Look Ma! I am on the TV!

This is the most hilarious thing I have ever seen!  Kenny Lopez and I had so much fun doing this.  He is a doll and News with a Twist are my local news heroes!

http://wgno.com/2013/10/03/the-singing-bartender-get-a-dose-of-hit-maker-phil-collins-in-the-french-quarter/#axzz2ghggteB0

Me and my wonderful audience!

And if you are looking for the recipe for that Phil Collins..here it is!

2 oz Barrel Aged Bols Geniever
1 oz Lemon
1/2 oz Cointreau
1/2 oz Simple

Shake and strain into a Collins glass, natch, top with soda and garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and a song.

Keeping Up with the Collins

I must be homesick for NYC...more specifically, my home in Red Hook, Fort Defiance.  Lately my former job and co-workers have been showing up in my dreams.  I figured out that when outside forces threaten me, my sub-conscious goes to my "safe place", The Fort, to work out the problems.

Enough with Psychology 101!  Get to some drinks!  

In honor of the Collins section we used to have at Fort Defiance, I have created my own Collins section at SoBou for our Spring Menu.  Entitled "Keeping up with the Collins", it is a list of refreshing twists on the classic Collins (gin and fizzy lemonade).  I also threw in our most popular cocktail, The Faubourg Tall Boy since it is a combination of a Tom Collins and a Kir Royal.  




Michael Collins
1 1/2 oz Powers Irish Whiskey
3/4 oz Lemon
3/4 oz Lavender syrup

Shake, stop with soda in a collins glass, garnish with fresh lavender



Cumberbatch Collins
1 1/2 oz Gin
3/4 oz lemon
1/2 oz Benedictine
dash of simple
2 slices of cucumber

Shake, stop with soda in a collins glass, garnish with Cucumber



Joan Collins
1 1/2 oz Square One Basil Vodka
3/4 oz lemon
1/2 oz simple
muddled strawberry

Shake, stop with soda in a collins glass, garnish with basil



Phil Collins
1 1/2 oz Barrel aged Bols Gevever
3/4 oz Cointreau/simple
3/4 oz lemon

Shake, stop with soda in a collins glass, garnish with fresh thyme

Barrel Aged Cocktails at The Beagle

Pal resting by some Tuthilltown Barrels

I had my doubts about barrel aging.  First of all, what is the point is there in putting barrel aged cocktails back in a barrel, hence the wealth of aged negroni's.  Second of all, make a mistake and its an expensive experiment gone awry, hence the wealth once again of aged negroni's.  


But I now have first hand knowledge on how delicious these cocktails can be.  Dan and Matt from The Beagle have introduced some cocktails that have been aged downstairs in our own little solara barrel system.  I am only at the bar on Sundays, and we sell thru them rather quickly but I have been lucky enough to taste all three.  We started with a Tuxedo no. 2, then a White dog Manhattan and now have a Rosalind Russell.  All three are quite different, but have a certain thread that holds them together; they are excellent!  The barrel blends the flavors together and gives it a spicy bite.  The corn-y-ness of the white dog gets a boost from the aging that is exactly what barrel aged cocktails are all about.  And it is a very different cocktail then the original, a truly unique cocktail in the right hands.  I am hoping to do my own, a Diamondback with Pisco and white dog rye.

Guardian of the Booze!

Think you want to try your own?  The Wall Street Journal has step by step instructions in this article here.


In the meantime, come down to The Beagle and see what we are pulling out of the barrels this week!


"Barrel-Aged Drinks: Mix, Store, Pour"
[WSJ]