The Barman’s fund began in New York when Brian Floyd decided that he wanted to give back. So he got a group of bartenders together to donate their tips from their first shift of the month, pool them, and then donate that tip money to a charity or an organization in need. After an 8 hour shift of slinging beers and mixing drinks these selfless bartenders are giving back to their community of those in need. To date they have donated $23,609.00.
The overwhelming response from bartenders, patrons, and those who have received this very special gift prompted Mr. Floyd to expand his love down South and open a New Orleans Chapter of The Barman’s Fund.
So much of the bar scene today is about how “dive” your bar can be, or how many bitters you have, or what celebrities sip your cocktails. But its good to be reminded of what bars should really be; a place to be with friends, to unwind and get the best advice from your favorite bartender, a place where you can let your hair down and have fun. So thank you Barman’s Fund for standing behind the bar and listening to all our woes, then taking your hard earned tips and giving back.
And this wouldn’t be a proper Drink Show post without an original cocktail recipe from Mr. Floyd…
The Whiskey Skiffer
(Named after the creek that runs through Floyd’s family’s farm in Mississippi)
1 oz Wild Turkey 101 Rye
1 0z Cynar
1 oz Dolin SW Vermouth,
Ballast & Keel’s Ancho Chili and Cocoa Nib Bitters
Rocks
Orange Peel
For more information go to www.thebarmansfund.org, Like them on Facebook, and follow them @thebarmansfund on twitter. Attend a Barman’s Fund night and get a “drink with a purpose”.
Cider is a fermented alcoholic beverage derived from apples. The difference in color can range from cloudy to clear and is a result of the filtering between pressing and fermentation. Cider can be classified as either fresh or sweet to hard or dry. English ciders are traditionally made with a tannic apple that results in a more bitter, dry taste. Where as French ciders tend to have a sweeter more apple driven taste because of the method they use to stop the fermentation before all the sugars turn to alcohol. Cider has become increasingly popular in the US and turns almost any liquor into a celebration. Get cozy by the fire with some spiked cider and check mission accomplished on a successful holiday.
Get spiked this season with this heavenly Cider by Imbibe Magazine.
http://www.imbibemagazine.com/
The Cinnsation
This cocktail offers the perfect balance of smoke, citrus and spice.
1 1/2 oz. aged mezcal
1 1/2 oz. mulled apple cider (found in most natural grocer’s produce or juice section)
1/2 oz. cinnamon syrup (see below)
3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
1 dash Peychaud’s bitters
Ice cubesTools: shaker
Glass: highball
Garnish: apple slice
Combine all ingredients and shake. Pour shaker contents into glass and garnish.
Cinnamon Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
4 cinnamon sticks, broken into large pieces
Bring all ingredients to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 8-10 minutes until sugar has dissolved, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool. Discard cinnamon sticks, strain into a clean glass jar and cover. Store refrigerated for up to two weeks.
If there’s one drink that can cut the bitter winter cold it’s the seemingly simple but robust Irish Coffee. There have been many disputes from where the Irish Coffee was birthed, but most claim it started at the Shannon International Airport in the west of Ireland after a group of passengers visited the bar complaining about the cold. In response their bartender added whiskey to their coffee and dubbed it an Irish Coffee. On November 10th, 1952, travel writer Stanton Delaplane brought the drink to Buena Vista Cafe owner, Jack Koeppler. Koeppler then famously challenged Delaplane to help recreate the Irish Whiskey from the Shannon Airport topped with perfect, texture balanced, fluffy white cream. The 2 wrestled with stirring and frothing techniques all night but the cream would eventually settle at the bottom of the glass. Deflated but not defeated they then appealed to the local Mayor who was also a dairy owner and together discovered that if the cream was aged for 48 hours and then frothed at the right consistency it would stay afloat like a cloud. Thanks to the remarkable findings of these gentlemen now we can enjoy the warming sensation packed with a punch and topped with some sweet, the king of pick-me-ups, the Irish Coffee. For more about their journey and the process of making an Irish Coffee check out:
http://www.thebuenavista.com/irishcoffee.html
The Irish Coffee (Buena Vista Style):
1. Fill glass with very hot water to preheat, then empty.
2. Pour hot coffee into hot class until it is about three-quarters full. Drop in 2 cocktail sugar cubes.
3. Stir until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved.
4. Add full jigger of Irish Whiskey for proper taste and body.
5. Top with a collar of lightly whipped whipping cream by poring gently over a spoon.
6. Enjoy it while pipping hot.
As the holidays approach it’s a good idea to stock up on a drink that will compliment a rich meal and tantalize your nostrals with spicy aromas. Get down this season with some Mulled Wine. Mulled literally means heated and spiced. In medieval times, Mulled Wine was very popular because of its decadent flavors and belief that wine was more sanitary than water. There are many variations of Mulled Wine but the key additives are cinnamon, cloves, and citrus. Another plus to this holiday treat is that you can use a bottle of inexpensive wine. Since your adding spices and heating the liquid anything that’s red and drinkable will do. Dress this poor girl up and she’ll be the prom queen.
Here’s a great and simple recipe from http://wine.about.com/
Tribecon is an interactive conference held at the Voodoo Experience featuring some of the most influential and creative forces in tech, drink, music, food, and social media. This year our fearless leader, Andrew Larimer, began the conference with FatHappy Media and closed with a live version of The Drink Show and a much deserved cocktail. Larimer’s presentation was based on serving at scale. We had Capdeville bartender extraordinaire Sean Liotta describe and mix up a great cocktail that can be made for the masses live on stage. Beginning with two 1 gallon pitchers we made lemonade and added in one full package of fresh mint for a liquid infusion. The measurements should be 4 parts mint lemonade to one part liquor. In one pitcher we used robust Jack Daniel’s (http://www.jackdaniels.com) in the other, smooth Firefly Vodka (http://fireflyvodka.com). The batch served 200 thirsty attendees. Then, Nola Brewing Company (http://www.nolabrewing.com) Kirk Coco discussed scaling up his product by producing beer in cans as opposed to bottles. He also brought the first case of canned NOLA Blonde to give to the audience. People applauded and clamored to get a taste of the first canned NOLA Brew. The result? A crisper taste with a more affordable package. Beer stays fresher longer in cans, and cans are street-legal in New Orleans. Tribecon proved to be a great success with the most satisfied of audiences.
