Friday 5 o’Clock Cocktail – Gimlet

A Gimlet is one of those drinks where its beauty is in its simplicity. And since it has some historical significance, I thought I’d share it with you.

Sir Thomas Gimlette – a British surgeon, who was looking for a way to prevent scurvy in British sailors, invented the drink in the late 19th century. The lime juice in the drink contains a large concentration of Vitamin C, and so by combining it with the sailors’ daily ration of Gin, he was able to ensure they would stay healthy on their long voyages. Interestingly enough, this is why British sailors are referred to as “limeys”.

Gimlets are supposed to be made using Gin. However, just like with the Martini, there are people who think they don’t like Gin so they make the drink with vodka instead. If you do that, then you aren’t making a Gimlet – you’re just kidding yourself.

Just as with Martinis and the fight over how much vermouth to add, with Gimlets, everyone has a preference about the ratio of Gin to lime juice.

The traditional version of the drink uses a 50/50 ratio of Gin to Rose’s Lime Juice.
Most people find that this is too much lime juice, and I would have to agree. My preference is the following:

• 1 ½ oz Gin
• 1 oz Rose’s Lime Juice

That’s it. Put those two ingredients into a glass with ice, stir it and either drink it on the rocks, or strain it into a cocktail glass.

I know, I know. That isn’t good enough. Some of you out there want to turn it into a “signature drink” and start adding other shit to it.

Ok, if you want to do that, following are the top 5 ways to junk up a Gimlet:

• Substitute Vodka for the Gin
• Add other liquors to the glass like Rum or Tequila
• Add cherries or cherry liqueur
• Add soda or tonic water
• Put lemon juice in it

I’m not saying that these ingredients will make the drink taste bad. But please just don’t call it a Gimlet. Call it a Gimlet’s Cousin, or Sir Thomas’ Hot Sister. Something like that.

Have a great weekend!

Friday 5 o'Clock Cocktail - The Hurricane

If you've ever been to New Orleans then you can probably appreciate the benefits of a strong Hurricane. And no, I'm not talking about Katrina or Andrew. I'm talking about the kind of Hurricane every drunk should know how to make.

Now, there are some fancy pants bartenders who aren't from the Big Easy who get stingy with the booze. I've seen recipes for Hurricanes that only include one ounce of liquor in a big glass of juice. Sorry, that's not how you make 'em.

When you order your Hurricane from one of the open, walk-up bars on Bourbon street , the drink is strong. Like "knock-you-on-your-a$$-strong". I mean, it's called a Hurricane, not a "drizzle". Hurricanes destroy things, so it follows that if you drink one, you should be likewise destroyed, right?

But you don't have to go to Louisiana to get a good Hurricane because you're a Drunk and you can make your own. Here's how to do it:

• 1 oz Vodka
• 1 oz Amaretto
• 1 oz Gin
• 1 oz Light Rum
• 1 oz Triple Sec
• 1/2 oz 151 Rum
• 1/4 oz Grenadine Syrup
• Pineapple Juice
• Grapefruit Juice

Directions: Pour the liquors into a Hurricane glass (or pint glass, or collins glass, or whatever big glass you have) 3/4 filled with ice and stir. Fill the rest of the way with equal parts of the juices. Enjoy.

Remember there are Thousands of Cocktail Recipes at the Drunk Man's Guide!

Friday 5 o’clock Cocktail – Apple Martini

There are about a ton of ways to make an Apple Martini. The method below works well for me, although sometimes I just leave out the Vodka and double-up on the Gin.

This is a very strong drink, so don’t even consider operating heavy machinery like a car or a speedboat, or a catapult after you’ve had one of these.

You'll also have to have a large martini glass. This thing ain't suitable for the little dainty kind. You need one of those super-sized martini glasses!

Ingredients:
2 Ounces Good Quality Gin
2 Ounces Vodka
2 Ounces Apple Pucker
1 Ounce Triple Sec
1 Splash of Sweet 'n Sour Mix
Garnish with Apple Slice (optional)

Directions: Combine ingredients into a shaker and shake. Serve in a BIG Martini Glass.

More Mixed Drink Recipes

Friday 5 o'Clock Cocktail - Tom Collins

Want a refreshing drink you can make with stuff you probably already have in the kitchen? Try a Tom Collins. The drink is sweet and tart from the sugar and lemon juice. It's best to use fresh lemons to make this drink. But if all you have is bottled lemon juice, then that works too.

This recipe calls for simple syrup, which is easy enough to make. Just combine two parts sugar to one part water. It helps to heat the water up to dissolve the sugar, but you can make up a cup or two of this and keep it in the fridge. It is used in a lot of different recipes, so it's a good idea to keep some on hand.

How to make a Tom Collins
2 oz Gin
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
3 oz chilled Club Soda
Lemon Slice
Maraschino Cherry

Directions: Add the first three ingredients to a mixing glass and stir with ice. Strain into a rocks glass, add the soda and garnish with the lemon slice and the cherry.
More Mixed Drink Recipes >

How to Make a Collins Drink

With spring around the corner, we are going to start adding drinks that you will enjoy as the weather starts to warm up. That means more fruity and sour drinks, and fewer of the creamy deserty type that we normally associate with winter and the holidays.

The first of these is a classic family of drinks called the Collins. The most famous Collins drink is the Tom Collins, but there are many variations. So if you happen to be fresh out of Gin, don’t worry, you can probably still make a Colonel Collins!

Visit the How to Make a Collins Drink page to learn how to make the following drinks:

• Tom Collins
  


• John Collins
  


• Ron Collins
  


• Tex Collins

How Liquor is Made

Have you ever wanted to know how different kinds of liquor are made? Or, what’s the difference between different kinds of Tequila?

We’ve put together a page on Drunkmansguide.com that will lay it all out. There’s even pretty pictures that we swiped off the internet for you to look at.

You can access the new page here: How Liquor is Made