Drinks from the Top Shelf!

Our private list of (occasionally) tasty cocktails.

Vanilla Daisy

Vanilla Daisy

At it's core, this is yet another whiskey sour, but it drinks so differently than that. The vanilla blends with both the bourbon and the fruit to produce a really complex, sweet, delicious cocktail.

Shake together the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and vanilla extract, pour it over a rocks glass with cracked ice, drizzle the grenadine over the drink, and garnish with a couple cherries.

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Bourbon
  • 1oz Lemon Juice
  • 1oz Simple Syrup
  • 2 Drops Vanilla Extract
  • 1tsp Grenadine
  • Maraschino Cherries

Author: PJ Heller

Tags:

Bourbon

Blackberry Whiskey Sour

Blackberry Whiskey Sour

A standard whiskey sour shaken with blackberries, and garnished with lemon peel with a sugar rim

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Rye
  • 1oz Lemon Juice
  • 1oz Simple Syrup
  • 4 blackberries

Author: PJ Heller

Tags:

whiskey

The Golds of their Eyes

The Golds of their Eyes

A themed drink created for the wrap-up episode of Golden Son. I threw this together based on what I thought would look nice, and would have a golden color. Turns out it tastes great too! Complex, lots of layers to pick apart, but honestly delicious.

1oz Powers Irish Whiskey, ½ oz Ginger Simple Syrup, 2 dashes grapefruit bitters, top with pineapple kombucha. Garnished with lemon peel.

Ingredients:

  • 1oz Irish Whiskey
  • 1/2oz Ginger Simple Syrup
  • 2 dashes Grapefruit Bitters
  • Pineapple Kombucha, to top
  • Lemon Peel as Garnish

Author: PJ Heller

Tags:

whiskey

Is it green? Include It.

Is it green? Include It.

Ok, I admit I was not on top of it this week. I tried going for some sort of theme, that being "Green." It essentially turned into a weird Mojito, and was truly refreshing.

The lime, basil, and mint were muddled at the bottom of the glass with the basil simple syrup (very easy to make. Just add several basil leaves to the saucepan while making simple syrup.)

Also, don't forget the ice. Critical mistake on my part. If this drink isn't cold, it kinda sucks. I had to grab a larger glass to accommodate the ice.

Garden Bullshit: 2oz cucumber vodka, 1oz ginger liquor, 1/2oz basil simple syrup muddled with mint, basil, and lime. Garnish with large lime chunk for greenness. Don’t forget the icy bois.

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Prairie Organic Cucumber Vodka
  • 1oz Ginger Liquor
  • 1/2 oz Basil Simple Syrup
  • Fresh Mint Leaves
  • Fresh Basil Leaves
  • Lime wedges
  • ICE!!!!
  • Club Soda to top

Author: PJ Heller

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Tags:

vodka

IDK, Tiki Bullshit

IDK, Tiki Bullshit

Based on this picture, all you can tell is that I live in a cold place, and this drink includes some mint leaves. You'll just have to trust me the rest of the ingredients included actually are in this glass.

I basically just added rum and grenadine, then whatever citrus stuff I had in my fridge. I felt like it needed something visible in my tiki glass, so I added mint. Honestly this turned out better than I thought it would.

Ingredients:

  • 1.5oz Clear Rum
  • 1.5oz Dark Rum
  • 1.5oz Orange Juice
  • 1.5oz Lime Juice
  • .5oz Grenadine
  • Lime Wedges Garnish
  • Mint Leaves Garnish

Author: PJ Heller

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Tags:

Rum

Sweet Sixteen

Sweet Sixteen

Well well well, if it isn't a nice fruity drink to in a pretty pink color. This was delicious. I didn't have the time or know-how to make bitter lemon, so I substituted lemon juice and grapefruit bitters, and added a little bit of extra simple syrup to compensate.

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Gin
  • Juice of 1/2 a Lime
  • 2 dashes Grenadine
  • 1 teaspoon Simple Syrup
  • 1oz Lemon Juice
  • 2 dashes Grapefruit Bitters
  • Lemon Peel Garnish

Author: PJ Heller

Tags:

Gin

Grapefruit Manhattan

Grapefruit Manhattan

This is a fun one! I generally would recommend shaking this one, but you can definitely stir it. You can replace the vermouth with one of the sweeter manhattan mixes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Oz Bourbon
  • 1 Oz Sweet Vermouth
  • 2 Splashes of grapefruit bitters
  • Grapefruit Wheel to garnish (or Orange)
  • One Big Icy Boi

Author: Krossland Shaw

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Tags:

Bourbon

Batanga

Batanga

This honestly isn't that good, but it was interesting and I thought it looked cool. If cola and tequila sounds like your thing, give it a shot. Mix the tequila and lime in the salt-rimmed glass with ice, and top with cola.

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Tequila
  • Juice of 1/2 a lime, about 1oz
  • Cola, about 6oz
  • Salt, rimming the glass

Author: PJ Heller

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Tags:

Tequila

Pomegranate Vodka Gimlet

Pomegranate Vodka Gimlet

I had pomegranate juice, and wanted to use it with something. Honestly, I can't remember exactly the proportions, but it seemed like it would be pretty forgiving. Vodka, Pomegranate Juice, Lime Juice, shaken and served over ice with a lime wheel. I'm going to add what I believe are the ratios in the Ingredients section.

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Vodka
  • 2oz Pomegranate Juice
  • 1oz Lime Juice

Author: PJ Heller

Tags:

vodka

Coldbrew Cocktail

Coldbrew Cocktail

This cocktail... was not awesome. It was made mostly out of desperation, and a need for caffeine. I don't know that I'd recommend it. I might have to make another one and iterate on it some more. None the less, if you're feeling daring, give it a go.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Oz Coldbrew
  • 1.5 Oz Vodka
  • 1 Teaspoon Honey
  • Icy Bois

Author: Krossland Shaw

Tags:

vodka

Planter's Punch

Planter's Punch

A nice, easy-going tropical drink. As described in the new cocktail recipe book: "This was created by Fred L Myers in the late 19th century. For a modern fruity version, substitute pineapple juice for the water."

I did not have pineapple juice, but that substitution sounds great. Maybe cut back on the simple syrup in that situation, though. I also did not have extra limes to make a lime wheel for the garnish, so I used a lemon wheel instead.

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Rum
  • 2oz Ice Water
  • 1oz Simple Syrup
  • 1/2oz Lime Juice
  • 3oz Angostura Bitters
  • Garnish: Lime Wheel

Author: PJ Heller

Tags:

Rum

Sidecar

Sidecar

This is one of my father's favorite drinks. The photo above does not do the drink justice. It is typically served without ice, and with a lemon peel garnish. With our recording schedule, I needed to make the drink ahead of time, so I added ice to preserve it. Cognac, Cointreau, Lemon Juice, and Simple Syrup.

Ingredients:

  • 2oz cognac
  • 1oz Cointreau
  • 1oz Lemon Juice
  • 1/2oz Simple Syrup

Author: PJ Heller

Tags:

Triple Sec Cognac

Gin and Tonic

Gin and Tonic

Ahhh, G&T... Nothing too crazy, but always welcome.

Ingredients:

  • 2oz Gin
  • 1oz Lime Juice
  • Tonic to taste
  • Lime Wedge for Fancyness
  • Icy Bois

Author: PJ Heller

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Tags:

Gin

Kamakazi

Kamakazi

Bingham didn't give me much to go on for describing this one. He also only included an off-center and out-of-focus picture of the bottles he used, rather than the drink itself. I forgive him, this time. Citrus and booze, a match made in heaven.

Ingredients:

  • 1oz Vodka
  • 1oz Triple Sec
  • 1oz Lemon Juice

Authored by Guest: Bing Shaw

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Tags:

vodka Triple Sec

Dead Nazi (Shot)

Dead Nazi (Shot)

A shot that makes frat bros go "ohhh that's delicious" and you can't tell if they're lying or just don't have any actual taste buds anymore.

Equal parts 151 Rum, Jagermeister, and Rumple Minze

Ingredients:

  • 0.5oz 151
  • 0.5oz Jaegermeister
  • 0.5oz Rumple Minze

Authored by Guest: Bing Shaw

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Jaegermeister Rum Schnapps