Beer Cocktails!

After reading an article in Chilled magazine I wanted to share some new recipes with you!! These sound great for beating this Texas heat!!

"These cocktails can easily be made at home. Here are some tips from Kyle Ford on crafting beer cocktails with Cointreau:

• Witbier, Hefeweizen, and other wheat beers love citrus.  Adding 1 oz. of Cointreau with 1 oz. of fresh lemon juice gives you a simple, yet refined recipe for a delicious shandy.
• Explore Lambic beers.  Crafted with different fruits, this tart style of beer is perfect for pairing with Cointreau and fresh fruit.
• Pay attention to your ingredients.  Balance is key in any cocktail.  When using multiple acidic ingredients, you’ll want the sweeter notes to be more prominent.  For instance, in the Briar Patch cocktail, lambic beer and fresh raspberries are very tart.  Where I would normally use an ounce of fresh lemon juice in a beer cocktail, I scaled back to only a half-ounce.  This creates a more palatable drink and allows the Cointreau to balance the drink.
• Don’t overdo it. 1 oz. of Cointreau is all you need to properly sweeten and stiffen the drink.  Keep in mind that you are finishing the cocktail with 4-5 oz. of beer, which brings additional alcohol.
• Add the beer last, after you have shaken and strained your other ingredients!  You’ll end up wearing your cocktail instead of drinking it if you put the beer into the shaker.  Simply top your cocktail with your beer of choice and give it all a gentle stir to marry all the flavors."

Briar Patch

• 1 oz. Cointreau
• 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 3 raspberries
• 4-5 oz. raspberry lambic beer

Preparation: 
Add Cointreau, lemon juice, raspberries and ice to a mixing glass. Shake and fine-strain over ice in a highball glass. Top with beer and garnish with a pick of raspberries.

White Plume

• 1 oz. Cointreau
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• 4-5 oz. white beer (like Hoegaarden)

Preparation: Add Cointreau, lemon juice, bitters and ice to a mixing glass. Shake and strain over ice in a highball glass. Top with beer and garnish with an orange wedge.

Reposado Grilled Corn

  Reposado Grilled Corn  
Chef Matt Pressler, Matador, Wayne, PA 

12 cobs white corn, peeled
14 oz, reposado tequila 
1 stick of unsalted butter, divided evenly for 12 corn cobs
1 tray of ice cubes slightly crushed. divided evenly for 12 corn cobs
12 sheets aluminum foil, 18” by 12”
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Lay out one piece of foil on work surface, place one ear of corn in center, sprinkle well with salt and a pinch of pepper, place butter on either side of corn, put crushed ice on either side of corn, pour one ounce of tequila over the corn cob. Close foil loosely leaving a pouch of space and fold edges multiple times to assure a tight seal (leaving room for steam). Repeat with remaining 11 ears of corn.

Grill for 20 minutes, turning once, in a closed grill. Remove and let cool slightly (5 minutes). Carefully remove corn and serve. With the 2 oz. of tequila left over, enjoy straight up!

Tequila-Glazed Shrimp

Tequila-Glazed Shrimp
Chef Matt Pressler, Matador, Wayne, PA 

24 large shrimp (21-25 ct.) peeled & deveined
2 cups tequila, Blanco
3 limes
7-oz. can chipotle peppers in adobo
1 bunch cilantro, fresh, chopped
1 cup mayo, low fat or light
Salt to taste

Lightly salt both sides of all thawed shrimp and reserve for marinade. Heat tequila in small pan, light the tequila to flame off some alcohol, reduce tequila by one quarter, reserve for the marinade.

Empty entire can of chipotles, juice of two limes, and half the bunch of cilantro in blender, blend until smooth.

For the marinade, combine all of reduced tequila and half of the chipotle lime purée, salt to taste, (approximately 1 tbsp.). Add all shrimp to tequila chipotle marinade, let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Combine remaining chipotle lime purée to mayo and ½ teaspoon of salt, chill for 20 minutes and hold for dipping sauce.

Preheat grill to medium, remove shrimp from marinade and place directly on the grill, grill each side about 1½ minutes or until cooked through. Remove from grill and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and juice from one lime, serve with the chipotle dipping sauce.     

For skewers: skewer the marinated shrimp with your choice of fresh vegetables. (Don’t marinate the veggies.) For softer texture wrap each skewer in foil, then grill.
 

Dutch Apple Vodka...Apple Martini

 This is a nice change of flavor! Great for your next Apple Martini!!

Apple Martini cocktail recipe

Ingredients

1. 3 Parts Ivanabitch Dutch Apple Vodka
2. 2 Parts Apple Schnapps
3. 2 Parts Apple Juice
4. 1 Part Lemon Juice
5. 1 Splash Simple Syrup
6. 1 Slice Apple

How to mix this cocktail

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with apple.

One day while walking in the woods, Dmitri Ivanabitch detected the most delicious aroma. He soon came upon a cottage where a Dutch apple pie was cooling in the window.
Without thinking, Dmitri snatched up the pie and then, screaming as his fingers seared to the pan, dropped it, tripped over it and rode it down a hill, scorching the earth as he went.
When he finally came to a stop, he noticed his flask of premium vodka had become clogged with some of the rich, sweet Dutch Apple pie resulting in a delightful flavor combination.
Now YOU can enjoy the irresistible flavor of Ivanabitch Dutch Apple Flavored Vodka. And you don’t have to sustain first degree burns to do it.

Punch up your next party!!

This time of year there are lots of parties and we get asked..."how do you make..." A lot! Here are a few punches to help you get started! Have fun and drink responsibly!

Texas Trash Can Punch

1 3/4 liter(s)	Everclear
1 3/4 liter(s)	Vodka
2 can(s)	Fruit Punch Kool Aid (large containers)
5 - 6 liter(s)	Ginger Ale
5 - 6 liter(s)	Sprite
Lots of -	Grape(s) (both purple and green)
Lots of -	Strawberries

Pour all of ice in a cooler. Pour in both containers of kool aid before any other ingredient. Pour in both bottles of alcohol. Pour in ginger ale and sprite until cooler is full or to your liking. Pour in fruit and mix. Let it stand for at least an hour so that the fruit can soak up some alcohol.

Sooner Punch

2L Everclear
2L Vodka
5 gallons Hawaiian punch

You can add stuff like strawberries, orange and pineapple slices if you feel extra snazzy.

PPD (Pink Panty Droppers)

The name says it all. This simple pink blend mixes beer and vodka in the most delicious of ways, and the end result is a night with very little recollection and even less shame.

1 30-Pack Light Beer

1-2 Handles Cheap Vodka

2 Cans Country Time Pink Lemonade

Ice and Water, to taste

Gin Bucket

So it may not be served out of an actual bucket, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t delicious and won’t cause you a debilitating loss of coordination. For bonus drunk points, eat the fruit afterwards.

2-3 Handles Gin

3 2L Fresca

2 Cans Lemonade Conentrade

2 Cans Limeade Concentrate

1 Shit Ton of Fruit (make pledges get it)

Ice and Water, to taste

Jungle Juice

The one punch that every fraternity seems to have, yet none can agree on the proper way to make it. 

2 Handles Cheap Vodka

1L Grain Alcohol

2 Cans Limeade Concentrate

2 2L Sprite

2 Cans Kool Aid (flavor your preference)

Ice and Water, to taste

Dirty Hunch Punch

1 bottle Everclear

1 bottle Coconut Rum

1/2 bottle Vodka

2 cans pineapple juice

1 gallon Hawaiian Punch

fruit slices

Cut the fruit (orange, pinapple preferably) into desirable size slices. Mix ingredients into something big enough to hold everything (its a lot). An average sized cooler will probably be your best bet here. NO ICE - Fill up a cup of ice then fill with punch and stir. 

NOTE: Melted ice will water it down if you dont drink it all in one night. This drink is meant to get you there, fast. It is very strong so if you cant handle it mix it with some citrus soda (Fresca, Sprite) It will make it taste like Orange soda.

*all found on the Internet 

Hammer + Sickle Vodka and Cigars

Famous for Ballet and Vodka.Equally as Smooth and Graceful.

Russian vodka has been regarded for centuries as the highest quality vodka in the world. Hammer + Sickle continues this proud tradition by offering a flavor and smoothness that is unparalleled. And for cigar fans we also carry Hammer + Sickle cigars.

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G-Hammer

• 1.5 oz. Hammer + Sickle Vodka 
• .75 oz. Ginger Syrup
• .75 oz. Lime Juice
• 1tsp Simple Syrup
• Shake and served up in a Martini Glass with a candied ginger garnish

Watermelon Martini & White Gold Black Edition

White Gold Black Edition — individual expensive boosted version of the mother brand «White Gold», relevant for a night clubs and trendy bars, more unusual, eclectic fancy. White Gold Black Edition is an ultra-premium vodka distilled from 100% grain grown in the central part of the Russian Federation. 
Triple-filtered in black coal and silver ion for crystal clarity and a pleasant palate, it is perfect by itself or mixed in your favorite cocktails.

Watermelon Vodka Martini
Servings: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups White Gold Black Edition Vodka
36 medium chunks Watermelon, rind removed
12 Watermelon triangles with rind for garnish

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, muddle Watermelon until smooth.
2. Add vodka and mix well.
3. Fill martini shaker halfway with ice.
4. Add 2 cups vodka martini mixture. Shake well and strain into martini glass. Garnish with watermelon triangle and serve immediately.

Helpful guides

I found a couple of guides to help you out. The first is a great guide to pair wines with foods. It includes spices and desserts. The second is for glassware. Hope you like them.

MOJITO anyone??

MOJITO TIME

Contributed by Jim Meehan

Serves: makes 1 drink;

The oldest-known recipe for the mojito appeared as the Mojo de Ron in a 1929 Cuban guide called Libro de Cocktail (The Cocktail Book).  

INGREDIENTS

• 8 mint leaves, plus 1 mint sprig for garnish
• Ice
• 2 ounces white rum (or try Soju)
• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce Simple Syrup
• 1/2 ounce chilled club soda

DIRECTIONS

• In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves. Add ice and the rum, lime juice and Simple Syrup and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled collins glass, stir in the club soda and garnish with the mint sprig.

Refreshing summer drink...with Sake!

SUBTLE SUMMER

SUBTLE SUMMER

MAKES 1 COCKTAIL

2 oz Tyku sake 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz simple syrup 2 slices cucumber, plus more for garnish

1. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker along with two ice cubes. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. 2. Strain into a lowball glass and garnish with thinly sliced cucumbers. Cheers!

Chocolate Margarita

Chocolate Margarita

ingredients:

1 ¾ oz silver tequila
1 ½ oz orange liqueur
1 oz Kahlua
1 oz half n half
1 ½ TBS chocolate syrup
ice
Oreo cookies

directions:

Place Oreo cookies in a sandwich bag and crush. Place crushed Oreo on a small plate. Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker and stir in chocolate syrup. Add ice into shaker and shake well. Moisten cocktail glass lightly and rim with crushed Oreo. Pour into rimmed glass and enjoy.

Smoky Martini

Contributed by Dale DeGroff

The Smoky Martini Cocktail

Base Spirit:Gin, Scotch

Type:Classics

Served:Neat/Up

Preparation:Stirred

Strength:Strong

Difficulty:Medium

Flavor Profile:Spirit-forward

ABOUT THE SMOKY MARTINI COCKTAIL

Replace the vermouth in a classic Martini with Scotch and you get something altogether different.

INGREDIENTS IN THE SMOKY MARTINICOCKTAIL

• 2.5 oz Gin
• .25 oz Blended Scotch whisky

Garnish:Lemon twist

Glass:Martini

HOW TO MAKE THE SMOKY MARTINICOCKTAIL

Add both ingredients to a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir, and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Castello Di Ama Rosato

VINEYARD

The terroir that yields this rosé is the same that yields the wine Castello di Ama. The vineyards, planted in 1978, are at a density of 3,000 vines per hectare, and are trained part to open lyre and part to Guyot, while the vineyards re-planted from 1990 to today are trained predominantly to Guyot and to spurred cordon, at a density of 5,300 vines per hectare. This delicious wine, which appeared in the early 1980s, is composed of sangiovese and merlot, in proportions that vary from harvest to harvest. It derives its excellent body through the saignée process, from lots of wine that go to make Castello di Ama, and for this reason the resulting wine resembles more a young red wine than a white wine.

 

SENSORY PORTRAIT

Intense, deep cherry-pink

Fruity, with emphatic fragrances of ripe cherry and wild strawberry

The scented fruit returns on the mid-palate, and the long-lingering finish shows flavourful, with a minerally edge.

Pasta in tomato sauce or Shellfish would be a great pairing.

A “crisp, crunchy” wine
that can be enjoyed immediately, but which can easily hold up over time. 

The Blood & Sand

THE BLOOD AND THE SAND

THE BLOOD AND THE SAND

INGREDIENTS

• 1 oz. scotch
• ¾ oz. Cherry Heering liqueur
• ¾ oz. sweet vermouth
• ¾ oz. fresh orange juice
• 
  
• Garnish with orange slice, maraschino cherry or both

PREPARATION

1. Combine scotch, Cherry Heering, vermouth, and orange juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice; cover and shake until chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish.
Alternate for Brunch:
2. Prepare as indicated but pour over ice in a rocks glass and top with additional orange

Wedding season...let us help you plan!!

Wedding Reception Planning

Its summer time and that means time for weddings! Having trouble planning the bar your reception? We can help!

 Here at Spec’s Atascocita, we have everything you might need from wine and kegs to mixers and cups, we even have martini picks and olives! We can accommodate receptions both small and large as well as help you choose the right products to ensure everyone enjoys the party, but you stay in your budget!  

So stop in today and ask for Carrie or Mitch, and we can take care of everything!

Sex in the Driveway? It's a drink...really!!

SEX IN THE DRIVEWAY (I don't name them I just find the recipes)

SEX IN THE DRIVEWAY

2 ounces V5 Citron Vodka

1 ounce Drillaud Blue Curacao
1 ounce Drillaud Peach

Pour into tall glass with ice top off with Sprite.