The challenge last night was Unsimple. Simple (and otherwise) syrup is the great equalizer in creating new cocktails – and we got rid of it. No syrups were harmed in the production of this week’s Thursday Drink Night.

Check out the recipes then vote! (Poll below recipes)

Rum Carocko: 1 oz heavy rum (i.e. Zaya, Zacapa), 1 oz aged Martinique rum, 1/4 oz curacao, 1 dash grapefruit bitters, 1 dash Fee’s Aromatic bitters, flamed orange peel. Stir with ice and serve with or without ice, as desired.

On the Mend: 1 1/2 oz reposado tequila, 3/4 oz grapefruit juice, 1/2oz Poire Williams, 1/4 oz Aperol, 1 dash Angostura bitters. Shake, strain.

The AKA: 2 oz Angostura 1919 rum, 3/4 oz Cognac, 1/4 oz white creme de cacao, absinthe rinse. Stirred, served up.

Red Tide: 2 oz small batch bourbon, 1/2oz Cherry Heering, 1/4 oz Strega, 1/4 oz Campari, stirred. Orange twist garnish.

Reisling in the Beast: 1 1/2 oz Bombay Sapphire, 1/2 oz Bacardi coconut, 3 oz Orangina.

Blood Meridian: 1 1/2 oz bourbon, 1 oz blood orange juice, 1 oz Aperol, 1 oz sweet vermouth. Shake & strain.

Backside 360: 1 oz White rum, 1 oz Appleton V/X, 1/2 oz lime juice, 1/2 oz Licor 43, 1/4 oz pimento dram, 1/4 oz falernum, egg. Shake all with whole egg and ice, dump into a pint glass and top with ginger beer.

Thundera: 2 oz gin, 1/2 oz maraschino liqueur, 2 tsp Fernet Branca, 3/4 oz lime juice, 1 dash orange bitters, top with Champagne.

The challenge last week was to take your favorite cocktail and add one (+1) ingredient to it, put it in a dress, and give it a new name. The prize is a signed picture of Blair ‘Trader Tiki’ Reynolds in a dress! And some booze too, once we figure it out. But we know which prize is more important.

Thursday Drink Night on March 11th will be “Unsimple“  Simple syrup is the great equalizer in creating new cocktails – and we’re getting rid of it. No syrups this week. No syrups!

Check out the recipes then vote! (Poll below recipes)

Upper East Side: 2 1/4 oz rye whiskey, 1 oz Carpano vermouth, 1/2 oz allspice dram, 3 dashes of Peychaud’s and a flamed orange peel to garnish.

Siderac: 1 1/2 oz Cognac, 3/4 oz Cointreau, 3/4 oz lemon juice, 5 dashes Peychaud’s. Shake and strain into sugar rimmed coupe, garnish with flamed orange.

Margareviver: 1 1/2 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz Cointreau, 1/2 oz lime juice, 3 dashes absinthe. Salt rim, shake, and strain.

Sakura: 1 oz each vodka, Cointreau, lime juice, Cherry Heering. Shake and strain into an old-fashioned glass over ice.

Cocktail de la Tom Brown: 1 1/2 oz rye whiskey, 1 1/2 oz blanco vermouth, 3/4 oz Royal Combier, 5-6 dashes Peychaud’s. [Royal Combier sub - 3/4 oz Benedictine, 1/4 oz green Chartreuse]

El Dictador: 1 1/2 oz aged rum, 3/4 oz French vermouth, 1/2 oz Campari, 1/4 oz Curacao, 1 tsp grenadine. Stir, strain, up.

The theme this last Thursday Drink Night was creating original drinks named after or based on your favorite  or other notable bartender. The prize is a “personal effect” signed by Jeffrey Morgenthaler. We’re hoping for maximum creativity on that one!

Check out the recipes then vote! (Poll below recipes)

Martin’s Booty: 1 1/2 oz El Dorado 3 year rum, 1 1/2 oz Carpano Antica, 2 tsp maraschino liqueur, 2 dashes Angostura orange bitters, orange twist

The Gerty: 3/4 oz each rye whiskey, Peychaud’s, Herbsaint (or absinthe), & simple syrup. Stir/strain into rocks glass. Lemon twist.

The Markham Special: 1 1/2 oz Ransom Old Tom gin, 3/4 oz Lillet Blanc, 3/4 oz St. Germain, 1/3 oz Krogstad aquavit, lemon twist.

Juglans Alba: 1 1/2 oz rye heavy bourbon whiskey (such as Bulleit), 3/4 oz Punt e Mes, 3/4 oz nocino. Stir, Strain, lemon peel.

The Blair Fashioned: 2 oz Fernet, 1/2 oz Trader Tiki Vanilla Syrup, 2 d orange bitters, orange twist, Stir over ice in an old fashioned glass, serve

San Zapato: 2 oz mezcal, 1/2 oz yellow Chartreuse, 1/2 oz lemon juice, healthy dash orange bitters. Stir, strain up on one large Ice Cube. Express orange oil from peel, throw peel away.

Pump Fixator: 2 oz Canadian-bacon washed Canadian whisky, 1/2 oz maple syrup, shake and strain into a cocktail glass, float 1/2 oz Molson Ice – garnish with a bronze medal and tears

TenGallon: 2 oz Rittenhouse 100, 1 oz Punt e Mes, 1/2 oz vanilla syrup, dash Angostura bitters, dash Herbsaint/absinthe. Stir, Strain, up

The Bohrer Especial: Two fingers of hella good whisky, served over a hand-carved ice sphere, and an exquisite Trappiste Ale chaser.

Trader Tiki’s Exotic Syrups was the theme this last Thursday Drink Night – a new line of syrups from CSOWG’s own Blair Reynolds AKA Trader Tiki.  Perfect for those too lazy to make their own orgeat, vanilla syrup, Don’s Mix (grapefruit and cinnamon) and cinnamon syrup but too picky to use the other commercial varieties.  The prize for best drink is a case of Trader Tiki’s Exotic Syrups, a glorious pufferfish lamp, and an 8×11 picture of beautiful desert landscape signed by Trader Tiki himself!

Check out the recipes then vote! (Poll below recipes)

Lagoon of Aitutaki: 2 oz aged agricole rhum, 3/4 oz pineapple juice, 3/4 oz grapefruit juice, 1/2 oz lime juice, 1/4 oz Trader Tiki orgeat, 1/4 oz Trader Tiki Don´s Mix

Wandering Italian: 1 oz pisco, 1 oz lemon juice, 3/4 oz Combier, 1/2 oz sloe gin, 1/3 oz Trader Tiki Don’s Mix, 3 dashes Angostura, 1t Carpano Antica float.

Frost Arrow’s Quiver: 2 oz spiced rum (Kraken), 1 oz LH151, 1 oz lime, 3/4 oz Trader Tiki vanilla, 1 dash Angostura, 2 oz ginger beer.

Cupid’s Day Off: 2 oz añejo tequila, 3/4 oz Campari, 1/2 oz kirschwasser, 1/4 oz vanilla syrup, 1/2 oz hibiscus grenadine, 1/2 oz pink grapefruit juice, shake, serve over crushed ice, float crema de mezcal.

Smoke Gets In Your Mai Tai: 1 1/2 oz mezcal, 3/4 oz Royal Combier, 1/2 oz lemon juice, 2 tsp Trader Tiki orgeat. Shake, serve up.

Ali Raja: 1 1/2 oz aged Trinidad rum, 3/4 oz Don’s Mix, 1/2 oz Demerara rum, 1/2 oz Smith&Cross rum, 1/2 oz Orange curacao, 1/4 oz grapefruit juice, 2d Whiskey Barrel Aged bitters, 4 drops Herbsaint, swizzle all with crushed ice and float 1/2 oz tawny port.

Lift-off!: 1/2 oz orange juice, 1/2 oz lime juice, 1 1/2 oz dark rum, 1/2 oz 151 Demerara rum, 1/2 oz cinnamon syrup, 1/4 oz falernum, 1d Angostura. Shake w/crushed ice-serve in double old-fashioned glass.

Sherwin’s Punch: 1 oz Calvados, 1 oz Appleton Extra, 3/4 lemon juice, 1/2 Grand Marnier, 1/2 oz Don’s Mix, 3-4 dashes mole bitters,  3-4 dashes Angostura. Shake w/ coarse crushed ice, strain into double old-fashioned glass over coarse crushed ice, orange wheel garnish.

TraderTiki’s Witch Hazel: 1 1/2 oz Laird’s Bonded applejack, 1 oz Zacapa rum, 1/2 oz Strega, 1/2 oz Trader Tiki cinnamon syrup, 1/2 oz lime juice, 2d Angostura, shaken/strained.

Voltron: 1 1/2 oz rye whiskey, 1/2 oz grenadine, 3/4 oz orange juice, 1/4 oz Don’s Mix. Shake and double strain into a pastis rinsed cocktail glass.

Bubbles was the theme this last Thursday Drink Night – Champagne, ginger beer, soda, tonic, cola, or anything else fizzy.   The prize for best drink is either merely the glory of winning (and being in Mutineer Magazine) or something awesome TBA.

Thursday Drink Night on February 11th will be Trader Tiki’s Exotic Syrups.

Check out the recipes then vote! (Poll below recipes)

Sparkling Negroni: Make your favorite Negroni, top off with a brut Champagne.

Estrella Branca: Soak sugar cube in 1/8 tsp Fernet at bottom of flute glass, fill with Champagne.

Lumber Jill: 1 1/2 oz Smith & Cross Traditional Jamaican Rum, 3/4 oz green Chartreuse, 1/4 oz maple syrup, 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice, 1/2 oz fresh orange juice, 2 dashes Angostura, touch salt, shake and strain over fresh ice, ~3 oz ginger beer to top.

Blair Fizz: 2 oz bourbon, 3/4 oz Trader Tiki’s Don’s Mix, 1/2 oz lemon juice, 1-2d Angostura. Shake, strain, top with club soda in a collins glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry.

Mexican Funeral: 2 oz blanco tequila, 1/2 oz orgeat, 1/2 oz cassis, 3/4 oz lime juice, 3 oz ginger beer. Build on rocks and float 1/2 oz Aperol.

Haarlem Bazaar: 1 1/2 oz Bols Genever, 1/2 oz Cointreau, 1/2 oz Ginger liqueur, 1/2 oz Lime juice, 1/4 oz green Chartreuse, 1/4 oz Maple syrup, 1/4 tsp Pernod, shake and strain into collins glass with ice and top with 2 oz tonic water.

Soak it in Cider #2: 2 oz gin, 1/2 oz Dolin Blanc, 1/4 oz maple syrup, 2 dashes whiskey barrel bitters, barspoon pimento dram. Stir and strain over ice. Add 2 oz hard apple cider.

Gin & Itch: 1 oz Tanqueray, 1 oz Matusalem platino, 3 oz grapefruit, 1 oz orange juice, 1 oz pineapple juice, 1/2 oz cinnamon syrup, top with soda.

Vegas Phone Call: 1 oz blanco tequila 1 oz X-rated Fusion 1/4 oz Canton ginger 2 oz grapefruit juice. Top with Champagne – shake and strain into a highball with fresh ice.

Dr. Zed’s Treatment: 1 1/2 oz Junipero gin, 3/4 oz TraderTiki’s orgeat, 1/2 oz Cynar, shake, strain into a collins glass, top with 4-5 ounces tonic and ice and garnish with a mint sprig.

Pelagia: 1 1/2 oz Tanqueray, 1/2 oz St. Germain, 1/4 oz apricot eau de vie, 1/2 oz lime juice. Shake/Strain into glass, add 2.5 oz of Prosecco.

Pacino Nights: 1 oz Pimm’s, 1 oz pomegranate syrup, 1/2 oz lemon juice, top Prosecco or other sparkly.

Nuts and nut products was the theme this last Thursday Drink Night -  Castries, Frangelico, macadamia nut liqueur, orgeat, nocino, etc.  Much to my dismay, none of these recipes look ‘nuts’; they all look pretty good! The prize for best drink is your very own bottle of Castries Peanut Rum Creme Liqueur.

[EDIT 2/1/10:  This weeks theme will be TDN: Bubbles. Break out your Champagne, ginger beer, soda, tonic, cola, or anything else fizzy and mix original cocktails with us on Thursday Night!]

Check out the recipes then vote! (Poll below recipes)

Amaretto Siciliano: 1.5 rye, 0.75 oz amaretto, 0.5 oz Averna, 0.5 oz lemon juice, 0.25 oz maple syrup, 1 dash Fee’s Whiskey Barrel bitters. Shake/strain.

Bourbon Street Bread Pudding: 1.25 oz Castries, 0.75 oz bourbon, 0.5 oz Kahlua, 0.5 oz simple, 1 whole egg. Coupe glass w/drunken raisins.

Damn the Penguins: 1.5 oz Chairman’s Reserve Rum, 0.5 oz Castries, 2 dashes chocolate bitters. Shake, strain, garnish peanut brittle.

Preemie Baby: 3/4 oz ea. gin, LH151, Aperol, lime juice, blood orange juice, Trader Tiki Orgeat, 1/4 oz Kirsch, 4d Trader Tiki Falernum Bitters, egg white. Shake and top with soda.

Mexican Standoff: 1.5 oz crema de mezcal, 0.5 oz nocino, 0.25 oz. Frangelico, 0.5 oz pear syrup, 0.5 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz blood orange juice, 2 d Angostura, shake serve over crushed ice, garnish with a blood orange twist.

Ants on a Log: 1 oz peanut-infused bourbon, 1 oz currant-infused bourbon, 0.5 oz fresh celery syrup, 2 dash celery bitters. Stir/strain, garnish with a celery stick w/bourboned currants.  Syrup: http://bit.ly/91XibZ

The Farmer’s Respite: 2 oz applejack, 1t Cherry Heering, 1t Drambuie, 0.5 oz Frangelico, 1 dash Angostura, 0.75 oz Dolin Blanc, lemon twist.

Seymour Glass: 1.5 oz bonded apple jack, 0.75 oz nocino, 0.5 oz lime juice and 0.5 oz simple. Stir.

Grovekeeper: 1.5 oz 100 proof rye, 0.5 oz yellow Chartreuse, 0.5 oz hazelnut syrup, 2 dashes Fee’s aromatic bitters. Shake/strain over ice cubes in rocks glass. Mint sprig garnish.

The challenge was given to break out the unloved apricot, blackberry, and peach brandies from the nethers of your bar and break them out we did! Prize this week is a bottle of Pear Eau-de-Vie!

Check out the recipes then vote!

Be sure to stop by 1/28/10 for TDN: Nuts!

Whip out your Castries, Frangelico, macadamia nut liqueur, or Nocino, and mix up original cocktails with us this Thursday night. Or at least stop by to see RumDood try to add amaretto to every cocktail!

Ancient wisdom guided our cocktail creations last night, and the hand of Stan Jones stirred many a drink. But which was the best? Decide quickly, as the winner will win a bottle of Elixir Vegetal from Cocktail Kingdom.

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TDN: Hot produced delights even the devil would blush at, but which one was the best? Pick wisely, as the winner will receive a bottle of Scrappy’s orange bitters from Cocktail Kingdom.

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TDN: Allspice produced some delectably fallish libations that warmed the soul and tickled the liver. Which one was the best? Pick wisely, as the winner will receive a seamless Yarai mixing glass from Cocktail Kingdom and a bottle of homemade dram from Colonel Tiki.

Check out the recipes then vote!