Traditional Christmas Cocktails

It’s that time of year again. The time when the fat man combs his beard, puts on his snug red suit, packs a flask and heads out into the chill of the night to deliver gifts to children all over the world.

Ah, the fictional time of the Christmas Season. Let’s face it, it’s a time to get loved ones together for some cocktails and holiday cheer and maybe a little drama when we’ve had too much.

Remember the old days of waking at dawn and finding a lit Christmas tree in the living room. It glowed so bright since it was still dark outside. You walked around said tree and looked at all of the gifts, taking inventory of what lay below the festive bush. Now a day we wake, usually nursing a slight hangover, and slowly make our way down to the Christmas miracle of Santa’s visit from the night before.

The Christmas Season brings forth food and drink just as any other holiday with family and friends. Sure a bottle of wine would be great with Christmas dinner, but what about a pre dinner cocktail to start off the festivities?

Below you will find several traditional Christmas cocktails. I have included ingredients as well as a little history behind each one.

Sack Posset

This pre 17^th Century English beverage is made of cream, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and Sack (Sherry). In colonial times, Madeira was used as well as other fortified wines such as Port.

Mulled Wine

Originating in 15^th Century Europe, this cocktail is made with dry-red wine, orange zest, cloves and cinnamon. It is heated on the stove or open flame and usually served with a cinnamon stick. Honey or vanilla can be added for sweetness.

Mulled Cider

Created in early North America, this cocktail originated in Canada and Northern US in the 1700’s.  It is similar to Mulled Wine, but you would replace the wine with cider and add allspice and brown sugar.

Champagne Cup

This punch cocktail originated in France in the 1600’s and it has a simple recipe which includes sparkling wine, brandy or cognac, and orange liquor (Grand Marnier). Today’s variations include ice and fresh fruits such as cherries or pineapple.

Wassail

This hot punch styled cocktail comes from Southern England and its name loosely translates to “Have Good Health.” The recipe begins with boiling Madeira and Ale over a flame and adding apples, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and beaten eggs.

Candy Cane Martini

The candy cane was first introduced in a cathedral in Cologne, Germany as a reference to a shepherd’s staff at Christmas time. These initial canes were sugar sticks and the striped version did not show up until after 1900. This cocktail is essentially vodka (substitute vanilla), white chocolate liquor (Godiva, but Bols is cheaper), and peppermint schnapps. The garnish is a candy cane of course and some people crush the cane and rim the glass to get fancy.

Hot Buttered Rum

With origins dating back to colonial America in the 1650’s when rum first arrived in America, this cocktail is made of boiling water (cider can be substituted), rum, sugar, and butter mixed with nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Don’t confuse this drink with a “Hot Toddy” which refers to any hot cocktail.

Poinsettia

This drink gained popularity in the 1970’s in America, and is simply comprised of dry-sparkling wine, orange liquor, and cranberry juice. Some may add vodka for an extra kick. It is usually served over ice or in a champagne flute and garnished with a lemon twist or cranberries.

Egg Nog

This drink originated in eastern England and is a relative of Posset. It is basically cream, eggs and sugar – combined with rum, whiskey or rum and topped with cinnamon and nutmeg. For more information on its history, CLICK HERE to check out my blog dedicated to this heart attack special!

Christmas Cookie

This cocktail first appeared on the Bailey’s web site in 1987 as a shot. Today, it has become a martini. The simple recipe of peppermint schnapps, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and coffee liquor is often served in a martini glass rimmed with crushed gingerbread cookies.

Irish Coffee

Though its origins are a bit scattered, it is said that this drink was invented over 100 years ago in Ireland. Its popularity grew in the 1940’s as it was served in train stations across the country of Ireland. The original recipe is hot coffee and Irish whiskey, topped with cream. Today, many mixologists are using whipped cream for added sweetness.

I hope you enjoyed this history lesson on traditional (and nontraditional) Christmas drinks. Try and work in a couple of these cocktails at your next holiday party or family gathering!

Also, be on the lookout for Swig Knowledge the book coming out in early 2012! I can’t wait to tell you all about it when it is released!

New Book Sneak Peek

Though I am busy with work and traveling during the holiday season, I am squeezing in time to write. I have three projects that I am currently working on for December and early 2012.

Today, instead of posting a blog about liquor, beer or wine, I decided to post a sneak peek of a new project that I am working on. The new book is called Booze Hound Prose: Poetry from the Bar Stool. This is a working title and will be my second release in a little over a year. I have been dying to publish again.

The book will include original poetry and toasts along with favorite quotes on drinking based on personal bar sittings, stories I have been told, and travel adventures. I have been plugging along and hope to have it out before Christmas.

Here is a little sneak peek of one of the poems that I wrote this morning and will be included in the book. For those of you that don't know, a "Dram" is a liquid measurement in Scotland. You will often hear locals asking for a "wee dram" of scotch since you will never hear the Scottish order "shots." This loosely translates to around a 1/2 ounce pour in the US. You may think that is not that much, but in Scotland, where you consume high octane scotches around 140-proof, they can catch up.

I hope you enjoy.

Drams by the Bay

I ordered a scotch,

on my pad I did notch,

while drinking drams by the bay.

This chair so supple,

I’ll just have a couple,

while sipping the night away.

I decided to order,

a dram near the border,

my spirits will surly sway.

For I am in Scotland tonight,

tasting notes I do write,

a few more nights I just may.

With a friend I do sit,

we talked for a bit,

where my path ahead does lay.

Haggis before me,

with dram number three,

in this pub for the night we will stay.

I put back the dram,

Happy I am,

While drinking drams by the bay.

Wines for Thanksgiving

Those of you who how me, know that I currently work for a winery called Oyster Bay out of New Zealand. Though I could take this time for a shameless plug for our wines as perfect varietals for Thanksgiving, I will instead introduce you to some others besides our great Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot for the up coming holiday.

A  mix of European and Native traditions, Thanksgiving originated from European festivals that were held before and after the harvest cycles to give thanks for a good harvest. At the same time, Native Americans had also celebrated the end of a harvest season in what is now called America. When Europeans first arrived to the Americas, they brought with them their own harvest festival which celebrated their safe voyage, peace and good harvest.

Today, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. Federal legislation in 1941 made this holiday official though this annual tradition has been prevalent in the United States since 1863.

The holiday is often associated with families and friends gathering across a feast table, giving thanks and enjoying dishes from greens and yams to hams and the traditional stuffed turkey. With this white bird you may think of whites wines, but recently reds have found a way to the table to accompany all of the flavours of the season. Here are a couple of wines of interest.

For Starters:

Cava - Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad Brut, NV, 12% ABV (Spain)Only Champagne can come from from France, so other countries have been making sparklers to keep up with the trend. A sparkling wine cleanses the palate and this bottle will surely be the talk of the table with its elegant packaging. This sparkling Chardonnay is straw yellow in colour and has a nose that is lightly smokey, with hints of honey. The palate is strong with dried fruits.

For the Main Course:

Gruner Vetliner – Josef Bauer, 2008, 12% ABV (Australia)For the lighter palate, I offer this value selection which I just tried last night.  This wine goes through stainless steel fermentation, thus creating clean, bright aromas of green apples. The palate is as well energetic and full of  minerally, apple fruit and a little of the classic white pepper associated with most Gruners.

Viognier – White Hall, 2009, 14% ABV (White Hall, VA)In my continued attempt to sway consumers towards Virginia wines and away from the over-oaked California Chardonnays, I offer this alternative. This wine has a nose of peaches and apricots and an intense palate of citrus (orange and grapefruit) with slight spice and a finish of soft vanilla.

Grenache – Writer's Block (Steele), 2009, 14% ABV (Lake County, CA)I am a huge fan of the Writer's Block series and this one is no exception. It's lighter body (compared to their fuller varietals of their Cabernet and Syrah) pairs well with all side dishes at the table including the canned cranberry. This wine has hints of strawberry and cherry on the nose and a lightly spicy finish.

The Ending:

Port – Warre's Otima 10 Year Tawney Port (Porto, Portugal)A perfect ending to a huge meal is always a good glass of wine. Otima is a great port that comes in both 10 and 20 year agings. This wine is full of aromas of almonds, died apricots, cocoa, and rich vanilla from oak barrel aging. It will work well with the spice of a rich pumpkin pie.

The Rum Diary

The Rum Diary was written as a fictional account of the alcoholic endeavors of the writers of the San Juan Star in the late 1950’s. Hunter S. Thompson, wrote the story outline in the early 1960’s at 22-years old, but did not publish his work until 1998. He later cited that this was because politics controlled his life for most of the 60’s and 70’s.

In honor of the screen adaptation of this third novel by Thompson, I have decided to revisit the topic of Rum. Some may remember the post “Rum, Dominos, and Baby Jesus” from January where I go into the history of rum. You can take a look at this post again for more information, but basically Rum is an alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products through a process of fermentation and distillation and is then aged in oak barrels.

The majority of the world's rum production occurs in the Caribbean and Latin America, but is also produced in Australia, Fiji, Mexico, Hawaii, The Philippines, India, Reunion Island, Mauritius, and South Africa.

There are many different grades/qualities of Rum:

Light Rum (called silver or white Rum since they are filtered after fermentation) has very little flavor aside from a general sweetness, and serves accordingly as a base for cocktails. The majority of Light Rum comes out of Puerto Rico.

Gold Rum (called amber Rum) is medium-bodied Rum that is aged. These gain their dark color from aging in wooden barrels (usually the charred white oak barrels that are the byproduct of Bourbon Whiskey).

Spiced Rum (Rums that obtain their flavor through addition of spices) is significantly darker in color and includes spices such as Cinnamon, Rosemary, Absinthe (aniseed), or Pepper.

Dark Rum (also known as brown Rum, black Rum, or red Rum) is aged longer, in heavily charred barrels. Dark rum has a much stronger flavor than either light or gold rum with hints of spices.

Flavored Rum (rums infused with flavors of fruits) come in many varieties such as banana, mango, orange, citrus, coconut or lime. These are generally less than 40% alcohol.

Overproof Rum (rum that is much higher than the standard 40% alcohol) can have an ABV greater than 60%, and some reach as high as 75% to 80% ABV.

Premium Rum (such as with Cognac and Scotch) was created as a market exists for premium and super-premium rums. These are generally boutique brands that sell carefully produced and aged rums.

Here is a list of Swig Knowledge’s Top 5 Rums of the Caribbean:

1.       Mount Gay Rum (Barbados) possesses the oldest surviving deed (1703), making Mount Gay Rum the oldest existing brand of rum in the world. Mount Gay Rum is sold in 66 countries across the world with its primary export market being the United States.  It has a stong bond with the sailing community and is the sponsor of many regattas across the world. Today, Mount Gay  produces: Sugar Cane Brandy, Silver Eclipse, Eclipse Black, Eclipse, Special Reserve, Extra Old, 1703, and a handful of Flavored Rums.

2.       Goslings (Bermuda) was started by James Gosling who set out from England in 1806 bound for America. Instead of going on to America, Gosling landed on Bermuda and in 1824, the company rented out their store front which they still maintain. The company started formulating what would eventually become known as “Black Seal Rum” and holds the trademark for the Dark 'N' Stormy cocktail.

3.       Myers's Rum (Jamaica) is named after the brand founder Fred L Myers. This molasses-derived blend of up to nine Rums has been produced since 1879. The dark rum is commonly used in mixed drinks and is also a common cooking ingredient in food recipes.

4.       Cruzan Rum (U.S. Virgin Islands) was founded in 1760 and has been maintained by the Nelthropp family for eight generations. Today, Cruzan is known for their many flavored Rums and their Overproofed Rum called “Estate Dark” which comes in at 151 proof. The correct pronunciation is "kru-shun".

5.       Don Q (Puerto Rico), named after the legendary Spanish fictional character Don Quixote, was created in 1865 when Juan Colon imported a still which he purchased in France and produced his first few casks of Rum for family and friends.  The Don Q brand began world circulation in 1932 and is responsible pumping $120 million a year back into the Puerto Rican market.

As you can see, I did not include the mass produced Rums such as Bacardi and Captain Morgan (Puerto Rico) or Havana Club (Cuba). Although they are decent quality Rums and contribute to 80% of Rum sales worldwide, I felt that they do not represent the original Rum making process.

Honorable Mention (My favorite Rum right now – not based in the Carribean):

Ron Zacapa Centenario (Guatemala) is a popular premium rum created in 1976 to celebrate the centenary of the foundation of Zacapa, a town in eastern Guatemala.  It is made using the concentrated first pressing sugar cane juice (virgin sugar cane honey) rather than molasses and is aged and blended using a unique aging system traditionally used for sherries. Early Zacapa bottles came in a bottle covered in a “Petate” (a hand-woven matting made from palm leaves which dates from the Mayan period). More recently they feature a band around the middle of the bottle.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to grab a bottle of Rum and find a beach…especially with winter approaching the Northest!

Port - American Twists

I am a huge fan of Port during the fall and winter months of the year. Cool climates and crisp air seem to open up this wine style, releasing the flavors of these high octane aperitifs which usually range between 17 – 20% ABV.

In order to be called “Port,” the fortified wine must be made in Portugal - moreover Porto along the Douro Valley and river. I had the chance to visit this region a couple of years ago and I spent two days visiting the port houses along the riverside, taking in this lush beverage, sipping it on the riverside as I played my guitar in the dark night. Here is what I leaned:

Port is classified in two categories: Bottle Aged and Barrel Aged. A popular misconception is that the two Port categories are “Tawny” and “Ruby,” but these are sub styles of each category.  Ruby, along with Reserve, White, Rose, Late Bottle Vintage (LBV), Vintage, and Crusted (blends) represent the Bottle Aged category. Tawny, Colheita (single vintage Tawny – anything with a year on the label), and Garrafeita (Tawny Port which is aged 3-5 years in a barrel and an additional 5-6 years in a bottle) represent the Barrel Aged Ports. Basically it’s Tawny and everything else.

If you cannot take the time (or do not have the money) to go to Portugal and explore the Ports, you can pick up most of these imports in your local supermarket or boutique wine shop. Port is Porto’s largest export and the leading port houses export millions of cases all over the World from Douro – the third oldest wine region (1756), just behind the Tokaj-Hegyalja region in Hungary (1730) and Chianti (1716).

Another alternative is to visit your local wine region. Recently, there has been a growth of “Port Style” wines popping up throughout the US wine regions in the East and West. Again, these wines cannot be classified as “Ports” since they do not grow in Portugal, but they do provide a decent alternative. My local region is Virginia and on a recent trip with my Aunt for a day of wine tasting, heading deep into Albemarle County, I found two Port Style wines that took me back to my nights along the Douro River.

The first wine is called “Othello” (18% ABV) which comes from Veritas Vineyard & Winery in Afton, Virginia – just outside of Charlottesville. Othello it is a blend of three equally proportioned grape varieties of Tannat (a French varietal), Touriga Nacional (a varietal from Portugal and considered the backbone of Port) and Petit Verdot. This Port Styled wine is aged for two years in oak, which helps create the aromas of plum, black cherries, blackberries and caramel. The smooth tannins allow for it to be consumed by itself (as an aperitif or on ice). Veritas recommends that you “take Othello to its ultimate destiny with English Stilton cheese and a ripe pear pure heaven!”

King Family Vineyards, located in Cozet, Virginia (also outside of Monticello), produced the second wine simply called “7” (18% ABV) in honour of the 7 minute Chukkas (periods of play) in Polo – more specifically the last period. You see, along with producing wines, the vineyard also host polo matches on their custom field which sits in front of a back drop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and grape vines. This American, Port Styled wine is made with 100% Merlot and is fortified with brandy giving it an American twist. The mixture is then aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels for 2 years which gives it a subtle smoky, vanilla and burnt cherry flavour which would pair well with a cigar by an outdoor fire.

I hope you enjoyed these two wines from the State of Virginia. If you want to read more about my days on the Douro, you can always buy my book (www.colehiggison.com for more information). Remember, don’t sleep on Port. It is one of the World’s oldest wine styles and it is sure to warm you up on a cool autumn day or a cold winter night in front of the fireplace before stuff happens.

The Ultimate Pennsylvania Fall 6-Pack

With some added free time on my hands, I took to the road to visit some family and friends. As I traveled through the fall foliage to the south through Virginia, then north to Southern Maryland, and eventually on to Pennsylvania for a quick stay, I got an idea to do a blog on beers for fall.

At first, I thought about tying in beer for tailgating, but with the football season clearly underway, I decided to try and create “The Ultimate Fall 6-Pack” and what a better place to do it then in Pennsylvania. Sure this would take out some of my favorites like Stone, Bells, and Rogue to name a few, but it would also open my eyes to a handful of the 70+ breweries that call “The Keystone State” home.

Many of you may know of Yuengling which began brewing in 1829 and Iron City (1899), but how many of these beers in my “Ultimate Pennsylvania Fall 6-Pack” have you heard of or tied?

Oktober Fest (5% ABV), Stoudt’s Brewing Company, Adamstown, PA – Est. 1987

This seasonal, medium-bodied, amber lager combines a malty sweetness with a subtle aromatic hop character. It is brewed from imported malt and hops from Munich, Germany, and in is reminiscent of the Oktoberfest celebration beers that I had a few years ago at the actual festival.  This beer is easy to drink and would pair well with grilled or pulled pork, multiple German sausages, and even the giant pretzels of the Munich celebration.

Golden Monkey (9.5% ABV), Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA – Est. 1996

Though Victory Brewing Company is better known for their top selling “HopDevil” IPA, this high octane, Belgian styled, Triple beer combines malts and hops with Asian Spices. German Malts and Belgium yeast are tempered by a sparkling approach which creates an overall light body and a nose of abundant herbal and fruity notes.

General Washington’s Tavern Porter (7% ABV), Yards Brewing Company, Philadelphia, PA – Est. 1995

This heavy, medium-bodied brew is one of four selections in from Yards and their “Ales of the Revolution” line of beers which recreates the old recipes of colonial times on the east coast. This porter pours a reddish-brown body with a tan head and has a rich nose of burnt sugar, caramel, toffee, and molasses. This carries over to a rich and sweet, malty smoothness with a coffee bitterness on the palate.

Sixteen (10.5% ABV), Weyerbacher Brewing Company, Easton, PA – Est. 1995

This interesting medium bodied specimen is a Dark Braggot Ale, which is an ancient beverage that is a mix of beer and mead (fermented honey drink).  This dark brown brew with a nice tan head has a slightly muted nose, but you can pick out chocolate, honey, and raisins.  There is a sweetness of the honey, a slightly smoky and burnt roasted malt flavor, and cherries on the palate.  This teeth knocker would be great to down just before a roll in the leaves with a special someone!

4 Seasons IPA (8% ABV), Voodoo Brewing Company, Meadville, PA – Est. 2009

This India Pale Ale is a wonderful example of what an IPA should be with its bitter hops and bold barley coming together to make one of the most sought after new ales in the country.  The brew is golden orange in color with a foamy white head on top. The nose is full plenty of citrusy hop aromas. The bitterness is solid with just a bit of sweet malt in the back end to balance it out.

Java Head (7.5% abv), Troegs Brewing Company, Harrisburg, PA – Est. 1996

I loved this beer! Troegs based this full bodied stout off their original 2005 recipe for oatmeal stout with a touch of coffee.  Once the beer is brewed (called wort), it passes through a “hopback vessel” (similar to a coffee press of sorts) which is packed full of whole leaf hops and a bed of coffee beans thus intensifying the coffee nose and releasing hints of coffee flavor. The result is a lush oatmeal stout balanced with cocoa and roast coffee flavors.

Honorable Mention:

Hopfish Indian Pale Ale (6.7%abv), Flying Fish Brewing Company, Cheery Hill, NJ – Est. 1995

Though this beer is brewed just over the bridge from Pennsylvania, I could not include it in the “Ultimate Pennsylvania Fall 6-Pack,” but I had to mention it since it is a great brew. This I.P.A. has a deep golden color and plenty of hop bitterness, all balanced by malty sweetness. There's a floral and citrus hop finish from a combination of American, English and German malts.

I hope you enjoyed this post. As always, no one pays me for my comments. These are a couple of brews that I wanted to share for the upcoming fall season! Who knows, you could drink these at your next football tailgate as well as just before a roll in the leaves. Thank you for reading and let me know if there is anything I should review!

The Beers of Aruba (It's called One Happy Island because of all the beer!)

On a recent trip to Aruba, I had the opportunity to take in the sun, surf and the different beers while on the windswept island. I strolled along the beach, floated in the heavy salt of the sea, cleaned off in the pool and perched at the oceanside bars all while enjoying the golden beers of the "One Happy Island."

When, I returned home, I did what I always do and researched the three most popular beers I tried while on vacation.

Balashi – 5% ABV

Balashi is the local Aruban beer, named after an area on the island called Balashi where the Brewery is currently located. In the 19th century, the Aruban gold mining companies were also located in the Balashi area. The name Balashi originated from the words Bala Bala from the Aruac (Arawak) Indian language and means ‘near the sea’.

Balashi National Brewery’s construction started in 1998 and the first Balashi beer was brewed eight months later in May 1999. The first case of Balashi beer was delivered by horse and carriage from the Balashi Brewery to the famous Charlie’s Bar in San Nicolas.

In 2001, Balashi Brewery and Tropical Bottling Company merged. Tropical Bottling Company has been the licensed bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola and other local beverages in Aruba since 1948 and the merger assisted in expansion.

In 2011 the brewery decided that it was time to add another beer to the assortment. This beer was aptly named Balashi Chill, reflecting the ‘chill’ lifestyle in Aruba. Balashi Chill’s smooth, light taste and subtle aroma is complimented by adding a lime when serving the product; similar to Corona.

Today, Balashi has over 150 employees with a fully automated factory that is able to produce 15000 bottles per hour.

 Cerveceria Polar  – 5% ABV

Empresas Polar SA operates as Venezuela's largest private industrial conglomerate, manufacturing and distributing a wide variety of food products and beverages, including beer, soft drinks, juice, corn flours, rice, pastas, margarines, corn oil, cheese spreads, jellies, tuna fish, and frozen sea food. Beer accounts for over half of company sales; subsidiary Cerveceria Polar is the 17th largest beer company in the world.

Dr. Lorenzo Mendoza Fleury, a Venezuelan lawyer, inherited a soap factory from his family during the late 1930s. Although this factory proved to be a financial failure, Fleury established a business style worthy of future success; he soon sold the soap factory in pursuit of a more profitable industry. The search ended in 1941 when he established a brewery in Antimano, a suburb of Caracas.  

The Antimano facility enjoyed sufficient success so that by 1950 a second brewery, Cerveceria de Oriente, could be established in the Venezuelan city of Barcelona. A year later, production demand required the construction of a new brewery with large scale capacity. Also located in Caracas, this establishment eventually became the headquarters for all Polar's activities.

The company trademark, a polar bear looking across a body of blue water, emerged from this facility.

By 1960, at a time when large Venezuelan corporations lacked confidence in the country's beleaguered economy and thus turned their attention to overseas markets, Cerveceria Polar decided instead to expand at home. This decision marked a significant turning point in establishing Polar as the pre-eminent Venezuelan brewery. Soon Cerveceria Modelo, the company's newest brewery, was in operation in Maracaibo in western Venezuela.

Beer sales tripled during the 1970s.

In the 1980s, Cerveceria Polar's brewing process began with water, supplied by municipal sources, that was passed through sand and activated carbon filters. Since Venezuela's climate precluded the cultivation of malt or hops, these supplies were imported from countries as diverse as Canada, Finland, Czechoslovakia, and Australia.

By 1984, Cerveceria Polar controlled an 85 percent share of its domestic marketplace and today one could find Polar Beer in the most remote regions of Venezuela, in 11 of the Caribbean Islands.

Amstel Bright – 4% ABV

In the beginning, Amstel/Heineken produced beer in Holland and shipped it to the Caribbean. In 1960, Prince Bernhard of The Netherlands inaugurated the Antillaanse Brouwerij Brewery in Curacao to target the local markets of Curacao, Bonaire, and Aruba instead of shipping their products overseas.

In the 90’s, still under the Amstel/Heineken name, the brewery’s local and foreign shareholders, which include Heineken NV in The Netherlands, invested over US$ 40 million in the plant. That led to totally renewed production facilities with a new brew house, a new bottling line, a new canning line, and finally, in 2003, a new kegging line.

In search of new opportunities, a new product was launched in 1999: Amstel Bright which is made of malted barley, hops and Curacao tap water. Unlike Mexico, the tap water comes from deep wells in Curacao and Bonaire and is produced by desalination and is some of the softest water that can be found, in the tap in the world.

The beer is a very pale yellow and makes a light very light head. It is a pale style lager and usually served with a wedge of lime. It is easy to drink in hot weather or as a beach beer. Amstel Bright also has more flavor than domestic beers and is slightly lighter than its cousin in the green bottle. As its name may suggest, it is an even lighter Amstel Light – perfect for the hot climates of the Caribbean Islands.

Today, Amstel Bright is still brewed in Curacao and it is widely available in the Dutch West Indies , Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba, and Sint Maartin (The Friendly Island).

A New York Pub Crawl

So here I sit, on a rocky, sleepy train from NYC back to DC. It's full of businessmen in for the day and heading back to who knows where. I am enjoying a Heineken. While it's not important why I made this trip, it is important what I did with the time here.

I came up this morning, waking at 7am, hitting snooze a few times before finally showering. It took me no time through the DC traffic to hit Union Station. Within two and a half hours, I was back in NYC. It was a mini release from the mundane life I have recently grown accustom to. On the way, I called three friends who were in the city and told them I was on the way. I took care of what I had to do and walked out to find the first friend waiting for me outside and we walked on down Spring Street.

We walked and talked and met the next friend at the Ear Inn, one of New York's oldest bars. My third friend met us and we enjoyed Palm beers, mussels and burgers. Let's face it, the Ear is a dump – full of tatted hipsters and wanna be gangsters and filled with ageing, nautical trinkets and posters. The Ear has been around since 1874 under various names. There is a plaque on the sidwalk outside the front door that marked the beginning of the New York waterfront in 1791 which was filled in during the late 1800s. I could only imagine sailors knocking back grog and casks of hooch back in the day. The original federal style house was built in 1817 for Captain James Brown, an African American aide to George Washington during the Revolutionary War. It turned to an Inn after Brown’s death in 1840 and went through many transformations from a bootlegging brewery, a brothel, and a speak easy during prohibition. After prohibition it became a private club for longshoremen called the “Green Door.” In 1970 it became the Ear Inn because the “B” in the neon sign outside broke, making the “B” look like an “E.” The funny thing was that I had been here a year and a half ago with a friend and didn't realize it until I had been there for 20 minutes.

We paid our check, left Soho, and headed down the cobblestones to the next stop: The White Horse. Filled with dated pictures, interesting white horse sculptures above the bar, mahogany walls, and scuffed hardwood flooring, we ordered some happy hour brews and engaged in conversation as rain fell outside. Established in 1880 in the West Village as a bar for longshoremen, the Horse has been said to be home to many famous writers and thespians of the Bohemian era of the 50’ in New York. Bob Dylan wrote music at a table in the corner, Dylan Thomas died after drinking there, Hunter S. Thompson ran amok through the narrow doorways, Jim Morrison downed Bushmills at the timber bar, and Jack Kerouac had been kicked out multiple times for writing his name on the bathroom wall (still there). We sat in this mecca of creativity – a Hall of Fame for the Alcoholic Creatives if you will – and I signed a copy of my book that a friend brought, while downing Stellas until the shots of GM started flowing. I felt surrounded by support as I had friends from many different parts of my life getting along...all drawn together by me.

Though the Horse is the historic local I needed, we ventured out into the late afternoon are to find something older. We piled in a cab and hit up McSorley’s Old Ale House on the East Side on 7^th which had opened in 1854...older than the Old Ebbitt Grill where I worked which opened in 1856. The floor was covered in saw dust, the waiters were the old style bar jackets, and the limited menu offers a simple plate of cheese, onions and a sleeve of Saltine crackers. We ordered a round of dark beer as you will find at this Ale House, you can only order Ale or Porter which they call “Light” or “Dark.” The beers are served in two 10-ounce mugs; equaling the European Pint of 20 ounces. There is no hard liquor (I tried) but only beer. We ate the “signature” dish (don't knock it till you try it). The room was lined with old newspapers and nothing had been removed since 1950 and it showed. Women were not allowed until 1970 and there wasn’t even a women’s bathroom for several years after. Famous patrons include John Lennon, the Kennedys, Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Woody Guthrie, and poet E.E. Cummings.

We downed the pints and took a cab to the Old Town Bar open in 1892 between Park Avenue and Broadway. The neon sign outside was like a giant beacon in the dimming sunset. We took in the 55-foot mahogany and marble bar, the yellowing pictures in dusty frames, the soaring tin ceiling, the worn, tiled floors, and talked with locals ranging from college students to day traders from the stock market. We toasted to our day, one GM after another, and then a nail in the coffin...shots of Patron. The bar has been seen in movies form the “Devil’s Own” (with Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford) and “The Last Days of Disco”,  in the videos for “Jump Around” by House of Pain and Madonna’s “Bad Girl”  in the early 90’s, and featured on “Sexin the City.” It recently won the Esquire Magazine award for the best local bar in New York, barely beating out McSorley’s.

It was a whirlwind day, and the last thing I remember was an awkward cab ride attempt to get me on my 8:30pm train at 8:15pm from Penn Station which was not too far away. My friends, all from different walks of life, never knowing each other before today, stood at the top of the escalator, waiving me goodbye as I descended the escalator for my train to take me back home.

I think I've been Zwack(ed)

I have never been to Hungary, but I have tried many different herbal liqueurs. Many of us are familiar with Jagermeister, but in my study of Hungary, I found an interesting liqueur that I had never heard of and decided to do some more research.

Zwack (as it is called in the US) is an 80 proof (40% ABV) herbal liqueur made in Hungary with a secret blend of more than 40 different herbs and spices (Jager has 56). Some of the herbs and spices are distilled, some are macerated, then blended together and aged in oak casks at the factory in Budapest for over 6 months. This process gives Zwack liqueur its signature dark, amber color. It is a little known fact that Zwack is known as the National Shot of Hungary.

Unicum (as Zwack is labeled in Hungary) was created by Dr. József Zwack, the Royal Physician to the Habsburg Court, for Emperor Joseph II in 1790. It was not until 1840 that his 20-year-old son, Jozsef Zwack founded J. Zwack & Co., the first Hungarian liqueur manufacturer. By the early 1900s, the Zwack company had become one of the leading distilleries in central Europe, producing over 200 liqueurs and spirits, exported all over the world.

Budapest and the Zwack factory was destroyed during World War II. After the war, with the Communist regime, the factory was nationalized in 1948. The Zwack family fled the country, and migrated to the United States and after several months in Ellis Island’s refugee camp were granted US entry purely because they possessed the Zwack recipe. They later settled in the Bronx in 1949. It was in the US that Peter Zwack learned all the ins and outs of the spirits industry.

In 1988, just one year before the fall of Communism, Peter Zwack returned to Hungary and resumed production with the original Zwack formula. He repurchased his family business from the State in the summer of 1989, and by the spring of 1990, the original Zwack product was reintroduced to the Hungarian market. That same year, Peter was named Hungarian Ambassador to the United States.

The Zwack Company has since resumed its position as the leading distillery in Eastern Europe. In 2008, Peter Zwack handed over the company’s leadership to the family’s 6th generation, his own children, Sandor and Izabella Zwack, to continue the family tradition. One of their first initiatives was to launch Zwack in the US, a landmark in the history of the company and for any internationally revered brand.

Zwack is most often served ice-cold, straight up, as a shot. It is also commonly served as a cocktail dubbed the “Mad Hungarian” (an ice-cold Zwack shot dropped into a high-energy drink).

I'm Back with GIN!

Let it be known that I am THE Cole Higgison and it has been way too long since I’ve posted on Swig Knowledge. I have a shot of Ketel One vodka waiting on me to finish this blog post just as James Caan had his smoke sitting in a dish next to his typewriter until he finished his book in the movie adaption of Steven King’s Misery .

It has been a hazy month of drinking, living, working, playing, composing on my guitar, and yet forgetting all about writing. There have been times at the beach, times in the kitchen, times celebrating birthdays, times watching baseball, times listening to new music, and times of baking in the heat of DC this year.

A few months ago, some “friends” made fun of this blog and what I write about. I was drinking a Miller Lite one night and one friend said, “Let me guess, you’re gonna blog about that Miller Lite in an hour.” Like an idiot, I got upset, tuned out, and turned off about the whole idea of what I was writing about week in and week out. I got caught up in the emotions of thinking about what others think. If you have read my book, you would know that I don’t care for what others think…nor do I listen.

So to my audience, I apologize.

To the doubters…I’M BACK A-HOLES!

I was reading an article today in “Beverage Dynamics” about how Gin was making a resurgence. Let me tell you something: Gin is as dead as Merlot.

Maybe I’m wrong? I have friends who love Gin (Snoop Dogg loved it in 1992) and I have just as many that love Merlot because it used to be as famous as Chardonnay. It is actually two on each side since I don’t know Snoop after all.

The “hot” brands of gin are the mainstays of Beefeater (1820), Tanqueray (1830), Plymouth (1793) and the expensive Bombay. New comers are Bulldog, Hendricks (cucumber infused), and New Amsterdam which are making a huge push. Well, what is Gin?

Gin is booze with a flavor derived from juniper berries. Although several different styles of gin have existed since its origins, it is broadly differentiated into two basic legal categories: Distilled Gin (crafted in the traditional manner, by redistilling neutral spirits of agricultural origin with juniper berries and other botanicals) and the less regarded Compound Gin (made by simply flavoring neutral spirit with essences and other 'natural flavorings' without redistillation).

Therefore, Gin can be anything: sticks, roots, wild berries, or weeds (wait, I have an idea).

Juniper berries were recognized from ancient times as possessing medicinal properties. By the 11th century, Italian monks were flavoring crudely distilled spirits with juniper berries. During the Black Plague, this drink was used, although ineffectively, as a remedy.

The Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius is credited with the invention of Gin. By the mid 17th century, numerous small Dutch and Belgian distillers (some 400 in Amsterdam alone by 1663) had popularized the redistillation of malt spirit or wine with juniper, anise, caraway, coriander, etc., which were sold in pharmacies and used to treat such medical problems as kidney ailments, lumbago, stomach ailments, gallstones, and gout.  

In London in the early 18th century, Gin sold on the black market was prepared in illicit stills (of which there were 1,500 in 1726), and was often adulterated with turpentine and sulfuric acid. As late as 1913, Webster's Dictionary states without further comment, " 'common gin' is usually flavored with turpentine." TURPENTINE!!!!!

Dutch or Belgian gin, also known as jenever or genever, evolved from malt wine spirits, and is a distinctly different drink from later styles of gin. Jenever is distilled at least partially from barley malt (and/or other grain) using a pot still, and is sometimes aged in wood. This typically lends a slightly malty flavor and/or a resemblance to whisky.

Gin is a popular base spirit for many classic mixed drinks, including the martini. Secretly produced "bathtub gin" was commonly available in the speakeasies and "blind pigs" of Prohibition-era America due to the relative simplicity of the production method. Gin remained popular as the basis of many cocktails after the repeal of Prohibition.

A little known fact is that The National Gin Museum is in Hasselt, Belgium.

The minimum bottled alcoholic strength for Gin is 37.5% ABV (Europe), and 40% ABV (USA) and it can  include accenting citrus botanical (lemon and bitter orange peel), angelica root and seeds, orris root, licorice root, cinnamon, almond, cubeb, savory, lime peel, grapefruit peel, dragon eye, saffron, baobab, frankincense, coriander, grains of paradise, nutmeg and cassia bark. I said it…BARK! There’s a lot of shit in Gin. No wonder it gives me a two day hang over.

So in closing of my first blog in six weeks, I am going to drink this shot of Ketel One and go to bed. I’m not going to lie: I want Gin and Merlot to come back and be strong one day. If I want to trip out for a couple of days, I may go on a Gin bender and listen to Snoop Dogg while drinking Gin and juice. Until then, I will continue to write no matter what anyone else ever says as there is no doubt I know my shit bout booze, wine and beer.

If you don’t like it, don’t follow it!

...but thank you for following and reading!

Spirits - Bacon Vodka

Back in the day, bar patrons could only order plain vodka, mixed with fruit juices and liquors to create tasty infusions known as “Chick Drinks” by bartenders throughout the world. A few years ago, the bar industry started seeing an explosion in flavored vodkas which started with citrus (orange and lemon) and grew into espresso (one of my favorites), chocolate, rare tropical fruits and berries, whipped cream and even bubble gum. When I was a bar manager, my staff and I would sit around after a shift with a few pints and I can remember saying: “One day, they will make a steak or cheeseburger vodka.” Today, they are close.

Bakon Vodka is just as the name suggests: bacon flavored vodka. Black Rock Spirits began perfecting this product in the fall of 2007 in their test kitchen. The two-year process created a premium-quality vodka that people would enjoy while bringing something new to the flavored vodka industry.

By using superior quality potato vodka (distilled from Idaho potatoes), Bakon has created a smooth, slightly sweet creation with no strong burn and a vanilla aftertaste. Today’s mixologists have began incorporating food into drinks which actually began with the introduction of the Martini with its signature olives in 1911. Today, "carnivorous cocktails" are found in most clubs, restaurants and lounges. Bar Pilar is once such bar in Washington, DC, that adds two strips of bacon to its signature Bloody Mary’s. With Bakon Vodka, they will not have to.

I was not a fan of Bakon as a standalone drink. Though it tastes and smells like smoked bacon, it leaves a vanilla aftertaste. Mix it in a Bloody Mary and you will be set. I found these suggestions below on Bakon’s website. Try them out and tell me what you think!

Bakon Mary

• 1½ oz. Bakon Vodka in a pint glass filled with ice.
• Fill glass with tomato juice
• 1 dash each of celery salt and ground black pepper
• 2-4 dashes each of Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco
• 1/8 tsp. horseradish

Shake and pour into a salt rimmed pint glass. Garnish with a celery stalk and your
favorite pickled vegetables.

Bakon Chocolate Martini

• 1 part Bakon Vodka
• 1 part chocolate liqueur
• A splash of cream

Combine in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain and pour into a sugar-rimmed martini glass.

Bakon Oyster Shooter

• 1 ½oz. Bakon Vodka
• 1 fresh, raw oyster
• Dash Tobasco Sauce

Combine in a shot glass. Garnish with lime wedge.