seeking cocktail advice

Obsessed · Apr 6, 2009

Two questions for the cocktail experts out here:

First, has anyone tried out the new Noilly Prat dry vermouth in their martini? How does it compare to the old version?

Second, does anyone have a good recipe for gimlets using lime juice and sugar rather than Rose's lime juice?

Thanks.

Mazeman · Apr 6, 2009

I heard Noilly Prat has sweetened their dry Vermouth, but I didn't realize the new version had been released. A lot of Martini drinkers are unhappy.

I haven't tried thje new version, but I did enjoy the old style.

arghblech · Apr 6, 2009

Gimlets are my favorite gin/vodka drink. Honestly though, I prefer them with Rose's. I'm just sentimental like that sometimes.

Fancy Gimlet
2 oz. gin or Vodka
1/4 to 1/2 oz. simple syrup
1/2 oz. lime juice
Shake or swirl on ice
Strain
Garnish with a lime

My No-Mess Gimlet
Select your favorite rocks glass to mix in.
Jigger or so of vodka/gin from the freezer.
Healthly splash (maybe 1/5 or 1/6) Rose's Lime
Swirl the glass.

Note: Normally, if one is mixing drinks at all I'd recommend leaving the top shelf stuff alone. Gimlets are simple and tend to taste better when you use a better quality liquor.

Confilo · Apr 6, 2009

Mazeman said:
I heard Noilly Prat has sweetened their dry Vermouth, but I didn't realize the new version had been released. A lot of Martini drinkers are unhappy.

I haven't tried thje new version, but I did enjoy the old style.

Sweetness has no place in my Martini; if Noilly went that route is time to switch.

ouch · Apr 6, 2009

Cocktails? I'll handle this.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQZG4AJ-NPA[/YOUTUBE]

Mazeman · Apr 6, 2009

Here's a link about the sweeter Noilly Prat "dry" vermouth.

Wall Street Journal (Eric Felten) had an article about it, but I don't think it's on their site anymore.

I agree; A Martini is gin and dry (not semi-dry) vermouth.

castlecraver · Apr 6, 2009

Gimlets:

Probably later this week I'm going to do Mojitos for B&B Classic Cocktails, but Gimlets are high on the list of things to-do. I'd tell you to stay tuned, but the Cliff's Notes version of what works for me is to mix fresh-squeezed (not bottled) lime juice 1:1 with simple syrup (if you're using ~1:1 sugar:water syrup, adjust as necessary). This'll give you a better-tasting mixer that's appropriate to substitute for Rose's Lime Juice in just about any gimlet recipe you find out there, and it'll give your drink the approximate sweetness of a standard "sour" drink. You can then adjust your gin-to-mix ratio to your taste -- 3:1 is usually a good place to start. I like to serve mine shaken, strained and up, with a lime wheel floated as garnish. But I think over rocks with a lime wedge is more standard.

Obsessed · Apr 6, 2009

castlecraver said:
Gimlets:

Probably later this week I'm going to do Mojitos for B&B Classic Cocktails, but Gimlets are high on the list of things to-do. I'd tell you to stay tuned, but the Cliff's Notes version of what works for me is to mix fresh-squeezed (not bottled) lime juice 1:1 with simple syrup (if you're using ~1:1 sugar:water syrup, adjust as necessary). This'll give you a better-tasting mixer that's appropriate to substitute for Rose's Lime Juice in just about any gimlet recipe you find out there, and it'll give your drink the approximate sweetness of a standard "sour" drink. You can then adjust your gin-to-mix ratio to your taste -- 3:1 is usually a good place to start. I like to serve mine shaken, strained and up, with a lime wheel floated as garnish. But I think over rocks with a lime wedge is more standard.

Thanks. So, you make your simple syrup 1:1? I'm going to try to make some myself at some point.

I also like mine strained and up, and I'm glad you presumed that gin would be the liquor of choice. Speaking of that, I hear great things about Old Raj gin, but I wonder if it's too expensive to use in a drink like a gimlet, which obvioulsy has a very strong-tasting mixer. Any thoughts?

castlecraver · Apr 6, 2009

Obsessed said:
Thanks. So, you make your simple syrup 1:1? I'm going to try to make some myself at some point.

I also like mine strained and up, and I'm glad you presumed that gin would be the liquor of choice. Speaking of that, I hear great things about Old Raj gin, but I wonder if it's too expensive to use in a drink like a gimlet, which obvioulsy has a very strong-tasting mixer. Any thoughts?

I usually do about 1.5:1 personally. There's a little controversy on whether 1:1 or 2:1 is the standard (see some other thread), and it depends on what sort of drinks I anticipate making with it.

I wouldn't ever mix anything with Old Raj. Even when I make a martini with it, I just give it a quick shake and don't add any vermouth. Its a flavor monster that stands perfectly well enough on its own. IMO, if you're mixing cocktails with a significant sweet/sour component, you're kind of wasting your money if you reach too far above the middle-shelf for your liquor. Gordons, or whatever you have on hand for martinis will mix just fine in a Gimlet.

Obsessed · Apr 6, 2009

castlecraver said:
I usually do about 1.5:1 personally. There's a little controversy on whether 1:1 or 2:1 is the standard (see some other thread), and it depends on what sort of drinks I anticipate making with it.

I imagine that other thread has some pretty strong opinions on the subject. :biggrin:

castlecraver said:
I wouldn't ever mix anything with Old Raj . . . . Its a flavor monster that stands perfectly well enough on its own.

That's what I figured based on a number of posts out here

castlecraver said:
Even when I make a martini with it, I just give it a quick shake and don't add any vermouth.

Is that technically a martini?

Jac · Apr 6, 2009

Obsessed said:
castlecraver said:

Even when I make a martini with it, I just give it a quick shake and don't add any vermouth.

Click to expand...

Is that technically a martini?

No, and Pat should know better... :lol:

castlecraver · Apr 6, 2009

Jac said:
No, and Pat should know better...

Heh. Two points:

Consider the fruity, syrupy abominations that've usurped the "martini" name over the past decade or more. I feel far more justified calling a chilled and lightly-diluted Old Raj served up a "martini" than I would something made with overpriced "ultrapremium" vodka and apple pucker. In fact, I think by applying the term to an uncommonly strong variant, I'd be doing my part to push back against the "I don't like the taste of alcohol" crowd.
Would you have told Winston Churchill or the Queen Mother that they're misapproprating the term for their preferred martinis (the former calling for "glancing at the bottle of vermouth from across the room" and the latter calling for a capful of vermouth to be hovered briefly over the gin and discarded)? I think not.

Heck. Call it an "Old Raj martini, hold the vermouth" if you must. But don't knock it 'til you've tried it. And don't ever call my cocktail cred' into question again, or the next time my girlfriend asks me to fix her a new sugary cosmopolitan variation that you couldn't pay me to drink myself, I might just name it "The Jac." :quickdraw

(just kidding about that last part... or was I?) :devil:

ouch · Apr 6, 2009

I'm going to keep saying it until he shows up.

[youtube="KQZG4AJ-NPA"]Scott!!!!![/youtube]

ratcheer · Apr 6, 2009

I agree with much of the above. But, NP is not, I believe, suggesting that martini drinkers use their sweeter dry vermouth, they are simply abandoning the martini market because they were not making enough money on it. The drier formula was for the US market, only. The "new" sweeter formula is the one they have sold in the rest of the global market all along and it is intended as an aperitif wine. They think they will sell more of the "new" formula to a growing female market for aperitif wine than they have been selling to the dying traditional dry martini market.

Whew!

Tim

Jac · Apr 6, 2009

castlecraver said:
Heh. Two points:

Consider the fruity, syrupy abominations that've usurped the "martini" name over the past decade or more. I feel far more justified calling a chilled and lightly-diluted Old Raj served up a "martini" than I would something made with overpriced "ultrapremium" vodka and apple pucker. In fact, I think by applying the term to an uncommonly strong variant, I'd be doing my part to push back against the "I don't like the taste of alcohol" crowd.

Would you have told Winston Churchill or the Queen Mother that they're misapproprating the term for their preferred martinis (the former calling for "glancing at the bottle of vermouth from across the room" and the latter calling for a capful of vermouth to be hovered briefly over the gin and discarded)? I think not.

Heck. Call it an "Old Raj martini, hold the vermouth" if you must. But don't knock it 'til you've tried it. And don't ever call my cocktail cred' into question again, or the next time my girlfriend asks me to fix her a new sugary cosmopolitan variation that you couldn't pay me to drink myself, I might just name it "The Jac."

(just kidding about that last part... or was I?)

Hey, feel free to serve your girlfriend a Jac... :ihih:

Point #1 is actually a good one, and as long as there's gin in there, I won't give you too hard a time about it.

As for point #2... Well, I'm too polite to correct a lady, and Churchill could probably kick my ***, so I'd let them drink whatever they wanted. :lol:

ratcheer · Apr 6, 2009

I am wanting to try a Negroni. Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Alas, I have been unable to find a bottle of Campari at any of the ABC stores I have visited, even though it is included on the official state price list. :mad3:

Tim

Obsessed · Apr 6, 2009

castlecraver said:
Heh. Two points:

Consider the fruity, syrupy abominations that've usurped the "martini" name over the past decade or more. I feel far more justified calling a chilled and lightly-diluted Old Raj served up a "martini" than I would something made with overpriced "ultrapremium" vodka and apple pucker. In fact, I think by applying the term to an uncommonly strong variant, I'd be doing my part to push back against the "I don't like the taste of alcohol" crowd.

Would you have told Winston Churchill or the Queen Mother that they're misapproprating the term for their preferred martinis (the former calling for "glancing at the bottle of vermouth from across the room" and the latter calling for a capful of vermouth to be hovered briefly over the gin and discarded)? I think not.

Heck. Call it an "Old Raj martini, hold the vermouth" if you must. But don't knock it 'til you've tried it. And don't ever call my cocktail cred' into question again, or the next time my girlfriend asks me to fix her a new sugary cosmopolitan variation that you couldn't pay me to drink myself, I might just name it "The Jac."

(just kidding about that last part... or was I?)

Sounds like someone could use a drink . . . :smile:

Mazeman · Apr 6, 2009

ratcheer said:
I am wanting to try a Negroni. Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. Alas, I have been unable to find a bottle of Campari at any of the ABC stores I have visited, even though it is included on the official state price list.

Tim

The Negroni is excellent, but a little sweet. I make mine with 1 part Campari, 1 part sweet vermouth, and 2 parts gin, although your recipe is the traditional.

Search

seeking cocktail advice

Obsessed

Mazeman

arghblech

Confilo

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd

Mazeman

castlecraver

Obsessed

castlecraver

Obsessed

Jac

castlecraver

ouch

Stjynnkii membörd dummpsjterd

ratcheer

Jac

ratcheer

Obsessed

Mazeman

Similar threads