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Happy Hour:
Quickie Hotel Visit:
Mohonk Mountain House
New Paltz, NY
If it's good enough for Stephen King, then it's good enough for me!
Set amidst 2200 acres of the scenic Shawagunk mountain range in the Catskill Mountains of New York state sits an imposing Victorian structure that some say is the inspiration behind Stephen King's "The Shining." Yes, it's true, Stephen King has been known to frequent Mohonk Mountain House on occassion. Whether it really was his muse has yet to be proven.
Redrum.
One can surely see how it might have been: towering turrets, stone and woodwork that rival any architectural structure in the world, and eerie hallways and night-time noises that would scare the bejesus out of any normal mortal soul.
Redrum.
Set all of this aside and you have a magnificent all-season resort with amenities galore and a sense of luxury at every turn. The dining is first-class, and the spa is so relaxing that I never wanted to lay foot anywhere else; aside from the many hiking trails and gardens, of course. Did I mention Mohonk Lake, the side dish to the mountain house? A glacial lake, it's deepest section measures a whopping 60 feet. It's a perfect setting for canoeing, kayaking, rowing, diving, and dunking.
Now to talk a bit about the drinks. They have a cocktail list with many of the drinks containing some form of wine. Being a Quaker establishment to this very day, drinking is a fairly new phenomonon. They've done a great job of incorporating a beverage program, with a top-notch wine list and creative cocktails. Although Mohonk is an all-inclusive resort, alcoholic beverages come at a premium.
Don't expect to find Jack Nicholson banging on any bathroom doors during your visit. He's never been.
This secret hideaway is one of the best-kept in the NY area.
Guess the cat's out of the bag.
Mohonk Mountain House
1000 Mountain Rest Road
New Paltz, NY 12561
845-255-1000
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Booze Briefs:
What's New?
Bar/Restaurant Projects
Looking for a General Manager for Madison & Vine Restaurant in NYC. Wine and cocktail knowledge a MUST!
For other projects, we're also looking for:
Bartenders
Servers
Bussers
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(ri)1 Whiskey & Nike Dunks?
(ri)1 recently held a bash at the Nike ID Studio on 57th St. in Manhattan. What was the special occassion? Does there really need to be one? We celebrated life, whiskey, bartenders and custom-made (ri)1 Nike Dunk hightop sneakers. Every guest received a pair of these rad (excuse my slang) kicks (there I go again!)
Yours truly was behind the stick, aided by none other than Michael Russotti, a veteran of The Cocktail Guru team. We enjoyed late summer and fall-inspired cocktails, all made with Jim Beam's newest baby from Clermont, Kentucky: (ri)1 (pronounced Rye One, in case you're not sure).
Pictures sometimes say more than words, so please click HERE to be transported to my blog with fun pics from the evening's festivities.
You can try this fun (ri)1 cocktail at home. Or at your bar. Your choice, really:
(ri)se and fall
1 1/2 oz. (ri)1 whiskey
1 tsp. maple syrup (grade A dark amber)
2 dashes Peychaud's bitters
QTonic Water
Directions: Build directly in a tall glass, then add ice and stir briefly.
Garnish: pitted NY sour cherry
The USBG NY Chapter
Goings-on...
The Dalmore Luncheon Event
Our NY USBG chapter recently hosted a luncheon at NYC's The World Bar, with special guest, Master Blender for The Dalmore, Richard Paterson. Boy, is he a character! We learned a lot, tasted some amazing scotch whiskey, and were showered (literally and figuratively) with Richard's lively personality and enthusiasm.
August Monthly Mixer
Our August mixer brought us to yet another one of our member's home base bars. This fine, sunny afternoon's gathering was held at Raines Law Room, where Meghan Dorman holds forth behind the stick. Dale DeGroff was our guest of honor, and he entertained us with tales of his days behind the stick. Drinks were kindly provided by Funkin purees.
Looking ahead...
Just a peek at what's in store for USBGNY members in the coming weeks:
USBGNY BBQ in Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Yankees Game in the Sidney Frank Suite
Day of Volunteering at the Word of Life Int'l Church
September Mixer with Partida Tequila
Luncheon with Glenmorangie Single Malt
Luncheon with Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
Whiskyfest NYC in November
NY/Chicago bonding and volunteering in January
Educational experiences with experts/master blenders/distillers,etc.
And more...
What a great way to bond, network, and learn from your fellow bartender compatriots!
Not a USBG NY Chapter member? Go to www.usbg.org to join now!
Is your brand interested in sponsoring one of the NY Chapter's monthly mixers, luncheons, or other events? Email jonathan@thecocktailguru.com
The USBGNY Council (from left to right): Treasurer Brian Van Flandern, VP Allen Katz (who is currently beardless), President Jonathan Pogash, and Madame Secretary Charlotte Voisey. |
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Business Class:
Antigua is beautiful...that's really all I have to say.
Well, I guess I should say just a tad bit more...
I'm writing this from the beach bar at the Rex Halcyon Cove Resort on Dickenson's Bay. The waves are crashing behind me, and people are looking at me like I have two heads for typing away on my laptop. But there's wireless! Wireless, I say!
What's behind the bar:
store & pours (those big plastic bar jugs) filled with colorful juices, bottles of the following: Caribe Coco rum, creme de menthe, brandy, Dekuyper Apricot brandy, Mr. Boston creme de banane and amaretto, orange curacao, Mr. Boston blue curacao, Dekuyper green creme de menthe, Montezuma tequila (dry heave), Cavalier dark and light rums (from Antigua), a blender, and frozen slushy machines filled with something really white and creamy (pina colada, I assume), and something bright red, plastic cups, angostura bitters sitting on the bar top (it seems a group of 3 teenagers are quite interested in this - they are examining it, smelling it, tasting it - reactions are priceless) white straws, soda guns, etc, etc, etc...
The drinks are sweet and colorful, needless to say.
Look out for a blog post with more details. I'm going to have myself a strawberry coconut pineapple banana crush now.
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Classic Rum Cocktails
&
Home-made syrups for your rum drinks...
Ti' Punch
1 1/2 oz. Rhum Agricole Blanc (like Neisson or Clement)
3/4 oz. Fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. Demerara syrup (see recipe below)
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
Navy Grog
(adapted from the British Royal Navy)
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz. water
pinch of ground Cinnamon
Serve in a glass at room temperature.
*a note on this drink: This drink is sure to grow hairs on your chest. It will probably not suit most tastes, so you can try adding ice and simple syrup to taste, but alas, you won't be enjoying it the same way as those 17th century British navy-men were.
Bacardi Cocktail
1 1/2 oz. Bacardi Superior Rum
3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. home-made grenadine (see recipe below)
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Trader Vic's Mai Tai
2 oz. Jamaican Rum (I like to use dark rum)
1/2 oz. Orgeat syrup (see recipe below)
1/4 oz. simple syrup
juice of 1 lime
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain over fresh ice into a tall glass that has a half lime shell inside.
Garnish: a large mint sprig
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How to make your own fresh syrups for use in your favorite Caribbean-inspired cocktails...
Demerara Syrup
Over stove-top:
1. Take 1 part Demerara or Turbinado sugar
2. Dissolve in 1 part water over high heat.
3. Simmer on low heat for approx. 3 mins. to thicken.
4. Bottle, and refrigerate
Grenadine Syrup
Very easy!
Over stove-top:
1. Take 1 part pomegranate juice (always the 100% kind, likePOM)
2. Take 1 part white sugar
3. Allow to dissolve, then simmer to thicken.
(for a nice twist, add in a few lemon, lime, and orange peels while simmering)
4. Bottle and chill
Coconut Syrup
Same as above, but use coconut milk instead of pomegranate juice. Coconut milk should be sugar free.
Almond Syrup (aka Orgeat syrup)
(this recipe comes to us from John Pomeroy, The Hideout, Brooklyn)
Equal parts Organic, unsweetened, original Almond Milk and sugar.
Heat almond milk until steam rises from top, add sugar and stir until dissolved.
Depending on how much you make, orange flower water is added to taste and vodka to stabilize and prolong life.
Keep refrigerated.
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THE FUNNIES: ON THE ROCKS
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Jonathan Pogash is a beverage consultant, educator, and mixologist for bars, restaurants, and liquor brands.
Join the Cocktail Guru List.
Cheers,
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