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Cocktail Academy reigns supreme in serving premier cocktails, but they also know how to make sure you are ready to take on the role as bartender, too. Founder Matt Landes and his team were kind enough to create a comprehensive guide of beverages to get you through the holiday season for a spirit menu with an extra dose of flair. Choose from any below.
Name: Cognac French 75
Ingredients: 1 oz Cognac, 0.25 oz Lemon Juice, 0.25 oz Simple Syrup, 4 oz Champagne
Garnish: Manicured Lemon Peel
Directions: Combine Cognac, lemon & simple syrup into a shaker tin. Add ice & shake. Add 1 oz of Champagne into a champagne flute. Double strain gin mixture into the flute. Top with remaining Champagne.
Name: Espresso Macchiato Martini
Theme: After Dinner Drinks
Ingredients: 1.5oz Vodka, 1 Shot Espresso, 0.5oz Milk, 0.5oz Coffee Liqueur, 0.5oz PX Sherry
Garnish: 3 Coffee Beans- never more, never less.
Directions: In a shaker combine Vodka, espresso, PX Sherry, Coffee Liqueur, of Milk (of your choice), add ice, shake and strain into an espresso/coffee glass, and garnish with 3 coffee beans for good luck.
See also: Cocktail Academy's Matt Landes Talks Elevating the Personal and Professional Cocktail Experience
Name: For a Good Time Call… Tequila
Theme: Blood Orange & Chilled Tequila
Ingredients: 2 oz. Chilled Reposado Tequila
Garnish: Blood and/or Cara Cara Orange Wedges
Name: Gingerbread Sour
Theme: Gingerbread/Holiday Cookie
Ingredients: 2oz Bourbon, 0.75oz Lemon, Ginger, 0.75oz Cinnamon-Ginger-Brown Sugar Syrup
Garnish: Candied Ginger
Directions: In a shaker add Bourbon, Lemon, Cinnamon-Ginger-Brown Sugar Syrup, add ice, shake and strain into an ice filled rocks glass, and garnish with a candied ginger disc.
Name: Holiday Sazerac
Ingredients: 1.5 oz. Cognac , 0.5 oz Demerara Rum, Rinse of ginger liqueur & absinthe, 0.5 oz. Vanilla Bean Syrup, 4 dashes Peychaud's bitters, Lemon peel, Orange peel
Garnish: vanilla bean piece on rim of glass
Directions: Coat chilled rocks glass with absinthe. Add all ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice & stir. Strain into chilled rocks glass. Twist lemon peel over the drink to release oils, then discard twist.
Name: Hot Buttered Rum
Theme: Holiday Party with Friends
Ingredients: 1.75 oz Aged Rum, 0.3 oz Allspice Dram, 2 dash of Angostura 1 tablespoons of Rum Butter
Garnish: Grated Nutmeg
Rum Butter Directions: In a large mixing bowl, add 1 pound softened butter, 1 pound brown sugar, 1 pound white sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon each ground clove and ground nutmeg. Stir to combine, then add 1 quart of lightly softened vanilla ice cream and stir again. Transfer to a container with a lid, seal and store in the freezer.
Directions: Combine: Combine ingredients into a mug. Top with boiling water
*Party Hack: Combine all the ingredients and 3oz of water in a milk frother, run for one cycle, once cycle is done pour into mug and garnish with grated nutmeg.
Name: Liquid Gold
Ingredients: 2oz Anejo Tequila, 0.5oz Lyle’s Golden Syrup, 1oz Fresh Lime, 0.5tsp Turmeric
Garnish: Edible Gold Flakes
Directions: In a shaker combine Anejo Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Lyle’s Golden Syrup, turmeric powder. Add ice, shake and strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Garnish with edible gold flakes.
Name: Mulled Wine
Theme: Post Thanksgiving Meal, Family Christmas Party meal
Ingredients: 1 bottle Red Wine, 6oz Grand Marnier, Star Anise, 5g Clove, Dried Oranges, 10g cinnamon sticks
Garnish: Cinnamon, Star Anise, Dried Orange Wheel
Directions: In a pot over low heat combine 1 bottle red wine, clove, cinnamon sticks, the peels of 2 large oranges, Grand Marnier, 4 star anise pods. Bring to a low simmer and remove from heat. Let cool for 20 minutes and strain using a fine mesh strain. Pour mulled wine into a crock pot for serving or something that can hold liquid at 95 Degrees Fahrenheit.
Photography by: Scott Clark Photography
