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Love Potion

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Love Potion

1 oz.           Absolut vodka
1 oz.           Amaretto almond liqueur
1 oz.           99  Peaches schnapps
1 oz.           Tropicana orange juice (no pulp)
1 oz.           cranberry juice 

Pour all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice.  Shake well and serve on the rocks (or without ice in a double shot glass).  Enjoy !

If you read yesterday’s column, then you know that today’s recipe was submitted by Keith, whom we usually refer to as the office lackey. However, he is a lackey no more. Today and for the rest of the week, he is a full-fledged member of the taste team panel.

We had told him to do a little research and select what he really believed to be a tasty shot for us to try. And we made it clear he was to be absolutely certain that it was not a shot we have already sampled or reviewed. So what does this promising young kid do? He brings in three different recipes just to be safe and said he thought this one was a shooter that ” both the women and the guys might like “.

I think he’s aiming for a full-time spot on our panel.

So today, courtesy of Keith, we’d like to share the Love Potion shot with you.

The vodka and orange juice combination is a quite natural pair (screwdriver). And none of us thought factoring in a little cranberry juice would exactly hurt anything. So the interesting part would be seeing how the amaretto and the peach schnapps blended in. You can feel free to substitute your favorite brand of vodka for this drink. We used both Absolut and Skyy labels and they both worked well within the recipe.

Now one thing we do want to point out is that not only does the recipe call for shaking the ingredients in a shaker with ice, but it also suggests that you serve it in a glass on the rocks. The insinuation being a hi-ball glass or something similar. We did not do that. The orange juice and the cranberry juice were already cold as obviously we keep them refrigerated. And upon shaking all of the ingredients with ice in a shaker, we didn’t feel the need to then also serve it on the rocks. We taste test shots at ShareMyShot….not cocktails exactly. So we just poured the concoction into double shot glasses and it was chilled enough for our palates.

The Love Potion provided for some lively discussion by the panel. Ironically enough, Keith wasn’t a huge fan of the shot, although he didn’t make any faces or think it outright sucked. But the rest of us seemed to enjoy it more than he did. This may be because we have tasted a shot that combined Absolut, amaretto, and orange juice before in a shot called the Dirty Diaper. That is not to say that this was a duplicate recipe, though. There were additional ingredients in the Dirty Diaper such as Midori melon liqueur and Chambord raspberry liqueur. So this was definately something different.

The Dirty Diaper earned a 4 out of 5 from our panel, so we obviously thought the flavor combination tasted good. However, this shot didn’t have quite the exotic fruit flavor. A few of us aren’t huge fans of peach schnapps and having that in the mix versus Chambord raspberry liqueur might have been the difference maker. As strange as it may sound, the Love Potion just wasn’t quite as good as the Dirty Diaper.

It’s kind of funny to even find myself typing that.

But we gave the Love Potion a 3 on a scale of 5. It was still decent tasting and somewhat creative. It doesn’t pack that much of a punch. So we thought that since it wasn’t quite on a level with the Dirty Diaper, it deserved a solid 3 on our scale.

Thanks for doing a good job on your homework Keith, and maybe tomorrow we’ll find a recipe more to your liking.

Cheers !!

Posted in 3 Star Shots, 99 Peaches schnapps, Absolut, Amaretto almond liqueur, Caribbean, DeKuyper peach schnapps, Grey Goose Vodka, Hiram Walker peach schnapps, Hiram Walker schnapps, Ketel One vodka, Popov vodka, Skyy vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, Southern Comfort peach liqueur, Stolichnaya vodka, Tropicana orange juice, comfort shots, cranberry juice, flavored liqueurs, flavored schnapps, fruit juices, liqueurs, orange juice, peach schnapps, schnapps, tropical fruit shots, vodka | No Responses »

Fainting Goat

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Fainting Goat

1/2 oz.           Bacardi Limon rum
1/2 oz.           Bacardi Coco rum
1/2 oz.           Bacardi Vanila rum
1/2 oz.           Bacardi O rum
1/2 oz.           Bacardi Razz rum
1 splash           cranberry juice 

Combine all of the rums into a tumbler with ice. Add enough cranberry to turn the drink a light red color. Shake well and strain into a large shot glass. Enjoy !

No, we aren’t being paid a promotional fee by the folks at Bacardi to try this shooter. It was suggested to us by a bartender we know named Kathy. She works at the Smilin’ Goat Pub on 47th Street in Lyons, Illinois.

Actually, I was a little surprised that she was able to come up with this shot when I stopped in there the other day for a couple of cold ones. The Smilin’ Goat is definately a beer-and-a-shot bar. Don’t get me wrong…..it’s a cool little place with some friendly regulars and cutie pie Kathy there behind the bar. But it is a small place. And it’s definately not the type of place you associate with exotic drinks or expensive, creative shots. I wouldn’t have thought that they had all of these varieties of Bacardi behind the counter to fix this shot.

Well, it turns out (per Kathy) that they do not claim to have invented this shot at all. They heard about it elsewhere. But the name they were given was the Fainting Goat and both she and the owner of the Smilin’ Goat tried it and really liked it. So they thought it would be a nice “house shot” to offer at the Smilin’ Goat. They admit that not too many people order it, but they always have the Bacardi fixings “at the ready” for whenever someone does ask for one. The price deters many of the regulars at $8.50 per shot. But they say that sometimes a group of three or four of the “younger crowd will order a round when they’re celebrating something or just getting happy“.

Good enough explanation for us. We’re happy to give this rummy shot a try.

Obviously, it’s not all that hard to make; equal parts of the (5) different blends of Bacardi rum, and as the recipe states…enough cranberry to make the overall hue slightly reddish. It’s served chilled.

We found it to be a pretty tasty mix. We’ve used Bacardi O somewhat recently in the recipe for the G Spot. And almost all of us on the taste panel have tried the other flavors too—-the Bacardi vanilla blend, the Bacardi Limon, etc. So none of the ingredients were exactly foreign to us. It was just a matter of how good they would taste in one, single invention.

And as I said, the answer was pretty good. The lemon / lime citrus flavor of the Limon was pretty evident, as was the taste of raspberry from the Razz. Although we do acknowledge that particular tinge may have been enhanced or complemented by the addition of the cranberry juice. As far as the least evident flavor, it was somewhat hard to identify the vanilla thru all of the tangy fruit flavors. The coconut from the Coco blend may have disguised it somewhat.

This was a fun shot. We enjoyed trying to discern the various components. ShareMyShot gives this house shooter at the Smilin’ Goat in Lyons, Illinois a 4 on a scale of 5.

Stop on in and see our friend Kathy behind the bar. And order yourself a Fainting Goat while you’re at the Smilin’ Goat.

Cheers !!

Posted in 4 Star Shots, Bacardi Coco rum, Bacardi Limon rum, Bacardi O, Bacardi Razz rum, Bacardi Vanila rum, Caribbean, Smilin Goat, citrus rum, coconut rum, comfort shots, cranberry juice, fruit juices, rum, tropical fruit shots, vanilla rum | No Responses »

G Spot

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

G Spot

1 oz.             Jagermeister herbal liqueur
1 oz.             Bacardi O (orange) rum
1/4 oz.          99 Oranges schnapps
2 oz.             cranberry juice 

Add all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour into large shot glass. Enjoy !

The name behind today’s shot is one of those entities that sometimes causes great debate. The debate is whether it really exists or not. Is it a very sensitive, true part of the female anatomy? Or is it just as mythical as unicorns and the pot of gold at the end of every rainbow? Personally, I’d have to say that it is a mythological concept. Or at least that’s what the handful of women I’ve known in my life would likely tell you. Much like the Fountain of Youth, I’ve never seen it or knocked on its door.

But then again, perhaps that’s just a personal problem. I mean, give me a break ! I work for an organization called ShareMyShot, I do drink like Dudley Moore in Arthur, and I can’t exactly claim to be 100% on top of my game all the time. OK ??

But the female members of the taste team claim it is a non-fictional, true place. A wonderful place. A fabulous place. Although they said I shouldn’t feel bad because very few men have ever entered thru the elusive gates. That was a unanimous claim by the women.

Regardless, the shot called G Spot does exist and we were intent on exploring this one. Dammit, there is nothing we won’t do in the name of research for our loyal readers.

A few weeks ago, while doing some similar research on Spank the Monkey {see 1/13/10 post}, we tried the very fruity schnapps called 99 Bananas. It made a really strong contribution to the shooter as that shot earned our highest mark; 5 on a scale of 5. The G Spot calls for another flavor in the 99 family distributed by the Barton/Sazerac people. This time it is 99 Oranges and is accompanied by Bacardi O orange rum.

We figured that the orange rum, the very orangy schnapps, and the cranberry juice would make a fresh, fruity flavor with some zest to it. What we were curious to see is how the Jagermeister component influenced the shot.

The shot is served chilled, which is somewhat obvious as a cold glass of orange juice is much more tasty than a warm glass that’s been sitting out for a while. It went down very smooth and the thick, sometimes syrupy nature of Jagermeister was thinned out by the other ingredients. And those other ingredients lent such a distinct orange flavor to the mix that the Jager was quite tolerable and contributed to the overall taste rather than dominated it. The cranberry juice toned down the black licorice tang to acceptable levels.

ShareMyShot gives this evasive, sexy shooter a 4 on a scale of 5. It may have just been my imagination running wild, but after our 4th round in the taste room, I thought I noticed the girls squirming around a bit more than usual. And in a really good mood too. This just may have been the closest I have ever come in contact to a true, verifiable G Spot.

But I am willing to do as much field research as necessary to actually confirm a “hit”.

Cheers !!

Posted in 4 Star Shots, 99 Oranges schnapps, Bacardi O, Bacardi orange rum, Jagermeister, comfort shots, cranberry juice, flavored liqueurs, flavored schnapps, fruit juices, hangover remedies, herbal liqueurs, liqueurs, rum, schnapps, tropical fruit shots | No Responses »

Panty Dropper

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Panty Dropper

1 oz.        Stoli Razberi vodka
1 oz.        Hiram Walker blueberry schnapps
1/2 oz.      cranberry juice 

Pour the Stoli raspberry vodka and the blueberry schnapps into an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake, and pour into a shot glass. Top off with the cranberry juice and serve. Enjoy.

In the past we’ve shared recipes for shots called the Leg Spreader and the Naughty School Girl. While I’m not so sure about the two females on the taste team, I know that the guys are always very curious to see if those kind of shots live up to their names. So when Keith in our human resources department came in to the office with the Panty Dropper, it was obvious to the boys that his was a recipe we were going to try right away. So far, neither of the forementioned shooters had the girls peeling off their clothes. But a man can still hope, right?

Plus, this recipe had a few ingredients in it that we haven’t played with before. So it was an ideal recipe to share with our loyal readers.

Stoli Razberi vodka is quite obviously a raspberry flavored vodka marketed by one of the heavyweights in the vodka arena–Stolichnaya. It has a raspberry ripple creaminess balanced by the sweet spice of rye and wheat grain vodka, with hints of pepper and wild raspberry cane. At least that’s what research and development told the members of the taste team. What the hell all that means……we have no idea. But much like Absolut offers their Kurant and Peppar flavors, Stoli offers Razberi, Blueberi, and the like.

I have tasted Stoli Razberi vodka all by itself and it isn’t bad at all. You can taste the subtle flavor of red berries. It’s not an overwhelming taste sensation like most any flavored vodka; but it is decipherable. You can pick up a bottle at a decent liquor store for around $20 or so. We assumed the cranberry juice would be a very nice complement to the vodka as it is a popular combination {cranberry and regular vodka}. It was the addition of the blueberry schnapps that would make or break the shot.

Because you’d probably have to go out and buy both components special to prepare this shooter, we’ll just suggest you stick with traditional labels on the schnapps like DeKuyper or Hiram Walker Blueberry Passion (both about $9-11). 

So if you spend about $30 altogether, you’ll have a bottle of each ingredient and enough booze to make a lot of women drop ‘dem panties….allegedly.

So does the shot live up to its name? Well……I can tell you this. When the tasting session was done, all of the females were still fully clothed. Hell, I don’t even know if they wear panties. But I digress.

The shot was pretty damn good. The blueberry and the subtle raspberry flavors blended together in a lip-smacking combination. The cranberry juice was actually more identifiable than the raspberry. But this fruity trifecta went down very nicely even if the shot doesn’t provoke women’s ”delicates” to do the same.

ShareMyShot.com gives this false advertising—-but really delicious shooter—-a 4 on a scale of 5.

We couldn’t give it our top score because there’s just not enough punch behind it to get girls out of their undies. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t mix up a batch of these and serve them to your female guests. They will enjoy the smooth taste for sure.

Even though that makes us oh-fer-3 on the prospect of seeing some fun parts with these deceivingly named shots. 

Cheers !!

Posted in 4 Star Shots, DeKuyper Blueberry schnapps, Hiram Walker Blueberry Passion, Hiram Walker schnapps, Stoli Razberi vodka, Stolichnaya vodka, cranberry juice, fruit juices, schnapps, tropical fruit shots, vodka | No Responses »

Absolut Train Wreck

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Absolut Train Wreck

1/2 oz.      Absolut vodka
1/2 oz.      Absolut Kurant vodka
1/2 oz.      Absolut Citron vodka
1 1/2 oz.    cranberry juice 

Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice cubes. Shake well, pour into a large shot glass, and serve.

ShareMyShot.com is proud to share the 50th recipe with you today since we started this journey into the wonderful world of shots and shooters. And for the 50th, we wanted to offer up something that will really whet your whistle. One that can knock a man for a loop. A shot that will make you ask yourself in the morning, “What the hell was I thinking——and drinking?? “

Ladies and gentlemen, ShareMyShot presents to you……..the Absolut Train Wreck.

This isn’t an overtly fancy shot. It is a blend of a couple of flavors in the Absolut vodka family with a little fruit juice mixed in to keep it from being strictly a shot of vodka. But Absolut is a high quality brand and their flavor selection has more varieties than most other labels. I myself keep a bottle of all (3) of the ingredients called for in the Absolut Train Wreck behind my bar at all times.

I’ve mentioned before that I always keep a bottle of Absolut Kurant on-hand for my beloved vodka and cranberry drink. And I always have a regular bottle of Absolut for Bloody Marys and other vodka-based drinks. {Although I frequently use Absolut Peppar in my Bloody Marys}. Then I typically do have a bottle of the Absolut Citron to complete my Absolut army. So all of the requirements for this train wreck were at our disposal when we agreed this would be today’s benchmark sampling.

Quite obviously, no other brands of vodka should be used here. Nothing other than Absolut. This is not an interchangeable shot.

It goes down smooth and easy. The cranberry juice, which actually comprises 1/2 the shot, offsets the vodka; not that vodka is as pungent to the tastebuds as whiskey or bourbon. But it tasted like a mini vodka & cranberry—with a twist. The combination of the sweet/tart interplay of the citrus and the black currant berry make it a more robust taste sensation than just pure vodka & cranberry. Its slightly sweeter than one might expect.

ShareMyShot.com gives this absolutely refreshing and savory shooter a 4 on a scale of 5. Most of us in the office are fans of the Absolut vodka family. And the fact that this shot is served chilled helps to overcome the often piss-warm, bland taste of a late-nite vodka shot. It’s a good shot for summertime backyard parties, festive gatherings, and hanging out with just a small group of friends.

You absolut-ly should give this one a try. As well as the 49 previous shots we’ve been privileged to share with you.

Cheers !!!

Posted in Absolut, Absolut Citron, Absolut Kurant, Absolut Peppar, Absolut flavored vodkas, cranberry juice, fruit juices, tropical fruit shots, vodka | No Responses »

Bart Simpson

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Bart Simpson
 
1/2 oz.       Crown Royal Canadian whiskey
1/2 oz.       Amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 oz.       peach schnapps
1 splash     cranberry juice 

Chill and serve in large shot glass.

We’re going with something a little different today. A bartender friend and big fan of ShareMyShot made me try this shot simply because she knows I’ve been a long-time fan of the Simpsons. Neither she nor I can make a connection between the shot or its ingredients and the name of it. But the bar was kind of empty on a chilly Sunday afternoon and after trying a couple of previously posted recipes together, she came up with this bright idea. Said she heard about it from another girl who works there, but hadn’t tried it yet.

And it just goes to show ya. We should have left well-enough alone. I had tossed back a couple of belts of Jack Daniels watching the Bears beat up on the Cleveland Browns. And I was happy. When she suggested the shot and said it had Crown Royal in it, I didn’t think that was such a huge leap and was agreeable. When she told me the rest of the ingredients, I knew my tastebuds and/or stomach might object after an afternoon of JD. But yet I pushed onward.

I’ve never been a big fan of libations such as Amaretto almond liqueur or even peach schnapps for that matter. I do like most flavored schnapps, but peach isn’t one of them. And the whole Amaretto thing is what I remember my dear mother used to go for on holidays. Me not so much. But with my friend’s encouragement and in the name of research for ShareMyShot.com we trudged further on.

I hated it. It sucked. Really blew. The Amaretto and the peach schnapps were still prominent in the flavor. The whiskey and the cranberry juice didn’t do enough to mask those two pungent tastes. But instead of two seperate flavors that I really don’t care for, it was one big splash of a single bad flavor. My bartender friend’s boyfriend was the only other one there and he refused to try one. Smart kid.

It’s a creative combination to whomever thought of it. And the name is intriguing just because I don’t know what the hell the connection is. But all-in-all, we have a weirdly named shot with half of it made from liqueurs that I don’t care for. And the taste reminded me of when dear old mom made eggplant for the first time and the family almost revolted. Or take a slug of milk from a carton that’s 8-9 days past the expiration date. There’s a taste that is just as enjoyable.

ShareMyShot gives this cartoonish concoction a zero on a scale of 5. As good ol’ Bart Simpson would say, “Aye caramba, man” !!!! This shot is not highly recommended. Or maybe Bart would say “Eat my shorts” because that’s what this shot almost tasted like.

Cheers !!

Posted in 0 Star Shots, Amaretto almond liqueur, Canadian whisky, Crown Royal, DeKuyper peach schnapps, Hiram Walker peach schnapps, Hiram Walker schnapps, cranberry juice, liqueurs, peach schnapps, schnapps, whiskey | No Responses »

Vampire

Friday, October 30th, 2009

Vampire

1 oz.   Chambord raspberry liqueur
1 oz.   Absolut vodka
1 oz.   cranberry juice

Combine ingredients in a shaker over ice. Serve as shots in an old-fashioned glass.

With just one day left before Halloween weekend, we wanted to offer up one more shot that would fit in well at your party tomorrow. ShareMyShot presents to you…….Vampire shots!

This is a variation of a cocktail drink that I enjoy quite often. I was turned on to Absolut and cranberry juice when I was about 19 or 20 at the old Clipper Ship Lounge on 47th Street in Brookfield, Illinois. Unfortunately the bar is closed down now. But that was where I started my initial training in the wonderful world of shots and shooters. So that was my hangout back then and I used to guzzle Absolut and cranberry pretty frequently. Still do.

This shot takes that simple drink and livens it up with Chambord raspberry liqueur. Not a bad addition. This is a French liqueur with an intense flavor of black raspberries, fruits, herbs, and honey. The taste is sweet and it has a ruby red color. It’s a bit expensive as is most anything from France, right? But DO NOT deviate from this brand when making Vampire shots. It is key because of its quality and distinct flavor. Do NOT go cheap on this ingredient. In our opinion, doing so would ruin the shot.

And to an extent, the same goes with the Absolut vodka. If you are going to substitute, go with another fine brand of vodka such as Skyy or Grey Goose. Don’t go with the cheapest label on the liquor store shelf. I mean, if you’re going to plunk down some good money ($25) on a fine raspeberry liqueur, don’t dumb it down with some lame-ass vodka. Stick to Absolut if you can swing it. In fact, go with Absolut Kurant (berry flavored).

The selection of cranberry juice is up to you. As long as you have the premium alcoholic ingredients, you should be able to capture the savory flavor of the shot if you go with Tropicana, Nature’s Best or Ocean Spray.

This is a really delicious shot. As I said, I’ve been a long-time fan of vodka and cranberry. But the insertion of the Chambord raspberry liqueur really takes the drink to another level. I wasn’t too familiar with this brand of liqueur. And it is one damn fine spirit ! No shit. I really liked how it combined with the cranberry element and made a taste explosion. I now have a bottle stocked behind my bar and am trying other combinations with it. ShareMyShot highly recommends that you add Chambord to your bar shelf.

The color is the maroon-red you would expect from the cranberry and Chambord. Yes, you could say it looks a bit like blood in a shot glass. But not enough to freak anyone out. Especially with the sweet scent that it gives off if you sniff it closely. It smells like red berries. It goes down very smoothly and the vodka gives it the kick.

ShareMyShot.com gives this suck-ulent Vampire shot a 5 on a scale of 5. It’s the perfect treat for your guests at the Halloween party. Women will love the sweet taste of the raspberry liqueur. Three or four of them will give you a cozy feeling thanks to the vodka. It’ll keep you warm if you’re at a chilly yard party.

Happy Halloween to everyone from ShareMyShot.com !!!

Cheers !

Posted in 5 Star Shots, Absolut, Absolut Kurant, Absolut flavored vodkas, Chambord raspberry liqueur, Grey Goose Vodka, Skyy vodka, black raspberry liqueur, cranberry juice, liqueurs, vodka | No Responses »