This vanilla syrup is easy to make and SO useful. I love this in homemade lattes and other coffee drinks as well as added to cold beverages like sparkling water or Diet Coke. Vanilla simple syrup is also useful for making lots of different kinds of cocktails and even in baked goods or as a glaze.
This vanilla syrup recipe only requires 3 ingredients and about 15 minutes or less to make!
Ingredients
Granulated white sugar
Water
Vanilla bean paste, vanilla bean pods or vanilla extract
You’ll also need a glass jar with spout for storage and easy use.
How to make Vanilla Syrup
In a small to medium pot add the sugar and water. Over medium/high heat whisk the sugar until it’s fully dissolves. The water should get hot during this process but you do not need to reach a boil.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. If you are using vanilla beans slice them down the center and then use the tip of your knife to carefully scrap out the beans (the little black dots). Add those as well as the vanilla bean pods to the syrup. Whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to sit and cool for about 10 minutes.
If you used vanilla bean pods remove the pods now. Pour the vanilla syrup into your storage container.
Tips and Notes
Vanilla bean paste, vanilla beans or vanilla extract will all work well in this recipe. However, if you are wanting the look of the vanilla beans (little black speckles) you will need to use either vanilla bean paste or vanilla beans.
Store the vanilla syrup in an air tight container in the refrigerator for at least two weeks.
As you can see from the photo above my vanilla bean paste was actually ‘Bourbon vanilla bean paste’ so it had a slightly different flavor. That’s OK! This is your vanilla simple syrup—add anything you want like a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.
Swap the granulated white sugar for brown sugar for a slightly different flavor.
When it comes to wintertime drinks, cozying up by the fire with a hot buttered rum is the top way to pass the time on a cold winter’s night. While the name may sound odd, this hot buttered rum recipe is actually a delicious drink that combines sweet, creamy, and buttery flavors with winter spices and a dose of rum to warm you from the inside out.
You can easily make a batch of hot buttered rum “batter” to keep in your fridge so you can make this Christmas cocktail at a moment’s notice, and you can even make it without the alcohol to be a family-friendly drink.
What’s the history of hot buttered rum?
Hot buttered rum dates all the way back to the American colonial period of New England in the 1650s. Rum was a popular drink as water wasn’t always safe to drink and the hot buttered rum was an alternative to a hot toddy as it also added some calories. The basic recipe consisted of rum, butter, spices, and sugar, which are still the main ingredients in modern hot buttered rums.
What does hot buttered rum taste like?
While the name may not sound appetizing to some, hot buttered rum has a creamy sweet taste punctuated with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The butter does give the drink a delicious buttery flavor similar to drinking a buttery cookie in a glass!
What type of rum is best for hot buttered rum?
While it’s possible to use white rum if that’s all you have on hand (and if that’s the rum you prefer), spiced rum or dark rum is a better flavor profile for this particular drink. Spiced rum will have some added caramel flavor and spices while dark rum will be a little more of a darker molasses flavor profile.
Hot buttered rum ingredients:
Unsalted butter: This is the buttery part of your hot buttered rum!
Brown sugar: You’ll get sweet notes of caramel by adding brown sugar to your batter mix.
Powdered sugar: Adding some powdered sugar gives the drink a lighter sweetness on top of the deeper brown sugar flavor.
Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove: These warm spices combined together make this drink taste like Christmas in a glass! Feel free to add some ground allspice or cardamom as well for even more levels of spice.
Vanilla extract: Try and use vanilla extract rather than imitation vanilla for a more pure vanilla flavor.
Rum: A dark or spiced rum is your best choice for the perfect hot buttered rum.
Hot water: Adding hot water to your hot buttered rum batter is what gives you a warm and cozy drink.
TIP: Rather than boiling water, you’ll want to use hot water that’s just under boiling as water that’s too hot can dull the flavors a little.
How to make hot buttered rum
For the batter:
Add unsalted butter to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until butter is melted and then whisk in your brown and powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove until sugar is melted and ingredients are combined.
Remove from heat and add in your vanilla and stir to combine. Use to make hot buttered rum or allow to cool and then store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to use.
For the hot buttered rum:
Add 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture to a heatproof mug and pour in 6 ounces hot water and 1-2 ounces of rum depending on how strong you want your drink. Stir and add more batter to taste if necessary and enjoy!
TIP: Since you are adding hot water to your drink, you don’t have to heat the rum as well, so feel free to use room temperature rum.
Tips for making hot buttered rum:
Add a dash of salt to your batter to really bring out the flavors.
Adding a dollop of whipped cream to the top of your drink will not only look pretty, but it will add extra creamy sweetness as it melts into the drink.
Sprinkle some cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg on top of your drink or add in a cinnamon stick before serving for a boost of cinnamon flavor.
TIP: To keep your drink warm longer, serve the hot buttered rum in pre-warmed mugs!
How do you make hot buttered rum nonalcoholic?
To make a family-friendly version of hot buttered rum, simply use just the batter and hot water to make your delicious drink. You can also add the batter into milk, apple cider, or coffee for a nonalcoholic treat.
How do you make hot buttered rum in a crockpot?
To make hot buttered rum for a crowd in a slow cooker, put the batter ingredients into the crockpot first and cook on high until all the ingredients are blended together (about 30-60 minutes).
Add in your hot water and rum and reduce heat to low until ready to serve. Ladle into mugs and garnish as desired before serving.
How long does hot buttered rum batter last in the fridge?
Hot buttered rum batter will last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
You can also put it in the freezer and it will last around 3 months frozen. Just let thaw in the fridge before using.
Can you use salted butter in hot buttered rum?
While most recipes call for unsalted butter so you can control the salt level to taste, you can also use salted butter with great results.
Hot buttered rum variations:
Make it with tea: Use your favorite black tea bags to brew tea with your hot water before adding it to your drink.
Play with spices: Try adding ginger, allspice, or cardamom to your batter until your reach your favorite spice combo.
Swap the rum: You can try brandy, whiskey, or cognac in place of the rum for a twist on the classic.
Make it with ice cream: It’s also popular to add some melted vanilla ice cream to your hot buttered rum batter for extra creamy sweetness.
Add notes of orange: Orange is such a popular holiday flavor as well so try some orange zest in the batter or a touch of orange extract.
Today I’m going to share my favorite classic cocktail- the Bourbon Old Fashioned. The Old Fashioned has been my go-to for years and learning to make a perfect Old Fashioned at home has been such a fun process. You’re going to want to learn this recipe as the Old Fashioned is arguably the most popular bourbon cocktail. It’s sweet, strong and perfectly simple- a true classic!
In this blog post I will teach you the traditional recipe as well as a few time saving tricks and tips to make the perfect Old Fashioned at home.
Old Fashioned Ingredients
Bourbon Choose a high quality bourbon or rye whiskey (something you would sip!).
Angostura Bitters A classic cocktail bitter.
Sugar You will need granulated sugar to make the classic recipe. You can also save a bit of time by using simple syrup in place of sugar and water if you choose.
Water You will need a splash of water.
Orange Twist Garnish
Cherries Although not a part of the traditional recipe, many people prefer two cherries with their Old Fashioned cocktail. This is optional.
History of an Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned cocktail is one of the first officially recorded cocktails with more 200 years of history and counting. It was invented before bartenders began to add fancy embellishments to their cocktails and got its name from those who preferred to keep their cocktail simple and, well, old fashioned.
A classic never goes out of style and more recently new generations of wannabes (like me!) have learned about this cocktail from television shows like Mad Men ensuring its legacy will live on.
How to mix an Old Fashioned
Begin by pouring your sugar into a cocktail mixing glass. Add three dashes of bitters directly to the sugar. Add your water. Mix by hand with a spoon until the sugar has dissolved.
Add some ice to the mixing glass and pour your bourbon onto the ice. Continue stirring until the drink is well mixed and chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass over an oversized ice cube.
Express the oil of an orange peel over the top of the glass. You do this by squeezing and folding the skin of an orange peel- you will smell a strong citrus scent as the oils release. Then garnish your drink with the orange peel.
Best Bourbon for an Old Fashioned
This drink is very spirit forward, so the quality of bourbon you choose will make a big impact on the flavor of your drink. You can spend hours reading opinions on the best bourbon for an Old Fashioned. As a general rule, you should make your Old Fashioned cocktail with a whiskey you would enjoy sipping straight.
I love to collect local bourbons and whiskeys in every variety. You can really have fun creating your own collection. That said, for the purposes of this blog post, I am focusing on brands that are easily available.
Maker’s Mark I chose this because it’s high quality and it’s available at almost every store that sells liquor. The tasting notes are slightly sweet- perfect for this recipe.
Four Roses Single Barrel Another popular option that is easy to find in stores. This is a high proof option with a smooth flavor.
Old Granddad Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Old Grandad is distilled with a high percentage of rye. It’s flavor is slightly spicy with notes of cinnamon and cloves.
Bulleit Bourbon Again I chose this brand because it’s broadly available. The flavor notes are slightly fruity and light.
George Dickle Rye Whiskey I wanted to include a rye whiskey since a Rye Old Fashioned is one of the most popular variations.
Time Saving Tips
The Old Fashioned has a lot of steps for such a simple drink. I recommend learning to make the classic recipe because it’s fun to know how to do things properly and also because it’s a good baseline for making future tweaks. That said, there are lot of ways to speed up the process.
The quickest possible way to make a great tasting Old Fashioned at home is to make our Old Fashioned Mix recipe. Once you have made this mix you can create cocktails with zero prep anytime you want.
You can save a bit of time by using Simple Syrup instead of sugar and water from the original recipe. This is easier to mix. I also recommend this if you want a sweeter cocktail like many restaurants serve. Simple syrup is the easiest way to add a little more sweetness to your drink.
If you are preparing for a dinner party you can batch the entire drink ahead of time and simply pour them into glasses with oversized ice cubes when it’s time to serve. I recommend that if serving a group since the original recipe is a bit more time consuming.
Variations of the Old Fashioned Cocktail
There are many delicious spins on the classic old Fashioned. Here are a few popular variations and what makes the recipes different- often just swapping one ingredient.
Rye Old Fashioned Use Rye for a slightly less sweet
Brandy Old Fashioned (also called Wisconsin Old Fashioned) This recipe calls for Brandy instead of Bourbon and also is topped with lemon-lime soda, so it is a much sweeter drink than the classic.
Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned If you use our Pumpkin Spice Syrup instead of simple syrup, you can make this festive variation.
Irish Old Fashioned Use Jameson Irish Whiskey in place of bourbon
Peanut Butter Old Fashioned Use Screwball peanut butter whiskey in place of bourbon for this fun variation.
Should I put cherries in my Old Fashioned?
The classic recipe does not contain cherries, but as someone who has ordered this drink at dozens of restaurants I would say it is served with cherries at least 75% of the time. Bottom line- if it’s good enough for Don Draper, it’s good enough for me.
Personally I love the cherries and welcome them in my drink! If you want to add two cherries to your drink we suggest Luxardo Maraschino Cherries. These dark candied cherries are rich and decadent. Once you open the jar, but sure to store them in your fridge and you can use them in many classic cocktail recipes.
An Appletini, or an Apple Martini, is made with only four ingredients and is easy to make and certainly far too easy to drink. It’s a dessert martini that leans toward the sweet side. In this post, I’ll share my Appletini recipe along with ways to change it up to suit your taste.
While I usually make this recipe with vodka, you could swap it for gin for a slightly more floral, and more classic martini variation. You could also choose to add a little cinnamon and sugar to the rim to up the dessert martini vibes.
Ingredients
Vodka – Choose a quality vodka such as Ketel One, Tito’s or Grey Goose.
Apple Juice – The apple flavor in this recipe comes from both apple juice and the schnapps liqueur.
Sour Apple Schnapps – This is where the sour apple flavor comes in as well as the green color. They also make Apple Schnapps in red if you prefer that.
Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed.
Optional Garnish – We like to use a slice of Granny Smith apple as an optional garnish.
You’ll see in the photo below I used a sparkling apple juice for the Appletinis pictured here, but this is not necessary. Any apple juice will work.
Directions
In a cocktail shaker, add all ingredients. Then add ice. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker feels very cold against your hand.
Stain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a Granny Smith apple slice.
Tips & Substitutions
You could use gin instead of vodka if you prefer.
Any kind of apple juice works fine. You could also use an apple cider for this recipe.
Store clean martini glasses in your freezer and you’ll always have a chilled glass ready for when you need it.
If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, a mason jar with a lid will also work. Simply strain through a cocktail strainer to keep the ice from getting into your chilled drink.
History of the Appletini
This drink was created on the Fourth of July in West Hollywood at a bar called Lola’s. The owner, Loren “Lola” Dunsworth, was approached by reps from Ketel One vodka to create a signature martini. She noticed an unused bottle of apple schnapps and asked bartender Adam Karsten to mix up a drink.
In pop culture, the Appletini was the drink Zach Braff’s character ordered on Scrubs. It was also the drink of choice for Mark Zuckerberg and Sean Parker’s meeting in The Social Network movie. Why not enjoy a delicious Appletini?
The Paper Plane cocktail recipe is a great bourbon drink to add to your home bar skillset. If you love to order fancy and unique cocktails, this recipe is a must for you. The combination of bourbon, Aperol, amaro and lemon juice is a bright orange cocktail that is citrusy, botanical and warming with the perfect sweet and bitter balance.
Ingredients in a Paper Plane
Bourbon – Adds sweetness and warmth to this recipe.
Aperol – A citrusy, botanical liqueur that gives this recipe color and flavor.
Amaro Nonino – This sweet liqueur adds unique flavor and depth.
Lemon Juice – Fresh citrus for the perfect balance.
The best glassware choice for this cocktail is a coupe glass. I used a gold cocktail pick to secure my tiny paper airplane garnish.
Instructions
In a cocktail shaker half filled with ice cubes, pour in bourbon, Aperol and Amaro Nonino. Then add freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Shake for 10-15 seconds until well chilled.
Pour into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a tiny paper plane or an orange twist.
What does a Paper Plane drink taste like?
This is a sweet and strong cocktail. Composed of equal parts bourbon, Aperol, amero and lemon juice, this drink is balanced. It’s both bitter and sweet. The top flavor is citrus, followed by notes of botanical bitters and woodsy bourbon.
The Paper Plane is a modern take on the Last Word Cocktail, which is another equal parts drink made using gin, green chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice. Although these two drinks have few ingredients in common, the unique combination of citrus, botanical liqueurs and liquor to create a unique sweet and strong cocktail are the same. The two drinks are cousins and happen to be two of my personal favorite cocktails. Try both and see which recipe you love most.
History
We share cocktails all the time here on the blog and I’ve honestly never seen such a recent instant classic! Most popular drinks have been around more than 100 years, or close to it! This drink was created by bartender Sam Ross in 2008. Sam is a well known bartender and the co-owner of Attaboy and Diamond Reef in New York City. Although Ross is a NYC bartender, he created this recipe specifically for The Violet Hour in Chicago. He named the drink after the M.I.A. song “Paper Planes,” which he says he was listening to constantly at the time.
On creating the recipe, Ross recalls, “That .75-ounce of bourbon, to be sure, I tried it with every type of spirit — rye, applejack, brandy — to really make sure that bourbon was the right fit. And it was.”
Tips for Making
If you don’t have Aperol on hand, you can substitute in Campari, but the resulting cocktail will be more bitter (add a bit of simple syrup, to taste, to counteract this).
Amaron Nonino is a bit pricey (around $50 per bottle) and can be tricky to find. Some substitutions are Amaro Averna, Amaro Montenegro or Cynar (which is Italian Amaro).
Garnish ideas: A tiny paper plane is the most adorable garnish. Other ideas are a lemon peel or orange twist.
The next time you’re looking for an easy-to-make, not-too-boozy dessert cocktail, might I recommend an Amaretto Sour. There are two basic ways to make this classic cocktail; one is simple with only three ingredients and the other is more modern with egg-white added into the mix. Either way I know you will love these amaretto sour recipes as much as I do!
If you’ve never had an amaretto sour before here’s what you can expect. Amaretto is an Italian liqueur that tastes like almond and an. This drink is on the sweeter side but still balanced and not too boozy. It’s bright and refreshing flavor makes it the perfect summer drink, but you can enjoy it year round.
Amaretto Sour Ingredients
Amaretto liqueur
Simple syrup
Lemon juice
Cherries and orange for garnish
Depending on what you have available in your pantry you can swap the simple syrup and the lemon juice for homemade sour mix.
Amaretto Sour Variations
This is a super popular drink with all kinds of fun additions/customizations you can make. Here are a few ideas:
Use a fruit infused syrup like orange simple syrup to enhance the fresh flavor of the drink.
Add an additional alcohol flavor like bourbon or whiskey.
Use Sprite or another lemon-lime flavored carbonated drink, or even plain club soda to top off the cocktail and add a little fizz. If using Sprite add it right before serving so that the soda doesn’t go flat.
Modern Amaretto Sour – with Egg White
While the original amaretto sour was introduced to the mid 1970s it was updated in 2021 by bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler with the addition of bourbon and egg white to create a more boozy, rich cocktail.
Cocktails made with egg whites typically have a foamy top. It’s a staple of many vintage cocktails. And while it’s never fully safe to consume raw eggs, it has become a staple of many trendy cocktail menus.
Modern Amaretto Sour Ingredients
Amaretto liqueur
Bourbon – cast-strength is recommended
Lemon juice
Simple syrup
Egg white
One egg white is roughly one ounce of liquid. You only need half an ounce for one serving so it’s best to make this version two at a time—perfect for a party!
Amaretto Sours; they are fun, they are sweet, they are delicious. Cheers!
Today, I’m excited to share my recipe for homemade margarita mix. It’s insanely easy to make (with only two ingredients, plus water!).
The difference between homemade margarita mix and something you buy at the store is kind of insane, though. Sometimes the store-bought mixes can be syrupy and gross. Homemade tastes SO much fresher.
Homemade Margarita Mix Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar 1 cup water 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 10 limes)
Squeeze the lime juice into a bowl or measuring cup. I love this handy tool for juicing lemons and limes.
Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture cool a bit before adding in the lime juice. Mix together and pour into a glass carafe or mason jar.
Add 1 shot of tequila and half a shot of triple sec to a margarita glass (or these cactus glasses!). Add the ice and fill the rest of the glass with homemade margarita mix.
It’s super simple! Don’t forget to salt your rim and try a lime-flavored salt if you’d like.
This homemade margarita mix is perfect for parties. You can easily tweak the proportions to make a large or small batch depending on how many you’ll be serving!
You could even use a cast iron pot like this when making a bigger batch of mix.
Can I Make Different Flavors of Margarita Mix?
Yes! You can make different variations of this recipe by using grapefruit juice, orange, or cranberry juice instead of lime juice. You can even make your own strawberry margarita mix. If you like this recipe be sure to try our homemade old fashioned cocktail mix.
The Bramble is easily one of my favorite cocktails. It’s sour, refreshing, and fruity—which are all the things I love in a cocktail during the warmer months.
The Bramble is a blackberry-based cocktail that’s rather simple to make and is nicely balanced in flavor. It was invented in the 1980s by Dick Bradsell at Fred’s Soho Club in London, but is actually a spin on a more classic cocktail called a Fix.
A Fix is a sour served down on crushed ice and was first recorded in How to Mix Drinks by Jerry Thomas in 1862. Crushed ice drinks are perfect for summer because they’re like boozy snow cones, am I right?
The other great thing about a Fix-style cocktail is that any fruit in season can be muddled in the glass before adding the ice and undiluted cocktail.
In addition, this drink also works great with any spirit. That is how The Bramble was born, so let’s get mixing, shall we?
This drink is so simple to make that I think it will amaze you! Add gin, lemon, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker and dry shake (no ice) to incorporate ingredients. In a serving glass, preferably a double rocks glass , muddle the blackberries.
Fill the glass with crushed ice and then top with the bramble mixture. Top with more crushed ice and garnish with a blackberry.
Not only is The Bramble so delicious and refreshing, but it’s easy to make and visually stunning. I love how the fruit is layered and the color of the drink changes as you drink it. The other great part about this drink is you can tailor it to your particular taste.
You can change the spirit or even the fruit depending on the season, which makes it great to have in your repertoire all year long. I hope you’ll make The Bramble at home this summer. Cheers!
This recipe makes a classic Espresso Martini. It’s the perfect after-dinner drink or dessert cocktail. It’s tastes strong, balanced and has a creamy, foamy top. If you love coffee cocktails, you have to try this recipe. This recipe is the perfect marriage of cocktail and coffee. With only three ingredients, this drink is easier to make than it looks.
In this recipe, simple ingredients combine to create something magical. Espresso flavors meld with flavors of strong coffee balanced by sweetness.
Before making your espresso martini, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. First, you will want to use espresso instead of brewing coffee or using instant coffee. It’s important for the flavor profile.
Next, it’s important to let the espresso chill before adding it to the ice and alcohol so that it does not melt the ice.
The foam is an important part of this cocktail, both for flavor and presentation. It’s kind of like when you order a latte, the more foam the better! The foam comes from shaking in a cocktail shaker for 10-15 seconds.
Espresso Martini Ingredients
Espresso – 1 shot (about 1.5 ounces) espresso
Vodka – 2 ounces vodka
Kahlúa – 1/2 ounce coffee liqueur
Simple Syrup – 1/2 ounce simple syrup (this is optional but I recommend it)
Coffee Beans – For garnish
This will make one drink. You can easily make two servings in the same shaker by doubling the ingredients. The best cocktail glass to serve an Espresso Martini in is a martini glass or a coupe glass. You will also need a cocktail shaker to make this recipe. If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, a jar can be used.
Espresso Martini Recipe
Make your espresso and allow to cool (otherwise, it will melt your ice). If you’re in a hurry, you can put it in the refrigerator.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the espresso, vodka, Kahlua and simple syrup (optional).
Shake until chilled. This will also create the froth for foam.
Strain and pour into a chilled glass.
Garnish with a few coffee beans.
Bonus points if you chill your martini glasses in the freezer ahead of time.
Tips for Making
Substitutions – If you don’t have a way to make fresh espresso cold brew, concentrate is an acceptable substitution.
Variations – You may swap unflavored vodka for vanilla vodka, or a seasonal flavor such as caramel, pecan, pumpkin or peppermint. While some would consider this sacrilegious, we would point out that the Espresso Martini isn’t technically a true martini and so if you enjoy seasonal coffee drinks, why not?
Sweetness – The simple syrup (sugar syrup) is technically optional, but we find it essential to creating balance between strong and bitter flavors.
Garnish Ideas – In addition to coffee or espresso beans, many bartenders like to dust the top of the martini foam with espresso powder.
History
The Espresso Martini was created in 1983 by bartender Dick Bradsell at Fred’s Club, a bar in London. It continued to gain popularity throughout 1980s and more recently had a second resurgence. The famous tale says that Bradsell was asked by a famous model of the era to make a cocktail that would “wake me up and fuck me up.” And so the Espresso Martini was born. Bradsell is also famous for creating the Bramble cocktail.
Home Espresso Makers
We’ve tried many espresso makers over the years, and here are our favorites at different price points and skill levels:
Cafe Automatic Espresso Machine – My current machine. It uses any whole beans, so if you use high quality beans you’ll get high quality espresso. It makes espresso shots automatically (no barista skills required) and includes a milk frothing wand to heat and froth milk. We’ve used this machine almost every day since we got it seven months ago and we love it! It comes in three colors.
Breville Barista Touch – We bought this for a good friend as a wedding gift once and they said they love it. It’s a higher end machine that you will need some barista skills to operate, but it’s an excellent home espresso maker.
Nespresso Vertuo – For those who want an espresso maker that uses pods, this is my favorite. Depending what pod you use, it can make espresso or coffee.
MiniPresso – This machine will make you a single shot of espresso by adding boiling water into one end, your grinds into the other, and then you pump a button that pops out.
French Press – It’s also possible to make espresso in your French press.
Not only is this espresso martini delicious, but it can be a great conversation starter. I know I’m a little bit more talkative when I have a little jolt of caffeine in my system.
The classic Manhattan cocktail was the most famous drink recipe shortly after its birth at the Manhattan Club in New York City in the 1880s. Over the years, it has fallen in and out of popularity but found its place as a mainstay in most bars during the craft cocktail renaissance. In this post I will teach you to make a perfect Manhattan cocktail.
What is a Manhattan Cocktail?
Created in this 1880s, the classic Manhattan cocktail mixes American whiskey, Italian vermouth, with a few dashes of aromatic bitters. It is a timeless and tasty drink—the definition of what a good cocktail should be.
This spirit forward drink is best made with rye rather than bourbon because of its spicy, less sweet profile. It is sweet and strong and has earned it’s spot as one of the most popular classic cocktails.
Manhattan Cocktail Ingredients
Rye Whiskey We prefer rye whiskey for a more balanced drink. Choose bourbon for a sweeter outcome. Sweet Vermouth The classic recipe uses Italian vermouth. Angostura Bitters One of the most classic cocktail bitters. These bitters will add complexity and enliven your drink’s flavor even more. Cherry Luxardo maraschino cherry, for garnish
The best cocktail glass to serve this drink in is a coupe glass.
How to make a Manhattan Drink
Building this cocktail is super easy. Add all your ingredients to a mixing glass, add ice and stir. To stir like a pro, let your fingers do the work—not your wrist!
Your barspoon should be between your index and middle finger. I’m a weirdo and I stir using my pinky and ring finger.
Once you get comfortable with the technique, you can do it whatever way is most comfortable for you. I highly encourage personal style when developing your bar techniques.
Twirl it around the inside of your mixing glass, using your index finger to pull the spoon toward you and your middle finger to push it away (or whatever fingers you’re using).
Stir for about 30-45 seconds then place your strainer over the mixing glass and strain into your serving glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, our favorite are luxardo cherries.
Tips for making
For a sweeter drink, replace rye whiskey with bourbon.
Swap out sweet vermouth for Italian amaro and you have a “Black Manhattan”.
Swap our rye for Scotch and you will have a “Rob Roy” cocktail.
We recommend sipping your Manhattan slowly and savoring it.
History of a Manhattan
This drink was first created in the 1880s at New York City’s Manhattan Club. Many other orgin stories exist. For example some say the drink was first mixed for Lady Randolph Churchill, the mother of Winston Churchill (though records later proved that she was not in the region during this time period). In any case- the Manhattan Club origin story seems a credible way for the drink to have gotten it’s name.
It was recorded in 1915 by Henry Watterson in his book “History of the Manhattan Club: A Narrative of the Activities of Half a Century“. The Manhattan is one of the oldest cocktails along with the Old Fashioned.
The classic Manhattan cocktail is strong, sweet, aromatic, and slightly spicy from the rye whiskey. Some people prefer to make their Manhattans with bourbon instead, which is perfectly acceptable.
Historically it is made with rye whiskey and I tend to like this variation more because it dries it out a little and has a spicier, edgier profile.
Using bourbon will make a sweeter and mellower drink, but still beautiful and totally delicious nonetheless! So please mix whatever your heart pleases!
Will you be trying a classic Manhattan cocktail this season? Let us know in the comments below.
