The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas’ cocktails from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing (also sometimes titled The Bon Vivant’s Companion) in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America’s father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862.

Who the hell was Christian Schultz?

A man by the name of Christian Schultz came to my attention the other day, much to my embarrassment as it appears that the back third of Jerry Thomas’ book was actually written by him. It is Christian Schultz who wrote the part of Thomas’ book that does not pertain to booze. Titled, “A Manual for the Manufacture of Cordials, Liquors, Fancy Syrups, etc,” it is located in the end of Thomas’ Bartenders Guide.

Schultz is an absolute mystery. Wondrich doesn’t mention him once in Imbibe, an entire book written about Jerry Thomas. Wondrich claims that Thomas completed his book while living in New York City, so I would assume that Schultz also lived there in the early 1860s and that he was in the bar or restaurant business – probably a friend of Thomas’s. Perhaps more of a chef than bartender, since his recipes tend to come from the kitchen, but my guess is we’ll never know.

Anyhow, this evening I made a couple of new Thomas recipes that I haven’t worked on yet: Maraschino Punch, Champagne Punch, Mississippi Punch, and Rocky Mountain Punch. My favorite was the Rocky Mountain Punch, as it was light and refreshing from the bubbles but with a little bit of depth from the caramel-colored rum and Maraschino. I’d love to know Thomas’ rationale for naming this drink after my birth place, as it was the height of the gold rush when his book was published and I don’t see this being popular in the mining camps – seems a tad bit too fancy.

Maraschino Punch

1 teaspoon simple syrup
2 ounces of brandy
2 dashes of Arrack (I used Goslings instead as it is more flavorful as I find the bottle of Arrack I own to be terrible)
½ ounce of Maraschino
½ ounce of fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Fill the tumbler with ice, shake, and strain with topping with a few pieces of shaken ice. Garnish with fruit and berries. Garnish with a straw.

Champagne Punch

Thomas’ recipe is enough for a small dinner party, I am however alone. Thus I made a bit less.

Champagne Punch
(for one person)

6 ounces of Champagne
1 sugar cube
1 orange slice
2 pineapple slices
1 squeeze of lemon
¼ ounce of raspberry syrup

Stir sugar cube, syrup, and lemon juice together. Drop in fruit. Slowly add Champagne (it is going to want to bubble over). Allow to sit for a couple of minutes so the ingredients blend a bit. Enjoy!

Champagne Punch
(according to Jerry Thomas)

1 bottle of Champagne
3 tablespoons of sugar
1 sliced orange
2 ounces of lemon juice
½ pineapple cut into small pieces
2 ounces of raspberry or strawberry syrup

Stir ingredients together. Garnish with seasonal fruit. Serve in coupe glasses.
Want to make more – double or triple the recipe.

Mississippi Punch

2 ounces of brandy
½ ounce of Jamaica rum
½ ounce of Bourbon
1 tablespoon of simple
½ fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Fill the glass with ice, shake well, pour with ice, and garnish with seasonal fruit.

Rocky Mountain Punch

Rocky Mountain Punch
(for one person)

6 ounces of champagne
1/2 ounce of Jamaican Rum (I used Appleton Estate)
¼ ounce of Maraschino
1 lemon slice
1 orange slice
1 sugar cube

Stir sugar cube, syrup, rum, and Maraschino together. Drop in fruit. Slowly add Champagne (it is going to want to bubble over). Allow to sit for a couple of minutes so the ingredients blend a bit. Enjoy!

Rocky Mountain Punch
(for a mixed party of twenty)
(from a recipe in the possession of Major James Foster)

5 bottles of Champagne
1 bottle of Jamaican Rum (I used Appleton Estate)
16 ounces of Maraschino
6 sliced lemons
4 sliced oranges
Sugar to taste

Mix the rum, maraschino, lemons, and sugar in a large punch bowl. Place this bowl in a larger bowl, pack the space between the bowls with ice and rock salt. Add the wine to the top bowl. Stir with the ingredients. Add slices of orange and lemon. Enjoy!

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Link to other Jerry Thomas Recipes.
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The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas’ cocktails from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America’s father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862.

As it was just the holidays and I have been making Jerry Thomas punches of late, I thought it keen to make a festive punch for my own holiday party. And there is one thing that I learned about punch – tis wise to have an RSVP on your reservation so the amplitude of merry juice is befitting to the size of the crowd. I showed no reluctance in my favoritism of mixing juices and spirits and thus ended up with enough celebratory serum to ensure weekend drunkenness for the entire neighborhood for the next few weeks. I also learned that punch is a delightful way to rid yourself of all the bottles that have just a squeak or a pinch left in them.

But back to Jerry Thomas and his punches. I made three punches today (in quantities befitting of one 125-pound girl):  Orgeat Punch, Curaçao Punch, and Roman Punch. They are all quite similar as they all contain brandy and I must say that the Curaçao Punch is my favorite. As I often have found, raspberry mixed with lemon juice and brandy tends to taste a bit like cough syrup (and as such the Roman Punch does too). I made the Orgeat Punch twice, the first with the port float – which was o.k.   But then I made it again with a float of Goslings, and that was lovely.

Orgeat Punch

3/4 ounce of orgeat syrup (orgeat syrup is an almond syrup with a hint of orange)
3 ounces of brandy
1 ounces of lemon juice

Fill a shaker with ice, shake, and strain. Float a bit of port wine on the top. Garnish with berries that are in season. Serve with a straw.

Click here to the recipe for orgeat syrup.

Curaçao Punch

1/2 ounce of simple syrup
2 ounces of brandy
1/2 ounce of Jamaican Rum (I used Appleton Estate as I have a small bottle that was a gift from my friend who does charitable dental work there)
1 ounce of Curaçao (decide how orange-y you want it, if you just like it sweet use a less expensive triple sec, but if you like it with a lot more orange use Cointreau or Grand Marnier)
1 ounce of fresh squeezed lemon juice

Fill a shaker with ice, shake, and strain. Garnish with berries that are in season. Serve with a straw.

Roman Punch

(I’m not sure why this is named Roman Punch as there isn’t anything Roman about it. I’m thinking that perhaps I should throw some grappa on top of it.)
1/2 ounce simple syrup
1 splash of Curaçao
2 ounces of Jamaican Rum
1 ounce of brandy
1 ounce of fresh squeezed lemon juice

Fill a shaker with ice, shake, and strain. Garnish with berries that are in season. Serve with a straw.

To check out Jerry Thomas Measurements from the turn of the century – click here.

To check out other Jerry Thomas Project recipes – click here.

The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas’ cocktails from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America’s father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862.

The Professor Jerry Thomas

Professor because he was so skilled in his trade

Born on a day in 1830 and passed away on December 15, 1885

One hundred and twenty five years ago, Jerry Thomas passed away from apoplexy (a fancy medical term which really means no one knows how he died.) What’s crazy when reading about his life is what we do know about him, like we know what kind of jewelry he liked to wear and the different places that he worked at. But bizarre about what we don’t know about him, like what day was he born? Or what was his wife’s name?

Anyhow, today in honor of his death – I make the Tom and Jerry, which is Thomas’ claim to fame cocktail (Thomas claimed that he created it, although there is mention of it in 1820, ten years before his birth – just another funny thing we happen to know about Jerry Thomas.) It became so popular that one could buy a special glassware set for it’s presentation.

The Tom and Jerry

The Tom and Jerry is certainly one of the more time consuming cocktails to make in Thomas’ book. The first step is to create a batter, recipe as follows and is enough to make approximately four cocktails.

2 egg whites
Beat the egg whites until they are stiff
2 egg yolks
Beat the yolks until they are very thin

Mix the whites and the yolks together
Now add to the mixture

1/4 ounce of dark rum
a pinch of cinnamon
a pinch of cloves
a pinch of allspice
and a tablespoon of white sugar

Take a heaping tablespoon of the batter and add 2 ounces of brandy to it. Fill the glass with very hot water, grate a little nutmeg on top and serve with a spoon.

Overall, I get why Thomas tried to claim it as his own as it is the perfect drink for the holidays. Enjoy!

To check out other Jerry Thomas Project recipes – click here.

Last week was Repeal Day and it was my hope to be done with The Jerry Thomas Project by then, and I’m not; so I just decided that I’d forget about any time constraint and just work on it until I was done. Nonetheless, it made me wonder if Jerry Thomas would have gotten it done in a year. Which I decided that he probably would have but he would have done it sort of half-assed and sloppily (kind of like his book).

It’s a funny relationship you have with someone when you recreate all of their works – you really get to know them in a way. And I’ve found that Thomas is a little lazy and inattentive in his recipes. And then I started to think about him and his contemporary Harry Johnson, who wrote Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Illustrated Bartender’s Manual and a Guide for Hotels and Restaurants. Harry Johnson has an eye for detail that Thomas is certainly lacking. And quite honestly, I’m more a Harry Johnson (I’ll keep that a secret from the boys) than a Jerry Thomas. Johnson’s book is edited to a tee with half of it being a primer on how to run a restaurant or bar (down to what your linen costs should be), and I have to say that I pretty much wholeheartedly agree with Johnson’s take on the business. Perhaps, there’s a little reincarnated Harry Johnson inside of me (take that any way you want to).

Anyhow, I did get back on the bandwagon and make some Jerry Thomas drinks today (which fortunately I did earlier in the day, as my dear husband tried to be a plumber today by installing a new faucet in the kitchen to little avail – as now we don’t have any water at all until the plumber comes tomorrow:)

I’m still in the midst of making punches (If you haven’t heard, David Wondrich has a new book out called Punch. So far very informative and sassy, I totally recommend it.)

The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas’ cocktails from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America’s father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862.

Arrack Punch

2 ounces of Batavia Arrack
2 ounces of Jamaica Rum
1 ounce of fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce of simple syrup
1 piece of pineapple

Shake the rums with ice and the fruit. Garnish with fresh berries (if in season). Serve with a straw.

Batavia Arrack
I honestly didn’t know what Batavia Arrack was until I tried to make this drink and found that the Arak I had is something completely different. I had previously only been privy to Arak, which is anise liqueur from the Middle East – drank very much like absinthe as they typically add water to it until it louches. Batavia Arrack however is despicable rum made from sugarcane and red rice in Java, Indonesia. It costs around $30 a bottle and I can honestly say it is the worst alcohol purchase I have ever made – it truly tastes like gasoline. Save yourself the time and money and just use a decent rum in this drink and I think you’ll find it to be much more savvy.

Claret Punch

5 ounces of claret
1 teaspoon of baker’s sugar
1 slice of lemon
3 pieces of orange

Shake the wine with the sugar, lemon, and orange pieces with ice. (Jerry Thomas uses shaved ice, although for your ease, any ice will suffice.)
Garnish with fresh berries (if in season). Serve with a straw.

Claret was originally a very dark rose produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Currently it is reference to a red Bordeaux wine and American wine in the style of Bordeaux (the six grapes of Bordeaux are cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, petit verdot, and carménère (which very little is produced of today). As for this punch, I used the 2006 Chateau Frontenac as it’s very nice and affordable.

Sauterne Punch

5 ounces of sauterne
1 teaspoon of baker’s sugar
1 slice of lemon
3 pieces of orange

Shake the wine with the sugar, lemon, and orange pieces with ice. (Jerry Thomas uses shaved ice, although for your ease, any ice will suffice.)
Garnish with fresh berries (if in season). Serve with a straw.

Sauternes is a French dessert wine also from Bordeaux. It is made from sémillon, sauvignon blanc, and muscadelle grapes that have been affected by noble rot, which is a grey fungus that affects grapes and can either destroy them or turn them into a grape that creates a fine sweet wine that is considered a delicacy. For this drink I used the 2005 Chateau Guiraud, mostly because I had some lying around. I’ve never had a bad Sauterne – so whatever you have will most likely be delicious.

Vanilla Punch

2 ounces of brandy
1 tablespoon of baker’s sugar
1/2 ounce of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3 drops of vanilla extract

Shake the brandy with ice, the sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
Garnish with fresh berries (if in season). Serve with a straw.

Sherry Punch

4 ounces of sherry
1 teaspoon of baker’s sugar
1 slice of orange
1 slice of lemon

Shake the sherry with ice and the fruit. Garnish with fresh berries (if in season). Serve with a straw.

To check out other Jerry Thomas Project recipes – click here.

Yesterday, December 5, was Repeal Day. Seventy-seven years ago prohibition was lifted. It’s crazy to think that the day my grandfather was born, there wasn’t any champagne. My grandfather’s father didn’t go to the bar with his friends and celebrate – there were no bars. You couldn’t buy alcohol without a prescription. It’s crazier to think that my great grandfather (on the other side of the family) made a killing bootlegging liquor across Lake Erie.  He had a knack at carrying picnic baskets loaded with whiskey bottles across Mackinac Island on Lake Michigan. It assured my grandmother a very luxurious lifestyle in a time when most were just trying to put food on the table.

You should always celebrate Repeal Day with a drink, but even better – what about having a drink in a speakeasy. My friend Erica Reilly and I decided that what this town needed was a bar that only exists for one night, a little bit of magic and then poof it’s gone.

We took over the maté shop (if you don’t know anything about maté – please click here), which has an ideal location in a downtown alley. It even has a heavy metal rolling door at its entrance. We got there in the afternoon with another friend of ours and revolutionized the space. We draped the entire area, brought in lighting, kinetic sculpture by Chris Cole, a jazz singer, a dj, and a full bar. It was AWESOME. We did six cocktails, all of them with an interesting story. We had an amazing turnout for a cold, icy, blustery, December night (especially for a Sunday). Everyone who came was dressed in cocktail attire from the 30’s. It was truly beautiful. And then just like that, poof, we tore it all down and it right back to being a maté shop. It was pretty magical.

as a mate shop

as a speakeasy

THE COCKTAIL LIST

East India Cocktail
Brandy, Pineapple, Raspberry Syrup, Orange Curacao, Maraschino, Angostura Bitters
No one knows for sure how old this cocktail is, but the first mention of it is in Harry Johnson’s 1882 New and Improved Bartender’s Manual. If you don’t know much about Harry Johnson he was a rival to Jerry Thomas, the author of the first published cocktail book in the U.S. As for why the drink is titled the East India Cocktail, it was a favorite of the British Raj, the British delegates who ruled England’s colonies in the Far East. Unlike today, India did not just refer to the one country but to all of the British Colonies in the Far East at this time (India, Burma, Malaya, and Singapore).

Corpse Reviver
Gin, Grand Marnier, Dolin White Vermouth, Fresh Lemon

This is one of my favorite drink names, it’s so visual and alluring. You cannot help but wonder, what exactly is the tincture that could revive someone from the dead?
Surprisingly, it’s very light and delicious!
The Corpse Reviver originated at the turn of the 20th century, although it took four or five different forms during prohibition. Although today the drink is almost always served after the sun goes down, traditionally The Corpse Reviver was drank in the morning.
“Four taken in swift succession will unrevive the corpse again.”
- Harry Cradock 1895 (barman at the Savoy, New York City)

Fish House Punch
Dark Rum, Cognac, Maraschino, Green Tea, Champagne

This punch was believed to have been created in 1732 at the Schuylkill (SKOO-kull) Fishing Club – which was a gentleman’s club of sorts in what is now Pennsylvania. George Washington was known to frequent there and it’s a really wonderful thing if he did have a Fish House Punch and you are still able to have one today. George didn’t bring Martha to the club however, as women weren’t allowed in The Fishing Club until 1848. The drink got it’s name from the Club – which everyone referred to as The Fish House. As for rum, the colonists drank almost nothing but – as it was a bi-product of Caribbean sugar production and there were distilleries all over the East Coast.

Jack Rose Cocktail
Applejack, Lemon Juice, Pomegranate Grenadine

No one knows for sure where the Jack Rose Cocktail got it’s name, but there are a couple of theories.
The first is that it is named for it’s color and ingredients – Jack for applejack and Rose for the pink color from the pomegranate grenadine.
The second is it was named for a popular gambler of the time, Bald Jack Rose.
The third is that it was named by the man who supposedly created it, Joseph P Rose, who was a New Jersey restaurateur who once held the title World’s Champion Mixologist.
It is currently Rachel Maddow’s favorite cocktail.

Modern Mule
Vanilla Hawthorn Infused Vodka with Handmade Ginger Beer

Vodka didn’t really become popular in The States until the 70s, but there was one vodka drink that did become popular in the 1950s and that was the Moscow Mule. This is our version with our own handcrafted ginger beer and a vodka that is infused with vanilla, chamomile, spearmint, lemongrass, tilia flowers, blackberry leaves, hawthorn, orange blossoms and rosebuds.
The Moscow Mule was invented in 1941 by John G. Martin, who was an East Indian Food Distributor who sold ginger beer, and John “Jack” Morgan, the proprietor of the Cock ‘n’ Bull Tavern. They put the two together and obviously the rest is history.

Hauté Maté
Maté, Maté, and More Maté

We really can’t thank Santiago and Tanja enough for having us here tonight and we really wanted to make a special cocktail in honor of them and the space – which has brought a breath of fresh air and hometown love to Bend’s downtown.

The Haute Maté is has three different blends of mate in it with prana blend vanilla bean maté gomme syrup, traditional maté infused aged rum, and shanti maté tincture with a splash of fresh lemon, a dash of absinthe, Fee Bros 1864 Bitters and an egg white shake.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE COCKTAIL

Pick some liquors from the list
Tell us some flavors that you like
We’ll make you a cocktail

BEER

Boneyard Brewery :::: RPM IPA :::: Bend, OR $3 (10 oz)
Deschutes Abyss 09 :::: Imperial Stout :::: Bend, OR $6 (5 oz)
Boulevard Brewery :::: Imperial Pilsner :::: Kansas City $4 (5 oz)

ABSINTHE

What is Absinthe?

It is an anise-flavored spirit derived from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred to as “grande wormwood”, together with green anise and sweet fennel. Absinthe traditionally has a natural green colour but can also be colorless. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as la fée verte (the Green Fairy).

Why was it illegal?
Politics of course.

OBSELLO

SPAIN
100 PROOF (grape spirit)

TASTING NOTE:

Hazy forest green color. Rich aromas of anise, saddle soap, orange spice cake, menthol, nuts, and mint tea follow through on soft, silky entry to a dryish medium-full body with accents of dried citrus and wintergreen. Finishes with a long, herbal anise seed and white pepper fade.
A big, brawny absinthe.

LUCID

FRANCE
124 PROOF (beet spirit)

TASTING NOTE:

Light green color. The aroma is spicy and herbal with nice amounts of anise and fennel.
Nice balance of anise and fennel and wormwood.
The finish has a hint of spiciness that is almost peppery.

VERSINTHE

FRANCE
90 Proof (grape spirit)

TASTING NOTE:

Very light and pale in color.
The nose is pretty with light anise and pretty floral botanicals.
Mellow with a lightly sweet profile but the finish is very bitter.
The finish has a herbaceous zing with a slight numbing and a tinge of bitterness.

VODKA
Crater Lake :::: Grain Mash :::: Bend, OR
diamond:::: Grain Mash :::: Bend, OR
Oregon Spirit Distiller :::: Pendleton Wheat :::: Bend, OR
Ultimat :::: Wheat, Potato, and rYE :::: POLAND
Dry Fly :::: Winter Wheat :::: Washington
Pearl :::: Winter Wheat :::: Canada
Medoyeff :::: Graiin Mash :::: Portland, OR
Blavod BLack Vodka :::: Grain Mash :::: Great Britain

FLAVORED VODKA
Square One :::: Botanical :::: Rigby, Idaho
42 Below :::: Honey Flavored :::: New Zealand
Pinky :::: 12 Botanicals :::: Sweden
Wasabe :::: Sake Flavored :::: The Netherlands
Svedka :::: Lemon :::: Sweden
Svedka :::: Clementine :::: Sweden
Pearl :::: Coconut :::: Canada
Mazama :::: Spicy Peppers :::: Bend, OR
Kofia :::: Coffee and Hazelnut :::: Bend, OR
Stolichnaya :::: Raspberry :::: Russia
Yazi :::: Ginger :::: Hood River, Oregon

GIN
Cascade Mountain:::: Bend, OR
Brokers :::: Great Britain
Ransom Old Tom Gin :::: Sheridan, OR

RUM
Cruzan :::: Coconut :::: St. Croix
1 Barrel :::: Belize
10 Cane :::: Trinidad
Appleton Estate :::: Jamaica
The Old Mill :::: Gold Rum :::: St. Croix (Finished in Oregon)
Batavia-Arrack :::: sugarcane and red rice :::: Java, Indonesia
Cachaça 51 :::: Brazil

WHISKEY
Makers 46 :::: Kentucky, USA
Knob Creek :::: Kentucky, USA
Four Roses Small Batch ::::Kentucky, USA
Jefferson Small Batch ::::Kentucky, USA
Pendleton:::: Canada
McCallan 12 :::: Speyside, Scotland
Glenlivet 18 :::: Speyside, Scotland
Bushmills Black Bush :::: ireland

TEQUILA
CorrAlejos :::: Anejo
Aha Toro :::: Anejo
Chamucos :::: Reposado
Corzo:::: Silver

COGNAC
Hennessy XO :::: France
Hennessy VSOP :::: France

LIQUEURS
Worker Bee :::: honey Mash :::: Yamhill County, Oregon
Blackmaker :::: Root Beer :::: Lewiston, Maine
Tuaca :::: Brandy Base with Vanilla and Orange :::: Italy
St. Germain :::: elderflowers :::: france
Canton :::: Ginger :::: France
Chambord :::: Black Raspberry :::: France
Tópas :::: Black Licorice :::: Iceland
Pimm’s :::: It’’s a secret – but light fruity flavor :::: Great Britain
Bénédictine :::: Herbal :::: France

SIPPING BITTERS
Fernet Branca :::: Italy
Branca Menta :::: Italy
Luxardo Bitters :::: Italy
Liquore Strega :::: Italy
Amaro Nonino :::: Italy
Averna Amaro Sicillano :::: Italy

AQUAVIT
Aalborg Akvavit :::: Denmark

SCHNAPPS
Brennivin :::: It will make you a man :::: Iceland
Kirschwasser :::: Cherry :::: Portland, Oregon

GRAPPA
UvaViva Italiana di Poli :::: Italy

It’s been a chaotic week with the climax being the one of the other bartender’s departure, who is the bartender I work the weekends with. We met many years ago when she was a sassy line cook with the mouth of an ex-con. I spent half the time trying to decipher a charming accent that is part drawl, part bam, and part her own language mixed in with an occasional loud expletive to really drive the point home. Nonetheless, she has a heart of gold, works like a mule, never says no, and will always go the extra mile – so when I was hiring a new bar assistant and she called me last year – it was an easy yes.

I feel lucky that I’ve been able to teach some truly awesome people how to bartend. Not only has it opened up a floodgate of one dollar bills in their lives, but in some cases it’s been the opportunity to learn who one is, hone one’s people skills, and learn to combat uber-levels of stress with a ridiculous smile on one’s face. And quite honestly, isn’t that the gift that keeps on giving.

Anyhow, I’m back from a mini four-day bender that started with the host’s birthday, moved on to the other bartender’s last night, proceeded with a bitch-ass going away party, and ended with a Monday afternoon champagne lunch and dinner bbq. Fortunately, it is not hard to go back to work when the job is to make a cocktails. I decided to make the juleps and smashes since my neighbors gave me a heap of mint from their garden to work with.

The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas’ cocktails from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America’s father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862.

So what is the difference between and julep and a smash?
In the julep, the mint is stirred and treated very carefully. In a smash, the mint is smashed (and typically steeped for longer). Otherwise, they are very similar. Thomas also calls for a tiny bit of water in the smash, but otherwise all the smashes and juleps consist of a base spirit, mint, and sugar.

A newspaper article from 1901 perhaps says it best, “Steep your mint leaves in whiskey over night; don’t crush them with a spoon. If you do you are making a mint smash, not a julep.”

The Real Georgia Mint Julep

1.5 ounces of Cognac
1.5 ounces of peach brandy
1 teaspoon of fine white sugar
3-4 mint sprigs

In a tumbler add the sugar to the water until it is dissolved, then add the mint, and then the brandy. Then stir the drink with a spoon (at this point I would let it steep for five – ten minutes) and then add shaved ice.

This drink is delicious and take time this week and make yourself one, especially since Thomas worried about the future of this drink, “The mint julep still lives, but it is by no means fashionable. Poor juleps have ruined the reputation of the South’s most famous drink.”

O.K. this isn’t peach, but this is a nice spin on The Real Georgia Mint Julep and I would be proud to name it The Real Oregon Mint Julep

The Real Oregon Mint Julep

1.5 ounces of brandy
1.5 ounces of pear brandy*
1 teaspoon of fine white sugar
*(Might I recommend Clear Creek Distillery’s Williams Pear Brandy. It takes 30 pounds of pears to make one bottle and they also make a bottle with an actual pear in it – the pear has to grow inside the bottle meaning that they have an orchard with bottles hanging off of the trees).

Mint Julep

3 ounces of brandy
2.5 teaspoons of water
1 tablespoon of sugar
2-3 sprigs of fresh mint

Mix the sugar and water together, carefully press the mint into the mixture (at this point I would let it steep for five – ten minutes). Remove the mint, add the brandy and fill with shaved ice. Take the mint and use it as a garnish, allowing the leaves to make a bouquet. Add berries, a slice of orange, and a dash of dark rum and serve with a straw.

What a hit!  I can honestly say this is the first time I’ve never made a mint julep correctly. Usually I muddle the mint (for time’s sake), make it with whiskey and I’ve never added berries, oranges, or a dash of rum. This is absolutely delicious!

Gin Julep

3 ounces of gin (I totally recommend the Ransom’s Old Tom Pre-Prohibition style gin)
2.5 teaspoons of water
1 tablespoon of sugar
2-3 sprigs of fresh mint

Mix the sugar and water together, carefully press the mint into the mixture (at this point I would let it steep for five – ten minutes). Remove the mint, add the brandy and fill with shaved ice. Take the mint and use it as a garnish, allowing the leaves to make a bouquet.

Whiskey Julep

3 ounces of whiskey
2.5 teaspoons of water
1 tablespoon of sugar
2-3 sprigs of fresh mint

Mix the sugar and water together; carefully press the mint into the mixture (at this point I would let it steep for five – ten minutes). Remove the mint, add the brandy and fill with shaved ice. Take the mint and use it as a garnish, allowing the leaves to make a bouquet.

Pineapple Julep

(Not quite sure why this is called a julep as it doesn’t call for any mint.)

Recipe for one drink
1 ounces of raspberry syrup
1 ounces of Maraschino Liqueur
1 ounces of Old Tom Gin
2 ounces of sparkling wine
2 pieces of pineapple
Stir and add ice

Recipe for a punch bowl
4 ounces of raspberry syrup
4 ounces of Maraschino Liqueur
4 ounces of Old Tom Gin
1 quart of sparkling wine
1 ripe pineapple

Mix everything together in a punch bowl and add ice. Garnish with seasonal berries.

Raspberry syrup recipe
1/2 cup puréed raspberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
Bring the sugar and water to heat until it begins to bubble. Pull it off the burner, let it cool and add ½ cup raspberry purée.

Now for the smashes, which tend to be a lot mintier.

How long should I let the mint steep for?
I would say no less than 15 minutes, I’ve done ten minute steeps before and that is really the minimum to get any sort of mintiness out of the leaf. I would recommend overnight if possible and if you are making these drinks for a bar – I would steep by the fifth or half-gallon so people don’t have to wait 15 minutes for a cocktail. I’ve also had good luck using mint tea bags if you don’t have any good mint (two mint teabags to one fifth whiskey has worked well).

Brandy Smash

2 ounces of brandy
3 to 4 sprigs of mint
2 tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon of white sugar

Thomas tells his readers to press the mint in the sugar water, but I think you are going to get a much better smash allowing the mint to steep in the spirit first and then adding the other ingredients.

Add the water and sugar and garnish with a slice of orange and a fresh sprig of mint.

Gin Smash

2 ounces of gin
3 to 4 sprigs of mint
2 tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon of white sugar

Thomas tells his readers to press the mint in the sugar water, but I think you are going to get a much better smash allowing the mint to steep in the spirit first and then adding the other ingredients.

Add the water and sugar and garnish with a slice of orange and a fresh sprig of mint.

Whiskey Smash

(delicious!)
2 ounces of whiskey
3 to 4 sprigs of mint
2 tablespoons of water
1 teaspoon of white sugar

Thomas tells his readers to press the mint in the sugar water, but I think you are going to get a much better smash allowing the mint to steep in the spirit first and then adding the other ingredients.

Add the water and sugar and garnish with a slice of orange and a fresh sprig of mint.

To check out other Jerry Thomas Project recipes – click here.

First I have to say, I am way behind on the Jerry Thomas Project and in order to get through all of the drinks by the end of the year, I’ve got to bump it up a notch. More than anything, you are going to see a lot more recipes popping up on the blog. So now it will most likely be the case that after every posting there will be a Jerry Thomas recipe that I made that day.

Otherwise, it’s a crazy week. It’s my birthday today, which is the first day of Virgo. Let’s just say I’m not that into astrology, but whenever I read horoscopes that have more contextual basis (i.e. what planet your moon is in or what sun your shnixna is in) I can’t help but find they are uncomfortably true. Anyhow, I work at an amazing restaurant with one of the best staffs that I’ve ever had the pleasure to be around and out of the 18 people that work there, five have birthdays between August 23 and August 26. A matter of fact, the other bartender that I work with the most, shares the exact same birthday as me. Guess the Virgo cuspers just make damn good restaurant workers. Happy Birthday to Justin, Keea, Dryden, and Clare!

A couple of interesting tidbits about the Virgo

Virgo is the only zodiacal sign represented by a female – but that doesn’t make a Virgo a pussy.

Virgos are probably smarter than you.

Virgos can get along with people of other signs, but they mostly just like other Virgos and an occasional Capricorn.

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The Jerry Thomas Project

The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas’ cocktails from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America’s father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862.

I was hoping to work on some more intriguing Jerry Thomas cocktails on Sunday, but we decided spur of the moment to host a party after the March Fourth Marching Band concert.  (If you have never seen them, they are a 20 piece marching band with stilt walkers, burlesque dancers, and a hell of a lot of spunk!)   As it was the third late night (being that there was a dj until 2:30 Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), I decided to make something easy and I figured that I couldn’t go wrong with The Sling – which just involves adding sugar and water to a base spirit. Sometimes I wonder why Mr. Thomas even bothered naming all of these drinks and cataloging them (my guess is that was being paid by the word.)

Brandy Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
2 ounces of water
2 ounces of brandy
Ice

Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the spirit and ice and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Hot Brandy Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
4 ounces of hot water
2 ounces of brandy

Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water, add the spirit and hot water and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Gin Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
2 ounces of water
2 ounces of gin
Ice

Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the spirit and ice and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Hot Gin Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
4 ounces of hot water
2 ounces of gin

Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water, add the spirit and hot water and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Whiskey Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
2 ounces of water
2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey
Ice

Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the spirit and ice and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Hot Whiskey Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
4 ounces of hot water
2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey

Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water, add the spirit and hot water and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Well a couple of things with this series of drinks. First, none of them are that great – so I wouldn’t even say to bother, unless you are sick – in that case the Brandy Sling or Hot Whiskey Sling could be great for a sore throat and to induce some much needed rest. Jerry Thomas also has a typo in his book here, as in the Gin Sling he calls for brandy. I give the recipe with gin, as I cannot imagine that the Gin Sling is made with brandy. The worst tasting one was the Hot Gin Sling, it catches you off guard to drink warm gin. Thomas also calls for boiling water, which I made the first hot drink with and it was terribly hot – so I call for hot water. Maybe Thomas had to burn his tongue first so that he couldn’t taste the Hot Gin Sling.

To check out other Jerry Thomas Project recipes – click here.

The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas’ cocktails from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America’s father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862.

I just got back from shooting the Oregon Bounty video and while I was looking through old cocktail books looking for ideas for a name – I kept bumping into the name sangaree, which just means that you add a little sugar to the base spirit with a quick pinch of nutmeg. It appears that sangaree and sangria are similar in word origin and sangria is wine with sugar and fruit – so they have some similarities.

Anyhow, because I love the word so much I spent this afternoon concocting Thomas’ sangarees – of which he has six recipes: Port Wine Sangaree, Sherry Sangaree, Brandy Sangaree, Gin Sangaree, Ale Sangaree, and Porter Sangaree. To pretend that the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar really changes the taste of the base spirit that much would be a terrible lie. Certainly you can taste the presence of the sugar, but for the most part the cocktail tastes almost the same as if you had just drank the base spirit neat. The nutmeg adds an interesting component and was delightful where I least expected it, as in the gin sangaree.

This is a cocktail that you might want to ensure that you use a high-quality sipping spirit as there isn’t much to hide the flavor. The only sherry I had to work with was cooking sherry, and there was much to be desired (like something even in the slightest bit palatable!) Anyhow, please enjoy as they are perhaps the easiest of the Thomas drinks to make, except for the small detail that I don’t know how much of each spirit to put in the glass as he calls for one claret-glass. David Wondrich doesn’t mention this measurement in Imbibe – his detailed book about Mr. Thomas nor does Harry Johnson mention this measurement in his book. As I have nothing else to go on, my guess is that it is the same as the wineglass measurement or 2 ounces.

Port Wine Sangaree

2 ounces of port
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
2 to 3 cubes of ice
shake and strain with grated nutmeg on the top

Sherry Sangaree

2 ounces of sherry
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
2 to 3 cubes of ice
shake and strain with grated nutmeg on the top

Brandy Sangaree

2 ounces of brandy
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
2 to 3 cubes of ice
shake and strain with grated nutmeg on the top

Gin Sangaree

2 ounces of gin (might I recommend the Ransom Old Tom Gin)
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
2 to 3 cubes of ice
shake and strain with grated nutmeg on the top

Ale Sangaree

2 ounces of water
1 teaspoon of sugar
dissolve the sugar in the water, now top with ale
grate a little nutmeg on the top

Porter Sangaree

2 ounces of water
1 teaspoon of sugar
dissolve the sugar in the water, now top with porter
grate a little nutmeg on the top

My favorite – definitely the brandy sangaree with the porter coming in at a close second.

To check out other Jerry Thomas Project recipes – click here.

So I have a new hire who is about to bartend her first bartending shift and I was about to e-mail her 30 drinks every bartender should know and looking for a list (so I wouldn’t have to make it) and almost every list I found was absolutely ridiculous. For example, one site listed the Bocci Ball (don’t know what it is, probably never will as in 12 years no one has ever ONCE asked me for one). Or the Freddy Fudpacker (aka The Cactus Banger) – once again NEVER HEARD anyone order either of these ever ONCE.

I’m not naming any drinks on this list where the ingredients are the name i.e. vodka tonic, amaretto sour, or gin and juice.

1. Apple Martini
2. AMF (Adios Mother Fucker)
3. B-52
4. Black/White Russian
5. Bloody Mary
6. Buttery Nipple
7. Cosmopolitan
8. Gimlet
9. Greyhound
10. Daiquiri
11. Jager Bomb
12. Kamikaze
13. Irish Car Bomb
14. Irish Coffee
15. Lemon Drop
16. Long Island Ice Tea
17. Manhattan
18. Margarita
19. Martini
20. Mojito
21. Old Fashion
22. Rusty Nail
23. Salty Dog
24. Screwdriver
25. Sex on the Beach
26. Sidecar
27. Spanish Coffee
28. Surfer on Acid
29. Tequila Sunrise
30. Redheaded Slut

How To Make the Top Cocktails Every Bartender Should Know

Apple Martini
I hate to even put this on the list, but it is a cocktail that I get an order for at least once a weekend. What I hate to admit more is that I recently re-tasted Dekuyper Apple Pucker for the first time in many years and I actually liked it as it tasted just like Sour Patch candy, which I love.

3 oz Apple Pucker, 2 oz Vodka, (can add 1 oz fresh lime sour if you happen to have something like that in your bar) shake and serve up with a bright red maraschino cherry

AMF (Adios Mother Fucker)
My close friend Erica has determined that this drink order is always proceeded by the contraction Ka’ Getta.
This is basically a Long Island Ice Tea without the coke and some blue curacao instead. I have to admit, I make Long Islands with vodka and triple sec, and I’ve found them to be undeniably more palatable.
2 oz. vodka (or more depending at the type of bar you work at), 1 oz triple sec, 1 oz blue curacao, 2 oz. Lime sour (or margarita mix or sweet and sour). Serve in a pint glass.

B-52
You should always ask if the guest wants it as a coffee drink, on the rocks or as a shot.
Equal parts Baileys, Kahlua, and Grand Marnier

Black/White Russian
The Black Russian is equal parts vodka and Kahlua (or a coffee-flavored liqueur). A White Russian is the same, except you add a little cream.

Bloody Mary
It took me years to perfect my Bloody Mary recipe and I’m not about to divulge it here on this blog. But I recommend spending some time in the kitchen with the following ingredients and seeing what you come up with – tomato juice (consider fresh squeezing – you’ve be amazed), celery salt, lemon juice, Worchester Sauce, brine, olive juice, bullion, dill, black pepper, a spicy sauce, and anything else of interest in your spice cabinet.

Buttery Nipple
A shot that is half Bailey’s and half butterscotch schnapps.

Cosmopolitan
What has become the great American female cocktail of this century is a cocktail that I really believe every bartender should have a little bit of their own flair on. This drink really depends on if your bar carries fresh lime or Rose’s lime and although I don’t personally carry Rose’s lime I’ve had a mighty tasty Cosmo made with Rose’s Lime so I don’t want to knock it.
Ingredient list: cranberry juice, vodka, orange liqueur, and Rose’s lime (or fresh lime and simple)

Gimlet
The guest should always be asked if they want a vodka or gin gimlet and if they want it up or on the rocks. This drink is just booze and limejuice, either fresh or Rose’s. I typically ask the guest how sweet they want it, as many people like the syrupy taste of Rose’s (which can be mimicked with a lot of simple syrup and fresh-squeezed lime juice) but others just want a couple squeezes of fresh lime.

Daiquiri
A daiquiri is really just a gimlet made with rum.

Greyhound
Vodka and grapefruit

Jager Bomb
One shot of Jägermeister dropped into half a pint glass of Red Bull.

Kamikaze
You should ask the guest if they want this drink as a shot, up, or on the rocks. Typically, they want it as a shot – but it never hurts to ask.
Equal parts lime juice, simple, vodka, and triple sec

Irish Car Bomb
A shot which is composed of half Jameson and half Baileys dropped into half of a pint glass of Guinness Irish Stout.

Irish Coffee
Unfortunately, many guests don’t know what an Irish Coffee is and I often times have a guest order Irish Coffee thinking that they are going to get Bailey’s and coffee. I would recommend always clarifying with the guest if they meant Jameson or Bailey’s in their coffee.
An Irish Coffee should be a shot of Irish Whiskey and coffee (some people add a hint of sugar).  I also like to add a hint of Angostura bitters.  I once worked at a restaurant that poured a little splash of green crème de menthe over the top of the whipped cream, but I’ve heard conflicted viewpoints concerning this garnish.

Lemon Drop
You should ask the guest if they want it as a shot or a cocktail (or it might just be apparently obvious as to what time of the night it is or the atmosphere where you work.)
Equal parts Vodka (can use a flavor or citrus to change the flavor), fresh squeezed lemon, and simple syrup. The rim is typically sugared on this cocktail.

Long Island Ice Tea
As I earlier said, I like to make my Long Islands using only vodka and triple sec, I’ve found them to be undeniably more palatable.
2 oz. vodka (or more depending at the type of bar you work at), 1 oz triple sec, 2 oz. Lime sour (or margarita mix or sweet and sour) and a splash of Coke for color. Serve in a pint glass with a lemon wedge.

Manhattan
I don’t personally like a lot of sweet vermouth in my Manhattan, so I make them one part sweet vermouth and five parts bourbon with a couple of splashes of Angostura bitters. Make sure to ask up or on the rocks and it is traditionally served with a maraschino cherry. I although I get more and more people who say they don’t want the cherry.

Margarita
I would recommend either making a good lime sour or buying a good fresh pack margarita mix. Then it is just two parts tequila, one part orange liqueur, and three parts lime sour or mix. Serve on the rocks or blended with the guest’s preference of salt.

Martini
Although traditionally gin – one should now ask if the guest prefers vodka or gin. Probably 70% of the time the guest wants vodka with olives, but the garnish should also be discussed. Extra Dry means no vermouth. Dry means almost no vermouth. Wet means vermouth.  Served up or on the rocks – this drink is all gin or vodka with perhaps a tiny splash of vermouth.

Mojito
The mojito has taken the U.S. by storm in the last ten years. Start with some fresh mint leaves, muddle them. Add 2 ounces of rum, two teaspoons sugar, and 1 ounce of lime. Shake, serve over ice with soda water.

Old Fashion
This is the cocktail that turned me into a whiskey drinker, which is still my spirit of choice, so there is a very special place in my heart for this cocktail. Muddle a piece of orange and a maraschino cherry with Angostura bitters and a sugar cube. Add two ounces of whiskey and ice. Top with your choice of soda or water.

Rusty Nail

Equal parts Drambuie and Scotch. (If you are wondering what Drambuie is, it is a liqueur made from Scotch whiskey and heather honey which contains a secret blend of herbs and botanicals – a couple of good guesses are saffron, anise, and nutmeg.)

Salty Dog
This is just a greyhound (vodka and grapefruit) with a salted rim.

Screwdriver
Vodka and orange juice. (Screw in the title of a drink typically denotes that there will be oj in it.)

Sex on the Beach
I think many believe that this drink went out in the mid 80s, but I still get quite a few orders for it.  It is vodka, peach schnapps, and oj.

Sidecar
The Sidecar can be thought of as a margarita made with brandy instead of tequila. It is typically served up with a sugar rim.

Spanish Coffee
Every bartender has their own little flair on the Spanish coffee – but the gist of it is a sugar rim that is caramelized by lighting Bicardi 151 and allowing the flame to flicker on the rim of the glass. While the fire is still lit, add cinnamon and nutmeg which will spark and add a bit of show to the presentation. Tia Maria (or another coffee liqueur) and brandy finish the drink off. Should ask if the guest wants whipped cream.

Surfer on Acid
I never can remember what this is and I although I don’t get a lot of orders for it, I do think it is something that every bartender should know. It is one of the most cliché shots and it is probably just a sign of my snobbery that I refuse to remember its simple ingredients. Equal parts Jägermeister, Malibu (coconut) rum, and pineapple juice.

Tequila Sunrise
Tequila, orange juice, served on the rocks with a small drizzle of grenadine to make it look like a sunrise.

Redheaded Slut
Another shot (although I have a fair amount of people order this like a cocktail) that I often times have to look up – but once again I think you should probably know what is in it. Equal parts Jägermeister, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice.

What do you think is missing from the list?

*******Bonus material for the aspiring bartender to know*******

Rocks – you only say rocks for a spirit that will be served with no mixer. Vodka tonic always gets rocks – but if you someone orders a whiskey, you should find out if the guest wants it rocks or neat.

Press - half soda water and half seven-up. (I recently heard the term sonic for half soda water and half tonic)

Up – to be served shaken and strained into a cocktail glass.

Neat - no ice. Typically in reference to whiskey.

Perfect – a splash of sweet vermouth and dry vermouth.

Dry – very little or no vermouth

With a Twist – using a channeler to remove part of the skin from a lemon so that the oils spray into the drink. The twist is then used to rim the outside of the glass.

Dirty – with olive juice

Back - a small drink to go behind a neat pour or a shot. I.e. a beer back would be a little beer or a coke back with be a small glass of Coke. Typically, the guest doesn’t pay for the back, it’s a little bonus tagged onto their drink.

The Jerry Thomas Project is the re-creation of all of Jerry Thomas’ cocktails from Jerry Thomas’ Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America’s father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862.

It’s finally summer time in the Pacific Northwest and even on the eastern side of The Cascades it is approaching one of the only times in the year when it is truly hot and sunny. Therefore, I thought it would be nice to make a Jerry Thomas cocktail that was easy drinking and perfect for summer – thus his line-up of sours. Thomas has six different Sours listed in his book: Santa Cruz Sour (I made this a while back – here’s the link), Gin Sour, Whiskey Sour, Brandy Sour, Jersey Sour, and Egg Sour. For the most part, they are simple concoctions of powdered sugar, lemon juice, and booze. They are all quite easy to palette and I do believe that any would be a refreshing beverage choice this summer.

Gin Sour

1 teaspoon white sugar dissolved in an ounce of seltzer water
3 dashes of lemon juice
2 ounces of gin (might I recommend Ransom Old Tom Gin, which is a pre-prohibition style gin made right here in Oregon. It’s quite delicious!)

Fill a glass with ice, shake, and serve up with pieces of orange, pineapple, and/or berries.

Whiskey Sour

1 teaspoon white sugar dissolved in an ounce of seltzer water
The juice of one small lemon
2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey (might I recommend Jefferson’s for bourbon and for a great deal on rye – Rittenhouse which is quite delicious for the price, typically less than $20 a bottle)

Fill a glass with ice, shake, and serve up with berries.

Brandy Sour

1 teaspoon white sugar dissolved in an ounce of seltzer water
The juice from half of a lemon
2 ounces of brandy (I use the Paul Masson in a lot of mixed drinks, it is an exceptional value for a mid-range brandy.)

Fill a glass with ice, shake, and serve up with pieces of orange and berries.

Jersey Sour

1 teaspoon white sugar dissolved in an ounce of water
2 – 3 dashes of lemon juice
2 ounces of apple jack (most people have heard of Laird’s applejack, but might I recommend trying Clear Creek Apple Brandy distilled right here in Oregon from local fruit distilled in copper pot stills)

Egg Sour

1 teaspoon or powdered white sugar
3 dashes of lemon juice
1 ounce of Curacoa
1 ounce of brandy
1 egg
ice

Fill a glass with ice, shake, and serve without ice.

I would have to say that my favorite is probably the Egg Sour – it is really frothy and the lemon juice balances out the Curacoa. If you have a decent liquor cabinet, make them all next time you have people over and drink them all side by side – a fun way to try six different Jerry Thomas drinks without much work (as all of them have the same mixers).

To check out other Jerry Thomas Project recipes – click here.