Friday 5 o’Clock Cocktail - Combustible Edison

If you like bitter drinks, then you’ll really like today’s drink. The drink was developed by a lounge band of the same name back in the early 90’s. I can’t vouch for group’s music, but the drink is pretty good.

The Combustible Edison combines extreme bitterness with – you guessed it – fire. And while bitterness and fire might seem like an unbeatable combination, there is one downside.
This drink calls for an ingredient that isn’t exactly common: Campari Bitters.

In fact, at the liquor stores around my house, Campari is about as easy to find as a hot girl playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Given the fact that Campari is so uncommon, you may have to substitute Angustura bitters. The drink isn’t bad that way. The difference is that Angustura is much more powerful, and has more of a "clove" taste, whereas the Campari is more of a fruit taste (which is why Campari goes better with the Brandy).

Here are the ingredients:
2 oz Brandy
1/2 to 1 oz Campari Bitters (use 1/4 oz if you are substituting Angustura)
1 oz Lemon Juice

Ok, now let's make the drink.

Room temperature Brandy doesn't usually catch on fire. So, take the 2 oz of Brandy and pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Depending on your microwave, this will bring it to just below the boiling point – which is perfect.

While that's warming up in the microwave, shake the lemon juice and the bitters in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Now, take the shot of brandy out of the microwave and light it on fire just as you pour it into your cocktail glass. Depending on how you pour it, the fire will probably go out almost immediately when you pour it in the glass. But if you are careful about it, you can "float" the brandy on top and it will burn with a really nice blue flame (you may have to turn the lights out if you can't see it).

The safest way to do this is to float the brandy on top of the drink first, wait a few seconds for the warm brandy to float up to the top of the drink; THEN light it on fire.

However, I have to be honest here and tell you that I prefer not to light mine on fire. There are essentially three problems with the fire thing:

• Fire can burn you and your house
• The fire warms up the drink (I usually prefer my cocktails cold)
• The fire burns off some of the alcohol

If you don't feel comfortable lighting your drinks on fire, or you are religiously opposed to burning the alcohol out of your drink, then you can just skip the fire part. In that case it’s a Flame-retarded Edison.

Either way, pucker up buttercup.

Friday 5 o’Clock Cocktail – Planter’s Punch

Exactly 100 years ago today the New York Times published the following poetic recipe that is based on rhymes that are repeated by rote in the Caribbean:

PLANTER'S PUNCH
This recipe I give to thee,
Dear brother in the heat.
Take two of sour (lime let it be)
To one and a half of sweet,
Of Old Jamaica pour three strong,
And add four parts of weak.
Then mix and drink. I do no wrong —
I know whereof I speak.

Depending on where you are in the Caribbean, similar poetic recipes can be found for Planter’s Punch, Bajan Rum Punch, or Caribbean Rum Punch. The differences between them are minor variations in the ratios of lime juice to the other ingredients.

Decoding the rhyme, the “sour” is lime or lemon juice, the “sweet” is some form of citrus juice – usually pineapple or orange juice. The “strong” is, of course, rum. And the “weak” is water.

Today, we don’t usually water down our liquor because it is no longer sold at barrel strength the way it was 100 years ago. Plus, the crushed ice dilutes the drink naturally.

So, to modernize the recipe a bit, here’s how I make mine:

• 1 ½ oz Light Rum
• 1 ½ oz Dark Rum
• 3 oz Orange Juice (or substitute Pineapple Juice)
• 1/2 to 1 oz Lime Juice (depending on taste)
• 1 cup crushed ice

Directions:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake well. Then pour into a Collins glass and garnish with fruit slices.

Of course, you can always scale this recipe up to a “punch” and make a whole pitcher of it.

Friday 5 o’Clock Cocktail - The Matador

If you are going to be serving friends Margaritas outside this hot weekend, then you might consider offering the Matador as an option. It is similar to a Margarita, but is a little more fruity and sweet tasting – which actually makes it a bit better for those Late July deck and pool parties!

Now, there are a number of ways of making a Matador. Some recipes call for the use of RedBull in place of the Pineapple Juice that is used in the classic version. If you are looking for an extra jolt of caffeine then you might try that. You can also make them frozen (blended) or on the rocks.

One thing all the versions share is that they are tangy, sweet, and perfect for a hot day.

So for your viewing pleasure, we are including three versions of the Matador today. Try one, try ‘em all!

Classic Matador

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila (mid-grade “Gold” is fine)
• 1 1/2 oz Pineapple Juice
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Simple Syrup
  

Directions: Shake it in a Cocktail Shaker with ice, Strain into a salt-rimmed cocktail glass.

Modern Matador

• 1 oz Tequila (mid-grade, again)
• 1/2 oz Triple Sec
• 1 oz RedBull
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
  

Directions: Shake it in a Cocktail Shaker with ice, Strain into a salt-rimmed cocktail glass.

Frozen Matador

• 2 oz Tequila
• 1/4 oz Triple Sec
• 1/4 cup Pineapple Chunks
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
• 1/2 cup ice
  

Directions Combine these ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve this one in a highball or Collins glass

Friday 5 o'Clock Cocktail - Pina Colada

Who doesn’t enjoy a nice cold Pina Colada on a hot day? The drink was developed in Puerto Rico in the 1950's and became popular in the States during the '70s.

Today it has a bit of a "Retro" flavor – or maybe that's just the Rum I taste.

Traditionally the drink is shaken, not blended. And while I usually try and do things the "traditional" way – I gotta say that when it comes to Pina Coladas, mine are blended.

Pina Coladas are also easy to make, since they only require 3 ingredients plus ice.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz light rum
• 2 oz of Coconut Cream Liqueur (Coco Lopez is the traditional brand, but use what you have)
• 2 - 6 oz Pineapple Juice
• 1 cup of ice

Directions

Put everything in a blender and blend till smooth. Serve in an old-fashioned glass, rocks glass, or collins glass.

Friday 5 o’Clock Cocktail – Sex On The Beach

Today is the first day of summer here in the United States. If you happen to be in Europe, then you’ll have to wait until tomorrow for summer to start.

I don’t know why that is. Maybe some of you can clue me in.

At any rate, to celebrate the fact that the sun is hot, today’s cocktail is the famous “Sex on the Beach”.

I remember the first time I actually drank in a bar. I was with a friend of mine, we were about sixteen years old at the time. But we were tipping well, and that’s all the waitress seemed to care about.

I remember that day because we were doing shots of Sex on the Beach, and we were too young to know that the bartender was making them weak since he knew damn well we weren’t old enough to drink.

But they were good anyway, and these days I prefer to drink my Sexes as cocktails rather than shots.

Now, Sex on the Beach’es can be made in a number of ways. Generally, however, it’s Vodka, Peach Schnapps, and some mixture of fruit juices. The ratio of juices to alcohol is usually about 1:1, but you can change that to taste.

If you want to create higher alcohol versions of a Sex on the Beach, then what you would do is substitute different fruit Schnapps for the juices. So, for example, if you wanted a Pineapple tasting Sex, then you would substitute Pineapple Schnapps for Pineapple Juice. Usually you do this if you are making shooters.

So, that being said, here’s how I make them:

• 1 ½ oz Vodka
• 1 ½ oz Peach Schnapps (Or Southern Comfort)
• 1 ½ oz Cranberry Juice
• 1 ½ oz Orange Juice

Southern Comfort is a Peach Liqueur, so if you don’t have the Schnapps, then SoCo would be a reasonable substitute. Also, as I indicated above, you can change out the juices all day long depending on what you have in the fridge. Usually you try to mix a sweet juice with a tangy juice.

So, some good combos would be: Pineapple Juice and Grapefruit Juice; or Apple Juice and Cranberry Juice. Some people also put a teaspoon or so of Grenadine in – it has that sweet/tangy thing built in. You get the idea.

Anyway, Sexes are served in just about every kind of glass: shot glass, highball glass, rocks glass, or (my favorite) the cocktail glass.

If you’re serving in a shot glass, then you’ll be making a stronger drink that uses the schnapps in place of the juices.

Regardless, I hope you have a great first day of summer.

Cheers!

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

Friday 5 o'Clock Cocktail - Loco Lemonade

Layered drinks always make things fun. They add visual interest, and they give an extra dimension to your drinks. Ideally, as you drink them, the drink should change from one extreme to another; tangy to sweet, or spicy to mild. That kind of thing.

The Loco Lemonade is an easy and fun drink you can make that gives the extra visual and taste appeal of a layered drink. Just as with a Tequila sunrise, the drink starts off tart, and gets sweeter toward the end. Because it is made with lemonade, however, it is much more tart than a Tequila Sunrise. But it is still great on a hot sunny day!

For this drink I used pink lemonade, but you can use whatever you have laying around. The pink lemonade, in combination with the Grenadine made the drink a little more red.

Here's what you need:

• 1 1/2 oz Tequila
• 4 oz Lemonade
• 1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 oz Grenadine Syrup

Instructions:

Pour the ingredients into your glass (2/3 filled with ice) in this order: Tequila, grenadine, lemonade, lemon juice. If you do it carefully, the layers will make a cloudy, swirling effect.
Remember there are more cocktail recipes at http://www.drunkmansguide.com/

Friday 5 o'Clock Cocktail - Miami Cocktail

You're going to need a bottle of Light Rum, a small pile of lemons and some Creme de Menthe. That's because this week's Friday 5 o'Clock Cocktail is the Miami Cocktail. A delicious drink that goes well with Spring.

Here's how to make a Miami Cocktail:

• 1 1/2 oz Light Rum
• 1/2 oz Creme de Menthe
• 1 dash Lemon Juice

Directions: Making this drink is easy. Just put all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it, strain it, and serve it in a cocktail glass. Fresh Lemon Juice is always best, but we're drunks so we use whatever we have available.

More Drink Recipes available at the Drunk Man's Guide.

Friday 5 o'Clock Cocktail - Mint Daiquiri

Minty and sweet - that’s what we’re looking forward to this evening. The perfect drink to sip as you gaze out at your yard and think about all that mowing you are going to be doing tomorrow morning. Yeah, it’s spring alright. The yard work, the pollen, the Rum drinks!

Here’s how to make a Mint Daiquiri:

• 2 oz of Light Rum
• 1/4 oz of Triple Sec (or another kind of Orange Liquour)
• 4 Mint Leaves
• 1/2 oz Lime Juice
• 1 tsp Powdered Sugar
• 1 cup of ice

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend it until it’s smooth. Keep in mind a couple of tips:

1. Try and get as much of the stems off the mint leaves as possible. They can make the drink a little bitter. It doesn’t hurt to use a knife to cut the spines out of the leaves.
2. Make sure you blend it enough to really pulverize those mint leaves down so that they are just specks of green in the drink. If you don’t blend them enough they will get little green flakes caught in your teeth, and that isn’t cute.

More Mixed Drinks and Cocktail Recipes at the Drunk Man's Guide

Friday 5 o’clock Cocktail – The Tequini

Our friend the Cigar Smoking Man suggested a drink this week that deserves a Friday in the spotlight: The Tequini.

As the name suggests, this is a Martini that is made with Tequila. With Martinis, the supporting ingredients are there to bring out the taste of the primary liquor more than they are to make an impression of themselves.

The Cigar Smoking Man points out on his blog the importance of using bitters (sparingly) in this drink. He also makes a good point about bitters – that bitters are to cocktails as salt is to food.

True enough. Bitters do bring out an extra element in many drinks. Like salt, a little goes a long way. If you’ve put enough in your drink to be able to taste it, then you’ve probably used too much.

Here’s how to make a Tequini:

• 1 ½ oz of Tequila
• ½ oz of Dry Vermouth
• 1 Dash of Bitters (I used Angostura)

Directions: As with all martinis, the method of mixing is to STIR the ingredients gently with ice so you don’t bruise the liquor. Then strain the clear drink into a cocktail glass and garnish with lemon peel.

Also, when you get a chance, you should visit the Cigar Smoking Man’s blog. It’s a great read, even for non-smokers like me.

Friday 5 o’clock Cocktail – Tequila Sunrise

Maybe it's because Spring is in the air. Maybe I'm just low on Vitamin C, but I have to admit I've been drinking these all week.

The Orange Juice and Pommegranet flavor in the Grenadine goes well with the silky smoothness of the Tequila. A little squirt of lime juice really finishes the drink off nicely.

Here's how I make mine:
1 1/2 oz Tequila
3 oz Orange Juice
Splash of Grenadine
1 slice of lime

Directions: Combine first three ingredients in a rocks or highball glass with ice. Squeeze the lime slice over the drink and then drop it in. Stir gently. Enjoy.

More Mixed Drink Recipes

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 >

Client #9 Shooter - a.k.a. Eliot Spitzer’s Bad Decision Shooter

You know the kind of night when you end up bellied up to the bar doing shots of Jager and talking shit to some guy from Texarkana for two and a half hours about the similarities between a taco and Britney Spears?

Learn how to make a Client #9 (Eliot Spitzer) Shooter More Mixed Drink Recipes >

Friday 5 o'Clock Cocktail - Rum Runner

Ready for some liquor trivia? During Prohibition in the United States, people used to take small boats out into the ocean and meet up with larger vessels that brought Rum up from the carribean. The boats that brought the rum were called Rum Runners, and they would park just past the 3 mile limit in order to avoid "Empirial Entaglements".

The most famous Rum Runner was a man named William McCoy who was one of the few smugglers who didn't water down his booze. As a result, word quickly spread up and down the east coast that if you wanted quality product, you could always find it at McCoy's boat.

McCoy's operation ended when the Coast Guard intercepted his vessel and a firefight ensued. The coast guard sank McCoy's ship, but his position in liquor lore is secure.

Today, when anyone tells you something is the "Real McCoy", you know it's a sign of quality. And that's where the term came from.

How to Make a Rum Runner:
1 1/2 oz Coconut Rum (Malibu Rum works well)
3 oz Cranberry Juice
1 oz Blackberry Brandy
3 oz Orange Juice
3 oz Pineapple Juice

Mix all ingredients in a tall glass with ice and serve.
More Mixed Drink Recipes >

Friday 5 0′clock Cocktail - Manhattan

Our drinking adviser, Travis, suggested we make our Friday 5 o’clock cocktail a Manhattan - largely because it has Bourbon in it.

Sound like a fine reason to drink a Manhattan to me.

How to Make a Manhattan

2 1/2 oz Bourbon
3/4 oz Vermouth
Dash of Angostura Bitters
1 Maraschino Cherry
1 Twist of Orange Peel

Instructions:

Combine the first three ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir gently. Strain the spirits into a chilled coctail glass and add the cherry and orange peel twist.

Friday 5 o'clock Cocktail - The Cosmopolitan

Are you looking for a mixed drink with a little more class? The Cosmopolitan or "Cosmo" is a cousin of the Martini, but because of the fruit content, it is much easier to get into than a traditional Gin Martini - espectially if you don't like Gin!

Here's How to make a Cosmopolitan

Ingredients 1 1/2 Ounces Vodka 1/4 Ounce Triple Sec 1/4 Ounce Cranberry Juice 1 Splash Lime Juice Garnish with Lime Wedge

Directions: Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and stir. Strain into a "Martini" Glass.

Friday 5 o’clock Cocktail – Black Dragon

How to make a Black Dragon

Ingredients:1 Shot of Scotch Whisky1 Shot of Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua works well)1 Shot of Mint Schnapps

Directions:This is a layered drink. You can use the back of a spoon to carefully layer the alcohols on top of each other. First you put the Schnapps, then the Kahlua, then finally the Scotch.

Martini Recipes

We may not always agree on the various concoctions that have come out claiming to be Martinis. It seems sometimes that if you put the concoction in a cocktail glass, all of the sudden it qualifies as a Martini - even if it has shrimp in it!

Now, I’m not going to jump up on a soap box here. I’ve already expressed my “purist” opinions about Martinis on another post. But suffice to say that there are a few Martini recipes that it pays to know if you want to be considered a proper Drunk.

So in the interest of being fair, we have created the Martini Page. A page that contains the top 5 Martini Recipes.

Now, WAIT! Stop right there. Don’t send us email about these recipes! Everyone has their own version, and I recognize that you may be one of those cork dorks who thinks that the Vermouth portion should be measured in atomic units. But that’s not us.

You may now view the Martini Page

Friday 5 o’clock Cocktail – Red Snapper

How to make a Red Snapper

Ingredients:

• 1 Shot of Almond Liqueur
• 1 Shot of Cranberry Juice
• 1 Shot of Canadian Whiskey

Directions:Shake with Ice and serve in an old-fashioned glass.

The Drunk Man’s Blog

I just realized that we have 10,000 pages of alcohol information on the Drunk Mans Guide, and not one quote from Norm.

We’re going to fix that right now! Following are some great lines from Norm in Cheers:

Coach: How are you doing, Norm?

Norm: Cut the small talk and get me a beer.

Woody: How would a beer feel, Mr. Peterson?

Norm: Pretty nervous if I was in the room.

Woody: Hey, Mr. Peterson, what’s up?

Norm: The warranty on my liver.

Coach: Beer, Norm?

Norm: I heard of that stuff. Better give me a tall one in case I like it.

Coach: Can I draw you a beer, Norm?

Norm: No, I know what they look like. Just pour me one.

Coach: Beer, Norm?

Norm: Does a rag doll have cloth knobs?

Coach: What would you say to a beer, Normie?

Norm: Daddy wuvs you.

Woody: Hey, Mr. Peterson, you got room for a beer?

Norm: Nope, but I am willing to add on.

Sam: What will you have, Norm?

Norm: Well, I’m in a gambling mood, Sammy. I’ll take a glass of whatever comes out of that tap.

Sam: Oh, looks like beer, Norm.

Norm: Call me Mister Lucky.

What’s doing, Norm?

“Well, science is seeking a cure for thirst. I happen to be the guinea pig.”

How’s it going, Mr. Peterson?”

“Poor.”

I’m sorry to hear that.

“No, I mean pour.”

Talk about Oral History!! Here’s a historical Cocktail you might like to make! It’s the 10th Anniversary of the Famous Blue Dress and Monica, and the Oval Office, and Mr. Bill. To make yourself feel better, make a Lewd Lewinski. The recipe is perfect, really, try it.