Mixerology

Funny, there are literally thousands of posts written daily about spirits and cocktails and cocktail recipes, but so rarely do you see much said about mixers-- which, in my opinion, are as important if not more important than the spirit itself. So here are my top pointers for enjoying cocktails with mixers. 

Stop gun violence. The minute you see the bartender go for the gun to add tonic or soda or ginger beer to your cocktail, change your order. Nothing ruins a drink faster. I love it when people order a top-shelf vodka and tonic and get their "premium" booze hosed down by tonic-syrup spew. Might as well have a Zima. 

Think small. The smaller the container of anything carbonated, the better. The best tonic and seltzer for cocktails come from 8oz. glass bottles of Seagrams or Canada Dry. One bottle makes 2 perfect cocktails and doesn't sit and decompose  like larger plastic liters bottles. Fancier brands aren't necessary. Same small bottle rule applies to  Coke, etc. 12oz cans are second best. 

There's only one Ginger Beer. And it's Barritt's, in a can. While a Dark 'n Stormy is not one without Gosling's Black Seal Rum, it's not one without Barritt's ginger beer either. Not even Gosling's own brand will do-- it's too sweet. The various other carribean brands are poor imitatons. And forgive me, but housemade ginger beer (usually made with real ginger and seltzer) sounds great but never tastes very good because it's not ginger beer-- it's ginger mash and water or seltzer-- not the same. The same rule applies to ginger beer for Moscow Mules. 

Never. Ever, use Bloody Mary mix from a bottle. Pure evil-- loaded with high- fructose corn syrup, or other sugar, chemical spices, etc etc. And dont waste your money on the expensive ones like Stirrings. Making your own is not only easy but the only thing to do. Tomato juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, lemon juice, vinegar-based hot sauce, pepper and your done. I like to add a splash of pickle brine, but only from top-shelf pickle brands like Moonbrine. Garnish with anything marinated, spicy or not-- olives, onions, pickles, pepperoncini, jalapeños, etc. In Portland (Oregon), the Mary is a staple cocktail and you find a huge variety of delicious homemade mixes and garni, including bacon and beef jerky--chomp. 

While the cocktail craze and the mixology ridiculousness it has spawned is at times nauseating, watch those guys mix and you'll see how picky they are about mixers, which I have to agree with. The hand-shaved ice from filtered-water ice blocks is a little much, but I guess I get the point.