December, 2009
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Thursday, December 31st, 2009
Mayan Sacrifice
1/2 oz. 1800 Tequila
1/2 oz. Bacardi 151 rum
1 oz. Kahlua coffee liqueur
1 oz. Grey Goose vodka
First, pour the Kahlua into a double shot glass. Add the Bacardi 151 next, followed by the tequila. Top it off with the vodka. Ignite the top on fire and allow to burn for just a few seconds. Extinguish, and quickly take a straw to the bottom of the glass and consume. Or…if you have the balls, just grab the glass and toss it down.
Being December 31, this is (obviously) the last recipe we can share this year.
If you watch the History Channel or are just in to spooky things, you may be aware of the Mayan calendar that ends on December 21, 2012. According to these documentaries, the world could be in great danger of coming to an end on that day. It all depends on whether you believe or not.
Personally, I think we may be in some trouble here. Any multi-million dollar corporation that gives me and several others a job to taste-test alcoholic beverages….and pay us handsome salaries to do so……let’s face it, society is really toeing the line. In the interview room several months ago, we all joked that we felt like Norm on Cheers getting that job to taste test the beer at the local brewery. Remember that episode?
I mean, you’ve got to be shittin’ me, right ??
But no. It was true. We were brought on to sample shots and shooters and give our opinions on them. If I’m not mistaken, I think that was the greatest day of my life. Oh, and the seventh sign of the apocolypse too, wasn’t it ?
Today, we offer you the Mayan Sacrifice. If the Mayan calendar is true, we have about 1,085 days left. That’s it, people. So the team was ready to pay its due respect to this little shooter. Everyone was on their best behavior lest we insult the ghosts of these true ancient prophets.
Since the Mayans were all about astrology and mathematics, don’t deviate from any of the ingredients containing numbers. You should use 1800 Tequila and Bacardi 151 at all costs. If you do want to stray from the exact recipe, switch up on the brand of vodka. You can use another brand of premium vodka such as Ketel One or Skyy. But don’t get too cheap on a substitute label or you may piss off the Mayan gods.
We recommend that you don’t switch out the Kahlua coffee liqueur for anything else, either. You know how some South Americans can be about their damn coffee….
ShareMyShot.com gives this native knockout a 3 on a scale of 5. It isn’t a bad shot at all. There are some creative flavors at work here like coffee and light rum. And the team could certainly see where this shot packs its punch. It’s a sacrifice all right. You sacrifice part of your liver and your mental faculties. So the creativity and the smack were definately there.
What was lacking was a dynamite taste that has you craving more. It was a tad harsh and lacking in distinct flavor with the vodka and the rum.
The team was willing to concede this….
If the Mayan ghosts agree to call off the whole 12/21/12 threat, then we agree to do one Mayan Sacrifice every workday until then.
How ’bout it, chief ??
Cheers !!
Posted in 3 Star Shots, Absolut, Bacardi 151, Grey Goose Vodka, Kahlua coffee liqueur, Ketel One vodka, Popov vodka, Skyy vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, Stolichnaya vodka, Tequila 1800, Thor's Hammer Vodka, flavored liqueurs, liqueurs, rum, tequila, vodka | No Responses »
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Liquid Snickers
1 oz. Marie Brizard Creme de Cacao Dark
1/2 oz. Bailey’s Irish cream
1/2 oz. Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur
1/2 oz. light cream
Pour the creme de cacao, the Bailey’s, and the Frangelico liqueur into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and pour into a double shot glass. Top it with light cream, stir it gently, and serve. Enjoy !!
We wanted to end the year by sharing a really good recipe. A bartender I know named Paul works over at Cue on Cass Avenue in Darien, Illinois and told me about this one. Cue is a popular, large pool/billiards bar in the Chicago suburbs. They have at least 20 pool tables, darts, live music, and great food there. Paul by no means took credit for inventing this shot. I asked him if he knew any really good ones for the end of the year posts and he offered up the Liquid Snicker.
Turns out, when I came into the office and shared it with research & development and the the other members of the taste team, about one-third had heard of it before. Only two colleagues said they had tried it.
I for one love Snickers bars. I know….I know….some people will tell you Mounds is the way to go, and I know a couple of die-hard Kit Kat people. But a couple of times per year I get a taste for a Snickers bar and I don’t consume a ton of candy. Booze yes. Candy no. So I was excited to give this shooter a try.
As far as the ingredients, we want to make sure you go with creme de cacao dark. It does come in two hues. The light style is clear and syrupy. The dark style is distinctly more caramel colored. For the purpose of Liquid Snickers, you want to use creme de cacao dark. The recipe calls for Marie Brizard who we remember for putting out a wonderful creme de banana liqueur in earlier recipes. Marie Brizard is a top shelf quality brand. But you can try and use Bols or even DuKuyper if you are on a tight budget.
Regarding the hazelnut liqueur, do try and use the Frangelico brand as suggested in the recipe. It too is a very fine name in flavored liqueurs and their hazelnut mix is quite delicious. If you have to make a choice between Marie Brizard and Frangelico, go with the Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur. You can use one of the more affordable brands of creme de cacao. Try not to go cheap on the hazelnut liqueur though; it is pretty vital to the overall taste of the shot.
Be sure to gently stir the cream into the shot slightly so that there is a light cloud swirling around on top right before you down this treat.
And let us tell you something people…….this shot is one fine-ass treat ! ShareMyShot gives it a 5 on a scale of 5. It’s creative. It uses multiple, unique ingredients, and it tastes freakin’ awesome. I wouldn’t say it tastes like a Snickers bar 100%…….but it tastes like a melted piece of some damn fine candybar. Who cares which one ? The hazelnut blends awesome with the creme de cacao and the Bailey’s. It’s somewhat cool from the ice in the cocktail shaker, but the flavors tone it down so that it’s not a cold shot and all of the flavors are distinctly present.
This is a great dessert shot to serve at a New Years Eve dinner party. Not a wild bash with people getting tanked. But we guarantee you that almost anyone who tries this sweet shooter will ask for a second round.
What is the Snickers motto? Isn’t it, ” Snickers satisfies “
Damn right it does. Pour me another.
Cheers !!
Posted in 5 Star Shots, Bailey's Irish Cream, Bols Dark Creme de Cacao, Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur, Marie Brizard Creme de Cacao Dark, New Years Eve, cream, creme de cacao, dessert shots, flavored liqueurs, hazlenut liqueurs, holiday shots, liqueurs | No Responses »
Tuesday, December 29th, 2009
Hair of the Dog
1 oz. 1800 Tequila
1 oz. Jameson Irish whiskey
1/4 oz. Tabasco sauce
1 pinch salt
Pour the Tabasco sauce, the tequila and the whiskey into a shot glass. Lay the salt on top, and serve.
Now this recipe we’re sharing today is a bit of a favor from ShareMyShot.com to you. We thought we better post it before New Year’s Day so that you have time to read it and incorporate it into your holiday morning plans. If you’re like most of the staff at ShareMyShot, you’ll be nursing a hell of a hangover on January 1. So before it’s too late, we present to you the Hair of the Dog.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying before. The insinuation is that when you are feeling really lousy after a hard night of drinking, the best bet is to have a belt of some sort. To “man-up” and go to that liquor cabinet and toss down a shot of Jack Daniels or Jose Cuervo tequila. It’s like the old western saying, “If you fall off a horse, you get right back up on that sucker“. In the drinking world, the popular phrase is to go and get a little of that hair of the dog.
And damned if ain’t true ! I often feel slightly better after a little hair of the dog.
So we gave this one a try in the hopes we could prescribe it as a hangover remedy for the upcoming holiday. The tough part is that we were only able to sample it for taste and appearance, etc. Nobody shows up for work at ShareMyShot drunk or really hung over. Sometimes we leave work a little tipsy, but no one shows up drunk or clinging to the toilet all morning. So obviously it was tough to determine if this would be an effective hangover cure. We could only base it on taste and whether it made our foreheads and stomachs all warm and settled.
What we can tell you with certainty is that this shooter will definately help you to NOT drink the rest of the day. After a couple of these eye watering pick-me-ups, you’ll probably say to yourself….”OK, that’s it ! I don’t need any more. No really……I feel much better. No more booze for me. I’m good now.”
You know……something along those lines.
Anytime you have a shot that calls for tabasco sauce, it usually gets your attention when you throw it down. Add the top layer of salt and you sit up straight in your chair as it goes down into your belly. I thought it might be a better experience if you put a little dash of salt on your hand like many people do with straight tequila shots. The taste team tried it both ways: as a light dash on top of the actual shot….and also off of the back of our hand as a precursor to the shot. It didn’t matter which way we did it—–this Hair of the Dog is a freakin’ bell ringer !
ShareMyShot.com gives this stiff smack in the face a 2 out of 5. And we endorse it as a hangover remedy. It made the back of my damn neck warm. And I’ll tell you this…like an old fashioned spoonful of castor oil, it cured me of whatever pains I had. When someone proposed we try a 4th round, the team said almost simultaneously,
“No….no !! I’m good. No more shots necessary ! I’ve had enough to form my opinion.”
Try one of these on the morning of January 1 right when you get out of bed. I triple-Dog dare ya.
Cheers !!
Posted in 2 Star Shots, Irish whiskey, Jameson Irish whiskey, Jose Cuervo gold, New Years Eve, Patron, Patron Silver tequila, Sauza tequila, Tabasco sauce, Tequila 1800, hangover remedies, holiday shots, salt, tequila, whiskey | No Responses »
Monday, December 28th, 2009
New Years Eve Splash
3 oz. Skyy vodka
3 oz. Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider (chilled)
First, pour up to half of a champagne flute (depending how strong you want it) with vodka. Then fill the rest with Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider. Enjoy.
We think you’ll really enjoy today’s recipe. Without waiting until the end this time, ShareMyShot thought this simple little combo was refreshing and subtle. Everyone on the taste team enjoyed it immensely. We gave it a 4 on a scale of 5 even though it only has two ingredients and one of them is fruit juice. Typically that would prevent such a high mark. But the taste was delicious and after five or six champagne flutes, the New Years Eve Splash gave everyone an unexpected little kick in the fanny. It’s one of those “creeper” shots.
Perhaps the novelty of drinking this shot from champagne flutes also helped shape the taste team’s opinion in a positive fashion. We had a really fun time with it. One could argue that the drink is more of a cocktail than a shot. But we figured that a champagne flute only holds about 6-8 oz. and we filled them up about 3/4 of the way each time. This is why we establish each ingredient to be about 3 oz. And then we didn’t sip the drink or treat it like a cocktail. We slammed it down like a bomb shot.
So to us, it is a good shot recipe for your New Years Eve party(goers). It goes down very smooth and because the apple cider is chilled, it is refreshing on the palate (and your throat).
ShareMyShot strongly encourages you to use Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider if possible. This is a fine, flavorful cider made in the Sonoma County region. It comes in a champagne-type botttle complete with the shrink-wrapped upper portion that you have to unwrap before opening. This cider has won many awards for both taste and quality, and is more expensive than Mott’s or Sweet Valley apple juice. So if you’re hosting a party and are considering serving up New Years Eve Splash, try and splurge on the Martinelli’s.
It is completely worth it and was the ingredient that made this shot so enjoyable. Otherwise, it was just a snort of Skyy vodka.
Now we do believe that you can use another high-quality vodka in place of the Skyy brand. The apple cider pleasantly muffled what is already a muted taste (when it comes to vodka). So if you were to use a label like Grey Goose, Ketel One, or Absolut instead, it shouldn’t have a huge effect on the quality of the shooter.
This is a simple shot that looks like champagne in the flute. If you were to put out a tray of these at your New Years Eve party, most of your guests will think it is indeed a fine champagne just based on the appearance. And then it would be a great conversation piece after everyone samples it.
Ring in midnight with a round of New Years Eve Splash.
But then call a cab when you’re ready to go. These things are half-vodka and enough of them will have you buzzing.
Drink intelligently. Don’t drink and drive.
Cheers !!
Posted in 4 Star Shots, Absolut, BOMBS, Grey Goose Vodka, Ketel One vodka, Martinelli Sparkling Apple Cider, New Years Eve, Popov vodka, Skyy vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, Stolichnaya vodka, Thor's Hammer Vodka, apple cider, fruit juices, holiday shots, specialty shot glasses, vodka | No Responses »
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Disgruntled Elf
1 oz. Bacardi (light) white rum
1 oz. Cointreau triple sec
1 oz. Jose Cuervo gold tequila
1 oz. Tanqueray gin
2 oz. sour apple mix
3 oz. Sierra Mist soda
Pour in the rum, the triple sec, the tequila, the gin, and the sour apple martini mix to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake the contents. Pour into a double shot glass (or a hi-ball glass). Then top it off with the Sierra Mist.
For our final Christmas-themed shot, we’re sharing a recipe that you can either trim down to a big shot (like a bomb), or you can drink it more slowly as a cocktail. What we have posted is for a bomb-type of shot. To make it into a cocktail, simply use a larger glass like a hi ball glass—and top it off with more of the Sierra Mist soda. The alcohol content (measurements) remain the same. Drinking it as a bomb-type shot will likely just give you a heavier kick without the extra soda in there.
So it’s all up to you…..pick your poison !
One way or the other, you have a Disgruntled Elf on your hands. Being December 23, we had a few reservations about the Disgruntled Elf. This pissed off bastard is probably working 16 hours days for the fat guy so the sleigh can take off tomorrow night at its scheduled departure time. That slave driving SOB (that’s right…..slave driving….not sleigh riding) puts those elves through hell in the days leading up to Christmas. Everyone knows that. It’s like a Honduran sweat shop over there at the North Pole.
But the sample team fought past our fears that this may be a revenge-oriented shooter and gave it a try.
While we didn’t do much “substitution testing” on this drink, you could probably use a different brand of tequila if you prefer. And you could also step down to a more affordable brand of gin. We did try the bomb with both Tanqueray and Fleischmann’s gin. There really wasn’t a significant difference as far as the team could tell.
The Sierra Mist soda (and to me, the gin to a slight degree) made the shooter somewhat fizzy and carbonated—-as one would expect. I say that the gin contributes to this element simply because the soda kind of served as the tonic water that it is traditionally paired with, and the result is somewhat fizzy when I drink gin & tonics. In the same token, the soda replaced the Red Bull I often have in “bomb shots”…..again providing the fizzy element.
However, overall the team wasn’t exactly impressed. There seemed to be too many things at work here. Especially for a bomb shot. Usually when you drink a bomb, you turn the glass up and start guzzling it down. It has a couple of ingredients. With the Disgruntled Elf, there were a number of flavors competing for their spotlight and it just didn’t blend together all that well.
ShareMyShot.com gives this irritated elf’s recipe a 2 on a scale of 5.
We knew that little bastard was out to get us. Just because he has to work some long hours right before Christmas is no reason to take it out on the staff of ShareMyShot.
I’m telling his boss about this.
Cheers !!
{And Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of our readers from everyone at ShareMyShot.com !!!!!!!! }
Posted in 2 Star Shots, BOMBS, Bacardi white/light rum, Christmas, Cointreau Triple Sec, DeKuyper Triple Sec, Fleischmann's gin, Gordon's gin, Jose Cuervo gold, Red Bull, Sierra Mist, Sprite, Tanqueray, Tequila 1800, Triple Sec, gin, holiday shots, rum, sour apple mix, tequila | No Responses »
Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
Banana Snowman
1/2 oz. Bailey’s Irish cream
1/2 oz. Marie Brizard Creme de Banana liqueur
1 oz. Bacardi light {white} rum
1 oz. milk
1 slice fresh banana
Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it until it’s frothy and strain into a jumbo shot glass. Garnish the rim of the shot glass with a banana slice.
As we steamroll our way to Christmas in just a couple more days now, we thought we’d offer up a slightly more creative recipe for you. It’s a flexible shot that can be served up on a variety of occasions. The Banana Snowman can serve as a dessert shot for you and your guests at your holiday party or after your Christmas dinner. It can be a Chrismas morning “wake-up call” meant for sipping. I could totally see myself and my wife relaxing on the couch with one of these while our kids tear open their presents from the fat guy with the beard.
If I had kids. Or a wife.
Hey, it’s not exactly easy to bag those things when you work for a corporation named ShareMyShot and your job is to sample shots and shooters everyday. OK ??
The sampling team was intrigued by this recipe. It does have three components to it with alcohol content. Granted, the Bailey’s and the Creme de Banana are pretty tame libations. But factor in some rum and the fact that you may be sipping this at nine o’clock in the morning and it has potential. And there’s no need to feel guilty about throwing one down on Christmas morning because it does have one of your daily servings of fruit——the slice of banana garnish !
Of course, I’m always a little leery of having milk in a shot. But in this case, at least it isn’t being mixed with vodka or whiskey or anything like that. I could definately see the milk combine well with the Bailey’s and the Creme de Banana. And personally, I welcome the rum so the shot does have at least the tiniest little kick.
The Banana Snowman was delicious. The whole team was in agreement on this. If you can find it and afford a few extra dollars, we really encourage you to go with the Marie Brizard Creme de Banana. You can substitute for a brand like Bols, DeKuyper, or Hiram Walker for this shooter. But the Marie Brizard is very creamy and has a sweet, strong banana flavoring. We have found that it really adds something to every shot it is a part of.
ShareMyShot.com gives this Christmas morning eye-opener a 4 on a scale of 5. If it was a Christmas morning bell-ringer, it would have gotten a perfect score. But it would need a little more punch to do that. A perfect shot has to be able to ‘get you good’ as we say in the business.
And having that philosophy swimming around in your head is why it’s a tad difficult to land that wife and kids.
Cheers !!
Posted in 4 Star Shots, Bacardi white/light rum, Bailey's Irish Cream, Bols Creme de Banana Liqueur, Christmas, Crème de Bananes, DeKuyper Creme de Banana Liqueur, Hiram Walker Liqueur Creme de Banana, Marie Brizard Creme de Banana, banana liqueur, dessert shots, flavored liqueurs, holiday shots, liqueurs, milk, rum, tropical fruit shots | No Responses »
Friday, December 18th, 2009
Mrs. Santa Claus
1/2 oz. chilled Firewater cinnamon schnapps
1/2 oz. chilled Tequila Rose strawberry cream liqueur
Pour the Firewater into a shot glass. Top with the Tequila Rose liqueur, and serve.
Today we have a fairly simple shot. And I’ll tell you why.
Last night we had the ShareMyShot company Christmas party. Everyone had a fantastic time and the shots were flowing. You see what we drink during the day in the name of research. But at a holiday party with everyone in a festive mood……yikes ! There’s quite a few people moving around very slowly and low-key today. The kind of day where you pass someone in the hall and say “Good morning” and you get a semi-audible grunt in return.
It was a great party, though. Thank you to the higher-ups here at ShareMyShot for giving the employees a wonderful, generous party to end this difficult year for so many.
Which brings us to today’s rather “easy” shot. When we say easy, we mean it is easy to prepare. And it’s easy to toss down. You wouldn’t expect Mrs Santa Claus to be a raving bitch of a shot, would you? It’s my understanding the woman is very nice.
So you basically have a shot of Firewater cinnamon schnapps and you top it off with a sweet, creamy topping of the Tequila Rose. Now while I do drink tequila, I’m not a regular consumer of the Tequila Rose. A handful of the girls I know drink it. At one of the bars I hang out at in the Chicago suburbs {Georges Too in Lyons, Illinois}, I throw down a few shots with the bartender whom I’m friendly with. And she drinks the stuff. It is very creamy and has a very pink hue to it. It does look kind of delicious. But it’s a bit too “foo-foo” for me.
As a topping on a shot of Firewater cinnamon schnapps however, I can tolerate it. And it really lent something to the shot. The strawberry cream took some of the bite out of the Firewater. Is that a good thing? I’d normally say that muffling the strength of the one ingredient meant to ‘pack the punch’ in a shot is a negative. But in this shooter, the strawberry blended well with the cinnamon flavor. And with both of the ingredients served chilled, it went down a lot smoother than the normal warm and “burny” flow of Firewater.
ShareMyShot can still only give this shot a 2 on a scale of 5. While it tasted pleasant enough, it was nowhere near the level of the top shots we have shared. And it’s simplicity was another thing going against it. Finally, there is the lack of punch. If we deducted a point each for all three of these shortcomings, you get a 2 out of 5.
Mrs Santa Claus is a sweet woman. She really is. What she really needs are some balls.
Cheers !!
Posted in 2 Star Shots, Christmas, Firewater cinnamon schnapps, Tequila Rose strawberry cream liqueur, Uncategorized, cinnamon schnapps, flavored liqueurs, holiday shots, liqueurs, schnapps, tequila | No Responses »
Thursday, December 17th, 2009
Grinch’s Christmas
1 1/2 oz. Skyy vodka
1/2 oz. Midori melon liqueur
1/2 oz. Cointreau orange liqueur (Triple Sec)
1/2 oz. Mr and Mrs T Sweet and Sour mix
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Shake well and strain into a double-size shot glass. Serve and enjoy.
Yesterday we shared the Dirty Christmas Tree with you and were very pleased with how that recipe went. Even though the name suggests it might be a real stiff or “manhood-challenging” kind of shot, it wasn’t. Turns out it was a very fruity, tropical type of shot and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.
So today, we have a holiday shot with another ominous name; Grinch’s Christmas.
It actually shares half of the ingredients in the Dirty Christmas Tree. Normally we would like to mix things up a bit and wouldn’t post such similar shooters consecutively. But hey !! Like I said, we really enjoyed yesterday’s sampling and it’s almost Christmas, for Christ’s sake ! Like most offices around the US, less and less productivity is happening every day. Sales calls take longer as you exchange holiday greetings with your suppliers and clients. People in the office are standing around munching Christmas cookies and brownies and telling each other what they’re doing for the holidays.
It’s all part of the fabric of this country. It’s what we’re supposed to be doing. It’s the American way, dammit !!
And it’s no different at the ShareMyShot office.
So we pulled the Midori melon liqueur and the sweet and sour mix back out from the corporate cabinet. But in today’s recipe, Skyy vodka replaces the rum that was prominent in yesterday’s shot. You can actually go with another high-quality vodka if you’d like such as Absolut or Grey Goose. Any of those three brands will suffice.
And then Cointreau (Triple Sec) joins the party with it’s sweet orange flavoring contribution.
As the spokesman for the ShareMyShot taste team, all I can tell you is that we are really digging these dangerously named Christmas shooters. This one was deemed just as good as yesterday’s shot. The melon and the orange combined to make a fruit flavor that was accented by the vodka. It had the very slightest screwdriver taste (vodka and pure orange juice). But not really. The Midori melon flavor joined in to make it taste like a cold, refreshing, shot of fruit juice like you would drink after a workout.
The Cointreau and the sweet and sour mix joined forces to provide the sweetness that suggests the fruit juice imagery.
We gave this Dr. Seuss shot a 4 on a scale of 5 for basically the exact same reasons as yesterday. It tastes delicious. But it doesn’t pack enough of a punch to warrant the top mark. Vodka typically will affect people more than the coconut rum component in yesterday’s recipe. But it still is not enough to give this shot the pop it needs to garner a perfect score.
Don’t be afraid to go head-to-head with this Grinch. He’s a real softie.
Cheers !!
Posted in 4 Star Shots, Absolut, Caribbean, Christmas, Cointreau Triple Sec, DeKuyper Triple Sec, Grey Goose Vodka, Ketel One vodka, Midori melon liqueur, Mr and Mrs T Sweet and Sour Mix, Popov vodka, Skyy vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, Stolichnaya vodka, Sweet and Sour Mix, Triple Sec, flavored liqueurs, holiday shots, liqueurs, melon liqueurs, tropical fruit shots, vodka | No Responses »
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Dirty Christmas Tree
1/2 oz. Midori melon liqueur
1/2 oz. Malibu coconut rum
1/2 oz. Dole pineapple juice
1/2 oz. Mr and Mrs T Sweet and Sour Mix
1 drop grenadine syrup
Shake all of the ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker except the grenadine. Strain into a shot glass. Then add just a drop or two of the cherry grenadine to the bottom and serve ! It should be green on top and red on the bottom if prepared correctly.
Here’s a shot that was suggested to us at the launch party last week for Harlem liqueur. A guy named Rick shared it with us when he learned where we worked. Apparently he tends bar at a nearby pub close to where the party took place. I asked him the name a couple of times so I could give him full credit, but don’t believe I ever got it out of him. Maybe he feared that if ShareMyShot didn’t like his holiday shooter, he didn’t want to be held responsible or have the name of his bar get credit for it.
The Dirty Christmas Tree sounded intriguing enough. Since I started at ShareMyShot.com a few months ago, my appreciation for melon liqueur has gone up considerably. I never really messed around with it too much thinking it was sour or bitter like something in the Pucker family. But I’ve since learned that is not the case. It’s much smoother and fruitier and blends really well with a good dance partner.
Malibu rum and pineapple juice usually make a good showing too. So we were pretty confident this shot wouldn’t taste terrible.
We did want to get the aesthetic aspect of the shot correct as Rick stressed that it was a big part of what makes the shot Christmas-y and festive. We asked him that if the grenadine is added last—-after the shot is poured into the glass from the cocktail mixer—–does it sink to the bottom where it is supposed to belong ? He said “YES” ; that is how you should do it. He added that if you put the grenadine in first at the bottom of the shot glass, and then pour the shot in on top of it, it will be washed into the shot and lose its bottom-feeder appearance. So add the dash of grenadine in last and let it sink in the glass via its density.
It all worked out pretty well. The melon, coconut, and pineapple flavors worked wonderfully together. It tasted more like a Caribbean shot or a tropical fruit shot more than a Christmas type of shot. But that was fine with our taste team. We came pretty close on getting the visual appeal we were after although the grenadine didn’t drop as perfectly as we hoped. It spread out a bit as it permeated the shot and didn’t sit quite as cleanly as Rick suggested it might.
Then again, he’s a bartender and should be able to pour a prettier shot than us.
I’m just sayin’.
ShareMyShot.com gives the Dirty Christmas Tree a 4 on a scale of 5. It almost garnered our top rating. But we felt it doesn’t pack the punch required to match it’s superior taste. From a flavor standpoint, it scored a 5. From a potency standpoint, it scored a 3. So that is how we determined it to register a 4 out 5.
Now if Rick the Bartender had only told us the name of the bar he worked at, we could give them a “shout out” on sharing a great shooter.
Rick, if you’re out there………email us and we’ll give you your proper kudos. ‘Til then………
Cheers !!
Posted in 4 Star Shots, Baja Bob's Sweet and Sour Mix, Caribbean, Christmas, Grenadine, Malibu Rum, Midori melon liqueur, Mr and Mrs T Sweet and Sour Mix, Sweet and Sour Mix, coconut rum, flavored liqueurs, fruit juices, holiday shots, liqueurs, melon liqueurs, pineapple juice, rum, tropical fruit shots | No Responses »
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Yelp-sponsored holiday party a blowout !
On Thursday, December 10, 2009 the ratings/reviews/networking site Yelp.com sponsored a holiday party at the 233 Gallery in downtown Chicago.
It was a loud and lively gathering that some of the staff at ShareMyShot.com were honored to be invited to. Along with the DJ and the buzz of excitement he created, there were several sponsors offering generous samples of their wares. Many of these were for fine liqueurs and elite brands of beer. The perfect atmosphere for some field research for the diligent folks here at the office. And field reserch we did………
The shot of the night for us was the smooth herbal liqueur out of Holland called Harlem. It’s actually named after the small Dutch town of Haarlem, just outside of Amsterdam. It is made by the same family who produces Ketel One vodka. The flavors at the root of this liqueur are the herbal accent of spice and black licorice. Served ice cold, Harlem is 80 proof and will run you about $18-22 in a decent liquor store.
While they share a black licorice familiarity, don’t make the mistake of putting Harlem side-by-side with Jagermeister. For those of us that can’t take too much of the thick syrup that is Jagermeister, Harlem Kruiden Liqueur is a much thinner, more palatable shot. You get a very subtle fruity aftertaste with Harlem as compared to the rougher medicine-y aftertaste of Jager.
I sampled three shots of Harlem and plan to insert a bottle into my working rotation behind the bar.
There were some other brands out for sampling such as Crispin, a premium hard apple cider. It’s naturally fermented with no added malt or spirit alcohol. Served on ice, we were somewhat split on this one. We all enjoyed the refreshing rush and taste of the cider, but two of the people in our little group said this was the kind of drink that flares up their heartburn. All of us did appreciate the flavor though, and if not for those few dissenters with the personal physical side effect, Crispin would get an all-around thumbs up.
Finally, we tried a seasonal Belgian ale called Sophie made by the Goose Island outfit. It is a tart, dry sparkling ale. And prety damn good too. The same sponsor also was offering Matilda, a pale ale made year-round. Both beers were delicious and we don’t just say that because the Goose Island Brewery is a hometown player. Both had their own personality and were smooth and refreshing in a party that was so crowded with revelers you needed a cool one to avoid overheating.
Or maybe that was the Harlem Kruiden Liqueur kicking in.
After washing everything else down with a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, we headed back out into the bitter Chicago cold. But it was a nice night of meeting some very cool and knowledgable people, sampling some fine libations, and getting in a little culture.
Thank you to the people at Yelp and Nolet Spirits for inviting us and happy holidays to all of the fine people we met.
Cheers !!
Posted in Crispin, Goose Island Brewery, Harlem, Harlem Kruiden Liqueur, Jagermeister, Ketel One vodka, Nolet Spirits, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, flavored liqueurs, herbal liqueurs, liqueurs | No Responses »
