Hulla Balloo

Day 308, Cocktail 310

Well, with that big shindig in LA last night (and for the record, I didn’t watch a minute of it, and, actually, still don’t know who won what…seriously.  I have better things to do, like drink all these cocktails and tell you about them!) what would be a better cocktail for Sunday (at least by name) than the Hulla Balloo.  Like several of my recent efforts, this comes from Dr. Tiki at the TikiBar TV podcast.  And like all of my posts to date, it has nothing to do with the Oscars…hehe.  So, without further adieu (drum roll and dramatic announcer voiceover), I bring you the Hulla Balloo!

  Hulla Balloo

• 2 oz brandy
• 2 oz scotch
• 5 oz lemonade

Combine the brandy, scotch and lemonade in a mixing glass and stir.  Pour into a tall tiki or collins glass filled with cracked ice.  Add your favorite umbrella or plastic monkey and serve.

Actually, I was pleasantly surprised by this drink.  I really thought that this particular combination of ingredients wouldn’t be quite so tasty, but it was.  You get a nice depth from the brandy (I had used St. Remy) and a pleasant, smokey taste from the Johnny Walker Red scotch that I used.  With the sweetness of the lemonade, this turns out to be just right.  Even Gwen liked it, and that really came as a surpise given the brandy and scotch in it.

So the next time your event hits Hulla Balloo territory, break one of these out for your guests!

Cheers!

The Last Christmas Cocktail

Day 244, Cocktail 241

I hope you and yours had a Merry Christmas!  We certainly did here at the Twilight Lounge.  At left you can see the newest addition to the Lounge staff.  I hope he works out as the in house entertainer.  Next to him is the latest drink (and the last Christmas cocktail) to come out of the Twilight Lounge.

This cocktail is a twist on the mule style of cocktails.  Basically, a mule is a base spirit, ginger ale or beer and lime juice.  For my Christmas mule I switched it up and used lemonade, Old Ballycastle Ginger and seltzer water to mix with my tequila. 

  Christmas Mule

• 1 oz tequila
• 3 oz lemonade
• 1/4 oz Old Ballycastle Ginger
• selzter water

Place a couple of ice cubes in a collins glass.  Add the tequila, lemonade and Old Ballycastle.  Stir to mix.  Add several more ice cubes to fill the glass about 3/4 full of ice.  Top with seltzer.  Garnish with a lime wedge and fresh cranberries.

You don’t see tequila used in many holiday cocktails, but our friends south of the border certainly do celebrate, so why not?  The Old Ballycastle adds just a hint of ginger and the tequila comes through as well.  Notice that I stirred the drink with only a couple of ice cubes.  I’ve learned that when mixing a drink in the same glass you will be drinking it from that this is a much easier way to get a good stir without slopping all over the place.  I also used fresh cranberries as my garnish – I just love to do this with nearly any holiday cocktail.  There are two reasons for this.  First is that by Christmas the fresh cranberries are usually gone (I buy a bag around Thanksgiving, and they will last a couple of months if kept refrigerated).  The second is that they add a festive touch, and are good to eat as well!

Next up for the Twilight Lounge is our first ever New Year’s Eve party!

Cheers!

The Ohio State University

Day 216, Cocktail 212

The Ohio State – Michigan game is always a big game for me.  Growing up in Ohio, The Ohio State University is the team I follow in college football.  And Michigan is the rivalry game for the Buckeyes.

With the game on today, I looked around for an appropriate cocktail.  I found something called the Buckeye Martini, which is my basic martini using a black olive as the garnish.  Interesting, but I couldn’t see myself swilling a martini while watching a football game.  I found another drink called the Buckeye that used Red Stag Cherry Bourbon.  Well, I don’t have any of that, but thought it could make the base for this drink.

  Buckeye Fizz

• 2 oz Evan Williams bourbon
• 1/2 oz Cherry Heering liqueur
• 1-1/2 oz lemonade
• seltzer water

Fill a pint glass about 1/3 of the way full with ice cubes.  Add the bourbon, Heering and lemonade and stir.  Fill the glass the rest of the way with ice and top with seltzer water.  Give a quick stir and enjoy.

A nice blend of the smokey cherry flavor of the Heering and the sweetness of the lemonade.  A nice, if not slightly more potent, alternative to a beer while watching the game.

Oh, and the results…The Ohio State University 37, Michigan 7. 

Cheers!

Tennis, Anyone?

May I have a Pimm's Cup now?

Day 71, Cocktail 69

I hope you had a great 4th of July holiday – we certainly did!  Starting with the tailgate for the parade (and our Bloody Marys) through swimming in the pool (while enjoying a Kentucky Kiss) to the BBQ last night it was a great day.  Now, its time to move on!

I’d been waiting all summer for Wimbledon to do my write up for today’s cocktail, and I damn near missed it!  Congratulations to Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal on their victories.  We all know that strawberries and cream are the order of the day at Wimbeldon, along with white tennis outfits.  However, do you know what they drink at Wimbeldon?  Why, a Pimm’s Cup, of course. 

The Pimm’s Cup features Pimm’s Cup No. 1, an apertif developed and marketed by James Pimm back in the 1840’s.  While the full ingredient list of Pimm’s No. 1 is still secret, we do know that it is based on gin with herbs and quinine added.  When asked to describe the taste, the closest I can come is the coca cola syrup my mom used to give me when I had an upset stomach.  Other’s have likened it to sloe gin, although it is not that sweet.

During Wimbledon’s run some 40,000 pints of the Pimm’s Cup will be served.  In my book, this makes it as English as bangers and mash.  I hope you enjoy it!

  Pimm’s Cup

• 1-1/2 oz Pimm’s No. 1
• 3 oz fresh lemonade
• Club soda

Combine all the ingredients in a highball glass and garnish with a cucumber slice.

This is a very refreshing drink, great on a warm summer day while watching tennis, or anything else for that matter!

Cheers!