Tag Archives: cocktails

The Future of Craft Cocktails is…

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It’s rare that I wax philosophical at Simple Cocktails, but occasionally I see something that so aligns with our mission here, I have to share it. A few years ago, I established our mission with a post called Why We Need Each Other, discussing the lost art of home bartending and the ways we can personally help to revive it.

Today, I read an interview with Jim Meehan that stirred my desire to see the resurgence of home bartending. In the interview, Meehan, who is one of this century’s most influential bartenders and the founder of PDT in New York, discusses the direction that bartending is headed in the next decade.

He says home bartending will play a big role.

According to Meehan (emphasis added), “If history is inclined to repeat itself, I predict the cocktail will be domesticated by enthusiasts who can’t get a seat and congenial face time with the busy bartender at their local.” He says that quality bartending tools that are readily-available now help to supply us with what’s needed to outfit our home bars well, and in turn, better home bartenders will create a better craft cocktail scene overall.

From my perspective, we are on the right track. Our target audience at Simple Cocktails is amateur home bartenders, and it’s you (our readers) who Meehan suggests will help to “buoy the craft of the cocktail.”

4 years ago, we issued a call to you to start bartending at home. Now the revolution has begun, and the tools and resources are in place to help you here at the blog (see our buyer’s guides and free recipe book) and from many other great cocktail enthusiasts as well.

It’s easier than ever to enjoy a drink at home, so cheers to the next decade and the rise of the home cocktail enthusiast!

Update: 2 months after I wrote this post, I had the opportunity to speak with Jim about his comments. You can hear what he had to say in our Tales of the Cocktail podcast # 4.

Podcast 87- ​​GLUTEN FREE: Bailoni and Hola Harvey

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Tirzah give us the low-down on gluten free drinking whilst Greg tries not to kill her. Drinking pastors? Greg’s gluten quiz! New Mexico IPAs are the best. We taste Bailoni Apricot liqueur and eau de vie. Is yeast bad? “I have an app that can help us with that.” We make a Hola Harvey for Cinco de Mayo, a “real drinking holiday.” Natasha was wearing cowboy boots…dancing on the bar? Oralé Harvey.

Download Episode 87.

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Podcast 86- ​​ Green Chile Vodka and Leaving the Quarter

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NOTE: The podcast is now available on Google Play! Click the grey button below to listen through Play.

“Very New Mexico.” Greg’s hot and spicy liquor reviews. Red or green? We taste Crater Lake Hatch Green Chile Vodka. Redeeming the “shot” liqueur that’s Jägermeister. Eric is too cool. Hide the strawberries. We make the Leaving the Quarter cocktail. “You don’t really need good flavor…..”

Download Episode 86.

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Podcast 85- ​Ransom Old Tom Gin and Whiskey Sour

NOTE: The podcast is now available on Google Play! Click the grey button below to listen through Play.

Old friends. A tease. Canon and cocktail discovery in the early days. We taste Ransom Old Tom Gin. “You better appreciate this, Eric.” We (finally) make a Whiskey Sour. Milkshakes in Home Ec. Refrigerating eggs.

Download Episode 85.

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Podcast 84- ​Tamworth Gins and Prado

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Jon Taffer and booze (link). Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s response. Full Diva. We taste Tamworth gins, Flora and Apiary. We make a Prado cocktail. Why choose blanco? “I like you, but where am I going to take you?”

Download Episode 84.

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Podcast 83- ​Santera Tequila and Añejo Highball

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Nobody turns you down. Cocktail Olympics? Naked ladies and skulls. We taste Santera Tequila. Richard’s non-simple cocktails. We make an Añejo Highball. Learning about “sundowners.”

Download Episode 83.

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Podcast 82- ​ Whiskey Girl and Caipirinha

cocktails with friends“A liquor to pour down my throat…” We taste Whiskey Girl butterscotch and peach. We make a Caipirinha Cocktail with Novo Fogo Cachaça. We learn about the nacho cheese capitol of the world.

Download Episode 82.

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Podcast 81- Blueberry Cordial and Double Standard Sour

simple cocktails with friends“Things are growing.” Visit the site. Leave a review on iTunes. Email us. Lisa, Joanna and scotch. The big list of booze to drink. We taste Art in The Age’s Black Trumpet Blueberry Cordial. Greg mentions Tamworth Distilling. Anne of Green Gables? Cordial fail. Berry beer fail. We make a Double Standard Sour. The mom who runs. Yolk with blood in it.

Download Episode 81.

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Podcast 80- St. Patrick’s Day Dueling Grasshoppers!

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Ireland. St. Patrick’s Day special with James and Jenny! Suzy’s Grasshopper story. The smell of smoke? History of the Grasshopper. We make a Grasshopper. We make Greg’s Fancy Grasshopper. Enhanced brown-ness?

Download Episode 80.

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If you enjoy the show, please tell us so and write an iTunes review! Thank you!

Podcast 79- Rock & Rye and Applejack Cocktail

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A cocktail guy with The Best Beard in Town….James and Jenny join us for drinks! We taste Slow and Low Rock & Rye. Lisa’s thinks about Journey’s “Faithfully.” The story of Applejack. How to cut citrus for garnishes. We make an Applejack Cocktail. “Women are better shakers.” Bad men.

Download Episode 79.

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If you enjoy the show, please tell us so and write an iTunes review! Thank you!