Elixir for the Soul • Posts Tagged ‘highball’

Alabama Slammer

Amaretto - 1 oz

Southern Comfort - 1 oz

Sloe Gin - 1 oz

Orange Juice - 2 oz

Shake everything with ice and strain into an ice-filled highball glass.

Famous for being in the movie “Cocktail” starring Tom Cruise, I know… not a great advert.

The Alabama Slammer is one of those modern concoctions with a catchy and easy-to-remember name but without a definite recipe, others like Sex on the Beach, Woo Woo and Fuzzy Navel. Without sounding nasty, let’s just say it’s not a “serious” drink. But then why should it be? Sometimes cocktails can be relaxing and fun. The drink is actually not bad, with a nice blend of fruits and nuts flavour, for people who love sweet highballs.

Like I said, it is impossible to find the “original” or “absolute” recipe for this drink, because well, there isn’t one. Amaretto, Southern Comfort, sloe gin and orange juice are the four ingredients that should always be there, and other variations may include some or all of the following: vodka, lemon juice, grenadine etc.

The drink can be built instead of shaken. The recipe above was taken from Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology, he used equal measures of all three liqueurs but they don’t have to be. Other versions of Alabama Slammer were shaken and poured into six shot glasses, to be taken in one gulp, still it’s not much of a “slammer” despite containing three liqueurs.

Sloe gin is a liqueur traditionally made from macerating sloe berries with gin and sugar, but many cheap commercial brands substitute neutral grain spirits for gin, just make sure you pick up a good quality bottle, it really is worth the pounds. Finally the garnish is not required (and certainly not for the shooter version), but I thought the classic orange and cherry combo serves the purpose.

Pimm’s Cup

Pimm’s No. 1 - 2 oz

Lemonade - 5 oz

Strawberry Slices - 4

Apple Slices - 2

Orange Slices - 2

Lemon Slices - 2

Cucumber Slices - 2

Mint Sprig - 1

Build everything in a large ice-filled highball or collins glass.

If you’ve never had a Pimm’s Cup during the summer, you are missing out; if you have had one of these but it looked totally different from the picture above, you were drinking in the wrong bars mate.

Fruit Cups are a style of traditional English summer drinks, usually contain a base spirit flavoured with various herbs and fruits, topped off with a soft beverage. Pimm’s Cup is no doubt the most popular one of all, invented by James Pimm, he made a series of base liqueurs from Pimm’s No. 1 all the way up to No. 7, each liqueur contains a different spirit: No. 1 is made with gin, No. 2 with scotch, No. 3 with brandy and so on… Only No. 1, 3 and 6 are still available, with No. 1 being the most accessible.

I remember the first time I drank in Guangzhou in the summer, it was a pretty classy hotel bar. I ordered a Pimm’s Cup expecting a glass of fresh fruits, all I got was a glass of brown liquid with 3 slices of apple stuck on top. It was pathetic. However in most bars today, particularly if you’re drinking in any countries other than UK, this is the kind of rubbish you will get. “Pimm’s No. 1 topped off with ginger ale, garnish with a slice of apple and a slice of cucumber” somehow became the standard recipe, what a disgrace.

Here is the real Pimm’s Cup. When correctly made, it’s a fresh fruit salad in a glass. A few slices of fruits in season: orange, lemon, strawberry, apples… these are traditionally available during English summer. Borage was used back then, but it is pretty difficult to find hence cucumbers were its replacement, some consider it tastelss, but to me cucumbers adds that lovely freshness to the drink, you may not notice it when it’s there, but if it’s not there, it’s obvious that something is missing. Mint is commonly the last step of garnish, clap it to release some of the oil on the surface. mix all these with your choice of Pimm’s in a large glass, it doesn’t matter what glassware you use, it can be highball, collins or even red wine glass… as long as they are big, ideally more than 14 oz in volume. Add ice and top with lemonade. Lemonade in England refers to lemon soda, things like Sprite and 7 Up are all appropriate, I prefer Schweppes Lemonade. And there you have it, it is as simple as that! One thing you need to be aware is not to add any untraditional fruits in there, for example all of the tropical fruits should not be in there, and things like the blueberries wasn’t found in England back in the 19th century, it also has no place in it. That’s it. Sit back, pour yourself a glass, light and refreshing, perfect drink on a summer day.

Cuba Libre

White Rum - 2 oz

Cola - 3 1/2 oz

Squeeze a lime wedge into a highball glass filled with ice. Build the rum and cola into the glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Some would say this drink is too simple, but this is one of the most popular classic rum cocktail today, along with the Mojito and Daiquiri. The Cuba Libre which is Spanish for “Free Cuba” was invented during the Spanish-American War, and after Cuba was freed from the Spanish control, the Americans brought their Coca-Colas and mixed them with the local Cuban rum. On the face of it, this may look merely like a Rum and Coke, but there is a subtle yet significant difference: Cuba Libre has to contain lime juice, while Rum & Coke only may or may not use lime as a garnish only. Yes, it makes all the difference.

Now this drink doesn’t have to be a boring Highball with only 3 ingredients, there is a whole lot which you can play with. Excluding the obvious choice of using spiced rum, that we all know taste amazing, here is my own way of enjoying a good Cuba Libre:

Gold Rum - 2 oz

Lime Juice - 1/2 oz

Angostura Bitters - 2 dashes

Vanilla Extract - 1 dash

Cola - top up

Build everything in a 12 oz highball or collins glass filled with ice, and give it a brisk stir. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Normally the juice of one lime wedge equals to a teaspoon, but it tastes far more refreshing when half a lime is used, that gives roughly 1/2 oz aka 1 tablespoon. Unless I prefer no sugar, substituting the common Coca-Cola with Coca-Cola Zero or Pepsi Max (my preference), then I would have to decrease the amount of sour ingredient. In many recipes Angostura Bitters are included, why? Because it’s so bloody good! It gives those wonderful flavours of spices without having to use spiced rum, and this is also the key of separating superiority from mediocrity. One last secret component is the vanilla, if you realised how well vanilla complements the cola, you’re one step ahead of the rest. Using vanilla pods is perhaps a little too uneconomical, so the vanilla extract is no doubt the perfect choice. Try this out and see what you think, then experiment with something new in your own Cuba Libre.

Paloma

Tequila -2 oz

Lime Juice - 1/2 oz

Salt - 1 pinch

Grapefruit Soda - 3 oz

Build the tequila, lime juice and salt in an ice-filled highball or collins glass, top off with grapefruit soda.

I’m not a tequila person I’ll be honest, usually I’d only have a Margarita. The Paloma blew my mind, never have I tasted anything so savoury yet so pleasant. Grapefruit and lime: both beautifully tart ingredients designed to be in a salty cocktail; perhaps you’d like to compare it to a Salty Dog, but that would never be as perfect. Some prefer to have the salt on the rim of the glass; some would have none at all. I’d say salt is crucial, this isn’t suppose to be a sweet, fruity highball, because that would have been way too boring.

Use a good tequila in this one, it may not look like it, but a high quality 100% blue agave tequila really makes a difference. I prefer to use blanco aka white tequila rather than reposado tequila, I think it’s need some energy and liveliness which you won’t find in a reposado. I’m using Schweppes grapefruit soda, it is relatively easy to find, but there are a number of excellent brands out there. If you really cannot find any grapefruit soda in your area, just use lime/lemon soda with a splash of grapefruit juice.

Tequila Sunrise

Tequila - 1 1/2 oz

Orange Juice - top up

Grenadine - to taste

Build everything in a highball glass filled with ice cubes and drizzle a little grenadine syrup on top, let it slowly sink to the bottom.

I once tought a friend to make this one at a food & drink competition, simply due to the fact that it so easy to make, even an amateur wouldn’t mess it up… and he messed it up. Use 1 1/2 oz to 2 oz tequila, (any grade of tequila will do) depending on how strong you want; like a standard highball the mixer, in this case orange juice, should be between 2 to 3 times the amount of the spirit, if you are using a standard 10 - 12 oz highball glass, there should be at least 3 - 4 oz of juice; I’d say use only 1/4 oz of grenadine syrup, it is there only for look.

Long Island Iced Tea

Vodka - 1/2 oz

Gin - 1/2 oz

Rum - 1/2 oz

Tequila - 1/2 oz

Triple Sec - 1/2 oz

Lemon Juice - 3/4 oz

Simple Syrup - 1 oz

Cola - top up

Shake everything except cola with ice and strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top off with cola.

To me the Long Island Iced Tea is not really a clever concoction, merely a bunch of spirits thrown into one and adding cola for colour. Robert C. Butt claim to have invented this drink. Who knows? Some bloke probably wanted to get pissed but don’t want to be noticed, so he poured every spirit he had on hand and splashed some cola to make it look a real iced tea. Some uninformed drinkers mistakenly believe this to be the “strongest” cocktail, and it can’t possibly be further from the truth. Think about it, this drink contains five different spirits and liqueur, which are all 1/2 oz measure; add it up and you get 2 1/2 oz of 40% ABV (80 proof) alcohol in general, providing that you are using Cointreau for triple sec of course. Compare this to an Extra-dry Martini for example, which usually contains three ounces of gin, with a dash of vermouth; or a Zombie, 3 oz of rum and a splash of 151 rum on top. Tell me which one is stronger now?

When the drink is made the wrong way, it could be the most repulsive shit you will ever have. The key to make a good Long Island is to think of it as a Sour (spirit, sweet, and sour). Consider all spirits (include the triple sec) as one; lemon juice is the sour ingredient and it is sweetened by simple syrup. The cola is only there for colour. In this way, the cocktail becomes a lot more straightforward.

It is not a sin to add more cola than “one splash”, I would say up to 2 or 3 oz of it is considered acceptable, as long as there isn’t so much that it drowns out the flavour of spirits.

Orangeade

Orange Juice - 1 1/2 oz

Simple Syrup - 1/2 oz

Water or Carbonated Water - top up

Build everything in a highball or collins glass, give it a quick stir.

Far less popular to the lemonade is the orangeade, well you can understand why lemons must be sweetened and watered down to drink, but why oranges? Surely orange juice are fine to drink on its own. Well, if you are knackered and sweltering, a glass of thick and concentrated will do you no good. Whereas a glass of good old orangeade can provide you with all the nutrients and hydration needed.

This is a simple recipe for one serve, you may not want to follow it exactly. Maybe you prefer it sour, then use less sugar, or even add some lemon juice it; maybe you like it less strong, just reduce the orange juice and increase the amount of water; or you might want to shake everything with ice to mix them well and make it as cold as you can before serving. It is entirely up to you, but there are some basics.

It is a fact that oranges are much, much sweeter than lemon, so very small amount of sugar is required only to balance the dilution from the water. Oranges are less pungent than lemons therefore use a lot more orange juice, I recommend juicing a whole orange, which on average would give 1 1/2 oz of juice, of course it doesn’t require as much water to dilute it as you would need in a lemonade; and remember you MUST use fresh juice.

That’s all there is to it. Easy? It is unbelievable that so many people nowadays don’t have a clue about how to make one of these, and many probably don’t even know there is such thing.

Gin Rickey

Gin - 1 1/2 oz

Lime Juice - 1/2 oz

Sparkling Water - top up

Build all ingredients in a highball glass filled with ice cubes.

The Rickeys are a classic category of drinks similar to the Highballs. We now know that Highballs are made up of a spirit and usually a carbonated mixer, e.g. soda. The Rickeys are basically a Highball with a splash of lime juice, often half a lime. It is thought to have been invented by Colonel Joe Rickey. He originally used bourbon whiskey in his “Rickey”, these days gin would suit the hot weather more, but any spirit is appropriate. Preferably you should use a good quality sparkling mineral water, soda is an okay substitute. And traditionally no sugar was added, because limes are much less sour than lemons, however it’s more bitter and tart, I think that’s what makes this extra refreshing for the summer.

Añejo Highball

Añejo Rum - 1 1/2 oz

Orange Curaçao - 1/2 oz

Lime Juice - 1/4 oz

Angostura Bitters - 2 dashes

Ginger Beer - top up

Build in a highball glass and fill with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wheel and orange slice.

A masterpiece by Dale DeGroff, based on the Dark & Stormy (dark rum, lime juice and ginger ale), which also belongs to a type of drinks called Bucks (spirit, citrus juice and ginger ale). If you think the common Bucks are too simple, then this drink should please you.

According to his book, Dale created this drink as a tribute to the Cuban bartenders, therefore in this case, I’m gonna use the Havana Club 7 year old añejo rum (añejo means “aged”). The orange curaçao adds some depth to the simple original, and bitters combines all the flavours together and complicates it even further. You get a strong citrus spiciness at first, and finishing it with a lovely orange caramel tone.

Zombie

Light Rum - 1 oz

Gold Rum - 1 oz

Dark Rum - 1 oz

151-proof Rum - 1/4 oz

Pineapple Juice - 1 oz

Passion Fruit Juice - 1 oz

Lime Juice - 1 oz

Apricot Brandy - 1 oz

Simple Syrup - 1/2 oz

Shake all ingredients except the 151-proof rum with ice and strain into a large zombie or highball glass filled with ice cubes, float the 151 on top.

Like all tiki-style drinks, it’s fun to drink it, but when looking up recipes, it gives you a headache. Why? Because there are just too many version of the same drink, you can’t make up your mind on which one to go for. The Zombie is the quintessential tropical drink that fits this catagory. You may have got confused already from just looking at the amount of things that goes into this drink, and if you are in fact looking at a dozen recipes on the internet I bet you are screaming “WHAT THE FUCK IS THE REAL ONE!”

We believe the drink was invented by Don the Beachcomber, he never really released his secret recipe. So every bartender has his own version of this drink, that he himself think is the closest to what the original would be. Some have recipes drastically different from others, confusion is understandable. But if you split the recipes into a few parts, you can see a pattern coming up…

The Rums: There are at least 3 different rums in the Zombie. If including 151, then 4. Yes, it is imperative to use all white (blanco, silver, light), gold (oro, amber, medium) and black (dark) rum. The 151-proof rum does not act as a flavouring agent, it’s merely there to scare you, and if you want to set the drink on fire… So it’s prefectly OK to omit it.
The Juices: Usually only 2 types of juices are present: citrus juice & tropical juice. Tropical juice is almost always pineapple juice, some would use orange juice, or say… grapefruit juice, but those aren’t tropical are they? You can choose to use either lime or lemon juice for citrus, or sometimes both, half & half.
The Liqueur: There is a liqueur in this, partially to sweeten, and adding depth. Cherry brandy or apricot brandy are the most common choices. Very occasionally orange curaçao is used.
The Syrup: Of course only liqueur won’t sweeten the drink enough, you will need good old syrup to complete the job. It doesn’t have to be simple syrup, orgeat syrup works even better. Or falernum, which is used in a lot of tropical drinks.
The Mystery Ingredient: This is the key to complete the cocktail. It’s what makes the Zombie a Zombie, and it’s also the one that troubles every bartender. We now think that it’s a certain tropical fruit. It could be one of the many things: papaya juice, papaya nectar, guava nectar, guava juice, coconut milk, passion fruit nectar, passion fruit syrup, passionfruit nectar or passion fruit juice. I’m using passion fruit juice here, simply because it is the easiest for me to get hold of. Try all of these and choose your favourite one. It may not be the original, but as long as it taste good, who cares.
The Garnish: No rules apply, use literally any tiki garnish you have on hand. Pineapples, oranges, citrus fruits, cherries, and paper umbrellas. However, mint is always used in the Zombie for some reason, it certainly adds a lovely aroma to it. Remember to clap the mint in your palms first to release the oil.

I hope this can help you make your own Zombie, the one above is my own standard recipe, it may not be the best, but it should give you a rough idea. Experiment with different ratios and ingredients.

Don’t be fooled by the fruity look it has, this is a bloody strong cocktail. You will feel like a zombie after consuming one.

Camera Panasonic DMC-FS6
ISO 160	Aperture f/2.8
Exposure 1/30th	Focal Length 5mm

Camera Panasonic DMC-FS6
ISO 160	Aperture f/2.8
Exposure 1/30th	Focal Length 5mm

Camera Panasonic DMC-FS6
ISO 200	Aperture f/2.8
Exposure 1/30th	Focal Length 5mm

Camera Panasonic DMC-FS6
ISO 200	Aperture f/2.8
Exposure 1/30th	Focal Length 5mm

Camera Panasonic DMC-FS6
ISO 100	Aperture f/2.8
Exposure 1/30th	Focal Length 5mm

Camera Panasonic DMC-FS6
ISO 125	Aperture f/2.8
Exposure 1/30th	Focal Length 5mm