbibemagazine.com/depth-dweller-strawberry-cocktail/

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(1 rating)
From other users
  • Nice and refreshing. Strawberry definitely comes through, even after only infusing for about 6 hours. I served over crushed ice with a straw which worked well. -update...it's worth letting the strawberry infuse longer... :)
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Eureka

1 2⁄3 oz Gin
1 3⁄8 oz Mead
2⁄3 oz Lemon juice
1 t Absinthe
2 ds Bitters, Angostura Orange
Instructions

Shake, double strain to coupe. Garnish with a fennel sprig

Yields Drink
Year
2020
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Vinicius Laurentino
Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3 stars
(1 rating)
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Hawaiian Sunset

1 1⁄2 oz Vodka
1⁄2 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz Lemon juice
1⁄2 oz Orgeat
1 t Grenadine
1 twst Lime peel (as garnish)
Instructions

Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cubed or cracked ice. Double-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish.

History

Beachbum's Berry's Sippin' Safari, adapted by Smuggler's Cove

Yields Drink
Year
1960s
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Aku Aku Polynesian Restaurant, once part of the Stardust Casino, Las Vegas
Source reference

Smuggler's Cove, p. 62

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(5 ratings)
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El Diablo

1 oz Blanco tequila
1⁄2 oz Lime juice (from 1/2 a lime)
1⁄2 oz Cassis
4 oz Ginger ale
Instructions

In a Collins glass full of cracked ice, add the lime juice and shell, tequila and cassis. Stir. Top with ginger ale. Add a straw.

Notes

Drinking the Devil's Acre uses 2 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz lime juice (consistent with the lime juice and wedge), 3 oz ginger beer (rather than ginger ale) and 1/2 oz crème de cassis, which is floated on top.

History

From Trader Vic's book of Food and Drink, adapted by Smuggler's Cove

Yields Drink
Year
1946
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Vic Bergeron
Source reference

Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook, pg 186

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(17 ratings)
From other users
  • Recommend 1.5 to 2.0 tequila. Perhaps only 3 oz of ginger ale. As is, lime juice is overwhelmed. Otherwise a refreshing drink
  • Works, but not that interesting to me.
  • Another variation: 2 oz Blanco tequila (look for siembra azul or ocho tequilas) 2 oz Ginger beer (fresh) 3⁄4 oz Lime juice 1⁄2 oz Simple syrup (2:1 simple syrup) 1⁄4 oz Cassis
  • Top off with 2 oz ginger beer. Serve in Collins glass. — ★★★★
  • Make it 2 oz tequila & top w ginger beer (courtesy of Trader Vic)
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Zachary Pearson commented on 8/02/2020:

Curated this - I have the 1968 version of Vic's book (which has a bunch of Texas recipes weirdly enough). Other sources have the tequila at 1.5 or even 2 ounces. Thanks,  Zachary

Well-Hung Trellis

1 1⁄2 oz Dimmi
3⁄4 oz Genever (Calls for Genevieve Genever)
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz Simple syrup
Instructions

Add ingredients and "garden herbs" (dill, pineapple sage, lemon thyme) to suit one's own tastes to a shaker. Shake with ice, double strain to chilled cocktail glass. Serve up, and garnish with same herbs.

Yields Drink
Year
2020
Authenticity
Unknown
Creator
Alan Walter, Loa Bar, New Orleans, Louisiana
Source reference

New Orleans Magazine, July 2020, pg. 60

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
5 stars
(2 ratings)
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sevyryelsdorn commented on 7/10/2020:

I made this with a sprig of thyme, a sprig of dill, and half a leaf of lemon balm. Used Bols Genever, and 0.25 oz 2:1 simple

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