Category: cocktails

Best Cocktail In Yolo County: The Project

Whiskey Sours

Ever since my Best Cheeseburger in Davis Project came to an end three years ago I’ve been contemplating a follow-up or similar project. I played with looking for the best cheeseburger in the city of Sacramento or expanding the Davis project out to all of Yolo County. But, nothing ever came of those and the idea went fallow.

But, friends have continued to ask me what my next project would be, what I would be rating, and if they could participate. Until now I’ve had to push them off. No longer! This spring I will embark on trying to determine the best cocktail in Yolo County.

Now, I’m not a bartender and I’ve never trained as one. I have taught myself and continue to teach myself how to make drinks. Making cocktails is an activity I enjoy and the homemade “bar” I’ve moved across this state for the last eight years is a small testament to that. I enjoy sharing time over a drink with friends and my love for Yolo County is well known. This seems project seems like a good fit for me and the site.

But, and this is important, I don’t consider myself a ‘foodie’ or a
‘hipster.’ Both labels are irredeemably tainted with tones of elitism and smug pretension. This project isn’t about putting bars or bartenders down or looking for the fanciest or most expensive take on a drink. I’m a drinker and I’m looking for the best drink.

I’m excited about this project and I hope you’re excited to read about it! I’ll try to take plenty of pictures though I’m sorry I can’t share the delicious drinks I’ll be experiencing with you. (Unless you want to come out and have a drink with me!)

Before I get drinking I’m going to have to lay out a few things first:

  • I need to pick the representative cocktail, I can’t drink every mix at every bar. I’d hate myself. And then die.
  • I need to devise some criteria for ranking this cocktail; and,
  • Compile a list of all the bars in Yolo county that mix drinks.

The last should be relatively easy, the internet is very good for list making. I’m a little more worried about creating my criteria for judging these things. I want the criteria to be helpful but I want to avoid sounding like an asshole. Finally, picking the cocktail is going to take some thought. It should be a recognizable classic. But, it should also require something more than throwing liquor into a pre-mix. I’ll be creating a post for the criteria and the competition, revealing the drink and then the imbibing can begin!

Please look forward to it!

The End of Cocktail of the Week

cocktail
Still my Fav!

The Last Word was a fitting cocktail to end this project on. I’ve been making a new cocktail nearly every week for the last two-and-a-half years. The first entry in this series went live on July 31, 2013. I made a Moscow Mule, at the time my favorite cocktail and still one of my favorites. That post contains a picture of my original “bar” which now looks terribly understocked.

Cocktail
Then

Since then I’ve bought dozens of bottles of liquor, various glasses, shakes, ice bags, other bar accessories, and learned how to make over 80 different cocktails!  I’ve come to appreciate the work bartenders and mixologists do behind the bars when they’re making drinks. I’ve gained first-hand experience trying to make my own cocktails and tasted the various subtleties involved with combining liquors, mixers, juice, syrups, bitters, etc., etc!

Cocktail
Now

I suppose I could have kept the cocktail entries going on indefinitely. There appear to be an infinite number of recipes. But, I’ve covered most of the basics and was already running into the problem of having to purchase uncommon liquors and alcohols in order to continue the project. I didn’t really want to spend the money and I’m running out of room on my own bar!

I’ve got an idea for a new project for the blog. I’ve got some more research to do before I unveil it though. I can tell you that it’s going to be food related and will be centered around Davis, CA.

I’ve still got Star Oops to go through as well as various Let’s Plays that are in progress, please look forward to more of those! If I’m especially diligent I might have one or two more to add to that.

Boulevardier, Cocktail of the Week

Boulevardier

I’ve had the Boulevardier on the list of cocktails to make for some time. It just kept getting kicked back another week as other cocktails came up that seemed more interesting. And then it got kicked back because I had that string of Campari based cocktails all in a row and I didn’t feel comfortable doing yet another.

So what is a Boulevardier? It’s the Fall/Winter cousin of the Negroni. Subbing out gin for bourbon or rye whisky. This single substitution though changes the entire drink. Whisky smooths out and mellows the edges of a drink that is already made sharp by Campari. Something that the Negroni really did need…

Boulevardier
The ingredients

Boulevardier

  • 1 oz. Campari
  • 1 oz. sweet vermouth
  • 1 1/2 oz. rye whisky

Add all ingredients to ice filled rocks glass. Stir to combine. Garnish with a orange twist.

Boulevardier

Though as with the Negroni, you don’t want to hurry this cocktail. Take your time. Enjoy the interplay of rye and sweet vermouth. Embrace the medicinal brace of Campari as it splashes against the back of your throat.

The winter is long and cold and this drink can only keep you warm for so long. Embrace and enjoy it while it lasts.

%d bloggers like this: