Gin & Bear It

Last Thursday, JB and I hosted a happy hour event at our annual family reunion/Model T tour in Northern Wisconsin. Our theme for the evening was the British Empire so, along with wine, beer and bourbon, we served up a number of gin based infusions including the Atta Boy (a crowd favorite), the Imperial, the Gin Buck, the Queen's Cocktail (JB's fav of course), the classic G & T, and the Pink Gin.

We also used a variety of gins. We started mixing most of the cocktails with Plymouth and used Cadenhead's The Old Raj for our own drinks and special customers. I kicked off with a Pink Gin made with the Old Raj and quickly discovered that at 110 proof, it has enough stopping power to halt a rampaging elephant. That's how you get the party started right.

You know you're drinking right when Tanqueray is the gin you turn to after the first few rounds of cocktails of have been quaffed and the taste buds are slightly deadened. Like Schaefer, Tanq became the one to have when you're having more than one.

After ninety minutes of shaking, stirring, and sampling, we were nicely tuned up for dinner. Four hours later, we were back at the motel to resume our posts behind the bar. The family members who had hosted the various happy hours during the week brought their leftover booze and mixers down. The plan was that no one would go to bed until everything had been consumed and JB and I did our damndest to make that happen.

To JB's credit he came up with a tasty concoction late in the night. The details are a little fuzzy, but I believe it included Ron Castillo Gold rum, Malibu Rum, Angostura bitters, Blue Caraco, pineapple juice, lemon juice, grenadine, and--even though I damn near killed him when I saw him pouring it into his mash--the Old Raj. With a bluish-purple hue, it wasn't the most attractive looking cocktail. But it hit the spot and had a nice little kick to boot.

The problem with such experimental mixology of course is being able to replicate the taste at a later (and more sober) date. I fear that there isn't much hope that JB will be able to capture that multi-bottle lightning again. But I doubt if that will keep him from trying.