Writing Challenge Day 30: Monitoring Mixology - Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying & Love the Bourbon

I hope this post finds you and your family happy, healthy, and warm during the holiday season.

For those who imbibe, I wanted to share a couple of recipes with you. One for the warmer months, and one for the colder. Why both? Well, I don’t want to alarm you, but March is only 61 days away, making it a full year since lockdown started. Soon it will be warm again, and we’ll still be at home.

Before I get started, I want to mention that alcohol sales have increased significantly during the pandemic. If you or someone you know is showing signs of alcohol abuse, please search for help here.

OK, first up, let’s start with my current favorite drink for cold weather, a bourbon Manhattan.  

Luxury Manhattan

Ingredients (makes two drinks)

• 4 ounces bourbon (I use Larceny, because Costco sells a handle at a decent price)
• 2 ounces sweet vermouth (remember to refrigerate your sweet vermouth after opening)
• 4 dashes Angostura bitters (I sometimes use Peychaud's)
• 1 teaspoon Luxardo cherry syrup (only Luxardo cherries allowed at my bar)
• 1 or 3 Luxardo cherries (or none, if you prefer)

I pour everything into a glass shaker with ounces clearly marked; this saves time as opposed to measuring everything by hand. I also add a small amount of the syrup from the Luxardo cherry jar, and either 1 or 3 cherries. Never add 2 of anything to a drink (ice cubes, olives, etc.), it’s bad luck (as if 2020 needed more bad luck, right?).

After a quick stir, I pour into a double rocks glass and then add one round ice sphere. I use a mold to make the ice spheres, so I guess you could say this drink requires some advanced prep.

Remember, this recipe makes two drinks, so either share with a friend or cut the ingredients in half.

Next is my current favorite warm weather drink, a variant of a bourbon sour smash.

Rosemary Maple Bourbon Sour

Ingredients (makes two drinks)

• 4 ounces bourbon (again, I use Larceny because reasons)
• 2 ounces lemon/lime juice (I do one once of each)
• 1 ounce maple syrup (not the cheap stuff you get at the pancake house, a step above that)
• Seltzer water (I use Polar Seltzer Ginger Lime Mule flavored)
• 2 sprigs rosemary (optional)

The rosemary sprigs are optional. Should you decide to use them, crush one sprig in the bottom of the shaker and use the other sprig as a garnish. I then add the juice, then the syrup, then the bourbon. I top the shaker with the seltzer, but this is optional. After a quick stir, I pour into Mason jars and add ice to fill. You can use whatever glass you want, as choice of glass depends on the amount of seltzer and ice you use. Add the remaining sprig of rosemary and take a photo to show your hipster drink to the world, like this:

Oh, I guess I added a lemon wedge to that batch. Look, it’s called a smash for a reason. Feel free to experiment to your own taste.

I hope you enjoy these recipes, and please drink responsibly.